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Scanned  from  the  collections  of 
The  Library  of  Congress 


AUDIO-VISUAL  CONSERVATION 
at  The  LIBRARY  jf  CONGRESS 


Packard  Campus 
for  Audio  Visual  Conservation 
www.loc.gov/avconservation 

Motion  Picture  and  Television  Reading  Room 
www.loc.gov/rr/mopic 

Recorded  Sound  Reference  Center 
www.loc.gov/rr/record 


I 


Alert, 


tion 


Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAIL 


S3.  NO.  1 


NEW  YORK,  U.  S.  A.,  MONDAY,  JANUARY  4,  1943 


First  in 
F 


^/mpartial 


TEN  CENTS 


Terrific  Gross 
On  Broadway 
Over  Holiday 

'Biggest  Ever,'  Refrain  at 
Major  Houses 


"Terrific"  was  the  word  for 
Broadway  grosses  at  the  major  the- 
atres New  Year's  eve  and  over  the 
three-day  holiday,  according  to  the 
managers. 

New  Year's  eve,  as  an  estimated 
400,000  revelers  jammed  dimmed-out 
Times  Square  and  the  theatrical  sec- 
tion, some  of  the  theatres,  with  big 
attractions,  did  their  best  business  in 
years,  and  a  few  set  new  records. 

The  Radio  Music  Hall,  with  "Ran- 
dom Harvest"  starting  a  third  week, 
with  the  stage  show,  garnered  an  esti- 
mated $25,600  for  Thursday  and  New 
Year's  eve,  followed  by  a  big  esti- 
mated $20,400  for  New  Year's  Day. 
The  New  Year's  eve  scale  was  ad- 
vanced to  $1.10  top  after  5  p.  m.  The 
theatre  opened  at  7  :30  a.  m.  and  con- 
tinued until  3 :30  a.  m.  Friday,  the 
longest  schedule  in  the  Music  Hall's 
history.  A  gross  in  the  neighborhood 
of  $85,000  was  estimated  for  the  first 
four  days  of  the  show's  third  week 
ending  last  night.  The  healthy  busi- 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


Year's  Arbitration 
Budget  Due  Today 


The  budget  committee  for  the  indus- 
try arbitration  system  is  scheduled  to 
meet  this  afternoon  to  set  the  annual 
budget  for  the  operation  of  the  boards 
during  the  new  fiscal  year. 

Joseph  H.  Hazen  of  Warners, 
chairman  of  the  committee,  called  the 
meeting  late  last  week.  George  W. 
Alger,  chairman  of  the  arbitration  ap- 
peal board,  and  Paul  Fitzpatrick  of 
the  American  Arbitration  Association, 
are  the  other  members  of  the  com- 
mittee. The  meeting,  normally  sched- 
uled to  be  held  prior  to  Nov.  20,  the 
beginning  of  the  fiscal  year  for  the 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Review  of  "King  Arthur  Was 
a  Gentleman"  and  key  city 
box-office  reports,  Page  5. 
Air  bond  promotion  held  de- 
ductible from  income  tax, 
Page  6. 


Jessel  Will  M.C. 
Federation  Lunch 

George  Jessel  will  be  mas- 
ter of  ceremonies  at  the  Jack 
Benny  luncheon  sponsored  by 
the  Amusement  Division  of 
the  Federation  of  Jewish 
Charities,  to  be  held  Thurs- 
day at  the  Hotel  Astor,  Bar- 
ney Balaban,  co-chairman 
with  Albert  Warner  of  the 
luncheon  committee  an- 
nounced. More  than  400 
reservations  have  been  re- 
ceived to  date  and  a  record 
attendance  is  expected,  Bala- 
ban said.  The  Federation 
drive  has  been  extended  to 
the  end  of  January.  David 
Bernstein  and  Warner  are  co- 
chairmen  of  the  Amusement 
Division. 


Rooney,  Formby 
Voted  Top  Money 
Draws  in  Britain 


Selected  for  the  fifth  consecutive 
year,  George  Formby,  comedian,  was 
chosen  as  the  British  player  most  ef- 
fective at  the  box-office  in  Great 
Britain  during  1942  in  the  annual 
Motion  Picture  Herald-Fame  poll 
among  British  exhibitors. 

The  poll  again  gave  Mickey  Rooney 
top  place  as  the  box-office  champion 
at  British  theatres.  Rooney  dropped 
from  first  place  in  the  American  poll 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


AVAILABLE  AMOUNT 
OF  RAW  STOCK  SET 


WPB  Fixes  320,018,840  Feet  of  35mm.  Film  to 
Be  Allotted  to  11  Companies  During 
First  Three  Months  of  This  Year 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  3. — The  War  Production  Board  late  last  week 
fixed  a  specific 'figure  of  320,018,840  feet  as  the  maximum  amount  of 
35mm.  film  to  be  available  to   11  motion  picture  companies  during 

the   first   three   months   of  1943. 

In  a  revision  of  its  Aug.  20  limita- 
tion order,  L-178,  the  board  set  speci- 
fic quotas  for  each  company  and  stipu- 


CM.  Woolf,  Noted 
Industry  Leader  in 
Britain,  Dies  at  63 


London,  Jan.  3. — Charles  M*.  Woolf, 
joint  managing  director  of  Gaumont- 
British  Picture  Corp.,  Ltd.,  and  man- 
aging director  of  General  Film  Dis- 
tributors, Ltd.,  died  Thursday  night  at 
the  age  of  63  after  a  brief  illness.  The 
funeral  will  be  held  tomorrow  at 
Willesden  Jewish  Cemetery  and 
memorial  services  at  Hampstead  Syna- 
gogue. 

Woolf  was  a  leading  figure  m  the 
British  film  industry  for  the  last  23 
years.  He  was  originally  in  the  fur 
business  and  entered  the  industry  in 
1919  when  he  became  one  of  the  part- 
ners in  the  original  W  &  F  Film 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


Upstate  Houses  Plan  2-Day 
Closings  in  Fuel  Oil  Crisis 


Bryson  Will  Handle 
Legislative  Contacts 

Jack  Bryson,  MPPDA  legislative 
representative  at  Washington,  will  in- 
augurate a  new  schedule  starting  to- 
day which  will  divide  his  time  between 
New  York  and  the  capital,  in  order  to 
permit  him  to  maintain  contact  with 
State  as  well  as  national  legislation 
affecting  the  industry. 

Bryson,  who  since  his  Washington 
appointment  last  Summer,  has  head- 
quartered continuously  in  Washing- 
ton, now  will  devote  three  days  a 
week  to  State  legislative  matters  at 
the  MPPDA  headquarters  here  and 
will  spend  the  balance  of  each  week  at 
the  capital. 


By  RICHARD  J.  CONNERS 

Albany,  Jan.  3. — Many  independent 
circuits  and  small  town  theatre  opera- 
tions in  this  exchange  area  are  form- 
ulating plans  to  close  two  days  each 
week  because  of  inability  to  obtain 
sufficient  fuel  oil  for  seven-day  opera- 
tion, it  is  learned. 

Beginning  tomorrow,  the  Cameo  at 
Schenectady,  upstate  New  York's  real 
boom  town,  will  close  Mondays  and 
Tuesdays  because  of  the  shortage  of 
fuel  oil.  Numerous  other  houses  have 
prepared  to  follow  suit  as  their  oil 
supplies  continue  to  dwindle  without 
relief  in  sight. 

Mild  weather  during  the  past  two 
weeks  has  permitted  some  fuel  sav- 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


For  the  amounts  of  raw  stock 
allotted  to  each  company  for  the 
next  three  months,  which  are 
expected  to  be  a  pattern  for  the 
year,  see  Page  6. 


lated  that  the  film  allowance  would 
have  to  cover  newsreels  and  trailers 
tor  entertainment  pictures  as  well  as 
the  features  themselves. 

The  order  set  up  three  classes, 
each,  of  producers  and  distribu- 
tors, in  the  first  group  naming 
Columbia,  M-G-M,  Paramount, 
RKO,  Republic,  Universal,  20th 
Century-Fox  and  Warners,  and 
their  subsidiaries,  as  "Class  A" 
producers;  any  other  person 
producing  entertainment  pic- 
tures, at  least  one  of  whose 
films  produced  during  1941  was 
distributed  by  any  Class  A  or 
Class  B  distributor,  as  a  "Class 
B"  producer,  and  any  other  per- 
son who  produces  entertainment 
pictures  for  theatre  exhibition 
as  "Class  C"  producers. 

"Class  A"  distributors  were  listed 
as  Columbia,  Loew's,  Paramount, 
RKO,  Republic,  20th  Century-Fox, 
Universal  and  Vitagraph ;  "Class  B" 
distributors  as  Monogram,  Producers 
Releasing  Corp.  and  United  Artists, 
and  "Class  C"  distributors  as  any  other 
person  who  distributes  35mm.  prints 
of  entertainment,  factual  or  special 
pictures  for  exhibition. 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


1942  Stocks  Review 

A  review  of  motion  picture 
stock  movements  during  1942 
— the  first  year  of  war — and  a 
tabulation  showing  the  prices 
of  film  securities  compara- 
tively over  a  five-year  period 
are  on  Page  8. 


i 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Monday,  January  4,  1943 


Exhibitor  Protest 
Defeats  Ticket  Tax 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  3. — At- 
tempt of  the  city  council  of 
Stockton,  90  miles  up  the  San 
Joaquin  River,  to  place  a  two- 
cent  amusement  tax  on  all 
theatre  tickets  was  dropped 
when  theatremen  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, Oakland  and  other  bay 
cities  appeared  before  the 
council,  on  behalf  of  Stockton 
exhibitors,  to  protest  against 
the  proposal. 


Authorities  Keep  Up 
Fire  Safety  Drives/ 


State  and  municipal  authorities 
throughout  the  country  continue  to 
order  fire  prevention  measures  in  the- 
atres and  other  amusement  places,  as 
a  result  of  the  Cocoanut  Grove  night 
club  fire  disaster  in  Boston  several 
weeks  ago. 

Boston's  Fire  Commissioner  Wil- 
liam A.  Riley  ruled  against  an  ani- 
mated marquee  display  at  the  Trans- 
Lux  Theatre  because,  he  said,  "open 
wiring"  was  used.  Another  display 
was  substituted. 

State  Police  in  Connecticut  have 
ordered  theatres  to  spray  stage  drapes 
with  non-inflammable  fluid,  while  in 
St.  Louis  the  Office  of  Civilian  De- 
fense has  warned  exhibitors  against 
overcrowding  and  has  appealed  to 
them  to  check  fire  equipment  and 
exits. 

The  State  Industrial  Commission  of 
Wisconsin  has  issued  special  instruc- 
tions to  building  inspectors  and  fire 
chiefs,  calling  attention  to  the  state 
code  requirements  for  firepoofing  of 
decorations  and  scenery  in  theatres 
and  other  amusement  places. 


Gradual  Compliance 
Seen  for  Fire  Talks 

Compliance  by  New  York  motion 
picture  houses  with  the  order  of  Fire 
Commissioner  Patrick  Walsh  on 
presentation  of  talks  on  public  safety 
five  minutes  before  each  performance 
was  expected  to  be  gradual  although 
the  order  was  effective  Friday. 

It  was  expected  by  Fire  Department 
officials  that  the  procedure  would  be 
set  early  this  week  and  that  some 
form  of  announcement  would  be  made 
in  all  legitimate  and  film  houses  in 
New  York. 

It  was  reported  that  the  announce- 
ments will  be  made  by  trailers  in  cir- 
cuit theatres  starting  this  week. 


Wolff  Leaves  Today 
On  RKO  Sales  Drive 

Bob  Wolff,  RKO  metropolitan  dis- 
trict manager,  leaves  today  on  the  first 
swing  around  the  company  branches 
in  connection  with  the  1943  Ned  De- 
pinet  Drive,  of  which  he  is  captain. 
He  will  be  accompanied  by  Harry  Git- 
tleson,  assistant  to  the  western  divi- 
sion sales  manager.  First  stop  in  the 
series  of  sales  meetings  is  New  Hav- 
en, followed  by  Albany,  Buffalo,  De- 
troit. 


Report  Jurgens  Disbands 

Chicago,  Jan.  3. — Dick  Jurgens'  or- 
chestra will  break  up  about  the  middle 
of  January,  when  the  leader  plans  to 
enter  military  service,  it  was  reported. 


Personal  Mention 


WILLIAM  F.  GORDON,  Warner 
branch  manager  in  Denver,  this 
week  observes  his  25th  year  with  the 
company. 

• 

Gail  Silleg,  executive  secretary  to 
Mort  Blumenstock  in  charge  of 
Warner  Bros,  advertising  in  the  East, 
has  become  engaged  to  Alfred  Gold- 
stein, Washington  lawyer,  now  a 
chief  specialist  in  the  U.  S.  Coast 
Guard. 

• 

Lewis  J.  Kozal  of  Tri-States  Thea- 
tres, Omaha,  is  the  father  of  a  boy. 
• 

Pvt.  John  Rorick,  formerly  of  the 
Rialto,  Scranton,  Pa.,  has  been  trans- 
ferred to  Camp  Carrabelle,  Fla. 
• 

Lt.  Louis  Gordon,  formerly  with 
the  Lockwood  and  Gordon  Theatres 
in  New  England,  has  been  stationed 
in  Virginia. 

Byron  L.  Shoffner,  former  assis- 
tant manager  of  Warners'  Warner 
Theatre,  West  Chaster,  Pa.,  is  now  at 
the  Naval  Training  Station,  Newport, 
R.  I. 

• 

Ensign  Joseph  Clarke,  formerly 
of  the  State  Theatre,  Scranton,  Pa., 
has  been  ordered  to  report  to  Lake- 
hurst  Naval  Station  Jan.  12. 

• 

Harry  Sherman  is  in  town  from 
the  Coast. 


T  EON    FROMKESS,  Producers 
Releasing  vice-president  in  charge 
of  production,  has  left  for  the  Coast. 
• 

Gradwell  L.  Sears'  condition  is 
improving,  although  he  still  is  con- 
fined to  his  home. 

• 

Richard  Kirsh,  formerly  manager 
of  Warners'  Queen,  Wilmington,  Del., 
is  now  in  the  Army. 

• 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jack  Mahon  are  the 
parents  of  a  daughter,  Catherine.  Ma- 
hon is  manager  of  the  West  Side  The- 
atre, Scranton,  Pa. 

• 

Sgt.  Frank  Winnick,  formerly  at 
the  State  Theatre,  Hartford,  is  re- 
ported stationed  with  the  U.  S. 
Marines  in  the  Solomons. 

• 

John  Davis,  assistant  manager  of 
the  Roosevelt,  Scranton,  Pa.,  became 
a  father  recently  when  a  son  was  born 
to  Mrs.  Davis  at  the  Mercy  Hospital 
there. 

• 

Lt.  Thomas  Duane,  former  Para- 
mount film  salesman  in  New  Hamp- 
shire and  Maine,  now  stationed  at  Jef- 
ferson Barracks,  Mo.,  with  the  Army 
Air  Corps,  was  on  leave  in  Boston. 
• 

Mrs.  R.  W.  Merriam,  secretary  to 
Louis  Levy,  Universal  Des  Moines 
manager,  has  left  to  be  near  her  hus- 
band, stationed  at  Camp  Edwards, 
Mass. 


'Children'  Openings 
Planned  in  50  Cities 

"Hitler's  Children,"  Edward  A. 
Golden  production  for  RKO,  will  open 
Jan.  14  in  50  cities  in  the  Midwest,  it 
was  announced  by  RKO.  The  pre- 
miere program  will  focus  in  Cincin- 
nati, the  home  of  Gregor  Ziemer,  au- 
thor of  "Education  for  Death,"  on 
which  the  film  is  based. 

The  premiere,  it  was  said,  will  be 
sponsored  by  the  Crosley  radio  sta- 
tion, WLW,  of  Cincinnati,  in  honor 
of  Ziemer,  who  is  a  commentator  on 
the  station.  The  station  will  give  the 
event  daily  announcements  in  addition 
to  dramatizations  from  the  film  the 
week  before  the  premiere  and  on  the 
night  of  the  opening. 

Stars  of  the  film  are  expected  to  at- 
tend, it  was  said,  as  well  as  home  of- 
fice and  studio  executives  including 
N.  Peter  Rathvon,  Ned  E.  Depinet, 
Charles  Koerner,  Robert  Mochrie,  S. 
Barret  McCormick,  Nat  Levy,  Walter 
Branson,  Edward  A.  Golden  and 
others. 


Einfeld  and  2  Aides 
Due  Here  Next  Week 

Charles  Einfeld,  Warner  Bros,  ad- 
vertising and  publicity  director,  is  ex- 
pected here  next  week  from  the  Coast. 
He  will  be  accompanied  by  Mitchell 
Rawson,  Eastern  publicity  manager, 
and  Alex  Evelove,  studio  publicity 
head.  Einfeld  will  stop  off  in  Chi- 
cago and  Washington  en  route  here. 


Para.  Closes  with 
All  Major  Circuits 

With  the  closing  of  a  deal  with 
Cooperative  Circuit  of  Detroit  last 
week  Paramount  has  sold  to  every  im- 
portant circuit  in  the  country  this 
season,  Charles  M.  Reagan,  assistant 
general  sales  manager,  announced. 

Other  circuit  deals  closed  by  the 
company  recently,  Reagan  said,  in- 
cluded those  with  McNeil-Naify,  San 
Francisco,  and  the  Essaness,  H.  &  E. 
Balaban,  Schoenstadt,  Van  Nomikos, 
Reinheimer,  Jack  Rose  and  the  Bailey 
and  Alger  circuits,  Chicago.  During 
the  holiday  week,  he  reported,  the 
sales  staff  sold  1,147  contracts,  com- 
pared with  304  in  the  same  week  last 
year. 


Rep.  Appoints  Gould 
Manager  for  Chile 

Morris  Goodman,  vice-president  of 
Republic  in  charge  of  foreign  distribu- 
tion, announced  the  appointment  of 
David  Gould  as  manager  of  the  com- 
pany's branch  for  Chile.  He  succeeds 
Harry  Davis,  who  has  resigned  to  en- 
ter the  Army. 

Gould  leaves  today  for  Santiago  to 
take  over  his  post.  He  was  manager 
for  the  company  in  Trinidad,  and  for 
the  last  year  has  been  at  the  home 
office. 


Sonja  Henie  Opens  Big 

Chicago,  Jan.  3. — Sonja  Henie 
drew  the  largest  of  her  opening  night 
audiences  here  when  the  Chicago  Sta- 
dium was  filled  to  capacity  for  her 
current  revue. 


Heads  20th-Fox  Club 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  3.— Francis  X. 
Kelly,  booker,  was  elected  president 
of  the  newly-organized  Family  Club 
at  the  20th  Century-Fox  exchange. 
The  Social  club,  restricted  to  em- 
ployes, is  part  of  a  nationwide  set-up 
at  the  company's  exchanges.  Ger- 
trude Hughes  was  elected  vice-presi- 
dent; Mildren  Bolen,  secretary,  and 
Esther  Diamond,  treasurer. 


Entertainers  Sought 
For  British  Camps 


A  call  for  1,500  more  British  en- 
tertainers— men  and  women — to  vol- 
unteer for  shows  at  Army  camps  and 
factories  in  Britain  has  been  issued 
by  the  New  York  ENS  A  committee. 
The  British  Government  is  already 
providing  more  than  3,700  perform- 
ances weekly  to  troops  and  war  work- 
ers in  the  British  Isles,  it  wa(  d, 
and  the  need  for  entertainers  un- 
braces all  entertainment  branches. 

Those  accepted  for  this  service  will 
be  provided  with  subsistence,  small 
weekly  salaries  and  round-trip  pass- 
ages by  the  British  Government,  the 
ENS  A  announcement  stated.  They 
will  not  be  exempt  from  military  serv- 
ice, but  the  Department  of  National 
Service  Entertainment  will  apply  for 
their  deferment. 

Volunteers  are  also  sought  for  three 
and  four-month  tours  of  Canada.  The 
New  York  ENSA  committee  is  head- 
ed by  Gilbert  Miller,  chairman;  Ger- 
trude Lawrence,  president;  John  Gold- 
en, Vinton  Freedley,  John  C.  Wilson 
and  Forrest  Harding.  Headquarters 
are  at  137  West  48th  St. 


Holt  Field  Liaison  of 
RKO  Studio-Theatres 

Nat  Holt,  western  division  manager 
of  RKO  Theatres,  has  been  appointed 
liaison  between  the  theatres  and  the 
RKO  studio,  it  was  announced.  In 
addition  to  his  new  duties,  Holt  will 
retain  his  position  as  head  of  the  west- 
ern division,  with  headquarters  at  the 
studio.  One  of  his  new  assignments  is 
handling  the  special  exploitation  open- 
ings of  RKO's  1943-44  product. 

Academy  to  Present 
Awards  on  March  4 

Hollywood,  Jan.  3— The  Academy 
of  Arts  &  Sciences  board  of  governors 
has  set  March  4  as  the  date  for  the 
15th  annual  awards  banquet,  when  the 
"Oscars"  will  be  presented.  The  place 
for  the  affair  has  not  been  selected. 
Mervyn  LeRoy  was  chosen  chairman 
of  the  program  committee  for  the  third 
successive  year. 


183  Comerford  Men  Serve 

Scranton,  Pa.,  Jan.  3. — A  total  of 
183  Comerford  Circuit  employes  are  in 
the  armed  forces,  it  was  announced. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

(Registered  V.  S.  Patent  Office) 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address/'Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  Editor-in-Chief  and  Publisher; 
Colvin  Brown,  Vice-President  and  General 
Manager;  Sam  Shain,  Editor;  Alfred  A. 
Finestone,  Managing  Editor;  James  A. 
Cron,  Advertising  Manager;  Chicago  Bureau, 
624  South  Michigan  Avenue;  Hollywood 
Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life  Building,  Wil- 
liam R.  Weaver,  Editor;  London  Bureau,  4 
Golden  Square,  London  Wl,  Hope  Burnup, 
Manager,  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1942  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications;  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign.  Single  copies  10c. 


In  a  great  movie  theatre,  an  audience  of  thousands 
— carried  out  of  their  everyday  lives— look,  and  listen, 
to  the  drama  pouring  from  a  strip  of  photographic  film 
about  one  inch  wide.  Everything  is  on  this — not  only  the 
living,  moving  scenes  of  the  story,  but  on  the  tiny  "sound 
track"  at  the  left,  the  sound:  whispered  words  of  love 
.  .  .  a  terrified  scream . . .  the  nerve-shattering  roar  of  a 
dive  bomber . . .  an  enchanting  voice  crooning  a  lullaby. 
Film  carries  it  all. 


Most  Hollywood  movies  are  on  film  made  by  l^oxMk 


FROM  the  time  when  Thomas  A. 
Edison  and  George  Eastman 
worked  together  on  the  early,  flicker- 
ing movies,  the  improvement  of  mate- 
rials for  professional  motion  pictures 
has  been  one  of  the  chief  fields  of 
Kodak  research.  Kodak  has  been  the 
pacemaker,  and  is  by  far  the  largest 
supplier  of  Hollywood. 

From  "the  flickers"  to  art 

Kodak's  original  production  of 
transparent  roll  film,  the  key  to  motion 
pictures  .  .  .  specialized  negative  and 
positive  films  .  .  .  the  production  of 
high-speed  panchromatic  materials  . . . 
the  modern  color  phase,  now  rapidly 
expanding.  .  .  these  are  important 
scenes  in  the  advance  from  "the  flick- 
ers" to  today's  work  of  art,  in  which 
Kodak  has  played  a  leading  role.  And 


there  is  another  .  .  .  The  success  of 
"sound"  pictures  hinged  on  making 
the  spoken  words,  or  music,  or  "sound 
effects,"  a  basic  part  of  the  picture.That 
is  what  you  have  today,  because . . . 

Sound,  too,  is  pictured 

With  special  fine-grain  emulsions, 
Kodak  "sensitizes"  film  for  sound 
recording.  In  effect,  sound  is  changed 
into  light,  and  this  light  is  recorded 
on  the  film,  simultaneously  with  the 
recording  of  the  scenes.  Lips  move — 
a  voice  speaks.  Yet  the  voice  is  also  a 
"picture" — an  effect  of  light  on  film. 
The  voice  changes  from  a  whisper  to 
an  angry  roar — each  tone  is  a  series  of 


"light"  pictures,  different  in  quality. 

As  you  sit  in  the  theatre,  the  process 
is  reversed  —  the  "light  pictures"  on 
the  sound  track  are  changed  back  into 
sound  . .  .The  "sound"  newsreels  are 
made  in  much  the  same  way. 

Movies  for  everybody 
For  children,  movies  are  education. 
For  normal  men  and  women  they  are 
the  grandest  form  of  entertainment, 
reaching  almost  everyone. eFor  those 
distraught  by  worry  or  sorrow,  they 
are  wholesome  escape.  For  our  service 
men  on  ships  or  in  distant  camps,  they 
are  a  little  of  everything  that  is  needed 
to  give  a  man  a  "lift".  .  .  Eastman 
Kodak  Company,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 


Serving  human  progress  through  Photography 


This  institutional  advertisement  is  one  of  a  series  covering  a  wide  variety  of  Kodak 
products  and  services.  It  appeared  in  December  popular  magazines  read  by  millions. 


4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  January  4,  1943 


Terrific  Gross 


Upstate  Houses  Plan  2-Day 
Closings  in  Fuel  Oil  Crisis 


Rooney,  Formby 
Voted  Top  Money 
Draws  in  Britain 


On  Broadway 
Over  Holiday 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

ness  was  grossed  despite  slow  turn- 
over, the  picture  running  two  hours 
and  six  minutes. 

Holiday  prices  prevailed  over  the 
weekend. 

The  Roxy  management  claimed  a 
gross  of  $30,000  for  Thursday,  re- 
portedly the  theatre's  biggest  take 
since  1930  depression  days.  Friday's 
business  was  reported  as  $18,000,  with 
estimates  of  about  $18,000  for  Satur- 
day and  $15,000  yesterday.  The  show 
including  "The  Black  Swan,"  with  a 
stage  presentation  headed  Carmen 
Miranda  and  the  Nicholas  Brothers, 
started  its  second  week  Thursday, 
lhe  price  scale  was  advanced  to  $2.20 
top  from  8  to  10 :30  p.m.,  with  six 
shows  on  Thursday.  There  were  also 
six  shows  Saturday. 

$27,000  Day  for  'Rhythm' 

Another  record  breaker  was  "Star 
Spangled  Rhythm,"  a  new  picture 
with  Benny  Goodman  and  his  band  on 
the  stage  at  the  Paramount,  which 
grossed  an  estimated  $27,000  Thurs- 
day, when  the  theatre  opened  at  8  a.m. 
and  continued  to  6  a.m.  Friday.  A 
$2.20  top  was  in  effect  at  the  Para- 
mount from  7  p.m.  to  2  a.m.  A  gross 
in  the  neighborhood  of  $18,000  was  re- 
ported for  Friday  and  $21,000  for 
Saturday,  with  $18,000  estimated  for 
yesterday. 

Also  very  big  was  "In  Which  We 
Serve"  at  the  Capitol,  which,  it  was 
estimated,  grossed  close  to  $30,000  for 
Thursday  and  Friday,  claimed  as  a 
record  for  the  house.  Top  price  was 
advanced  to  $1.10  at  4  p.  m.  Thursday 
and  the  theatre  closed  at  4 :30  a.  m. 
Friday.  Business  was  good  at  the 
Capitol  on  Saturday,  with  better  than 
$10,000  estimated  for  the  day. 

Strand  Claims  Record 

The  Strand  with  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy"  and  Jimmy  Dorsey  and  his 
band  as  the  stage  attraction,  also  re- 
portedly broke  an  all-time  record  with 
$16,000  claimed  for  Thursday,  includ- 
ing a  $2.20  top  scale  which  went  in 
effect  at  7  p.  m.  The  theatre  operated 
to  5  a.  m.  New  Year's  day  the  Strand 
garnered  $10,900,  it  was  estimated,  and 
business  was  also  big  Saturday,  with 
$12,000  estimated  and  expectations  for 
about  $11,000  yesterday.  The  show 
started  a  second  week  Friday. 

"Casablanca,"  completing  a  sixth 
week  at  the  Hollywood,  reportedly 
drew  an  estimated  $6,600  at  $1.25  top 
Thursday,  with  the  theatre  closing  at 
4  a.  m.  A  gross  of  $5,800  was  claimed 
for  Friday,  with  about  $6,000  for  Sat- 
urday. The  picture  started  its  seventh 
week  Friday. 

"Arabian  Nights"  was  a  strong 
draw  at  the  Rivoli  over  the  holiday 
reportedly  grossing  $8,700  on  Thurs- 
day and  big  on  Saturday.  The  theatre 
was  open  to  4  a.  m.  Friday  with  the 
price  scale  advanced  to  $1.10  for  New 
Year's  eve. 


Form  Warnerette  Unit 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  3. — A  Warner- 
ettes  unit  has  been  organized  here 
by  female  employes  of  Warner  Bros. 
The  group  is  to  contact  Warner  men 
in  the  service. 


Oil  Shortage  Holds 
No  Threat  to  B'way 

Concern  over  the  fuel  oil 
crisis  in  the  East  has  not 
been  felt  among  Broadway 
theatres.  Houses  such  as  the 
Roxy  and  Paramount  get 
their  heat  from  the  New  York 
Steam  Company  and  thus  are 
not  fearful  of  being  without 
heat,  it  was  said. 

C.  M.  Woolf,  British 
Trade  Leader,  Dies 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

Service,  Ltd.  He  came  into  prom- 
inence through  his  exploitation  of  the 
Harold  Lloyd  comedies. 

In  1929  he  sold  his  interest  to  Gau- 
mont  British  and  became  joint  man- 
aging director  of  that  company.  He 
resigned  in  1935  and  later  started 
again  as  a  distributor,  building  up 
General  Film  Distributors  which  ac- 
quired the  releasing  rights  to  Univer- 
sal Pictures  and  becoming  distributor 
for  that  company  in  the  United  King- 
dom. The  company  also  became  linked 
with  the  Pinewood  studios  and  the 
many  companies  operating  them.  He 
helped  finance  many  of  the  pictures 
made  by  Gaumont  British,  again  be- 
coming associated  with  that  company. 

For  years  he  persistently  encouraged 
the  production  of  British  pictures, 
contributing  to  the  advancement  of 
British  production.  In  General  Film 
Distributors  and  other  companies  he 
was  associated  with  J.  Arthur  Rank, 
chairman  of  GFD. 

Woolf  was  president  of  the  Kine- 
matograph  Renters  Society  in  1927. 
In  1935  he  was  elected  managing- 
director  of  British  &  Dominion  Pic- 
tures Corp.,  Ltd.  He  was  president  of 
the  British  Film  Producers  Associa- 
tion. 


Plan  Studio  Unit  onj 
Longer  Work  Week 


Hollywood,  Jan.  3. — Formation  of 
a  labor-management  committee  to  dis- 
cuss an  expected  Government  48-hour- 
week  order  appeared  likely  today  after 
meetings  of  studio  and  labor  repre- 
sentatives. The  move  came  as  persons 
in  the  industry  expressed  a  desire  to 
forestall  Government  regulation  of  the 
industry  in  the  manpower  situation. 

Business  agents  of  virtually  every 
craft  local  in  Hollywood  met  to  dis- 
cuss the  question,  proposed  by  pro- 
ducers, of  lengthening  the  work  week 
to  48  hours  instead  of  36  hours  as 
specified  in  most  union  contracts. 

While  nothing  definite  was  estab- 
lished at  an  earlier  meeting  of  union 
leaders  and  producers,  the  consensus 
was  that  work  guarantees  of  at  least 
48  hours  weekly  would  be  made  by 
the  studios  and  that  pooling  of  labor 
was  necessary.  However,  the  policy 
of  hiring  through  union  organization 
was  reaffirmed. 


(Continued  from  page  1 ) 
ings  by  many  theatres  and  staved  off 
the  inevitable  shortening  of  their  op- 
erating week  for  a  few  extra  days  or 
weeks.  A  sustained  cold  spell,  how- 
ever, would  force  these  houses  to 
close  several  days  a  week  almost  im- 
mediately. 

The  theatres  hit  by  the  fuel  oil 
shortage  in  most  cases  are  unable  to 
convert  to  coal  either  because  of  the 
nature  of  their  heating  plants,  inabil- 
ity to  obtain  the  new  boilers  required 
for  the  conversion  or  the  lack  of  ex- 
perienced manpower  to  make  the 
changeover  where  it  is  possible  and 
the  equipment  is  obtainable. 

The  seriousness  of  the  fuel  oil 
shortage  in  this  and  surrounding  areas 
is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  even  pri- 
ority users  are  unable  to  obtain  suf- 
ficient supplies  for  their  needs.  Schools 
in  the  area  have  been  affected  and  in 
many  communities  the  holiday  vaca- 
tion period,  scheduled  to  end  tomor- 
row, is  being  extended  due  to  the  in- 
ability of  schools  to  supply  sufficient 
heat. 

United  Nations  Drive 
Meeting  In  Buffalo 

Francis  S.  Harmon,  national  co- 
ordinator of  the  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee— Motion  Picture  Industry,  and 
Max  Cohen,  State  chairman,  will  ad- 
dress a  meeting  of  theatremen  in  the 
Hotel  Statler,  Buffalo,  today.  Called 
by  Vincert  R.  McFaul,  Buffalo  chair- 
man for  United  Nations  Week,  the 
meeting  will  include  exhibitors,  the- 
atre managers  and  exchange  officials. 

The  Office  of  War  Information  has 
provided  18,000  reproductions  of  the 
"Declaration  by  United  Nations"  and 
the  signatures  of  the  representatives 
of  each  government,  for  use  in  all 
theatres  during  United  Nations  Week, 
Jan.  14  to  20. 

Space  on  stations  of  the  Greater 
New  York  subway  lines  has  been 
donated  for  drive  posters.  Several 
thousand  of  these  in  one  sheet  size 
will  be  delivered  early  this  week  for 
immediate  posting. 

Rappaport  Cited  for 
Shows  at  Ft.  Meade 

Baltimore,  Jan.  3. — A  silver  plaque 
for  "outstanding  merit"  was  awarded 
Isador  M.  Rappaport,  owner  of  the 
Hippodrome  Theatre  here,  by  Col.  Ed- 
ward J.  Rehmann,  commanding  of- 
ficer of  the  reception  center,  Fort 
Meade,  Md.,  for  having  contributed  to 
the  morale  of  new  soldiers  by  sending 
orchestras  and  shows  to  the  Fort  dur- 
ing the  past  year.  Complete  stage 
shows  and  big  name  bands  have  been 
sent  to  the  reception  center  almost 
every  Sunday  morning  through  cour- 
tesy of  the  Hippodrome. 


Burton  Joins  Fairchild 

Charles  C.  Burton,  former  Para- 
mount architect  and  engineer,  has 
joined  the  organization  of  Fairchild 
Aircraft  Corp.,  Burlington,  N.  C,  as 
director  of  engineering,  it  was  an- 
nounced. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

in  1941  to  fourth  rank  in  1942  exhibi- 
tor vote  taken  by  Motion  Picture 
Herald  on  behalf  of  Fame. 

Other  British  box-office  "bests" 
were  voted  in  the  following  or/5  ■**= : 
Leslie  Howard,  Arthur  Lucan, 
Hay,  Arthur  Askey,  Robert  Do:  it, 
Deborah  Kerr,  Robert  Newton,  Eric 
Portman  and  Michael  Redgrave. 

Howard,  runner-up  to  Formby, 
climbed  from  10th  place  in  1941.  Do- 
nat,  fourth  in  1941,  fell  back  to  sixth 
last  year,  with  only  one  film  to  his 
credit.  Eric  Portman,  who  was  not 
among  the  first  10  in  1941,  gained 
ninth  place. 

Other  international  winners  who 
were  at  the  top  in  British  box-offices, 
listed  in  accordance  with  the  votes 
they  received  are :  Abbott  &  Costello, 
who  placed  first  in  the  American  poll ; 
Spencer  Tracy,  Deanna  Durbin,  Jean- 
ette  MacDonald,  George  Formby, 
Bette  Davis,  Leslie  Howard,  Gary 
Cooper  and  Dorothy  Lamour. 

Gene  Autry  had  the  distinction  of 
not  only  being  voted  top  spot  as  the 
best  Western  star  in  the  American 
poll  but  also  of  being  first  choice 
among  British  exhibitors,  who  also 
voted  him  first  place  in  1941.  Others 
of  Western  films  were  named  in  the 
following  order :  William  Boyd,  Roy 
Rogers,  Charles  Starrett,  John  Wayne, 
Johnny  Mack  Brown,  George  Mont- 
gomery, Randolph  Scott,  Dick  Foran 
and  William  Holden. 

Year's  Arbitration 
Budget  Due  Today 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

arbitration  system,  was  delayed  due  to 
the  death  of  Van  Vechten  Veeder, 
former  chairman  of  the  appeal  board. 

The  arbitration  system's  budget  last 
year  was  $294,000,  plus  a  contingent 
fund  of  $25,000,  and  cost  of  opera- 
tions were  well  within  the  budget. 
Hence,  no  great  change  in  the  budget 
for  this  year  is  anticipated. 


Mass.  Complainant 
Withdraws  Case 

The  clearance  complaint  of  the  Or- 
pheum  Theatre,  Danvers,  Mass.,  was 
withdrawn  by  the  plaintiff  at  the  Bos- 
ton tribunal  late  last  week  with  the 
consent  of  all  parties  and  presumably 
following  a  voluntary  adjustment.  The 
complaint  named  all  five  consenting 
distributors  and  charged  that  the  Or- 
pheum,  which  played  14  days  after  the 
Empire,  Paramount  and  Plaza  at  Sal- 
em, Mass.,  was  forced  to  wait  unreas- 
onably long  periods  for  product  due  to 
delays  by  the  prior  runs  in  setting  play 
dates. 

Fla.  Theatre  Burns; 
Audience  Unharmed 

Bonifay,  Fla.,  Jan.  3. — The  Boni- 
fay  Theatre  was  destroyed  by  a  fire 
which  broke  out  in  the  projection 
room,  but  the  500  persons  in  the  house 
at  the  time  all  escaped  unharmed. 
Prompt  work  by  Ray  Dykes,  manager, 
in  having  all  exits  opened  was  credited 
with  preventing  loss  of  life. 


Monday,  January  4,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


5 


Review 


"King  Arthur  Was  a  Gentleman" 

(Gainsborough — G.  F.  D.) 

London,  Dec.  10  (By  mail) 
CO  many  comedians  cease  to  be  comedians  when  they  begin  to  think 
^  they  have  a  mission,  it  is  to  be  hoped  Arthur  Askey,  one  of  Britain's 
Ten  Best,  does  not  forsake  his  own  inimitable  and  effervescent  brand  of 
foolery  for  the  Chaplinesque  which  this  seems  to  foreshadow.  He  may 
find  his  fans  prefer  the  older  ebullience  to  veiled  symbolism  about  "the 
little  man." 

In  this  latest  Gainsborough  picture  "Big"  is  somewhat  subdued  by  his 
role,  and  many  of  the  laughs  are  handed  on  King  Arthur's  sword  to  the 
portly  Max  Bacon.  Askey's  name  means  a  great  deal  at  the  British 
box-office  and  to  support  it  this  time  are  at  least  four  other  top-line  radio 
favorites.  Bacon,  the  blonde  songstresses  Evelyn  Dall  and  Anne  Shel- 
ton,  and  the  man  with  a  myriad  voices,  mimic  Jack  Train.  Add  to  this 
some  rich  staging,  plenty  of  good  music  and  some  lively  chases,  and 
the  total  would  seem,  for  all  the  film's  weaknesses,  to  be  popular  enter- 
tainment as  understood  in  Britain. 

The  film  has  a  wartime  setting  with  Askey  as  a  driver  of  a  Bren-gun 
carrier,  who  thinks  an  old  sword  is  Excalibur  and  takes  on  as  much 
bravery  as  one  of  King  Arthur's  Knights,  slashes  his  way  to  military 
victory  and  romance,  at  home  on  the  barrack  square,  and  in  a  pantomine 
Libya. 

Arthur  is  always  the  Chaplinesque  little  man  overcome  by  circum- 
stance and  his  companions,  driving  a  Bren-gun  carrier  into  rivers  and 
orderly  rooms,  capturing  Jerries,  escaping  from  jail  and  meriting  the 
sergeant's  ire.  Some  of  the  gags  have  a  venerable  wheeze  in  the  joints 
but  the  action  sequences  are  fast  and  some  will  find  them  funny. 

Max  Bacon's  portly  Yiddisher  comedy  is  a  sound  popular  ingredient, 
Jack  Train  does  some  grand  imitations  and  Medamoiselles  Dall  and 
Shelton  look  and  act  lively,  and  sing  with  spirit  some  songs  of  which 
"Honey  on  My  Mind"  is  probably  the  most  likely  success. 

Val  Guest  and  Marriott  Edgar  wrote  the  screenplay  and  Marcel 
Varnel  directed. 

Running  time,  98  minutes.  "G."*  Aubrey  Flanagan 


'Rockies'  and 
Band  $39,000 
Chicago's  Best 


Chicago,  Jan.  3. — Grosses  were 
generally  lower  in  the  pre-holiday 
week  when  a  million  shoppers  were 
reacrted  in  Chicago's  department 
1  Reduced  pleasure  driving  was 

c'4Rt  by  improved  weather  in  the 
flatter  part  of  the  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  25 : 

"Tish"  (M-G-M) 
"Cairo"  (M-G-M) 

APOLLO-(1,400)  (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7  days, 
'  2nd  week.    Gross:  $4,000.    (Average,  $5,000) 
"Springtime  in  the  Rockies"  (20th-Fox) 

CHICAGO-(4,000)    (36c-55c-75c)    7  days, 
2nd  week.    Stage:  Dick  Jurgens  Orchestra. 
Gross:   $39,000.     (Average,  $32,000) 
"The  Major  and  the  Minor"   (Para.)  4th 

week  in  Loop 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  (Para.)  2nd  week 

GARRICK— (1,000)  (35c-55c-6Sc-75c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Secrets  of  the  Underground"  (Rep.) 

ORIENTAL  —  (3,200)  (27c-31c-50c-59c). 
Stage:   Chuck  Foster's   Orchestra.  Gross: 
$19,000.     (Average,  $16,000) 
"The  Navy  Comes  Through"  (RKO) 
"That  Other  Woman"  (20th-Fox) 

PALACE— (2,500)  (40c-55c-75c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $16,000.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"Gentleman  Jim"  (W.B.) 

ROOSEVELT—  (1,500)  (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $13,000.  (Average, 
$11,000) 

"Now,    Voyager"    (W.B.)    6th    days,  6th 

"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M)  1  day 

STATE-LAKE^-(2,70O)      (36c -55c -65c -75c) 
Gross:  $14,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M)  5  days,  5th  week 
"Seven  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M)  2  days 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.)  2  days 

UNITED  ARTISTS — (1,700)  (36c-55c-65c- 
75c).  Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 

Hirsch  Gets  2  Years 
In  Perjury  on  Bioff 

Martin  A.  Hirsch  was  sentenced  to 
two  years  in  prison  and  fined  $2,000 
by  Federal  Judge  Alfred  C.  Coxe 
on  Thursday  in  Federal  District  Court. 
Hirsch,  a  tax  consultant,  had  been 
found  guilty  by  a  jury,  Dec.  16,  of 
perjury  in  his  testimony  before  the 
Federal  Grand  Jury  in  its  investiga- 
tion of  racketeering  and  extortion 
from  major  film  companies. 

During  Hirsch's  trial,  Assistant  U. 
S.  Attorney  Boris  Kostelanetz  said 
he  thought  the  defendant  could  help 
the  Government's  attempt  to  discover 
persons  behind  William  Bioff  and 
George  E.  Browne  in  their  extortion 
of  reportedly  more  than  $1,000,000. 


Louis  Israel  Dies; 
Cleveland  Pioneer 

Cleveland,  Jan.  3. — Louis  Israel, 
56,  pioneer  exhibitor,  died  here  follow- 
ing a  heart  attack.  He  was  president 
of  the  Tiffin  Amusement  Co.  and  op- 
erated the  Center-Mayfield  Theatre 
in  Cleveland  Heights  and  the  Ellet  in 
Akron. 

Israel  started  in  the  business  in  1912, 
opening  the  old  Fountain  Theatre,  and 
soon  had  three  other  houses.  At  one 
time  he  owned  the  Lake  Theatre  in 
downtown  Cleveland,  now  operated  by 
Warners.  He  also  built  and  managed 
the  first  suburban  house  in  Cleveland. 


'Commandos'  in  French 

Super-imposed  French  titles  are  be- 
ing prepared  for  Columbia's  "Com- 
mandos Strike  at  Dawn"  for  early 
showings  in  Allied-occupied  North 
Africa,  the  company  announced. 


*"G."  denotes  general  classification. 


Subsequents'  Runs 
Longer:  Kalmenson 


A  trend  toward  longer  engagements 
at  subsequent  runs  was  reported  by 
Ben  Kalmenson,  general  sales  man- 
ager of  Warner  Bros,  as  a  feature  of 
the  year  just  ended  which  is  certain  to 
continue  in  1943. 

Kalmenson  said  that  the  company  is 
getting  additional  playing  time  at  sub- 
sequent runs,  running  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  25  per  cent  over  1941,  with 
strong  indications  of  extension  of  the 
practice  as  product  conservation  is  in- 
tensified. 

Kalmenson  said  this  is  due  not  only 
to  product  and  the  increased  audience 
for  pictures,  but  also  because  of  more 
frequent  attendance  by  filmgoers  and 
the  fact  that  first  runs  do  not  "milk" 
product  as  thoroughly  despite  long 
runs.  He  also  said  that  the  long  runs 
at  first  runs  create  patrons  for  the 
later  showings. 

Service  Canteen  in 
Skouras  NJ.  House 

Jersey  City,  Jan.  3. — A  canteen 
for  service  men  and  women  has  been 
opened  on  the  mezzanine  floor  of  the 
Skouras  State  Theatre  here  with 
Notis  Komnenos,  manager  of  the 
theatre,  as  director,  it  was  announced. 
The  canteen  is  open  during  theatre 
hours.  The  Civil  Volunteer  Corps 
is  operating  the  canteen,  which  for- 
merly was  an  office.  The  theatre 
is  contributing  coffee,  sugar  and  all 
equipment.  This  is  said  to  be  the  first 
canteen  in  a  theatre. 


Extensive  'Rhythm9 
Ad  Schedule  Set 

Trade  paper,  fan  and  fiction  maga- 
zine and  radio  advertising  designed  to 
reach  the  entire  country  has  been 
scheduled  by  Paramount  on  "Star 
Spangled  Rhythm"  between  now  and 
the  picture's  national  release  date,  Feb. 
12,  R.  M.  Gillham,  Paramount  adver- 
tising and  publicity  director,  has  an- 
nounced. 

The  campaign  will  include  more 
than  15  magazines  of  national  circula- 
tion and  will  use  extra  space  to  pro- 
vide ample  billing  for  the  multi-star 
cast.  Trade-paper  advertising  is 
planned  along  similar  lines.  Ten  or 
more  national  radio  programs,  includ- 
ing Bing  Crosby's,  Bob  Hope's  and 
Rudy  Vallee's,  are  to  broadcast  men- 
tion of  the  picture.  Newspaper  adver- 
tising will  be  cooperative  in  nature 
wherever  possible,  with  1,600-line  cam- 
paigns planned  for  most  of  the  larger 
cities,  it  was  said. 

'This  Is  the  Army' 
Opening  in  Chicago 

Chicago,  Jan.  3. — Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Irving  Berlin  are  expected  to  be 
guests  of  honor  at  the  local  opening 
of  Berlin's  all-soldier  review,  "This 
Is  The  Army,"  which  starts  a  two- 
week  engagement  here  tomorrow  at 
the  Civic  Theatre. 

Proceeds  of  the  opening  per- 
formance will  go  to  the  Army 
Emergency  Relief  Fund.  Tickets  for 
the  first  22  rows  are  scaled  at  $22 
for  the  premiere,  with  boxes  selling 
at  $330  and  $220.  Seat  sale  has  been 
big,  it  was  reported. 


'Who  Done  It?' 
Best  in  Phila. 
With  $18,000 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  3. — As  antici- 
pated in  view  of  the  heavy  Christmas 
shopping,  downtown  business  was  held 
down,  but  helped  some  by  a  heavy 
schedule  of  new  picture  openings.  Best 
business  was  reported  for  "Who  Done 
It?",  drawing  $18,000  at  the  Fox  with 
an  additional  $2,500  on  Sunday  at  the 
Earle  to  make  it  a  total  of  $20,500. 
"You  Were  Never  Lovelier"  opened 
at  the  Stanley,  reported  a  satisfactory 
$16,000  for  the  first  week.  Excessive 
cold  and  snow  also  hurt  business. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  22-25 : 

"Between  Us  Girls"  (Univ.) 

ALDINE—  (900)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $7,000.     (Average,  $9,000) 
"The  Major  and  the  Minor"  (Para.) 

ARCADIA— (600)  (35c-46c-57c-68c)  7  days, 
2nd  week,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $3,000.  (Aver- 
age, $2,800) 

"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 

BOYD—  (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $7,500.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Here  We  Go  Again"  (RKO)  6  days 
"Who  Done  It?'  ('Univ.)  1  day 

EARLE— (3,000)  (46c-57c-75c).  Stage:  6 
days  of  vaudeville  including  Tony  Pastor's 
orchestra,  Stubby  Pastor,  Johnny  Morris, 
Adriana  &  Charly,  Lowe,  Hite  &  Stanley, 
and  Marcia  Rice.  Gross:  $17,500.  (Average, 
$18,000) 

"Strictly  in  the  Groove"  (Univ.) 

FAY'S— (2,190)  (29c-35c-46c-57c).  Stage: 
7  days  of  vaudeville  including  Fats  Waller's 
orchestra.  Deep  River  Boys,  Myrna  John- 
son, Clark  &  Harryette  and  Joyner  &  Fos- 
ter. Gross:  $8,700.  (Average,  $6,000) 
"Wh  Done  It"  (Undv.) 

FOX— (3,000)     (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $18,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Gentleman  Jim"  (W.B.) 

KARLTON— (1,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c)  7 
days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $4,500.  (Average, 
$3,500) 

"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.A.) 

KEITH'S— (2,200)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c) 
7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $3,500.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.B.) 

MASTBAUM— (4,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  3rd  week.    (Gross:  $13,800) 
"You  Were  Never  Lovelier"  (Col.) 

STANLEY— (3,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $16,000.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"The  Navy  Conies  Through"  (RKO) 

STANTON— (1,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $8,800.  (Average,  $6,- 
500) 


'Rangers',  'Aldrich', 
$10,000  in  St.  Louis 


St.  Louis,  Jan.  3. — Business 
slumped  in  St.  Louis  prior  to  the 
Christmas  holiday.  "Forest  Rangers" 
and  "Henry  Aldrich,  Editor,"  grossed 
$10,000  at  the  Fox,  while  "  White 
Cargo"  and  "About  Face"  at  Loew's 
drew  $10,000  for  a  second  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  24: 

"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 
"About  Face"  (U.A.) 

LOEW'S^(3,162)  (30c-40c-50c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $10,000.  (Average,  $15,- 
000) 

"Black  Swan"  (2flth-Fox) 
"Destination  Unknown"  (Univ.) 

AMBASSADOR— (3,154)  (30c-40c-50c)  7 
days.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Average, 
$11,500) 

"Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,   Editor"  (Para.) 

FOX— (5.038)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$10,000.    (Average,  $15,000) 
"Ice-Capades  Revue"  (Rep.) 
"Now.   Voyager"  (W.B.) 

MISSOURI— (3,514)    (30c-40c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $5,000.     (Average,  $7,0001 
"Springtime  in  the  Rockies"  (20th-Fox) 
"The  Major  and  the  Minor"  (Para.) 

ST.  LOUIS— (4,000)  (25c-35c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $4,000.     (Average,  $4,400) 


6 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Monday,  January  4,  1943 


New  W.E.  Recording 
Pact  to  Lower  Fees 

T.  K.  Stevenson,  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  Western  Electric 
Co.,  announced  that  con- 
tractual notice  had  been  given 
of  the  company's  intention  to 
terminate  two  years  hence  its 
present  recording  license  con- 
tracts with  the  film  producers 
in  this  country. 

A  new  contract,  a  draft  of 
which  will  shortly  be  present- 
ed to  licensees,  will  run  to  the 
end  of  1954  and  will  provide 
for  substantially  lower  re- 
cording fees,  it  was  announced. 


WPB  Sets  Amount  of  Raw 
Stock  Available  for  3  Mos. 


Storm  Conditions 
Abate,EndingThreat 
To  Many  Theatres 

Threats  of  serious  damage  to  the- 
atres and  forced  closings  from  ice 
storms  and  floods  in  Western  Penn- 
sylvania, Southern  New  York  and 
Southern  New  England  were  dispelled 
over  the  holiday  weekend  with  cessa- 
tion of  rain,  sleet  and  snowfall. 

Reports  to  circut  and  distribution 
home  offices  here  indicated  that  not 
more  than  a  dozen  or  so  theatres  were 
forced  to  close,  mostly  in  the  Pitts- 
burgh area.  Some  programs  were  in- 
terrupted temporarily  due  to  power 
and  electric  lighting  failures  where 
lines  collapsed.  In  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania and  Eastern  Ohio  flood  waters 
reached  the  vestibules  of  theatres  be- 
fore beginning  to  recede.  Attendance 
was  seriously  affected  in  such  situa- 
tions but  few  complete  closings  re- 
sulted. 

Business  in  the  Albany  exchange 
area  was  reported  off  75  per  cent  from 
the  holiday  peak,  and  60  per  cent  from 
average  throughout  the  Mohawk  Val- 
ley and  in  the  area  bounded  by  Al- 
bany, Oneonta,  Cooperstown,  Glovers- 
ville,  Schenectady  and  Amsterdam, 
where  sleet  and  ice  broke  hundreds  of 
power  lines  and  disrupted  all  bus  and 
surface  car  transportation  systems. 
Film  delivery  trucks  were  far  behind 
schedule  throughout  the  area  because 
of  road  conditions  but  no  missouts 
were  reported  by  Albany  exchanges. 
Power  breakdowns  forced  newspapers 
at  Gloversville,  headquarters  of  the 
Schine  Circuit,  to  transfer  publication 
offices  to  Amsterdam. 


Pittsburgh,  Jan.  3. —  The  Barry, 
only  downtown  theatre  here  which  re- 
mained closed  for  more  than  a  few 
hours  because  of  the  flood  late  last 
week,  reopened  Friday.  The  Fulton, 
Harris  and  Loew's  Penn,  which  found 
flood  waters  at  their  very  doors  on 
Thursday,  reopened  only  a  few  hours 
late  after  the  waters  had  ebbed.  The 
first  two  were  hampered  temporarily 
by  water  damage  to  their  heating 
facilities. 

All  other  downtown  theatres  oper- 
ated without  a  halt,  as  did  virtually 
all  suburban  theatres.  The  People's 
and  Palace  at  Tarentum  were  closed 
briefly. 


Cincinnati,  Jan.  3. — Fear  of  flood 
damage  here  persisted  over  the  week- 
end as  the  Ohio  River  continued  rising 
after  passing  the  50-foot  stage. 


Raw  Stock 
Set  by  WPB 


Washington,  Jan.  3.— The  film 
allocations  set  forth  in  the  War 
Production  Board  order  for  the 
11  companies  are  as  follows: 

Columbia,  30,168,738  feet;  M- 
G-M  and  Loew's,  51,237,449  feet; 
Monogram,  5,617,180  feet;  Para- 
mount, 40,664,577  feet;  Producers 
Releasing,  3,052,332  feet;  RKO, 
32,005,224  feet;  Republic,  17,- 
653,771  feet;  20th  Century-Fox, 
41,282,295  feet;  United  Artists, 
14,234,304  feet;  Universal,  32,- 
950,758  feet;  Warners  and  Vita- 
graph,  33,152,212  feet. 

WPB  officials  explained  that 
the  new  allocations  represent  a 
slight  cut  beyond  that  provided 
in  the  original  order,  which  re- 
duced consumption  by  10  to  24 
per  cent  under  1941.  For  the 
larger  companies,  they  said,  the 
allocations  will  run  75  per  cent 
of  1941  consumption,  while  for 
the  smaller  "Class  C"  companies 
they  will  run  about  88  per  cent. 


Jury  Indicts  Ten 
In  Boston  Club  Fire 


Boston,  Jan.  3. — The  Suffolk  County 
Grand  Jury  has  indicted  10  men  in 
connection  with  the  Cocoanut  Grove 
fire  of  Nov.  28  in  which  489  persons 
died,  it  was  reported. 

After  a  13-day  investigation  of  the 
disaster,  the  Grand  Jury  indicted :  City 
Building  Commissioner  James  H. 
Mooney;  Police  Captain  Joseph  A. 
Buccigross,  who  was  in  the  night 
club  on  a  "routine"  inspection  when 
the  fire  broke  out;  Fire  Lieutenant 
Frank  J.  Linney,  who  inspected  the 
Cocoanut  Grove  eight  days  before  the 
holocaust  and  gave  the  night  club  a 
clean  bill  of  health. 

Also  Samuel  Rudnick,  Boston  and 
Worcester  contractor ;  Reuben  Boden- 
horn,  who  decorated  the  Cocoanut 
Grove ;  Theodore  F.  Eldracher,  a  city 
building  inspector ;  Barnett  Welansky, 
owner  of  the  club ;  James  Welansky, 
his  brother  and  acting  manager  ;  David 
Gilbert,  who  was  employed  on  con- 
struction of  a  new  cocktail  lounge  in 
the  Grove,  and  Jacob  Goldfine,  a  wine 
steward  at  the  club. 


Ass't  NBC  Counsel 
Succumbs  at  55 

Scarsdale,  Jan.  3. — Ira  L.  Grim- 
shaw,  assistant  general  counsel  for  the 
last  10  years  of  the  National  Broad- 
casting Company,  died  Friday  of  a 
heart  attack  at  his  home  here  at  the 
age  of  55. 

He  leaves  a  widow,  Mrs.  Beatrice 
Grimshaw,  and  two  sons,  Robert  and 
Thomas  Grimshaw,  both  students  at 
the  University  of  Michigan. 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

The  order  provides  that  no  Class  A 
producer  and  its  Class  A  distributor 
and  no  Class  B  distributor  shall  ex- 
pose or  have  exposed  more  film  than 
specified  against  its  name.  No  Class 
B  producer  shall  expose  or  have  ex- 
posed any  film  except  that  which  any 
Class  A  or  B  distributor  exposes  for 
iiis  account  within  the  quota  estab- 
lished for  such  distributor,  and  no 
Class  C  producer  or  distributor  shall 
expose  or  have  exposed  more  than  22 
per  cent  of  the  film  exposed  by  or  for 
aim  during  the  calendar  year  1941. 

In  addition  to  the  film  allowed 
above,  however,  any  distributor  may 
expose  or  have  exposed  an  amount  of 
aim  equal  to  50  per  cent  of  the  linear 
iootage  of  35mm.  film  contained  in 
positive  prints  of  features  which  he 
nas  turned  over  to  the  Army  for  dis- 
tribution and  exhibition  in  the  preced- 
ing calendar  quarter  and  100  per  cent 
of  the  linear  footage  of  positive  prints 
turned  over  to  the  Navy,  and  any  pro- 
ducer or  distributor  may  use  during 
the  first  six  months  of  1943  any 
amount  of  film  authorized  by  the  di- 
rector general  for  operations  from 
time  to  time  but  not  in  excess  of  57,- 
000,000  linear  feet. 

It  is  provided  that  hereafter  no  per- 
son, including  Government  agencies, 
shall  expose  or  have  exposed  any  film 
for  the  production  and  distribution  of 
factual  pictures  except  under  specific 
authorization  of  the  director  general 
for  operations,  who  is  not  to  author- 
ize the  exposure  of  more  than  44,300,- 
000  linear  feeting  during  the  coming 
six  months. 

It  is  also  provided  that  no 
person,  including  Government 
agencies,  may  hereafter  use  film 
for  the  production  and  distribu- 
tion of  special  pictures  except 
under  specific  authorization. 

It  is  specified  that  the  restric- 
tions on  the  use  of  film  for 
feature,  factual  or  special  pic- 
tures shall  not  apply  to  the 
Army  and  Navy,  or  Office  of 
Strategic  Services. 

Beginning  Jan.  1,  no  person  shall 
transfer  any  35mm.  film  to  any  other 
person  except  that  laboratories  and 
other  service  organizations  processing 
35mm.  film  mav  transfer  film  to  or  for 
the  account  of  Class  A  and  B  distribu- 
tors, the  Army  and  Navy  or  the  Of- 
fice of  Strategic  Services ;  or  to  any 
other  person  with  specific  authoriza- 
tion of  the  director  general  for  opera- 
tions. 

It  is  provided,  however,  that  any 
person  may  apply  for  a  specific  au- 
thorization to  expose  or  transfer  film, 
on  Form  PD-763,  with  which  must  be 
furnished  additional  information,  if 
factual  pictures  are  involved,  as  to  the 
extent  to  which  the  picture  is  planned 
in  conjunction  with  an  organized  pro- 
gram of  a  specific  Federal  department 
in  furtherance  of  the  war  effort ;  the 
extent  to  which  the  picture  duplicates 
pictures  already  produced  or  in  pro- 
duction ;  the  extent  to  which  it  is  to  be 
used  in  connection  with  a  national 
or  regional  campaign ;  the  extent  of 
the  applicant's  activities  in  producing 
similar  films  in  1941,  and  the  extent  to 
which  the  film  is  to  be  used  for  class- 
room instruction,  if  it  is  an  education 
|  film. 


Air  Bond  Promotion 
Held  Tax  Deductible 

Washington,  Jan.  3. — Expen- 
ses incurred  by  broadcasting 
stations  in  broadcasting  infor- 
mation with  respect  to  the 
purchase  of  war  bonds  and  in 
receiving  mail  orders  for 
bonds  were  held  today  by  the 
Internal  Revenue  Bureau  to 
constitute  expenses  which  may 
be  deducted  from  gross  iif"  ( 
come  in  filing  income  tax  ri 
turns. 

The  bureau  ruled  that  the 
broadcasting  of  information 
on  bonds  is  one  of  the  func- 
tions of  a  station,  as  dissemi- 
nation of  matters  of  interest 
to  the  public,  and  the  ex- 
penses incurred  in  connection 
therewith  are  deductible  as 
ordinary  and  necessary  busi- 
ness expenses. 

FCC  Approves  Sale 
Of  Yankee  Network 

Washington,  Jan.  3. — Sale  of  the 
Yankee  Network  to  the  General  Tire 
and  Rubber  Co.  of  Akron,  was  ap- 
proved Thursday  by  the  Federal  Com- 
munications Commission  over  the  ob- 
jections of  Commissioners  Walker  and 
Durr. 

The  Yankee  Network,  which  serves 
21  New  England  stations,  owns  four 
standard,  four  relay,  two  experimental 
and  two  high  frequency  stations.  The 
deal  between  the  Winter  Street  Corp., 
which  owns  the  network,  and  the  rub- 
ber company  called  for  a  down  pay- 
ment of  $1,240,000  and  an  additional 
amount  equal  to  94  per  cent  of  the 
aggregate  net  quick  assets  of  the  com- 
pany over  $100,000.  Also  involved  in 
the  transaction  is  the  sale  of  the  Colo- 
nial Network,  also  owned  in  part  by 
John  Shepard,  3rd,  which  is  not  a 
station  operator  but  sells  station  time 
and  wired  transcription  service. 

Both  objecting  commissioners  urged 
that  a  hearing  should  be  held  before 
action  was  taken,  with  particular  ref- 
erence to  the  question  whether  manu- 
facturing interests  should  be  permitted 
to  secure  ownership  of  networks, 
Walker  contending  that  "chain  broad- 
casting is  of  such  vital  public  conse- 
quence and  public  interest  that  it 
should  be  a  business  in  and  of  itself, 
and  disassociated  from  any  other  busi- 
ness." 


Army  Puts  Dimout 
Over  Phila.  Tonight 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  3. — The  long- 
deferred  Army  dimout  for  Philadel- 
phia and  suburban  area  has  been 
ordered  into  effect  tomorrow.  It  was 
explained  that  the  lights  over  the 
Philadelphia  area  provide  a  beacon 
to  airplanes  over  the  sea  and  its  elim- 
ination would  delay  even  the  fastest 
bombing  plane  as  much  as  two  min- 
utes. 


Browning  Home  Burns 

Boston,  Jan.  3. — Fire  at  the  home 
of  Harry  Browning,  director  of  ad- 
vertising and  publicity  of  M  &  P  The- 
atres here,  caused  an  estimated  $3,500 
damage.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Browning 
were  at  home  at  the  time. 


F  A  M  E 


7^HE  NINTH  ANNUAL  EDITION  OF  THE  INTER- 
NATIONAL REFERENCE  AUTHORITY  ON  TALENT 
VALUES  IS  NOW  ON  THE  PRESS. 

THE  BOX  OFFICE  CHAMPIONS  OF  1942  PRE^ 
SENTED  WITH  COMPLETE  ANALYSIS  AND 
PERSONNEL  CREDITS.  ...  THE  MONEY  MAKING 
STARS  OF  THE  SEASON  EVALUATED  AND  RE- 
PORTED UPON  BY  THE  EXHIBITOR  SHOWMEN 
OF  THE  WORLD.  ...  THE  STARS  OF  TOMORROW 
AS  PICKED  BY  THEATRE  MEN, 

THE  RADIO  CHAMPIONS  OF  1942  AS  POLLED 
BY  MOTION  PICTURE  DAILY  AMONG  THE  EDI- 
TORS OF  THE  DAILY  NEWSPAPERS  OF  AMERICA. 

EDITED  BY  TERRY  RAMSAYE 


QUIGLEY  PUBLICATIONS 

ROCKEFELLER        CENTER,       NEW  YORK 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  January  4,  1943 


Film  Stocks  Reach 
High  Level  in  1942 


With  their  market  value  reaching 
the  highest  level  in  four  years,  the 
sharp  rise  of  motion  picture  shares 
during  1942  was  attributed  to  the  im- 
petus of  the  wartime  business  boom. 
The  market  valuation  of  listed  film 
shares  on  the  New  York  Stock  Ex- 
change totaled  $644,512,787  in  1942, 
as  compared  with  $557,430,552  at  the 
end  of  1941. 

In  contrast  to  market  conditions  a 
year  ago,  when  the  general  market  fell 
to  the  lowest  average  price  levels  since 
1938  and  trading  volume  was  the 
smallest  since  1918,  film  stocks  gained 


considerably  in  1942  because  of  a  num- 
ber of  factors.  Some  of  these  were 
the  strong  financial  condition  of  the 
industry,  recognition  of  the  fact  that 
motion  pictures  are  the  chief  form  of 
relaxation  from  war  tension,  and  the 
tendency  of  Wall  Street  to  consider 
film  stocks  more  as  an  investment  than 
a  speculation. 

An  advance  for  the  year  was  made 
by  every  film  security.  Highest  prices 
were  reached  late  in  the  year  and  in 
some  instances  film  stocks  crowded  out 
old  favorites  among  steels,  utilities, 
railroads  and  industrials. 

Latest  earning  reports  of  some  of 
the  major  companies  in  the  industry 
reflect  the  improvement  that  became 
particularly  noticeable  during  the  sum- 
mer months  when  gasoline  rationing 
began  to  be  felt  as  a  deterrent  to  auto- 
mobile travel  as  a  form  of  relaxation. 
Loew's,    Inc.,    reported    for    the  40 


weeks  ended  June  4,  1942,  an  operat- 
ing income  of  $3,901,590,  against  $2,- 
275,726  for  the  corresponding  40  weeks 
the  year  before.  Reflecting  in  part  the 
release  by  the  British  government  of 
all  sterling  balances  held  by  the  com- 
pany up  to  Oct.  24,  1942,  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox reported  a  net  income  of 
$7,256,003  for  the  39  weeks  ended 
Sept.  27,  1942. 

Net  income  of  $9,278,000.  against 
$7,450,000  for  the  corresponding  peri- 
od a  year  ago,  was  reported  by  Para- 
mount for  the  nine  months  ended  Oct. 
3,  1942.  Columbia's  net  for  the  13 
weeks  ended  Sept.  26,  1942,  totaled 
$312,000,  as  against  $262,000  for  the 
corresponding  period  the  previous 
year.  Warner  Bros,  reported  a  net 
of  $8,554,513  for  the  52  weeks  ended 
Aug.  31,  1942,  as  compared  with  $5,- 
429,303  in  the  preceding  fiscal  year. 

Loew's  showed  the  largest  advance 


among  the  active  film  issues.  With 
stocks  advancing  about  10  points  for 
the  year  to  around  47,  their  best  price 
in  three  years,  that  company's  stock 
market  valuation  showed  an  increase 
of  $16,240,702.  Another  big  gainer 
was  20th  Century-Fox,  which  rose 
about  eight  points  for  the  year,  a  mar-  ' 
ket  valuation  gain  of  $13,718,211.  Co- 
lumbia gained  about  five  points  for 
the  year  to  a  price  above  10. 

Warner  Bros,  preferred  was  up  12 
points  at  the  close  of  Dec.  27  over  *he 
closing  price  of  1941.  Universal/'  , 
ferred  rose  16  points  and  Coh 
preferred,  8J4  points.  Other  gains  in- 
cluded Keith-Albee-Orpheum  pre- 
ferred up  eight  points ;  Paramount 
first  preferred,  nine  points,  and  20th- 
Fox,  iy2  points.  Universal  common 
rose  18  points  on  the  Curb  Exchange 
over  its  closing  1941  price. 


Motion  Picture  Stocks  in  1942 


High  and  Low  in  Stock  and  Bond  Trading  for  5  Year  Period 

(Closing  Prices  for  1942  in  All  Tables  Are  As  of  December  27) 

New  York  Stock  Exchange 


Stock  and  Dividend 

Columbia  Pictures  (/B)   

Columbia   Pictures  pfd.  (254)   

Consolidated  Film   

Consolidated  Film  pfd.  (lO   

Eastman  Kodak  (5)   

Eastman  Kodak  pfd.  (6)   

Gen.  Precision  (1)   

Keith-Albee-Orpheum  pfd  

Loew's,   Inc.  (2A)   

Paramount  (1.20)   

Paramount  1st  pfd.  (6)   

Radio- Keith-Orpheum   

Radio-Keith-Orpheum  pfd  

20th  Century -Fox  (1/B)   

20th  Century-Fox  pfd.  (1/)   

Universal  Pictures  pfd.  (8C)   

Warner  Brothers   

Warner  Brothers  pfd.  (3.85C)   

A — Including  extras;   B — So  far  this  year; 


Stock  and  Dividend 

Monogram  Pictures   

Sentry  Safety  Control  . . . 

Technicolor  (/A)   

Trans -Lux   

Universal  Pictures   

A — So  far  this  year. 


 1942  

Net 

1941 

1940 

Sales 

High 

Low 

Close 

Change 

High 

Low 

High 

Low 

118,000 

n*/4 

5/8 

1054 

+  5 

7% 

454 

854 

354 

9,000 

35 

24 

3254 

+  854 

2854 

2154 

26 

1454 

13,900 

H 

H 

13/32 

+1/32 

154 

54 

1/ 

/ 

19,800 

9 

7 

m 

+  Ya 

11 

7 

1054 

554 

104,600 

ism 

108 

14754 

+  9/ 

14554 

12054 

16654 

117 

1,260 

180 

170 

178 

+  2 

18254 
1654 

160 

180 

155 

60,600 

1454 

1054 

1454 

+  354 

954 

1354 

754 

210 

103 

9314 

103 

+  8 

12154 

95 

109 

95 

250,500 

4634 

37 

4654 

+  954 

39H 

28 

3754 

2054 

644,000 

17/ 

1154 

l&A 

+  254 

16/8 

10 

im 

454 

24,600 

12354 

100/ 

120 

+  9 

11554, 

9554 

99 

64 

120,600 

3/ 

2 

354 

+  Vt 

354 

2 

354 

za 

6,100 

54/ 

3454 

5354 

54+  654 

5554, 

3854 

not 

listed 

454,900 

16 

7% 

1154 
26^ 

+  m 

954 

5 

1354 

5 

54,700 

2654 

19% 

+  754 

24 

1654 

2554 

14 

1,490 

168 

147 

168 

+16 

162 

133 

124 

59 

724,400 

8/ 

454 

m 

+  VA 

6/ 

254 

454 

2 

4,310 

8054 

65 

8054 

+12 

77 

53 

5654 

30 

High 

14 

3054 
2/s 

12/ 
186/8 
18354 

1554 
10054 

54/ 

1454 
107/ 
2/ 

2654 
3454 
78 

58 


1939 


Low 

7/ 
15/ 

V* 

754 

13854 
155/ 
8/s 

85 

30/ 

m 

72 

m 

lWt 

1954 
45/ 
3/ 
36 


C — Cumulative. 


New  York  Curb  Exchange 


 1942  

Net 

1941 

1 

Sales 

High 

Low 

Close 

Change 

High 

Low 

High 

33,400 

1/ 

/ 

54 

+3/16 

154 

54 

1 

9,700 

5/16 

/ 

/ 

+3/32 

/ 

14 

VA 

82,200 

m 

6/ 

7 

+  54 

11 

654 

1654, 

74,000 

1/ 

/ 

1^4 

+  % 

1 

54 

154 
1554 

3,500 

44 

25 

44 

+18 

30/ 

1454 

1940 


Bonds  on  Stock  Exchange 


Bond  and  Maturity 

Paramount  Bway  3s  '55.. 

Paramount   4s  '56  

Warner  Brothers  6s  '48. . 


Sales 

$792,600 
2,952.000 
768,000 


High 

71 

10054 
103/ 


-1942- 

Low 

5854 
98/ 
95 


Close 

67 

10054 
103 


Net 
Change 
+  9 

+  1 

+  7/ 


1941 
High  Low 

60/  52 
not  listed 
97  92 


Low 

54 
3/16 
8/ 

54 

4 


1940 
High  Low 

52/  40 


1999 


High 

Low 

3/ 

1 

9/16 

/ 

22/ 

9% 

254 

1 

9/ 

6 

9754 


78 


1939 
High  Low 

57/  45/ 


92 


79/ 


Comparison  of  Valuation  of  Stock  Issues — 1941-42 


Shares 

Stock  Outstanding 

Columbia  Pictures    366,268 

Columbia  Pictures  pfd   75,000 

Consolidated  Film    524,973 

Consolidated   Film   pfd   400,000 

Eastman   Kodak    2,476,013 

Eastman   Kodak   pfd   61,657 

Gen.    Precision    586,087 

Keith-Albee-Orpheum    pfd   63,586 

Loew's,  Inc   1,665,713 

Paramount    21,465,927 

Paramount   1st  pfd   134,190 

Radio-Keith-Orpheum    2,753,053 

Radio-Keith-Orpheum  pfd   128,170 

20th  Century-Fox    1,741,995 

20th   Century-Fox  pfd   917,420 

Universal  Pictures  pfd   20.000 

Warner   Brothers    3,701,090 

Warner  Brothers  pfd   99,617 


Close 
1941 

5/ 
24 

7/ 
138 
176 
10/ 
95 
■  36/2 
14/ 
111 
3/ 
47 
&A 
185/8J 
152 
5/ 
68/ 


Valuation 

$1,9222,907 
1,800,800 
196,865 
2,850,000 
341,689,794 
10,851,932 
6,373,696 
6,040,670 
60,798,524 
35,755,941 
14,895,090 
8,947,422 
6,023,990 
11,976,215 
17,086,947 
3,040,000 
20,355,995 
6,823,764 

$557,430,552 


Close 

1942 

Valuation 

10/ 

$3,754,249 

3354 

2,458,250 

13/32 

213,270 

7/s 

3,150,000 

147/ 

,  365,211,917 

178 

10,974,946 

1454 

8,571,522 

103 

6,549,358 

46/ 

77,039,226 

16/ 

41,612,518 

120 

16,102,800 

35/ 

9,979,817 

53  54 
1454 

6,857,095 

25,694,426 

2654 

23,967,597 

168 

3,360,000 

854 

30,996,628 

80/- 

■-— ■  8,019,168- 

$644,512,787 

High 

16 

353/ 
254 

1254 
187 
173 

163/ 

91 

62/ 
13/ 
101/ 

554 


38 
83 


1938 


Low 

13/ 
27/ 
1 

4/ 
121/ 
157 
8/ 
63 
33 
554 
65 

13/ 

161/ 
25/ 
27/ 
354 
20 


1938 


High 

Low 

3/ 

1/ 

34 

3/16 

2654 

14/ 

3/ 

m 

10 

3 

1938 
High  Low 

63  5654 


91/ 


63/ 


+$87,082,235 


Alert, 


tion 


Picture 
industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


r  ILL  wr  i 

DO  NOT  REMOVE 


First  In 


Accurate! 
and 

Impartial 


53.  NO.  2 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  TUESDAY,  JANUARY  5,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


No  Anti-Film 
Legislation  Is 
Seen  for  N.Y. 


1943  Albany  Session  to 
Convene  Tomorrow 


By  RICHARD  J.  CONNERS 

Albany,  Jan.  4. — Due  to  the 
grave  wartime  situation,  an  absence 
of  anti-amusement  bills  is  ex- 
pected from  the  new  1943  legis- 
lature which  convenes  Wednesday 
to  hear  Governor  Thomas  E. 
Dewey's  first  message  and  to  or- 
ganize. 

The  1943  session  is  expected  to  de- 
vote most  of  its  attention  to  the  Gov- 
ernor's efforts  to  streamline  the  State 
government. 

Departed  from  the  legislative 
scene  via  defeat  is  the  author 
of  last  year's  bill  to  compel  the- 
atres to  admit  service  men  in 
uniform  free  to  theatres  and  in 
view  of  the  opposition  of  West- 
ern  New   York   exhibitors  at 
that  time   to  this  restrictive 
measure,  no  reintroduction  from 
other  sources  is  seen  likely. 
Vetoed  by   Governor   Lehman  the 
past  three  years  but  sure  to  be  rein- 
troduced this  year  is  a  bill  aimed  at 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


New  Fuel  Cut  Hits 
Few  N.Y.  Theatres 


The  new  10  per  cent  cut  in  the  value 
of  fuel  oil  rationing  coupons  which 
went  into  effect  yesterday  was  expect- 
ed to  affect  only  a  small  percentage 
of  independent  motion  picture  theatres 
in  the  New  York  metropolitan  area. 
The  RKO,  Loew's,  and  Skouras  cir- 
cuits have  all  been  converted  to  coal 
heating.  Almost  all  of  the  Warner 
houses  have  also  changed  to  coal,  it 
was  said. 

Mainwhile,  film  salesmen  in  the 
Eastern  States  have  been  restricted  to 
"A"  and  "B"  gasoline  coupons. 


Benefit  Opening  for 
Hitchcock  Film  Here 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt,"  the  Universal 
picture  directed  by  Alfred  Hitchcock, 
will  have  its  world  premiere  at  the 
Rivoli  Theatre  Tuesday,  Jan.  12.  A 
special  stage  show,  "Women  Can 
Take  It,"  will  be  performed  on  that 
evening  only.  Proceeds  of  the  pre- 
miere will  go  to  the  Citizens  Com- 
mittee for  the  Army  and  Navy. 


Broadway  Business 
Continues  Strong; 
4Swan,'  'Rhythm'  Big 

The  end  of  the  three-day  holiday 
weekend  brought  no  lull  in  grosses 
for  Broadway  theatres,  according  to 
managers,  as  long  lines  were  still 
forming  at  the  box-offices  yesterday. 
The  New  Year's  period  found  new 
records  set  at  several  theatres  and 
with  the  continuance  of  heavy  patro- 
nage additional  records  were  fore- 
cast for  grosses  for  the  week. 

"The  Black  Swan"  with  Carmen 
Miranda  and  the  Nicholas  Brothers 
on  the  stage  was  heading  for  an  ex- 
pected $115,000  week  ending  tomor- 
row night  at  the  Roxy.  This  is  bet- 
ter than  first  week's  figure  for  the 
show  and  includes  an  estimated  $30,- 
000  for  Thursday  and  New  Year's 
eve,  claimed  by  the  Roxy  manage- 
ment, as  "a  new  high  for  a  single 
day's  business  in  the  theatre  indus- 
try throughout  the  world." 

Also  setting  a  record  was  "Star 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Survey  Lists  Films' 
Many  War  Activities 


A  large  variety  of  activities  was 
undertaken  by  the  motion  picture  in- 
dustry during  1942  in  relation  to  the 
war  effort,  according  to  an  industry- 
wide survey  made  public  yesterday  by 
the  Industry  Service  Bureau.  Listed 
in  the  survey  were  the  many  projects 
undertaken  by  the  industry  under  the 
direction  of  the  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee. 

Among  these  undertakings  were  the 
production  of  training  films  on  a  cost 
basis  and  the  training  of  technicians 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


GFD  to  Continue  as 
Distributor  for  Univ. 

General  Film  Distributors, 
of  which  C.  M.  Woolf,  who 
died  in  London  last  Thurs- 
day, was  managing  director, 
will  continue  as  distributor  of 
Universal  product  in  Great 
Britain.  Universal  officials  ex- 
plained yesterday  that  the 
distribution  contract  is  a  cor- 
porate, not  a  personal,  one. 

Woolf  also  was  managing 
director  of  Gaumont-British 
Picture  Corp. 


New  Storm  Reduces 
Upstate  N.  Y.  Gross; 
Report  Houses  Dark 


Albany,  Jan.  4.  —  With  upstate 
theatres  still  hard  hit  from  last  week's 
storm,  floods  and  power  breakdowns, 
this  area  was  struck  by  a  new  storm 
today,  with  business  sufferingly  badly 
in  consequence.  Holiday  business  was 
reduced  heavily  in  many  upstate  com- 
munities. 

[Grosses  at  Rochester  theatres 
took  a  sharp  drop  yesterday  when 
a  snowstorm  crippled  transporta- 
tion in  the  city,  it  was  reported.] 
Many  power  lines  are  unrepaired 
from  last  week  and  the  new  storm  will 
cripple  business  even  more,  exhibitors 
feared.    The    Cherry    and  Mohawk 
Valley   regions   as   well   as  upstate 
New  York  were  badly  hit  by  a  cover- 
ing of  ice,  with  several  theatres  re- 
ported closed. 

Smalley's  in  Johnstown  was  closed 
two  days,  and  theatres  in  Narrows- 
burg,  Waddington  and  Adams,  which 
were  closed  over  the  weekend,  were 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


44  Legislatures  to  Meet  This  Year; 
Umpi  Committees  to  Function  Locally 

A  total  of  43  State  legislatures  throughout  the  nation  will  con- 
vene in  regular  sessions  starting  this  month.  The  Florida  legisla- 
ture, the  44th  one  to  meet  this  year,  will  convene  in  a  regular 
session  starting  in  April. 

The  four  states  which  have  no  regularly  scheduled  legislative 
sessions  this  year  are  Kentucky,  Louisiana,  Mississippi  and  Vir- 
ginia. 

A  number  of  the  industry  legislative  committees  which  were 
organized  by  Umpi  last  Spring  and  Summer  are  still  intact  despite 
the  dissolution  of  the  parent  organization  and  will  function  locally 
in  many  parts  of  the  country  in  the  event  that  legislation  of  vital 
import  to  the  industry  is  introduced  in  their  areas,  it  is  learned. 
The  legislative  committees  are  composed  of  local  exhibitors  and 
distribution  representatives.  Those  that  go  into  action  this  year 
will  act  jointly,  with  exhibitor  members  reporting  to  local  and  na- 
tional exhibitor  organizations  and  distribution  members  reporting 
to  their  home  offices. 


Talent  Options 
May  Be  Lifted, 
Treasury  Rules 

Salary  Increases  Allowed 
With  $25,000  Limit 

Washington,  Jan.  4. — A  ruling 
that  options  under  motion  picture 
contracts  may  be  exercised  even 
though  they  call  for  increased  pay 
has  been  made  by  the  Treasury  De- 
partment and  Office  of  Economic 
Stabilization,  it  was  learned  today. 

The  ruling  limits  the  total  of 
such  payments  to  the  $25,000 
net  salary  ceiling.  They  can 
not  be  exercised  if  the  payment 
called  for  under  the  option 
would  bring  a  player's  earnings 
above  the  $25,000  limit,  and 
when  payments  reach  that 
limit  as  a  result  of  the  exer- 
cise of  such  options  they  must 
cease. 

The  ruling  applies  only  to  options 
contained  in  contracts  which  were 
made  prior  to  the  date  of  the  executive 
order  establishing  the  salary  ceiling. 


Ruling  Seen  Benefit 
For  New  Talent 

Industry  representatives  in  New 
York  expressed  the  view  that  the  rul- 

(Continued  on  page  S) 


McCarthy  New  PRC 
Ass't  Sales  Manager 


Leo  J.  McCarthy  has  been  ap- 
pointed assistant  general  sales  mana- 
ger of  Producers  Releasing  Corp., 
it  was  announced  yesterday  by  O. 
Henry  Briggs,  president  of  the  com- 
pany. He  has  been  Western  sales 
manager  since  March,  1942. 

McCarthy  has  been  in  the  industry 
a  score  of  years.  He  formerly  was 
assistant  to  Elmer  C.  Rhoden,  presi- 
dent of  the  Fox  Midwest  Theatres  in 
Kansas  City  and  general  film  buyer 
for  the  circuit's  104  theatres.  Subse- 
quently, he  joined  Republic  as  assist- 
ant to  Nat  Levine.  He  left  Republic 
to  produce  for  himself,  and  built  the 
Del  Rio  theatre  at  Riverside,  Cal.,  in 
conjunction  with  associates. 


In  Today's  Issue 

Review  of  "Queen  Victoria" 
(from  London)  and  key  city 
box-office  reports  on  Page  3. 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Tuesday,  January  5,  1943 


Hollywood,  Jan.  4 

EIGHT  top  stars  will  be  sent  to 
the  President's  birthday  ball  in 
Washington,  Jan.  29-30,  the  Associa- 
tion of  Motion  Picture  Producers 
directors  decided  today.  This  event 
will  be  the  only  such  observance  at 
which  players  will  be  present  officially 
on  recommendation  of  the  Hollywood 
Victory  Committee.  The  trip  will 
be  made  under  auspices  of  the  Indus- 
try Service  Bureau. 

• 

Ten  Mitchell  cameras  and  all  ac- 
cessories will  be  made  available  to  the 
Army  Air  Forces  within  a  week,  Col. 
Nathanson  Levinson,  chairman  of  the 
Army  supplies  committee  of  the 
AMPP,  reported. 

Col.  Jason  Joy,  20th  Century-Fox 
studio  public  relations  director,  leaves 
tomorrow  for  New  York. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN       .      GREER  GARSON 
In  James  Hilton's 

"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN   M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue    .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 

IN  PERSON 

PRESENTS 

BENNY 

'STAR  SPANGLED 

GOODMAN 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

RHYTHM' 

with  43  STARS 

—Extra- 
Frank  Sinatra 

PARAMOUNT    ■    Times  Square 

Tyrone  Mauretn  g8^*Vy; 

POWER  •  O'HARA  *%%f 

™*  Black  Swan 

A  29th  Ctnlufy-FoM  Triumph       |N  TECHNICOLOR! 

*   PLUS  BIG  STAGE  SHOW  ★ 

BUY  A  WAR  n  f%  W  7th  AYC. 
BOND  at  the  B\  %J  I    50ih  sr. 


PALACE 


B  WAY  & 
47th  St. 


BETTY  GRABLE       «       JOHN  PAYNE 

'Springtime  in  the  Rockies' 

—  and  — 

"SECRET  ENEMIES" 

CRAIG  STEVENS    *    FAYE  EMERSON 


"The  Perfect  Skating  Show" —  Mantle,  News 
KfV  (n  tl  10  a*  »"  Performances  ex-\Plus 
3yc  to  f  |  ,a«  Mpt  Sat  Eves.50eto$2.50/Tax 

Sonja  Henit  9  Arthur  M.  Wirt*  present 


STARS  ON  ICE 


A  Musical 
Icetravaganza 

CENTER  THEA..  Rockefeller  Center  CO.  5-5474 

America's  Only  Ice  Theatre 
Evgs.  Incl.  Sun.  8:40    Mats.:  Wed.,  Sat.  &  Sun. 
No  Monday  Perf.  Mail  Orders  Filled 


Loew's  STATE  I    iN  PERSON 

Ella 
Fitzgerald 
&  the  4  Keys 


ON  SCREEN 
First  N.  Y.  Showing! 

"A  NIGHT  TO 
REMEMBER" 

LORETTA  YOUNG 
BRIAN  AHERNE 


i 


EXTRA! 
Romo  Vincent 


Personal  Mention 


AL  STEFFES  of  Minneapolis  is 
.  spending  a  few  weeks  in  Holly- 
wood before  going  to  Miami  for  the 
remainder  of  the  winter. 

• 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Justin  Herman  be- 
came the  parents  of  a  daughter,  born 
last  week  at  the  Mountainside  Hospi- 
tal, Montclair,  N.  J.  Herman  is  chief 
of  Paramount' s  short  subject  script 
department. 

• 

Frank  Lieberman,  formerly  a 
Warner  Bros,  field  representative,  has 
been  commissioned  a  lieutenant  in  the 
Army  Signal  Corps. 

• 

Robert  Mahoney,  formerly  at  the 
Warner  Lenox,  Hartford,  has  been 
commissioned  a  lieutenant  in  the 
Army  Air  Force,  stationed  at  Ran- 
dolph Field,  Tex. 

• 

Pvt.  Lawrence  J.  Wynne,  for- 
merly of  the  Comerford  Theatre  in 
Scranton,  Pa.,  is  now  chief  projec- 
tionist at  the  Camp  Young  post  the- 
atre, Indio,  Calif. 

• 

William  Dwyer,  formerly  at  the 
Warner  exchange,  New  Haven,  is 
now  in  Texas,  training  as  an  Air 
Corps  bombardier. 

• 

Pvt.  Paul  Vrablic  of  the  Comer- 
ford  Theatres  in  Hazelton,  Pa.,  is 
stationed  with  the  Army  Air  Force  at 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 


TULES  LEVEY  will  leave  for  the 
Coast  Sunday. 

• 

Harry  Storin  of  the  Riverside 
Park-in  Theatre,  Agawam,  Mass.,  is 
the  father  of  a  son,  named  Matthew, 
3rd. 

• 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  B.  Franke,  own- 
ers of  the  Humota  Theatre,  Humboldt, 
la.,  announce  the  engagement  of  their 
son,  J.  E.  Franke,  of  the  Army  Air 
Force,  to  Pauline  Stegath  of  Des 
Moines. 

• 

Morris  Mechanic,  owner  of  the 
New  Theatre,  Baltimore,  is  visiting 
here. 

• 

Ira  Tulipan  became  a  father  late 
last  week  when  a  daughter  was  born 
to  Mrs.  Tulipan  in  French  Hospital 
here. 

• 

Henry   Hengler,   Comerford  Cir- 
cuit home  office  employe,  is  reported 
with  the  Army  on  the  African  front. 
• 

Richard   Unger,   former  assistant 
manager  of  the  Capital,  York,  Pa., 
is   stationed  with  the  Army  in  the 
Hawaiian  Islands  as  a  film  booker. 
• 

Ernest  Schmidt  of  the  Temple 
and  Strand  Theatres  in  Berwick,  Pa., 
is  a  civilian  aviation  instructor  for 
air  cadets  at  Lafayette  and  Muhlen- 
berg colleges. 


W.  F.  Githens  Enters 
Navy  as  Lieutenant 

W.  French  Githens,  president  of 
Newsreel  Theatres,  Inc.,  operating  the 
Embassy  Newsreel  Theatres,  is  taking 
a  leave  of  absence  for  the  duration  to 
enter  the  Navy  as  Lieutenant  in  the 
Bureau  of  Aeronautics,  Division  of 
Photography,  it  was  announced.  He 
is  also  taking  leave  of  absence  as 
chairman  of  the  board  of  Sound  Mas- 
ters, Inc.,  and  as  president  of  News- 
reel  Distributors,  Inc. 

Francis  Carter  Wood,  Jr.,  will  be- 
come executive  vice-president  of  The 
Newsreel  Theatres,  Inc.,  having  for- 
merly been  treasurer.  Stewart  R. 
Martin  will  succeed  him,  in  addition 
to  continuing  as  supervising  manager. 
Harold  E.  Wondsel  will  continue  as 
president  and  administrative  head  of 
Sound  Masters,  Inc. 


Fire  Razes  Crosby's 
Home  in  Hollywood 

Hollywood,  Jan.  4. — Bing  Crosby's 
20-room  home  was  razed  by  fire  yes- 
terday with  an  estimated  loss  of  $250,- 
000.  Mrs.  Crosby  and  her  four  young 
sons  escaped  from  the  burning  build- 
ing without  injury.  The  fire  is  be- 
lieved to  have  started  when  a  short- 
circuit  caused  the  Christmas  tree 
which  Mrs.  Crosby  and  the  children 
were  dismantling-  to  burst  into  flame. 


Killed  in  Action 

Hartford,  Jan.  4. — John  Patrick 
Shea,  18,  seaman,  second  class,  and  a 
former  usher  at  the  Warner  Strand 
here,  was  killed  in  action,  it  was  an- 
nounced by  the  Navy.  He  was  the 
son  of  John  P.  Shea  of  Hartford. 


Mrs,  Walter  Selden 
Dies  in  California 

Hollywood,  Jan.  4. — Private  fun- 
eral services  were  held  today  for 
Mrs.  Walter  Selden,  wife  of  the  for- 
mer M-G-M  film  writer,  who  died 
Saturday  at  her  Beverly  Hills  home. 
Interment  was  in  Forest  Lawn  Mem- 
orial Park. 

Mrs.  Selden  was  the  former 
Blanche  Rose  May,  daughter  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Thomas  May,  and  sister 
of  David  May  who  recently  married 
Ann  Rutherford.  Walter  Selden,  for- 
merly a  member  of  the  editorial  staff 
of  Quigley  Publications  in  New  York 
and  Hollywood,  is  now  in  the  Army 
Signal  Corps. 


5  Exhibitor  Rallies 
Set  in  Nations  Drive 


Meetings  to  organize  local  United 
Nations  Week  campaigns  for  the  in- 
dustry drive  Jan.  14  through  20  will 
be  held  today  in  Oklahoma  City, 
Portland  and  Salt  Lake  City.  To- 
morrow similar  rallies  will  be  held  j 
in  Newark  and  St.  Louis. 

Edward  L.  Alperson,  national  chair- 
man of  the  campaign,  will  addrf*  -""•e  , 
Oklahoma  City  and  St.  Louis  ^"1-"c- 
ings,  which  will  conclude  his  nation- 
wide tour  of  key  cities  on  behalf  of 
(he  drive.  L.  C.  Griffith,  area  cam- 
paign chairman,  will  preside  in  ' 
Oklahoma  City,  and  Harry  Arthur  at 
the  St.  Louis  meeting. 

Albert  J.  Finke  and  O.  J.  Miller, 
co-chairmen  for  Portland,  will  pre- 
side there  and  Robert  White  will  be 
the  principal  speaker.  Rick  Ricket- 
son  will  address  the  Salt  Lake  City 
meeting  at  which  Tracy  Barham  and 
John  Rugar,  co-chairmen,  will  pre- 
side. 

Nearly  300  exhibitors  are  expected 
at  the  Newark  meeting  tomorrow, 
called  by  Harry  Lowenstein  and  Rob- 
ert Paskow,  at  RKO  Proctor's  The- 
atre. The  meeting  will  duplicate  for 
Northern  New  Jersey  exhibitors  that 
held  recently  for  New  York  theatre 
men  at  Loew's  Ziegfeld.  Among 
those  scheduled  to  speak,  it  was  an- 
nounced, are :  Francis  Harmon,  Wil- 
liam F.  Rodgers,  Sam  Rinzler, 
Fred  Schwartz,  Leonard  Goldenson, 
Harry  Mandel,  Leon  Bamberger  and 
Sylwin  Strakacz,  Consul  General  of 
Poland. 


All  Films  Approved 
In  Chicago  in  Dec, 

Chicago,  Jan.  4. — In  inspecting  93 
films,  totaling  403,000  feet,  during  De- 
cember, the  Chicago  Censor  Board 
made  23  cuts,  no  rejections  and  did 
not  classify  any  pictures  for  adults 
only,  it  was  announced. 


MEET  ME  AT 
WE  AST0I? 


COLUMBIA 
ROOM 
RALPH  ROTGERS 

AND  HIS  ORCHESTRA 


TIMES  SQUARE 


Arbitration  Budget 
Meeting  Postponed 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  budget 
committee  for  the  industry  arbitra- 
tion system  which  was  scheduled  for 
yesterday  was  postponed  until  today 
due  to  the  unavailability  of  several 
committee  members.  Joseph  H. 
Hazen  of  Warners  is  chairman  of  the 
group,  which  will  set  the  budget  for 
operation  of  the  system  during  the 
current  fiscal  year. 


Doyle  Joins  M-G-M 

Ross  Doyle  has  joined  the  M-G-M 
home  office  publicity  department,  it 
was  announced.  Doyle  formerly  was 
assistant  war  news  editor  of  the  New 
York  World-Telegram,  and  assistant 
city  editor  of  the  Herald  Tribune. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

(Registered  U.  S.  Patent  Office) 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company. 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100 
Cable  address, "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar 
tin  Quigley,  Editor-in-Chief  and  Publisher: 
Colvin  Brown,  Vice-President  and  General 
Manager;  Sam  Shain,  Editor;  Alfred  A. 
Finestone,  Managing  Editor;  James  A 
Cron,  Advertising  Manager;  Chicago  Bureau, 
624  South  Michigan  Avenue;  Hollywood 
Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life  Building,  Wil- 
liam R.  Weaver,  Editor;  London  Bureau,  4 
Golden  Square,  London  Wl,  Hope  Burnup, 
Manager,  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications;  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  a? 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rate? 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign.   Single  copies  10c. 


Tuesday,  January  5,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


Review 


"Queen  Victoria" 

{Herbert  Wilcox — Renown  Pictures  Corp.) 

London,  Dec.  10,  (By  mail) 
XJO  moment  probably  could  have  been  better  chosen  than  the  present 
^  for  exploiting  the  box-office  popularity  of  Wilcox's  two  films  about 
Queen  Victoria.  No  device  maybe  could  have  been  commercially 
sounder  than  to  re-edit  and  knit  into  reasonable  feature  length  the  best 
of  "Victoria  the  Great"  and  "Sixty  Glorious  Years."  This  has  been 
done  and  the  result  is  now  some  80  minutes  of  compact  chronicle,  cover- 
ing the  life  and  reign  of  Victoria,  the  human  story  of  her  marriage,  the 
panoply  of  her  Jubilee,  the  wars  in  Africa,  and  the  like.  The  result  is 
episodal  but  arresting,  and  neither  the  human  character  of  the  woman 
nor  the  glory  of  her  reign  are  lost. 

The  first  half  is  in  monochrome  and  the  latter  half,  with  Highland 
games  in  Balmoral,  pageantry  at  St.  Paul's,  war  in  Africa,  and  many  of 
the  royal  palaces  passing  across  the  screen  in  Technicolor,  has  a  pic- 
turesque sweep. 

Anna  Neagle's  performance  still  stands  out  as  a  dramatic  tour  de 
force,  and  is  no  less  moving  than  on  first  showing.  Camerawork,  sound 
and  staging  remain  of  high  standard. 

In  Britain  the  film  has  been  widely  booked — two  of  the  major  circuits 
are  showing  it — and  it  should  coincide  with  the  mood  of  the  moment. 
Abroad  it  should  have  both  entertainment  and  propaganda  value. 

Running  time,  84  minutes.  "G."*  Aubrey  Flanagan 


'Morocco'  $19,800  at 
Two  Seattle  Houses 


Seattle,  Jan.  4. — "Road  to  Moroc- 
co" at  the  Paramount  and  Music  Hall 
theatres  beat  the  pre-Christmas  week 
slump  by  a  wide  margin,  garnering  a 
total  of  $19,800  and  going  into  the 
second  week  at  top  speed.  "White 
Cargo"  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  took  $10,- 
400  and  also  was  held  over,  as  was 
"Now,  Voyager"  at  the  Orpheum.  The 
wjfcber  was  clear  and  cooler. 
s  "'^Himated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  25  : 

"Springtime   in   the   Rockies"  (20th-Fox) 
"Bambi"  (RKO) 

BLUE  MOUSE— (950)   (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
■  days,  3rd  week.    (Moved  from  Paramount). 
Gross:  $4,600.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 
"Seven  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M) 

FIFTH  AVENUE — (2,500)  (40c-50c-65c- 
80c)  7  days.  Gross:  $10,400.  (Average, 
$9,000) 

"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.A.) 
"Lucky  Legs"  (Col.) 

LIBERTY — (1,800)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7  days. 
Gross:   $7,200.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 
"That  Other  Woman"  (20th-Fox) 

MUSIC    BOX— (950)    (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.    (Moved  from  Music  Hall). 
Gross:  $4,100.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

MUSIC  HALL— (2,275)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $8,100.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.B.) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (2ttth-Fox) 

ORPHEUM— (2,450)     (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $9,200.     (Average,  $9,00OJ 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.) 

PALOMAR—  (1,500)     (30c-42c-58c-70c)  7 
days.    Stage:  Vaudeville  headed  by  Lester 
Cole  and  His  Singing  Debs.    Gross:  $7,950. 
(Average,  $7,500) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT— (3,050)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $11,700.    (Average,  $9,000) 


'Dixie'  Tulsa  Smash 
With  $8,900  Gross 


Tulsa,  Okla.,  Jan.  4. — "Whistling 
in  Dixie"  garnered  $8,900  for  a  smash 
gross  at  the  Orpheum  while  other 
films  held  to  about  average  or  slightly 
better  for  a  better  than  expected  pre- 
holiday  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  23 : 

"Mrs.  Wiggs  of  the  Cabbage  Patch" 
(Para.) 

MAJESTIC-(570)      (25c-40c)      7  days. 
Gross:  $2,000.     (Average,  $1,750) 
"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 

ORPHEUM— (1,400)    (20c-40c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $8,900.    (Average,  $6,5C0) 
"The  Undying  Monster"  (2©th-Fox) 
"Raiders  of  San  Joaquin"  (Univ.) 

RIALTO— (1,250)  (20c-40c)  3  days.  Gross: 
$1,250.     (Average,  $1,250) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 
"Gecrge  Takes  the  Air"  (British) 

RIALTO— (1,250)  (20c-40c)  4  days.  Gross: 
$1,750.     (Average,  $1,750) 
"The  Navy  Comes  Through"  (RKO) 

RITZ-(2,000)  (25c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:   $7,500.     (Average,  $6,750) 


Not  Guilty  Pleas  in 
t  Cocoanut  Grove  Fire 

Boston,  Jan.  4. — Nine  men,  includ- 
j  ing  public  officials,  indicted  by  a  grand 
;  jury  on  charges  arising  from  the  Co- 
,  coanut  Grove  night  club  fire  in  which 
489  persons   including  more  than  a 
score  of  film  people  perished,  pleaded 
not  guilty  on  arraignment  today  be- 
j  fore  Superior  Judge  Frank  J.  Dona- 
>  hue. 

Judge  Donahue  set  bail  at  $10,000 
each  for  Barnet  M.  Welansky,  own- 
er of  the  club,  and  James  Welansky, 
his  brother,  both  charged  with  man- 

,  slaughter  and  conspiracy.  Police 
Capt.  Joseph  A.  Buccigross,  charged 
with  willful  neglect  of  duty,  was  not 

.  present  because  of  illness. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Cleveland  Gross  Off 
In  Pre-Holiday  Week 

Cleveland,  Jan.  4. — "Springtime^  in 
the  Rockies"  was  the  only  attraction 
to  gross  over  average  in  a  slow  week 
here.  The  film  drew  $5,000  in  a  sec- 
ond week  at  the  Allen.  Best  take, 
however,  was  $14,500  garnered  by  "A 
Night  to  Remember"  and  a  stage 
show  headed  by  Sallv  Rand,  while 
'Who  Done  It?"  went  to  $11,500. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  24 : 

"Springtime  in  the  Rockies"  (ZOth-Fox) 

ALLEN— (3,000)  (35c-40c-50c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.     Gross:    $5,000.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 

WARNERS  HIPPODROME— (3,800)  (35c- 
40c-50c)  7  days.  Gross:  $11,500.  (Average, 
$12,000) 

"Now,  Voyager"  (W.B.) 

WARNERS'  LAKE—  (900)  (35c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $2,700.  (Average, 
$1,500) 

"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 

RKO  PALACE— (3,100)  (40c -50c -65c). 
Stage :  Sally  Rand,  Art  Tarrett's  Orchestra. 
7  days.  Gross:  $14,500.  (Average,  $17,500) 
"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.) 

LOEWS  STATE— (3,500)   (35c-40c-50c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $10,200.     (Average,  $13,000) 
"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STTLLMAN— (1,900)  (35c-40c- 
50c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $6,000.  (Av- 
erage, $6,000) 


'Thunder  Birds9  Best 
In  0.  C.  with  $6,300 


Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  4.  —  The 
pre-holiday  week  produced  average 
grosses  for  most  local  first  runs  with 
$6,300  for  "Thunder  Birds"  at  the 
Criterion  topping  a  so-so  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  23  : 

"Thunder  Birds"  (ZOth-Fox) 

CRITERION— (1.500)  (20c-25c-40c)  7  days. 
Gross:   $6,300.     (Average,  $5,250) 
"Prairie  Pals"  (Mono.) 
"Baby  Face  Morgan"  (PRC) 

FOLLY— (600)  (18c)  7  days.    Gross:  $800. 
(Average,  $750) 
"The  Omaha  Trail"  (M-G-M) 
"Just  Off  Broadway"  (2Cth-Fox) 

LIBERTY— (1,200)      (20c-25c)      7  days. 
Gross:   $2,900.     (Average,  $2,500) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

MIDWEST— (1,500)    (20c-25c-40c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $5,750.     (Average,  $5,750) 
"The  Magnificent  Ambersens"  (RKO) 
"Highways  By  Night"  (RKO) 

STATE— (1,100)  (25c-40c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$3,500.     (Average.  $3,800) 
"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 

TOWER— (1,000)  (20c-25c-40c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.     Gross:  $1,750.     (Average,  $1,750) 


'Washington'  Gets 
$17,500  in  Toronto 


Toronto,  Jan.  4. — "George  Wash- 
ington Slept  Here"  accounted  for  the 
high  gross  of  the  holiday  week  at 
Toronto  first  runs  with  a  total  of 
$17,500  at  Shea's  Theatre.  The 
Imperial  Theatre  grossed  $17,000 
for  "Bambi"  and  "The  Navy  Comes 
Through."  Loew's  theatre  had  a  dual 
topped  by  "Cairo"  which  grossed  $16,- 
500  while  "The  Avengers"  was  rela- 
tively high  at  the  Eglinton  with  $6,- 
500. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  28: 

"The  Avengers"  (Para.) 

EGLINTON— (1,086)     (18c-30e-48c-60c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $6,500.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"Bambi"  (RKO) 

"The  Navy  Comes  Through"  (RKO) 

IMPERIAL— (3,373)    18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $17,000.     (Average,  $9,500) 
"Cairo"  (M-G-M) 
"Calling  Dr.  Gillespie"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S— (2,074)     (18c-30c-42c-60c-78c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $16,500.     (Average,  $9,500) 
"Gecrge  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 

SHEA'S— (2,480)      (18c-30c-42c-60c-9Oc)  6 
days.    Gross:  $17,500.    (Average,  $10,000) 
"Desperate  Journey"  (W.  B.) 
"Youth  on  Parade"  (Rep.) 

TIVOLI— (1,434)     (18c-30c-48c)     6  days. 
Gross:  $5,200.    (Average,  $4,200) 
"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 
"Get  Hep  to  Love"  (Univ.) 

UPTOWN— (2,761)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.    Gross:    $11,500.    (Average.  $8,500) 


'Witch:  'Cairo9  Get 
$6,500,  New  Haven 

New  Haven,  Jan.  4.  —  Theatre 
grosses  slumped  because  of  holiday 
shopping.  "I  Married  a  Witch"  and 
"Cairo"  drew  $6,500  at  the  Loew-Poli. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Dec.  24 : 

"You  Were  Never  Lovelier"  (Col.) 
"Boston  Blackie  Goes  Hollywood"  (Col.) 

COLLEGE— (1,627)   (40c-50c)   7  days,  2nd 
week.     Gross:  $1,800.     (Average,  $2,900) 
"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.  A.) 
"Cairo"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW-POLI— (3,005)     (40c-50c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $6,500.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 
"Half  Way  to  Shanghai"  (Univ.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,373)    (40c-50c)    7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $4,000.    (Average,  $5,000) 
"Flying  Fortress"  (W.  B.) 
"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 

ROGER  SHERMAN— (2,067)  (40c-50c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $4,500.     (Average,  $6,000) 


'Horror'  Show  Tops 
Dull  Week  in  Buffalo 


Buffalo,  Jan.  4.  —  Business  was 
dull  here  the  week  before  Christmas. 
Best  draw  was  the  horror  bill  of 
"The  Mummy's  Tomb"  and  "Night 
Monster"  at  the  Lafayette  with  $9,- 
500.  Two  Gary  Cooper  films  at  the 
Twentieth  Century  proved  an  interest- 
ing experiment,  "The  General  Died  at 
Dawn"  and  "The  Cowboy  and  the 
Lady"  grossing  close  to  average  at 
$7,400. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  26: 

"Thunder  Birds"  (20th-Fox) 

"The  Undying  Monster"  (ZOth-Fox) 

BUFFALO— (3,489)      (35c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $11,900.     (Average,  $15,000) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.B.) 
"The  Hidden  Hand"  (W.B.) 

GREAT  LAKES— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $7,900.  (Average,  $10,- 
800) 

"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 

"That   Other  Woman"  (ZOth-Fox) 

HIPPODROME— (2,100)  (35c-50c)  7  days, 
2nd  week  downtown.  Gross:  $5,700.  (Aver- 
age, £8,500) 

"The  General  Died  at  Dawn"  (Para.) 
"The  Cowboy  and  the  Lady"  (U.A.) 

TWENTIETH   CENTURY— (3,000)  (35c- 
55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $7,400.  (Average,  $8,000) 
"The  Mummy's  Tomb"  (Univ.) 
"Night  Monster"  (Univ.) 

LAFAYETTE— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $9,500.     (Average,  $7,500) 


$13,500  for  'Swan' 
At  2  K.C.  Theatres 

Kansas  City,  Jan.  4. — "The  Black 
Swan"  grossed  $13,500  at  two  the- 
atres, the  Esquire  and  the  Uptown, 
and  was  held  over. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Dec.  22-24: 

"The  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 

ESQUIRE— (800)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$7,500.    (Average,  $2,700) 
"Cairo"  (M-G-M) 
"Silver  Queen"  (U.  A.) 

MIDLAND1 — (3,600)     (35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $8,500.    (Average,  $10,000) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

NEWMAN— (1,900)   (35c-50c)  7  days,  4th 
week.    Gross:  $7,500.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 
"Spy  Ship"  (W.  B.) 

ORPHEUM— (1,900)  (35c-50c)  8  days,  2nd 
week.  Gross:  $7,000.  (Average,  8  days, 
$6,750) 

"Half  Way  to  Shanghai"  (Univ.) 

TOWER— (2,200)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Stage: 
Polack  Bros,  circus.  Gross:  $8,000.  (Aver- 
age, $6,500) 

"The  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 

UPTOWN— (2,000)  (35c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $4,500) 


"Thunder  Birds'  on 
Dual  Top  in  Indpl's 

Indianapolis,  Jan.  4.  —  "Thunder- 
birds"  and  "That  Other  Woman"  at 
the  Indiana  grossed  $7,900  for  the 
week's  box-office  top  here.  The  Cir- 
cle, with  "The  Glass  Key"  and  "Hen- 
ry   Aldrich,    Editor,"    did  $5,600. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  22-24: 

"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  (Para.) 

CIRCLE— (2,800)     (28c-33c-44c)     7  days. 
Gross:   $5,600.     (Average,  $6,500) 
"Thunderbirds"  (2<lth-Fox) 
"That  Other  Woman"  (20th-Fox) 

INDIANA— (3,000)    (28c-33c-44c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $7,900.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"Cairo"  (M-G-M) 
"Silver  Queen"  (U.A.) 

LOEW'S— (2,800)     (28c-33c-44c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $4,800.    (Average.  $8,000) 
"Black  Swan"  (ZOth-Fox) 

LYRIC— (2,000)  (28c-33c-44c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $3,500.    (Average,  $4,500) 


Collapses  on  Stage 

Boston,  Jan.  4. — During  a  New 
Year's  eve  performance  of  "Spring 
Again"  at  the  Plymouth  here,  Rich- 
ard Stevenson,  leading'  player,  col- 
lapsed in  the  middle  of  an  important 
scene.  The  play  continued  without  him. 


II 


HURLS  DRAMATIC  BOMBSHE 

INTO  BOX-OFFICES  OF  THE  NATION"  m.  i.//, 


ii 


WILL  STORM  BOX-OFFICES 


Hollywood  Reporter 


■i 


PULSE-POUNDING  THRILLS  AND 

DRAMATIC  ENTERTAINMENT  Showmen's  Trade  Revie 


it 


DONE  ON  A  GRAND  SCALE 


■I 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


ii 


UNBEATABLE  BOX-OFFICE 


■i 


Variety 


CARRIES  A  KICK  LIKE  AN  ARMY  MULE"  Motion  Picture  Herald 


•I 


HIGH  ON  LIST  OF  MONEY-MAKERS" n>e 


Exhibitor 


SHOULD  BE  BIG  MONEY-MAKER 


IE 


Daily  Variety 


MERITS  SUPERLATIVE  PRAISE  Boxoffice 


STARRING  I  Hub  III  W  IV  ■ 

ANNA  LEE  •  LILLIAN  GISH  •  SIR  CEDRIC  HARDWICKE  -  ROBERT  COOTE 

Based  on  the  C.  S.  Forester  Cosmopolitan  Magazine  Story  •  Screen  play  by  Irwin  Shaw 
Directed  by  JOHN  FARROW  •  A  LESTER  COWAN  PRODUCTION  •  A  COLUMBIA  PI 


One  Week  After  Its  First  Pre-releasi 


elected 

FILM  CRITICS'  CIRCLE.  Intensively  publicized  in  < 
the  award  broadcast  from  coast  to  coast  over  1 

NATIONAL  BOARD  OF  REVIEW  -  The  Best  Picture  of  the  Year 
FREEDOM  HOUSE  AWARD  for  The  Greatest  Achievement  of  1942 


REDBOOK  MAGAZINE  -The  Picture  of  the  Month 


SCHOLASTIC  MAGAZINE  -  Blue  Ribbon  Award 


PARENTS'  MAGAZINE -Gold  Medal 

,;<t  of         *nWS  'aH*! 


nored  Picture  of  The  Year! 


IE  BEST  PICTURE  OF  THE  YEAR  by  the  NEW  YORK 
New  York  newspaper . .  with  the  presentation  of 
Hue  Network. 


NOEL 


COWARDS 


m  we  wn 

starring    NOEL  COWARD 
EASED     THRU     UNITED  ARTISTS 


s 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  January  5,  1943 


No  Anti-Film  Legislation 
Seen  At  Albany  Session 


Broadway  Business 
Continues  Strong; 
'Swan,'  'Rhythm'  Big 


Talent  Options 
May  Be  Lifted, 
Treasury  Rules 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

ing  will  be  beneficial  to  those  studios 
with  promising  new  talent  and  young- 
er players  on  their  contract  lists,  since 
it  will  permit  them  to  meet  option 
requirements  of  such  players.  Previ- 
ously, industry  officials  did  not  know 
whether  any  options  calling  for  in- 
creased remunerations  could  be  ex- 
ercised. 

It  was  emphasized  that  the  ruling  by 
no  means  answers  all  of  the  salary 
problems  of  importance  with  which 
the  industry  is  confronted  by  the  law, 
and  that  industry  representatives  will 
continue  their  efforts  to  obtain  clari- 
fications which  will  help  to  solve  the 
more  important  contract  problems 
which  still  exist. 


Survey  Lists  Films' 
Many  War  Activities 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

for  the  armed  forces  at  no  cost  to  the 
government.  Also  cited  was  the  dona- 
tion of  thousands  of  reels  of  features 
and  shorts  on  16mm.  film  for  screen- 
ing before  service  men  and  the  distri- 
bution and  exhibition  without  charge 
of  documentary  films  made  by  the  gov- 
ernment. 

The  survey  told  of  the  enlistment  of 
hundreds  of  top  screen  personalities  as 
volunteer  entertainers  as  well  as  their 
appearance  on  radio  programs  short- 
waved  to  fighting  fronts.  Fund  raising 
for  charity,  cooperation  in  the  scrap 
drive,  stimulation  of  war  bond  sales 
and  cooperation  with  the  Co-ordinator 
of  Inter- American  Affairs  were  addi- 
tional responsibilities  and  activities  in- 
cluded in  the  survey. 

Boston  Editors  Claim 
Film  Mats  Unsuitable 

Boston,  Jan.  4. — Boston  newspaper 
editors  frown  upon  the  use  of  the  new 
mat  service  started  by  film  companies 
for  the  purpose  of  solving  the  zinc 
and  copper  shortage.  Editors  claim 
that  the  mat  service  would  throw  en- 
gravers out  of  work  and  that  the  serv- 
ice contains  inferior  engravings,  not 
suitable  for  their  reproduction. 

Boston,  which  is  a  very  strong 
union  city,  prefers  to  make  its  own 
engravings.  Papers  here  have  been 
very  partial  to  giving  space  to  films, 
but  it  is  unpredictable  what  will  hap- 
pen if  zinc  and  copper  shortages 
should  increase. 

A  ban  has  been  placed  on  "arrival 
pictures,"  publicity  shots  and  wedding 
pictures.  More  bans  are  reported  in 
the  offing. 


Lesser  to  Represent 
SIMPP  in  Charities 

Hollywood.  Jan.  4. — The  Society 
of  Independent  Motion  Picture  Pro- 
ducers, acting  as  a  group,  has  re- 
quested that  Sol  Lesser  represent  it 
in  all  charitable,  state  and  civic  mat- 
ters. One  of  his  first  undertakings 
will  be  to  act  for  the  group  on  a  per- 
manent charities  committee  of  the  in- 
dustry here. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

repealing  obsolete  "blue  law"  provi- 
sions of  the  state  law  concerning  child 
actors.     Introduced  and  passed  three 
consecutive    years    bv  Assemblvman 
Harold  B.  Ehrlich  of"  Buffalo,  the  bill 
aims  to  give  educational  authorities 
the  right    to   permit   motion  picture 
stage  and  radio  appearances  of  chil- 
dren under  16,  now  forbidden  by  labor 
and  penal  statutes.     Backed  by  the 
Children's  Aid  Society,  the  Ehrlich 
bill  attempts  to  wipe  out  the  blue  laws 
and  give  educational  authorities  the 
right  to  permit  such  appearances  when 
they  do  not  endanger  health,  moral 
or  educational  facilities.    The  present 
law,    strictly    observed    upstate,  has 
hampered   exhibitors   in  giving  per- 
formances for  charitable  purposes  and 
in  some  instances  has  prevented  efforts 
to  put  on  radio  tieups  for  amateur 
programs  to  originate  from  theatres. 
Since  the  legislature  has  passed  the 
bill  without  opposition  on  three  occa- 
sions, its  repassage  is  very  likely. 
In  the  wake  of  disastrous  fires 
in  Boston  and  St.  John,  N.  B., 
efforts  to  amend  present  safety 
laws  in  New  York  state  are  be- 
lieved ready  for  introduction. 
Theatre  publicity  at  each  per- 
formance to  convey  to  patrons 
knowledge  of  each  exit  may  be 
sought  by  one  bill,  while  closer 

H.  E  Hancock  Dies; 
Former  Reel  Editor 

Herbert  Ernest  Hancock,  former 
associate  editor  of  News  of  the  Day, 
died  at  his  home  in  Jackson  Heights, 
Queens,  on  Dec.  31.  His  wife,  Edna, 
died  the  same  day  in  St.  Elizabeth's 
Hospital,  Manhattan.  Cremation  was 
at  Fresh  Pond  Crematory,  Saturday. 

Hancock  was  a  New  York  news- 
paperman for  15  years  before  joining 
W.  R.  Hearst  motion  picture  enter- 
prises. Following  a  period  as  a  di- 
rector for  H  &  H  Productions,  he 
joined  Fox  Film  and  assisted  in  the 
organization  of  Fox  News,  Fox 
Varieties  and  the  company's  com- 
mercial film  divisions.  Later  he  be- 
came business  manager  and  treasurer 
of  Kinograms  Publishing  Corp.,  then 
a  member  of  the  editorial  board  of 
Fox  Hearst  Corp.  and  from  1934  to 
1938  was  associate  editor  of  Hearst 
Metrotone  News. 

He  is  survived  by  his  mother,  Mrs. 
C.  M.  Hancock  of  Toronto,  a  sister, 
Mrs.  George  Telfer  of  Toronto,  and  a 
brother,  Don  Hancock,  production 
manager  and  director  for  Castle  Films, 
New  York. 

Norway  Ambassador 
Host  at  'Commandos' 

William  Munthe  de  Morgenstierne, 
ambassador  to  the  United  States  from 
the  Norwegian  Government-in-Exile. 
will  be  host  to  high  ranking  officials 
representing  all  other  United  Nations 
at  a  special  showing  of  Lester  Cow- 
an's new  Columbia  film,  "Commandos 
Strike  at  Dawn,"  Jan.  14  in  Washing- 
ton's Government  Auditorium. 


Villency  to  Join  OWI 

Charles  Villency,  formerly  of  Mo- 
tion Picture  Daily,  next  Monday 
will  join  the  news  department  of  the 
Office  of  War  Information  here. 


supervision  and  inspection  of 
exits  and  doors  in  all  places  of 
public  amusement  is  another 
avenue  considered. 

The  chance  game  confusion  in  New 
York  City  seems  likely  to  draw  many 
new  proposals,  some  intending  to  le- 
galize the  games  in  theatres  and 
others  directed  at  barring  such  give- 
aways unmistakeably.  Since  anti- 
gambling  provisions  exist  in  the  state 
constitution,  any  move  to  legalize 
faces  the  hurdle  of  time,  since  it  re- 
quires a  constitutional  amendment 
passed  by  two  different  sessions  and 
then  submission  to  the  people  for  a 
favorable  vote. 

No  new  tax  proposals  are  expected 
along  the  motion  picture  line  although 
it  would  occasion  no  surprise  if  an- 
other effort  is  made  to  equalize  the 
taxes  drawn  from  16mm.  picture  in- 
spection with  that  paid  by  35mm.  The 
ban  on  billboard  advertising  and  a 
renewed  drive  for  an  extra  hour  of 
daylight  savings  time  will  again  be 
vigorously  opposed  by  theatre  men, 
likely  aided  by  organized  labor. 

A  measure  to  assess  chain  stores 
and  theatre  circuits  based  on  a  slid- 
ing scale  of  five  theatres  may  again 
be  introduced,  although  in  the  past  it 
has  annually  been  buried  in  commit- 
tee. 


New  Storm  Reduces 
Upstate  N.Y.  Gross 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

still  reported  closed  today.  The  storm 
also  caused  havoc  in  Gloversville, 
Watertown,  Amsterdam,  Ogdensburg, 
Lake  Placid,  Cobleskill,  Glens  Falls, 
Dolgeville,  Rome  and  Oneida  and  sur- 
rounding territories. 


Pittsburgh,  Jan.  4. — The  flood  which 
swept  through  this  area  brought  com- 
paratively little  damage  to  theatres 
here.  Worst  hit,  however,  was  Shea's 
Orpheum  in  McKees  Rocks,  which  re- 
opened Saturday  night  after  being 
closed  three  days. 

Several  downtown  Pittsburgh  thea- 
tres suffered  water  damage,  but  despite 
loss  of  showing  time  because  of  the 
necessity  of  closing,  most  theatres 
were  in  full  operation  by  New  Year's 
eve  and  reported  boom  business. 

Blue  Program  Award 
Announcement  Made 

An  announcement  that  the  "Break- 
fast Club  of  the  Air"  was  voted  Best 
Morning  Program  by  the  radio  editors 
of  the  United  States  and  Canada  in 
Motion  Picture  Daily's  seventh 
annual  radio  poll  was  scheduled  to 
be  made  this  morning  on  the  Blue 
Network  program. 

S chine's  Clearance 
Reduced  to  12  Days 

Albany,  Jan.  4. — Joseph  Casey, 
former  Albany  corporation  counsel, 
as  arbitrator,  today  decided  that  the 
clearance  held  by  Schine's  Glove, 
Gloversville,  over  Smalley's  Johns- 
town shall  be  reduced  from  30  to  12 
days. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
Spangled  Rhythm,"  which  was  head- 
ing for  an  expected  estimated  $117,- 
000  week  ending  tonight  at  the  Para- 
mount, the  biggest  week's  gross  for 
the  theatre.  Benny  Goodman  an^LJiis 
band  are  on  the  stage.  /  -\ 

"Random  Harvest"  with  theV^jfe 
presentation  was  sustaining  its  pace 
and  was  expected  to  gross  $125,000 
for  the  third  week  ending  tomorrow- 
night  at  the  Radio  City  Music  Hall. 

Another  pacemaker  was  "In  Which 
We  Serve"  which  was  estimated  to 
have  grossed  $65,000  for  Thursday 
through  yesterday  in  its  second  week 
at  the  Capitol. 

'Yankee  Doodle'  Healthy 

"Jacare"  drew  in  the  neighborhood 
of  $6,100  for  Saturday  and  Sunday 
as  it  started  its  second  week  at  the 
Globe  after  drawing  an  estimated 
$20,000  for  the  first  week.  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy"  grossed  about  $41,000 
for  the  first  four  days  of  its  second 
week  starting  Friday  at  the  Strand, 
and  was  reported  to  have  broken  all 
Strand  records  with  an  estimated 
$74,000  for  its  first  week.  Jimmy 
Dorsey  and  his  orchestra  are  on  the 
stage.  "Casablanca"  garnered  an  es- 
timated $27,000  for  the  first  five 
days  of  its  sixth  week  beginning 
Thursday  at  the  Strand. 

At  the  Rivoli,  "Arabian  Nights" 
grossed  an  estimated  $27,000  for  Fri- 
day through  yesterday  after  grossing 
about  $54,500  for  its  first  week. 

"Tennessee  Johnson"  will  have  its 
world  premiere  Jan.  12,  at  the  Astor 
Theatre,  it  was  announced.  The  film 
follows  "For  Me  and  My  Gal" 
which  starts  its  12th  week  at  the  the- 
atre tomorrow. 


Chicago  Holiday  Boom 

Chicago,  Jan.  4. — Chicago  holiday 
grosses  were  50  per  cent  ahead  of  the 
previous  week,  according  to  exhibitors. 
Evening  prices  were  increased  from 
33T/3  to  100  per  cent. 

Noisemakers  and  favors  were  dis- 
tributed freely  and  community  singing 
was  popular.  Stage  shows  were  added 
in  many  spots  with  the  shortage  of 
talent  a  limiting  factor. 

Albany,  Jan.  4. — New  Year's  eve 
patrons  crowded  the  four  downtown 
and  seven  subsequent  runs  here  with 
one,  Fabian's  Palace,  filling  up  twice 
at  advanced  prices  of  $1.10  and  $1.50 

The  Palace  presented  "Seven  Days 
Leave"  plus  a  stage  show  headed  by 
Beatrice  Kay.  Warner's  Strand,  which 
opened  up  at  a  75-cent  top  with  "Yan- 
kee Doodle  Dandy,"  was  also  filled  all 
day  and  evening.  New  Year's  day 
business  was  very  large  downtown 
and  in  neighborhoods  alike. 

Col.  Executives  on 
Coast  for  Meeting 

Hollywood.  Jan.  4. — Five  Colum- 
bia  executives   arrived  tonight  from 
New  York  to  confer  with  Harry  and 
Jack  Cohn  at  the  studio  on  the  com-  I 
pany's  recently  revamped  production  J 
schedule.      They    are :    Abe    Mon- 1 
tague,  general    sales    manager ;    Abe  j 
Schneider,  treasurer ;  Leo  Jaffe,  aide 
to  Schneider ;  J.  A.  McConville,  for- ! 
eign    manager,    and    Joe  Friedman, 
British  manager. 


Alert, 


tion 


Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


53.  NO.  3 


NEW  YORK,  U.  S.  A.,  WEDNESDAY,  JANUARY  6,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Clark  Plans  to 
Appeal  to  FDR 
On  Music  Ban 


To  Take  Step  if  Congress 
Balks,  Senator  Says 

By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  5. — The  in- 
terrogation next  Tuesday  of  James 
C.  Petrillo,  president  of  the  Amer- 
ican Federation  of  Musicians,  is 
the  only  immediate  step  planned  by 
Senator  D.  Worth  Clark  of  Idaho 
in  his  investigation  of  the  record- 
ings ban  imposed  by  the  union 
head  last  summer,  the  Senator  said 
today. 

However,  he  added  that  he  is 
prepared  to  appeal  to  President 
Roosevelt  if  Congress  is  reluct- 
ant to  take  up  a  labor  issue 
when  he  reintroduces  his  bill  to 
bring  the  AFM  within  the  scope 
of  the  anti-trust  laws.  Confi- 
dence that  the   President  has 

(Continued  on  page  9) 


Report  W.  B.  Plans 
Theatre  in  Mexico 

Mexico  City,  Jan.  5. — It  is  learned 
here  that  Warner  Bros,  plans  to  build 
a  first  run  theatre  in  a  select  resi- 
dential section  of  Mexico  City  and 
that  the  plans  also  provide  for  a  build- 
ing to  house  the  company's  Mexican 
headquarters. 

The  company  has  already  purchased 
a  site  for  the  theatre  and  office-ex- 
change building,  it  is  reported,  and  it 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


Sen.  George  Sees 
Ruml  Plan  Enacted 

Washington,  Jan.  5. — Some 
form  of  the  Ruml  pay-as-you- 
go  tax  plan  was  foreseen  as 
law  today  by  Senator  George, 
chairman  of  the  Senate  Fi- 
nance Committee,  who  said  he 
believed  that  Congress  would 
enact  the  plan  by  "either 
writing  off  a  year's  individual 
income  taxes  or  postponing 
one  year's  payments."  Repre- 
sentative Carlson  of  Kansas 
has  a  bill  embracing  the  Ruml 
plan  ready  for  introduction 
when  Congress  convenes  to- 
morrow. The  plan,  among 
other  features,  provides  for 
weekly  or  monthly  tax  pay- 
ments by  deductions  from  an 
individual's  income. 


Industry  Must  Plan 
Now  for  Post -War 
Problems:  Warner 


The  motion  picture  industry  must 
begin  planning  now  to  meet  the  prob- 
lems  and   obligations   which   it  will 
meet    with  in 
the    post  -  war 
world,  Harry 
M.  Warner, 
president 
of  Warner 
Bros.,  declared 
yesterday  in  a 
statement  issued 
by  the  company 
here. 

"It  is  the  re- 
sponsibility and 
obligation  of 
the  industry," 
he  said,  "to  see 
that  public 
thinking  for  the 
future  is  guid- 
ed in  the  right  channels.  To  do  this 
intelligently  requires  the  most  minute 
study  of  distant  probabilities  and  the 
courage  to  proceed  accordingly." 

"The  mechanics  of  creating  a  mo- 
tion picture  are  necessarily  slow," 
Warner  continued,  "and  a  subject 
which  is  of  timely  importance  today 
may  have  lost  much  of  its  signifi- 
cance six  months  from  now.  So  we 
must  look  and  plan  far  ahead.  Cer- 
tain information  on  current  world 
happenings  and  probable  future  devel- 
opments is  available  to  every  studio 
alike.  How  that  information  is  an- 
alyzed, appraised  and  utilized  by  each 
studio  depends  entirely  upon  the  keen- 
continued  on  page  8) 


H.irry  M.  Warner 


STUDIO  UNIONS  SET 
FOR  48-HOUR  WEEK 


Industry  to  Be  Given  Essential  Labor  Status, 
Placing  It  Under  Manpower  Commission; 
Will  Establish  Stabilization  Board 


Hollywood,  Jan.  5. — Meeting  with  War  Manpower  Commission  rep- 
resentatives, studio  unions  today  set  up  machinery  to  extend  the  work 
week  to  48  hours  and  provide  for  stabilization  of  labor.  Delegations  from 
IATSE  locals,  Conference  of  AFL  studio  unions  and  groups  under  the 

labor  basic  agreement  as  well  as  un- 
affiliated groups  heard  George  E. 
Bodle,  representing  William  Hop- 
kins, WMC  Western  regional  area 
director,  declare  at  the  session  that  on 
basis  of  all  available  information,  the 
industry  would  be  given  essential 
status,  thus  automatically  placing  it 
under  jurisdiction  of  WMC  powers. 
Also  speaking  were  Lieut.  Col.  Clar- 
ence Harshman,  Major  H.  H.  Braun- 


New  Budget  on 
Arbitration  Is 
Fixed  for  Year 


The  budget  for  the  industry  ar- 
bitration system  for  the  fiscal  year 
ending  next  Nov.  20,  estimated  at 
less  than  $300,000,  was  set  by  the 
budget  committee  at  a  meeting  here 
yesterday  but  was  not  made  pub- 
lic officially  pending  computation 
by  the  American  Arbitration  As- 
sociation of  all  items  included. 

However,  it  is  known  that  the  new 
appropriation,  which  is  subscribed  by 
the  five  companies  which  are  signa- 
tories of  the  consent  decree,  does  not 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


17,925  Radio  Scripts  Out 
Of  Million  Probed  by  FTC 


Momand  Trial  Will 
Reopen  on  Monday 

Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  5. — Trial  of 
the  A.  B.  Momand  anti-trust  suit 
which  seeks  aggregate  damages  of 
$5,000,000  from  major  distributors, 
will  be  resumed  in  Federal  court  here 
before  Judge  Bower  Broaddus  on 
Monday.  Indications  are  that  the  trial 
will  last  from  four  to  six  weeks. 

The  action  originally  was  filed 
April  17,  1931.  Defendants  in  addi- 
tion to  the  eight  major  companies  are : 
Griffith  Amusement  Co.,  Consolidated 
Amusement  Co.,  Paramount  Theatres, 
Warner  Theatres,  Regal  Theatres, 
Pathe    Exchange    and  Educational 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Washington,  Jan.  5. — The  Federal 
Trade  Commission,  in  its  annual  re- 
port, disclosed  today  that  out  of  1,- 
001,450  commercial  broadcasts  exam- 
ined during  the  fiscal  year  ended 
June  30.  only  17,925  required  more 
than  a  cursory  examination. 

The  examination  of  scripts  and  the 
survey  of  newspaper  and  magazine 
advertising  is  conducted  to  detect 
false  and  misleading  advertising  that 
may  violate  the  provisions  of  the 
Federal  Trade  Commission  Act.  All 
network  continuities  are  examined  and 
individual  radio  stations  are  re- 
quired to  submit  their  scripts  four 
times  a  year. 

During  the  fiscal  year  the  Commis- 
sion accepted  219  stipulations  involving 
radio  and  periodical  advertising. 


I A  to  Study  Change 

The  projected  extension  of 
the  studio  work  week  from  36 
to  48  hours  will  be  one  of  the 
major  topics  at  the  semi-annual 
meeting  of  the  IATSE  general 
executive  board  in  Denver,  Jan. 
25-29,  it  was  reported  yesterday. 


er,  of  Service  and  Supply,  WMC ; 
H.  R.  Harnish,  Southern  California 
director,  WMC,  and  Lloyd  A.  Wash- 
burn of  Los  Angeles  Building  Trades 
Council,  representing  labor  on  the 
Regional  Labor  Stabilization  Board ; 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


Bonwick  Executive 
PRC  Vice-President 


O.  Henry  Briggs,  president  of  Pro- 
ducers Releasing  Corp.,  yesterday  an- 
nounced the  election  of  George  J.  Bon- 
wick as  executive  vice-president  of  the 
company  by  the  board  of  directors. 

Briggs  also  announced  the  appoint- 
ment of  Arthur  Greenblatt,  vice-presi- 
dent in  charge  of  sales,  as  a  member 
of  the  board.  Greenblatt  succeeds 
Robert  Benjamin,  former  counsel  for 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Review  of  "Three  Hearts 
for  Julia,"  Hollywood  produc- 
tion news  and  key  city  box- 
office  reports,  page  5. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  January  6,  1943 


Coast  Flashes 


Hollywood,  Jan.  5 

WALTER  LANTZ  today  an- 
nounced that  his  cartoon  pro- 
duction company  will  make  13  sub- 
jects for  Universal  release  during  the 
1943-44  season. 

• 

Collier  Young,  story  editor  for 
Samuel  Goldwyn,  has  received  his  ap- 
pointment as  Lieutenant,  Junior  Grade, 
and  reports  at  the  University  of  Ari- 
zona Navy  Training  School  in  two 
weeks.  Pat  Duggan,  New  York  liter- 
ary agent,  succeeds  him. 

• 

Pvt.  Tyrone  Power  of  the  Marine 
Corps  began  his  seven-week  boot-camp 
training  course  in  San  Diego  today. 


Kinsky  New  Head  of 
Omaha  Variety  Club 

Omaha,  Jan.  5. — Joseph  Kinsky, 
district  manager  for  Tri-States  Thea- 
tres, was  elected  chief  barker  of  the 
Omaha  Variety  Club  at  its  annual 
business  meeting.  He  succeeds  D.  V. 
McLucas,  United  Artists  branch  man- 
ager. 

Leon  Mendelson  was  elected  first 
assistant  chief  barker  and  Frank  Han- 
non,  second  assistant.  Meyer  Stern 
was  reelected  dough  guy  and  R.  S. 
Ballantyne  was  again  named  property 
master. 

Canvassmen  elected  were  Walter  M. 
Green,  Sol  Francis,  Joseph  Scott,  Ike 
Rubin,  Morris  Cohn  and  McLucas. 


Boston  Variety  Club  Elects 

Boston,  Jan.  5. — The  local  Variety 
Club  has  elected  the  following  to  the 
board  of  trustees :  Norman  Ayres, 
Ralph  Snider,  Irving  Shapiro,  Max 
Melincoff  and  Arthur  Lockwood. 


St.  Louis  Club  Meets 

St.  Louis,  Jan.  5. — The  St.  Louis 
Variety  Club,  starting  on  a  new  war- 
time program,  heard  a  talk  by  W.  R. 
Willis,  former  Tokyo  newspaperman 
and  now  KMOX  commentator  here. 


Phila.  Catholics  Ban 
Bingo  in  Churches 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  5. — It  is  re- 
ported that  bingo  has  been  banned  in 
all  Catholic  churches  of  the  Diocese 
of  Philadelphia  by  Dennis  Cardinal 
Dougherty.  The  action  follows  that 
taken  in  New  York  several  weeks  ago. 
An  examination  of  the  state's  laws,  it 
is  said,  indicated  that  the  game  might 
be  considered  a  violation  of  the 
gambling  laws. 


Scranton  Bans 
Professional  Games 

Scranton,  Jan.  5. — Professional 
promoters  of  bingo  games  in  Scranton 
will  be  banned,  it  was  revealed  in  an 
order  by  Mayor  Howard  J.  Snow- 
don.  It  is  not  expected  that  Mayor 
Snowdon  will  interfere  with  bingo 
games  staged  by  local  churches,  char- 
ity or  fraternal  organizations  which 
benefit  from  the  proceeds,  however. 


Leaves  $325,000  Estate 

Cincinnati,  Jan.  5.  —  The  estima- 
ted $325,000  estate  of  the  late  Dr. 
Albert  Kumler,  president  of  the  Mt. 
Lookout  Theatre  Co.,  who  died  re- 
cently, was  left  to  his  two  daughters, 
under  the  terms  of  his  will  filed  in 
Probate  Court, 


Personal  Mention 


Y FRANK    FREEMAN,  Para- 
•   mount  vice-president  and  studio 
head,   left  for   the   Coast  yesterday 
after  a  10-day  visit  in  the  East. 
• 

Francis  L.  Harley,  British  man- 
aging director  for  20th  Century-Fox, 
is  in  New  York. 

• 

Al  Kolitz,  RKO  branch  manager 
in  Denver,  has  returned  to  Denver 
from  a  visit  in  Cincinnati. 

• 

Roy  H.  Haines,  Warners'  Eastern 
sales  manager,  is  expected  in  Boston 
today. 

Michael  Comerford,  son  of  Mrs. 
M.  B.  Comerford  and  the  late  M.  B. 
Comerford  of  Scranton,  Pa.,  is  ex- 
pected to  enter  the  Navy  soon.  His 
brother,  Ensign  Thomas  Comerford 
is  serving  with  the  Navy  overseas. 
• 

Carmen  Urcioli  of  the  Colonial 
Theatre,  Brockton,  Mass.,  has  joined 
the  Army. 

• 

Maurice  Shackelford,  Columbia 
salesman  in  Omaha,  expects  to  enter 
the  Army  Air  Corps  this  month. 


WILL  H.  HAYS  left  for  Cali- 
fornia last  night  for  a  visit  of 
several  weeks. 

Charles  Koerner  is  expected  here 
next  week  from  the  Coast. 

• 

James  Mahoney,  formerly  Connec- 
ticut district  manager  for  Interstate 
Theatres,  Boston,  is  reported  stationed 
with  the  Army  at  Camp  Breckenridge, 
Ky. 

Pvt.  Francis  L.  Toohey,  former- 
ly assistant  manager  of  the  Hollywood 
Theatre,  Pottsville,  Pa.,  has  graduated 
from  the  drill  instructor  school  and  is 
stationed  at  Miami  Beach,  Fla. 
• 

John  W.  Schwalm,  son  of  John 
A.  Schwalm,  manager  of  the 
Northio  Rialto,  Hamilton,  O.,  has 
been  commissioned  a  second  lieutenant 
in  the  Engineers  Corps. 

• 

Marie  Wilschke,  daughter  of 
Elmer  O.  Wilschke,  Altec  manager 
in  Philadelphia,  and  Sgt.  L.  Acerio, 
were  married  in  Philadelphia  on  New 
Year's  Eve. 


SOPEG-Para.Dispute 
To  Conciliator  Soon 

It  is  expected  that  a  meeting  will  be 
held  early  next  week  in  an  attempt  to 
conciliate  differences  arising  in  nego- 
tiations between  Local  109,  Screen 
Office  and  Professional  Employes 
Guild,  CIO,  and  Paramount. 

Commissioner  Mills  of  ^;he  U.  S 
Conciliation  Service  will  hear  the  dis- 
pute which  has  arisen  in  forming  a 
contract  for  home  office  and  music 
subsidiaries'  white  collar  workers. 
The  points  at  issue  are  reported  as 
classification  of  labor  and  the  union 
shop. 


'Shadow  of  Doubt' 
Opens  at  $5.50  Top 

The  premiere  of  Universal's 
"Shadow  of  Doubt,"  Alfred  Hitch- 
cock film,  at  the  Rivoli  Theatre  Jan. 
12,  will  have  a  $5.50  top,  it  was  an 
nounced.  Loges  at  $11  have  been  sold 
out,  it  was  learned.  The  Citizens 
Committee  for  the  Army  and  Navy  is 
sponsoring  the  premiere,  and  all  funds 
will  go  for  the  purchase  of  recrea- 
tional equipment  for  service  men. 


Rep.  Names  Engel 
Phila.  Branch  Head 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  5. — Joseph  En- 
gel,  formerly  Columbia  salesman  for 
the  Philadelphia  area,  has  been  ap- 
pointed branch  manager  for  Republic 
here.  He  succeeds  Maxwell  Gillis, 
now  at  the  home  office. 


Goldberg  Holds  Meet 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  5.  —  Harry 
Goldberg,  Warner  Theatres  advertis- 
ing and  publicity  director,  will  con- 
duct a  meeting  here  tomorrow  of  thea- 
tre   advertising    executives    for  this 


New  'Chicago  Sun*  Critic 

Chicago,  Jan.  5.  —  Wauhuilla  La 
Ham  has  succeeded  Wolfe  Kaufman 
as  motion  picture  critic  for  the  Chi- 
cago Sim,  it  was  announced. 


Reissues  May  Solve 
British  Film  Dearth 

London,  Jan.  5. — Following  report- 
ed discussions  within  the  Kinemato- 
graph  Renters  Society  recently,  dis- 
tributors are  believed  to  be  making 
plans  for  the  formation  of  departments 
to  handle  reissues  within  their  organi- 
zations. 

Anglo-American  Pictures  already 
has  formed  its  own  reissue  depart- 
ment and  has  placed  Kenneth  Nyman, 
former  president  of  the  Cinematograph 
Exhibitors  Association,  in  charge. 
Nyman  has  advocated  reissues  of 
films  not  destroyed  in  the  blitz. 

The  KRS,  it  is  reported,  is  against 
transfer  of  members'  reissues  to  dis- 
tributors not  identified  with  the  or- 
ganization, and  such  a  move,  if  carried 
out,  would  place  KRS  members  in  a 
strategic  position  should  the  anticipat- 
ed 1943  product  shortage  develop. 


Max  Milder  Arrives 
Here  from  England 

Max  Milder,  managing  director  for 
Warner  Bros,  in  Great  Britain,  ar- 
rived here  yesterday  by  transatlantic 
clipper.  He  said  that  he  plans  to  go 
to  Washington  to  confer  on  arrange- 
ments to  take  his  family  back  to  En- 
gland. He  also  said  that  film  busi- 
ness in  Britain  continues  at  a  high 
level. 


Warner  to  Capital 
On  Will  Rogers  Film 

Jack  L.  Warner,  executive  producei 
for  Warner  Bros.,  will  be  in  Washing- 
ton this  week  to  discuss  Warner's  pro- 
jected filming  of  the  life  of  the  late 
Will  Rogers  with  the  cowboy  philoso- 
pher's son,  Congressman  Will  Rogers, 
Jr.,  of  California,  it  was  announced. 


Report  Moss  Resignation 

London,  Jan.  5. — Arthur  Moss  will 
resign  as  general  manager  of  Associ- 
ated British  Pictures  in  the  near  fu- 
ture, according  to  unconfirmed  but  au- 
thoritative reports  here. 


Newsreel 
Parade 


TI/AR  fronts  around  the  world 
again  take  the  spotlight  in  mid- 
week newsreel  releases.  Rising  flood 
waters  in  several  Eastern  states  are 
also  featured.  New  Year's  Day  foot- 
ball classics  are  the  important  sports 
clips.   Contents  follozv : 

MOVIETONE     NEWS,     No.     35.— r(  l"s 

bombers  blast  Phillips  radio  works  in  Ho'3 
land.  Flying  fortresses  hit  Jap  shore  in- 
stallations in  the  Solomons.  In  the  South 
Pacific,  Admiral  Halsey  decorates  heroes  of 
Navy  battles.  Last  picture  of  Admiral  D'ar- 
lan  prior  to  his  assassination.  Latest  films 
of  fighting  in  Stalingrad  and  Leningrad. 

NEWS  OF  THE  DAY,  No.  32.— Nazis 
blasted  from  Stalingrad.  Vice-President 
Wallace  looks  forward  to  day  of  victory. 
Gen.  Giraud's  military  commission  arrives 
here.  Brazil  acts  to  guard  ports  from  Nazi 
submarine  attacks.  U-boat  victims  rescued 
after  weeks  adrift.  USO  entertains  gobs 
at  New  Hawaiian  recreation  center. 

PARAMOUNT    NEWS,    No.  38. — RAF 

blasts  Holland.  Monongahela,  Ohio  and  Al- 
legheny rivers  flood  Pittsburgh  and  Mari- 
etta. Freak  shipwreck  on  the  Atlantic 
splits  freighter  in  two.  Two  orang  outangs 
and  a  chimpanzee  born  at  St.  Louis  zoo 
New  Year's  Day.  Films  of  bowl  football 
classics. 

PATHE  NEWS,  No.  38.-RAF  strikes  in 
Holland.  Last  films  of  Admiral  Darlan. 
British  transport  bombed  at  North  African 
port.    New  Year's  Day  bowl  classics. 

UNIVERSAL  NEWSREEL,  No.  I'M.— 
RAF  blasts  industrial  Eindhoven.  Yank 
bombers  harry  Japs  in  the  Solomons.  Ad- 
miral Darlan  with  Gen.  Clark  just  before 
his  death.  Raging  floods  follow  rains  in 
Ohio,  Pennsylvania  and  New  York. 


Loew's  Audit  Staff 
Here  for  Sessions 

The  annual  meeting  of  Loew's  field 
auditing  staff  is  being  held  this  week 
at  the  Hotel  Astor.  In  charge  of  the 
discussions  is  Alan  Cummings,  man- 
ager of  exchange  operations.  C.  K. 
Stern,  assistant  treasurer,  and  Harold 
Cleary,  general  auditor,  will  also  con- 
duct sessions.  Also  attending  is 
Charles  Fogle,  field  representative  of 
J.  S.  MacLeod,  exchange  maintenance 
manager  for  Loew's.  The  meetings 
will  end  Friday. 


Tour  for  USO  Shows 

Ann  Savage  and  Edmund  Lowe  are 
on  a  tour  of  military  posts  in  the  East 
for  USO  Camp  Shows,  it  was  an- 
nounced. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY,  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address, "Ouigpubco.  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor: 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy.  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Ouigley  Publishing  Company,  Tnc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  a<: 
second  class  matter.  Sept.  23.  1938.  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York.  N.  Y..  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


|  KENNETH 

DODt'IJTC 

KUr>tlU3 

GONE 
WTFHTHF 
WIND 

if*  a 

NORTHWEST 
PASSAGE 

MARGARET 
MITCHELL 

1 
1 

1  DOUBLE DAY 
DORAN 

I  MACMILLAN  \ 

Great   Books    Make    Great  Pictures! 

RONALD  COLMAN 
GREER  GARSON 


in 


JAMES  HILTON'S 

RANDOM 
HARVEST 


Directed  by 

MERVYN  LEROY 


Produced  by 

SIDNEY  FRANKLIN 


Philip  DORN  .  Susan  PETERS  •  HENRY  TRAVERS 
REGINALD  OWEN  •  BRAMWELL  FLETCHER 

Screen  Play  by  Claudine  West,  George  Froeschel  and  Arthur  Wimperis 

Based  Upon  the  Novel  by  James  Hilton 
A  Mervyn  LeRoy  Production  •  A  Metro-Goldmine-Mayer  Picture 


Wednesday,  January  6,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


5 


Holidays  Boom 
Buffalo  Trade; 
'Forest'  Leads 


Review 


"Three  Hearts  for  Julia" 

(M-G-M) 

Hollywood,  Jam.  5 

r\ONE  in  the  best  tradition  of  domestic  farces  and  carrying  with  it  the 
U  typical  light  touch  of  rambling  comedy,  "Three  Hearts  tor  Julia" 
presents  Ann  Sothern  and  Melvyn  Douglas  in  a  story  that  has  the  former 
divorcing  the  latter  and  falling  in  love  with  two  other  men.  Douglas 
enacts  the  role  of  a  foreign  correspondent  who  returns  to  the  United 
States,  after  two  years  abroad,  to  find  his  wife  is  leaving  him  and  is 
asking  his  help  to  decide  whom  she  will  many  next — an  orchestra  con- 
ductor or  a  composer. 

The  story  goes  on  from  there,  with  all  the  traditional  gags  of  such 
stories,  until  the  newspaperman  convinces  his  wife  that  they  should  con- 
tinue to  be  married,  only  to  be  separated  from  him  again  when  he  goes 
into  the  Army.  Others  in  the  cast  include  Lee  Bowman,  Richard  Ainley, 
Felix  Bressart,  Marta  Linden,  Reginald  Owen  and  Marietta  Canty. 

Richard  Thorpe  in  his  direction  extracted  a  maximum  of  laughs  from 
the  dialogue  and  the  situations  embodied  in  the  alert  screenplay  and 
original  by  Lionel  Houser.  John  W.  Considine,  Jr.,  the  producer,  gave 
the  picture  an  impressive  mounting. 

The  preview  audience  was  in  a  constant  state  of  merriment  at  the 
dialogue  and  incidents,  applauding  the  picture  mightily. 

Running  time,  90  minutes.    "A."*  Vance  King 


Buffalo,  Jan.  5. — Business  was  tre- 
mendous here.    Leader  with  $19,400 
-  was  "The  Forest  Rangers"  at  the  Buf- 
falo.     "George    Washington  Slept 
^Jere"  was  a  smash  hit  at  the  Great 
1     Lakes  with  $17,300.    "A  Night  to 
Remember"  was  good  for  $10,000  at 
the  Lafayette  and  "Thunder  Birds" 
held  up  during  the  holidays  with  a 
second    week    at    the  Hippodrome, 
grossing  $9,700. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  2 : 

"The  Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  (Para.) 

BUFFALO  —  (3,489)     (35c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  S19.400.    (Average.  $15,000) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 
"The  Man  in  the  Trunk"  (20th-Fox) 

GREAT  LAKES— (3.000)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $17,300.    (Average.  $10,800) 
"Thunder  Birds"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"The  Undying  Monster"  (20th-Fox) 

HIPPODROME—  (2.100)  (35c-50c)  7  days. 
2nd  week  downtown.  Gross:  $9,700.  (Aver- 
age, $8,500) 

"Seven  Miles  from  Alcatraz"  (RKO) 
"Hi,  Neighbor"  (Rep.) 

TWENTIETH  CENTURY—  (3.000)  (35c- 
55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $7,000.  (Average, 
$8,500) 

"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 
"Sweetheart  of  the  Fleet"  (Col.) 

LAFAYETTE— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  S10.000.    (Average.  $8,000) 


'Swan/  Big  $12,000 
In  New  Haven  Boom 

New  Haven,  Jan.  5. — All  down- 
town theatres  experienced  excellent 
business  during  the  holiday  week. 
"The  Black  Swan,"  dualled  with 
"That  Other  Woman,"  delivered 
$12,000  to  the  Loew-Poli  to  lead  the 
city.  The  program  goes  to  the  Col- 
lege for  a  second  week. 

"Road  to  Morocco"  and  "Wildcat" 
were  strong  with  $9,500  at  the  Para- 
mount and  were  held  over. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  31st : 

"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.  A.) 
"Cairo"  (M-G-M) 

COLLEGE— (1,627)   (40c-50c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $3,000.    (Average,  $2,900) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 
"That  Other  Woman"  (2flth-Fox) 

LOEW-POLI— (3.005)    (40c-50c)    7  days. 
Gross:  S12.000.    (Average.  $9,000) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"Wild  Cat"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2.373)    (40c -50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  S9.500.    (Average.  $5,000) 
"Here  We  Go  Again"  (RKO) 
"Highways  By  Night"  (RKO) 

ROGER  SHERMAN— (2.067)  (40c-50c)  7 
days.   Gross:  $5,500.    (Average.  $6,000) 


'Major*  Takes  Strong 
$9,100,  Omaha  Leader 

Omaha,.  Jan.  5.  —  The  three-day 
holiday  weekend  aided  grosses  here. 
Most  business  establishments  were 
closed  Friday,  Saturday  and  Sunday. 

"The  Major  and  the  Minor"  drew 
S9.100  at  the  Orpheum  and  led  the 
city. 

Estimated  takings  for  the  week  end- 
ing Dec.  30-31  : 

"Flying  Fortress"  (W.B.) 

"You  Can't  Escape  Forever"  (W.B.) 

BRANDEIS— (1.200)     (30c-35c-44c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $4,200.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"F'ying  Tigers"  (Rep.) 
"Get  Hep  to  Love"  (Univ.) 

OMAHA—  (2.000)     (30c-35c-50c)     7  days 
Gross:  S8.300.     (Average.  $7,000) 
"The  Major  and  the  Minor"  (Para.) 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.) 

ORPHEUM— (3.000)  (30c-35c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $9,100.     (Average,  $7,200) 


*"A"  denotes  adult  classification. 


'Arabian'  Gets  Big 
$15,000,  Providence 


Providence,  Jan.  5. — Theatre  busi- 
ness was  brisk  here  during  the  week 
following  Christmas.  The  Majestic 
reaped  a  harvest  with  "Arabian 
Nights"  ;  the  film  led  a  dual  bill  which 
grossed  an  estimated  $15,000,  and  will 
be  moved  to  the  Carlton  for  a  second 
week. 

Estimated  grosses  for  the  week  end- 
ing Dec.  31 : 

"Seven  Miles  from  Alcatraz"  (RKO) 
"Behind  the  Eight-Ball"  (Univ.) 

RKO-ALBEE— (2,239)      (28c-39c-50c)  7 
days.  Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"Priorities  on  Parade"  (Para.) 
"The  Daring  Young  Man"  (Col.) 

STRAND— (2.200)     (28c-39c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $8,000.    (Average.  $8,500) 
"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 
"Junior  Army"  (Col.) 

LOEWS  STATE— (3.232)   (28c-39c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $14,800.    (Average,  $11,000) 
"Arabian  Nights'  (Univ.) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (20th-Fox) 

MAJESTIC— (2.250)   (28c-39c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $15,000.     (Average,  $8,000) 
"Journey   for   Margaret"  (M-G-M) 
"Silver  Queen"  (U.A.) 

CARLTON— (1.526)  (28c-39c-50c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $4,100.  (Average,  $3,500) 
"The   Great   Impersonation"  (Univ.) 

FAYS— (1,800)  (20c-33c-44c)  7  days.  On 
stage:  Elmore  Bowers,  Ramos  &  Nanette. 
Edison  &  Louise.  Howard  Rogers,  Florrie 
La  Vere  &  Lou  Handman.  Marc  Ballero. 
Two  Kemeys.  Gross:  $7,100.  (Average. 
$6,000) 

"  'Neath  Brooklyn  Bridge"  (Mono.) 

METROPOLITAN— (3.045)  (30c-35c-55c)  3 
days.      On     Stage:     Timmv  Lunceford's 
Orchestra.    Gross:  $6,600.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"Jacare"  (U.A.) 
"Bashful  Bachelor"  (RKO) 

PLAYHOUSE— (1.280)  (28c-39c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $3,600.  (Average,  uncomputed) 

'North  Star9  Title  of 
New  Goldwyn  Film 

Hollywood,  Jan.  5. — The  title  of 
the  Lillian  Hellman  screenplay  for 
Samuel  Goldwyn  production  will  be 
"The  North  Star,"  from  the  name  of 
the  Soviet  village  in  the  Ukraine 
which  is  the  scene  of  the  play,  it  was 
announced  today.  Walter  Brennan 
and  Dana  Andrews  have  been  signed 
for  roles  in  the  picture,  which  will 
star  Teresa  Wright.  The  cast  will 
number  more  than  1,000,  with  nearly 
100  principal  players,  it  was  said. 


'Whistling9  Gets  Fine 
$7,500  in  Okla.  City 

Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  5. — Christ- 
mas business  was  exceptionally  good 
at  all  local  theaters.  "Whistling  in 
Dixie"  at  the  Midwest  led  with  a  very 
good  $7,500  and  "The  Major  and  the 
Minor"  at  the  Criterion  was  close  be- 
hind with  $7,250.  All  films  did  aver- 
age or  better  and  business  also  was 
exceptionally  good  at  neighborhood 
houses.    Weather  was  good. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Dec.  31st : 

"The  Major  and  the  Minor"  (Para.) 

CRITERION— (1.500)  (20c-25c-40c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $7,250.    (Average,  $5,250) 
"Heart  of  the  Golden  West"  (Rep.) 
"Pacific  Blackout"  (Mono.) 

FOLLY— (600)  (18c)  7  days.    Gross:  $750. 
(Average.  $750) 
"Flying  Fortress"  (W.  B.) 
"Get  Hep  to  Love"  (Univ.) 

LIBERTY— (1.200)  (20c-25c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$3,200.    (Average.  $2,500) 
"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 

MIDWEST— (1.500)    (20c-25c-40c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $7,500.    (Average.  $5,250) 
"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.  A.) 
"The  Devil  With  Hitler"  (U.  A.) 

STATE— (1.100)  (25c-40c)  7  davs.  Gross: 
S4.900.    (Average,  $3,800) 
"Iceland"  (20th-Fox) 

TOWER— (1,000)  (20c-25c-40c)  7  days. 
Moveover  from  previous  Criterion  week. 
Gross:  $1,950.    (Average,  $1,750) 


'Palm  Beach  Story9 
Takes  Tulsa  Lead 

Tulsa,  Jan.  5. — "The  Palm  Beach 
Story"  at  the  Ritz  topped  local  grosses 
with  a  fine  $8,250  while  "Seven  Days 
Leave"  at  the  Orpheum  did  $7,350 
and  "Bambi"  at  the  smaller  Majestic 
grossed  $2,850  to  keep  all  grosses  well 
over  average.    Weather  was  good. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  31st : 

"Bambi"  (RKO) 

MAJESTIC— (570)  (25c-40c)  7  davs.  Gross: 
$2,850.    (Average.  $1,750) 
"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 

ORPHEUM— (1.400)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  davs. 
Gross:  $7,350.    (Average,  $6,500) 
"Strictly  in  the  Groove"  (Univ.) 
"The  Hidden  Hand"  (W.  B.) 

RIALTO— (1.250)  (20c-40c)  3  days.  Gross: 
$1,500.    (Average.  $1,250) 
"Apache  Trail"  (M-G-M) 
"McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.  A.) 

RIALTO— (1.250)  (20c-40c)  4  davs.  Gross: 
S2.000.    (Average.  $1,750) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

RITZ— (2.000)  (25c-40c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
S8.250.    (Average.  $6,750) 


32  Features 
In  Work;  Only 
3  Are  Started 


Hollywood,  Jan.  5.  —  Production 
slumped  to  32  pictures  this  week  as 
12  finished  and  three  started.  Twenty- 
three  were  in  the  preparation  stage, 
and  57  were  being  edited. 

The  tally  by  studio : 

Columbia 

In  work :  "The  Boy  from  Stalin- 
grad," "Broadway  Daddies,"  "Des- 
troyer." 

Started:   "Attacked  by  Night." 
M-B-M 

In  work :  "Bataan  Patrol,"  "Air 
Raid  Wardens,"  "Dr.  Gillespie's 
Prison  Story,"  "I  Dood  It,"  "Private 
Miss  Jones,"  "Above  Suspicion," 
"Gentle  Annie,"  "Swing  Shift  Maisie." 

Started:  "Faculty  Row." 
Monogram 

Finished:  "The  Ape  Man,"  "Rob- 
ber's Roost." 

Paramount 

Finished:  "Henry  Aldrich  Swings 
It,"  "The  Miracle  of  Morgan's 
Creek." 

In  work:   "So  Proudly  We  Hail," 
"Lady  in  the  Dark,"  "Dixie,"  "China." 
Producers  Releasing 
Finished :  "Corregidor." 

RKO 

Finished:  "Bombardier." 
In  zt'ork :  "From  Here  to  Victory." 
Republic 

Finished :  "The  Blocked  Trail," 
"Chatterbox." 

In  work :  "Idaho." 

20th  Century-Fox 

Finished:  "School  for  Sabotage," 
"Hello,  Frisco,  Hello." 

In  work :  "The  Moon  Is  Down." 
United  Artists 

Finished :    "Meet  John  Bonniwell." 

In  work  :  "The  G-String  Murders," 
"Stage  Door  Canteen,"  "Uncon- 
quered." 

Universal 

Finished:  Captive  Wild  Woman," 
"Solid  Senders,"  "White  Savage." 

In  ivork :  "Good  Morning,  Judge," 
"Oh,  Doctor,"  "We've  Never  Been 
Licked,"  "Corvettes  in  Action." 

Started:  "Cowboy  of  Manhattan." 
Warners 

In  work :  "Mission  to  Moscow," 
"Old  Acquaintance,"  "Devotion," 
"Thank  Your  Lucky  Stars." 


Weather  Holds  Milw. 
Grosses  to  Average 

Milwaukee,  Jan.  5. — Holiday  busi- 
ness here  suffered  from  a  week  of  bad 
weather.  "One  of  Our  Aircraft  is 
Missing,"  plus  a  stage  show  at  the 
Riverside,  collected  $9,500. 

Estimated  takings  for  the  week  end- 
ing Dec.  31  : 

"This  Gun  for  Hire"  (Para.) 
"Tombstone"  (Para.) 

PALACE— (2.400)  (44c-65c)  8  davs.  Gross: 
$6,400.    (Average,  $5,700) 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.A.) 

RIVERSIDE— (2.700)  (44c-65c).  7  days. 
Stage:  Salute  from  Hawaii  Revue  with  Ray 
inney's  orchestra.  Gross:  $9,500.  (Average. 
$9,500) 

"Thunder  Birds"  (ZOth-Fox) 

"You  Were  Never  Lovelier"  (Col.) 

STRAND— (1.400)      (44c-65c).      8  davs. 
Gross:  $2,000.    (Average.  $1,800) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.B.) 
"Ice-Capades  Revue"  (Rep.) 

WARNER—  (2.400)    (33c-44c-60c)    7  days. 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $7,500.    (Average.  $7,500) 
"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (20th-Fox) 

WISCONSIN— (3.200)  (44c-65c).  7  davs. 
Gross:  $8,700.     (Average.  $8,000) 


edited  by   Terry  Rams  aye 


A  QU  IGLEY 
PUBLICATION 


OUT 


M 

^  The  ninth  annual  edition  of  the  international  appraisal 
of  talent  values  is  off  the  press. 

^  The  box  office  champions  of  1942  presented  with  com- 
plete analysis  and  personnel  credits — the  money  making 
stars  of  the  season  evaluated  and  reported  upon  by  the 
exhibitor  showmen  of  the  world — the  stars  of  tomorrow 
as  picked  by  theatre  men. 

fl  The  radio  champions  of  1942  as  polled  by  MOTION 
PICTURE  DAILY  among  the  editors  of  the  daily  news- 
papers of  America. 

MORROW 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  January  6,  1943 


Industry  Must  Plan  Now 
For  Peace  Era:  Warner 


Studio  Unions 
Set  48-Hour 
Work  Week 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

Frank  Carothers,  secretary  of  the  In- 
ternational committee  on  studio  basic 
agreement ;  Carl  Cooper,  international 
representative,  IATSE ;  H.  K.  Sor- 
rell,  chairman,  Conference  of  Studio 
Unions,  were  named  as  film  labor  rep- 
resentatives on  the  labor  stabilization 
board  for  the  local  film  industry,  pro- 
ducer members  of  which  have  yet  to 
be  named. 

Union  members  were  told  that 
WMC  will  let  matters  of  wages 
and  conditions  on  the  48-hour 
plan  be  subject  to  negotiations 
between  labor  and  management. 
Locals  will  meet  with  producers 
tomorrow  morning  to  work  out 
details  of  going  on  48-hour  week, 
such  problems  being  raised  as 
when    overtime    should  start, 
what  minimum  work  call  would 
be  and  so  forth.  Establishment 
of  a  pool  was  held  necessary 
by  WMC  officers,  who  declared 
men  must  be  made  available  to 
other  war  industries  and  that 
conditions  in  studios  such  as 
having  thousands  on  casual  work 
calls   without   steady  employ- 
ment should  be  eliminated. 
At  a  conference  tomorrow,  unions 
signified,  they  will  seek  to  retain  con- 
cessions already  embodied  in  negoti- 
ated contracts.    Most  unions  are  now 
on  a  minimum  work  call  of  six  hours 
with  a  36-hour  work  week. 


Canada  Film  Board 
'Welcomes'  Inquiry 


Toronto,  Jan.  5. — It  was  revealed 
today  at  the  Office  of  the  National 
Film  Board  that  John  Grierson  of 
London,  England,  head  of  the  board, 
"will  welcome  investigation"  into  op- 
erations of  the  bureau,  board  revenues 
and  expenditures  and  the  status  of  its 
personnel. 

The  inquiry  is  expected  at  the  next 
session  of  Parliament  following  a  con- 
troversy over  alleged  falsehoods  and 
political  propaganda  in  the  film,  "In- 
side Fighting  Canada,"  which  Grierson 
said  had  been  produced  at  the  request 
of  the  U.  S.  Office  of  War  Informa- 
tion. 

Meanwhile  Grierson  let  it  be  known 
that  he  was  not  answering  any  more 
questions  pending  the  investigation. 

Bonwick  Executive 
PRC  Vice-President 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

the  company,  who  has  entered  the 
Army. 

Bonwick  is  also  treasurer  of  PRC 
and  is  vice-president,  treasurer  and  di- 
rector of  Pathe  Laboratories,  Inc.  He 
was  manager  of  Young,  Kolbe  and 
Co.,  investment  brokers,  and  formerly 
was  a  public  accountant.  In  1940  he 
became  vice-president  and  treasurer 
of  Pathe  Film  Corp. 

The  complete  roster  of  the  new 
board,  it  was  announced,  is :  O.  Henry 
Briggs,  Kenneth  Young,  Leon  From- 
kess,  George  J.  Bonwick,  Arthur 
Greenblatt,  John  Young,  George  Gill. 


WAC  Field  Publicity 
Units  Set  in  3  Areas 

Publicity  units  for  the  War  Activi- 
ties Committee's  national  public  rela- 
tions organization  have  been  named  in 
the  Los  Angeles,  Atlanta  and  Salt 
Lake  City  exchange  areas,  it  was  an- 
nounced by  the  WAC  yesterday.  The 
new  appointments  are : 

Salt  Lake  City :  Helen  Garrity, 
chairman ;  John  Krier,  Provo ;  Jack 
Braunagel,  Logan ;  Ross  Glasmann, 
Qgden ;  Nevin  McCord,  Boise ;  Breck 
Fagin,  Twin  Falls;  Joe  Koehler, 
Twin  Falls ;  John  Taylor,  Pocatello ; 
J.  J.  Larson,  Idaho  Falls ;  Bill 
Steege,  Great  Falls ;  Jack  Edwards, 
Helena ;  William  Fower,  Jr.,  Mis- 
soula ;  Joe  English,  Anaconda ;  Don 
Sheede,  Billings  ;  Bert  Henson,  Butte  ; 
Irvin  Simpson,  Lewistown ;  A.  M. 
Russell,  Bozeman. 

Atlanta:  Harold  Martin,  chairman; 
Richard  M.  Kennedy,  Birmignham ; 
William  Wolf  son,  Montgomery ; 
Charles  Amos,  Nashville ;  Gene 
Street,  Knoxville ;  Emmett  Rogers, 
Chattanooga;  Fred  Barton,  Johnson 
City ;  M.  C.  Moore,  Jacksonville ;  J. 
L.  Cartwright,  Tampa ;  Michael 
Wolfson,  Miami ;  John  A.  Cunning- 
ham, Savannah ;  I.  L.  Shields,  Col- 
umbus ;  Frank  Miller,  Augusta ;  Art 
Barry,  Macon. 

Los  Angeles :  Thornton  Sargent, 
chairman ;  Lloyd  Thayer,  Santa  Bar- 
bara ;  James  Runte,  Pasadena ;  Earl 
Rice,  Glendale ;  Harry  Denny,  San 
Bernardino ;  Roy  Hunt,  Riverside ; 
John  Klee,  Pomona ;  William  Rob- 
erts, Long  Beach ;  Mike  Lustig,  San 
Diego ;  Henry  Pines,  Inglewood ;  Er- 
nest Sturm,  Santa  Monica ;  James 
Bradley,  Huntington  Park;  A.  G. 
Pickett,  Phoenix ;  Fred  E.  McSpad- 
den,  Tucson. 

CEA  CouncUMeet 
To  Study  'Grading' 

London,  Jan.  5. — Distributors'  rent- 
als policies  and  alleged  attempts  to 
inaugurate  grading  of  product  are  be- 
lieved certain  to  be  subjects  for  dis- 
cussion at  the  meeting  of  the  general 
council  of  the  Cinematograph  Exhibi- 
tors Association  next  week. 

It  is  known  that  certain  CEA 
branches  interpret  recent  distributor 
moves  as  a  direct  attempt  to  begin 
grading  and  as  efforts  to  exploit  ex- 
hibitors. However,  the  official  CEA 
view,  as  opposed  to  that  of  indepen- 
dent exhibitors,  is  expected  to  be  that 
grading,  while  offensive  to  the  theatre 
owner,  is  a  legitimate  practice,  and 
that  the  Association,  therefore,  will 
pledge  itself  only  to  fight  grading  be- 
ing adopted  as  an  official  KRS  policy. 


PRC  Closes  Two  Deals 

Producers  Releasing  has  sold  its 
1942-43  program  to  the  Charles 
Morse  Circuit  in  New  England  and 
R.  E.  Griffith  Theatres  in  Texas,  it 
was  announced. 


New  St.  Louis  Salesman 

St.  Louis,  Jan.  5. — Pat  Boyne  has 
been  promoted  to  the  RKO  sales  force 
here.  He  is  succeeded  as  office  man- 
ager by  Molly  Inger. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

ness  and  foresight  of  its  production 
executives." 

Warner  asserted  that  the  screen  is 
the  most  effective  medium  with  which 
to  impress  the  mass  mind  with  the 
"enormous  task  of  reconstruction  and 
rehabilitation  that  lies  ahead"  and  for 
informing  and  guiding  public  opinion 
"to  assure  the  kind  of  world  justice 
that  will  make  for  lasting  peace." 

"In  a  motion  picture  theatre,"  he 
said,  "within  a  space  of  two  hours,  a 
person  can  inform  himself,  can  start 
preparing  his  thinking  for  the  fu- 
ture, and  be  entertained  at  the  same 
time." 

Warner  singled  out  productions 
from  his  studio  which  have  been  made, 
or  were  planned,  he  said,  as  a  part 
of  long  range  planning  to  entertain, 
inform  and  inspire  the  public. 

"We  have  not  required,  nor  do  we 
expect,  any  directives  from  Washing- 
ton to  do  the  things  we  have  done 
and  are  doing,"  he  concluded.  "Our 
sole  directives  are  those  which  come 
from  an  informed  staff  that  not  only 
keeps  fully  abreast  of  the  times  but 
always  is  on  the  alert  for  new  trends 
and  quick  to  adapt  its  plans  to  fu- 
ture needs." 


Momand  Trial  Will 
Reopen  On  Monday 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
Film  Exchange.  Following  prelim- 
inary hearings,  the  original  petition 
was  dismissed  by  Judge  Edgar  S. 
Vaught  in  1936.  Following  an  appeal 
by  Momand,  the  action  was  dismissed 
without  prejudice  by  the  U.  S.  Cir- 
cuit Court  of  Appeals  at  Denver  in 
April,  1937. 

Thereafter,  new  petitions  were  filed 
in  Federal  court  here  and  in  Boston, 
and  in  1938  were  amended  in  accord- 
ance with  suggestions  by  the  Circuit 
court.  Hearings  on  preliminary  mo- 
tions have  been  held  in  the  interim 
and,  last  month,  trial  was  opened  here 
with  introduction  of  numerous  deposi- 
tions from  officials  of  defendant  com- 
panies. An  adjournment  over  the 
year-end  holidays  was  taken.  First 
witnesses  in  the  action,  which  charges 
conspiracy  resulting  in  the  dissolution 
of  the  Momand  Oklahoma  circuit,  will 
be  called  next  week. 


Report  W.  B.  Plans 
Theatre  in  Mexico 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

is  also  said  that  the  company  plans  a 
capacity  of  2,300  seats  for  the  house. 

While  details  of  the  project  are  not 
available  here,  reports  are  that  the 
work  will  start  when  the  company  is 
assured  that  there  will  be  ample  build- 
ing material  and  other  equipment  in 
sight.  Warners  will  be  the  first 
among  the  eight  American  companies 
doing  business  in  Mexico  to  have  its 
own  theatre  in  this  country.  As  far 
as  can  be  ascertained,  none  of  the 
other  companies  has  any  theatre  inter- 
est here. 

Several  years  ago,  Paramount  op- 
erated the  Cine  Olimpia  here.  It  still 
is  the  only  directly  American-owned 
theatre  in  this  country. 


New  Budget  on 
Arbitration  Is 
Fixed  for  Year 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
vary    materially    from    the  $294,000, 
plus  a   contingent   fund   of  $25,000, 
which  was  appropriated  last  year  a£. 
which   was   more   than    sufficient  ^?ls 
meet  arbitration  needs  within  the  u. 
dustry  for  the  full  fiscal  year  ending 
last  Nov.  20. 

The  budget  committee  which  met 
yesterday  consisted  of  Joseph  H. 
Hazen  of  Warner  Bros.,  chairman, 
representing  the  consenting  compa- 
nies ;  George  W.  Alger,  chairman  of 
the  arbitration  appeal  board,  and  P. 
M.  Haight,  representing  the  Ameri- 
can Arbitration  Association.  The 
latter  acted  for  Sylvan  Gotschal  of 
the  A.A.A.,  who  is  now  on  the  Coast. 

The  consent  decree  authorizes  a 
maximum  annual  budget  of  $465,000 
for  the  operation  of  the  industry  ar- 
bitration system  but  even  in  its  first 
year  when  non-recurring  expenses  for 
opening  and  furnishing  new  offices  in 
31  exchange  cities  had  to  be  met, 
costs  did  not  exceed  $400,000. 

During  the  past  year,  distributors 
have  been  credited  with  50  per  cent  of 
the  fees  received  from  filing  of  non- 
industry  cases  at  the  film  tribunals 
under  an  agreement  with  the  A.A.A. 
to  provide  facilities  for  the  speedy 
adjustment  of  wartime  labor  contro- 
versies in  essential  industries.  These 
credits  to  the  distributors,  while  not 
large,  helped  to  hold  expenditures 
under  $300,000  last  year  and  are  a 
factor  in  maintaining  the  budget  at 
about  that  level  for  the  new  year. 

Tlie  budget  covers  the  maintenance 
of  the  31  tribunals  throughout  the 
country,  together  with  salaries  of 
clerks  and,  at  some  of  the  larger  city 
tribunals,  of  stenographers,  and  also 
the  $55,000  annual  salaries  of  the  ap- 
peal board  and  maintenance  of  its  of- 
fices and  staff. 

Two  Film  Companies 
Formed,  4  Dissolve 

Albany,  Jan.  5. — Two  new  motion 
picture  companies  have  filed  papers  of 
incorporation  with  the  Secretary  of 
State  here  and  four  others  have  filed 
notices  of  dissolution. 

Global  Films,  Inc.,  Manhattan,  with 
$30,000  authorized  capital  stock,  was 
formed  by  George  Layton,  the  Bronx, 
John  F.  Gillespie,  New  York  and 
James  Mack,  Newark,  N.  J.,  and 
Tenlo  Theatre  Operating  Corp.,  New 
York,  with  200  shares  of  stock,  no 
stated  par  value,  was  formed  by 
Pauline  Altman,  Tillie  Rosenfeld  and 
Regina  Rosenhein. 

Companies  dissolved  were  Advance 
Trailer  Service,  Inc.,  Globe  Operating 
Corp.  and  National  Screen  Announce- 
ments Corp.,  all  originally  filed 
through  Phillips  and  Nizer  and  Elldee 
Amusement  Corp.,  Queens. 


Sound  'History'  Short 

Hollywood,  Jan.  5. — Warner  Bros, 
announced  plans  for  a  two-reel  film 
titled  "The  Voice  That  Thrilled  the 
World,"  presenting  highlights  from 
the  history  of  sound  films,  such  as  Al 
Jolson's  first  words  on  the  screen  and 
others. 


Wednesday,  January  6,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


9 


Mexico  City  Notes 


Short  Subject  Reviews 


Mexico  City,  Jan.  5 

THE  first  production  in  Spanish 
for  the  spoken  film  of  Tolstoi's 
"Resurrection"   is   to   be  undertaken 
here   early   this   year   by   Jesus  A. 
Grovas  &  Co.,  leading  producers  of 
this  country.  Lupita  Trovar  has  been 
contracted  for  the  feminine  lead.  She 
was  the  first  star  of  a  Mexican  sound 
"Santa"     ("Saintess") ,  based 
'0>n  the  classic   Mexican  novel  of 
>that  name,  produced  here  in  1930  by 
Antonio  Moreno. 

• 

The  industry  is  much  interested  in 
the  announcement  by  Section  No.  1 
of  the  National  Cinematographic  In- 
dustry Workers  Union,  which  has 
its  seat  here,  that  it  is  to  open  its 
own  print  shop,  with  facilities  for 
publishing  illustrated  matter,  about 
Jan.  15  and  has  invited  President 
Manuel  Avila  Camacho  and  his  pre- 
decessor, Gen.  Lazaro  Cardenas,  now 
Minister  of  National  Defense,  to  at- 
tend the  ceremony. 

The  particular  interest  of  the  in- 
dustry in  this  plan  is  that  the  union 
announced  that  it  is  to  put  forth  more 
publicity  and  propaganda  so  as  to 
make  the  public  more  acquainted  with 
its  nature  and  work,  also  its  ambi- 
tions. The  section  explained  it  de- 
cided to  operate  its  own  print  shop 
to  avoid  high  costs  and  delayed  de- 
liveries it  has  suffered  at  shops  it  has 
patronized  here. 

• 

Ann  Sheridan  and  Walt  Disney 
were  guests  of  honor  at  a  series  of 
fiestas  tendered  by  the  industry  and 
the  government.  Both  appeared  in 
typical  Mexican  costumes,  mounted, 
Mexican  style,  she  side  saddle  and  he 
astride  fine  horses  at  a  rodoe  and 
special  bull  fight  in  their  honor  here. 
They  were  accorded  an  ovation. 

Disney  announced  that  he  has 
changed  his  mind  about  making  one 
picture  about  Mexico.  He  said  he 
has  decided  now  to  make  two.  He 
indicated  that  this  production  will 
start  early  in  the  new  year. 


Jersey  House  Files 
Clearance  Complaint 

A  clearance  complaint  naming  all 
five  consenting  companies  has  been 
filed  at  the  New  York  arbitration 
tribunal  by  Courter  Amusement  Corp., 
operator  of  the  Ormont,  East  Orange, 
N.  J. 

The  complaint  seeks  elimination  or 
reduction  to  one  day  of  the  14  days 
clearance  granted  the  Tivoli,  Newark, 
over  the  Ormont ;  reduction  to  five 
days  of  the  14  days  clearance  of  the 
Hollywood,  East  Orange,  and  Palace, 
Orange,  over  the  Ormont,  and'  reduc- 
tion to  one  day  of  the  clearance  of  the 
Embassy,  Orange,  over  the  Ormont. 


Discontinue  Basil 
Theatres9  Tax  Suit 

Buffalo,  Jan.  5.— The  Federal  Gov- 
ernment's civil  suit  for  $6,703  in  addi- 
tional income  taxes  for  1936  from 
Basil  Brothers  Theatres  and  the  four 
participating  partners  was  ordered 
discontinued  by  Federal  Judge  John 
Knight. 

Attorney  Wilbur  B.  Grandison, 
representing  the  Basil  interests,  said 
the  full  amount,  which  included  penal- 
ties and  interest,  has  been  paid. 


"Education  for  Death" 

(RKO-Disney) 

T  N  something  of  a  departure  from 
JL  his  style  Walt  Disney  here  em- 
ploys the  medium  of  the  cartoon  to 
give  the  public  in  capsule  form  the 
essence  of  Gregor  Ziemer's  book  on 
Nazi  policy  with  respect  to  youth.  The 
film  traces  the  training  of  a  German 
infant,  with  considerable  documenta- 
tion of  technique,  and  although  hu- 
mor is  employed,  it  is  used  grimly 
to  obtain  forcefulness  rather  than  to 
amuse.  There  is  power  in  the  sub- 
ject and  its  effect  is  to  disseminate 
compactiv  the  Ziemer  message.  Run- 
ning time,  10  mins.    Release,  Jan.  18. 

"Ding  Dog  Daddy" 

(Merrie  Melodies) 

(Warner  Bros.) 

Watching  a  pair  of  love  birds  in 
the  park,  the  Goof  Dog  decides  to 
find  himself  a  girl  friend.  After  a 
rebuff  from  a  snooty  dog,  he  finds 
an  iron  canine  on  a  lawn.  The  ap- 
pearance of  a  watchdog  complicates  the 
Goof's  love  affair  and  matters  become 
worse  when  the  iron  dog  is  removed 
for  scrap.  Goof  finally  locates  her  in 
the  form  of  a  shell  ready  to  serve 
her  country.  In  Technicolor.  Run- 
ning time,  7  minutes.   Release,  Dec.  5. 


Pathe  Cites  Du  Pont 
On  Contempt  Charge 


A  motion  by  Pathe  Laboratories, 
Inc.,  was  made  in  U.  S.  District  Court 
yesterday  to  punish  Du  Pont  Film 
Manufacturing  Corp.  for  contempt  of 
court  in  allegedly  violating  an  order 
of  the  Federal  court  permitting  the 
inspection  of  Du  Pont's  books  and 
records.  Decision  was  reserved  by 
Judge  John  W.  Clancy. 

Louis  Nizer,  counsel  for  Pathe,  ar- 
gued that  Du  Pont  had  violated  Judge 
Rifkind's  order  by  excluding  an  ac- 
countant, Richard  Mason,  who  had 
been  sent  by  Pathe  to  make  the  per- 
mitted inspection.  Du  Pont  stated 
that  Mason  was  excluded  because  he 
was  not  a  certified  public  accountant. 

Judge  Clancy  referred  to  the  order 
of  the  court  which  permitted  even 
clerical  assistants  to  conduct  the  ex- 
amination. He  termed  the  defendant's 
reason  "captious."  He  said  that  the 
order  of  Judge  Rifkind  should  be 
complied  with  and  that  it  was  his  duty 
to  see  that  it  was  complied  with  and 
that  he  would  put  the  defendant  in  jail 
if  it  violated  the  order. 

The  motion  was  brought  in  connec- 
tion with  an  action  by  Pathe  against 
Du  Pont  seeking  to  recover  $610,000 
of  alleged  overcharges  on  cost  of  raw 
stock  material. 


Buffalo  Club  Makes 
Gift  to  Air  Force 

Buffalo,  Jan.  5. — An  appeal  for 
furnishings  for  the  Air  Force  barracks 
recreation  room  at  Cayuga  Road,  made 
in  the  Courier-Express,  was  answered 
by  the  local  Variety  Club  with  the 
presentation  of  $700  worth  of  furnish- 
ings. Stanley  Kozanowski,  chief 
barker,  made  the  presentation,  assisted 
by  Robert  T.  Murphy,  Sydney  Sam- 
son, Sidney  Lehman,  Dewey  Michaels 
and  Murray  Whiteman. 


"Borrah  Minevitch  and 
His  Harmonica  School" 

(Melody  Master) 

(Warner  Bros.) 

Borrah  Minevitch  leads  his  har- 
monica "Rascals"  in  this  light- 
hearted  musical  short  featuring  at- 
tractive arrangements  of  "Always  in 
My  Heart,"  "Begin  the  Beguine," 
"Bugle  Call  Rag"  and  "American 
Patrol."  The  troupe  displays  its  abil- 
ity with  the  harmonica  by  using  many 
of  the  instruments  in  different  sizes 
and  shapes.  Running  time,  10  mins. 
Release,  Dec.  26. 

"Horses!  Horses! 
Horses!" 

(Sports  Parade) 

( Warner  Bros.) 

The  training  of  trick  horses  and 
their  riders  is  the  interesting  theme 
of  this  sports  film  in  Technicolor. 
The  bareback  riders  show  off  their 
equestrian  accomplishments  in  a  col- 
orful, adept  manner.  Two  young 
children  add  to  the  general  appeal 
and  the  horses  themselves  are  beauti- 
ful to  watch.  Knox  Manning  is  nar- 
rator. Running  time,  10  mins.  Re- 
lease, Dec.  12. 


FDR  Congress  Talk 
On  Radio  Tomorrow 

President  Roosevelt's  annual 
message  on  the  state  of  the 
Union  to  a  joint  session  of 
Congress  will  be  broadcast 
tomorrow.  In  addition  to  the 
major  networks,  the  speech 
will  be  aired  over  local  sta- 
tions WNEW,  WHN,  WMCA 
and  WINS. 


20th-Fox  Sees  Stock 
Company  Setup  Soon 

Plans  for  the  establishment  of  stock 
companies  by  20th  Century-Fox  are 
progressing,  according  to  a  company 
spokesman,  who  said  that  the  program 
is  expected  to  go  through. 

Alfred  Harding  of  Actors  Equity 
has  returned  from  an  inspection  tour 
of  Hartford,  Springfield  and  Worces- 
ter, Mass.,  concerning  the  stock  com- 
pany formation.  He  had  previously 
made  a  similar  trip  to  Washington, 
Baltimore  and  Philadelphia. 

It  is  expected  that  the  companies 
will  travel  in  three  circuits,  one  in- 
cluding Bridgeport,  Providence,  Bos- 
ton and  New  Haven ;  another,  Wash- 
ington, Baltimore  and  Philadelphia, 
and  the  third,  the  Buffalo  and  Albany 
area.  The  plan  is  said  to  have  the 
support  of  the  Screen  Actors  Guild 
and  the  League  of  New  York  The- 
atres in  addition  to  Equity. 


Theatre  Reverts  to  City 

Northampton,  Mass.,  Jan.  5. — 
The  lease  of  the  Rifkin  theatre  inter- 
ests having  expired,  the  city  has 
taken  over  opration  of  the  Academy 
of  Music,  municipally-owned  film  the- 
atre. The  city's  revenue  from  the 
house  for  last  year  was  more  than 
$2,000,  officials  have  been  informed, 
and  corresponds  with  two  or  three 
dollars  profit  received  by  the  citv  in 
previous  years,  it  was  said.  Clifford 
Boyd  will  continue  as  manager. 


Clark  Plans  to 
Appeal  to  FDR 
On  Music  Ban 


iConti)iucd  from  page  1) 

sufficient  wartime  authority  to 
intervene  in  event  that  Con- 
gress does  not  act  on  his  bill 
was  expressed  by  the  Senator. 

Senator  Clark  said  today  that  the 
future  course  of  the  investigation  will 
depend  on  Petrillo's  testimony  and  his 
willingness  to  compromise  immediate- 
ly with  broadcasters  and  record- 
makers.  If  further  hearings  are  de- 
cided upon,  Clark  stated,  they  will 
not  be  held  until  later  in  the  month. 

Senator  Clark  charged  that  Petrillo 
has  offered  no  concrete  proposal  for 
peace  to  the  broadcasters  or  record 
producers  and  expressed  the  fear  that 
unless  quick  action  could  be  obtained, 
many  small  stations  might'  have  to 
close.  He  quoted  Elmer  Davis,  di- 
rector of  the  Office  of  War  Informa- 
tion, in  a  statement  that  continuance 
of  the  ban  would  force  closing  of 
these  stations  essential  to  wartime 
communications. 

Senator  Clark  also  said  that  he  was 
speaking  for  the  War  and  Navy  de- 
partment when  he  held  that  with- 
drawal of  popular  music  from  stations 
and  "juke  boxes"  would  endanger 
home  front  morale  as  well  as  that  of 
troops  fighting  abroad.  He  added 
that  because  of  war  conditions  several 
stations  have  already  closed  or  have 
been  sold  for  nominal  sums. 


Four  Films  Approved 
By  Legion  of  Decency 

Four  new  films  were  approved  by 
the  National  Legion  of  Decency  dur- 
ing the  past  week  and  one,  M-G-M's 
"Keeper  of  the  Flame,"  was  classified 
as  "objectionable  in  part." 

Films  reviewed  and  their  classifica- 
tions are:  A-l,  Unobjectionable  for 
general  patronage,  "Commandos 
Strike  at  Dawn,"  "Hi,  Buddy"  and 
"Tarzan  Triumphs";  A-2,  Unobjec- 
tionable for  adults,  "The  McGuerins 
from  Brooklyn;"  B,  Objectionable  in 
part,  "Keeper  of  the  Flame." 


Theatres  Share  in 
Big  Phila.  Spending 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  5. — Of  the  es- 
timated §2,000,000  spent  in  this  city 
on  New  Year's  Eve,  at  least  $250,000 
went  to  motion  picture  theatres,  ac- 
cording to  industry  opinion.  All  the 
downtown  houses  had  midnight  shows 
with  many  staging  continuous  per- 
formances until  early  morning. 

The  Chamber  of  Commerce  in  esti- 
mating the-  total  amount  spent  said 
this  New  Year's  Eve  was  the  gayest 
and  most  expensive  since  1929. 


JACK  SHAINDLIN 

MUSICAL  DIRECTION 
Completed 
"WE  ARE  THE  MARINES" 

March  of  Time  Full  Length  Feature 
20th  Century-Fox 


10 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  January  6,  1943 


Two  New  Plays  in 
Broadway  Debuts  as 
Six  Others  Depart 


"Something  for  the  Boys,"  the  Her 
bert  and  Dorothy  Fields  musical  com 
edy  with  Cole  Porter  songs  which 
opens  at  the  Alvin  Theatre  tomor- 
row under  the  sponsorship  of  Michael 
Todd,  will  be  the  second  new  play  of 
1943.  The  Script  Clinic's  experi- 
mental production  of  "Night  Watch 
in  Syria,"  a  two-act  play  by  Alexan- 
der King,  dealing  with  the  night  of 
Christ's  crucifixion,  which  opened  at 
the  Malin  Theatre  Monday,  was  the 
first  play  of  the  year.  Ethel  Merman, 
Allen  Jenkins,  Jed  Prouty,  Betty 
Bruce,  Paula  Laurence,  Bill  Johnson, 
Betty  Garrett,  Frances  Mercer  and 
William  Lynn  are  the  stars  of  "Some- 
thing for  the  Boys." 

Six  Shows  Leave 

The  weekend  saw  six  Broadway  de- 
partures :  "You'll  See  Stars,"  which 
had  only  four  performances  at  the 
Maxine  Elliott  Theatre  beginning  with 
a  New  Year's  Eve  debut ;  "Strip  for 
Action,"  "Native  Son,"  "Flare  Path," 
"Cry  Havoc,"  and  "Sweet  Charity." 

Katharine  Hepburn's  Hollywood 
commitments  with  M-G-M  for  the 
motion  picture  production  of  "Without 
Love"  will  necessitate  the  closing  of 
that  play  on  Feb.  13,  the  Theatre 
Guild  announced. 

"Jacobowsky  and  the  Colonel"  is  the 
tentative  title  of  the  new  Franz  Wer- 
fel  play.  It  will  go  into  rehearsal 
about  the  first  of  February,  it  was 
announced  last  week  by  Jack  H.  Skir- 
ball,  who  is  in  New  York  in  connec- 
tion with  the  presentation  of  the  Wer- 
fel  play. 

New  Dowlng  Play 

Eddie  Dowling's  next  production 
will  be  "This  Rock,"  a  comedy  by 
Walter  Livingston  Faust,  a  vice  presi- 
dent of  Socony  Vacuum  Oil,  which 
is  scheduled  for  a  mid-February  open- 
ing. Martha  Scott  and  Billie  Burke 
are  possibilities  for  the  leading  role. 

"Nine  Girls"  is  the  new  title  of  the 
A.  H.  Wood  melodrama  originally 
called  "This  Little  Hand,"  expected  at 
the  Longacre  Theatre  Jan.  12.  The  all- 
girl  cast  is  headed  by  K.  T.  Stevens, 
Barbara  Bel  Geddes  and  Adele  Long- 
mire. 

Eddie  Cantor  plans  to  have  "My 
Life  Is  in  Your  Hands,"  his  auto- 
biography in  which  the  comedian  will 
play  himself,  ready  for  production 
next  Fall,  he  has  revealed. 


Madeleine  Carroll 
Gets  CBS  Program 

"Madeleine  Carroll  Reads"  starring 
the  actress  who  was  voted  the  Best 
Film  Player  on  the  Air  in  Motion 
Picture  Daily's  seventh  annual  radio 
poll,  will  make  its  debut  over  CBS 
next  Monday.  The  series  will  be 
heard  Mondays  through  Fridays,  5- 
5:15  p.  m. 


Close  Ford's,  Baltimore 

Baltimore,  Jan.  5. — Ford's  Thea- 
tre here,  one  of  the  oldest  and  best 
known  legitimate  houses  in  the  coun- 
try, has  been  ordered  closed  by  the 
city  until  put  in  "safe  condition."  The 
house  was  opened  in  1871  and  virtual- 
ly every  great  actor  and  actress  in 
the  country  has  appeared  in  it. 


Off  the  Antenna 

A GROUP  of  NBC  officials,  headed  by  Niles  Trammell,  president,  will  ac- 
company Miss  Eugenia  Demetrious,  winner  of  the  network's  Pan  Amer- 
ican Holiday  contest,  to  Washington,  D.  G,  to  attend  the  program's  special 
broadcast  on  Saturday  at  1  p.  m.  Other  NBC  executives  making  the  trip  will 
be  Frank  E.  Mullen  and  Clarence  L.  Menser,  vice-presidents,  Sterling  Fisher, 
Clay  Morgan,  Mrs.  Irene  Kuhn  and  Richard  McDonagh. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Miller  McClintock  has  taken  over  his  duties  at  Mutual 
as  new  and  first  paid  president.  .  .  .  Lyman  Bryson,  CBS  director  of  education, 
will  speak  at  commencement  exercises  at  the  University  of  Michigan,  Jan.  23. 
.  .  .  Hal  Newell  has  rejoined  the  announcing  staff  of  WEEI,  Boston,  succeed- 
ing Ken  Ovenden  who  has  entered  the  Army  Air  Corps  Reserve.  .  .  .  Leslie 
J.  Woods  has  been  named  vice-president  and  general  manager  of  the  National 
Union  Radio  Corp.  .  .  .  Arthur  Miller,  formerly  Eastern  editor  of  "Movie- 
Radio  Guide,"  has  joined  the  CBS  publicity  staff. 

0  •  • 

A  course  of  study  for  the  training  of  announcers  is  planned  at  WEEI, 
Boston,  with  auditions  for  applicants  scheduled  this  week.  The  first  is 
set  for  Monday,  with  an  enrollment  of  10  men  expected.  There  will  be 
three  classes  a  week  and  participation  in  broadcasts,  it  was  said.  Only 
men  with  deferred  draft  classifications  are  considered  for  the  course. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  The  "Dr.  I.  Q."  quiz  show  will  open  a  six  week  en- 
gagement Jan.  18  at  the  Metropolitan  Theatre,  Boston,  and  will  be  broadcast 
from  the  house  each  Monday  through  WBZ,  NBC  outlet.  .  .  .  Gracie  Fields' 
Pall  Mall  program  will  be  enlarged  from  five  to  15  minutes,  Monday  through 
Friday,  starting  Monday  at  10:15  p.  m.  .  .  .  Alfred  Wallenstein's  Sinfonietta 
concerts,  a  Mutual  program,  will  change  its  time  from  8  to  9:30  p.  m. 
Thursdays.  .  .  .  Jack  Benny  and  his  company  will  guest  on  the  Stage  Door 
Canteen  program  Jan.  21.  .  .  .  Mrs.  Franklin  D.  Roosevelt  and  Secretary  of 
the  Interior  Harold  L.  Ickes  will  broadcast  over  WNEW  and  the  Atlantic 
Coast  Network  tonight  at  8  p.  m.,  on  the  presentation  of  a  mural  to  the 
Interior  Department.    Marion  Anderson  will  sing  during  the  ceremony. 

•  •  • 

The  first  revised  edition  of  "The  Cresta  Blanca  Carnival"  zvill  be  heard 
over  63  Mutual  stations  next  Wednesday  with  a  specially  written  drama  by 
Norman  Corwin.  Benny  Goodman  and  Oscar  Levant,  guest  stars,  will  play 
George  Gershwin's  "Rhapsody  in  Blue."  The  program  formerly  starred  Jack 
Pearl. 

•  •  • 

Radio  artists  will  be  entertainers  at  Chicago's  newest  service  canteen 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Women's  Defense  Corps  of  America.  Mrs. 
Jack  Dodman,  captain  of  the  sponsoring  chapter  is  wife  of  a  WBBM 
enginer.  Dorothy  Winters,  in  charge  of  auditions  at  CBS,  is  lining  up 
talent  and  Dee  Pumpian,  CBS  receptionist,  has  secured  donations  of  fur- 
niture and  lamps. 

•  •  • 

WBIR,  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  has  become  affiliated  with  the  Blue  Network- 
as  a  member  of  the  South-Central  group.  The  addition  brought  the  total 
of  Blue  affiliates  to  147.  WBIR,  owned  by  J.  W.  Birdwell,  operates  full  time 
with  250  watts  on  a  frequency  of  1,  240  kilocycles. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  William  Folger,  formerly  with  WSAY,  Rochester,  is  a 
corporal  in  the  Army  Air  Force  public  relations  division  at  Mitchel  Field. 
.  Jack  Lacey.  chief  announcer  at  WNBC,  Hartford,  is  in  the  Army. 


Mexican  President 
In  New  Year  Film 

Mexico  City,  Jan.  5. — Presi- 
dent Manuel  Avila  Camacho 
presented  his  New  Year's 
message  to  the  Mexican  peo- 
ple in  a  motion  picture  ex- 
hibited in  every  important 
theatre  New  Year's  Day.  The 
film  contained  excerpts  from 
Avila  Camacho's  message 
broadcast  nationally  on  New 
Year's  Eve.  It  was  producers 
by  General  Juan  F.  Azcarate^ 
president  of  Mexico-Espana- 
Argentina  Films  and  Mexico's 
last  minister  to  Berlin. 


Paul  McGrathNamed 
To  Equity  Council 

Paul  McGrath  was  appointed  to  the 
Actors  Equity  council  at  a  meeting  of 
the  group  yesterday.  He  will  serve 
until  the  next  annual  meeting  and  re- 
places Louis  Calhern,  who  resigned. 

A  request  of  John  C.  Wilson  to  re- 
open "The  Wife  Takes  a  Child,"  re- 
cently closed  play,  before  the  eight- 
week  period  in  the  event  he  rewrites  it 
to  his  satisfaction,  was  granted  by  the 
council,  with  provisions  for  rehiring  of 
the  original  cast.  It  is  an  Equity  rul- 
ing that  a  play  may  not  reopen  less 
than  eight  weeks  after  a  closing. 


Permit  Issued  for 

New  FM  Station 

Rochester,  Jan.  5. — The  FCC  has 
granted  a  construction  permit  to 
WHEC  for  a  frequency  modulation 
station  to  operate  on  44,700  kilocycles 
with  a  power  of  3,000  watts.  The  new 
station,  it  is  reported,  will  replace 
WHEC'S  experimental  FM  transmit- 
ter known  as  W8XAD  and  will  re- 
quire no  critical  war  materials  for  the 
change. 


Kansas  City  Houses 
Set  Copper  Matinees 

Kansas  City,  Jan.  5. — Theatres  in 
the  Greater  Kansas  City  area  will  hold 
"copper  matinees"  Jan.  11  to  which 
found'  ounces  or  more  of  the  metal 
will  serve  as  admission.  Theatres  else- 
where in  the  state  will  hold  similar 
matinees  later.  The  shows  are  being 
assisted  by  the  local  public  relations 
committee  of  the  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee and  have  the  cooperation  of 
local  WPB  and  OWI  officials. 


Free  "copper  matinees"  are  being 
organized  throughout  Utah,  Idaho 
and  Montana  by  the  Salt  Lake  City 
area  War  Activities  Committee,  of 
which  John  Rugar  is  chairman,  the 
WAC  announced.  Free  tickets  will 
be  issued  for  each  pound  of  salvage 
copper  turned  in  by  a  child  of 
elementary  school  age. 


Philadelphia,  Jan.  5.  —  Robert 
Lynch,  M-G-M  branch  manager  here, 
WAC  salvage  chairman  for  this  area, 
offers  prizes  of  $50  to  the  theatre  in 
this  territory  collecting  the  largest 
amount  of  salvage  copper ;  $30  to  the 
second,  and  $20  to  the  third. 


Jersey  Exhibitors 
Pledge  Drive  Aid 


Of  a  total  of  277  theatres  in  the 
Northern  New  Jersey  area,  240  have 
pledged  to  participate  in  the  indus- 
try's United  Nations  Week,  Leon 
Bamberger,  national  campaign  direc- 
tor, announced  yesterday. 

At  today's  meeting  of  Northern 
New  Jersey  exhibitors  at  RKO  Proc- 
tor's Theatre,  Newark,  the  remainder 
are  expected  to  be  enrolled,  according 
to  Harry  Lowenstein  and  Don  Ja- 
cocks,  co-chairmen  for  the  area. 

E.  L.  Alperson,  chairman  of  the 
national  campaign,  will  return  to- 
morrow from  his  nationwide  trip  to 
key  cities  where  he  met  with  local 
industry  members  on  organization 
plans  for  the  United  Nations  Week 
drive,  Jan.  14-20.  Alperson  will  con- 
duct the  final  meeting,  the  14th  in  his 
three-week  tour,  at  the  Coronado 
Hotel,  St.  Louis,  today. 

Final  arrangements  for  the  drive  in 
the  Seattle  area  were  made  by  exhib- 
itors yesterday  at  a  meeting  con- 
ducted by  Frank  Newman,  Sr.,  area 
chairman. 

Additional  proclamations  designat- 
ing the  week  of  Jan.  14  through  20  | 
United  Nations  Week  have  been  is-  I 
sued  by  Governors  Charles  Edison  1 
of  New  Jersey  and  John  Bricker  of  | 
Ohio,  and  by  Mayors  John  J.  Kelly  ■ 
of  Buffalo  and  John  A.  Hartman  of  j  j 
Trenton,  and  by  Borough  Presidents  ,  I 
John  Cashmore,  Brooklyn ;  James  J 
Burke,  Queens,  and  James  Lyons,  I 
Bronx. 


$50,000  York  Bond  Sale 

York,  Pa.,  Jan.  5. — The  four  War- 
ner houses  here,  the  Strand,  Capitol, 
Rialto  and  Ritz,  have  sold  more  than 
$50,000  in  war  bonds  since  the  thea- 
tres were  designated  as  issuing  agents 
ast  month.  The  Strand,  managed  by  ' 
Paul  J.  Harvey,  is  credited  with  more 
than  $40,000  of  the  total. 


Wyoming  theatres  will  conduct  a ; 
special  war  stamp  sales  drive  this! 
month  to  persuade  patrons  to  com- 
plete their  partly-filled  stamp  books] 
with  purchases  at  theatres,  the  War* 
Activities  Committee  announced.  It  ist 
estimated  that  the  drive  has  a  maxi-B 
mum  sales  possibility  of  $1,211,225. 


B.  &  L.  $1.25  Dividend 

Rochester,  Jan.  5. — The  board  of 
directors  of  Bausch  &  Lomb  Optical! 
Co.  has  declared  a  regular  quarterly 
dividend  of  $1.25  on  the  preferred 
stock  and  25  cents  on  the  commoij 
stock. 


Alert, 


Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


First  in 


53.  NO.  4 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  THURSDAY,  JANUARY  7,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


U.S.  Prohibits 
Use  of  Cars  to 
Attend  Films 


Ban  Imposed  in  East; 
Theatre  Fuel  Cut 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  6. — Eastern 
theatre  operators  were  confronted 
with  new  and  increased  problems 
today  following  issuance  of  an 
order  by  the  Office  of  Price  Admin- 
istration prohibiting  all  pleasure 
driving  and  providing  an  intima- 
tion of  a  further  cut  in  heating  oil 
supplies. 

The  OPA  order  barred  pleas- 
ure driving  by  holders  of  any 
type  of  gasoline  ration  book 
and  prescribed  cancellation  of 
rations  as  the  penalty  for  fail- 
ure to  comply.  The  new  rule 
goes  into  effect  at  noon  to- 
morrow. 

At  the  same  time,  officials  of  the 
OPA  ordered  a  slash  to  about  45 
per  cent  of  normal  consumption  of  oil 
for  all  theatres  and  other  non-residen- 

{Continued  on  page  7) 


Loew's  Takes  Over 
St.  Louis  Orpheum 

St.  Louis,  Jan.  6. — Loew's,  Inc.,  op- 
erator of  one  downtown  house  here, 
has  taken  over  the  closed  Orpheum  as 
a  first-run  house,  Rex  Williams,  man- 
ager of  Loew's  here,  announced.  No 
statement  of  policy  was  issued.  The 
theatre,  closed  since  February,  1938, 
will  likely  reopen  in  a  month,  it  was 
said. 

Williams  said  Loew's  has  a  long- 
term  lease  on  the  house.  It  was  last 
used  by  Warners  as  a  film  theatre  in 
1938,  and  previously  for  years  was  a 
vaudeville  and  legitimate  theatre. 


Arbitration  Budget 
Fixed  at  $285,000 

The  budget  for  the  opera- 
tion of  the  industry  arbitra- 
tion system  for  the  fiscal  year 
ending  next  Nov.  20  was  set 
at  $285,000.  A  contingent  fund 
of  $25,000,  established  with 
last  year's  budget,  was  con- 
tinued, the  American  Arbitra- 
tion Association  announced 
yesterday. 

Cost  of  the  operations  last 
vear  was  $285,000  under  a 
budget  of  $300,000,  it  was 
stated. 


Expect  800  Today  at 
Federation  Luncheon 

The  Jack  Benny  luncheon 
today  at  the  Hotel  Astor  is 
expected  to  be  the  largest 
ever  sponsored  by  the  Amuse- 
ment Division  of  the  New 
York  and  Brooklyn  Federa- 
tions of  Jewish  Charities, 
with  more  than  800  persons 
expected  to  attend.  In  addi- 
tion to  Benny,  other  speakers 
will  be  Barney  Balaban,  lunch- 
eon chairman;  David  Bern- 
stein and  Major  Albert  Warn- 
er, co-chairmen  of  the  Amuse- 
ment Division;  George  Jessel, 
master  of  ceremonies,  and 
Judge  Joseph  M.  Proskauer, 
guest  speaker. 


Income  Tax,  Fiscal 
Year  Changes  Asked 
By  Governor  Dewey 


By  RICHARD  J.  CONNERS 

Albany,  Jan.  6. — Quarterly  pay- 
ments of  the  New  York  state  income 
tax  and  a  change  in  the  fiscal  year 
from  July  1  to  April  1  were  recom- 
mended by  Governor  Thomas  E. 
Dewey  in  his  message  to  the  Legisla- 
ture, which  convened  at  noon  today. 

The  changes,  if  effected,  would  be 
made  this  April,  with  the  first  fiscal 
year  really  being  nine  months. 

Several  measures  affecting  the  in- 
dustry were  introduced'  during  the  first 
session  today.  A  bill  which  would  re- 
quire theatres  to  provide  a  seat  for 
attendants  taking  tickets  in  New  York 
City  theatres  was  introduced  by  As- 
semblyman Ed  Moran.   A  bill  to  legal- 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


TRADE  CONTROL  IN 
CANADA  IS  UPHELD 


Decision  by  Dominion  High  Court,  in  Case 
Testing  Administrators'  Powers,  Assures 
Government  Rule  Until  After  War 


U.S.  Considers 
Lamarr 
Action  as  Test 


Wage 


By  W.  M.  GLADISH 

Toronto,  Jan.  6. — Government  control  of  the  Canadian  film  indus- 
try and  theatres  will  continue  without  interruption  or  change  as  a  re- 
sult of  a  decision  handed  down  today  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  Canada. 

The  decision,  made  in  a  test 
case,  legally  establishes  the  au- 
thority vested  by  the  govern- 
ment in  its  appointed  adminis- 
trators through  orders  issued 
in  council  under  the  War 
Measures  Act. 

The  issue  was  raised  as  a  result  of 
lower  court  rulings  in  actions  brought 
by  Federal  boards  against  violators  of 
board  regulations,  in  which  the  Fed- 
eral complaints  were  dismissed  large- 
ly on  the  ground  that  government 
powers  could  not  be  delegated  to  ap- 
pointed control  boards  or  their  mem- 
bers. 

R.  G.  McMullen,  administrator  of 
theatres  and  films  in  the  Wartime  Prices 
and  Trade  Board,  in  commenting  on 
the  Supreme  Court  ruling  stated  that 
the  actual  regulations  contained  in 
orders  in  council  had  not  been  ques- 
tioned, but  that  the  test  case  was  in- 
tended only  to  determine  whether  such 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Washington,  Jan.  6. — Hedy  La- 
marr's  suit  brought  in  Los  Angeles 
against  Loew's,  Inc.,  on  the  ground 
that  the  actress  is  refused  an  increase 
from  $1,500  to  $2,000  weekly  because 
of  the  Federal  $25,000  salary  ceiling 
order,  could  be  considered  a  test  case 
of  the  order,  Bureau  of  Internal  Rev- 
enue officials  said  today.  They  said 
that  the  case  will  be  "watched  with 
interest."  Government  circles  believe 
it  is  the  first  of  its  kind. 

Hollywood,  Jan.  6. — A  direct  chal- 
lenge in  the  Federal  court  of  the  con- 
stitutionality of  the  President's  salary 
freezing  and  wage  ceiling  directives 
result  through  Hedy  Lamarr's 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


may 


Probe  of  FCC  as  Gestapo 
Asked  as  Congress  Opens 


Cowdin  Will  Debate 
Wage  Ceiling  on  Air 

Washington  Jan.  6.— J.  Cheever 
Cowdin,  Universal  Pictures  board 
chairman,  and  Senator  John  A.  Dan- 
aher  of  Connecticut  will  oppose  the 
$25,000  salary  ceiling  order  on  the 
American  Forum  of  the  Air  program 
over  a  Coast-to-Coast  Mutual  hook- 
up, Jan.  10.  James  G.  Patton,  presi- 
dent of  the  National  Farmers  Union, 
and  James  B.  Carey,  secretary  of  the 
CIO,  which  were  instrumental^  in  se- 
curing the  decree,  will  speak  in  sup- 
port of  it. 


Washington,  Jan.  6. — The  78th 
Congress  convened  today  with  every 
indication  that  the  feud  between  Rep. 
E.  E.  Cox  of  Georgia  and  James  L. 
Fly,  chairman  of  the  Federal  Com- 
munications Commission,  would  be 
continued. 

One  of  the  first  measures  to  be  in- 
troduced was  a  resolution  by  Cox 
calling  for  an  investigation  of  the 
FCC,  which,  he  charged,  under  Fly's 
chairmanship  has  "almost  completely 
established  terroristic  control  of  all 
media  of  communications"  and  has 
"set  up  a  Gestapo,  the  equal  of  which 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


2  Hours  Pay  Issue 
In  48-Hour  Week 


Hollywood,  Jan.  6. — Differences  of 
opinion  whether  studio  technicians  in 
going  from  a  36-hour  to  a  48-hour 
week  should  lose  two  hours  pay  week- 
ly today  proved  the  principal  stumb- 
ling block  at  a  parley  between  studio 
and  union  representatives  in  setting 
up  machinery  for  the  extended  work 
week. 

The  unions,  agreeing  to  an  eight- 
hour,  six-day  week,  want  time-and- 
a-half  to  be  paid  for  the  last  two 
hours  of  each  work  day  as  most  con- 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Short  subject  reviews,  key 
city  box-office  reports,  Page  3. 
Hollywood  production  news, 
Page  7. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  January  7,  1943 


Coast  Flashes 


Hollyzvood,  Jan.  6 

HARRY  COHN,  president  of  Col- 
umbia, plans  to  leave  Friday  for 
New  York  with  the  company's  East- 
ern executives  with  whom  he  has  been 
conferring  at  the  studio.  In  the  group 
will  be  Abe  Montague,  Abe  Schneider, 
Leo  Jaffe,  J.  A.  McConville  and  Jo- 
seph Friedman. 

• 

RKO  announced  today  it  had  signed 
Casey  Robinson,  former  Warner 
writer,  on  a  producer-director  con- 
tract. His  first  production  will  be 
"This  Is  Russia,"  from  his  own  story, 
which  will  feature  Tamara  Touma- 
nova  in  a  dramatic  role. 

• 

Paramount  today  signed  Brian 
Donlevy  for  two  additional  films  and 
extended  the  contract  of  Jimmy  Ly- 
don,  the  studio  announced. 

• 

Alice  Faye  and  Carmen  Miranda 
were  set  today  in  "The  Girl  He  Left 
Behind,"  20th  Century-Fox  musical  in 
Technicolor  to  be  produced  by  Wil- 
liam LeBaron. 

• 

Claude  Rains  was  signed  today  for 
the  title  role  in  Universal's  "Phan- 
tom of  the  Opera,"  an  announcement 
said. 


Personal  Mention 


T  AMES  R.  GRAINGER,  president 
»J  of  Republic  Pictures,  left  last 
night  for  Washington  and  is  expected 
back  here  Jan.  11. 

Frank  N.   Phelps,  labor  contact 
for  Warner  Theatres,  left  yesterday 
for  Utica  and  other  upstate  cities. 
• 

Harry  David,  general  manager  of 
Northio  Theatres,  has  returned  to 
Cincinnati  after  a  visit  to  Salt  Lake 
City. 

• 

Harry  L.  Charnas  of  Los  Angeles 
is  visiting  here. 

• 

Al  Sherman  was  in  town  from 
Washington  yesterday. 

• 

Lr.  Harold  Cohen,  former  Lewis- 
ton,  Pa.,  theatre  manager,  has  been 
assigned  to  the  public  relations  of- 
fice of  the  Third  Naval  Reserve  Dis- 
trict, Philadelphia. 

• 

Charles  Crowley,  former  manager 
of  the  Grand  and  Globe,  Vineland, 
N.  J.,  has  graduated  from  Officers' 
Candidate  School  at  Ft.  Benning,  Ga. 


Ohio  Flood  Effects 
Held  Not  Serious 

Cincinnati,  Jan.  6. — Although  the 
flood  and  windstorms  here  during  the 
past  week  affected  theatre  attendance, 
the  overall  result  theatrewise  and  for 
business  generally,  was  not  particu- 
larly serious. 

The  Ohio  river,  cresting  at  nine 
feet  above  flood  level,  will  remain  sta- 
tionery for  several  days  before  start- 
ing to  recede,  according  to  predictions 
of  the  local  meteorologist  office. 

Theatres  in  low-lying  areas,  inun- 
dated during  the  1937  flood,  were  not 
affected,  and  operation  was  not  inter- 
rupted. In  situations  where  business 
districts  were  unaffected,  due  to  flood 
walls  and  hastily  constructed  emer- 
gency dikes,  film  deliveries,  neverthe- 
less, were  delayed  by  marooning  of 
trucks. 


Jurow  Named  W.B. 
Talent  Head  in  East 

Martin  Jurow  will  head  the  Warner 
Bros,  talent  bureau  in  the  East,  the 
company  announced  yesterday.  An 
executive  of  the  Music  Corporation  of 
America  for  the  last  few  years,  Jurow 
had  previously  been  business  manager 
on  the  road  for  George  Abbott.  He 
will  make  his  headquarters  at  the 
home  office. 


Recognized  by  Treasury 

Chicago,  Jan.  6. — Ambrose  Con- 
roy,  manager  of  the  Southtown  The- 
atre, has  been  appointed  Zone  Chair- 
man for  the  Southwest  District  by 
the  Illinois  War  Savings  Staff  of  the 
Treasury  Department,  in  recognition 
of  his  theatre's  successful  record  in 
war  bond  and  stamp  sales. 


Alperson  Returns  Today 

Edward  L.  Alperson,  head  of  RKO 
Theatres  and  national  manager  of 
United  Nations  Week,  will  return  to 
New  York  today  from  a  six-weeks 
nationwide  tour  in  connection  with  the 
drive. 


JOHN  TURNER,  chief  film  buyer 
for  the  Warner  Theatre  Circuit, 
Philadelphia,  will  be  honored  at  a 
bachelor  dinner  at  the  Warwick  Hotel, 
there,  Jan.  18,  on  the  occasion  of  his 
marriage  to  Sue  Remy. 

• 

Morris  Phillips,  assistant  to  Lyle 
Trenchard,  general  manager  of  Wil- 
liam Goldman  Theatres,  Philadelphia, 
is  ill  of  pneumonia  at  Temple  Uni- 
versity Hospital  there. 

• 

Guido  Luminello,  former  manager 
of  the  Warner  Lenox,  Hartford,  has 
been  inducted  in  the  Army. 

• 

Ernest  Zuretti,  manager  of  the 
Lexington,  Lexington,  Mass.,  has 
entered  an  Army  Officers'  Candidate 
School. 

• 

Frank   Liberman,   formerly  with 
Warner  Bros,  in  New  York,  has  grad- 
uated from  Officers'  Candidate  School. 
• 

Mrs.  Fred  R.  Greenway,  wife  of 
the  Loew's  Palace,  Hartford,  manager, 
is  expected  back  there  about  Jan.  IS 
from  a  Hollywood  vacation. 


$2,586,000  Dividend 
For  Kodak  Employes 

Rochester,  Jan.  6. — A  total 
of  $2,586,000  dividends  will  be 
paid  employes  of  Eastman 
Kodak  Co.  on  March  12,  ac- 
cording to  a  recent  announce- 
ment made  here  by  the  com- 
pany. 


Kranz  Is  Named  PRC 
Cleveland  Manager 

Charles  Kranz,  manager  of  the 
United  Artists  exchange  in  Cleveland 
for  five  years,  has  been  appointed  sales 
manager  of  the  Cleveland  exchange  of 
PRC,  effective  Monday.  Allan  D. 
Shaw  continues  as  office  manager. 

Don  Duff,  office  manager  of  the 
PRC  Cincinnati  exchange,  has  been 
inducted  into  the  Army  and  is  being 
replaced  as  booker  by  Mrs.  Sylvia 
Gertzman  with  Joseph  Goldberg  trans- 
ferred to  the  office  as  a  salesman  in 
the  territory,  it  was  announced  yester- 
day. 


U.A.  Mgr's  Mother 
Succumbs  in  Phila. 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  6.  —  Mrs. 
Nellie  Bodkin,  80  years  old,  mother 
of  Harry  Bodkin,  United  Artists 
branch  manager  here,  died  last  night 
of  pneumonia  at  her  home  here  follow- 
ing a  lengthy  illness. 

In  addition  to  her  son,  a  daughter, 
Mrs.  Sackett,  survives.  Funeral  ser- 
vices will  be  held  Thursday  afternoon 
at  Asher's  Chapel.  Interment  will  be 
at  Mt.  Carmel  Cemetery. 


Carver  Dies;  Given 
Variety  Club  Award 

Tuskegee,  Ala.,  Jan.  6. — Dr. 
George  Washington  Carver,  who  was 
awarded  the  national  Variety  Club's 
Humanitarian  Award  about  two  years 
ago,  died  at  his  home  at  Tuskegee  In- 
stitute last  night.  The  son  of  Negro 
slaves,  Dr.  Carver  was  one  of  the 
nation's  greatest  agricultural  chemists. 


Jersey  Allied  Will 
Meet  Here  Monday 

The  North  Jersey  section  of  Allied 
of  New  Jersey  will  meet  Monday 
afternoon  at  the  organization's  head- 
quarters to  discuss  the  United  Nations 
Drive,  the  latest  report  of  Allied's 
caravan  committee,  and  the  organiza- 
tion's product  survey.  Harry  M. 
Loewenstein  will  preside. 

Also  to  be  discussed  are  the  report 
of  the  legislative  committee  and  the 
setting  of  a  date  for  the  unit's  annual 
January  meeting  at  Trenton.  The 
South  Jersey  section  will  meet  Tues- 
day afternoon  at  the  Walt  Whitman 
Hotel,  Camden. 


Report  Paul  Small 
Vaudeville  Venture 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  6. — Following 
the  announcement  that  Sid  Grauman 
soon  will  reopen  the  old  Alcazar  here 
on  a  vaudeville  policy,  it  was  revealed 
that  Paul  Small  is  planning  a  similar 
venture  at  the  Curran.  Small  may 
reopen  the  house  in  mid-February 
with  Jimmy  Durante  heading  the  in- 
itial bill.  It  is  reported  that  Durante's 
former  vaudeville  partners,  Lou  Clay- 
ton and  Eddie  Jackson,  may  rejoin 
him  for  the  show. 


S.  K.  Lewis  Reported 
Joining  Assoc.  Brit. 

London,  Jan.  6. — S.  K.  Lewis,  for- 
mer president  of  the  Cinematograph 
Exhibitors  Association,  reportedly 
will  join  Associated  British  Theatres 
as  controller  in  the  near  future.  He 
will  not  necessarily  succeed  Arthur 
Moss,  who  is  reported  to  be  resigning, 
but  it  is  believed  that  his  duties  will 
embrace  some  of  those  now  performed 
by  Moss. 


Reported  Missing 

Chicago,  Jan.  6. — Lt.  Norman  H. 
Pearson,  23,  a  former  B  &  K  employe 
at  the  Northtown  Theatre,  has  been 
reported  missing  from  a  routine  navi- 
gation night  flight  in  which  he  was 
co-pilot  of  the  lead  plane. 


Big  League  Baseball 
Not  Needed:  McNutt 

Washington,  Jan.  6. — Big 
league  baseball  was  termed  a 
non-essential  industry  today 
by  Paul  V.  McNutt,  chairman 
of  the  War  Manpower  Com- 
mission, who  ruled  that  while 
the  sport  is  useful,  profes- 
sional players  are  not  es- 
sential and  some  of  them  may 
shortly  be  called  upon  to  take-^ 
up  activities  considered  mo#te^ 
vital  to  the  war  effort  by  thB» 
Commission.  Spring  training 
and  travel  schedules  are  at 
present  being  adjusted  to  fit 
wartime  transportation  limi- 
tations. 


Offer  Transcription 
For  Nations  Week 

A  four-minute  transcription  of 
Francis  S.  Harmon's  address  on  Unit- 
ed Nations  Week  which  was  delivered 
at  the  recent  New  York  exhibitors' 
mass  meeting  on  the  drive  at  Loew's 
Ziegfeld  Theatre  has  been  made  for 
radio  station  use. 

Industry  members  who  can  place 
the  recording  on  local  radio  stations 
may  obtain  the  record  from  Harry 
Mandel,  advertising  and  publicity  di- 
rector for  the  campaign.  The  drive 
will  be  conducted  by  the  industry  Jan. 
14  to  20. 

Six  meetings  of  metropolitan  New 
York  exhibitors  and  their  aides  have 
been  conducted  on  the  drive  during  the 
past  three  days  by  Edward  Dowden, 
chairman  of  the  New  York  City  pub- 
licity committee. 

Proceeds  of  a  preview  performance 
of  "Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  at 
the  Criterion  next  Tuesday  night  will 
be  donated  to  the  United  Nations 
Week  fund.  The  midnight  perform- 
ance of  the  picture,  which  begins  its 
regular  run  at  the  theatre  the  follow- 
ing day,  is  expected  to  be  attended  by 
Paul  Muni,  star  of  the  film ;  Lester 
Cowan,  its  producer,  and  a  number  of 
principals  and  other  cast  members,  it 
was  announced.  A  stage  pageant  salut- 
ing the  United  Nationsewill  precede 
the  showing. 


Pickford  in  'Canteen* 

Mary  Pickford  will  appear  in  Sol 
Lesser's  "Stage  Door  Canteen,"  it  was 
announced. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY,  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address, "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Ouigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23.  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


Thursday,  January  7,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


Short  Subject  Reviews 


Phila.  Grosses 


Soar;  6S  wan 9  Is 
City's  Leader 


Philadelphia,  Jan.  6. — In  spite  of 
heavy  rain,  the  Christmas  holiday 
weekend  sent  box-office  receipts  soar- 
ing at  all  theatres.  "The  Black  Swan" 
^L_the  field,  giving  the  Boyd  $32,500 
f^P  an  additional  $5,500  at  the  Earle 
on  the  Sunday  twin  snowing.  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy",  returning  at  popular 
prices,  grossed  $32,500  at  the  Mast- 
baum.  Midnight  shows  at  the  Earle, 
Boyd  and  Stanley  tended  to  increase 
grosses  for  the  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  29-Jan.  1 : 

"Sin  Town"  (Univ.) 

FAY'S — (2.190)  (29c-35c-46c-57c)  7  days  of 
vaudeville  including  Andy  Kirk's  orchestra, 
Stepin  Fetchit,  June  Richmond,  The  Five 
Crackerjacks  and  Otto  Eason.  Gross:  $11,- 
700.  (Average,  $6,000) 
"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 

FOX  — (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-7Sc)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $19,000.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Thunder  Birds"  (20th-Fox) 

KARLTON —  (1,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $3,500.  (Aver- 
age, $3,500) 

"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 

KEITH'S— (2,200)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c) 
7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

MASTBAUM— (4,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  return  engagement.  Gross: 
$32,500. 

"You  Were  Never  Lovelier"  (Col.) 

STANLEY  —  (3,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $14,800. 
(Average,  $14,000) 

"The  Navy  Comes  Through"  (RKO) 

STANTON  —  (1,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,500. 
(Average.  $6,500) 

"The  Moon  and  Sixpence"  (U.  A.) 

ALDINE  —  (900)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $17,500.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"The  Major  and  The  Minor"  (Para.) 

ARCADIA— (600)  (35c-46c-57c-68c)  7  days. 
3rd  week,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $4,500.  (Aver- 
age, $2,800) 

"The  Black  Swan"  (ZOth-Fox) 

BOYD— (3.000)    (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $32,500.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M)  (6  days) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (ZOth-Fox)  (1  day) 

•EARLE^( 3.000)  (46c-57c-75c)  6  days  of 
vaudeville  including  Tommy  Tucker's  orch- 
estra, Amy  Arnell,  Donald  Brown,  Kerwin 
S'Ummerville.  Voices  Three,  Stuart  Erwin, 
Tune  Collyer,  The  Oxford  Boys  and  The 
Juvelys.    Gross:  $34,000.    (Average.  $18,000) 

W.  B.  Tests  Appeal 
To  Halt  Vandalism 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  6. — Concerned 
by  increased  vandalism  by  boys  at 
many  Warner  theatres,  particularly 
damage  to  seats,  the  circuit,  in  the 
hope  of  discouraging  the  practice,  is 
considering  a  direct  appeal  to  the 
patriotism  of  the  youngsters. 

A  special  trailer,  pointing  to  seat 
conservation  and  containing  a  plea  to 
stop  defacing  seats,  is  being  run  at 
Warners'  Queen  in  Wilmington,  Del. 
The  house,  recently  remodeled  and  re- 
seated, has  suffered  considerably  from 
vandalism.  The  result  will  be  studied 
for  possible  use  of  such  a  trailer  else- 
where, it  was  reported. 


'Hooliganism'  in  Boston 

Boston,  Jan.  6. — "Hooliganism"  is 
on  the  increase  in  Boston  theatres,  ac- 
cording to  managers.  A  recent  in- 
stance was  the  throwing  of  missiles  at 
the  "Arsenic  and  Old  Lace"  company 
from  the  balcony  of  the  Colonial.  An 
actor  in  the  uniform  of  a  policeman 
addressed  the  audience,  called  the 
missile  throwers  "rats"  and  invited 
soldiers  in  the  audience  to  patrol  the 
balcony. 


You,  John  Jones 

{M-G-M-WAC) 

J  AMES  CAGNEY  and  Ann  Soth- 
»J  ern  are  featured  in  this  subject, 
the  purpose  of  which  is  to  awaken  in 
the  people  of  this  country  the  realiza- 
tion that  the  war  they  read  about  in 
the  newspapers  is  very  real.  Cagney, 
as  an  air  raid  warden,  is  confident 
during  a  blue  alert,  that  the  United 
States  will  not  be  bombed.  However, 
he  begins  to  imagine  the  horror  and 
suffering  which  his  family  would  un- 
dergo in  the  event  of  real  fighting  on 
this  continent.  The  picture  has  con- 
siderable emotional  impact  and  will 
hold  audience  interest  throughout. 
Running   time,  mins.  Release, 

Jan.  14. 

"Lightning  Strikes 
Twice" 

(Famous  Bands) 

(Columbia) 

Shep  Fields'  "Rippling  Rhythm"  is 
used  for  a  few  numbers  to  show  his 
earlier  style,  and  then  the  new  Fields 
bai  1  minus  trumpets  and  trombones 
tui  s  out  a  few  tunes  and  songs. 
Th^re  is  a  slight  background  of  plot 
during  which  it  is  revealed  that  the 
idea  for  "Rippling  Rhythm"  came  to 
band  leader  Fields  when  he  and  his 
wife  were  reminiscing  on  the  days 
when  they  blew  soap  bubbles.  The  pic- 
ture is  not  overly  entertaining.  Run- 
ning time,  10  mins.    Release,  Dec.  23. 


"Roar,  Navy,  Roar" 

( Universal) 

Chiefly  valuable  as  a  concise  sum- 
mary of  what  the  Navy  is  doing  to- 
day, this  film  has  the  merit  of  in- 
terest and  suitable  brevity.  It  lacks 
originality,  however,  as  many  of  the 
scenes  have  been  seen  before.  There 
are  brief  glimpses  into  the  past  his- 
tory of  the  Navy  and  many  scenes 
from  that  service's  present  participa- 
tion in  the  fighting  in  the  Pacific.  It 
makes  an  impressive  survey  of  Navy 
and  Marine  sea,  air  and  land  forces. 
Running  time,  22Yz  mins.  Release 
Dec.  16. 


'Eve'  Grosses  Save 
St.  Louis  Business 


St.  Louis,  Jan.  6. — New  Year's  Eve 
business  saved  St.  Louis  theatres  from 
having  one  of  their  worst  holiday 
seasons  in  history.  Most  exhibitors 
were  inclined  to  blame  gasoline  ration- 
ing and  other  restrictions  for  the 
slump.  Business  was  off  at  first  runs 
Christmas  Day,  failed  to  pick  up  any 
time  during  the  week. 

Estimated  receipts,  including  New 
Year's  Eve,  for  the  week  ending  Dec. 
31 : 

"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 
"Laugh  Your  Blues  Away"  (Col.) 

LOEWS— (3,162)  (30c-40c-50c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $15,000.    (Average,  $15,000) 
"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 

AMBASSADOR — (3,154)  (30c-40c-50c-$UO) 
7  days.  Gross:  $13,500.  (Average.  $11,500) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 

FOX— (5,038)    (30c -40c -50c -$1.10)    7  days. 
Gross:  $15,000.    (Average,  $15,000) 
"Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 
"B'eck  Swan"  (ZOth-Fox) 

MISSOURI  —  (3.514)     (30c-40c-50c-85c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $11,000.    (Average.  $7,000) 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.) 
"Mug  Town"  (Univ.) 

ST.  LOUIS — (4,000)  (30c-40c-65c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $7,700.    (Average,  $4,400) 


"Community 
Transportation" 

(M-G-M-OWl) 

TIMELINESS  is  the  keynote  of 
"Community  Transportation,"  a 
film  showing  how  one  American  com- 
munity solved  its  wartime  travel 
problem  by  staggering  war  plant 
hours,  getting  housewives  to  sign 
pledges  that  they  would  shop  only  at 
specified  hours,  and  providing  a  mu- 
nicipal organization  for  its  share-a- 
ride  program.  The  picture  is  extreme- 
ly short  but  is  effective  and  informa- 
tive. It  proves  that  the  community 
can  do  much  to  solve  certain  of  its 
own  pressing  problems.  Running  time, 
4  mins.    Release,  Jan.  7. 

"Designed  by 
Fannie  Hurst" 

(Person-Oddities  ) 

( Universal) 

The  most  interesting  of  this  group 
of  oddities  is  a  scene  in  Fannie 
Hurst's  home  showing  her  collection 
of  antique  religious  objects.  Other 
oddities  are  pipe  cleaner  dolls ;  a  pri- 
vate cemetery  willed  to  each  succeed- 
ing president  of  the  United  States, 
and  a  children's  trolley  which  a  mo- 
torman  built  in  his  back  yard.  Also 
shown  are  scenes  in  the  town  of  Day- 
ton, Nev.,  which  is  being  moved  be- 
cause gold  has  been  found  beneath  it. 
Running  time,  9  mins.  Release,  Dec. 
14. 


"Our  Second  Front" 

( Panoramic  No.  8 ) 

(Columbia) 

Everyone  who  has  been  wondering 
about  the  strange  and  exotic  surround- 
ings in  which  American  soldiers  in 
North  Africa  find  themselves  will  be 
pleased  with  this  interesting  film 
which  includes  scenes  in  the  colorful 
cities  of  Oran,  Algiers,  Rabat  and 
Fez.  The  combination  of  Eastern  and 
Occidental  civilization  as  it  appears  in 
the  cities  of  Northern  Africa  is  strik- 
ing. Running  time,  11  mins.  Release, 
Dec.  11. 


IndpTs  Grosses  Big; 
'Rangers'  Gets  $12,600 

Indianapolis,  Jan.  6. — The  holiday 
week  tilted  grosses  at  all  local  theatres 
to  exceptionally  high  levels.  "The 
Forest  Rangers,"  dualled  with  "Mrs. 
Wiggs  of  the  Cabbage  Patch,"  grossed 
a  fine  $12,600  at  the  Circle.  "Once 
Upon  a  Honeymoon"  also  was  strong 
at  the  Indiana  with  $11,900. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  29-31  : 

"Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 

"Mrs.  Wiggs  of  the  Cabbage  Patch"  (Para.) 

CIRCLE  —  (2,800)     (28c-33c-44c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $12,600.    (Average,  $6,500) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

INDIANA — (3,000)    (28c-33c-44c)    7  days. 
Gross:   $11,900.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"The  Spirit  of  Stanford"  (Col.) 
"Reunion,  in  France"  (M-G-M) 

LOEWS  — (2.800)    (28c-33c-44c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $9,600.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"The  Mummy's  Tomb"  (Univ.) 
"Night  Monster"  (Univ.) 

LYRIC— (2,000)  (2Sc-33c-44c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $8,300.    (Average.  $4,500) 


Free  Admissions 

Cincinnati,  Jan.  6.  —  All  service 
men  and  women  in  uniforms  will  be 
admitted  free  to  the  suburban  Twenti- 
eth Century,  it  has  been  announced  by 
Willis  Vance,  owner  and  manager. 


L.  A.  Business 


Hums;  'Nights' 
Draws  $49,500 


Los  Angeles,  Jan.  6. — The  holi- 
days brought  exceptionally  good  busi- 
ness to  all  theatres.  "Arabian  Nights," 
teamed  with  "Time  to  Kill"  in  simul- 
taneous runs  at  the  Chinese,  State 
and  Ritz,  gathered  in  a  total  of 
$49,500.  "Now,  Voyager"  collected  a 
strong  total  of  $46,700  at  Warners' 
Hollywood,  Downtown  and  Wiltern. 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon,"  dualled 
with  "Sherlock  Holmes  and  the  Secret 
Weapon,"  turned  in  a  nice  $45,000  to- 
tal at  the  Hillstreet  and  Pantages. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  ending 
Dec.  30 : 

"Bambi"  (RKO)  9th  week 

"We  Are  The  Marines"  (20th- Fox)  2nd  wk. 

CARTHAY  CIRCLE— (1.518)  (33c-44c-55c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $5,000.  (Average, 
$10,000) 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (20th-Fox) 

CHINESE  —   (2,500)    (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $15,500.    (Average,  $12,000) 
"Jacare"  (U.A.) 

"Dudes  Are  Pretty  People"  (U.A.) 

HAWAII — (1,100)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.     (Average,  $3,500) 
"Once  Upon  A  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"Sherlock  Holmes  &  the  Secret  Weapon" 
(Univ.) 

HILLSTREET  —  (2,700)  (33c-44c-55c-75c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $22,500.    (Average,  $6,500) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (20th-Fox) 

LOEWS  STATE— (2,500)  (33c-44c-55c-75c) 
7  days.     Gross:  $24,000.     (Average,  $14,000) 
"Once  Upon  A  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"Sherlock  Holmes  &  the  Secret  Weapon" 
(Univ.) 

PANTAGES— (3,000)    (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $22,500.     (Average,  $7,000) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Hollywood)— (1.407)  (33c- 
44c-5Sc-75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $11,500.  (Aver- 
age. $9,400) 

"The  Pa!m  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Downtown)— (3,595)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $21,500.  (Aver- 
age, $18,CO0) 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (20th-Fox) 

RITZ  —  (1,376)   (33c-44c-65c-85c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $10,000. 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (Hollywood)  —  (3.400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)  7  days.  Gross:  $16,800. 
(Average.  $14,000) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.B.) 
WARNER  BROS.  (Downtown)— (3,400)  (33c- 
44c-65c-85c)  7  days.  Gross:  $15,400.  (Aver- 
age. $12,0CO) 

"Nrw,  Voyager"  (W.B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (Wiltern)  —  (2,200) 
(33c-44c-55c-65c-85c)  7  days.    Gross:  $14,500. 


Assessments  Issued 
For  Hartford  Houses 

Hartford,  Jan.  6. — This  city's  prop- 
erty assessment  list  for  1942  has  been 
announced.  Among  companies  listed 
are:  Poli-New  England  Theatres, 
Inc.,  $1,000,643 ;  Capitol  Theatre,  Inc., 
$324,001 ;  Connecticut  Theatrical 
Corp.,  $33,000. 

Among  assessments  for  Hartford 
residents  are  Maurice  W.  Shulman, 
$33,898,  and  Max  Shulman,  $99,743 
Maurice  W.  Shulman  is  manager  of 
the  Webster  Theatre.  Max  Shulman 
is  the  father  of  Maurice  Shulman  and 
Albert  Shulman,  manager  of  the 
Rivoli  Theatre. 


Chicago  Papers  Higher 

Chicago,  Jan.  6.  —  After  the  Sun 
and  Tribune  raised  their  prices  to 
three  cents,  the  Daily  News  and  Her- 
ald-American increased  theirs  from 
three  to  four  cents. 


IF  ANYBODY  IN  THIS  INDUSTRY  NEEDS  MO 

IS  THE  OUTFIT  WHOSE  EYES  ARE  WIDE  ! 

ALL  DAY  AND  EVERY  DAY....THIS  SA 


SYDNEY 


GREENSTREET!  PETER  L0RRE1 


Directed  by  MICHAEL  CURT1Z 


Screen  Play  by  Julius  J.  &  Philip  G.  Epstein  and  Howard  Koch 
From  a  Play  by  Murray  Burnett  and  Joan  Alison 
Music  by  Max  Steiner 


PROOF  THAT  WARNERS 

y  ND  ON  THE  BALL 

IT  IN  ONE  WORD ! 


/ 


WARNERS 

Varsity  Show 

(reissue) 
(M) 
Fred  Waring 
Dick  Powell 

Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy  (M) 

James  Cagney 

The  Gorilla 
Man  (D) 

John  Loder 
Ruth  Ford 

Casablanca  (D) 

Humphrey 
Bogart 
Ingrid  Bergman 

Truck  Busters 

Richard  Travis 
Ruth  Ford 

The  Hard  Way 
(D) 

Ida  Lupino 
Joan  Leslie 
Dennis  Morgan 

UNIVERSAL 

Madame  Spy 
(D) 

Pittsburgh  (D) 

Marlene  Dietrich 

The  Great 
Impersonation 
(D) 

Ralph  Bellamy 
Evelyn  Ankers 

Arabian  Nights 
(D) 

Maria  Montez 

Sabu 
(Technicolor) 

When  Johnny 
Comes 
Marching 
Home  (M) 

Allan  Jones 

Eyes  of  the 
Underworld  (D) 

Richard  Dix 
Wendy  Barrie 

Shadow  of  a 
Doubt  (D) 

Theresa  Wright 
Joseph  Cotten 

Mug  Town  (D) 

Dead  End  Kids 
and 
Little  Tough 
Guys 

The  Amazing 
Mrs.  HoUiday 
(D) 

Deanna  Dwbin 

Sherlock 
Holmes 
and  the  Secret 
Weapon  (D) 

Basil  Rathbone 

< 

American 
Empire  (D) 
Preston  Foster 
Richard  Dix 

Lost  Canyon 
(O) 

William  Boyd 

In  Which  We 
Serve  (D) 

Noel  Coward 

The  Crystal 
Ball  (C) 

Paulette  Goddard 
Ray  Milland 

The  Powers 
Girl  (M) 

Anne  Shirley 
Carole  Landis 
Dennis  Day 

McGuerins 
From 
Brooklyn  (C) 

William  Bendix 
Arline  Judge 

Young  and 
WiUing  (C) 

William  Holden 
Susan  Hayward 

G-String 
Murders  (D) 

Barbara 
Stanwyck 

Stage  Door 
Canteen  (M) 

Helen  Hayes 
Katharine 
Hepburn 

^a- 

20TH-FOX 

Dr.  Renault's 
Secret  (D) 
321 

Lynne  Roberts 
J.  Carroll  Naish  ( 

Life  Begins  at 
Eight-Thirty 
(C)  322 

Monty  Woolley 
Ida  Lupino 

China  Girl 
(D)  323 
Geo.  Montgomery 
Gene  Tierney 

We  Are  the 
Marines  (D) 
324 

U.  S.  Marines 

Over  My  Dead 
Body  (C)  325 

Milton  Berle 
Mary  Beth 
Hughes 

Time  to  Kill 
(D)  326 

Lloyd  Nolan 
Mary  Beth 
Hughes 

Immortal 
Sergeant 
(D)  327 

Henry  Fonda 

Chetniks 

(The  Fighting 
Guerillas) 
(D)  328 

Phillip  Dorn 

The  Meanest 
Man  in  the 
World  (C)  329 

Jack  Benny 
Priscilla  Lane 

Margin  For 
Error  (C)  330 

Milton  Berle 
Joan  Bennett 

The  Young 
Mr.  Pitt 
(D)  316 

Robert  Donat 
Robert  Morley 

RKO  RADIO 

Cat  People 
(D) 

Simone  Simon 
Jack  Holt 

The  Great 
Gildersleeve 
(C) 

Harold  Peary 
Jane  Darwell 

7  Miles  From 
Alcatraz 
(D) 

Bonita  Granville 
James  Craig 

Saludos  Amigos 

(Technicolor) 
( Walt  Disney 
Production) 

Hitler's 
Children  (D) 

Bonita  Granville 
Tim  Holt 

Fighting 
Frontier  (O) 

Tim  Holt 
Cliff  Edwards 

They  Got  Me 
Covered  (C) 

Bob  Hope 
Dorothy  Lamour 

Journey  Into 
Fear  (D) 

Joseph  Cotton 
Orson  Welles 
Dolores  De  Rio 

FUght  For 
Freedom  (D) 

Rosalind  Russell 
Fred  MacMurray 
Herbert  Marshall 

CindereUa 
Swings  It  (C) 

(Scattergood) 
Guy  K.  Kibbee 
Gloria  Warren 

REPUBLIC 

The  Traitor 
Within  (D) 
Heart  of  the 
Golden  West 
(O) 

Secrets  of  the 
Underground 
(D) 

John  Hubbard 
Virginia  Grey 

Ice-Capades 
(M)  206 
The  Sundown 
Kid  (D)  273 

Ridin'  Down 
the  Canyon  (O) 

Johnnie 
Doughboy  (C) 

Jane  Withers 

Mountain 
Rhythm  (M) 

Weaver  Bros. 
Elviry 

London 
Blackout 
Murders  (D) 
Boots  and 
Saddles 
(reissue) 
Gene  Autry 

Thundering 
Trails  (O) 

The  Three 
-  Mesquiteers 

Fighting  Devil 
Dogs  (D) 

Lee  Powell 
Herman  Brix 

Dead  Man's 
Gulch  (O) 

Don  "Red"  Barry 
Lynn  Merrick 

Blocked  Trail 
(O) 

The  Three 
Mesquiteers 

PRC 

Boss  of  Big 
Town  (D) 

John  Litel 
Florence  Rice 

Overland  Stage 
Coach  (O) 
Lady  From 
Chungking 
(D)  302 

The  Rangers 
Take  Over 
(O)  351 

Dave  O'Brien 
Jim  Newill 

Man  of 
Courage  (D) 

Barton  MacLane 
Charlotte 
Wynters 

The  Payoff 
(D)  303 
The  Kid  Rides 
Again  (O)  358 

Buster  Crabbe 

Dead  Men 
Walk  (D)  311 

George  Zucco 
Mary  Carlisle 

Lone  Rider 
No.  2  (0) 

Bob  Livingston 

Smoky  Moore 

A  Night  for 
Crime  (D) 

Glenda  Farrell 
Lyle  Talbot 

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Journey  for 
Margaret  (D) 
Robert  Young 

Laraine  Day 

Reunion  in 
France  (D) 

Joan  Crawford 
John  Wayne 
Phillip  Dorn 

Stand  By  For 
Action  (D) 

Robert  Taylor 
Chas.  Laughton 
Brian  Donlevy 

Dr.  Gillespie's 
New  Assistant 

Lionel  Barrymore 
Van  Johnson 

Andy  Hardy's 
Double  Life 
(C) 

Mickey  Rooney 
Lewis  Stone 

A  Night  to 
Remember  (C) 

Loretta  Young 
Brian  Aherne 

Tornado  in  the 
Saddle  (D) 

Russell  Hayden 
Alma  Carroll 

Commandos 
Strike  at 
Dawn  (D) 

Paul  Muni 
Anna  Lee 

City  Without 
Men  (D) 

Linda  Darnell 
Michael  Duane 

&  rH 

Q  M 

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Power  of  the 
Press  (D) 
Fighting 
Buckaroo  (O) 

Reveille  With 
Beverly  (M) 

Ann  Miller 
William  Wright 

No  Place  For 
a  Lady  (D) 

William  Gargan 
Margaret  Lindsan 

Riders  of  the 

Northwest 
Mounted  (O) 

Russell  Hayden 
Alma  Carroll 

£  M 

^  °^ 

(2  « 


Thursday,  January  7,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


U.S.  Considers 
Lamarr  Wage 
Action  asTest 


\^  e. 

^  MISS 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
suit  against  Loew's,  Inc.,  asking  free- 
dom from  her  optional  contract  be- 
_  of  the  pay  increase  refusal,  it 
earned  today. 
CCtiss  Lamarr's  suit  declared  the 
company  informed  her  last  November 
that  it  was  keeping  her  under  con- 
tract this  year  but  wasn't  giving  her 
her  stipulated  raise  to  $2,000  a  week 
because  of  the  salary  limitation  order. 
She  seeks  abrogation  of  her  contract 
if  the  stipulated  increase  is  not  forth- 
coming. 

U.  S.  Court  Trial  Seen 

Her  Superior  Court  suit  may  be 
transferred  to  the  Federal  district 
court  because  of  the  diversity  of  citi- 
zenship of  the  principals  involved,  it 
was  said,  thus  putting  both  parties  in 
a  position  of  directly  questioning  the 
validity  of  the  Federal  order.  In  cases 
of  diversity  of  citizenship,  actions  are 
first  filed  in  state  courts  and  then  at 
the  request  of  the  defendant  can  be 
transferred  to  a  Federal  court. 

Meanwhile  legal  departments  of  the 
top  talent  guilds  are  planning  to  act 
as  observers  in  the  court  action,  which 
is  the  first  attack  upon  the  legality 
of  personal  service  contracts  since  the 
President's  edict  and  which  is  one  of 
the  most  important  pieces  of  litigation 
to  top  industry  people.  Those  who 
would  be  affected  by  a  decision  on 
contract  validity  include  executives, 
producers,  stars,  featured  players, 
writers,  directors,  cinematographers 
and  all  othrs  under  option  pay  in- 
crease contracts. 

Guilds  Watch  Action 

The  Screen  Actors,  Writers  and 
Directors  Guilds'  representatives  said 
unofficially  their  counsel  would  watch 
the  proceedings  closely,  but  pending 
official  board  meetings  no  public  state - 
ments.would  be  made.  The  boards  of 
the  three  groups  will  probably  hold 
meetings  Monday  night. 

Kenneth  Thomson,  executive  secre- 
tary of  the  Screen  Actors  Guild,  re- 
turns tomorrow  from  Washington 
where  he  has  been  conferring  on  clar- 
ification of  orders  affecting  salaries. 


NTS  Gets  7,500  lbs. 
Of  Copper  Drippings 

National  Theatre  Supply  Co.'s  28 
branches  have  collected  approximately 
7,500  pounds  of  copper  drippings  from 
theatres  throughout  the  country,  the 
company  announced  yesterday. 

The  collections  were  sold  by  the 
branches  to  authorized  scrap  dealers 
and  the  proceeds  donated'  to  the  Unit- 
ed Nations  Fund,  the  Red  Cross,  the 
USO  and  other  patriotic  and  charita- 
ble organizations.  The  company's  re- 
cord was  cited  recently  by  Christopher 
J.  Dunphy  of  the  WPB  as  a  "worth- 
while war  contribution." 


Gets  Scrap  Citation 

Stratford,  Conn.,  Jan.  6. — Al  Pick- 
us,  operator  of  the  Stratford,  is  the 
first  New  England  exhibitor  and'  one 
of  10  in  the  country,  to  receive  a  spe- 
cial citation  from  Donald  Nelson, 
WPB  head,  for  his  two-day  scrap  col- 
lection record. 


Notes  from  Hollywood 


Hollywood,  Jan.  6. 

OEVEN  story  purchases  were  announced  during  the  week,  four  by 
^  Monogram,  two  by  Columbia  and  one  by  PRC.  Acquired  by  Mono- 
grain  were :  "Unknown  Heroes,"  story  of  the  current  war  by  Norman 
Lodge;  "Wings  of  Gold,"  wartime  flying  yarn  by  William  P.  Smith; 
"The  Real  Champ,"  by  Edward 
B.  Clayton,  and  "Slap  Happy," 
original  by  Harrison  Howell  to  fea- 
ture the  East  Side  Kids.  .  .  .  Colum- 
bia bought  "Road  to  Yesterday,"  or- 
iginal by  Stanley  Russell  and 
Herbert  Bierman  dealing  with  a 
sculptor  in  a  small  town  who  falls  in 
love  with  the  widow  of  one  of  his 
subjects,  and  "Night  Fighters,"  by  A. 
R.  Beverley-Giddings,  member  of  the 
British  Ministry  of  Information  in 
Washington,  D.  C,  and  which  con- 
cerns the  RAF.  .  .  .  Alexander  Stern 
Productions,  releasing  through  PRC, 
has  bought  an  original  by  George 
Bricker,  "Career  Girls." 

.  . 

Freddie  Slack's  Band  and  Ella 
Mae  Morse  go  into  David 
Hempstead's  "The  Sky  Is  the 
Limit"  (formerly  "Look  Out  Be- 
low") at  RKO.  Ruth  Warrick 
and  Walter  Reed  draw  the  ro- 
mantic roles  in  that  studio's 
"Petticoat  Larceny,"  Joan  Car- 
roll vehicle.  .  .  .  Edward  Arnold 
plays  five  devils  in  M-G-M's 
government  short  subject,  "In- 
flation." He  enacts  His  Satanic 
Majesty,  the  Devil;  John  Q. 
Lucifer,  fire  eater;  Ben  Beelze- 
bub, who  cashes  in  his  War 
Bonds;  Mike  Mephistopheles, 
ceiling  price  ticket  kicker,  and 
Sam  Satan,  food  hoarder.  .  .  . 
Richard  Carlson  will  support 
Herbert  Marshall,  Mary  Astor 
and  Susan  Peters  in  M-G-M's 
"Faculty  Row."  .  .  .  Leo  Carrillo 
joins  Allan  Jones,  Kitty  Carlisle 
and  Alvino  Rey  and  his  orches- 
tra in  "Cross  Your  Fingers," 
Universal.  At  the  same  studio, 
Grace  McDonald  got  the  roman- 
tic lead  in  "Always  a  Brides- 
maid," Andrews  Sisters  musi- 
cal; Anne  Rooney,  a  term  con- 
tract; and  Frank  Woodruff,  the 
directorial  reins  on  "Cowboy 
from  Manhattan." 

.  . 

Recently  severing  connections  with 
M-G-M,  Nelson  Eddy  over  the  week- 
end signed  with  Universal  for  the 
singing  romantic  lead  in  "Phantom  of 
the  Opera,"  which  George  Waggner 
will  produce  in  Technicolor.  John 
Carradine  is  hinted  for  the  title  role. 
Claire  Trevor  is  set  for  the  feminine 
lead  of  "Right  Guy"  at  Columbia.  The 
Lou  Breslow-Adele  Commandini 
screenplay  is  about  a  man  rejected  by 
the  army  and  who  does  his  part  in 
the  war  effort  by  working  in  a  ship- 
yard. .  .  .  Arthur  Dreifuss  has 
ended  his  affiliation  with  Jack 
Schwarz  Productions,  releasing 
through  PRC,  after  directing  four  fea- 
tures, and  goes  to  Universal  to  direct 
a  musical  short  featuring  Johnny 
Long  and  His  Orchestra. 

.  . 

Warners  has  set  Ann  Sheridan, 
Olivia  de  Havilland  and  Joan  Les- 
lie in  "Night  Shift,"  which  will  be 
directed  by  Raoul  Walsh,  and  pro- 
duced by  Benjamin  Glazer.  That 
studio  is  planning  a  sequel  to  "The 
Gav  Sisters,"  with  Barbara  Stan- 
wyck, Nancy  Coleman  and  Geral- 
dine  Fitzgerald  doing  repeat  roles. 
In   its    shorts   department,  Warners 


plans  a  two-reel  short  depicting  the 
highlights  of  the  history  of  sound  mo- 
tion pictures,  to  be  called  "The  Voice 
That  Thrilled  the  World,"  and  its 
first  Technicolor  national  defense  sub- 
ject of  1943,  "Mountain  Fighters."  .  .  . 
Two  writers  joined  M-G-M's  short 
subjects  department,  Hal  Smith,  for- 
mer documentaries  writer  for  the 
United  States  Interior  Department, 
and  Margaret  Englander,  radio 
scribe.  Casting  there  included:  Fay 
Bainter's  joining  Joan  Crawford 
and  Merle  Oberon  in  "Cry  Havoc" ; 
Snub  Pollard  to  "Air  Raid  War- 
dens" ;  William  Lundigan  to  "Dr. 
Gillespie's  Criminal  Case"  (formerly 
"Dr.  Gillespie's  Prison  Story").  .  .  . 
PRC  casting  includes :  Alan  Baxter 
and  Gertrude  Michael  for  "Casa 
Manana,"  V an  Norcross  original ; 
Lola  Lane  for  "North  African  Inci- 
dent" ;  Rochelle  Hudson  for  "Swind- 
lers All,"  S  and  N  Production ;  Ri- 
cardo  Cortez  and  possibly  Sylvia 
Sidney  for  "Girls  in  Chains,"  Altantis 
Picture.  .  .  .  The  company  has  a  tie- 
up  with  the  American  Red  Cross  for 
exploitation  of  "Corregidor,"  starring 
Otto  Kruger  and  Elissa  Landi. 
•  • 

Samuel  Goldwyn  has  signed 
Benno  Schneider,  director  of 
productions  for  the  Theatre 
Guild  and  other  New  York 
groupsi  to  a  term  contract.  .  .  . 
Jinx  Falkenburg  and  Joan  Davis 
go  into  Columbia's  "Two  Sen- 
oritas  from  Chicago,"  musical 
to  be  directed  by  Charles  Bar- 
ton and  produced  by  Wallace 
MacDonald.  Leslie  Brooks  and 
Adele  Mara,  two  other  con- 
tractees,  go  into  "What's  Buz- 
zin',  Cousin?"  starring  Ann 
Miller.  With  Brian  Aherne  go- 
ing into  "Attack  by  Night"  in- 
stead, Columbia  is  seeking  a 
male  lead  for  "Appointment  in 
Berlin,"  for  which  he  was  orig- 
inally announced.  .  .  .  Columbia 
has  set  "The  More  the  Merrier" 
as  the  definite  title  for  the  Jean 
Arthur-Joel  McCrea  picture 
which  George  Stevens  produced 
and  directed. 

.  . 

Frances  Farmer,  Dean  Jagger, 
John  Carradine,  Bill  Henry,  Sid- 
ney Blackmer,  Ian  Keith,  Spanky 
McFarland  have  been  set  for  "No 
Escape,"  King  Bros,  picture  for 
Monogram.  Despite  20th  Century-Fox 
announcing  the  title  "The  Grand 
Street  Boys"  as  a  special,  Sam  Katz- 
man  is  proceeding  with  plans  to  use 
that  title  for  the  East  Side  Kids  next 
picture.  Monogram  plans  another  mu- 
sical "Rhansodv  in  Rhythm,"  from  an 
original  story  by  Harvey  B.  Briggs 
and  is  seeking  a  name  band  to  appear 
in  it. 


Plan  Burlesque  Inquiry 

Hartfoi-  d,  ,  Jan.  6. — Governor  Hur- 
ley has  announced  plans  to  investigate 
the  status  of  a  lease  "under  which 
the  state-owned  Foot  Guard  Armory 
is  being  used  as  a  theatre  for  burlesque 
shows."  The  armory  is  under  lease  to 
the  Hartford  Theatre  Corp. 


U.S.  Prohibits 
Use  of  Cars  to 
Attend  Films 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

tial  users  in  the  17  Eastern  states  and 
the  District  of  Columbia,  with  indica- 
tions that  a  further  reduction  might 
be  ordered.  The  Petroleum  Admini- 
strator for  War  is  preparing  a  priority 
list  of  the  least-essential  activities 
which  can  be  cut  off  entirely  in  the 
event  the  emergency  deepens. 

Theatre  Fuel  Cut 

Theatres  and  other  oil  consumers 
had  their  rations  cut  over  the  weekend 
when  the  value  of  coupons  was  re- 
duced from  10  to  9  gallons.  It  was 
not  definite  tonight  how  the  new  cut 
would  be  accomplished,  but  it  was  re- 
ported that  all  non-residential  consum- 
ers might  be  required  to  turn  in  their 
coupons  for  new  ones  adjusted  to  the 
lower  rations. 

It  is  known  that  a  large  ma- 
jority of  the  theatres  in  the 
East  have  converted  to  coal  or 
are  not  dependent  upon  oil  for 
heating.    Those  which  can  not 
convert,  and  there  is  no  reli- 
able estimate  of  the  number, 
either  will  have  to  take  what 
limited  amounts  of  fuel  oil  will 
be  available  to  them  in  the  fu- 
ture and  adjust  their  operating 
hours  accordingly,  or  close  un- 
til warm  weather  arrives,  offi- 
cials here  believe. 
The  ban  on  pleasure  driving  is  not 
expected  to  affect  large  city  theatres 
convenient  to  good  public  transporta- 
tion very  much,  on  the  basis  of  ob- 
servation of  the  effects  of  gasoline  ra- 
tioning' to  date.    However,  rural  the- 
atres dependent  on  country  patronage, 
which  already  have  suffered  consider- 
ably from  gasoline  rationing,  cannot 
avoid  further  losses  of  patronage,  it  is 
believed. 

Face  Loss  of  Rations 

The  OPA  stated  that  "the  presence 
of  passenger  cars  at  any  gathering  for 
purposes  of  sport  or  amusement  will 
be  taken  as  prima  facie  evidence  that 
gasoline  rations  and  tires  are  being- 
dissipated  needlessly  and  illegally." 

Loss  of  all  gasoline  rations  is  the 
penalty  prescribed  for  such  cases, 
which  would  include  the  presence  of 
passenger  cars  in  theatre  parking  lots 
or  adjacent  to  theatres,  it  was  said. 

The  situation,  likewise,  will  affect 
film  salesmen  further.  Those  in  the 
17  Eastern  states  and  the  District  of 
Columbia  were  denied  increased  gas 
rations  at  the  beginning  of  the  week 
by  the  OPA  and  the  new  turn  of 
events  makes  a  future  increase  highly 
unlikely  and  a  decrease  probable. 


Eliminates  Matinees 

New  Haven,  Jan.  6.  —  The  five 
weekday  matinees  at  the  Pequot  The- 
atre here  will  be  eliminated  to  con- 
serve fuel,  Harry  L.  Lavietes  an- 
nounced. 


Open  Later  to  Conserve 

Charlotte,  N.  C.,  Jan.  6. — The  Vi- 
sulite  and  Plaza  theatres  are  opening 
at  3:15  p.  fn.  daily  instead  of  1  p.  m. 
to  conserve  oil,  A.  B.  Craver  and 
Tom  Little,  the  operators,  announced. 
The  Charlotte,  operated  by  the  same 
men,  will  open  at  1  p.  m.  instead  of 
11  a.  m.  for  the  same  reason. 


8 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Thursday,  January  7,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


THE  importance  of  radio  in  wartime  and  its  role  in  the  peace  to  follow  is 
discussed  in  a  statement  issued  by  James  T.  Buckley,  president  of  the 
Philco  Corp.  He  said  the  industry  has  achieved  "new  engineering  and  pro- 
duction miracles  in  1942"  with  further  developments  expected  for  1943. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Richard  Bronson  has  succeeded  Jack  Lacey,  now  in  the 
Army,  as  chief  announcer  at  WNBC,  Hartford.  .  .  .  T.  0.  McCullough  has 
been  appointed  commercial  manager  of  WIOD,  Miami,  Fla.,  succeeding  Steve 
Vetter  who  has  joined  WFTL.  .  .  .  Jay  Clark  has  joined  the  radio  department 
of  Ted  Bates,  Inc.  .  .  .  Robert  Martineau  is  now  commercial  manager  of 
WTHT,  Hartford.  .  .  .  Clark  A.  Snyder,  formerly  radio  director  of  J.  Stirling 
Getchell,  Inc.,  has  joined  the  Blue  station  relations  department. 

•  •  • 

The  National  Safety  Council  and  its  War  Production  Fund  to  Conserve 
Manpower  will  launch  its  national-community  plan  against  accidents 
in  war  production  centers  on  its  "Men,  Machines  and  Victory"  program 
tomorrow  night  on  the  Blue.  A  $100  war  bond  prize  will  be  awarded 
to  the  worker  who  has  made  the  greatest  contribution  to  safety.  Spot 
announcements  in  14  cities  are  planned  for  stations. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Bob  Burns  moves  his  "Arkansas  Traveler"  show  to  NBC 
from  CBS  tonight.  .  .  .  The  "Good  Will  Hour"  celebrates  its  sixth  anniversary 
Sunday  night  on  the  Blue.  .  .  .  "Information,  Please"  experts  have  set  a  $5,- 
000,000  war  bond  quota  for  their  broadcast  from,  Philadelphia's  Academy  of 
Music  tomorrow  night.  .  .  .  The  Blue  will  carry  ceremonies  from  Philadelphia 
on  Saturday,  Jan.  16,  when  Donald  M.  Nelson  is  given  the  Poor  Richard 
Atvard  for  Outstanding  Achievement.  The  broadcast  will  originate  from 
WFIL.  .  .  .  "A.  L.  Alexander's  Meditation  Board"  will  make  its  debut  over 
IVOR  and  Mutual  on  Monday,  9:15-10.  p.  m. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  Producer-director  Ken  Michael  of  the  Blue  will  be  in- 
ducted in  the  Army  on  Monday.  .  .  .  Homer  Bliss  and  William  Warfield  of 
WHAM,  Rochester,  and  Bud  Tesch  of  WSAY,  Rochester,  are  in  the 
Army.  .  .  .  Leonard  Allen  of  NBC's  international  section,  was  inducted  in 
the  Army  this  week. 


Roosevelt  on  Radio 
Webs  Next  Tuesday 

The  "Farm  Mobilization 
Day"  program  with  President 
Roosevelt  as  principal  speak- 
er will  be  aired  over  NBC, 
Blue,  CBS  and  Mutual  on 
Tuesday.  The  broadcast  will 
also  be  carried  by  WNEW, 
WMCA,  WINS  and  probably 
WHN.  Time  of  the  broadcast 
will  be  announced  later. 

President  Roosevelt  wii'"fcv 
heard  at  12:30  p.  m.  todF^tl 
his  annual  message  to  Con- 
gress, over  the  networks  and 
local  stations. 


Court  Upholds 
Trade  Control 
For  Canadians 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 
orders  could  be  enforced  by  govern- 
ment-appointed officials. 

The  six-judge  Supreme  Court  was 
unanimous  in  its  conclusion  that  the 
acts  of  the  appointed  controllers  were 
intra  vires,  although  one  judge  ruled 
that  compensation  could  not  be  paid  by 
the  government  for  equipment  taken 
over  by  the  board  of  controllers.  The 
questions  discussed  by  the  court  in  its 
findings  applied  generally  to  govern- 
ment board  orders  affecting  all  busi- 
nesses but  McMullen  and  James  Stew- 
art, administrator  of  services,  are  now 
free  to  regulate  the  operation  of  thea- 
tres and  film  exchanges  as  long  as  the 
War  Measures  Act  remains  in  force 
through  the  action  of  Parliament, 
which  may  mean  for  some  time  after 
the  end  of  the  war. 


Forbid  Smoking  in 
Seattle's  Theatres 


Seattle,  Jan.  6. — Smoking  by  pa- 
trons of  local  theatres  in  the  loge  and 
balcony  sections,  permitted  for  the  last 
several  seasons,  will  be  forbidden  here 
beginning  next  week.  Managers  of 
theatres  representing  all  operating  cir- 
cuits of  the  city,  both  downtown  and 
residential,  are  advising  their  patrons 
to  this  effect  by  screen  trailers  this 
week. 

The  decision  was  reached  after  a 
meeting  attended  by  managers,  Fire 
Chief  William  Fitzgerald  and  Build- 
ing Superintendent  Charles  C.  Hughes. 

The  cooperative  spirit  of  the  theatre 
managers  will  make  it  unnecessary  to 
ask  the  Seattle  city  council  for  an 
ordinance  banning  smoking  in  theatres, 
Chief  Fitzgerald  reported.  He  stated 
that  Seattle  theatres  are  exceptionally 
well  protected  from  fire,  and  reported 
that  not  a  single  life  has  ever  been 
lost  in  a  theatre  fire  here. 

Legislation  to  further  safeguard 
cafe-dance  establishments  and  other 
places  of  amusement  from  fire  hazards 
however  has  been  submitted  to  the 
city  council  this  week  by  the  Fire  and 
Building  departments. 

The  proposed  bill  demands  that 
there  must  be  doors  or  entrances  five 
feet  or  more  in  width  if  the  capacity 
of  the  hall  exceeds  200  persons.  Fur- 
ther, the  ordinance  would  require 
metal  signs  showing  the  capacity  of 
the  establishment  as  determined  by  the 
citv  building  department  to  be  posted 
at  the  main  entrance. 


Republic  Will  Hold 
Chicago  Sales  Meet 

Chicago,  Jan.  6. — Republic  Pictures 
will  hold  a  regional  meeting  at  the 
Drake  Hotel  here,  Jan.  14.  J.  R. 
Grainger,  president  will  meet  with 
representatives  of  the  eleven  exchanges 
in  the  Midwest  territory. 


Maranville  at  B  &  L 

Rochester,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  6.— "Rab- 
bit" Maranville,  former  big  league 
ball  player,  is  now  a  plant  guard  at 
the  Bausch  &  Lomb  Optical  Co.  here. 


2  Hours  Pay  Issue 
In  48-Hour  Week 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

tracts  with  producers  now  call  for 
a  six-hour  work  day.  In  this  way 
the  workers  would  get  54  hours'  pay 
for  48  hours'  work.  However,  the 
studios  are  insisting  that  the  over- 
time start  after  a  40-hour  cumulative 
week  and  time-and-a-half  apply  only 
to  the  last  eight  hours  worked.  This 
would  give  the  men  52  hours'  pay  for 
48  hours'  work. 

Further  meetings  are  scheduled  this 
week  to  iron  out  this  and  minor  mat- 
ters coming  up  in  rewriting  bargain- 
ing contracts  to  conform  with  the 
War  Manpower  Commission  execu- 
tives' expressed  wish  that  the  work 
week  be  lengthened  to  release  work- 
ers for  other  war  industries. 


Probe  of  FCC  as 

Gestapo  Is  Asked 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

has  never  been  seen  in  a  free  gov- 
ernment." 

Radio  also  was  attacked  and  de- 
fended on  the  floor  of  the  House,  Rep. 
John  E.  Rankin  of  Mississippi  assail- 
ing "flannel  mouth"  speakers  who  he 
charged  are  spreading  propaganda  and 
insinuations  against  Congress  over  the 
radio  and  suggesting  a  "national"  ra- 
dio system  or  a  requirement  that  mem- 
bers be  given  time  to  answer  their 
detractors. 

Rep.  Karl  E.  Mundt  of  South  Da- 
kota, defending  the  broadcasters,  said 
they  had  been  "relatively"  fair  and 
pointed  out  that  many  speakers  used 
time  purchased  by  advertisers.  He 
agreed  that  legislation  might  be  de- 
sirable, but  had  no  definite  recommen- 
dations to  offer. 


Two  Coast  Theatres 
Authorized  by  WPB 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  6. — Two  bay 
area  theatres,  just  completed  under 
unique  circumstances,  opened  their 
doors  to  the  public  this  week.  One 
was  the  $30,000  Victory  in  Vallejo, 
site  of  the  Mare  Island  Navy  Yard 
and  beehive  of  defense  activity. 
Owned  by  Ray  Syufy,  work  on  it  had 
been  halted  by  the  government  but 
permission  to  complete  it  was  granted 
owing  to  the  fact  it  was  started  before 
the  ban  on  construction  became  effec- 
tive. 

The  other  theatre  is  the  old  Menlo 
in  Menlo  Park,  which  was  cut  in 
half  by  construction  of  a  new  high- 
way. Permission  to  erect  a  new  front 
was  granted  by  the  government. 
.Seating  capacity  has  been  cut  in  half. 
It  is  operated  by  Harvey  Amusement 
Company. 

New  AFRA  Pact  Will 
Go  to  W.  L.  B.  Soon 

The  new  contract  between  the 
American  Federation  of  Radio  Artists 
and  the  networks  is  expected  to  be 
submitted  to  the  War  Labor  Board 
within  a  day  or  two.  Yesterday  the 
contract  allowing  for  a  10  per  cent  in- 
crease in  minimums  was  being  readied 
for  the  signatures  of  the  contracting 
parties. 

According  to  Emily  Holt,  AFRA 
executive  secretary,  joint  application 
by  the  union  and  industry  will  prob- 
ably be  made  for  government  ap- 
proval of  the  contract. 


'Ecstasy*  Opens  in  Phila. 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  6. — "Ecstasy," 
which  has  been  banned  for  exhibition 
in  Pennsylvania  for  the  past  six 
years,  will  have  its  first  showing  here 
tomorrow  at  the  Studio,  midtown  the- 
atre devoted  to  foreign  film  showings. 
The  picture  was  passed  by  the  state 
censor  board  recently  after  deletions. 


Income  Tax,  Fiscal 
Year  Changes  Asked 
By  Governor  Dewey 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
ize  chance  games  in  the  state  under 
local  city  or  village  option  was  intro- 
duced  by   Assemblyman    Wilson  of 
Westchester  County. 

The  latter  bill  would  permit  either 
adherents  or  opponents  of  the  game  to 
initiate  a  petition,  which  if  signed  by 
five  per  cent  of  the  electors,  would  re- 
quire a  vote  on  the  subject  by  the  local 
governing  body.  The  result  of  that 
vote  would  be  binding  on- the  locality 
for  a  year  unless  a  repeal  petition  was 
passed.  If  the  game  was  permitted, 
organizations  the  same  as  those  de- 
fined in  the  Bannigan  bill  would  be  is- 
sued licenses  at  costs  determined  by 
seating  capacities  of  the  places  in 
which  the  game  would  be  played. 
However,  prizes  are  limited  to  mer- 
chandise having  a  top  retail  value  of 
$250  in  any  one  night  and  no  cash 
awards  would  be  permitted.  The  bill 
was  referred  to  the  Codes  Committee. 

Another  bill  which  would  permit  the 
legislative  body  of  a  city  to  issue  li- 
censes to  recognized  veterans,  re- 
ligious or  charitable  organizations  to 
conduct  drawings,  and  another  pro- 
viding for  a  state  lottery,  was  intro- 
duced by  Assemblyman  Bannigan. 

Suggested  Tax  Cuts 

Included  in  tax  reductions  suggested 
by  the  Governor  were  deductions  from 
income  tax  of  unusual  medical  ex- 
penses, including  childbirth ;  deduc- 
tions for  life  insurance  premiums,  and 
exemptions  for  dependents  over  18 
who  are  in  accredited  schools  or  col- 
leges. 

A  bill  effectuating  the  income  tax 
changes  and  the  fiscal  year  setup  was 
introduced  by  Assemblyman  Moffat  in 
the  lower  house  and  by  Senator  Wal- 
lace in  the  upper.  In  view  of  Gov- 1 
ernor  Dewey's  safe  Republican  majori- 
ties in  both  houses,  enactment  of  his 
tax  program  is  regarded  as  certain.  i 

Assemblyman  Oswald  D.  Heck  wasj 
reelected  speaker;  Irwin  Steingut  of' 
Brooklyn,  minority  leader,  and  As- 
semblyman Irving  Ives  was  reap- 
pointed majority  leader.  Joseph  R. 
Hanley  is  president  pro  tempore  of 
the  senate,  and  Senator  John  Dunni- 
gan  of  the  Bronx  is  minority  leader. 


Joins  Univ.  in  Frisco 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  6.  —  Paul,' 
Schmuck,  formerly  with  Pathe  in| 
Southern  California,  has  joined  the! 
Universal  sales  staff  here,  replacing] 
Sam  Nathanson,  transferred  to  Seat- 
tle. 


Alerts 

aiTQ  \ 

to  trie  k; 

cjtion 

Picture 

Industry 

MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


■ 


VOL.  53.  NO.  5 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  FRIDAY,  JANUARY  8,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Half  of  Para. 
Preferred  to 
Be  Redeemed 


Over  $6,000,000  of  Issue 
Called  April  1 


Redemption  on  April  1  of  one- 
half  of  Paramount  Pictures'  $12,- 
135,167  first  preferred  stock  now 

f   outstand- 

ing  was  an- 
nounced yes- 
terday  by 
Paramount,  of 
which  Barney 
B  a  1  a  b  an  is 
president.  The 
shares  to  be 
redeemed  a  t 
par  plus  ac- 
crued interest 
will  be  deter  - 
mined  in 
drawings  b  y 
lot  on  Jan.  22. 
All  of  Paramount's  second  pre- 
ferred stock  was  called  in  by  the  com- 
pany a  year  ago  and,  aside  from  the 
presently  proposed  redemption  of  first 
preferred,  its  consolidated  funded  debt 
consists  of  approximately  $20,000,000 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Barney  Balaban 


Governors  to  Attend 
'Children'  Openings 


The  50-city  premiere  of  "Hitler's 
Children"  being  staged  by  RKO  Radio 
Pictures  throughout  the  Midwest  from 
Jan.  14  to  18  will  be  highlighted  by  the 
initial  showing  at  the  Albee  Theatre, 
Cincinnati,  next  Thursday,  the  com- 
pany announced  yesterday. 

Governor  John  Bricker  of  Ohio 
will  be  one  of  the  guests  of  honor  at 
the  performance  and  Governor  H.  F. 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


Operators  Get  Jobs 
Back  at  Dark  House 

The  State  Labor  Relations  Board 
lias  ordered  reinstatement  of  two 
members  of  Empire  State  Motion  Pic- 
ture Operators  Union  at  the  McKinley 
Square  Theatre  in  the  Bronx,  the 
union  revealed  yesterday.  The  only 
drawback  is  that  the  theatre  has  been 
closed  for  some  time. 

And  although  the  theatre  is  dark 
the  board  ordered  an  election  among 
its  operators  to  decide  which  union 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


'Spangled  Rhythm' 
In  $115,000  Week; 
B'way  Still  Terrific 


"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  gave  the 
Paramount  on  Broadway  one  of  the 
biggest  weeks  in  its  history  with  an 
estimated  gross  of  $115,000  for  the 
seven  days  ending  Tuesday  night.  This 
"take"  includes  New  Year's  business 
and  compares  favorably  with  any 
week's  gross  at  the  house.  With  Ben- 
ny Goodman  and  his  band  continuing 
as  the  stage  attraction,  the  Para- 
mount started  its  second  week  Wed- 
nesday with  an  estimated  $10,700  for 
the  day. 

Business  continued  healthy  at  ma- 
jor houses  after  terrific  grosses  ac- 
counted for  by  New  Year's  eve  and 
the  three-day  weekend  holiday. 

"The  Black  Swan"  at  the  Roxy 
with  Carmen  Miranda  and  the  Nicho- 
las Brothers  on  the  stage  collected 
an  estimated  $111,000  for  the  second 
week,  which  is  sensational  for  that 
house,  and  opened  strong  on  the  third 
week  yesterday. 

Also  continuing  very  big  is  "Ran- 
dom Harvest"  with  the  stage  presen- 
tation at  the  Radio  City  Music  Hall, 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Seek  Independents 
In  48-Hour  Week 

Hollywood,  Jan.  7. — A  move  to  in- 
clude independent  studios  in  the 
lengthened  work  week  and  labor  pool 
system  to  be  established  under  War 
Manpower  Commission  auspices  was 
made  today  by  Frank  Carothers,  sec- 
retary of  the  Internationals'  Commit- 
tee and  chairman  of  the  Studio  Unions' 
informal  committee  working  on  a  48- 
hour  work  week  plan. 

Carothers  announced  today  he  would 
shortly  call  a  meeting  of  independent 
studio  managers  and  union  represen- 
tatives to  work  out  a  method  under 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Pay-As-You-Go  Tax 
Seen  by  March  15 

Washington,  Jan.  7. — Ex- 
perts predicted  today  that  a 
"pay-as-you-go"  tax  bill 
would  be  passed  by  Congress 
by  March  15.  Hearings  by  the 
House  Ways  and  Means  Com- 
mittee, which  must  originate 
the  measure,  will  start  about 
Jan.  20,  it  was  believed.  The 
Treasury  Department  is  re- 
ported as  willing  to  forego  at 
least  a  part  of  a  year's  income 
taxes  to  place  collections  on  a 
month-to-month  basis. 


800  Film  Men 
HonorBenny  at 
Charities  Fete 


More  than  800  executives  and  em- 
ployes of  the  motion  picture  industry 
attended  the  annual  campaign  fund 
luncheon  of  the 
gBHBHHHBHH  Amusement  Di- 
vision of  the 
Federation  for 
the  Support  of 
Jewish  Philan- 
thropic Socie- 
ties of  New 
York,  held  yes- 
terday at  the 
Hotel  A  s  t  o  r 
and  at  which 
Jack  Benny, 
film  and  radio 
star,  was  the 
guest  of  honor. 

At   the  con- 
clusion   of  the 


Jack  Benny 


luncheon,  it  was  announced  that  225 
new  subscribers  from  the  amusement 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


Industry  Worker  'Census'  Halted 

By  Reported  Company  Head  Veto 

A  plan  of  the  industry's  public  relations  committee  to  take  a 
"census"  of  the  religion,  nationality,  birth,  reading  habits  and 
other  highly  particularized  facts  of  each  individual  engaged  in  the 
home  offices,  studios  and  exchanges,  which  has  been  under  consid- 
eration for  several  months,  is  reported  to  have  been  abandoned 
because  of  the  objection  by  certain  company  presidents. 

This  "census"  was  to  have  been  taken  by  means  of  a  question- 
naire which  would  have  been  unsigned. 

Members  of  the  public  relations  committee  did  not  explain  the 
purpose  of  the  plan  or  the  reason  for  an  exhaustive  questionnaire 
to  determine  the  personal  and  business  habits  of  those  working  in 
the  business.  It  was  learned,  however,  that  it  was  intended  to 
place  the  vital  information  once  it  would  have  been  assembled  in 
the  hands  of  Federal  agencies  such  as  the  Department  of  Com- 
merce. 


Worse  Fuel 
Crisis  Seen 
For  Theatres 


Operating  Shift  to  Meet 
Cut  up  to  Exhibitors 

By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  7. — Little 
hope  for  any  improvement  in  the ' 
oil  situation  in  the  Eastern  states 
which  will  permit  the  restoration  of 
the  25  per  cent  cut  in  rations  for 
theatres  and  other  non-residential 
structures  which  went  into  effect  to- 
day was  seen  tonight  by  officials  of 
either  the  Office  of  Price  Adminis- 
tration or  the  Petroleum  Adminis- 
tration for  War. 

On  the  contrary,  the  petro- 
leum industry's  council,  meet- 
ing today  with  the  PAW., 
warned  that  the  situation  may 
become  even  more  serious  if 
bad  weather  and  increased  mili- 
tary demand  further  drain  the 
very  small  Eastern  inventories. 

OPA  officials  said  it  was  up  to  each 
individual  exhibitor  how  he  would  use 
the  oil  he  may  now  receive.  Some 
houses,  a  spokesman  said,  may  find  it 
possible  to  get  along  by  cutting  out 
matinees  ;  others  may  have  to  close  for  , 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


Relaxation  of  Wage 
Rule  in  Prospect 


Hollywood,  Jan.  7. — Prospects  for 
relaxation  of  Treasury  Department 
rules  on  wage  freezing  were  held 
brighter  today  in  Hollywood  as 
progress  was  reported  made  in  pre- 
senting problems  peculiar  to  the  indus- 
try before  Department  executives  in 
Washington. 

Three  concessions  of  particular  im- 
portance to  actors  may  be  made  by 
government  officials,  it  was  believed. 
They  follow  : 

1.  Companies  may  be  authorized  to 
pick  up  contractual  options  and  pay 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "Shadow  of  a 
Doubt,"  "Chetniks"  and  "Mar- 
gin for  Error"  and  key  city 
box-office  reports.  Page  6. 
Picture  of  Federation  of  Jew- 
ish Charities  luncheon,  is  on 
Page  7. 


2 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Friday,  January  8,  1943 


Personal 
Mention 


MJ.    SIEGEL,    Republic  studio 
•  'head,   is   expected  here  early 
next  week. 

• 

Joseph  L.  Stein  of  the  Copyright 
Protection  Bureau  is  father  of  a  son 
born  to  Mrs.  Stein  at  Polyclinic  Hos- 
pital yesterday. 

• 

Lt.  John  Perakos,  formerly  man- 
ager of  the  Eastwood  Theatre,  East 
Hartford,_  is   stationed   in  Australia 
with  the  U.  S.  Army  Air  Forces. 
• 

Walter  Ferron,  formerly  at  the 
Strand  Theatre,  Plainville,  Conn.,  is, 
reported  in  the  South  Pacific  with  the 
U.  S.  Navy  as  a  radioman. 

• 

Sgt.  Donald  V.  Andreotta,  form- 
erly at  Loew's-Poli,  Hartford,  was 
there  on  a  furlough  from  Camp  Gru- 
ber,  Okla. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN      .     GREER  GARSON 
In  James  Hilton's 

" RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN  M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue   .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 
PRESENTS 

STAR  SPANGLED 
RHYTHM' 

with  43  STARS 
PARAMOUNT 


IN  PERSON 

BENNY 
GOODMAN 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

—Extra- 
Frank  Sinatra 

Times  Square 


Mavr*«n 


Tyren* 

POWER  •  0  KARA 

™BiackSwam 

*js*c^-Fo-r—.(*    IN  TECHNICOLOR! 
*  PLUS  BIG  STAGE  SHOW  * 


BUY  AWARpfkV  V 
BOND  at  the  IvVA  I 


71*  AW. 

soit,  sr. 


PALACE 


B  WAY  & 
47th  St. 


ERROL  FLYNN 


ALEXIS  SMITH 


"GENTLEMAN  JIM" 

 and  

"FLYING  FORTRESS" 

RICHARD  GREENE — PAULA  LEHMANN 


"The  Perfect  Skating  Show" —  Mantle,  News 
rn,  i.  ti  cn  at  all  Performances  ex-lPlus 
5LJC  to  >|.3U  Mpt8at.  Eves.Melo$2.50/Tax 

Sonfa  Htnlt  9  Arthur  At.  Wirt*  frisimt 

A  Musical 
Icetravaganza 

CENTER  THEA.,  Rockefeller  Center  CO.  5-5474 

America*!  Only  Ice  Theatre 
Evgs.  Incl.  8un.  8:40    Mats.:  Wed.,  Sat.  &  Sun. 
No  Monday  Pert.  Mail  Orders  Filled 


STARS  ON  ICE 


Twussa 
Loew' 


.STATE 


ON  SCREEN 
HEDY  LAMARR 
WALTER  PIDGEON 
IN  M.G.M.'s 

"WHITE  CARGO" 


4 


IN  PERSON 

George 
Abbott's 

"Best 
Foot 
Forward" 


Adolph  Zukor,  Film 
Pioneer,  Celebrates 
Seventieth  Birthday 


7,801  Pledge  United 
Nations  Week  Drive 


Adolph  Zukor 


ADOLPH  ZUKOR,  chairman  of 
the  board  of  Paramount  Pictures, 
founder  of  the  company  and  the  dean 
of  industry  vet- 
erans, observed 
his  70th  birth- 
day yesterday. 

Zukor,  who 
emigrated  to  this 
country  at  the 
age  of  16  and 
engaged  in  the 
fur  trade  here 
and  in  Chicago, 
joined  hands 
with  the  late 
Marcus  Loew 
in  1903  in  his 
first  amusement 
venture,  a  penny 
arcade.  This 
was  the  foundation  of  the  Marcus 
Loew  Enterprises,  of  which  Loew  be- 
came president  and  Zukor  treasurer. 

In  1912,  according  to  International 
^lotion  Picture  Almanac,  Zukor 
formed  Famous  Players  Film  Co.  with 
the  aid  of  Daniel  Frohman,  and  pro- 
duced the  first  two  multiple-reel  fea- 
ture pictures,  "Queen  Eliabeth"  with 
Sarah  Bernhardt  and  "The  Prisoner 
of  Zenda"  with  James  J.  Hackett.  In 
1916,  the  company  consolidated  with 
Jesse  L.  Lasky's  Feature  Play  Co.  to 
become  Famous  Players-Lasky  Corp., 
and  then  absorbed  Paramount  Pictures 
Corp.,  a  sales  and  distribution  or- 
ganization. The  company  entered  the 
theatre  field  after  the  first  World 
War  and  developed  Publix  Theatres 
Corp. 

President  20  Years 

In  1927,  the  company  name  was 
changed  to  Paramount  Famous-Lasky 
Corp.  and  in  1930  to  Paramount-Pub- 
lix  Corp.  Following  the  reorgani- 
ation  of  the  company  in  1935  it  be- 
came Paramount  Pictures  Corp. 
Zukor  served  as  president  of  the  com- 
pany for  more  than  20  years  and, 
since  its  reorganization,  has  been 
chairman  of  the  board  and  president 
of  Paramount  Broadway  Corp.,  a  sub- 
sidiary. 

In  addition  to  being  credited  with 
the  first  feature  picture,  Zukor  was 
the  first  industry  executive  to  supple- 
ment production  with  distribution  and 
sales  organizations  and  then  to  sup- 
plement those  with  theatre  outlets. 


A  total  of  7,801  exhibitors  have 
signed  pledges  to  date  for  the  partici- 
pation of  their  theatres  in  the  indus- 
try's United  Nations  Week  drive, 
Loen  Bamberger,  national  campaign 
manager,  announced  yesterday. 

Bamberger  said  that  by  the  start  of 
the  drive  next  Thursday,  the  number 
of  exhibitor  pledges  is  expected  to 
exceed  all  previous  expectations. 

The  drive  was  cited  yesterday  by 
Joseph  E.  Davies,  chairman  of  the 
President's  War  Relief  Control  Board, 
in  a  letter  to  Francis  S.  Harmon, 
coordinator  of  the  industry  War  Ac- 
tivities Committee.  Expressing  his  in- 
terest in  the  campaign,  Davies  restated 
that  proceeds  of  collections  would  be 
turned  over  to  the  National  War  Fund 
for  distribution  to  appropriate  war 
relief  organizations. 


Newsreel 
Parade 


New  Ad  Firm  Retains 
RKO,  NBC  Accounts 

RKO  Radio  Pictures,  RKO  Thea- 
tres, NBC  and  The  Blue  Network 
will  continue  as  accounts  of  the  Foote, 
Cone  &  Belding  advertising  agency, 
which  succeeded  the  former  Lord  & 
Thomas  agency,  which  also  handled 
their  accounts,  it  was  announced  yes- 
terday. 

Emerson  Foote  has  been  elected 
president  of  the  new  agency ;  Fairfax 
M.  Cone,  chairman  of  the  executive 
committee,  and  Don  Belding,  chairman 
of  the  board.  They  were  formerly  in 
charge  of  the  New  York,  Chicago 
and  Los  Angeles  offices  of  Lord  & 
Thomas,  respectively,  and  each  will 
continue  his  headquarters  in  the  same 
cities.  Additional  officers  of  the  new 
firm  will  be  elected  at  a  meeting  of 
the  executive  committee  in  Chicago, 
Jan.  16. 


Mayer  Extort  Try 
Laid  to  Revenge 

Los  Angeles,  Jan.  7. — Revenge  be- 
cause of  claimed  persecution  and 
blacklisting  of  his  father,  Lew  Lipton, 
former  writer  at  M-G-M,  was  the  mo- 
tive behind  an  alleged  $250,000  extor- 
tion attempt  against  Louis  B.  Mayer, 
head  of  the  studio,  by  Channing 
Drexel  Lipton,  a  pianist,  according  to 
his  statement  read  to  a  jury  by  As- 
sistant U.  S.  Attorney  John  Marvin 
Dean,  at  Lipton's  trial  in  Federal 
Court  here  todav. 


Free  Phila.  Film  Shows 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  7. — The  Phila- 
delphia Museum  of  Art  is  presenting 
a  series  of  free  motion  pictures  each 
weekend,  continuing  through  May  23. 
All  the  films  selected  deal  primarily 
with  the  war. 


M-G-M  Executives 
To  Studio  Meetings 

William  F.  Rodgers,  Loew's  vice- 
president  and  general  sales  manager, 
left  for  Chicago  last  night  where  he 
will  join  a  delegation  of  the  com- 
pany's sales  executives  leaving  there 
for  the  Coast  tomorrow. 

E.  K.  O'Shea,  E.  M.  Saunders,  H. 
M.  Richey  and  Edwin  W.  Aaron  com- 
prise the  home  office  delegation  which 
will  leave  New  York  tonight  to  join 
Rodgers  and  Jack  Flynn.  The  group 
is  scheduled  to  arrive  at  the  studio 
Monday  for  a  visit  of  two  to  three 
weeks.  They  will  view  recently  com- 
pleted product  and  discuss  sales  plans 
for  it,  and  may  decide  on  the  com- 
pany's next  block  of  pictures. 


THE  convening  of  the  78th  Con- 
gress and  re-election  of  Speaker 
Sam  Rayburn  is  featured  in  zveekend 
nezvsreels  along  with  neu>s  of  the 
opening  of  Henry  J.  Kaiser's  steel 
mill  on  the  Pacific  Coast  and  Beards- 
ley  Ruml's  explanation  of  his  pay-as- 
you-go  tax  plan.  There  are  new  films 
from  the  tvorld  battlefronts. 
tents  folloiv.  \  & 

MOVIETONE  NEWS,  No.  36.— 78th  Con 
gress  meets.  Speaker  Rayburn  re-elected 
Kaiser  opens  new  plant  on  West  Coast. 
Willamette  Valley  region  flooded  in  Ore- 
gon. Touhy  returns  to  jail.  Dutch  air 
cadets  arrive  in  U.  S.  Gen.  Roice  sees 
pilots  train  at  American  base.  Gov.  War- 
ren's inaugural  address  to  California  legis- 
lature. Ruml  explains  pay-as-you-go  plan. 
Supplies  rescued  from  burning  U.  S.  ship 
in  Guadalcanal.  Nazi  airmen  attacked  by 
American  fliers  in  Algiers.  New  supply  col- 
umns moved  up  in  Libya  to  back  up  RAF. 
Rommel's  forces  bombed.  Lew  Lehr  News- 
ette. 

NEWS    OF    THE    DAY,    No.    234.— Jap 

ships  smashed  at  Guadalcanal.  78th  Con- 
gress, dedicated  to  victory,  convenes.  Pay- 
as-you-go  plan  explained  by  its  author. 
Flood  of  Willamette  River  in  Oregon 
Smashes  dam.  Kaiser  opens  blast  furnace 
on  West  Coast.  Raymond  E.  Baldwin  is 
sworn  in  as  Connecticut's  governor.  Bra- 
zil's women  organize  defense  volunteers 
group.  Australian  women  conduct  Health 
Display  Week. 

PARAMOUNT  NEWS,  No.  39.— Kaiser 
opens  first  comnlete  steel  mill  west  of 
Rockies.  Roger  Touhy  back  in  jail.  Army 
Air  Corps  life  raft  carried  month's  provi- 
sions for  seven.  Brazil  goes  all  out  for 
war  with  Women's  Legion  of  Assistance. 
Brazilian  Navy  guards  3,600-mile  coastline. 
Dr.  G.  W.  Carver,  Negro  scientist,  dies. 
Congress  opehs.  Official  Marine  Corps 
films  from  the  Solomon  Islands. 

PATHE  NEWS,  No.  39.— 78th  Congress 
convenes.  New  Kaiser  steel  plant  in  Cali- 
fornia. Australian  women  have  Health  Dis- 
play Week  in  Sydney.  Yanks  in  Algiers 
take  Axis  prisoners.  Ruml's  pay-as-you-go 
plan.     Recent  pictures   from  Solomons. 

UNIVERSAL    NEWSREEL,    No.  152.— 

78th  Congress  ready  to  make  history.  Japs 
foiled  in  Guadalcanal  landing.  Allies  in 
North  Africa  round  up  more  Nazis.  Touhy 
goes  back  to  jail.  Storm  causes  damage  in 
nrovince  of  Quebec.  Kaiser  blast  furnace 
starts  production  on  West  Coast.  Seven - 
man  life  raft  for  Flying  Fortsesses  demon- 
strated in  Washington.  D.  C. 


H.  W.  Conover  Dies; 
Montreal  Manager 

Montreal,  Jan.  7. — H.  W.  Con- 
over,  72,  veteran  Montreal  theatre 
manager,  died  today  at  Vaudreuil, 
Quebec,  after  a  brief  illness.  Conover 
came  to  Montreal  from  Milville,  N. 
J.,  about  30  years  ago  and  managed 
several  Montreal  houses,  including  the 
Imperial. 

He  is  survived  by  his  wife,  the  for- 
mer Hepsibah  Ireland;  a  son,  Major 
K.  I.  Conover  of  the  Canadian  Army 
Medical  Corps ;  a  sister,  Mrs.  A. 
Calhoun  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y. ;  a  half 
brother,  Harry  Conover,  and  half  sis- 
ter, Mrs.  M.  Bandriff,  both  of  Mil- 
ville. 


'Amigos'  Into  Globe 

Walt  Disney's  "Saludos  Amigos" 
will  have  its  New  York  premiere  at 
the  Globe  on  Feb.  12. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY,  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN.  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Tnc,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address, "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Duigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


JOSEPH  E.  DAVIES 

CHAIRMAN 
CHARLES  P.  TAFT 
FREDERICK  P.  KEPPEL 


The  president's  War  Relief  control  board 
washington  building 
Washington 

January  5,  1943 


MELVIN  D.  HILORETH 
GENERAL  COUNSEL 

HOMER  S.  FOX 

EXECUTIVE  SECRETARY 


My  dear  Mr.  Harmon  J 

The  President's  War  Relief  Control  Board  is  much 
interested  in  your  plans  for  United  Nations  Week  and 
approves  of  the  project.    The  proceeds  of  the  collections 
of  this  week  are  to  be  turned  over  to  the  National  War 
Fund,  as  the  authorized  agency,  in  accordance  with  the 
recent  announcement  of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
for  distribution  to  the  appropriate  foreign  war  relief 
organizations. 

Sincerely  yours, 


Mr.  Francis  Harmon, 

War  Activities  Committee 

1501  Broadway, 

New  York,  New  York. 


Joseph  E.  Da vies 
Chairman 


-  Motion  Picture  Industry, 


Ready.'   Set.'  Qo! 

UNITED  NATIONS  WEEK 

Our  Industry's  Job  January  14th  thru  20th! 

COLLECT!  EVERY  PERFORMANCE  EVERY  DAY! 
COLLECT!  AMERICA'S  SALUTE  TO  ITS  ALLIES! 
ALL  TOGETHER  FOR  ONE  GREAT  CAUSE! 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  January  8,  1943 


'Morocco' Tops 
Chicago  Week, 
Hefty  $65,000 


Chicago,  Jan.  7. —  Box-office  re- 
ceipts soared  last  week  when  a  num- 
ber of  good  pictures  benefited  from 
the  holiday  crowds  and  higher  prices 
for  New  Year's  Eve.  Two  musicals. 
"Road  to  Morocco"  at  the  Chicago, 
doing  §65,000,  and  "For  Me  and  My 
Gal"  at  the  State-Lake,  with  $37,000, 
were  tops. 

Estemiated  receipts  for  week  the 
ending  Jan.  1 : 

"Seven  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M)  7  days 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.)  7  days 

APOLLO— (1,400)  (36c-55c-6Sc-75c).  Gross: 
$9,000.    (Average,  $5,000) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.)  7  days 

CHICAGO—  (4.000)  (36c-S5c-75c).  Stage: 
Les  Brown  Orchestra.  Gross:  $65,000. 
(Average,  $32,000) 

"Springtime  in  the  Rockies"  (20th-Fox) 
7  days,  3rd  week  in  loop 

GARRICK— (1,000)  (36c-55c-65c-75c).  Gross: 
$12,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Lady  in  Distress"  (CoL)  7  days 

ORIENTAL  —  (3.200)     (27c -31c -50c -59c). 
Stage:    Eddy    Howard   Orchestra.  Gross: 
$28,000.    (Average,  $16,000) 
"The  Navy  Ccmes  Through"  (RKO) 
7  days,  3rd  week 
''That  Other  Woman"  (20th-Fox) 
7  days,  3rd  week 

PALACE— (2,500      (40c-55c-75c).  Gross: 
$18,000.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 
7  days 

ROOSEVELT  —  (1,500)  (36c-55c-65c-75c). 
Gross:  $22,000.    (Average,  $11,000) 
"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M)  7  days 

STATE- LAKE— (2,700)  (36c-55c-6Sc-75c). 
Gross:  $37,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Moon  and  Sixpence"  (U.  A.)  7  days 

UNITED  ARTISTS — (1,700)  (36c-55c-65c- 
75c).    Gross:  $22,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 


Seattle  Takes  Up 
Despite  Holdovers 


Seattle,  Jan.  7. — The  holiday  week, 
even  with  several  holdovers,  hit  top 
stride  here.  "Road  to  Morocco"  in  its 
second  week  at  the  Paramount,  took 
a  big  $11,600  and  "White  Cargo"  con- 
tinued well  above  par  at  the  Fifth 
Avenue.  "War  Against  Mrs.  Hadley" 
at  the  Music  Hall  and  "I  Married  a 
Witch"  at  the  Liberty  did  good  busi- 
ness. Weather  was  generally  good. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  31 : 

"Springtime  in  the  Rockies"  (20th-Fox) 
"Bambi"  (RKO) 

BLUE  MOUSE— (950)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  4th  week.  Moved  from  Paramount 
and  Fifth  Avenue.  Gross:  $4,600.  (Aver 
age,  $4,500) 

"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 
"Seven  Sisters"  (M-G-M) 

FIFTH  AVENUE  —  (2,500)  (40c-50c-65c- 
80c)  7  days.  Gross:  $9,900.  (Average. 
$9  000) 

"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.A.) 
"The  Devil  With  Hitler"  (U.A.) 

LIBERTY   —   (1.800)    (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $7,950.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 
"That  Other  Woman"  (ZOth-Fox) 

MUSIC    BOX— (950)     (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  4th  week.    Moved  from  Fifth  Avenue. 
Gross:  $4,300.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"The  War  Against  Mrs.  Hadley"  (M-G-M) 
"Tish"  (M-G-M) 

MUSIC  HALL— (2,275)  (40c -50c -65c -80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $7,300.    (Average,  S7.500) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.B.) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (ZOth-Fox) 

ORPHEUM  —  (2,450)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,400.  (Average. 
$9,000) 

"Sherlock  Holmes  in  Washington"  (Univ.) 

PALOMAR  —  (1,500)  (30c-42c-58c-70c)  7 
days.  Stage:  Vaudeville  headed  by  Les 
Cole  and  His  Debs.  Gross:  $7,700.  (Aver- 
age, $7,500) 

"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (M-G-M) 

PARAMOUNT  —  (3,050)  (40c-50c-65c-80c) 
7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $11,600.  (Average. 
$9,000) 


Reviews 


"Shadow  of  a  Doubt" 

(Universal ) 

DIRECTOR  ALFRED  HITCHCOCK,  with  a  very  capable  cast 
headed  by  Joseph  Cotten  and  Teresa  Wright,  has  turned  out  another 
of  his  masterpieces  in  the  mood  of  fear  and  suspicion. 

Joseph  Cotten,  the  beloved  "Uncle  Charlie"  whose  criminal  past 
is  unknown  to  his  doting  family,  plays  a  fascinating  role  in  juxtaposition 
to  niece  Teresa  Wright,  the  only  person  to  realize  the  truth  about  the 
returned  uncle.  The  story  centers  around  these  two — the  murderer 
who  ruthlessly  seeks  to  save  himself  at  any  cost,  and  the  niece  who  is 
torn  between  the  necessity  for  justice  and  her  wish  to  keep  her  family 
from  being  hurt. 

Thornton  Wilder,  Sally  Benson  and  Alma  Reville  have  written  an 
excellent  screenplay  for  the  Gordon  McDonell's  story.  Hitchcock  again 
demonstrates  his  ability  to  build,  through  detail  and  nuances  of  hidden 
meaning,  the  thrilling  and  dramatic  climaxes  which  characterize  his 
pictures.    Jack  H.  Skirball  produced  the  thriller. 

The  supporting  cast  contributes  to  the  quality  of  the  production. 
Patricia  Collinge,  as  Miss  Wright's  mother  and  Cotten's  sister,  gives 
a  splendid  performance  of  a  woman  immersed  in  the  joys  of  seeing  a 
a  long  absent  brother,  but  oblivious  to  his  obvious  defects. 

Macdonald  Carey,  Henry  Travers,  Hume  Cronyn,  Wallace  Ford  and 
Edna  May  Wonacott  complete  the  list  of  capable  actors. 

Running  time,  108  minutes.    "A."  * 


*"A"  denotes  adult  classification. 

"Chetniks" 

(20th  Century-Fox) 

GRIPPING,  intense  emotion  and  excellent  acting  characterize  "Chet- 
niks," the  Sol  Wurtzel  production  starring  Philip  Dorn  as  the 
Jugoslav  guerilla  leader,  Gen.  Draja  Mihailovitch,  and  Anna  Sten  as 
his  heroic  wife.  Taken  from  contemporary  newspaper  accounts,  the 
film  is  stirring  and  suspense-filled  in  depicting  the  courageous  actions 
of  freedom-loving  Jugoslavs  in  defying  the  Nazi  conquerors  of  their 
country  and  continuing  the  fight  against  them. 

In  addition  to  the  larger  scope  of  the  picture — the  theme  of  the 
struggle  against  Nazism  by  an  independent  people  of  real  integrity — 
there  is  the  more  personal  story  of  Mihailovitch's  dramatic  decision 
when  he  was  forced  to  choose  between  the  cause  he  believes  in  and  the 
lives  of  his  wife  and  children. 

Everything  necessary  to  a  fast  moving  audience-drawing  film  has  been 
included  in  "Chetniks,"  and  director  Louis  King  has  done  a  fine  job  of 
pacing  the  picture.  Also,  good  casting  finds  Merrill  Rodin  and  Patricia 
Prest  doing  well  with  the  roles  of  the  children,  and  John  Shepperd  and 
Virginia  Gilmore  as  the  young  lovers.  A  stirring  musical  background 
is  provided  by  the  "Song  of  the  Chetniks." 

Others  in  the  cast  are  Martin  Kosleck,  Felix  Basch,  Frank  Lackteen 
and  Leroy  Mason. 

Running  time,  73  minutes.    "G."  * 


"Margin  for  Error" 

(20th  Century-Fox) 

Hollywood,  Jan.  7 

'T~'  HE  widely  publicized  incident  of  Mayor  LaGuardia's  assignment 
■*•  of  Jewish  police  officers  to  guard  the  Nazi  consulate  in  New  York 
furnishes  the  springboard  for  the  story  of  "Margin  for  Error,"  20th 
Century-Fox  adaptation  of  the  Broadway  play  by  Clare  Boothe.  From 
that  incident,  which  occurred  while  the  United  States  was  still  neutral, 
the  film  story  dallies  uncertainly  to  its  climax,  the  movement  being  re- 
stricted to  stage-like  action. 

While  the  consul  is  being  guarded  by  the  Jewish  policeman,  there 
arises  inside  of  the  building  a  tense  situation  in  which  the  consul's  wife, 
his  male  secretary  and  the  head  of  the  German- American  bund  are 
placed  in  positions  to  kill  the  diplomat.  The  consul  is  poisoned,  stabbed 
and  shot,  but  is  found  to  have  committed  suicide  inadvertently. 

Milton  Berle  in  a  straight  role  plays  the  policeman,  Joan  Bennett 
the  consul's  wife;  Otto  Preminger  the  consul,  and  Carl  Esmond,  the 
secretary.  Others  in  the  cast  include  Howard  Freeman,  Poldy  Dur, 
Clyde  Fillmore,  Joe  Kirk,  and  Ed  McNamara. 

Preminger  also  directed  this  Ralph  Dietrich  production  from  a  screen- 
play by  Lillie  Hayward,  none  of  them  taking  full  advantages  of  the 
opportunities  afforded  by  the  circumstances. 

Running  time,  74  minutes.    "G."  *  Vance  King 


"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


'Honeymoon'Is 
Frisco  Leader, 
Strong$26,500 


San  Francisco,  Jan.  7.  —  "Once 
Upon  a  Honeymoon"  turned  in  a  big 
$26,500  at  the  Golden  Gate,  with  stage 
show  support,  and  was  held  for 
ond  week.  Holiday  grosses  wer^, "  , 
yet  not  up  to  advance  expectations, 
due  primarily  to  rainy  weather. 
"White  Cargo"  and  "Omaha  Trail" 
grossed  a  good  $18,500  at  the  Fox. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  29-31 : 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

GOLDEN  GATE— (2,850)    (44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.     Stage:    vaudeville.     Gross:  $26,500. 
(Average,  $17,500) 
"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 
"Great  Impersonation"  (Univ.) 

ORPHEUM  —  (2,440)  (2Oc-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $9.C00.  (Average, 
$10,000) 

"Thunder  Birds"  (20th-Fox) 
"Girl  Trouble"  (ZOth-Fox) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,740)  (20c -35c -50c -65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $13,500.  (Average. 
$13,000) 

"Now,  Voyager"  (W.  B.) 
"Secret  Enemies"  (W.  B.) 

WARFIELD— (2,680)  (20c -35c -50c -65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $14,500.  (Average. 
$13,000) 

"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 
"Omaha  Trail"  (M-G-M) 

FOX— (5,000)    (2Oc-35c-50c-65c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $18,500.    (Average.  $17,000) 
'Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"Wildcat"  (Para.) 

ST.  FRANCIS— (1,400)  (20c -3 5c -50c -65c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.    (Moved  over  from  Fox.) 
Gross:  $6,200.    (Average,  $6,500) 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.  A.) 
"Boston  Blackie  Goes  Hollywood"  (CoL) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,200)  (20c-35c-50c- 
65c)  7  days.  Gross:  $9,800.  (Average,  $8,000) 
"Valfangare"  (Foreign) 

CLAY — (400)  (15c-35c-45c)  7  days.  Gross: 
;i,400.    (Average,  $1,000) 


'Honeymoon'  Draws 
Record  $15,000,  KC 


Kansas  City,  Jan.  7.— "Once  Upon 
a  Honeymoon"  on  the  same  program 
with  "Street  of  Chance"  grossed  $15,- 
000  to  set  new  records  for  the  Or- 
pheum  and  to  lead  local  first  runs  in 
an  excellent  holiday  business  week. 

Other  strong  bills  included  "Behind 
the  Eight  Ball,"  teamed  with  Billy 
Rose's  Diamond  Horseshoe  stage 
revue,  which  grossed  $14,000  at  the 
Tower ;  "The  Black  Swan,"  which 
drew  a  total  of  $11,800  in  its  second 
week  at  the  Esquire  and  Uptown. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Dec.  31 : 

"Black  Swan"  (ZOth-Fox) 

ESQUIRE— (800)    (35c-50c)    7   days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $5,800.    (Average,  $3,000) 
"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 
"Laugh  Your  Blues  Away"  (Col.) 

MIDLAND  —  (3,600)     (35c-50c)  7 
Gross:  $11,000.    (Average,  $10,000) 
"Gentleman  Jim"  (W.  B.) 

NEWMAN— (1,900)  (35c-50c)  9V2 
Gross:  $14,500.  (Average,  954  days, 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

ORPHELTM  —  (1,900)    (35c-50c)  7 
Gross:  $15,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Umiv.) 

TOWER— (2,200)  (35c-50c)  7  days. 
Billy    Rose's    Diamond  Horseshoe 
Gross:  $14,000.    (Average,  $6,500) 
"Black  Swan"  (ZOth-Fox) 

UPTOWN— (2,000)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $4,500) 


days. 


days. 
$9,750) 


days. 


Stage. 
Revue. 


Joins  Rep.  in  IndpVs 

Indianapolis,  Jan.  7. — Harry  A. 
Gorman  has  joined  the  Republic  sales 
staff  here,  replacing  Daniel  Penrod, 
who  entered  military  service. 


Friday,  January  8,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


7 


At  Charities  Federation  Luncheon 


Barney  Balaban,  chairman  of  the  luncheon,  opens  the  speaking  pro- 
gram with  (left  to  right)  Jack  Benny,  guest  of  honor;  David  Bernstein 
and  Judge  Joseph  Proskauer  on  the  dais. 


Worse  Fuel 
Crisis  Seen 
For  Theatres 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

part  of  the  week,  but  the  Government 
neither  requires  nor  recommends  any 
specific  method.  Much,  it  was  said, 
will  depend  upon  the  weather  locally. 

j^fcan  official  definition  of  "pleasure 
d  "ylg,"  banned  by  an  order  issued 
■"yesTerday,  the  OPA  ruled  that  no 
basic  ration  may  be  used  for  driving 
for  the  purpose  of  attending  places  of 
amusement,  such  as  theatres. 

It  was  warned  that  OPA  inspectors, 
assisted  by  state  and  local  law  officers, 
have  been  ordered  to  check  on  the  il- 
legal presence  of  passenger  cars  at 
places  of  amusement.  Loss  of  gaso- 
line rations  will  be  the  penalty  for 
violations. 


N.  Y.  Theatres  Tell 
Patrons  of  Coal  Heat 

Theatre  circuits  in  the  New  York 
metropolitan  area  today  started  pro- 
motional campaigns  to  inform  patrons 
that  their  houses  are  heated  by  coal. 
Possibilities  of  closing  of  houses  due 
to  fuel  oil  shortage  is  held  slight, 
since  about  80  per  cent  of  the  New 
York  theatres  are  heated  by  coal,  it 
was  estimated. 

Loew's  in  its  newspaper  advertising, 
is  advising  patrons  to  turn  down  their 
furnaces  at  home  and  visit  their  the- 
atres which  are  coal-heated.  RKO  in- 
serted a  line  above  its  regular  copy 
telling  customers  of  coal  heat. 
Skouras  neighborhood  theatres  are  ex- 
pected to  follow  with  a  similar  cam- 
paign. 

Downtown  New  York  theatres  are 
steam  heated  through  a  central  plant 
and  are  not  affected  by  fuel  oil  short- 
ages. 

The  Paramount  theatre  circuit  in 
the  East  is  entirely  converted  to  coal 
heat,  except  theatres  in  Peekskill  and 
Glens  Falls,  N.  Y.  The  Warner  cir- 
cuit nationally  is  almost  entirely  con- 
verted, except  for  a  few  houses. 

In  order  to  encourage  continued 
patronage  of  theatres,  the  New  York 
Journal- American  today  is  printing  an 
advertisement  on  its  theatre  page  ad- 
vising readers  that  theatres  are  warm, 
and  that  they  are  not  threatened  with 
lack  of  fuel. 

Post-War  Europe 
Big  Problem:  Kane 

Hollywood,  Jan.  7.— One  of  the 
greatest  problems  confronting  film 
companies  is  a  post-war  distribution 
system  in  Europe,  Robert  T.  Kane 
of  20th  Century-Fox  in  Great  Britain, 
said  today  upon  arriving  for  studio 
conferences.  Virtually  every  picture 
made  here  since  September,  1939,  will 
be  material  to  show  in  Europe  fol- 
lowing a  United  Nations  victory,  he 
declared. 

Twentieth  Century-Fox,  for  some 
months,  has  been  discussing  a  plan  for 
nost-war  distribution  of  its  product  in 
France  and  other  countries,  he  said. 


Price  Change  in  Tulsa 

Tulsa,  Okla.,  Jan.  7.— Talbot  The- 
atres announced  price  changes  at  the 
first-run  Orpheum  and  Ritz  theatre1- 
to  do  away  with  pennies  and  mills  in 
change  making  as  these  coins  become 
more  and  more  scarce  in  this  area. 


More  N.  E.  Theatres 
Abandon  Matinees 

Boston,  Jan.  7. — Discontinuance  of 
matinees  in  theatres  throughout  New 
England  was  accelerated  this  week  in 
order  to  conserve  available  fuel  sup- 
plies for  evening  and  weekend  per- 
formances as  the  prospects  of  im- 
provement in  the  fuel  situation  grew 
steadily  less. 

The  fuel  situation  here  was  eased  a 
bit,  for  essential  users,  at  least,  by  the 
delivery  of  30,000  gallons  of  a  1,000,- 
000  gallon  emergency  allotment  re- 
leased to  the  city  by  Washington  and 
due  to  be  delivered  in  full  by  the  end 
of  the  week.  Theatres  are  not  likely  to 
benefit  from  the  emergency  ration  as  it 
is  designed'  primarily  for  home  owners 
who  are  completely  without  fuel  oil 
and  who,  otherwise,  would  have  to  be 
removed  from  their  homes  to  emergen- 
cy quarters  provided  by  the  city  and 
state. 

The  situation,  grave  as  it  is  here- 
abouts, is  regarded  as  even  more  seri- 
ous in  the  Fall  River  area. 

Just  how  many  theatres  are  affected 
by  the  fuel  shortage  in  the  area  is 
uncertain.  It  is  known  that  many, 
perhaps  somewhere  between  75  and  90 
per  cent  of  those  in  New  England, 
either  have  converted  from  oil  or  are 
not  dependent  upon  it  for  their  heat. 
However,  a  shortage  of  anthracite  also 
is  in  prospect  here  as  a  result  of  the 
"outlaw"  strike  of  12,000  miners  in 
Pennsylvania,  authorities  state. 


1,500,000  Tickets 
Given  Servicemen 

New  York  exhibitors  have  given 
more  than  1,500,000  free  tickets  to 
servicemen  since  August,  1941,  Harry 
Brandt,  chairman  of  the  committee  of 
theatre  men  cooperating  with  Mayor 
LaGuardia's  Recreation  Committee,  re- 
ported yesterday.  These  free  admis- 
sions are  available  for  all  first-run 
houses. 

For  men  in  uniform  who  do  not 
receive  tickets  from  the  mayor's  com- 
mittee, Broadway  theatres  have  a 
standard  admission  fee  of  28  cents. 
Several  hundred  thousand  of  these 
reduced-rate  admission  tickets  have 
been  sold,  it  was  said. 


Operators  Get  Jobs 
Back  at  Dark  House 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
shall  represent  them,  as  well  as  pay- 
ment of  full  salary  to  the  two  pro- 
jectionists from  the  time  of  their  dis- 
charge to  their  reinstatement. 

While  admittedly  none  of  the  orders 
of  the  board  can  be  realized,  the  Em- 
pire union  regards  the  decision  as  a 
"moral  victory"  and  officials  said  it 
would  be  a  precedent  for  future  ac- 
tions of  this  kind. 

Empire  obtained  a  contract  from  the 
Square  Thetare  Corp.,  operator  of  the 
house,  on  Feb.  19,  1942.  Nine  days 
later,  it  was  charged,  the  theatre 
signed  with  Local  306  and  the  Em- 
pire men  were  discharged. 

Empire  reported  that  the  Century 
Circuit  had  turned  over  about  $6,000 
for  distribution  to  members  working 
for  the  circuit,  representing  a  five  per 
cent  increase  approved  by  the  War 
Labor  Board. 

It  was  also  reported  that  Empire 
had  signed  the  Belmont  and  Century 
theatres  in  Manhattan  and  the  Elton 
in  Brooklyn.  These  houses  previously 
had  been  under  contract  to  Local 
306,  it  was  said. 


Loew's  Audit  Staff 
Ends  Meeting  Here 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  Loew's 
field  auditing  staff,  which  has  been 
in  session  throughout  the  week  at  the 
Hotel  Astor,  will  be  concluded  today 
and  the  delegates  will  return  to  their 
branches  tonight.  Alan  F.  Cummings, 
manager  of  exchange  operations,  pre- 
sided at  the  meeting. 

Methods  of  simplifying  branch  op- 
erations to  meet  the  manpower  prob- 
lem resulting  from  the  loss  of  800 
field  men  to  the  armed  services  and 
their  partial  replacement  by  new  em- 
ployes was  the  principal  topic  of  dis- 
cussion. 


Single  Films  on  Sunday 

Milwaukee,  Jan.  7— Although  the 
Fox  _  circuit  changed  its  policy  of 
opening  new  shows  at  its  Wisconsin, 
Palace  and  Strand  theatres  from  Sun- 
day to  Thursday,  it  is  continuing  its 
policy  of  single  features  on  Sundays, 
it  was  stated.  Weekend  business  is 
heaviest  here,  exhibitors  report. 


800  Film  Men 
HonorBenny  at 
Charities  Fete 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
industries  have  been  enrolled  in  the 
Federation. 

it  also  was  learned  after  the 
luncheon  that  the  Amusement  Divi- 
sion will  raise  a  greater  amount  for 
the  Federation  this  year  than  in  1941. 
This  estimate  by  one  of  the  leaders 
of  the  drive  was  based  on  estimates 
of  the  contributions  already  received. 
Last  year,  the  amusement  division 
raised  about  $150,000. 

Barney  Balaban,  president  of  Para- 
mount Pictures,  was  chairman  of  the 
luncheon  committee.  Louis  Nizer 
was  master  of  ceremonies,  replacing 
George  Jessel,  who  it  was  stated  could 
not  attend  because  of  illness. 

Benny,  who  is  one  of  the  substantial 
contributors  to  the  Federation,  was 
the  hit  of  of  the  afternoon  as  he  re- 
galed the  assembled  guests  with  an- 
ectodes  and  funny  stories. 

Adolph  Zukor,  chairman  of  Para- 
mount, who  yesterday  celebrated  his 
70th  birthday,  was  among  those  on 
the  dais.  Others  included  Mrs.  Bar- 
ney Balaban,  Malcolm  Kingsburg, 
Harry  Brandt,  William  Klein,  Her- 
man Robbins,  former  Judge  Joseph 
Proskauer,  David  Bernstein,  vice- 
president  and  treasurer  of  Loew's,  and 
co-chairman  of  the  amusement  division 
of  the  drive,  Jules  M.  Brulatour  and 
Carl  M.  Loeb,  Jr. 

Judge  Proskauer,  speaking  on  be- 
half of  the  directors  of  the  drive, 
called  for  increased  gifts  this  year  to 
mark  the  25th  anniversary  of  the  New 
York  Federation.  Proskauer,  Barney 
Balaban  and  David  Bernstein,  made 
brief  speeches  explaining  the  purpose 
of  the  Federation,  which  supports  116 
institutions. 


Governors  to  Attend 
'Children'  Openings 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

Schricker  of  Indiana  will  attend  the 
performance  at  the  Circle  Theatre,  In- 
dianapolis, Jan.  16. 

The  Cincinnati  premiere  will  fea- 
ture a  stage  show  sponsored  by  radio 
station  WLW,  on  which  Gregor  Ziem- 
er,  author  of  the  book  on  which  the 
picture  is  based,  will  speak.  The  pro- 
gran^  will  include  broadcasts  from  the 
premieres  being  held  simultaneously  at 
Keith's,  Dayton,  and  the  Palace,  Co- 
lumbus. Bonita  Granville  and  H.  B. 
Wa  rner,  featured  in  the  picture,  will 
take  part  in  the  Cincinnati  program 
and  will  make  appearances  at  the  Rial- 
to.  Louisville,  the  following  night ;  the 
Circle,  Indianapolis,  the  16th,  both  of 
which  programs  will  be  broadcast  by 
WLW.  Other  appearances  will  be 
made  at  the  Palace,  Columbus  ;  Keith's 
Dayton ;  Paramount,  Fort  Wayne,  and 
other  theatres. 


Gives  Sign  for  Scrap 

Philadelphia.  Jan.  7.  —  BHrno^t 
Theatre,  operated  bv  the  Benn  inter- 
ests, has  contributed  its  vertical  sign 
to  the  scrap  metal  drive.  The  house 
defrayed  all  costs  involved  in  the  dis- 
mantling of  the  large  sign. 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  January  8,  1943 


Half  of  Para. 
Preferred  to 
Be  Redeemed 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

of  four  per  cent  debentures,  due  in 
1956.  Paramount  subsidiaries  have 
funded  debts  amounting  to  approxi- 
mately $3,000,000,  and  the  Canadian 
subsidiary  a  funded  debt  of  $6,000,000. 

The  first  preferred  stock  is  con- 
vertible at  the  rate  of  one  share  for 
seven  shares  of  common,  but  shares 
which  are  drawn  for  redemption  on 
Jan.  22  must  be  converted  prior  to 
March  18.  The  company  stated  that 
the  redemption  is  in  line  with  its  plan, 
conceived  some  time  ago,  to  eliminate 
all  securities  having  a  prior  claim 
over  the  common  stock  on  the  com- 
pany's earnings. 


Exhibitors,  Stations 
Aid  Prisoner  Drive 

Rochester,  Jan.  7.  —  Exhibitors 
and  radio  men  are  on  the  committee 
for  the  test  campaign  for  War  Pris- 
oners' Aid  to  be  conducted  here  on 
behalf  of  the  War  Activities  Com- 
mjttele  with  the  VMCA  beginning 
Feb.  1. 

The  general  committee  includes : 
Jay  Golden,  chairman,  Lester  Pollock 
and  Bud  Silverman,  exhibitors,  and 
William  Fay,  Charles  Siverson,  Al 
Sisson  and  Jack  Lee  of  WHAM; 
Clarence  Wheeler,  Gunnar  Wiig. 
Jack  Barry  of  WHEC,  Mort  Nus- 
baum  of  WSAY;  Donald_  McCon- 
ville  of  Eastman  Kodak  Co.  and 
Milton  Williamson  of  Bausch  & 
Lomb  Optical  Co. 


Seek  Independents 
In  48-Hour  Week 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

which  the  voluntary  stretching  of 
work  week  from  36  to  48  hours,  min- 
imum work  guarantees  and  other 
measures  similar  to  those  being  pro- 
mulgated with  major  studios  would  be 
adopted. 


New  RCA  Phila.  Branch 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  7. — RCA  will 
establish  a  branch  office  here  for  its 
RCA  Service  Company,  Inc.  Appli- 
cation for  a  certificate  of  authority  to 
do  business  in  this  state  has  been 
filed  with  the  State  Department.  The 
branch  office  will  deal  in  servicing  of 
telegraphic,  radio  and  motion  picture 
equipment  and  other  electrical  appar- 
atus. 


Alan  Ladd  to  Be  Inducted 

Hollywood,  Jan.  7. — Alan  Ladd 
will  be  inducted  in  the  Army,  Jan.  18, 
necessitating  postponement  of  "Incen- 
diary Blonde,"  Texas  Guinan's  biog- 
raphy in  which  he  was  to  have  co- 
starred  with  Betty  Hutton,  the  studio 
announced.  Miss  Hutton  gets  a  role 
opposite  Bob  Hope  in  "Let's  Face  It" 
instead. 


Veteran  Mg'r  Resigns 

HAjiTFOED,  Jan.  7. — Michael  Abdulla 
associated  with  the  Palace  Theatre, 
New  Britain,  for  over  30  years  and 
manager  of  the  house,  has  resigned  be- 
cause of  illness. 


FDR  Congress  Talk 
Heard  by  14,290,000 

President  Roosevelt's  mes- 
sage on  the  state  of  the  na- 
tion to  Congress  yesterday 
was  heard  around  the  world 
and  by  14,290,000  persons  in 
the  United  States,  according 
to  a  survey  by  C.  E.  Hooper, 
Inc.,  and  released  by  CBS. 
This  rating  of  27.7  compares 
with  59.6  or  34,652,200  persons 
who  heard  the  President's  war 
message  on  Dec.  8,  1941.  The 
address  was  sent  by  the  net- 
works to  Latin  America  while 
it  was  being  delivered  with 
running  commentary  in  Span- 
ish and  Portuguese. 


Columbus  Theatres 
Win  Clearance  Cut 


Arbitration  awards  reducing  the 
clearance  of  prior  runs  in  Columbus 
over  the  Champion  and  Drexel  the- 
atres in  that  city  have  been  entered 
at  the  Cincinnati  tribunal  by  John  C. 
Dempsey,  arbitrator. 

The  complaints  were  filed  by  the 
Champion  and  Drexel  Amusement 
companies,  operators  of  the  two 
houses,  against  the  five  consenting 
companies  and  subsequently  were  con- 
solidated as  a  single  complaint.  The 
arbitrator  dismissed  Loew's  from  the 
proceedings  and  directed  that  the 
maximum  clearance  which  can  be 
granted  the  Eastern  Theatre,  Colum- 
bus, by  the  four  distributors  is  45 
days  after  the  last  playdate'  at  the 
Columbus  downtown  first  runs.  The 
effect  of  the  award  is  to  advance 
availability  to  the  Champion  and 
Drexel  by  seven  days. 

Meanwhile,  Paramount,  RKO  and 
Vitagraph  have  filed  appeals  from  the 
award  at  the  New  Orleans  tribunal 
which  found  that  the  conditions  on 
which  they  had  offered  product  to  the 
Lakeview  Theatre  there  violated  the 
terms  of  Section  6  of  the  consent  de- 
cree. The  Lakeview  won  a  similar 
award  last  year,  which  was  appealed 
and  after  being  affirmed  by  the  ap- 
peal board  was  remanded  to  the  New 
Orleans  arbitrator  with  instructions 
to  determine  whether  the  distributors' 
offers  of  product  complied  with  Sec- 
tion 6. 


South  Chicago  House 
Reopens  Tomorrow 

Chicago,  Jan.  7. — H  &  E  Balaban 
will  reopen  the  Joy  Theatre  in  South 
Chicago  for  Saturday  and  Sunday 
showing  of  Mexican  films  starting 
Saturday. 

D.  H.  Badke,  manager  of  their 
Commercial  Theatre  in  the  same  dis- 
trict reports  a  successful  early  show 
policy  Saturdays  at  9  :30  for  steel  mill 
workers. 

An  increase  in  admission  prices  last 
Summer  did  not  hurt  business  as  pay- 
rolls in  the  district  are  up.  Sunday 
crowds  are  at  practical  capacity  in  the 
industrial  area  but  the  Saturday  rush 
it  is  said  comes  after  shopping  centers 
are  closed. 


2  Conn.  Firms  Dissolve 

Hartford,  Conn.,  Jan.  7.  —  The 
Strand  Theatre  of  Thomsonville,  Inc., 
and  the  Torans  Amusement  Com- 
pany, Inc.,  of  Griswold,  have  filed  final 
certificates  of  dissolution  with  the  Sec- 
retary of  State,  it  was  learned. 


Relaxation  of  Wage 
Rule  in  Prospect 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
salary  increases  provided  for  up  to 
annual  ceiling  level  of  $67,200. 

[Motion  Picture  Daily  on  Jan. 
5  reported  that  this  provision 
had  been  approved  by  the  Trea- 
sury Department  and  the  Of- 
fice of  Economic  Stabilization.] 

2.  If  an  actor  has  an  option  com- 
ing up  and  the  increase  that  it  calls 
for  brings  him  above  the  ceiling  level, 
the  companies  may  pay  him  an  in- 
crease but  reduce  the  number  of  weeks 
he  works,  but  in  no  case  should  earn- 
ings exceed  the  ceiling. 

3.  Freelance  players  may  be  au- 
thorized to  bargain  freely  for  their 
services  and  get  normally  what  hey 
have  been  getting  up  to  the  ceiling 
but  with  the  Treasury  Department 
watching  to  see  that  there  is  no  infla- 
tionary trend  in  bidding  for  services. 

Problems  of  free  lance  players  are 
so  varied  that  a  special  setup  may  be 
necessary  to  adjudicate  their  cases 
under  governmental  wage  directives. 

Kenneth  Thomson,  executive  secre- 
tary of  the  Screen  Actors  Guild,  who 
returned  from  Washington  today,  will 
report  Monday  night  to  the  Guild 
board  the  results  of  his  conferences 
with  Washington  officials. 


Now  Theatre  Can't 
Be  Razed  for  Alley 

Springfield,  Mass. — Jan.  7. — In  a 
complicated  real  estate  deal  that  dates 
back  to  the  time  of  the  last  war,  the 
Gilmore  Associates,  owners  of  the- 
atres in  this  area,  and  the  city  of 
Springfield  reached  an  agreement  that 
an  8-foot  non-existent  passageway, 
over  which  the  back  of  the  Capitol 
Theatre  is  built,  would  be  deeded  to 
the  Associates  for  a  consideration,  and 
the  Associates  in  turn  deeded  to  the 
city  rights  "to  another  passageway 
blocked  off  for  years. 

Aside  from  its  complicated  pro- 
cedure, the  deal  in  effect  only  assures 
the  owners  of  the  Capitol  that  the 
back  of  the  building  can  never  be  torn 
down  to  make  room  for  the  passage- 
way it  now  blocks.  The  Associates 
paid  the  rent  due  the  city  up  to  1944 
and  an  additional  $1,200  in  considera- 
tion of  the  transfer  of  title. 


OWI  Man  to  Speak 
At  Radio  Luncheon 

Dr.  Herman  S.  Hettinger  of  the 
Office  of  War  Information  will  speak 
at  a  meeting  next  Thursday  of  the 
American  Marketing  Association  Radio 
Luncheon  Group  at  the  Hotel  Shera- 
ton. "What  Radio  Time  Buyers  Want 
to  Know,"  Dr.  Hettinger's  study  re- 
leased by  the  National  Association  of 
Broadcasters,  will  be  his  subject. 

The  meeting  is  first  in  a  series  de- 
signed to  aid  new  agency-advertiser 
personnel  to  adapt  itself  to  increased 
wartime  responsibilities,  it  was  an- 
nounced.   George  H.  Allen  is  chair- 


'Spangled  Rhythm' 
In  $115,000  Week; 
BVay  Still  Terrific 


Col.  Makes  Russian  Film 

Hollywood,  Jan.  7.  —  Columbia  is 
the  first  studio  to  produce  a  picture 
based  on  fighting  in  Russia.  It  is 
"The  Boy  from  Stalingrad,"  based 
on  the  activities  of  child  guerrillas. 
Sidney  Salkow  is  directing. 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 
which  garnered  an  estimated  $125,000 
for  the  third  week  and  started  a  fourth 
week  yesterday. 

With  one  exception,  the  attractions 
on  Broadway  were  holdovers  during 
the  past  week.  "In  Which  We  Serve" 
at  the  Capitol  grossed  an  estim^  - 
$75,000  for  its  second  week,  and*  \  i 
film  started  a  third  week  yesterday. 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  at  the  Strand 
with  Jimmy  Dorsey  and  his  band  as 
the  stage  attraction  was  expected  to 
collect  close  to  $56,000  in  its  second 
week  ending  today.  "Arabian  Nights" 
was  expected  to  garner  a  handsome 
$32,000  for  the  second  week  ending  to- 
night at  the  Rivoli. 

"Casablanca"  started  its  seventh 
week  at  the  Hollywood  yesterday  af- 
ter grossing  an  estimated  $28,700  in 
the  sixth  week.  The  film  will  be 
followed  by  "Air  Force."  "For  Me 
and  My  Gal"  earned  an  estimated 
$23,200  for  its  11th  week  at  the  Astor. 

"Jacare"  is  expected  to  gross  close 
to  $9,300  for  its  second  week  ending 
tonight  at  the  Globe.  "Silver  Queen" 
opens  at  the  theatre  tomorrow.  "Sher- 
lock Holmes  and  the  Secret  Weapon" 
was  the  only  new  film  of  the  week. 
It  drew  an  estimated  $3,400  for  Mon- 
day through  Wednesday  at  the  Rialto. 


Brazil  Official  Sees 
Radio  Amity  Force 

Radio's  importance  in  cultivating 
better  understanding  among  the 
Americas  was  discussed  by  Captain 
Amilcar  Dutra  director  of  the  radio 
division,  Department  of  Information 
and  Press  of  Brazil,  in  an  interview 
yesterday  in  the  offices  of  the  Co- 
ordinator of  Inter-American  Affairs. 

Visiting  here  at  the  personal  invi- 
tation of  Nelson  Rockefeller,  Dutra 
said  there  are  4,627,000  receiving  sets 
in  Brazil,  and  100  stations.  Pro- 
grams from  the  United  States,  he  stat- 
ed, are  the  most  popular  foreign 
broadcasts. 


Goulding  to  20th-Fox 

Hollywood,  Jan.  7.  —  Edmund 
Goulding,  former  Warner  director, 
today  signed  for  a  one-picture  deal 
at  20th  Century-Fox,  and  will  direct 
"Claudia." 


Mexico  Station  Head 
Greeted,  Falls  Dead 

Mexico  City,  Jan.  7.— Birth- 
day felicitations  by  numerous 
friends  and  clients  who  called 
at  his  office  all  day  long  are 
believed  to  have  so  taxed  the 
weak  heart  of  Ricardo  Vaz- 
quez, owner  and  chief  an- 
nouncer of  radio  station 
XECD  at  Puebla  City,  near 
here,  that  he  dropped  dead 
just  as  he  was  starting  for 
the  microphone.  Vazquez's 
body  lay  in  state  at  the  sta- 
tion for  a  day,  during  which 
the  station  did  not  onerate. 
Many  notables  of  radio,  the 
screen  and  the  stage,  as  well 
as  business  and  the  state  gov- 
ernment attended  the  funeral. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


" 


First  in 


and 

Impartial 


53.  NO.  6 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  MONDAY,  JANUARY  11,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


INLY.  Theatres 
Unaffected  by 
Ban  on  Driving 

Business  Reported  Good 
Over  Weekend 


Greater  New  York  Theatres  and, 
most  noticeably,  the  Broadway 
houses,  have  been  unaffected  to  date 
by  the  ban  on  pleasure  driving,  a 
weekend  survey  revealed. 

Accessibility  to  good  pubic 
transportation  stood  all  theatres 
in  good  stead  when  non-essen- 
tial motoring  was  stopped. 
Even  the  Broadway  theatres 
which  normally  attract  the 
"carriage  trade"  experienced  no 
ill  effects.  The  lines  of  taxis 
discharging  patrons  at  such 
theatres  was  noticeably  larger 
than  before  private  cars  were 
ruled  off  the  streets. 

Many  managers,  even  in  neighbor- 
hoods, reported  weekend  business 
ahead  of  expectations.    They  attribut- 


Closing  of  New  York  City  pub- 
lic schools  for  the  week  of  Feb.  1 
was  ordered  Friday  because  of 
the  low  fuel  oil  supply.  This  will 
bring  an  unexpected  vacation  to 
about  1,000,000  children  and 
40,000  teachers,  who  will  make 
up  the  lost  time  during  the 
week  of  April  26,  the  regular 
Easter  vacation. 


ed  the  large  attendance  to  the  un- 
filled leisure  time  on  the  hands  of 
many  who  abandoned  other  diversions 
because  of  their  inability  to  use  auto- 
mobiles and  substituted  motion  pic- 
tures for  them.  Those  interviewed 
pointed  out  that  many  roadhouses, 
(.Continued  on  page  4) 


Fascists  Cancel  Film 
On  Pope  as  'Pacifist' 

A  Rome  dispatch,  according  to 
Berne  newspaper  reports,  said  last 
Friday  that  Fascist  authorities  had 
withdrawn  the  film,  "Pastor  Angeli- 
cus,"  showing  the  life  of  Pope  Pius 
XII  before  his  coronation  as  well  as 
lis  average  working  day  during  the 
war. 

The  dispatch  quoted  Fascist  circles 
is  declaring  it  had  a  tendency  to  be 
>acifistic  and  therefore  was  regarded 
is  "not  timely/' 

It  was  _  reported  that  plans  called 
or  exhibition  for  several  months  in 
heatres  throughout  Italy  and  later 
n  Catholic  countries  throughout  the 
vorld. 


5  Rallies  to  Launch 
United  NationsWeek 
In  1,200  N.Y.  Houses 


United  Nations  Week  in  all  five 
boroughs  of  New  York  City  will  be 
ushered  in  Thursday  at  noon  with 
public  demonstrations  led  by  civic 
leaders  and  entertainers,  the  New  York 
division  of  the  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee announced. 

Events  for  each  day  in  the  week  of 
the  fund  drive,  which  will  continue  to 
Jan.  20,  have  been  arranged  by  the 
1,200  motion  picture  theatres  in 
Greater  New  York,  Long  Island  and 
New  Jersey,  the  committee  stated. 

In  times  Square,  entertainers  from 
Radio  City  Music  Hall,  the  Roxy, 
Paramount,  Strand  and  Loew's  State 
theatres,  as  well  as  service  men  and 
girls  dressed  in  the  native  costumes  of 
Russia,  Greece.  Holland,  Poland,  China 
and  Yugoslavia  are  scheduled  to  stage 
a  colorful  demonstration. 

Borough  presidents  are  expected  to 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Shuford  Joins  Para. 
As  Advertising  Mg'r 

Stanley  Shuford,  film  advertising 
executive,  has  been  placed  in  charge 
of  Paramount's  national  and  trade  ad- 
vertising, Robert  M.  Gillham,  adver- 
tising and  publicity  director  for  Para- 
mount, announced  on  Friday. 

Shuford  formerly  was  with  the 
Warner  advertising  department  for 
seven  years,  and  with  RKO  recently. 
In  1939  he  was  vice-president  of  Biow 
Advertising  Agency  and  subsequently 
was  with  Lord  &  Thomas.  His  ap- 
pointment will  permit  Gillham  to  de- 
vote more  time  to  special  campaigns 
on  "For  Whom  the  Bell  Tolls"  and 
other  top  Paramount  product. 


Roosevelt  Endorses 
Pay-as-You-Go  Tax 

Washington,  Jan.  10. — Presi- 
dent Roosevelt  endorsed  put- 
ting the  country  on  a  pay-as- 
you-go  tax  basis  at  a  press 
conference  Friday,  but  quali- 
fied his  endorsement  of  the 
plan  by  saying  that  the  Treas- 
ury Department  would  be  out 
of  pocket  if  the  government 
forgives  a  part  or  all  current 
taxes  due. 

He  told  reporters  that  he 
thought  everyone  was  in  favor 
of  putting  taxes  on  a  pay-as- 
you-go  basis  instead  of  saving 
in  1942  for  taxes  that  have  to 
be  paid  in  1943,  but  he  pointed 
out  that  this  is  a  difficult 
thing  to  do. 


N.  W.  Allied  Won't 
Appeal  Anti-5  Law 


Minneapolis  Jan.  10. — The  six 
months  period  in  which  the  state  and 
Northwest  Allied  exhibitors  were  en 
titled  to  appeal  from  the  county  court 
decision  invalidating  the  Minnesota 
anti-block-of-five  law  will  expire  to- 
morrow without  action  being  taken. 

Exhibitors  in  this  area  are  in- 
creasingly satisfied  with  the  larger 
picture  blocks  being  offered  by  all 
distributors,  even  the  consenting  com- 
panies in  many  instances,  and  are 
represented  as  feeling  that  the  cost 
and  effort  of  pressing  an  appeal  on  the 
law,  with  doubtful  results,  no  longer 
is  worthwhile.  Moreover,  they  are 
now  entitled  only  to  question  facts  of 
law  in  the  court's  decision  upon  tak- 
ing an  appeal.  No  new  evidence  or 
testimony  could  be  introduced. 

Contributing  to  the  exhibitors'  satis- 
(Contimted  on  page  4) 


Postmaster  General  Walker  Expected 
To  Be  Elected  Chairman  of  Democrats 

Postmaster  General  Frank  C.  Walker  is  expected  to  be  elected 
chairman  of  the  Democratic  National  Committee,  according  to 
informed  circles  in  Washington  and  New  York.  He  would  succeed 
Edward  J.  Flynn,  who  announced  late  last  week  that  he  had  been 
appointed  Minister  Plenipotentiary  to  Australia  by  President 
Roosevelt  and  that  he  would  resign  as  chairman  of  the  Democratic 
National  Committee  next  Monday. 

Walker's  name  has  been  mentioned  in  connection  with  the 
National  Chairmanship  for  some  months,  and  while  he  has  been 
reluctant  to  take  the  post  he  is  also  believed  ready  to  assume  it 
on  the  insistence  of  the  President.  He  has  been  a  personal  friend 
of  President  Roosevelt  for  many  years. 

Before  appointment  as  Postmaster  General,  Walker  was  president 
of  Comerford  Theatres,  Inc.,  operating  theatres  in  Pennsylvania 
and  New  York.  He  is  an  attorney  and  was  treasurer  of  the 
Democratic  National  Committee  in  1932.  He  held  several  admin- 
istration posts  before  his  appointment  as  Postmaster  General. 


Envoy  Seeks 
Soviet-U.  S. 
Film  Trade 


Reopening  of  Market  Aim 
Of  Consultations 


Washington,  Jan.  10. — A  repre- 
sentative of  the  Soviet  Government, 
whose  name  is  said  to  be  Antonov, 
has  arrived  here  to  promote  "cul- 
tural relations  between  the  Ameri- 
can motion  picture  industry  and 
Moscow."  His  efforts,  if  successful, 
are  calculated  to  reopen  the  Rus- 
sion  marker  to  American  product, 
and  vice  versa. 

Antonov  is  reported  to  be  here  for 
purposes  of  consultation  with  Soviet 
Embassy  officials  and  the  OWI  be- 
fore going  to  New  York,  where  he 
will  make  his  headquarters,  later  go- 
ing to  Hollywood  for  an  indefinite 
stay. 

Artkino  Pictures,  Inc.,  official  Sovi- 
et film  agency  in  this  country,  is  ex- 
pected soon  to  make  an  announcement 
on  Antonov  and  the  purposes  of  his 
mission. 

One  of   Russia's   important  battle 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


N.J.  Governor  Lifts 
Sunday  Shows  Ban 


Princeton,  N.  J.,  Jan.  10. — Gov. 
Charles  Edison  of  New  Jersey  has 
removed  the  ban  on  Sunday  films  here 
to  provide  recreation  for  more  than 
1,000  youths  in  Navy  and  Army  train- 
ing camps  on  the  Princeton  Univer- 
sitv  campus,  it  was  announced. 

The  Governor  acted  under  his  war 
emergency  powers.     This  could  not 

(Continued  on  page  2) 


Goodkind  in  Army; 
Martin  in  'U'  Post 

Larney  Goodkind,  for  the  past  five 
years  Eastern  story  editor  of  Univer- 
sal pictures,  has  been  inducted  into  the 
Army  and  has  reported  to  Fort  Dix. 
He  will  be  succeeded  by  Peter  Martin, 
who  has  been  assistant  story  editor. 


In  Today's  Issue 

Critics'  Quotes  on  new  pic- 
tures, Page  7.  Short  subject 
reviews,  Page  6.  Key  city  box- 
office  reports,  Pages  5,  6,  8. 


2 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Monday,  January  11,  1943 


Africa  Troops  Cheer 
Theatre  Bond  Sales 

Boston,  Jan.  10.— Corp.  Dick 
Silver,  stationed  in  Africa,  in 
a  letter  to  his  father,  Nat  Sil- 
ver, manager  of  the  M  &  P 
Strand  Theatre  here,  writes  in 
part:  "We  are  hearing  of  the 
wonderful  job  that  the  War 
Activities  Committee  of  the 
motion  picture  industry  is  do- 
ing towards  the  selling  of 
stamps  and  bonds.  Tell  them 
back  home  to  buy  all  they  can 
and  keep  up  the  good  work. 
Stamps  and  bonds  are  am- 
muntion.  Let  them  feed  it  to 
us  and  we  won't  let  you 
down." 


Momand  Trust  Trial 
Will  Continue  Today 

Home  office  attorneys  left  New 
York  over  the  weekend  for  the  re- 
sumption of  trial  of  the  A.  B.  Mo- 
mand anti-trust  action,  which  seeks 
treble  damages  amounting  to  $5,000, 
000  from  the  major  distributors  and 
several  Southwestern  theatre  circuit 
defendants,  in  Federal  court  at  Okla- 
homa City  today. 

Louis  Phillips,  Paramount  home  of 
fice  attorney,  and  John  Caskey,  20th 
Century-Fox  attorney,  were  in  the 
New  York  group  leaving  for  Okla- 
homa City.  The  trial  is  expected  to 
last  a  month  to  six  weeks.  It  was 
adjourned  Dec.  14  after  a  brief  ses- 
sion for  the  introduction  of  depositions 
of  executives  of  defendant  companies. 
First  witnesses  will  be  called  today 
or  towarrow. 

Other  defendants  are  represented  in 
the  trial  by  D.  I.  Johnson,  Oklahoma 
City  attorney,  and  Edward  F.  Mc- 
Lennen,  Boston  attorney.  George 
Ryan  of  Boston  is  chief  counsel  for 
Momand. 


Personal  Mention 


SPYROS  SKOURAS,  president  of  i 
20th    Century-Fox,    left    for  the 
Coast  over  the  weekend. 

• 

Meyer  Mishkin  of  the  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox home  office  talent  department 
has  reported  to  Camp  Dix.  Leon 
Jacobson  of  the  company's  press  book 
department  will  report  to  Camp 
George  Meade,  Baltimore,  on  Wednes- 
day. 

• 

Corp.  James  V.   Boyle,  formerly 
with  RKO,  leaves  today  for  Camp 
Livingston,  La.,  after  a  furlough  here. 
• 

Fred  Kingston,   formerly   at  the 
Warner  Strand,  Hartford,  is  reported 
-tationed  at  the   U.    S.   Naval  Air 
Training  Base,  Jacksonville,  Fla. 
» 

Thelma  Azrael,  secretary  for 
Loew's  in  Baltimore,  is  in  Union  Me- 
morial Hospital  there  for  a  nasal  op- 
eration. 

• 

Robert  Campbell,  son  of  Hugh  J. 
Campbell,  manager  of  the  Warner 
Central,  West  Hartford,  is  reported 
stationed  overseas  with  the  Army 
Medical  Corps. 


B 


EN  KALMENSON  has  left  for 
California. 


New  Variety  Club 
Opens  in  Chicago 

Chicago,  Jan.  10. — Newest  link  in 
the  Variety  Clubs  of  America  made 
its  official  bow  here  yesterday  when 
Tent  26  of  this  city  held  its  first  regu- 
lar meeting,  selected  the  Hotel  Black- 
stone  as  its  headquarters  and  elected 
officers  for  the  new  year. 

Officers  are :  Chief  Barker,  John 
Jones ;  First  Assistant  Chief  Barker, 
Clyde  Eckhardt ;  Second  Assistant 
Chief  Barker,  Jack  Kirsch ;  Property 
Master,  Irving  Mack,  and  Dough  Guy, 
John  Balaban. 

Presentation  of  the  new  charter  and 
induction  of  officers  by  national  Vari- 
ety Club  executives  will  take  place 
at  a  banquet  at  the  national  meeting 
of  Variety  Clubs  at  the  Blackstone 
Feb.  19  through  21. 


Fire  Talk  Trailer 
Ready  in  N.  Y.  Soon 

A  trailer  on  fire  precautions  and 
prevention  of  panic,  consisting  of  a 
short  talk  by  Mayor  LaGuardia,  will 
be  released  shortly  for  New  York 
metropolitan  theatres,  Harry  Brandt, 
president  of  ITOA,  announced  Fri- 
day at  a  meeting  of  the  organization 
at  the  Hotel  Astor. 

Brandt  pledged  the  group's  support 
to  the  United  Nations  drive  this  week. 
He  also  urged  members  to  convert  to 
coal  as  soon  as  possible. 


Charles  W.  Koerner  is  due  here 
from  Hollywood  today. 

• 

Roy  Haines  is  expected  today  from 
a  trip  through  the  East. 

• 

Sgt.  Jack  Granara,  with  RKO  in 
Boston,  is  visiting  Boston  on  brief 
furlough  from  active  duty  in  the  Pa 
cific,   before   reporting  at  an  officer 
candidate  school. 

• 

R.  M.  Savini  has  left  on  a  trip 
through  the  East. 

• 

Lt.  Robert  Louis  Schaefer,  son  of 
Louis  Schaefer,  manager  of  the 
Paramount,  New  Haven,  and  Cath- 
erine R.  Sullivan  of  New  Haven 
were  married  recently. 

• 

Frank  Weinstein,  manager  of  the 
Eastwood  Theatre,  East  Hartford, 
was  a  New  York  visitor. 

• 

Louis  Azrael,  columnist  and  critic 
for  the  Bahhnorc  Xcivs-Post,  has 
sailed  for  foreign  shores  as  a  war  cor- 
respondent for  the  newspaper. 


Blue  Laws  Upheld 
As  Labor  Safeguard 


W.  B.  Proffers  Run 
In  Chicago  Action 

Chicago,  Jan.  10. — Jack  Shumow, 
Warner  Bros,  branch  manager,  agreed 
to  resume  second  week  of  general  re- 
lease for  the  Sheridan  theatre  in  North 
Chicago  in  arbitration  proceedings 
heard  here  Friday. 

Sam  Gorelick,  of  RKO,  refused  to 
comply  with  the  request,  stating  that 
all  theatres  could  not  take  the  product 
of  all  distributors,  and  the  decision  as 
to  whom  they  should  deal  with  was 
made  for  good  business  reasons. 

Prices  for  Warner  product  have 
increased  considerably  since  the  Sheri- 
dan theatre  was  purchased  by  the  K. 
&  S.  Theatre  Corp.  in  1936,  according 
to  Sidney  Schatz,  manager.  RKO 
prices  have  increased  slightly  in  the 
same  time,  while  those  of  Paramount, 
Metro  and  20th  Century-Fox  are  a 
little  lower,  he  said. 

The  hearings  were  concluded  and 
Harold  J.  Clark,  arbitrator,  promised 
a  decision  within  30  davs. 


'Stage  Door  Canteen' 
Troupe  in  Tomorrow 

A  production  unit  numbering  40 
persons  and  headed  by  Sol  Lesser,  pro- 
ducer, and  Frank  Borzage,  director, 
will  arrive  here  from  the  West  Coast 
tomorrow  morning  to  make  Eastern 
shots  for  Lesser's  production,  "Stage 
Door  Canteen."  to  be  released  by 
United  Artists. 

A  replica  of  the  New  York  Stage 
Door  Canteen  has  been  built  at  the 
Fox  Movietone  studios  here  under 
the  direction  of  Barney  Briskin,  asso- 
ciate producer  of  the  film,  and  will  be 
used  by  the  production  unit. 


Gehring  Tours  Territory 

\V.  C.  Gehring,  20th  Century-Fox 
Western  division  manager,  has  left  on 
a  tour  of  his  territory  from  Detroit 
to  the  Coast.  He  is  expected  to  be 
gone  about  a  month. 


Nathan  and  Actress 
Victims  of  'Muggers' 

"Muggers"  of  the  Harlem  variety 
attacked  George  Jean  Nathan,  drama 
critic,  and,  on  another  occasion,  an 
actress,  it  was  revealed  by  the  police. 

Nathan  was  attacked  about  2  a.  m. 
New  Year's  eve  on  Fifth  Ave.  near 
44th  St.  by  two  "muggers,"  but  was 
saved  from  being  pushed  through  a 
store  window  by  quick  action  of  three 
passers-by.  The  men  fled  without  get- 
ting Nathan's  wallet. 

Last  Thursday  night,  Zina  Provendie, 
stage  and  radio  actress  who  appeared 
in  "Kiss  the  Boys  Goodbye,"  and  the 
radio  show,  "The  Goldbergs,"  was  hit 
over  the  head  from  behind  by  an  18- 
inch  pipe,  police  said,  and  is  in  a  criti- 
cal condition  in  Roosevelt  Hospital. 
The  attack  took  place  on  W.  53rd  St. 
just  off  Fifth  Ave.  about  8:45  p.m. 
Her  assailant  grabbed  her  purse  and 
fled. 


Jackson,  Jan.  10. — Mississippi's 
century-old  Sunday  blue  laws  were 
given  a  new  interpretation  recently 
when  City  Judge  Leon  F.  Hendrick 
declared  the  intent  of  the  ancient  sta- 
tute had  been  to  protect  employes 
from  being  worked  seven  days  a 
week,  and  then  assessed  six  theatre 
operators  the  maximum  fine  of  $50 
for  operating  on  the  Sabbath. 

One  of  the  six  was  fined  a  tl 
of  $150  on  three  charges,  although 
he  operated  his  show  on  a  donation 
rather  than  admission  basis. 

"I  don't  think  it  makes  any  dif- 
ference whether  admission  was 
charged,"  said  the  judge.  "The  true 
meaning  and  purpose  of  these  statutes 
was  to  prevent  employes  being 
worked  seven  days  a  week.  As  far 
as  the  state  is  concerned  it  is  not  a 
moral  question  and  not  one  of  re- 
ligion, just  whether  the  law  is  being 
enforced." 


Bookers  Will  Meet 
On  War  Activities 

Home  office  executives,  New  York 
exchange  managers  and  local  circuit 
officials  will  address  the  first  meet- 
ing of  the  Motion  Picture  Bookers 
Club  of  the  new  year  at  the  Lincoln 
Hotel  tonight. 

The  session  will  be  devoted  pri- 
marily to  the  role  of  the  bookers  in 
the  industry  War  Activities  Commit- 
tee program,  including  methods  for 
increasing  the  booking  and  playing  of 
government  film  subjects. 


Smith  Reports  on 
Britain  at  Luncheon 

Sam  Smith,  president  of  the  Kine- 
matograph  Renters  Society  of  Great 
Britain,  was  the  guest  of  the  foreign 
managers  of  distribution  companies  at 
a  luncheon  here  on  Friday.  Smith, 
who  will  be  in  New  York  another  two 
weeks,  reported  to  the  foreign  depart- 
ment heads  on  trade  conditions  in  the 
United  Kingdom. 


N.  /.  Governor  Lifts 
Sunday  Shows  Ban 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

be  done  otherwise  without  a  vote  of 
Princeton  residents  at  a  general  elec- 
tion. 

The  Governor  informed  Mayor 
Charles  R.  Erdman,  Jr.,  that  his  ac- 
tion was  taken  at  the  request  of  Capt. 
Ralph  C.  Parker,  commandant  of  the 
Naval  Training  School,  and  he  implied 
in  his  letter  to  Mayor  Erdman  that  he 
might  eliminate  Sunday  show  restric- 
tions in  other  communities  near  mili- 
tan'  training  centers. 

While  indicating  he  approved  the 
Governor's  move,  Mayor  Erdman  said 
it  was  an  emergency  measure  that 
would  be  rescinded  when  the  war  was 
over.  On  hearing  of  the  Governor's 
action,  three  Protestant  clergymen 
voiced  objections  and  a  Catholic 
clergyman  approved  it. 


Capital  Party  for  Hart 

Washington,  Jan.  10. — A  press 
party  will  be  held  here  tomorrow  for 
Moss  Hart,  playwright  and  co-author 
of  "George  Washington  Slept  Here." 
Frank  LaFalce  of  Warner  Theatres  is 
arranging  the  partv,  to  be  held  at  the 
Hotel  Willard. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY,  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center. 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address, "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President:  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl. 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan. 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Ouigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


LISTEN! 

Victory  is  not  coming  to  us  solely 
from  the  gallantry  of  our  courageous 
youth  around  the  world's  far-flung 
battle  fronts, 

★ 

Victory  will  also  come  because  of 
loyal,  self-sacrificing  Americans,  who 
would  give  up  anything,  that  the  boys 
in  the  field  may  have  the  best  there 
is,  to  finish  the  job  quickly. 

★ 

Victory  therefore  must  monopolize 
the  daily  thinking  of  every  one  of  us 
on  the  home  front.  Don't  let  the 
boys  in  the  tanks  and  planes  and 
trenches  do  it  all. 

★ 

Victory  will  be  speeded  too,  by  the 
Theatre-man  who  refuses  to  see  val- 
uable film  wasted,  or  other  badly- 
needed  materials  sabotaged  by 
careless  handling  and  neglect. 

* 

Victory-—  it  must  not  be  forgotten 
either — can  be  retarded  too,  by  whin- 
ing and  fault-finding  and  complain- 
ing. We  are  all  soldiers  in  a  common 
cause,  and  their  must  be  but  one 
thought  ever  in  our  minds  — 

Victory! 

★ 


nnTionm  C^Ctie&l  service 

[J  PRIZE  BffBr  OF  THE  MDU5TRY 


4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  January  11,  1943 


Clearance  Decision 
On  Upstate  House 
Reversed  on  Appeal 

The  arbitration  appeal  board,  in  its 
first  decision  since  the  appointment  of 
George  W.  Alger  as  chairman  and 
Robert  McCurdy  Marsh  as  a  member, 
reversed  an  award  by  John  C.  Pem- 
berton,  arbitrator  at  the  New  York 
tribunal,  dismissing  the  clearance  com- 
plaint of  Thornton  Theatres  on  behalf 
of  its  Orpheum  at  Saugerties,  N.  Y. 

Pemberton  had  ruled  that  the  14 
days'  clearance  granted  the  Broadway 
and  Kingston,  Kingston,  N.  Y.,  over 
the  Orpheum  by  the  five  consenting 
companies  was  reasonable  because  the 
three  houses  are  in  competition.  Para- 
mount was  dismissed  because  of  its 
ownership  of  interests  in  the  interven- 
ing theatres. 

Asked  Cut  to  One  Day 

The  award  was  appealed  by  the 
plaintiff,  who  asked  that  the  clearance 
over  the  Orpheum  be  reduced  to  one 
day  and  that  Paramount  be  reinstated 
in  the  action.  The  appeal  board  held 
that  while  some  competition  existed 
between  the  theatres  involved  it  was 
not  sufficient  to  warrant  a  14  days' 
clearance  for  Kingston.  Accordingly, 
the  board  reversed  the  arbitrator  and 
reduced  the  Orpheum's  clearance  to 
seven  days  after  the  Kingston  theatre 
which  first  plays  Loew's,  RKO,  20th 
Century-Fox  or  Warner  pictures. 
Paramount  was  not  reinstated  in  the 
action. 


N.  W.  Allied  Won't 
Appeal  Anti-5  Law 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

faction  with  the  present  selling  meth- 
ods has  been  the  increasing  tendency 
of  distributors  who  are  signatories 
of  the  consent  decree  to  sell  country 
accounts  several  blocks  of  pictures  at 
a  time,  largely  because  of  the  need  for 
reducing  motor  traveling  by  film 
salesmen.  Instead  of  calling  on  dis- 
tant accounts  with  the  release  of  each 
block  of  five,  salesmen  now  wait  on 
many  accounts  until  they  have  sev- 
eral blocks  to  offer  at  one  time. 

The  exhibitors  also  feel  that 
M-G-M's  practice  of  releasing  blocks 
of  10  to  12  features  at  a  time,  to- 
gether with  the  full  line  offerings  of 
non-decree  companies  have  answered 
their  requirements. 


New  Release  Dates 
On  Autry  Reissues 

A  revised  schedule  of  Gene  Autry 
reissue  releases  has  been  set  by  Re- 
public in  order  to  bring  those  pro- 
ductions in  which  Mary  Lee  appears 
nearer  to  the  campaign  on  her  forth- 
coming starring  vehicle,  "Shanty- 
town." 

The  new  schedule  of  Autry  reissue 
releases  is  as  follows :  "Boots  and 
Saddles,"  Jan.  15;  "South  of  the 
Border,"  March  1 ;  "Gaucho  Serenade," 
April  15 ;  "Ride,  Tenderfoot,  Ride," 
June  1 ;  "Tumbling  Tumbleweeds," 
July  15;  "Mexicali  Rose,"  Sept.  1; 
"In  Old  Monterey,"  Oct.  15,  and  "The 
Old  Barn  Dance."  Dec.  1. 


Report  New  York  Houses 
Unaffected  by  Gas  Ban 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

dance  halls  and  bingo  resorts  on  Long 
Island,  in  Westchester  and  Northern 
New  Jersey  had  been  forced  to  close 
when  pleasure  driving  was  ended  and 
that  theatres  throughout  the  entire 
metropolitan  area  are  absorbing  a 
large  part  of  that  patronage. 

The  consensus  of  managers  was  that 
theatres  convenient  to  good  public 
transportation  or  to  heavily  populated 
neighborhoods  will  be  more  likely  to 
benefit  from  the  ban  on  pleasure  driv- 
ing than  hurt  by  it.  It  was  frequently 
suggested,  as  well,  that  the  fuel  oil 
shortage  may  swell  theatre  attendance 
more  as  other  places  of  amusement, 
dependent  upon  this  type  of  fuel  for 
their  heating,  are  forced  to  shorten 
operating  hours  or  to  close. 

Sharp  drops  in  attendance  because 
of  the  ban  on  pleasure  driving  were 
reported  over  the  weekend  by  many 
theatres  in  Westchester  County,  N.  Y., 
Long  Island  and  suburban  New  Jersey 
areas. 

New  York  City  police  began  seizing 
gasoline  ration  books  over  the  week- 
end from  violators  of  the  ban  on 
pleasure  driving.  Other  communities 
reported  violations  of  the  ban,  but  no 
seizure  of  books  has  been  reported. 

New  York  exchange  man- 
agers, questioned  at  the  week- 
end, stated  without  exception 
that  they  knew  of  no  theatre  in 
the  metropolitan  area  which  has 
had  to  close  or  decrease  operat- 
ing hours  because  of  the  fuel 
crisis.  It  was  estimated  that 
only  slightly  more  than  10  per 
cent  of  the  1,100  metropolitan 
theatres  are  dependent  upon 
fuel  oil  for  their  heating  and 
that  many  of  these  either  are 
in  process  of  conversion  to  coal 
or  will  convert  as  soon  as  the 
necessary  materials  are  avail- 
able to  them. 

Branch  managers,  however, 
predicted  that  within  the  next 
week  or  two,  many  of  those  in 
the  latter  category  either  may 
have  to  close  or  reduce  opera- 
tions. 

The  RKO  circuit  reported  100  per 
cent  conversion  of  its  metropolitan  and 
national  circuits,  releasing  750,000  gal- 
lons of  fuel  oil  for  other  users.  Loew's 
and  Skouras  circuits  also  are  entirely 
independent  of  fuel  oil  for  heat.  All 
but  seven  of  Randforce's  40  houses 
have  been  converted  and  six  of  the 
seven  are  awaiting  conversion.  All  of 
Century  Circuit's  37  houses  are  using 
coal,  and  90  of  the  Brandt  Circuit's 
118  are  coal-burners. 

Theatre  operators  in  the  Northeast- 
ern area  were  concerned  over  reports 
that  coal  supplies  are  dwindling  rapid- 
ly under  the  strain  of  the  increased 
demand  from  the  numerous  new  users 
of  the  fuel. 

The  New  York  metropolitan  area's 


coal  supply  was  described  as  ample  for 
the  time  being  in  the  sizes  and  type  of 
coal  used  by  theatres  and  by  the  New 
York  Steam  Co.,  which  supplies  heat 
to  the  Broadway  houses.  However, 
it  was  said,  continuation  or  extension 
of  the  Pennsylvania  anthracite  miners' 
strike,  which  had  made  14,000  miners 
idle  at  the  weekend,  would  create  a 
serious  supply  situation  throughout  the 
entire  East  in  less  than  a  month. 

The  strike  is  not  an  employers'-em- 
ployes'  dispute.  It  was  started  by  an 
increase  of  50  cents  in  union  dues. 
Its  prompt  settlement,  together  with 
action  by  the  Office  of  Price  Adminis- 
tration recently  in  raising  the  ceiling 
price  50  cents  per  ton  at  the  mines, 
will  increase  production  by  20  per  cent 
and  remove  all  causes  of  worry  over 
a  shortage,  it  was  said.  In  addition, 
there  is  said  to  be  no  shortage  of 
transportation  facilities,  railroad  offi- 
cials being  quoted  as  saying  that  they 
could  handle  much  more  coal  than 
they  now  are. 


Gas  Ban,  Blackout 
Hit  Rochester  Gross 

Rochester,  Jan.  10. — The  ban  on 
pleasure  driving  and  a  blackout  last 
Thursday  combined  here  to  slash 
Dusiness  at  the  box-office,  but  theatre 
managers  are  still  of  divergent  opin- 
ions on  the  effect  of  attendance  due  to 
private  car  use  restrictions. 

Attendance  at  one  downtown  house 
was  reported  only  half  what  it  would 
be  normally  on  opening  night  of  a  new 
picture,  and  a  parking  lot  adjacent  to 
the  house  had  only  three  cars  in  it  all 
evening. 

Seek  Bus  Stops 

A  move  to  have  busses  stop  directly 
in  front  of  downtown  theatres  is 
underway  by  all  managers  here  as  a 
result  of  the  ban  on  pleasure  driving. 
The  theatres  are  planning  to  ask  the 
transit  companies  jointly  for  these  ar- 
i  angements.  v 

Meanwhile,  it  was  found  that  no 
local  theatre  will  suffer  from  the  fuel 
oil  slash.  Loew's  Rochester  and  most 
of  the  neighborhood  theatres  heat  with 
coal,  while  the  Palace,  Century,  Re- 
gent, Temple  and  Capitol  are  heated 
by  steam. 


'Share-a-Ride' 
Aids  Iowa  Houses 

Des  Moines,  Jan.  10.  —  "Share-a- 
ride"  campaigns  are  lessening  the  shock 
to  theatres  of  gasoline  rationing  in 
some  sections  of  the  state  where  mer- 
chants and  business  men  are  joining  in 
promoting  the  idea  in  rural  communi- 
ties. Theatre  men  in  smaller  towns  are 
cooperating  by  holding  Saturday  after- 
noon shows  so  that  rural  people  who 
do  not  wish  to  remain  for  the  evening 
show  may  attend  the  theatre  when 
they  come  to  town  for  their  weekly 
shopping. 


Cobian-PRC  Close  Deal 

Producers  Releasing  announced  that 
it  has  closed  a  deal  with  Cobian  The- 
atres, Inc.,  for  distribution  of  PRC 
product  for  1942  and  three  subsequent 
years  in  Puerto  Rico,  the  Virgin 
Islands,  Haiti  and  the  Dominican  Re- 
public. 


WB  Military  Department 

A  department  to  keep  military  rec- 
ords and  maintain  contact  with  War- 
ner Bros,  employes  in  the  service  has 
been  set  up  at  the  home  office  by 
Ralph  W.  Budd,  personnel  manager, 
it  was  announced.  There  are  almost 
1,700  former  Warner  employes  on 
active  duty,  it  was  said. 


5  Rallies  to  Launch 
United  NationsWeek 
In  1,200  N.Y.  Houses 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

lead  the  demonstrations.  James  A. 
Burke,  of  Queens,  will  be  principal 
speaker  at  the  rally  which  will  take 
place  at  the  court  house  in  Jamaica. 
In  Brooklyn,  John  Cashmore  will 
preside  on  the  steps  of  Borough  Ha" 
In  the  Bronx,  James  J.  Lyons 
speak  at  a  ceremony  at  Fordham  Rl.  i 
and  the  Grand  Concourse,  while  Jo- 
seph A.  Palma  will  speak  at  the  Staten 
Island  Borough  Hall. 

A  salute  to  United  Nations  Week 
will  be  broadcast  over  the  Mutual 
network  from  Hollywood  tomorrow 
night  at  8 :30,  featuring  James  Cag- 
ney,  Don  Ameche,  Nelson  Eddy,  Irene 
Manning  and  Jean  Hersholt,  it  was 
announced  by  Edward  L.  Alperson, 
national  chairman  for  the  United  Na- 
tions Week  celebration.  The  program 
will  be  re-broadcast  locally  over  WOR 
at  11:15  p.m.  Wednesday  by  tran- 
scription. 

HVC  Producing  Show 

Ameche  will  be  master  of  ceremonies 
and  Robert  Armbruster  will  have 
charge  of  the  music.  James  Blood- 
worth  will  be  producer  of  the  show 
under  the  supervision  of  Kenneth 
Thomson  and  Paul  Price  of  the  Hol- 
lywood Victory  Committee. 

Station  WOV  has  been  selected  by 
the  New  York  division  of  the  War 
Activities  committee  to  choose  "Miss 
United  Nations"  as  a  part  of  the  cele- 
bration. The  winner  will  be  intro- 
duced by  Jimmy  Dorsey  on  the  stage 
of  the  Strand. 


Bibo  Sues  Ascap  for 
Damages  of  $100,000 

Los  Angeles,  Jan.  10. — Irving  Bibo, 
music  publisher,  late  last  week  filed  a 
$100,000  damage  suit  against  Ascap  in 
Federal  district  court  here,  charging 
violation  of  the  Sherman  anti-trust 
Act. 

Bibo  alleged  that  Ascap  restricted 
its  membership  to  those  approved  by 
the  board  of  directors  and  that  the 
board  arbitrarily  and  without  right 
rejected  the  membership  applications 
of  many  small  publishers,  including 
himself. 

The  complaint  also  charged  Ascap 
with  unfairly  eliminating  competition 
by  pooling  individual  copyrights. 


Envoy  Seeks  Deal 
On  U.  S.-Soviet  Films 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

films,  "A  Day  at  War,"  which  was 
filmed  at  the  front  by  140  camera- 
men, is  reported  to  have  been  ac- 
quired for  release  here  by  March  of 
Time,  which  distributes  through  20th 
Century-Fox.  This  picture,  it  is  said, 
will  be  renamed  "Russia  Marches 
On." 

Last  October,  Republic  Pictures  ac- 
quired the  U.  S.  releasing  rights  from 
Artkino  to  "Moscow  Strikes  Back." 


To  Release  French  Film 

"The  Last  Will  of  Dr.  Mabuse,"  a 
French  film  directed  by  Fritz  Lang,  is 
being  edited  for  release  in  this  coun- 
tyr,  S.  S.  Krellberg  announced.  The 
picture  was  made  several  years  ago. 


Monday,  January  11,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


5 


Theatre  Changes 


'Road  to  Morocco' 
Smash  in  Cleveland; 
Draws  Big  $25,000 


Cleveland,  Jan.  10.  —  "Road  to 
Morocco"  led  here  with  a  smash  $25,- 
000  at  Loew's  State,  including  the  best 
Saturday  business  in  more  than  4 
years.  Holiday  prices  helped  all  other 
houses  in  grossing  far  above  average. 
']Jjjken  Johnny  Comes  Marching 
iie"  with  "George  White's  Scan- 
dals" on  the  stage  grossed  $25,000. 

Estimated    receipts    for    the  week 
ending  Jan.  1  : 
garnered  $9,000. 

"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 

ALLEN— (3,000)  (35c-40c-50c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

WARNERS'  HIPPODROME  —  (3,800) 
(35c-40c-50c)  7  days.  Gross:  $14,000.  Aver- 
age, $12,000) 

"Springtime  in  the  Rockies"  (20th-Fox) 

WARNERS  LAKE — (900)  (35c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $3,000.  (Average, 
$1,500) 

"When    Johnny    Comes    Marching  Home" 
(Univ.) 

RKO  PALACE— (3,100)  (4Oc-50c-65c). 
Stage:  George  White's  Scandals  of  1943. 
7  days.  Gross:  $25,000.  (Average,  $17,5(0) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

LOEW'S  STATE—  (1,500)   (35c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $2£,000.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.A.) 

LOE'S  STTLLM AN— (1,900)  (35c-4Cc-50c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $7,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 


Iowa  Managers  Shifted 

Cresco,  la.,  Jan.  10.— Karl  H.  Under- 
wood, formerly  manager  of  the  Capitol, 
Burlington,  la.,  has  been  appointed 
manager  of  Central  States,  Cresco 
here.  He  succeeds  Mrs.  Joseph  Cole 
who  returned  to  Charles  City  to  as- 
sist in  the  management  of  the  Charles 
Theatre.  Fred  Saverly,  formerly  man- 
ager of  the  Central  States'  Zephyr, 
Burlington,  will  manage  the  Capitol. 


2  New  Phila.  Assistants 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  10. — Joseph  Sil- 
ver, former  Producers  Releasing  sales- 
man and  student  manager  at  War- 
ner theatres,  is  now  assistant  at  Studio 
here.  Bernard  Bonniwell  is  new  Trans 
Lux  assistant. 


Cash  Manages  Indiana  House 

Danville,  Ind.,  Jan.  10.  —  Lowell 
Cash  is  new  manager  of  the  Royal 
here,  replacing  Max  Page,  resigned. 


Moves  to  New  Haven 

New  Haven,  Jan.  10.  —  William 
Bronstein,  formerly  at  the  Loew-Poli, 
Hartford,  succeeded  Herbert  Coleman 
as  assistant  to  Robert  Russell  at  the 
Loew-Poli  here. 


Gets  New  Britain  Interest 

New  Britain,  Conn.,  Jan.  10. — Jo- 
seph Walsh  of  Johnson-Walsh,  theatre 
brokers,  New  Haven,  has  acquired  an 
interest  with  Nick  Kounaris  in  the 
operation  of  the  916-seat  Roxy  The- 
atre, New  Britain.  He  will  book  and 
manage  the  house. 


Cincinnati  Scale  Rise 

Cincinnati,  Jan.  10. — The  1,000- 
seat  RKO  Family,  playing  double-bills 
on  a  split-week  basis,  has  increased 
prices  from  17  and  28  cents  to  20  and 
30  cents  for  matinee  and  night,  re- 
spectively. The  20-cent  rate  is  in 
effect  only  until  1  p.m.  Sundays  and 
holidays. 


Acquire  Iowa  Theatre 

Primghar,  la.,  Jan.  10. — H.  J.  Lank- 
horst  of  Hawarden,  la.,  has  sold  his 
Prim  here  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Klingman 
of  Minneapolis.  Klingman  formerly 
was  RKO  salesman  in  Minneapolis. 


Named  Division  Manager 

Boston,  Jan.  10. — Harvey  Eisenberg, 
formerly  manager  of  Lieberman  Cir- 
cuit's Tremont,  has  succeeded  Bernard 
W.  Levy,  now  in  the  Army,  as  Hart- 
ford division  manager  for  the  circuit. 


Pitt.  Flood  Fails 


To  Dampen  Grosses; 
'Slept  Here,' $23,000 


Pittsburgh,  Jan.  10. — Despite  the 
second  largest  flood  in  Pittsburgh's 
history,  the  Christmas  week  brought 
"Santa  Claus"  business  to  theatres 
here.  "Road  to  Morocco"  did  $22,000 
at  the  Penn,  and  "George  Washington 
Slept  Here,"  with  a  stage  show, 
brought  $23,000  to  the  Stanley. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  29-31 : 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

FULTON— (1.700)    (30c-40c-55c)  6V2  days. 
Gross:  $15,000.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Ice-Capades"  (Rep.) 

HARRIS  —  (2.200)    (30c-40c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $5,0CO.    (Average.  $7,500) 
"The  Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

PENN— (3,400)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$22,000.    (Average,  $12,500) 
"Bambi"  (RKO) 

RITZ— (1.100)    (30c-40c-55c)    7    days,  2nd 
run.    Gross:  $3,500.    (Average.  $2,500) 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.A.) 

SENATOR— (1,750)    (30c-40c-55c)    7  davs. 
Gross:  $4,000.    (Average,  $3,500) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 

STANLEY  —  (3,800)  (30c-44c-55c-65c). 
Stage:  6  days  of  vaudeville  including  Ina 
Ray  Hutton  orchestra.  Stuart  Foster. 
Marion  Hutton,  the  Modernaires,  Jack  Dur- 
ant.  Gross:  $23,000.  (Average.  $14,000) 
"Mrs.  Wiggs  of  the  Cabbage  Patch"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  EcHtor"  (Para.) 

WARNER— (2.000)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $4,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 


JANE  WITHERS  WILL  DELIGHT  HER  FOLLOWERS- Showmen's  Trade  Review 


JOHNNY    DOUGHBOY  Starring  JANE  WITHERS  wifh  HENRY  WILCOXON  •  PATRICK  BROOKS 

WILLIAM   DEMAREST  •   RUTH    DONNELLY  and  members  of  the  20  minus  club  BOBBY  BREEN  .  BABY  SANDY  .  "ALFALFA"  SW1TZER  .   "SPANKY"  McFARLAND 
BUTCH  AND  BUDDY  .  CORA  SUE  COLLINS  .  ROBERT  COOGAN  .  Director  JOHN  H.  AUER  .  Screen  play  by  LAWRENCE  KIMBLE  .  Original  story  by  FREDERICK  KOHNER 
A   REPUBLIC   PICTURE  •  BCJY   U.  S.  WAR    SAkVIWCS  BOlDi 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  January  11,  194; 


•  Short  Subject  Reviews  • 


'Morocco'  $21,000 
Leader  in  Toronto's 
Big  Holiday  Week 


Toronto,  Jan.  10. — "The  Road  to 
Morocco"  at  the  Imperial  Theatre  was 
the  high  spot  in  a  roaring  record  New 
Year's  week  in  Toronto  with  sell-outs 
all  along  the  line.  "Morocco"  grossed 
$21,000  for  the  week,  which  included 
an  extra  midnight  performance.  At 
Shea's,  "The  Major  and  the  Minor" 
rose  to  $19,500  and  at  Loew's  Theatre 
the  take  on  "For  Me  and  My  Gal" 
was  $17,500.  "Arabian  Nights"  at  the 
Uptown  accounted  for  $16,500.  The 
one  holdover,  "The  Avengers"  at  the 
Eglinton,  accounted  for  more  at  $7,000 
because  of  the  New  Year's  rush  than 
the  first  week's  gross  over  Christmas. 

Estimated  takings  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  4 : 

"The  Avengers"  (Para.) 

EGLINTON  —  (1.086)  (18c-30c-48c-60c)  6 
days.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $7,000.  (Average. 
$4,500) 

"The  Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

IMPERIAL— (3,373)  (18c -30c -42c -60c -90c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $21,000.    (Average.  $9,500) 
"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S — (2.074)     (18c-30c-42c-60c-78c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $17,500.    (Average,  $9,500) 
"The  Major  and  the  Minor"  (Para.) 

SHEA'S— (2,480)    (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $19,500.    (Average.  $10,000) 
"My  Sister  Eileen"  (CoL) 
"Underground  Agent"  (Col.) 

TIVOLI— (1,434)     (18c-30c-48c)     6  days. 
Gross:  $6,500.    (Average,  $4,200) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

UPTOWN— (2,761)  (18c-30c-42c-6Oc-90c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $16,500.    (Average,  $8,500) 

Loew's  Houses  Give 
Manual  on  Insignia 

A  "Loew's  Victory  Manual"  con- 
taining a  complete  collection  of  mili- 
tary and  naval  insignia  and  markings, 
in  color,  is  being  distributed  to  pa- 
trons of  Loew's  theatres,  it  was  an- 
nounced. A  total  of  500,000  copies 
are  being  given  out.  The  folder  car- 
ries copy  to  the  effect  that  it  was 
issued  in  honor  of  the  1,481  Loew- 
M-G-M  employes  in  the  services.  It 
was  prepared  by  Oscar  A.  Doob  and 
Ernest  Emerling. 

Warner  and  Berlin 
Discuss  Army  Show 

Chicago,  Jan.  10. — Jack  L.  Warner, 
visiting  here  over  the  weekend,  con- 
ferred with  Irving  Berlin  on  arrange- 
ments for  the  Los  Angeles  engage- 
ment of  "This  Is  the  Army,"  all- 
soldier  show  now  playing  here.  Start 
of  the  film  production  of  the  show 
by  'Warner  Bros,  will  follow  the  Los 
Angeles  stage  engagement.  Warner 
and  Berlin  are  expected  to  leave  for 
the  Coast  in  a  few  days. 


Chi.  Censors  Scanned 
1,320  Films  in  1942 

Chicago,  Jan.  10.— During  1942  the 
Chicago  Motion  Picture  Censor  Board 
inspected  1,320  films  with  a  total  of 
534,050  feet.  The  board  made  257 
cuts;  four  pictures  were  rejected  and 
28  were  classified  for  adults  only. 

In  the  same  period  57  "soundies"  to- 
talling 47,600  feet  were  examined. 


Showing  Foreign  Films 

Rochester,  Jan.  10.— The  Empress 
neighborhood  house  here,  is  showing 
foreign  films  Wednesday  and  Thurs- 
day. _  The  price  is  40  or  50  cents,  de- 
pending on  the  attraction. 


"The  Navy  and 
The  Nation" 

(March  of  Time) 

(20th  Century-Fox) 

AUDIENCES  will  react  favorably 
to  the  scenes  in  this  subject  show- 
ing people  all  over  America  working 
in  munition  plants,  airplane  factories, 
lense  factories,  food  warehouses  and 
in  the  clothing  industry.  These  people 
are  actively  engaged  in  helping  the 
Navy  continue  its  heroic  efforts  to 
get  men  and  supplies  to  the  right 
places  at  the  right  time,  and  their 
work  is  performed  under  Navy  super- 
vision. The  scenes  are  all  interesting 
and  cover  much  territory.  A  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  film  is  devoted 
to  showing  the  men  of  the  Navy  on 
active  duty,  -^akin"-  use  of  the  vital 
supplies  provided  here  at  home.  Run- 
ning time,  19  mins.  Release,  Jan.  1. 


"Bellboy  Donald" 

(Walt  Disney) 

(RKO) 

Those  who  have  mourned  Donald's 
misfortunes,  will  be  cheered  to  see 
him  administer  a  terrific  beating  to 
the  malevolent  "Junior,"  the  cause  of 
all  his  troubles,  in  the  finale  of  this 
picture.  "The  Customer  Is  Always 
Right"  is  the  motto  of  the  hotel  for 
which  Donald  works  as  bellboy.  He 
patiently  follows  this  golden  rule,  suf- 
fering indescribable  indignities  at  the 
hands  of  the  newest  guest.  When  he 
is  at  last  fired,  he  grabs  "Junior"  and 
returns  his  ill  treatment  in  kind.  In 
Technicolor.  Running  time,  7  mins. 
Release,  Dec.  18. 


"How  to  Fish" 

(Walt  Disney) 

(RKO)_ 

This  is  the  nerfect  picture  for  the 
man  who  says,  "And  you  should  have 
seen  the  one  that  got  away!"  and  his 
friend  who  is  tired  of  hearing  him  say 
it.  Goofy  goes  fishing  with  dire  and 
amusing  results.  The  fish  nearly  split 
their  fins  laughing.  When  he  falls  into 
the  lake,  thev  steal  his  bait.  When  he 
casts,  he  catches  nothing  less  than  a 
tremendous  tr~>.  and  when  he  takes 
to  a  row  boat,  the  prize  is  his  out- 
board motor.  In  Technicolor.  Running 
time,  7    mins.  Release,  Dec.  4. 

"Dick  StabhV 
and  His  Orchestra" 

(Jamboree  No.  4) 

(RKO) 

Dick  Stabile  playing  his  saxophone 
occupies  most  of  this  film.  The  music 
is  fast  and  hot  and  the  entire  program 
is  reasonably  entertaining.  Gracie  Bar- 
rie  sings  "Pack  Up  Your  Troubles  In 
Your  Old  Kit  Bag"  and  "You  Go  To 
My  Head."  The  latter  is  sung  atop  a 
raised  platform  and  photographed  in 
dramatic  fashion.  Running  time,  8 
mins.  Release,  Nov.  27. 

"Confusions  of  a 
Nutzy  Spy" 

(Looney  Tune  Cartoon) 

(Warner  Bros.) 

_  Nutzy  Spy  has  plans  to  set  off  a 
time  bomb  on  a  bridge  but  Constable 
Porky  Pig  and  his  assistant,  Egbert 
the  Bloodhound,  get  on  his  trail  and 
after  manv  blunders  save  the  bridge 
and  end  Nutzy  Spy's  career.  It  is 
about  up  to  the  average  of  the  series. 
Running  time,  7  mins.    Release,  Jan. 


"America's  Battle  of 
Beauty" 

(Sports  Parade) 

(Warner  Bros.) 

California  and  Florida  battle  this 
out  in  a  contest  over  their  vacation 
advantages.  As  a  confused  traveler 
debates  where  to  spend  his  vacation, 
the  voice  of  Sidney  Blackmer  tells 
him  of  the  glories  of  Florida,  while 
Knox  Manning  speaks  of  the  West 
Coast  attractions,  each  debunking  the 
other's  claims.  Meanwhile  resort 
scenes  are  pictured  in  Technicolor. 
The  man  in  question  finally  gives  up 
a-nd  buys  a  ticket  to  New  Jersey. 
The  narration  was  written  by  James 
Bloodworth.  Running  time,  10  mins. 
Release,  Nov.  21. 


"So  You  Think 
You  Need  Glasses" 

(Hollyood  Novelty) 

(W arner  Bros.) 

Joe  MacDoakes  finally  has  his  poor 
eyesight  catch  up  with  him  when  he 
disrupts  a  bridge  game.  His  wife 
send  him  to  the  eye  doctor's  where  he 
is  fitted  with  a  strong  pair  of  glasses. 
He  returns  home,  only  to  have  his 
brother-in-law  take  them  off  and  per- 
suade him  to  take  eye  treatments. 
This  procedure  is  so  successful  that 
he's  eligible  for  the  army.  Mac- 
Doakes, played  by  George  O'Hanlon, 
was  the  hero  of  "So  You  Want  to 
Give  Up  Smoking."  The  subject  is 
instructive  and  interesting.  Running 
time,  10  minutes.    Release,  Dec.  26. 


"Pretty  Dolly" 

(Leon  Errol) 

(RKO) 

Leon  Errol  is  again  the  victim  of 
unfortunate  circumstances.  This  time 
it's  divorce  trouble.  He  buys  a  blonde 
doll  as  a  birthday  gift  for  his  wife. 
The  doll  falls  into  the  fireplace  and  is 
destroyed.  Therefore,  there  is  no  proof 
of  Leon's  innocence  when  his  wife 
finds  a  lock  of  blonde  hair  on  his  coat. 
The  picture,  a  typical  Leon  Errol  sub- 
ject, is  amusing  in  a  slapstick  way. 
Running  time,  17  mins.  Release, 
Dec.  11. 


"The  State 

ns  Thomas  Crosby" 

(Famous  Jury  Trials) 

(RKO.) 

A  clever  defense  attorney,  with  all 
the  damaging  evidence  against  his 
client,  proves  that  another  man,  one 
of  the  witnesses  in  the  trial,  actually 
killed  Thomas  Crosby's  wife.  The  pic- 
ture maintains  a  high  level  of  suspense 
and  is  more  mature  than  most  short 
subjects.  The  actinsr  is  only  fair  but 
the  plot  carries  the  film.  Running  time, 
18  mins.  Release,  Nov.  13. 


"Q-Men" 

(Sporiscope) 

(RKO) 

The  expert  and  trick  billiard  shots 
shown  here  will  cause  audiences  to 
gasp.  Those  familiar  with  the  game 
will  probably  enjov  it  even  more  and 
be  anxious  to  get  home  to  try  a  few 
of  the  shots.  Willie  Hopne,  Charlie 
Peterson  and  Irving  Crane  make  the 
balls  do  all  those  amazing  things  you 
won't  believe  nossible  until  you  see 
for  yourself.  Running  time,  8  mins. 
Release,  Dec.  4. 


"The  United  States 
Navy  Band" 

(Melody  Master) 

(Warner  Bros.) 

Against  the  impressive  background 
of  the  Lincoln  Memorial  in  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  the  Navy  Band  justifies 
its  reputation  among  service  musical 
groups  as  it  plays  several  well  known 
tunes  including  "Anchors  Aw^ 
and  "Don't  Give  Up  the  Ship."  v.'  e 
the  band  plays,  different  Navy  divi- 
sions are  shown  in  action  and  the 
Navy  chorus  sings.  Running  time,  10 
minutes.    Release,  Jan.  16. 


"The  Fighting 
Engineers" 

(Technicolor  Special) 

( Warner  Bros.) 

Produced  in  cooperation  with  the 
U.  S.  Engineering  Corps,  this  two- 
reeler  is  a  stirring  tribute  to  Army 
engineers.  Richard  Travis,'  Robert 
Armstrong  and  James  Flavin  play 
leading  roles  in  the  story  of  a  prize 
fighter  and  his  manager  as  they  train 
in  the  corps.  Action  shots  were  made 
on  ground  closely  resembling  the  ter- 
rain of  the  Solomon  Islands.  The 
short  is  bound  to  have  patriotic  ap- 
peal. Narration  is  by  Knox  Manning. 
B.  Reaves  Eason  directed.  The  screen- 
play is  by  Charles  Tedford  and  Owen 
Crump.  Running  time,  20  minutes. 
Release,  Jan.  2. 


"Coal  Black  and 
De  Sebben  Dwarfs" 

(Merrie  Melodies) 

(Warner  Bros.) 

"Snow  White  and  the  Seven 
Dwarfs"  is  parodied  in  this  Techni- 
color short  as  the  characters  are 
darkies  and  the  seven  dwarfs  are  in 
the  army.  The  kiss  of  one  of  the 
dwarfs  saves  Black  Coal  from  the 
wicked  Enemy  Queen  but  not  before 
the  heroine  has  time  to  charm  her 
original  captors  and  her  Prince 
Charming.  The  subject  is  moderately 
amusing.  Rnnning  time,  7  mins.  Re- 
lease, Jan.  16. 


"Air  Raid  Warden" 

(Universal) 

Andy  Panda,  the  children's  delight, 
is  an  efficient  air  raid  warden  who 
meets  up  with  a  goat  who  consumes 
an  alarm  siren,  two  traffic  lights  and 
a  battery.  In  his  efforts  to  extin- 
guish the  goat's  persistent  internal 
glow.  Andy  gets  himself  and  the  goat 
into  a  vulnerable  position  of  a  swing- 
ing steel  girder  where  they  are  mis-  \ 
taken  for  enemy  aircraft,  and  even-  -| 
tually  shot  down.  The  short  is  in  1 
Technicolor,  and  Andy  as  charming  -J 
as  ever.  Running  time,  7  mins.  Re-  1 
lease,  Dec.  21. 


"My  Favorite  Duck" 

(Looney  Tune) 

(Warner  Bros.) 

Daffy  Duck  does  his  best  in  this 
Technicolor  film  to  get  in  the  way 
of  Porky  Pig  who  is  looking  for  a 
quiet  spot  to  set  up  camp.  There's 
no  limit  to  his  annoyances  and  Porky 
is  helpless  since  it  is  the  closed  sea- 
son on  ducks.  Porky  gets  his  chance, 
however,  when  the  clock  suddenly 
points  to  "Open  Season"  and  Daffy 
gets  his  punishment.  Running  time. 
7  mins.    Release,  Dec.  5. 


Monday,  January  11,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Critics 9  Quotes 


"STAR  SPANGLED  RHYTHM"  (Paramount) 

The  picture  is  filled  with  a  variety  of  amusing  acts  that  are  sure  fire  laugh- 
getters  and  make  this  a  super-duper  variety  show.  You  pay  your  money  at 
the  box-office  and  you  take  your  choice  of  stars,  but  no  matter  which  star 
lures  you  .  .  .  you  are  sure  to  get  your  money's  worth  of  entertainment. — 
Kate  Cameron,  New  York  Daily  News. 

Unlike  most  pictures  of  this  sort,  "Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  is  something 
more  than  merely  a  vehicle  for  Paramount  to  parade  its  contract  list.  In 
fact  almost  everyone  of  the  expensive  "names"  does  something  and  shows 
'IJ^well. — Gerald  R.  Scott,  New  York  Daily  Mirror. 

.ramount  Pictures  has  gone  ahead  and  revived  the  old  show-of-shows 
'  technique  in  "Star  Spangled  Rhythm,"  an  all-star  vaudeville  revue.    The  film 
had  a  gala  and  uproarious  premiere. — Joseph  Pihodim,  New  York  Herald 
Tribune. 

The  film,  by  its  very  nature,  concedes  consistent  quality  to  size,  and  as- 
sumes the  uneven  proportions  of  a  whopping  big  benefit  show. — Bosley  Crow- 
ther,  Nezv  York  Times. 

"IN  WHICH  WE  SERVE"  (United  Artists) 

Less  epic  than  "All  Quiet  on  the  Western  Front,"  the  cinema's  classic  on 
World  War  I,  "In  Which"  is  more  moving.  ...  At  its  best  the  film's  sen- 
timentality has  a  Dickensian  wallop.  It  is  a  Cavalcade  of  vids.-L-Time  Maga- 
zine. 

The  dauntless  courage  of  men  and  their  ship  that  is  a  pride  of  British  tradi- 
tion never  has  been  more  hearteningly  expressed  than  with  "In  Which  We 
Serve."  Noel  Coward's  achievement  with  his  cast  is  something  magnificent. 
These  actors  were  chosen  in  a  moment  of  genius. — Alton  Cook,  New  York 
W  orld-T  elegram. 

The  picture  is  a  good  one,  one  of  those  sentimental  English  tales  which 
move  many  moviegoers  to  tears  and  leave  others  untouched.  It  is  an  effective 
drama.  "In  Which  We  Serve"  should  quickly  find  an  audience  which  will 
respond  wholeheartedly  to  its  obvious  appeal. — Eileen  Creelman,  New  York 
Sim. 

We  may  yet  see  a  picture  more  rational  about  the  large  implications  of  this 
war.  But  this  observer  does  not  expect  ever  to  see  anything  more  moving 
on  the  screen  than  the  looks  of  the  oil-smeared  sailors  in  this  film  as  they 
watch  their  loved  ship  sink. — Bosley  Crowther,  New  York  Times. 

"THE  BLACK  SWAN"  (20th  Century-Fox) 

"The  Black  Swan"  is  in  the  golden  tradition  of  boyish  adventures.  The 
small  fry  probably  will  be  brandishing  wooden  swords  in  the  parlor  and  slit- 
ting sofa  pillows  for  some  time  to  come.  But  a  lot  of  grown-ups  are  going 
to  like  it,  too. — T.  S.,  New  York  Times. 

Men  predominate  the  cast  and  a  finer  bunch  of  scalliwags  never  raised  the 
skull  and  crossboned  flag  atop  the  mast  of  any  ship.  .  .  .  They  find  a  sym 
pathetic  audience  for  their  sins  which  run  an  entertaining  gamut. — Lenore 
Bushman,  Philadelphia  Daily  News. 

20th  Century-Fox  has  reproduced  in  glowing  Technicolor  Sabatini's  swash- 
buckling "Black  Swan,"  wherein  Tyrone  Power  pulls  a  typical  Fairbanks. 
— Irene  Thierer,  New  York  Post. 

Rafael  Sabatini  himself  could  hardly  have  hoped  for  a  more  action-packed 
screen  telling  of  his  yarn. — Laura  Lee,  Philadelphia  Bidletin. 

There's  sword  play  aplenty  as  the  story  unfolds.  There's  suspense  and 
drama.  There's  adventure  and  romance.  There's  action  and  color.  What 
more  could  anyone  ask? — G.  E.  Blackford,  New  York  Journal-American. 

If  the  screen  authors  had  subordinated  the  rather  insipid  romantic  angle 
and  concentrated  on  derring-do  "The  Black  Swan"  could  well  have  been  a 
grand  adventure  film. — Joseph  Pihodna,  New  York  Herald  Tribune. 

"JOURNEY  FOR  MARGARET"  (M-G-M) 

Though  not  as  patriotically  stirring  nor  as  emotionally  upsetting  as  some  of 
the  excellent  pictures  that  have  sprung  from  this  war,  there  has  been  none 
more  touching  than  "Journey  For  Margaret." — Wanda  Hale,  New  York  Daily 
News. 

The  film's  most  touching  scenes  to  this  reviewer  are  those  showing  how  the 
youngsters  react  to  the  war.  .  .  .  When  he  gets  a  chance  Major  Van  Dyke 
turns  the  camera  to  the  lighter  side  of  the  picture  and  takes  full  advantage  of 
the  opportunity. — Joseph  Pihodna,  New  York  Herald  Tribune. 

There  are  few  light  moments — with  hardly  a  laugh  or  two  to  offset  the 
grim  tragedy  of  the  tale.  ...  It  is  distinctly  adult  fare  and  you've  got  to  be 
pretty  hard-boiled  to  take  it. — Irene  Thirer,  New  York  Post. 

"ONE  OF  OUR  AIRCRAFT  IS  MISSING"  (United  Artists) 

It  is  a  simple  pattern,  but  out  of  it  the  director  and  producer  have  created  a 
succession  of  wrenching  incidents  in  which  the  suspense  is  so  delicately  bal- 
anced that  a  single  misstep  could  destroy  them. — T.  S.,  New  York  Times. 

It  cannot  be  said  that  the  picture  is  told  with  great  fervor  or  a  maximum  of 
excitement.  In  fact,  porbably  part  of  its  interest  arises  from  the  fact  that  it 
is  so  casual  and  treats  the  progress  of  plot  in  an  obliquely  light  manner. — 
Edwin  Schailert,  Los  Angeles  Times. 

It  will  be  worth  your  while  to  take  a  rest  from  your  favorite  faces  to  look 
these  people  over,  because  you  can't  lose  on  the  deal.  "One  of  Our  Aircraft 
Is  Missing"  is  the  kind  of  movie  that  will  cause  you  to  give  a  friendly  tip 
to  your  neighbor  not  to  miss  it. — Neil  Ran,  Los  Angeles  Examiner. 

While  "One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  does  not  match  the  suspense  and 
chills  of  "Invaders,"  it  is  an  adroitly-woven,  well-acted  film  drama,  holding 
the  attention  from  start  to  finish. — Kasper  Monahau.  Pittsburgh  Press. 


c«ot  at  t>w  K*«*MAMce/     «■  »  20TH 

You  are 


Ttf IS  YOWIL 

4 

GPPQ&TUtittf  TO 

/ 


RADIO  SALUTE  TO 
UNITED  NATIUNS 

TUESDAY  8:30  to  9  P.M. 

(Over  entire  Mutual  Network 

•  JAMES  CACNEY 

•  NELSON  EDDY 

•  DON  AMECHE 

•  IRENE  MANNING 

•  JEAN  HERSHOLT 

Listen  Everybody. 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  January  11,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


A LIST  of  FM  outlets  published  by  FM  Broadcasters  includes  36  on  a 
regular  commercial  basis  with  nine  others  continuing  as  experimental 
ventures.  Some  curtailment  of  the  longer  schedules  was  said  to  be  expected 
because  of  the  scarcity  of  replacement  tubes  and  parts.  Shut-downs  are  not 
expected,  it  was  stated.  Outlets  operate  on  daily  schedules  from  a  minimum 
of  six  hours  to  24  hours.  FM  Broadcasters  also  announced  a  reduction  of 
yearly  dues  from  $300  to  $50  for  the  duration. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Patricia  Kelly  joins  the  CBS  publicity  staff  today.  She 
formerly  toured  with  the  Camel  Caravan  as  publicist.  .  .  .  Robert  L.  Smock 
has  joined  the  copy  department  oj  Marschalk  and  Pratt  Co.  .  .  .  Mrs.  Ruth 
Bcrcnsten  of  WHAM,  Rochester,  is  the  city's  first  woman  announcer.  .  .  . 
J.  B.  van  Urk,  formerly  with  the  Bureau  of  Industrial  Service,  has  joined 
the  public  relations  staff  of  N.  IV.  Ayer  &  Son,  Inc. 

•  •  • 

WJZM,  Clarksville,  Tenn.,  will  become  a  regular  affiliate  of  Mutual 
Feb.  1.  The  station  operates  on  a  frequency  of  1,402  kilocycles  with 
250  watts.  This  addition  brings  the  number  of  MBS  network  affiliates 
to  212,  the  network  announced. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Xorth  American  Accident  Insurance  Co.  will  launch  its 
second  campaign  over  WABC  with  "Quincy  Howe  and  the  News"  weekly  from 
noon  to  12:15  p.m.  .  .  .  "An  American  in  Russia"  is  the  title  of  a  three-program 
CBS  series  to  be  heard  Saturdays.  Jan.  16,  23  and  30,  with  Larry  Lesueur 
as  narrator.  .  .  .  Cummer  Products  Co.  has  renewed  "Manhattan  at  Midnight," 
heard  Wednesday  8:30-9  p.m.  on  the  Blue. 


'Morocco'  and 
'Dandy'  Lead 
Cin.  Grosses 


Cincinnati,  Jan.  10.  —  "Road  to 
Morocco"  grossed  a  terrific  §23,000  at 
the  RKO  Albee  for  the  season's  record 
high  at  that  house,  while  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy"  at  the  regular  house 
scale  at  the  RKO  Capitol  drew  a 
strong  $14,500  on  the  first  week  of  an 
extended  run.  "Reunion  in  France" 
broke  even  with  $10,000  at  the  RKO 
Palace,  and  "White  Cargo"  took 
54,500  on  a  third  downtown  week  at 
the  RKO  Lyric. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  30-Jan.  2 : 

"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

RKO  ALBEE — (3,300)     (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $23,000  .  (Average,  $12,000) 
"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 

RKO    PALACE— (2,700)    (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  S10.000.    (Average,  S10.00C) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (CoL) 

RKO  SHUBERT— (2,150)  (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  83,800.  (Average. 
$5,000) 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

RKO  CAPITOL — (2,000)    (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days.  Gross  $14,500.    Average,  $5,500) 
"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 

RKO     G  RAX  D— (1.500)     (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $4,800.     (Average.  $5,000) 
"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 

RKO  LYRIC— (1,400)  (28c-33c-42c)  7  dai>. 
3rd  week.    Gross:  $4,500.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"Lure  of  the  Islands"  (Mono.) 
"Tomorrow  We  Live"  (PRC) 

RKO  FAMILY—  (1,000)   (20c-30c)  4  days. 
Gross:  $1,200.    (Average,  $1,200) 
"Spy  Ship"  (W.B.) 
"Heart  of  the  Golden  West"  (Rep.) 

RKO  FAMILY — (1,000)  (20c-30c)  3  days. 
Gross:  $900.    (Average,  $800) 
"Life  Begins  at  Eight- Thirty"  (20th-Fox) 

KEITH'S — (1,500)  (33c-40c-50c)  7  davs. 
Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  $5,000) 

4  New  OWI  Posters 
To  Go  to  Theatres 

Four  new  one-sheet  posters  will  be 
sent  to  theatres  during  February  by 
the  Office  of  War  Information,  with 
the  request  that  they  be  displa3'ed,  the 
War  Activities  Committee  announced. 

Two  will  be  on  the  subject  of  "care- 
less talk"  on  the  part  of  civilians 
which  might  give  information  to  the 
enemy.  Another  is  on  the  subject  of 
war  bonds,  and  the  fourth  on  the  Val- 
ley Forge  theme,  with  the  slogan, 
"Americans  Will  Always  Fight  for 
Freedom." 

More  than  16,000  theatres  on  the 
roster  of  the  WAC  Theatres  Division 
are  to  receive  the  posters. 

Goldwyn  Sets  New 
Kaye,  Hope  Films 

Samuel  Goldwyn  announced  that  the 
film  he  will  produce  starring  Danny 
Kaye  will  be  titled  "With  Flying 
Colors."  This  will  be  Kaye's  first  film, 
and  will  be  in  Technicolor.  Dinah 
Shore  will  also  appear  in  the  film. 
The  screenplay  is  being  written  by 
Don  Hartman  and  Allen  Boretz. 


Hollywood,  Jan.  10.— Samuel  Gold- 
wyn has  obtained  the  services  of  Bob 
Hope  for  a  second  picture,  it  was  an- 
nounced, and  has  revived  the  title 
"Treasure  Chest,"  now  being  given  a 
new  story  by  Don  Hartman. 


Greenblatt  on  Field  Trip 

Arthur  Greenblatt.  vice-president  in 
charge  of  sales  for  Producers  Releas- 
ing, left  Saturday  on  a  tour  of  Mid- 
west and  Southern  exchanges.  He  will 
return  about  Feb.  10. 


Balto.  Record  Set 
By 4 Arabian  Nights' 


Baltimore,  Jan.  10. — Breaking  all 
records  at  Keith's  Theatre,  "Arabian 
Nights"  finished  the  week  with  $20,- 
000.  Holiday  business  brought  sub- 
stantial grosses  to  all  downtown 
houses.  "Reunion  in  France"  took 
$15,000  at  the  Century  and  "A  Night 
to  Remember"  bolstered  by  a  stage 
show  scored  §19,000  at  the  Hippo- 
drome. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  31 : 

"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 
CENTURY— (3,000)     (28c-44c     and  55c 

weekends)  7  days.  Gross:  $15,000.  (Aver- 
age, $11,000) 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

KEITH'S— (2,406)  (15c-28c-33c-44c  and  55c 
weekends')  7  davs.  Gross:  $20,000.  (Aver- 
age, $10,000) 

"Life  Begins  at  Eight-Thirty"  (ZOth-Fox) 

NEW— (1.581)    (15c-28c-33c-55cl    7  davs. 
Gross:  $11,000.    (Average,  $8.0001 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

STANLEY— (3.280)  (28s-39s-44s-55s,l  7 
days.  3rd  week.  Gross:  $15,000.  (Average. 
$12,000) 

"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 

HIPPODROME — (2,205)  (15c-28c-39c-44c- 
55c-66c)  7  days.    Stage:  Benny  D'avis  and 
his  "New  Stars  on  Parade."    Gross:  $19,- 
000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Ice-Capades  Revue"  (Rep.) 

MAYFAIR— (1,000)  (20c-40c)  7  davs. 
Gross:  $7,000.    (Average.  $6,000) 

Honor  Sister  Kenny 
At  Coast  Luncheon 

Hollywood,  Jan.  10. — Sister  Eliza- 
beth Kenny,  whose  life  will  be  filmed 
by  RKO  with  Rosalind  Russell  in  the 
title  role,  was  guest  of  honor  at  a 
luncheon  here  Friday  given  by  Charles 
Koerner  at  the  studio.  Sixty  guests, 
representing  the  industry,  press,  civic 
and  the  medical  profession  heard  the 
famed  nurse  tell  her  own  story.  Pro- 
duction is  expected  to  start  late  this 
year. 


Will  Reissue  Carver  Film 

Ira  Greene  has  announced  that  he 
will  reissue  "The  Life  of  Dr.  George 
Washington  Carver,"  originally  pro- 
duced in  1940.  The  famed  Negro 
scientist  who  died  last  week  played 
himself  in  the  film. 


MBS  1942  Billings 
Totaled  $9,636,123 

Mutual  Broadcasting  Svstem  time 
billings  for  1942  totaled "  $9,636,123, 
the  network  announced.  This  was  re- 
ported by  MBS  as  the  highest  annual 
gross  in  its  eight-year  history.  The 
1942  total  represented  an  increase  of 
31.9  per  cent  over  the  1941  gross  of 
$7,300,955,  the  announcement  said. 

The  high  point  of  the  past  year  was 
reached  in  March  when  billings  totaled 
$1,053,444.  Next  highest  month  was 
January  when  $1,024,511  was  grossed. 
The  weakest  month  of  the  year  was 
August,  with  billings  of  $518,226. 

Billings  for  December,  1942,  totaled 
$861,814,  a  decrease  of  9.14  per  cent. 
December,  1941.  billings  were  S948,- 
498. 

The  largest  billings  by  clients  dur- 
ing the  year  1942  were  Bayuk  Cigars, 
Inc.,  $973.072 ;  Gospel  Broadcasting 
Association.  $929,698;  Coca-Cola  Co., 
$642,984,  and  Gillette  Safety  Razor 
Co.,  $604,670.  The  leading  agencies 
in  point  of  billing  on  the  network  were 
Ivey  &  Ellington.  $1,305,503;  Black- 
ett-Sample-Hummert,  $1,195,822,  and 
R.  H.  Alber  Co.,  $1,064,935. 


Mpl's  Holiday  Big; 
'Palm  Beach;  $12,000 


Minneapolis,  Jan.  10.  —  The  best 
holiday  week  business  in  many  years 
was  experienced  by  theatres  here. 
"Palm  Beach  Story"  led  with  $12,000 
at  the  State. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Dec.  31 : 

"Thp  Naw  Conn-s  Through"  (RKO) 

ORPHEUM— (2,800)    (30c-40c-50c)   7  days 
Gross:  S8.500.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"The  Monn  and  Sixpence"  fU.A.) 

WORLD— (350)     (30c-40c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:   $4,400.     (Average.  $2,000) 
"Mrs.     Wiggs    of    the    Cabbage  Patch" 
(Para.) 

GOPHER-(908)    (30c)    7   days.  Gross: 
$2  900.     (Average,  $3,000) 
"The  Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 

CENTURY— (1.6001  (30c-40c-50c)  7  davs, 
2id  week.  Gross:  J7.30O.  (Average,  $5,000) 
"Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

STATE — (2  300)      (30c-40c-50^     7  days. 
Gross:  $12  000.    (Average,  $8,500) 
"Sherlock  Holmes  and  the  Voice  of  Terror" 

(Univ.) 

"Get  Hep  to  Love"  (Univ.) 

ASTER— (900)  (20c-30c)  6  days.  Gross: 
$2,900.    (Average.  $2,000) 


Weather  Holds 
Hub  Grosses 
To  Low  Level 


Boston,  Jan.  10. — Inclement  weather, 
late  closings  of  department  stores  and 
strict  dirriout  regulations  held  holiday 
week  grosses  to  average  levels.  The 
best  performance  was  turned  in  by/  ■ 
double  bill,  "You  Were  Never  L4;  ,r 
Her"  and  "Counter  Espionage,"  in 
simultaneous  engagements  at  Loew's 
State  and  Orpheum.  The  combined 
gross  was  $30,000.  At  the  Metropoli- 
tan "Palm  Beach  Story"  and  "The 
Hidden  Hand"  was  good  for  $17,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Dec.  30 : 

"You  Were  Never  Lovelier"  (Col.) 
"Counter  Espionage"  (Col.) 

LOEW'S  ORPHEUM— (3,000)  (35c-50c- 
65c)  7  days.  Gross:  $17,000.  (Average,  $19,- 
500) 

"You  Were  Never  Lovelier"  (CoL) 
"Counter  Espionage"  (Col.) 

LOEW'S  STATE — (2.900)   (35c-50c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $13,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 

RKO  KEITH  BOSTON— (2.679)  (44c-50c- 
65c)  7  days.  Gross:  $16,000.  (Average,  $19,- 
000).  Stage:  Glen  Gray  and  His  Casa  Loma 
Orchestra.  Bonnie  Baker,  3  Sailors  and 
George  Tapps. 

"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 
"That  Other  Woman"  (20th-Fox) 

RKO  KEITH  MEMORIAL— (2,907)  (44c- 
55c-65c)  5  days  (2nd  week).    Gross:  $18,000. 
(Average,  $21,000) 
"Now  Voyager"  (W.B.) 
"Secret  Enemies"  (W.B.) 

PARAMOUNT  —  (1.797)  (33c-44c-55c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $7,100.     (Average,  $8,000) 
"Now  Voyager"  (W.B.) 
"Secret  Enemies"  (W.B.) 

FENWAY— (1,320)    (33c-44c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $8,000.      (Average.  $6,000) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  (Para.) 

SCOLLAY— (2,500)    (33c-44c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $5,000.     (Average,  $5,000) 
"Jacare"  (U.A.) 
"Laving  Ghosts"  (Mono.) 

TRANSLUX  —  (900)  (17c-28c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  $4,000) 

la.  Exhibitors  Urged 
To  Back  Three  Bills 

Des  Moines,  Jan.  10. — Leo  F.  Wol- 
cott,  president  of  the  Independent  The- 
atre Owners  of  Iowa  and  Nebraska, 
has  asked  Iowa  exhibitors  to  support 
three  bills  expected  to  be  introduced 
in  the  Iowa  legislative  session  con- 
vening tomorrow. 

The  bills  are :  a  fire  regulations 
measure ;  an  anti-blind  checking  bill, 
and  a  measure  to  require  school  boards 
to  handle  school  activities  funds -with 
periodic  audit  and  publication.  He 
also  urged  exhibitors  to  watch  for 
admission  tax  and  other  adverse  bills 
that  are  liable  to  be  filed,  and  to  regis- 
ter protest  against  them. 

AGV A  Withdraws 
Pickets  from  Club 

Pickets  have  been  withdrawn  from 
Leon  and  Eddie's  night  club  by  a  de- 
cision of  the  Associated  Actors  and 
Artistes  of  America  board.  The  wage 
dispute  between  the  club  and  the 
American  Guild  of  Variety  Artists  is 
still  being  negotiated  and.  according 
to  an  AGVA  spokesman,  the  removal 
of  pickets  does  not  indicate  that  the 
affair  is  settled. 


Join  Illinois  Combine 

Chicago.  Jan.  10.— Sol  Lock's  Sun 
and  Elmer  Benesch's  Century,  Madlin 
and  Lindy,  have  joined  Illinois  Al- 
lied's  cooperative  booking  venture, 
bringing  its  membership  to  45,  it  was 
learned. 


NOT  REMi- 


to  the 
Picture 
Industry 


tion 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


53.  NO.  7 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  TUESDAY,  JANUARY  12,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Loew's  Year 
Net  Profit  at 
$12,133,294 


Compares  to  $11,134,593 
In  Year  Before 


Net  profit  of  $12,133,294,  after 
provision  for  depreciation  and 
taxes,  was  reported  by  Loew's, 
Inc.,  yesterday 
for  the  fiscal 
year  ended 
Aug.  31,  1942. 
The  result 
compares  with 
profit  of  $11,- 
134,593  for  the 
preceding  fis- 
c  a  1  year,  it 
was  reported 
by  Loew's, 
of  which 
Nicholas 
M.  Schenck  is 
president. 
After  pre- 
ferred dividends,  last  year's  earnings 
were  equivalent  to  $7.02  per  share 
on  the  1,665,713  shares  of  common 
outstanding,  compared  with  $6.15  per 
share  on  the  same  number  of  shares 
the  preceding  year. 

The  company's  share  of  operating 
profit,  after  subsidiaries'  preferred 
dividends,    amounted    to  $21,956,549 

(.Continued  on  page  14) 


Nicholas  Schenck 


'Shadow  of  Doubt' 
Premiere  Tonight 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt,"  Alfred  Hitch- 
cock production  released  by  Universal, 
will  be  given  a  Broadway  premiere 
tonight  at  the  Rivoli  Theatre.  Pro- 
ceeds of  the  opening  will  go  to  the 
Citizens  Committee  for  the  Army  and 
Navy.  A  special  stage  show,  "Wom- 
en Can  Take  It,"  put  on  by  women's 
voluntary  service  organizations,  will 
be  performed  tonight  only. 


In  Today's  Issue 

Review  of  "The  Immortal 
Sergeant,"  Page  6.  Ban  on 
pleasure  cars  hits  small  town 
gross;  Broadway  business  con- 
tinues good,  Page  6.  Unions 
estimate  $1,500,000  studio  sav- 
ings in  overtime  plan,  Page 
10.  Momand  trial  opens;  6- 
months'  hearing  expected, 
Page  14.  Supreme  Court  to 
hear  networks'  appeal  in  FCC 
action  Feb.  10,  Page  15. 


FCC  Investigating 
Vulgarity,  Says  Fly 

Washington,  Jan.  11. — The 
Federal  Communications  Com- 
mission  is  investigating 
charges  of  vulgarity  in  radio 
programs,  Chairman  James  L. 
Fly  announced  today.  Al- 
though he  declined  to  identify 
programs  or  performers  in- 
volved, Fly  said  that  "more 
than  the  usual  number"  of 
complaints  had  been  received 
lately  and  were  being  studied 
by  the  FCC. 


Report  'Grapes  of 
Wrath'  Serves  as 
Nazi  Propaganda 


The  Nazis  have  found  propa- 
ganda value  in  John  Steinbeck's  "The 
Grapes  of  Wrath,"  it  is  indicated  by  a 
telephone  dispatch  from  Stockholm  to 
the  New  York  Times  to  the  effect 
that  one  of  the  leading  Nazi  newspa- 
pers has  announced  that  it  will  begin 
publication  of  the  story  for  its  read- 
ers in  serial  form. 

This  is  how  the  Deutsche  Allge- 
meine  Zeitung  is  reported  to  have 
publicized  the  work : 

"A  farming  novel  from  the  United 
States.  The  fate  of  a  peasant  family 
enticed  to  California  by  unscrupulous 
speculators  and  sent  to  the  depths  of 
misery  by  merciless  capitalism." 

In  connection  with  this  report  it  is 
(Continued  on  page  10) 


FDR  ASKS  LIMIT  ON 
INVESTMENT  GAINS 


PrutzmanHits 
SalaryCeiling 


The  |25,00O  net  salary  ceiling  order 
was  attacked  as  alien  in  origin  and 
un-American  in  principle  by  Charles 
D.  Prutzman, 
Universal  vice- 
president  and 
general  counsel, 
in  a  discussion 
of  the  pros  and 
cons  of  the  law 
on  the  "Ameri- 
can Forum  of 
the  Air"  pro- 
gram in  a 
coast  -  to  -  coast 
hookup  on 
MBS  Sunday 
night. 

P  r  u  t  z  man 
took  the  place 
on  the  pro- 
gram  of  J. 
Cheever  Cowdin,  who  was  prevented 
by  a  cold  from  speaking.  Senator 
John  A.  Danaher  of  Connecticut  also 
opposed  the  order,  while  it  was  de- 
fended by  James  G.  Patton,  president 
of  the  National  Farmers  Union,  and 
James  B.  Carey,  secretary  of  the  CIO, 
whose  organizations  were  instrumental 
in  securing  the  decree. 

Following  is  the  text  of  Prutzman's 
(Continued  on  page  14) 


Charles  Prutzman 


Thomas  Thacher  to  Serve  N.  Y.  C.  as 

Chief  Counsel  at  Request  of  Mayor 

Thomas  D.  Thacher,  counsel  for  Paramount  Pictures  and  former 
Federal  judge  and  U.  S.  Solicitor  General,  has  consented  to  serve 
as  Corporation  Counsel  for  the  City  of  New  York  for  the  duration 
at  the  request  of  Mayor  LaGuardia.    He  is 
expected  to  take  over  the  post  early  next 
week,  replacing  William  C.  Chanler,  who  is 
now  a  lieutenant  colonel  in  the  Army.  Thacher 
has  been  granted  a  leave  of  absence. 

In  announcing  the  appointment,  which  car- 
ries with  it  a  salary  of  $17,500  per  year,  Mayor 
LaGuardia  said:  "Judge  Thacher  has  con- 
sented to  serve  as  a  matter  of  public  service 
for  the  duration  of  the  war.  I  am  apprecia- 
tive, as  I  am  sure  the  entire  city  will  be,  of 
the  personal  sacrifice  he  is  making  in  accept- 
ing this  very  important  post.  We  have  an 
understanding  that  if  a  certain  professional 
commitment  should  materalize  which  would 
require  his  personal  attention  he  would  be 
released.    I  do  not  think  it  will  materialize." 

Thacher  heads  the  prominent  New  York  law 
firm  of  Simpson,  Thacher  &  Bartlett. 


Thomas  Thacher 


$25,000   Top  Presumed; 
Calls  for  16  Billion 
In  New  Taxes 


Washington,  Jan.  11. — Rep. 
Wolcott  of  Michigan,  ranking 
member  of  the  House  Banking 
Committee,  announced  on  the 
floor  of  the  House  today  that 
he  would  introduce  legislation 
erasing  the  President's  $25,000 
salary  limit.  He  described  the 
ceiling  as  "Socalistic"  in  that  it 
endeavors  to  equalize  income 
without  regard  for  services 
rendered. 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  11. — Imposi- 
tion of  a  limitation,  presumably  at 
$25,000,  upon  investment  income, 
was  called  for  today  by  President 
Roosevelt.  Recommending  the 
raising  of  an  additional  sixteen  bil- 
lion dollars  by  taxation,  savings  or 
both,  the  President  said,  in  his 
budget  message : 

"I  cannot  ask  the  Congress  to 
impose  the  necessarily  heavy 
financial  burdens  on  the  lower 
and  middle  incomes  unless  the 
taxes  on  higher  and  very  large 
incomes  are  made  fully  effec- 
tive. At  a  time  when  wages  and 

(.Continued  on  page  14) 


Russian  Film  Envoy 
Meets  with  Mellett 


Washington,  Jan.  11. — Antonov, 
representative  of  the  Russian  film  in- 
dustry who  is  in  this  country  for  the 
purpose  of  obtaining  increased  distrib- 
ution of  Russian  pictures,  paid  a  cour- 
tesy visit  to  Lowell  Mellett,  chief  of 
the  motion  picture  bureau  of  OWI 
(Continued  on  page  14) 


Disney  Sets  Soviet 
Deal  on  Two  Films 

Hollywood,  Jan.  11.— Walt 
Disney  Studios  today  dis- 
closed a  deal  whereby  "Fan- 
tasia" and  "Bambi"  will  be 
released  in  Russia.  Negotia- 
tion were  started  by  G.  Irsky, 
Russian  film  official,  when 
visiting  here  several  months 
ago.  The  deal  was  made  with 
Amtorg  Trading  Corp. 


2 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Tuesday,  January  12,  1943 


Coast  Flashes 


Hollywood,  Jan.  11 

BRUCE  MANNING,  Universal 
writer  -  producer,  today  was 
granted  an  indefinite  leave  of  absence 
to  assume  a  special  mission  for  the 
War  Department.  He  has  just  fin- 
ished producing  and  directing  the 
Deanna  Durbin  film,  "The  Amazing 
Mrs.  Halliday." 

• 

The  publicity  director  members  of 
the  Society  of  Independent  Motion 
Picture  Producers  over  the  week-end 
named  John  Leroy  Johnston  as  chair- 
man of  the  organization's  public  re- 
lations committee.  William  Hebert 
was  elected  as  vice-chairman  and  Joe 
Reddy  secretary. 

• 

George  Stevens,  Columbia  produc- 
er-director, was  reported  in  good  con- 
dition today  following  an  operation  for 
appendicitis.  He  had  just  finished 
"The  More,  the  Merrier"  and  was  to 
have  started  casting  his  next,  "The 
American  Way,"  this  week. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN      .      GREER  GARSON 
in  James  Hilton's 

" RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN   M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue    .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 

IN  PERSON 

PRESENTS 

BENNY 

STAR  SPANGLED 

GOODMAN 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

RHYTHM' 

with  43  STARS 

— Extra- 
Frank  Sinatra 

PARAMOUNT    -    Times  Square 

Tyrone  Maureen 

POWER  •  O'HARA 

™BiackSwam 

A  29th  Cenfur/-Fox  Triumph       |N.  TECHNICOLOR! 

*   PLUS  BIG  STAGE  SHOW  A 
BUY  A  WAR  n  f  \  "%T  V  7ih  AVt. 
BOND  at  the  IV  %Jf         I    soil,  sr. 


K2JBB 


ERROL  FLYNN  ALEXIS  SMITH 

"GENTLEMAN  JIM" 

 and  

"FLYING  FORTRESS" 

RICHARD  GREENE— PAULA  LEHMANN 


"The  Perfect  Skating  Show" —  Mantle,  News 
KfV  +n  1 1  5n  a*  a"  Performances  ex-lPlus 
OUC  to  ?|.3U  Cept  Sat.  Eves.50cto$2.50/Tax 

Sonja  Henle  &  Arthur  M.  Wirtz  present 


STARS  ON  ICE 


A  Musical 
Icetravaganza 

CENTER  THEA.,  Rockefeller  Center  CO.  5-5474 

America's  Only  Ice  Theatre 
Evgs.  Incl.  Sun.  8:40    Mats.:  Wed.,  Sat.  &  Sun. 
No  Monday  Perf.  Mail  Orders  Filled 


Loew'8  STATE 


ON  SCREEN 
HEDY  LAMARR 
WALTER  PIDGEON 
IN  M.G.M.'s 

"WHITE  CARGO" 


IN  PERSON 

George 
Abbott's 

"Best 
Foot 
Forward" 


Personal  Mention 


D 


R.  A.  H.  GIANNINI  is  visiting 
here  from  California. 


Will  H.  Hays  arrived  on  the  Coast 
over  the  weekend. 

« 

Morris  Leonard,  executive  of  Bal- 
aban  &  Katz,  Chicago,  has  left  for  a 
vacation  in  Mexico. 

• 

Nat  Fellman,  Warner  Bros.  Cir- 
cuit buyer  for  the  Cleveland  zone,  is 
a  New  York  visitor. 

• 

Sam  Wood  has  returned  to  the 
Coast  from  New  York. 

• 

Charles  R.  Rogers  is  remaining 
here  a  month  longer  than  originally 
planned. 

• 

F.  J.  A.  McCarthy,  Universal  di- 
vision manager,  has  left  for  New 
Orleans. 

• 

Leon  Jakubson,  M-G-M  booker, 
New  Haven,  has  left  for  Coast  Guard 
service. 

e 

Joseph  Cohen,  manager  of  the  Re- 
gent Theatre,  Arlington,  Mass.,  and 
Mrs.  Cohen,  recently  became  the  par- 
ents of  a  boy. 

• 

Harry  M.  Kalmine  and  Harry 
Goldberg  have  left  for  Chicago. 


HARRY  COHN,  Columbia  presi- 
dent; Jack  Cohn,  Abe  Mon- 
tague, Nate  B.  Spingold  and  Abe 
Schneider  arrived  from  the  Coast 
yesterday. 

• 

Arthur  W.   Stebbins  and  Mrs. 
Stebbins  arrived  from  the  Coast  yes- 
terday for  a  visit  of  several  weeks. 
• 

Ned  E.  Depinet,  RKO  vice-presi- 
dent, and  Robert  Mochrie,  sales 
manager,  were  weekend  visitors  in 
Cleveland. 

Roland  Stratton  of  the  Garden 
Theatre,  Greenfield,  Mass.,  has  joined 
the  Navy  communications  division  in 
Boston. 

a 

Milton  Goldberg,  Broadbrook, 
Conn.,  theatre  operator,  and  Mrs. 
Goldberg  are  the  parents  of  a  boy, 
born  recently. 

• 

George  Lake,  formerly  of  the  Cal- 
vin Theatre,  Northampton,  Mass.,  has 
become  a  flying  instructor  at  the 
Williston  Academy,  Easthampton, 
Mass. 

• 

Steve  Tarbell,  film  buyer  in 
Cooperstown,  N.  Y.,  is  now  in  the 
Army  at  Camp  Upton. 


'Claudia'Trial  Starts; 
Mrs.  Willkie  Juror  #2 

Trial  of  an  action  for  an  accounting 
and  share  of  the  profits  from  the  play 
"Claudia,"  brought  by  the  estate  of 
Adrienne  Morrison,  mother  of  Con- 
stance, Joan  and  Barbara  Bennett, 
against  Rose  Franken,  authoress  of 
the  play,  was  begun  in  N.  Y.  Su- 
preme Court  here  yesterday  before 
Justice  Eder. 

Mrs.  Wendell  L.  Willkie,  wife  of 
the  chairman  of  the  board  of  20th 
Century-Fox,  was  the  second  juror 
selected  for  the  trial.  Schwartz  & 
Frohlich,  counsel  for  the  plaintiff  es- 
tate, contend  in  the  action  that  Mrs. 
Morrison  was  instrumental  in  having 
the  play  produced  and  her  estate  is 
entitled  to  agent's  fees  and  a  share 
in  motion  picture  rights  to  the  play. 


Directors  Named  by 
Chicago  Variety  Club 

Chicago,  Jan.  11—  The  board  of  di- 
rectors of  the  newly  organized  Tent 
No.  26  here  of  the  Variety  Clubs  of 
America  comprises  John  Jones,  James 
Coston,  John  Balaban,  Henri  Elman, 
Irving  Mack,  Jack  Kirsch,  Clyde  Eck- 
hardt,  Harry  Kop,  Hal  Halperin, 
Tom  Gorman  and  Edwin  Silverman. 
The  board  will  meet  every  Thursday. 

Jules  Levey  to  Coast 
On  Production  Plans 

Jules  Levey,  president  of  Mayfair 
Productions,  Inc.,  left  for  the  Coast 
yesterday.  While  there  he  will  con- 
fer on  arrangements  for  future  pro- 
ductions which  are  planned  by  his 
company. 


Downs  Four  Nazi  Planes 

Cooperstown,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  11. 
—Veto  Pugliese,  formerly  of  the 
Cooperstown  Theatre,  is  reported  to 
have  bagged  four  Nazi  planes. 


Press  Photographers 
Annual  Ball,  Feb.  5 

The  14th  annual  Press  Photog- 
raphers Ball  will  be  held  on  Friday, 
Feb.  5,  at  the  Waldorf  Astoria  for  the 
benefit  of  the  USO,  it  was  an- 
nounced. The  eight  masters  of  cere- 
monies are  scheduled  to  be  Ed  Sulli- 
van, Harry  Hershfield,  Danton  Walk- 
er, Milton  Berle,  Henny  Youngman, 
Jay  C.  Flippen,  Al  Jolson  and  George 
Jessel. 

Tickets  are  available  at  the  Press 
Photographers  Association  and  the 
photographic  departments  of  all  New 
York  newspapers. 


Benny  Entertains 
6,000  Maritime  Men 

Jack  Benny  and  his  entire  company 
with  Danny  Kaye  and  the  latter' s 
wife,  Sylvia  Fine,  gave  two  perform- 
ances last  night  at  Sheepshead  Bay 
U.  S.  Maritime  Service  Training  Sta- 
tion. The  program  ran  90  minutes 
and  6,000  men  saw  the  two  shows. 


Hal  Korda  Joins  M-G-M 

Hal  Korda  has  joined  the  M-G-M 
home  office  publicity  department,  it 
was  announced. 


MET  ME  AT 
THE  ASTOZ 


Two  B 'way  Openings 
This  Week;  'Claudia' 
And  'Willow'  Close 


Tomorrow  night,  "Nine  Girls,"  a 
murder  mystery  by  Wilfrid  H.  Pet- 
titt  which  A.  H.  Woods  is  producing, 
opens  at  the  Longacre.  Adele  Long- 
mire,  K.  T.  Stevens  and  Barbara 
Bel  Geddes  are  three  of  the  nine  lad^s 
involved.  On  Thursday  evening,  -ne 
Harris  brings  "Dark  Eyes,"  a  cornV  \ 
by  Elena  Miramova  and  Eugenie  Le 
ontovich,  in  which  the  latter  two  ap 
pear,  to  the  Belasco.  Others  in  the 
cast  are  Jay  Fassett,  Ludmilla  Toretz- 
ka,  Minnie  Dupree  and  Anne  Burr, 

"Claudia,"  which  opened  a  "limited" 
return  engagement  last  May  24,  closed 
for  the  second  time  on  Saturday  night, 
at  the  Forrest.  Molly  Picon's  vehicle, 
"Oy,  Is  Dus  a  Leben,"  closes  here  on 
March  7  to  begin  an  extensive  tour  of 
the  country,  according  to  producer  Ed- 
win A.  Relkin. 

"The  Willow  and  I,"  starring  Mar- 
tha Scott,  closed  at  the  Windsor  on 
Saturday  night.  Miss  Scott  will  next 
appear  in  Eddie  Dowling's  production 
of  "This  Rock,"  in  which  Billie  Burke 
will  also  star.  The  play  is  expected  to 
reach  here  the  week  of  Feb.  15. 

Marlene  Dietrich  in  Play 

Marlene  Dietrich  has  been  signed 
for  "One  Man's  Venus,"  the  Kurt 
Weill-Ogden  Nash-Bella  Spewack 
musical  which  Cheryl  Crawford  and 
John  J.  Wildberg  are  presenting.  Wil- 
bur Evans  will  also  appear  in  the  pro- 
duction. 

The  Playwrights  Company's  pro- 
duction of  "The  Patriot,"  Sidney 
Kingsley's  play,  is  due  on  Broadway 
early  next  month  at  the  National 
Theatre.  The  cast,  to  date  includes 
Raymond  Edward,  Madge  Evans,  Ce- 
cil Humphreys,  House  Jameson,  and 
Judson  Laire.  Shepard  Traube  is  di- 
recting. 

Rehearsals  for  "The  Moon  Vine," 
Patricia  Coleman's  new  comedy  which 
John  Cromwell  is  directing,  were 
started  yesterday,  and  the  play  is  ex- 
pected at  the  Morosco  on  Feb.  8  or 
9.  Haila  Stoddard,  Arthur  Franz, 
Dorothy  Sands,  Will  Geer  and  Philip 
Bourheuf,  who  will  leave  the  cast  of 
"Arsenic  and  Old  Lace"  in  a  few 
weeks,  are  the  players. 


a 

•45 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY,  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address, "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Ouigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


There  isn't  a  Shadow 
of  a  Doubt  about  this 
picture's  success.  Ace 
Meller  with  Socko  B.O. 

—Film  Daily 


READ  RAVE  REVIEWS  ON  ALFRED  HITCHCOCK'S  'SHADOW  OF  A  DOUBT"  ON  NEXT  TWO  PAGES 


DAILY 


II 


oi  a  Doubt 

^eTa  Wright,  Joseph  MJ-^ 

TOWER  VIA  ACTING,  a  suspENSE. 
HITCHCOCK'S   FLARf    ™  dl[ected 

Of  a.l  the  startling  •  suspe„ 

by  Alfred  Hitchcock ^  ^ejsjeared 

^7o^[cSmjnto_thf  


Raters.    ,„  suppor,  ot  this  appraisement 

m„nity  «t  "St  story  in  the  eyes 

a„d  consequence  to  the       ^  en,  rtal„. 
and  estimation  of  the  n         ^  , 
ment-seekers,  .«  contra st  nere,ol0re; 
cales  as  has  been  hi   «       „  na»e  the 
U)  The  picture  s  characte         ^  ^  th 
tamp  ot  conviction    13)  A      ^  h 
believable  sort  wh,cYk«  a  double  climax 
of  the  imagination  and  has  a  do  ^ 

to  stark  and  ^''"U  precariously  on  the 

mafic  P»t[°n  ,"'"/2e  and  (4)  The  theme 
theater  chair's  edge, ,  anu  dislHusloned 

of  good,  as  '""'PP'f  ^Teresa  Wright, 
heart  of  the  caP*  £8b  ,he  handsome 
and  of  evil,  as  exem pi**  Y  gives 
uncle  she   adores    ^unity  to  render 

Hi,ChC°nonva  o8?  confli^ng  emotions,-and 
a  symphony  ot  v.  jj 

L  Lkes  the  ^^^l^J^L 
''ShadowoiJjl_^--T^^ 


red  herrings  yanked  %^ 
'attraction,  as  was  the  c se^^  y 
hit  "Suspense.     I  "e  5'  ?    onlooker  more 
toward  an  en dini !  wh J*  *e  °which  elicits 
or  less  clearly  expects,  tea(J  of 

the  periodic  hope  that  tne 
Teresa  Wright        "Strengthens  the 
But  that  they  are  only      idealis,ic  af- 
drama.   Her  case  of  deep  a     ^  ho 
fection  for  her  unc U  Jo  P        and  h 
has  come  to  live  with  »  disinteg,ation  be- 
se|f,  undergoes  ,r3Slc  circumstance 
cause    circumstance    upon  ^ 
outcrops  to  bring  her  t  $  h 

not  meJeW  'wiring  outward  behavior,  but 
under  his  sm°X""Vhorrible. 
that  the, something  ■*JlHo.  of  a  news- 
Her  clandestine  exami         hing  „hich 
paper  clipping,  relating  evid 
he  has  hoped  to  hide. js  series  0f 

that  he  is  bemg  hunted 
m„rders  m  the  «*  1     C(>mmitted  < 
to  her  parents    home.  ,s  both 

strangling,  she  feels that he  pt  t0 

capable  of  them  and  may  ev 
put  her  out  of  the  way.  and 

»  d0Ub,l  'ro"   -fillinl  end  involves  his 
escape  »s  »orro 

own  deaiV  ,  ^rtj,  these  central 

0WThe  performances  o  both 
players  is  aces,  and  tne  Macdonald 
0fythe  »p^a?«rf  •  the  detectives 
Carev  and  Wallace  ru*"     xx/right  heart) 
ST  former  winning 1    he  Wrg  a 
score  solidly  as  do  Patr.c ^        ,  the  lat- 
mother,  and  Edna  May  w  me 
ter>s  P'ecocous jo  «se;  ya,ues     der  Jack 
but  a  few-    rrooui.  Joseph  Yai 

H.  Skirball  are  f  's*-,a,fhere  isn'tashadow 

^Td^lS^^  


Collect  al  Every  Performance! 
IINITFD  NATIONS  WEEK.  Jan  14  through  Jan.  20 


UNIVERSAL  PICTUR^ 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


Reviews 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt" 

(Universal) 

Q  IRECTOR  ALFRED  HITCHCOCK,  with  a  very  capable  cast 
headed  by  Joseph  Cotten  and  Teresa  Wright,  has  turned  out  another 
of  his  masterpieces  in  the  mood  of  fear  and  suspicion. 

Joseph  Cotten,  the  beloved  "Uncle  Charlie"  whose  criminal  past 
is  unknown  to  his  doting  family,  plays  a  fascinating  role  in  juxtaposition 
to  niece  Teresa  Wright,  the  only  person  to  realize  the  truth  about  the 
returned  uncle.  The  story  centers  around  these  two — the  murderer 
who  ruthlessly  seeks  to  save  himself  at  any  cost,  and  the  niece  who  is 
torn  between  the  necessity  for  justice  and  her  wish  to  keep  her  family 
from  being  hurt. 

Thornton  Wilder,  Sally  Benson  and  Alma  Reville  have  written  an 
excellent  screenplay  for  the  Gordon  McDonell's  story.  Hitchcock  again 
demonstrates  his  ability  to  build,  through  detail  and  nuances  of  hidden 
meaning,  the  thrilling  and  dramatic  climaxes  which  characterize  his 
pictures.    Jack  H.  Skirball  produced  the  thriller. 

The  supporting  cast  contributes  to  the  quality  of  the  production. 
Patricia  Collinge,  as  Miss  Wright's  mother  and  Cotten's  sister,  gives 
a  splendid  performance  of  a  woman  immersed  in  the  joys  of  seeing  a 
a  long  absent  brother,  but  oblivious  to  his  obvious  defects. 

Macdonald  Carey,  Henry  Travers,  Hume  Cronyn,  Wallace  Ford  and 
Edna  May  Wonacott  complete  the  list  of  capable  actors. 

Running  time,  108  minutes.    "A."  * 

*"A"  denotes  adult  classification. 


"That  'Shadow  of  a  Doubt' 
will  do  much  business,  there 
is  not  the  slightest  shadow  of 

a    doubt/'  —Hollywood  Reporter 


"'Shadow'  will  attract  a 
wide  patronage  and  should 
score   heavily  at  the  box 

offi  Ce.  — Daily  Variety 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  January  12,  1943 


Pleasure  Car 
Ban  Affects 
Small  Towns 


While  metropolitan  New  York  the- 
atres yesterday  reported  no  serious 
drop  in  attendance  to  date  as  a  result 
of  the  ban  on  pleasure  driving,  reports 
from  rural  areas  in  New  York  and 
neighboring  states  revealed  that  small 
city  and  town  theatres  experienced  a 
weekend  drop  in  patronage  ranging 
from  10  to  50  per  cent  of  normal. 

The  initial  experience  of  the  trade 
in  the  affected  rationing  area  is  about 
what  was  expected  by  circuit  opera- 
tors and  distribution  officials  when 
the  pleasure  riding  ban  went  into  ef- 
fect last  week.  Based  on  the  experi- 
ence of  theatres  since  gasoline  ra- 
tioning was  first  inaugurated,  it  was 
assumed  that  rural  theatres  would 
suffer  while  metropolitan  houses, 
easily  accessible  to  good  public  trans- 
portation, either  would  be  unaffected 
or  would  benefit  from  the  ban. 

The  metropolitan  area,  likewise,  has 
experienced  no  known  theatre  casual- 
ties to  date  as  a  result  of  the  serious 
fuel  oil  shortage.  There  was  a  feel- 
ing in  some  industry  circles,  however, 
that  it  still  may  be  too  early  to  esti- 
mate the  full  effects  of  either  the  gaso- 
line or  fuel  oil  crisis  on  theatres. 

Broadway  houses  all  reported  their 
usual  strong  weekend  business  con- 
tinued over  Saturday  and  Sunday, 
while  RKO,  Loew's  and  Skouras  cir- 
cuits reported  that  neighborhood  busi- 
ness is  holding  up  well. 

Following  are  late  reports  from  af- 
fected cities  in  the  Eastern  gasoline 
and  fuel  oil  rationing  area. 


Review 


Albany  Business  Fair 

Albany,  Jan.  11. — Drastic  reduc- 
tions in  small  town  theatre  attendance 
were  reported  over  the  weekend  in 
this  area,  although  business  held  up 
well  at  readily  accessible  houses. 

Utica  theatres  were  said  to  have 
experienced  a  drop  in  attendance  of 
from  30  to  SO  per  cent.  In  Albany, 
first  runs  reported  attendance  off  any- 
where from  10  to  30  per  cent. 
Throughout  the  territory,  the  loss  of 
patronage  is  variably  estimated  at 
from  30  to  40  per  cent  average. 


Smalley  Saves  Fuel  Oil 

Cooperstown,  N  Y.,  Jan.  11. — A 
number  of  Smalley  Theatres  have 
eliminated  matinees  three  and  four 
days  a  week  to  conserve  fuel  oil.  Two 
houses  of  the  circuit  are  closed  one 
day  _  a  week  and  have  eliminated  all 
matiness.  Houses  not  already  con- 
verted to  coal  are  being  converted  as 
rapidly  as  equipment  can  be  obtained. 


"Immortal  Sergeant" 

( Twentieth  Century-Fox) 

Hollywood,  Jan.  11 

T-J  ERE'S  a  war  picture  for  your  best  customers  and  your  best  nights, 
■*■  also  all  the  other  customers  and  all  other  nights,  and  tor  your  best 
efforts  in  exploitation,  promotion  and  presentation.  It's  a  picture  of  this 
war,  primarily  of  the  purposes  of  the  righting  men  and  the  effect  of  the 
fighting  on  them.  The  production  packs  a  world  of  power. 

Produced  and  written  by  Lamar  Trotti,  and  skillfully  directed  by  John 
Stahl,  the  script  places  Henry  Fonda,  Thomas  Mitchell,  Allyn  Joslyn, 
Melville  Cooper,  Bramwell  Fletcher  and  Morton  Lowry  on  the  Lybian 
desert  as  members  of  a  patrol  which  encounters  the  enemy  and  does  what 
soldiers  do.  It  leaves  Maureen  O'Hara  back  home  as  the  girl  Fonda 
loves,  going  back  to  tell  that  side  of  the  story  in  inserts  which  do  not 
detract  from  the  desert  phase  of  the  action,  and  it  casts  Reginald  Gardi- 
ner as  a  war  correspondent  who  is  friend  and  rival  of  Fonda. 

Corporal  Fonda,  second  in  command  to  Sergeant  Mitchell,  takes 
charge  of  the  patrol  when,  following  a  strafing  which  has  put  the  sur- 
vivors afoot  in  the  desert  without  knowledge  of  location,  Mitchell  is 
wounded  in  an  attack  on  an  enemy  unit  and  shoots  himself  by  way  of 
forcing  the  others  to  proceed  without  him.  In  distress  and  problems 
which  follow,  Fonda  is  guided  by  his  memory  of  the  departed  sergeant 
and  emerges  a  hero.  Effect  of  the  experience  upon  Fonda's  personality, 
which  it  strengthens  and  fortifies,  gives  the  picture  point  and  meaning 
beyond  and  above  the  entertainment  which  it  supplies  in  most  satisfying 
measure. 

The  production  is  a  rounded  and  compact  job  which  imparts  its  con- 
tents with  the  effectiveness  of  rifle  shots  fired  at  regular  intervals  in  a 
pattern  of  procedure  which  achieves  every  objective  with  the  pleasing 
precision  of  masterful  proficiency. 

Running  time,  90  mins.  "G"*  Roscoe  Williams 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


sal  evoked  widespread  favorable  com- 
ment in  the  city. 

Attendance  at  Hartford  theatres  is 
reported  to  be  "about  normal"  despite 
the  ban  on  pleasure  driving,  which  is 
rigidly  enforced  hereabouts. 


None  Affected  Yet  in  Hartford 

Hartford,  Jan.  11.— Approximately 
half  of  this  city's  theatres  are  depend- 
ent on  fuel  oil  for  heat  but  none  has 
been  forced  to  discontinue  matinees 
yet. 

At  New  Britain,  the  Roxy  has 
eliminated  matinees.  The  Rialto, 
Bridgeport,  has  eliminated  matinees 
two  days  a  week  and  the  Community, 
Fairfield,  three  days. 

New  Britain  theatres  voluntarily  of- 
fered the  city  the  use  of  their  build- 
ings for  school  classes  or  church  ser- 
vices in  the  event  any  school  or 
church  in  the  city  was  compelled  to 
close  for  lack  of  fuel.     The  propo- 


Boston  Uses  Coal 

Boston,  Jan.  11. — All  Boston 
downtown  theatres,  both  film  and 
legitimate,  are  heated  by  coal  or  else 
buy  their  steam  from  the  Edison  Cen- 
tral Heating  System.  No  closings  or 
curtailed  operations  have  been  re- 
ported in  the  city  yet. 

Newspaper  advertisements  include 
lines  now  calling  attention  to  the  fact 
that  no  oil  is  used  for  heating  the 
thaatre  or  theatres  advertised.  Mullin 
&  Pinanski  recently  converted  11  the 
atres  from  oil  to  coal  and  seven  more 
are  in  process  of  conversion. 

Business  at  downtown  theatres  re- 
mains normal. 


Columbia  Reelects 
Board  of  Directors 


Early  Closings  in  Stamford 

Stamford,  Conn.,  Jan.  11. — The 
Avon  and  Stamford  have  rearranged 
schedules  to  end  their  last  show  at 
11:30  p.  m.  because  of  the  fuel  oil 
shortage  and  the  necessity  of  walking 
to  and  from  the  theatres  faced  by 
many  many  of  their  patrons. 

The  State,  Springdale,  advertises : 
"All  buses  transfer  to  theatres." 


Springfield  Decrease  Light 

Springfield,  Mass.,  Jan.  11. — No 
noticeable  decrease  in  attendance  at 
local  theatres,  all  well  served  by  bus 
lines,  has  occurred  yet. 


Heads  Community  Chest 

Springfield,  Mass.,  Jan.  11. — Wal- 
lace V.  Camp,  director  of  the  West- 
ern Massachusetts  Theatres,  Inc.,  and 
bank  president,  has  been  elected  pres- 
ident of  the  local  Community  Chest. 


Directors  of  Columbia  Pictures 
Corp.  were  reelected  yesterday  at  the 
annual  meeting  of  stockholders  held 
at  the  home  office.  An  organization 
meeting  of  the  board  is  scheduled  to 
be  held  within  the  next  day  or  two 
at  which  all  officers  are  expected  to 
be  reelected. 

Directors  of  the  company  are:  Har- 
ry Cohn,  Jack  Cohn,  Abe  Schneider, 

A.  H.  Giannini,  Leo  M.  Blancke,  N. 

B.  Spingold,  and  Louis  J.  Barbano. 
The  stockholders  also  ratified  an 

amendment  to  the  company's  by-laws 
providing  for  indemnification  of  of- 
ficers and  directors  for  expenses  in- 
curred as  a  result  of  legal  actions  in 
which  they  have  been  included  because 
of  their  positions.  The  meeting,  like- 
wise, approved  the  exercise  by  the 
company  of  an  option  under  the  six- 
year  contract  with  Samuel  J.  Briskin 
granting  him  an  option  to  purchase 
13,133  shares  of  Columbia  common  at 
$7,625  per  share. 


Six  Films  Approved 
By  Legion  of  Decency 

Six  new  films  were  approved  during 
the  past  week  by  the  National  Legion 
of  Decency,  according  to  the  current 
listing. 

Films  reviewed  and  their  classifica- 
tions are:  A-l,  Unobjectionable  for 
General  Patronage,  "Fighting  Buck- 
aroo,"  "Henry  Aldrich  Gets  Glam- 
our," and  "The  Kid  Rides  Again"; 
A-2,  Unobjectionable  for  Adults, 
"Fighting  Devil  Dogs,"  "Meanest 
Man  in  the  World"  and  "Shadow  of 
a  Doubt." 


All  Grosses  Continue 
Strong  on  Broadway 
Despite  Driving  Ban 


Broadway  grosses  sustained  their 
fast  pace  for  the  weekend  as,  accord- 
ing to  theatremen,  the  elimination  of 
pleasure  driving  did  not  affect  at- 
tendance at  the  downtown  hoij^'  \ 
Threatened  acute  fuel  shortages^.. .  . 
not  affect  the  theatres  since  most  dre 
heated  by  a  central  steam  company. 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  continued 
to  earn  a  handsome  gross  at  the  Para- 
mount with  $34,500  for  Saturday  and 
Sunday  and  $81,000  expected  for  the 
second  week  ending  today.  Benny 
Goodman  and  his  band  are  on  the 
stage. 

At  the  Roxy,  "The  Black  Swan" 
earned  about  $50,500  for  Thursday 
through  Sunday  of  its  third  week  and 
starts  a  fourth  week  on  Thursday. 
Carmen  Miranda  and  the  Nicholas 
Brothers  head  the  stage  show. 

'Random  Harvest'  $67,000 

"Random  Harvest"  and  a  stage 
presentation  garnered  an  estimated 
$67,000  for  Thursday  through  Sunday 
of  the  fourth  week  at  the  Radio  City 
Music  Hall  and  will  be  held  over. 
The  film's  business  for  Friday  through 
Sunday  topped  that  of  any  previous 
M-G-M  product  playing  as  many  as 
four  weeks  at  the  theatre,  the  com- 
pany announced. 

A  healthy  $39,000  was  estimated  for 
Thursday  through  Sunday  of  the  third 
week  at  the  Capitol  for  "In  Which  We 
Serve."  It  is  reported  to  be  heading 
for  a  $60,000  week.  For  Saturday 
and  Sunday,  "Arabian  Nights"  earned 
about  $11,500  at  the  Rivoli,  with  ap- 
proximately $20,000  for  the  second 
week  ended  Thursday. 

'Dandy'  in  3rd  Week 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  continued 
strong  in  its  third  week  at  the  Strand 
with  an  estimated  $25,200  for  Friday 
through  Sunday.  Jimmy  Dorsey  and 
his  band  are  on  the  stage.  "Casa- 
blanca" garnered  about  $15,200  for 
Thursday  through  Sunday  in  a  sev- 
enth week  at  the  Hollywood. 

For  five  days  of  its  12th  week  at 
the  Astor,  "For  Me  and  My  Gal" 
drew  about  $11,000,  which  is  good. 
"Tennessee  Johnson"  opens  at  the  the- 
atre today. 

The  only  new  weekend  film,  "Silver 
Queen,"  grossed  an  estimated  $6,000 
for  Saturday  and  Sunday  at  the  Globe. 
"The  Secret  Weapon"  earned  about 
$4,300  for  Thursday  through  Sunday 
of  the  first  week  at  the  Rialto.  "Amer- 
ican Empire"  starts  at  the  theatre  to- 
morrow. 


' s Canteen'  Troupe  Sees 
Chicago  on  Stop-Over 

Chicago,  Jan.  11. — The  cast  and 
crew  of  "Stage  Door  Canteen,"  with 
producer  Sol  Lesser  and  director 
Frank  Borzage,  were  guests  of  Rud 
Lohrenz  and  United  Artists  at  a  press 
luncheon  at  the  Blackstone  Hotel  here 
today  during  a  three-hour  stop-over 
between  trains. 

In  addition  to  meeting  the  press,  the 
group  visited  the  Service  Men's  Can- 
teen with  Mayor  Kelly,  took  part  in 
a  radio  broadcast  and  participated  in 
a  "Mile  of  Dimes"  drive  on  State  St. 

They  left  this  afternoon  for  New 
York  where  scenes  for  the  picture 
will  be  completed  at  the  Fox  Movie- 
tone Studio. 


"One  for  all  •  •  •  and  all  for  Freedom! 


Their  pledge  is  in  for  the  duration! 
Here's  your  pledge  for 

UNITED  NATIONS  WEEK 

STARTING  JANUARY  14th  THROUGH  20th 

"I  promise  to  do  my  share  in  the  job  that  my  country 
has  given  me!  With  all  my  showmanship  skill  I  will 
promote  America's  salute  to  the  United  Nations,  for 
they  are  the  comrades-in-arms  of  our  fighting  sons. 
I  will  show  thfe  heart-stirring  trailer  on  my  screen  in 
behalf  of  the  stricken  peoples  of  our  allies.  I  am 
proud  to  be  a  fighter  in  an  industry  that  considers  it 
a  privilege  to  be  at  the  forefront  of  the  home-front !" 

Sponsored  by  War  Activities  Committee,  1501  Broadway,  Neu>  York  City 


BY  THE  OVERWHELMING  DEMAND 

GENE  AUTRH 


BOOTS  AND  SADDLES 

SMILEY  BURN ETTE  and  JUDITH  ALLEN  •  RA  HOULD 

Joseph  Kane  —  Director 
Screen  Play  by  Jack  Natteford;  Oliver  Drake 
Original  Story  by  Jack  Natteford  .  - 


SOUTH  OF  THE  BORDER 

with  SMILEY  BURN  ETTE  and  JUNE  STOREY  -  LUPITA  TOVAR 
MARY  LEE  •  DUNCAN  RENALDO  and  The  Checkerboard  Band 

Directed  by  George  Sherman  •  Screen  play  by  Betty  Burbridge,  Gerry  Geraghty 
Original  story  by  Dorrell  and  Stuart  McGowan 


REPUBLIC    P  I  I  T  II  RES   *   B  II  j 


XHIBITORS  AND  PUBLIC  ALIKE,  WE  WILL  RE- ISSUE 

Musical  Westerns! 


re  y 


•<  I 


»'x  1 


13 


MEXICALI  ROSE 

wi»h  SMILEY  BURNETTE  and 
PAH  BEERY  •  LUANA  WALTERS  •  WILLIAM  FARNUM 

Directed  by  George  Sherman 
i  Screen  play  by  Gerald  Gesaghty  •  Original  story  by  Luci  Ward,  Connie  Lee 


IDE,  TENDERFOOT,  RIDE  ■  TUMBLING  TUMBLE  WEEDS 


SMILEY  BURNETTE  and  JUNE  STOREY  •  MARY  LEE 
RREN   HULL   •   JOE  FRISCO  and  THE  PACEMAKERS 

Directed  by  Frank  McDonald 
en  play  by  Winston  Miller  •   Original  story  by  Betty  Burbridge  and  Connie  Lee 


with  SMILEY  BURNETTE  and  . 

LUCILLE    BROWNE    •    NORMA  TAYLOR    .Joseph  Kane -Direct 
Story  by  Alan  Ludwig   •   Screenplay  by  Ford  Beebe 
Supervised  by  Armand  Schaefer 


I.  s.  ill  n  R  sailings  Ron 


10 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  January  12,  1943 


Short  Subject  Reviews 


Three  Schine 
Theatres  File 
On  Clearance 


Three  Schine  Circuit  companies 
have  filed  arbitration  clearance  com- 
plaints at  the  Albany  tribunal  seek- 
ing reduction  of  clearances  held  by 
other  houses  in  upstate  New  York 
over  their  theatres  at  Ilion,  Scotia 
and  Herkimer,  N.  Y.,  the  American 
Arbitration  Association  reported  yes- 
terday. 

Meanwhile,  Warners  filed  an  appeal 
from  an  arbitration  award  entered  at 
the  Des  Moines  tribunal  in  the  some 
run  complaint  against  it  of  E.  M. 
Tracy,  operator  of  the  Tracy  Theatre 
at  Storm  Lake,  la. 

The  Schine  theatres'  cases  were 
filed  by  operating  companies  in  local 
situations.  The  first  charged  that 
Loew's,  Paramount,  RKO  and  20th 
Century-Fox  grant  unreasonable  clear- 
ance to  the  Stanley,  Olympia  and 
Avon  at  Utica  over  the  Capitol,  Ilion, 
N.  Y.  The  second  makes  the  same 
charge  against  the  same  four  distribu- 
tors and  three  Utica  first  runs  with 
respect  to  the  Liberty  at  Herkimer, 
N.  Y.,  while  the  third  makes  the  same 
complaint  against  all  five  consenting 
companies  and  the  Plaza,  State  and 
Proctor's,  Schenectady,  over  the 
Scotia  at  Scotia,  N.  Y.  Reduced  and 
reasonable  clearance  is  asked  in  each 
case.  ; 


Milw.  Grosses  Remain 
Big;  'Doodle'  $12,600 

Milwaukee,  Jan.  11. — First  run 
grosses  for  the  week  just  closed  were 
high  all  along  the  line,  buttressed  by 
fat  New  Year's  Eve  grosses.  "I  Mar- 
ried a  Witch"  and  Stan  Kenton  and 
his  orchestra  collected  $14,700  at  the 
Riverside,  while  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy"  was  good  for  a  close  second 
of  $12,600  at  the  Warner.  First  runs 
charged  a  $1  New  Year's  Eve  ad- 
mission price. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  7: 

"Are   Husbands   Necessary?"  (Para.) 
"I  Live  on  Danger"  (Para.) 

PALACE — (2,400)  (44c-65c),  7  days.  Gross: 
$8,900.    Average,  $5,700.) 
"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.  A.) 

RIVERSIDE— (2,700)    (44c-65c),    7  days. 
Stage:    Stan    Kenton's    orchestra.  Gross: 
$14,700.    (Average,  $9,500.) 
"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 
"This  Gun  for  Hire"  (Para.) 

STRAND — (1,400)  (44c-65c),  7  days.  Gross: 
$3,600.     (Average,  $1,800.) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER— (2,400)    (33c-44c-60c),   7  days. 
Gross:    $12,600.    (Average,  $7,500.) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (2ftth-Fox) 
"The  Man  in  the  Trunk"  (20th-Fox) 

WISCONSIN— (3,200)  (44c-65c),  7  days. 
Gross:    $11,500.    (Average,  $8,000.) 

Copper  Matinees  for 
All  Warner  Houses 

Warner  Bros.  Theatres  announced 
that_  almost  all  its  houses  will  hold 
special  copper  matinees  in  conjunction 
with  the  government's  copper  salvage 
drive.  The  following  Ohio  dates  have 
already  been  set : 

Jan.  13,  Strand,  Akron;  Ohio,  Sid- 
ney; Laroy,  Portsmouth;  Warner, 
Youngstown;  Ohio,  Sandusky  and 
Palace,  Lorain;  Signa,  Lima;  Har- 
ris, Findlay;  Sixth  Street,  Coshoc- 
ton, and,  Jan.  29,  Sherman,  Chillicothe. 


"Jaspar  and  the 
Choo-Choo" 

( Madcap  Models) 

(Paramount) 

Again,  the  Scarecrow  and  the 
Blackbird  try  to  cheat  Jaspar.  This 
time  it's  his  hard-earned  nickel 
they're  after.  They  get  it  by  cheating 
him  at  dice,  but  the  dice  suddenly 
come  to  life  and  begin  to  pursue  both 
victim  and  plotters.  After  being  con- 
siderably shaken  up  and  chased  about 
by  increasing  numbers  of  dice,  the 
three  puppet  characters  are  released. 
The  Scarecrow  makes  a  final  attempt 
to  steal  the  nickel,  but  Jaspar  reaches 
for  it  first.  He  runs  home,  deeply  im- 
pressed with  the  fact  that  "cheating 
never  pays."  This  Technicolor  car- 
toon series  is  somewhat  of  a  novelty, 
and  fairly  interesting.  Running  time, 
7]/2  mins.    Release,  Jan.  1. 


"Mitchell  Ayres 
and  His  Orchestra" 

(Headliner) 

(Paramount) 

There  is  something  positively  em- 
barrassing about  the  attempts  at  "cute- 
ness"  in  this  swing  band  short  subject. 
However,  there's  plenty  of  fast  music 
and  singing  for  the  many  who  enjoy 
this  type  of  playing.  There  is  con- 
siderable informality  in  the  band,  and 
its  members  don't  seem  as  camera- 
conscious  as  most.  Running  time,  9 
mins.  Release,  Jan.  IS. 


"Barnyard  WAAC" 

(Terrytoon  ) 

(20th  Century-Fox) 

In  this  Technicolor  cartoon,  pande- 
monium breaks  loose  in  the  barnyard 
when  all  the  hens  join  the  WAAC 
and  leave  the  cock  of  the  walk  to  care 
for  dozens  of  helpless  chicks.  He 
battles  a  swarm  of  attacking  foxes 
valiantly,  but  is  finally  carried  off, 
coop  and  all,  with  his  brood.  Then 
the  fighting  WAACers  come  to  his 
rescue  and  capture  the  foxes.  In  the 
course  of  the  picture,  Hank,  the 
rooster,  gets  two  severe  doses  of  first 
aid  treatment.  Fairly  amusing.  Run- 
ning time,  7  mins.    Release,  Dec.  11. 


"When  Winter  Calls" 

(Sports  Review) 

(20th  Century- Fox) 
The  photography  is  beautiful  in  this 
review  of  winter  skating  and  skiing. 
The  scenic  background  surpasses  the 
content  of  the  picture  which  is  fairly 
interesting  in  itself.  Skaters,  indoors 
and  out,  are  shown,  and  a  consider- 
able portion  of  the  film  is  devoted  to 
the  U.  S.  15th  Infantry  Ski  Patrol  in 
training.  Running  time,  10  mins.  Re- 
lease, Dec.  18. 


"Strange  Empire" 

(Magic  Carpet) 

(20th  Century-Fox) 

The  majestic  and  glorious  remains 
of  the  Mohammedan  Empire  in  India 
is  filmed  in  color.  The  Taj  Mahal, 
outstanding  example  of  India's  Sara- 
cenic architecture,  is  among  the  many 
scenes  of  Northern  India  included  in 
this  subject.  There  are  also  the 
usual  pictures  of  the  Fakirs,  untouch- 
ables and  people  bathing  in  the  Ganges 
River.  The  film  is  uniformly  good. 
Running  time,  8  mins.  Release,  Jan.  1. 


"Modern  Vikings" 

(Sportlight) 

(Paramount) 

"Windy  water,"  "rough  water," 
"fast  water"  and  "luring  water" 
are  the  types  of  sequences  filmed 
in  "Modern  Vikings."  Modern  ad- 
venturers seek  thrills  in  attempting 
to  navigate  dangerous  waters,  and  the 
audience  will  follow  their  escapades 
with  enthusiasm.  The  treacherous 
Colorado  rapids  require  extreme  skill 
and  nerve  for  successful  maneuver- 
ing and  it's  really  exciting  to  watch 
the  boatmen's  progress.  Running 
time,  10  mins.    Release,  Jan.  8. 


"Marines  in  the  Making" 

(Pete  Smith  Specialty) 

(M-G-M) 

Here  is  an  inspirational  subject 
giving  Americans  further  assurance 
that  the  U.  S.  Marines  are  tough.  The 
rigorous  training  period  in  which 
every  Marine  recruit  must  participate 
is  interestingly  depicted.  Major 
Richard  E.  Hanley,  the  Dick  Hanley 
of  football  fame,  is  featured.  The  Ma- 
rines' "Creed  of  the  Rifle"  provides  a 
stirring  finale.  Running  time,  9  mins. 
Release,  Dec.  26. 


"People  of  Russia" 

(Miniature) 

(M-G-M) 

The  amazing  progress  of  the  Rus- 
sian people  from  1932  to  1940  is  pre- 
sented in  this  film  as  a  major 
reason  for  the  success  of  their  army 
and  workers  in  their  war  with  the 
Nazis.  Pictures  taken  by  James  A. 
Fitzpatrick  in  1932  are  contrasted 
with  scenes  of  three  years  ago.  The 
picture  provides  insight  into  the 
thought  and  aims  of  the  Russians  and 
is  a  thoughtful,  well  done  study  of 
one  of  America's  allies.  Running 
time,  10  mins.    Release,  Dec.  26. 


"Madero  of  Mexico" 

(Passing  Parade) 

(M-G-M) 

American  audiences  will  find  this 
history  of  a  Mexican  democrat  and 
idealist  much  to  their  liking.  Madero 
was  elected  president  of  Mexico  on 
the  heels  of  a  ruthless  dictator.  His 
execution  was  the  starting  gun  of  the 
Mexican  revolution.  John  Nesbit  is 
the  narrator.  Running  time,  11  mins. 
Release,  Dec.  28. 


"Glimpses  of  Ontario" 

(Fitzpatrick  Traveltalk) 

(M-G-M) 

James  A.  Fitzpatrick  selects  On- 
tario for  this  traveltalk  and  it  has  a 
great  deal  of  interest  in  its  varied 
scenes.  St.  Thomas,  a  grain  section ; 
Toronto,  a  business  and  residential 
center,  and  Ottawa,  the  capital,  are 
shown  in  Technicolor.  In  addition, 
there  are  sports  and  historical  spots 
pictured.  Running  time,  9  mins.  Re- 
lease, Dec.  5. 


"Hit  Tune  Jamboree" 

(Universal) 

George  Olsen  and  his  band  are  the 
featured  musicians  in  this  short.  The 
film  is  lively  and  offers  a  wide  variety 
of  musical  fare :  singing  by  Martha 
Mear,  a  rhythm  number  by  the  Mills 
Brothers,  and  considerable  dancing. 
Less  is  shown  of  the  band  than  is 
customary.  Fairly  entertaining.  Run- 
ning time,  15^  mins.  Release,  Feb. 
10. 


Unions  See  Big 
Payroll  Saving 
In  Studio  Plan 


Hollywood,  Jan.  11.  —  Studios 
would  benefit  to  the  extent  of  $1,500,- 
000  a  year  should  workers  now  c*r  a 
36-hour  week  receive  overtime  2e 
from  the  40th  hour,  instead  of  fri*m 
the  36th  hour,  under  a  lengthened ' 
work  week,  labor  officials  estimated 
here  today. 

Declaring  that  a  two-hour  weekly 
pay  loss  would  be  incurred  by  the 
workers  if  overtime  pay  was  given 
only  for  hours  worked  in  excess  of 
40  weekly,  union  executives  said  the 
loss  each  week  to  the  men  would  be 
$30,000.  Most  union  contracts  call 
for  six-hour  daily  shifts  with  overtime 
pay  starting  at  the  end  of  the  sixth 
hour. 

At  conferences  with  studio  mana- 
gers on  setting  up  voluntary  machinery 
for  lengthening  the  work  week  at  the 
request  of  the  War  Manpower  Com- 
mission, the  unions  have  sought  to  re- 
tain overtime  pay  for  hours  worked  in 
excess  of  six  daily.  However,  the  stu- 
dios have  countered  with  a  cumulative 
40-hour  week,  with  time  and  a  half 
over  that.  Under  the  union  propo- 
sal, the  men  would  receive  54  hours' 
pay  for  48  hours  of  work,  while  the 
studio's  plan  calls  for  52  hours'  pay 
for  a  48-hour  week. 

Pointing  cut  that  profits  of  major 
companies  are  on  the  increase,  union 
officials  declared  that  labor  would  be 
contributing  to  further  studio  profits, 
most  of  which  would  be  taken  by  the 
government  through  taxes  anyway.  As 
as  an  example  of  losses  to  be  sus- 
tained by  the  workers,  union  leaders 
pointed  out  that  carpenters  under  the 
studio  plan  would  lose  $3.42  weekly, 
laborers  $2  weekly,  lamp  operators 
$3.01,  and  so  on. 

Report  'Wrath'  Used 
As  Nazi  Propaganda 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

to  be  recalled  that  Darryl  Zanuck  two 
years  ago  made  a  picture  from  the 
book,  at  which  time,  Martin  Quigley, 
editor  -  in  -  chief  of  Motion  Picture 
Daily,  wrote: 

"One  contemplates  with  little  pleas- 
ure, indeed,  the  impression  of  these 
United  States  and  our  government, 
of,  for  and  by,  which  this  subject  may 
create  in  other  countries.  This 
dilemma  is  in  no  sense  an  unique  crea- 
tion of  this  picture.  It  is  the  inevit- 
able result  of  attempting  theatrically 
to  deal  with  problems  which  the  neces- 
sities and  limitations  of  the  medium 
render  impossible  of  factual,  analytical 
and  faithful  treatment.  It  is  this  very 
shortcoming  of  the  medium  which 
makes  it  so  attractive  to  those  who 
who  wish  to  stampede  the  public  emo- 
tionally rather  than  lead  it  rationally. 
It  is  because  of  this  that  the  propa- 
gandists seek  so  ardently  to  make  the 
screen  their  soapbox." 


New  Evergreen  Booker 

Seattle,  Jan.  11. — Douglas  Forbes 
has  been  appointed  booker  for  the 
Hamrick-Evergreen  circuit  in  the  lo- 
cal territory. 


Tuesday,  January  12,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


11 


Showmanship  Flashes 


Pittsb'gh  Gross 
Is  Phenomenal 


Despite  Floods 


Pittsburgh,  Jan.  11.  —  Although 
floods  closed  the  Harris  Theatre  vir- 
*wally  two  days,  eliminating  the  New 
ur's  Eve  midnight  show,  and  de- 
i2rf?d  the  opening  oi  the  Penn  and 
v  Fulton  on  Thursday,  business  for  New 
Year's  wf''  was  phenomenal.  "The 
Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  brought 
$12,500  to  the  Harris,  even  with  its 
forced  closing.  "Stand  by  for  Action" 
grossed  $20,000. 

Estimated  receipts  (including:  mid- 
night shows  on  New  Year's  Eve  at  all 
excent  the  Harris)  for  the  week  end- 
in?  Jan.  6  to  8: 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

FULTON— (1,700)  (30c-40c-S5c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average,  $7,500) 
"The  Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

HARRIS — (2,200)     (30c-40c-S5c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $12,500.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

PENN — (3,400)      (30c-40c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $20,000.     (Average,  $12,500) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.B.) 

RITZ— (1,100)    (30c-40c-55c)    7   days,  2nd 
run.     Gross:  $3,500.     (Average,  $2,500) 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.A.) 

SENATOR— (1,750)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days. 
2nd  run.  Gross:  $4,500.  (Average,  $3,500) 
"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M.) 

STANLEY  —  (3,800)  (30c-44c-55c-65c). 
Stage:  6  days  of  vaudeville,  including  Tony 
Pastor's  band,  the  Three  Swifts,  and  Sunny 
Rice.     Gross:  $20,000.     (Average,  $14,000) 
"The  Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

WARNER—  (2,000)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  run.    Gross:  $15,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 


'Ice-Capades'  Takes 
Hefty  $17,600,  Indpls. 

Indianapolis,  Jan.  11.  —  "Ice- 
Capades,"  supported  by  Henry  Busse 
and  his  orchestra,  took  box  office 
honors  here  this  week  with  $17,600  at 
the  Circle.  At  the  Indiana,  "George 
Washington  Slept  Here"  and  "Army 
Surgeon"  did  $14,000.  The  Loew's 
grossed  $13,700  with  "Stand  By  for 
Action"  and  "McGuerins  from  Brook- 
lyn." 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing January  5-7: 

"Ice-Capades"  (Rep.) 

CIRCLE— (2,800)     (33c-44c-55c),    7  days. 
Stage  show:  Henry  Busse  and  his  orches- 
tra.   Gross:    $17,600.  (Average,  $6,500.) 
'  George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 
"Army  Surgeon"  (RKO) 

INDIANA— (3,200)    (28c-33c-44c),    7  days. 
Gross:    $14,000.    (Average,  $7,000.) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S^(2,800)     (28c-33c-44c),    7  days 
Gross:    $13,700.     (Average,  $8,000.) 
'Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (R-K-O) 

LYRIC— (2,000)  (28c-33c-44c),  7  days. 
Moved  from  Indiana.  Gross:  $6,700.  (Aver- 
age, $4,500.) 


Omaha  Grosses  on 
Ice;  'Leave' ,  $5,400 

Omaha,  Jan.  11.  —  Icy  weather 
hampered  traffic  and  sent  box-office 
grosses  tumbling.  "Seven  Days 
Leave"  took  $5,400  at  the  Brandeis, 
best  on  a  comparative  basis,  and  was 
held  a  second  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  6-7: 

"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 
"The  Falcon's  Brother"  (RKO) 

GRANDEIS— (1,200)     (30c-35c-44c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $5,400.    (Average,  $4,500) 
'George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.B.) 
"Just  Off  Broadway"  (20th- Fox) 

OMAHA— (2,000)     (30c-35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $8,800.     (Average,  $7,000) 
'The  Black  Swan"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"Careful,  Soft  Shoulders"  (20th-Fox) 

ORPHETJM — (3,000)  (30c-35c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $7,900.     (Average,  $7,200) 


Oak  Tree,  Nooses 
Display  for  'Ox-Bow* 

St.  Louis,  Jan.  11. — For  "The  Ox- 
Bow  Incident,"  the  Fox  Theatre 
erected  a  replica  of  an  oak  tree  atop 
the  marquee,  and  from  a  limb  dangled 
three  nooses.  A  spotlight  on  this  at 
night  produced  an  eerie  effect.  Panels 
across  the  huge  front  of  the  theatre 
contained  drawings  of  trees  with  simi- 
lar nooses.  As  patrons  stepped  up  to 
the  box-office  they  were  greeted  by  a 
huge  drawing  of  a  whip.  A  glass  eye 
was  sent  to  critics  with  the  note, 
"Warning!  Your  eyes  will  bulge  when 
you  see  'Ox-Bow  Incident.' "  Les 
Kaufman,  of  Fanchon  &  Marco, 
handled  the  campaign. 


Norris'  'Sweethearts' 
Campaign  Wins  Prize 

Walter  Norris,  manager  of  the 
Majestic  Theatre,  Grand  Rapids, 
Mich.,  was  recently  aivarded  a  $25 
War  Bond  by  M-G-M  for  winning 
the  company's  exploitation  contest  for 
"Seven  Sweethearts."  Highlights  of 
Norris1  campaign  were  outfitting  all 
theatre  employes  in  Dutch  costumes, 
a  lobby  display  of  seven  giant  hearts, 
girls  in  Dutch  dresses  parading 
through  the  streets,  distribution  of 
tiny  Dutch  shoes  by  department  stores', 
and  heart-shaped  sidewalk  stencils. 


Initial  'Gag'  Used 
For  Cooperative  Ad 

Fresno,  Calif.,  Jan.  11. — A  way  of 
inviting  merchants  to  participate  in 
picture  explotation  was  worked  out 
by  Ken  Workman,  manager  of  the 
State  here.  He  arranged  for  a  co- 
operative ad  in  the  Fresno  Bee  con- 
sisting of  large  letters  running 
down  a  single  column  and  reading 
"Wings  for  the  Eagle."  Merchants 
used  the  initial  letters  as  the  be- 
ginning of  their  ad  copy. 


Merchandising  Tieups 
Set  on  'Powers  Girl' 

United  Artists'  publicity  campaign 
for  "The  Powers  Girl"  will  include 
tieups  with  nationally  distributed 
magazines,  beauty  preparations,  cloth- 
ing manufacturers  and  the  Royal 
Crown  Cola  Co.,  among  others,  the 
company  announced.  Remick,  publisher 
of  four  songs  from  the  picture,  is  put- 
ting on  a  special  campaign. 


'Cat  People'  Promoted 
By  Automatic  Display 

St.  Louis,  Jan.  11. — Richard  Fitz- 
maurice,  manager  of  the  St.  Louis 
Theatre,  arranged  an  automatic  mar- 
quee display  for  "The  Cat  People"  in 
which  the  figure  of  a  black  leopard 
attacked  a  prostrate  bride.  The  tiger 
snarled  and  moved  its  jaws  and  the 
woman  screamed  and  raised  her  arms 
in  defense.  The  figures  measured  14 
feet  long  and  8  feet  high.  Beneath  the 
canopy  there  was  the  figure  of  a 
leopard  prepared  to  jump  to  the  side- 
walk and  there  was  a  silhouette  of  a 
leopard  on  the  side  of  the  marquee. 


Rep.  Makes  Tieup 
On  Autry  Reissues 

A  tieup  with  Fawcett  publications 
and'  Gene  Autry  Comics,  a  monthly 
cartoon  magazine,  in  connection  with 
its  release  of  eight  Gene  Autry  re- 
issues, was  announced  by  Republic 
Pictures.  Fawcett  field  men  through- 
out the  country  will  work  on  the  pub- 
licity campaigns  with  exhibitors,  it 
was  announced. 


U.A.  Sets  Promotion 
On  'Canteen'  Song 

Campaigns  sponsored  by  Hearst 
newspapers  and  RCA  Victor  will  fea- 
ture promotion  for  the  song  "March- 
ing Thru  Berlin,"  which  will  be  sung 
by  Ethel  Merman  in  Sol  Lesser's 
"Stage  Door  Canteen,"  U.  A.,  dis- 
tributor of  the  film,  announced.  The 
many-phased  campaign  will  start  early 
in  January,  and  will  include  two  pages 
devoted  to  the  song  in  the  Jan.  10 
Hearst  Sunday  supplements.  Exten- 
sive radio  participation  will  include 
broadcasts  of  the  song  by  the  six  Vic- 
tor bands  and  others.  RCA  Victor 
has  arranged  a  campaign  to  publicize 
its  record  of  Ethel  Merman  and  a 
choir  singing  the  song,  to  be  released 
about  Jan.  16. 


'France  Revolts' 
Herald  for  'Reunion' 

St.  Louis,  Jan.  11. — More  than  10,- 
000  tabloid-size,  made  in  the  form  of 
a  newspaper,  were  distributed  by 
Rex  Williams,  manager  of  Loew's, 
as  part  of  his  campaign  for  "Re- 
union in  France."  Red  headlines, 
"France  Revolts,"  attracted  consid- 
erable attention  as  boys  stood  on 
corners  in  downtown  St.  Louis 
shouting  the  "news"  and  giving  out 
the  heralds. 


Dares  'Sour-Pusses' 
Not  to  Laugh  at  'Dixie' 

Allentown,  Pa.,  Jan.  11. — "Proof 
that  Allentown  has  no  more  sour- 
pusses,"  was  the  heading  on  adver- 
tisement used  by  Leo  Trainor,  man- 
ager of  the  Rialto  here,  for  his 
"Whistling  in  Dixie"  campaign.  This 
phase  of  the  campaign  was  preceded 
by  advertisements  calling  for  four 
"sour-pusses"  to  sit  through  the  film 
without  laughing. 


20,000  Postcards 
Mailed  on  'Ice  Capades' 

Pittsburg,  Jan.  W.  —  A  postcard 
announcing  "Ice  Capades  Revue"  was 
sent  to  20,000  persons  on  the  mailing 
list  of  the  Ice  Capades  roadshow,  as 
part  of  an  extensive  campaign  for  the 
film  at  the  J.  P.  Harris  here.  Displays 
were  placed  in  275  taxicabs,  car  cards 
on  the  dashboards  of  200  street  cars, 
and  a  window  ivas!  obtained  in  a  five- 
and-ten-cent  store.  Ken  Hoel,  pub- 
licity director  of  Harris  Amusements, 
supervised  the  campaign. 


'Share-Ride  Night' 
In  Eau  Claire,  Wis. 

Eau  Claire,  Wis.,  Jan.  11.— The 
O'Klare  Theatre  here  put  on  a 
"Share-the-Ride  Night"  and  offered 
free  admission  to  the  driver  of  any 
car  bringing  four  or  more  other 
adults  to  the  show  on  that  night. 
Advertising  announcing  the  event 
declared:  "Get  acquainted  with  your 
neighbor  .  .  .  pool  your  car  for  the 
entertainment  you  need  .  .  .  save  on 
gas  and  tires! 


'Store  Closed'  Signs 
Sent  Out  by  Manager 

East  Liverpool,  O.,  Jan.  11. — Ex- 
ploitation for  "Stand  By  For  Ac- 
tion" at  the  Ceramic  Theatre  here 
included  the  distribution  of  signs  read- 
ing :  "Closed !  Have  Gone  to  See 
'Stand  By  for  Action' "  to  local  mer- 
chants. The  campaign  was  handled 
by  William  Tallman,  manager  of  the 
theatre. 


Year  Off  to  Healthy 
Start  in  Baltimore; 
'Stand  By,'  $21,000 


Baltimore,  Jan.  11. — Business  was 
far  above  average  and  most  of  the 
downtown  houses  brought  out  their 
SRO  signs  for  evening  shows.  "Stand 
By  for  Action"  drew  $21,000,  nearly 
twice  average,  at  the  Century.  "Once 
Upon  a  Honeymoon"  plus  a  stage 
show  scored  $22,000  at  the  Hippo- 
drome. Matinee  audiences  were  larger 
than  ordinary  and  helped  swell  re- 
ceipts. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  7: 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

CENTURY — (3,000)  (28c-44c  and  55c  dur- 
ing   weekends)    7    days.      Gross:  $21,000. 
(Average,  $11,000) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

KEITH'S — (2,406)  (15c-28c-33c-44c  and  55c 
during  weekends)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$17,000.     (Average,  $10,000) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (2»th-Fox) 

NEW— (1,581)  (15c-28c-35c-55c)  7  days. 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average,  $8,000) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 

STANLEY — (3,280)      (15c-28c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $19,500.     (Average,  $12,000) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

HIPPODROME— (2,205)  (15c-28c-39c-44c- 
55c-66c)  7  days.    Stage:  Jackie  Miles,  Kim 
Loo  Sisters,  Six  Willys,  and  others.  Gross: 
$22,000.     (Average,  $14,000) 
"Ice-Capades  Revue"  (Rep.) 

MAYFALR— (1,000)  (20c-40c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $6,000.     (Average,  $6,000) 


'DoodleDandy, 'Single 
Bill,  Strong  in  Prov. 

Providence,  Jan.  11. —  Several 
houses  reaped  a  harvest  this  week, 
and  almost  all  were  well  above  aver- 
age. "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy,"  re- 
turning at  popular  prices  after  two 
weeks  here  at  advanced  scales,  took 
a  smart  $15,000,  while  "Once  Upon 
a  Honeymoon"  doubled  the  Albee's 
average  and  "Stand  By  For  Action" 
was  held  for  a  second  week  at  Loew's, 
a  rare  event. 

Estimater  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  6-7 : 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"Mexican  Spitfire's  Elephant"  (RKO) 

RKO     ALBEE— (2,239)     (28c-39c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $15,000.     (Average.  $7,000) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  (Para.) 

STRAND— (2,200)     (28c-39c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $11,000.    (Average,  $8,500) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"The  McGuerins  of  Brooklyn"  (Roach-U.A.) 

LOEW'S  STATE — (3,232)   (28c-39c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $18,000.    (Average,  $11,000) 
"Yankee   Doodle   Dandy"  (W.B.) 

MAJESTIC—  (2,250)    (28c-39c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $15,500.     (Average,  $8,000) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (20th-Fox) 

CARLTON— (1,526)    (28c-39c-50c)    7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $5,200.    (Average,  $3,500) 
"Priorities  on  Parade"  (Para.) 
"The  Daring  Young  Man"  (Col.) 

PLAYHOUSE— (1,280)  (28c-39c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $1,900.  (Average, 
$2.C00) 

"Hi'  Ya,  Chum"  (Univ.) 

FAY'S— (1,800)  (28c-39c-50c)  7  days.  On 
=tage:  Castine  &  Barry,  Joey  Nash,  Billie 
Beck,  Count  Maurice,  Davis  &  Dawn,  Ted 
Leary.  Three  Walkmirs.  Gross:  $7,100. 
(Average,  $6,000) 
"Mountain  Rhythm"  (Rep.) 

METROPOLITAN— (3.045)  (30c-35c-55c)  3 
days.  On  stage:  Dick  Rogers'  Orchestra, 
Smiles  &  Smiles.  Gandsmith  Bros..  Don 
Rice.     Gross:  $8,100.     (Average,  $7,000) 


Hamilton,  O.,  in  Dimout 

Hamilton,  O.,  Jan.  11. — -This  city 
will  be  on  a  partial  dimout  schedule 
for  the  duration,  with  all  signs,  win- 
dow illumination  and  other  building 
lights  in  the  business  district  turned 
off  at  9  p.  m.,  the  only  exception  be- 
ing theatres  and  restaurants,  where 
personnel  always  is  on  hand  to  extin- 
guish the  lights  if  necessary. 


SAMUEL 


whose  unequalled  record  of  sign 
Standard  of  Showmanship  and  E 

the  World 

Bob  HOPE  ^  Dorothy  LANOUR 

in 

"THEY  GOT  NE  COVERED" 

with 

Otto  Preminger,  Edward  Ciannelli 
Donald  Meek,  Lenore  Aubert 
Directed  by  DAVID  BUTLER 


808  AND  DOTTIES  FUNNIEST 
AND  MOST  EXCITING  COMEDY! 


GOLDWYN 


:ant  hits  has  made  his  name  the 
attainment  Excellence  throughout 

announces 

Ofaninq  &t  ^pofwUt  splices]  Qttaticfi  1st .  .  . 

GARY  COOPER 

Hailed  by  Film  Critics  Throughout  the  Nation  for  the 
"Best  Male  Performance  of  1942",  m 

"THE  PRIDE  of  the  YANKEES" 

m  TERESA  WRIGHT 

Whom  the  Nation's  Critics  Vote  the  "Best  Supporting  Actress  of  1942" 

Walter  Brennan,  Babe  Ruth,  Veloz  and  Yolanda 
Ray  Noble  and  his  Orchestra 


'Directed  by 
W      SAM  WOOD 

THE  PICTURE  PEOPLE  WANT 
TO  SEE  AMD  SEE  AGAIN! 


14 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  January  12,  1943 


Prutzman  Attacks  $25, 000 
Salary  Limit  on  Broadcast 


Momand  Case 
Opens;  6-Mos. 
Trial  Expected 


Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  11. — Indica- 
tions following  the  first  day  of  the 
A.  B.  Momand  $5,000,000  anti-trust 
trial  in  Federal  District  court  here  to- 
day are  that  the  trial  may  last  six 
months  and  possibly  longer,  instead 
of  the  previously  estimated  four  to 
six  weeks. 

More  than  2,000  contracts  were  in- 
troduced as  evidence  during  the  after- 
noon session,  these  being  between  Mo- 
mand and  the  distributor  defendants, 
Griffith  companies  and  distributors,  as 
well  as  others.  A  simpler  system  of 
filing  under  the  direction  of  Judge 
Bower  Broaddus,  presiding  at  the 
trial,  may  enable  these  to  be  filed  to- 
morrow afternoon  when  the  trial  will 
continue. 

Judge  Will  be  Lenient 

The  first  day's  session  was  high- 
lighted by  Judge  Broaddus'  declara- 
tion that  he  would  grant  every  leni- 
ency and  consideration  in  conducting 
the  trial  no  matter  how  long  it  took 
in  order  to  avoid  it  being  returned 
here  for  re-hearing  by  the  Circuit 
Court  of  Appeals  to  which  it  is  sure 
to  go,  regardless  of  final  judgment. 

Short  opening  statements  were 
made  by  George  S.  Ryan,  Momand 
chief  counsel,  who  summarized  the 
statements  covered  in  the  original  pe- 
tition, and  by  Charles  Cochrane, 
Griffith  attorney,  who  stated  he  could 
not  understand  the  Griffith  companies' 
connection  with  the  alleged  conspiracy 
in  view  of  their  connection  having 
been  attributed  by  plaintiff's  peitition 
through  the  Universal  Chain  Theatres, 
Inc. 

Cochrane  explained  that  Grif- 
fifths  had  borrowed  $300,000 
from  Universal  and  since  re- 
paid this  sum  but  that  the 
three  Griffith  Brothers  alone 
had  full  control  of  policies  and 
procedures  during  the  life  of 
the  corporation  set  up  for  the 
purpose  of  the  "loan  partner- 
ship." 

A  number  of  Eastern  depositions 
were  also  introduced  by  Momand  at- 
torneys to  supplant  those  previously 
filed.  These  were  made  in  New  York 
and  Chicago  by  Nathan  J.  Cohn,  Leo 
Abrams,  Edward  McEvoy,  William 
Scully,  Ned  Depinet,  the  late  Charles 
Stern,  Fred  C.  Stone,  Martha  Fer- 
ris, Nathan  Yamins,  Carl  Milliken 
and  Norman  Collyer.  They  will  be 
used  in  evidence  later  in  the  trial. 

Attorneys  on  Hand 

Plaintiff  attorneys  on  hand  at  the 
trial  opening  were  Ryan,  Ray  C. 
Smith,  Judge  Roy  Stannard  and  Bo- 
hanan  and  Adams  representatives.  For 
the  defendants,  D.  I.  Johnston,  chief 
counsel ;  Frank  Wells,  Edward  Mc- 
Clennan,  Louis  Phillips,  John  F.  Cas- 
key,  Charles  Cochran,  Henry  Grif- 
fing,  Malcolm  Mackenzie,  Richard 
Morgan  and  R.  E.  Nickerson. 

Tomorrow  will  see  continuation  of 
filings  and  first  calling  of  witnesses  by 
Momand,  if  time  permits. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

presentation  on  the  radio  in  the  issue : 
"Let  us  look  at  the  question  under 
discussion  clearly  and  fairly.  What 
do  we  find? 

'Feelings  have  become  heated  be- 
cause of  the  manner  in  which  the  sal- 
ary limitation  was  imposed.  It  hides 
under  the  cloak  of  an  anti-inflation 
law,  but  has  no  relation  to  inflation. 
It  is  not  a  tax  measure,  for  every- 
thing over  the  salary  limitation  is  kept 
by  the  employer  and  not  by  the  Gov- 
ernment. It  has  forced  the  violation 
of  contracts  of  thousands  of  employes. 
Rejected,  after  thoughtful  study,  by 
the  Senate  Finance  Committee  and  the 
House  Committee  on  Ways  and 
Means,  it  was  nevertheless  put  into  ef- 
fect by  executive  order  cloaked  with 
authority  of  an  act  which  the  sponsor 
stated  on  the  floor  of  the  Senate  con- 
tained no  such  power.  No,  there  can 
be  no  defense  of  the  manner  in  which 
it  was  forced  on  the  American  public 
(as  Senator  Danaher  has  so  ably 
pointed  out).  * 

"But  reprehensible  as  this  may  be, 
let  us  consider  the  merit  or  lack  of 
merit  of  the  proposal  itself  and  deal 
bluntly  with  the  fundamental  question 
involved,  this  cute  little  idea,  the  pet 
of  demagogues  and  agitators. 

"Found  originally  in  the  plat- 
form of  the  American  Com- 
munist Party  in  1928 — but  since 
abandoned  in  Communist  Rus- 
sia— a  small  group  of  radicals 
has  been  pressing  for  its  adop- 
tion in  this  country. 

"Is  the  emphasis  on  the  $25,- 
000  or  on  the  limitation  as 
such?  If  successful,  what  is  to 
stop  the  change  of  this  figure 
to  $5,000  or  $2,500?  I  am  afraid 
the  emphasis  is  clearly  on  the 
limitation,  which  carried  to  its 
final  conclusion  means  simply 
confiscation  of  wages  and  prop- 
erty under  a  new  label.  The 
logical  subsequent  step  would 
be  the  collectivization  of  fac- 
tories and  farms. 

"It  is  time  to  rid  ourselves  of  for- 
eign thinking  and  stick  to  the  kind 
of  thinking  which  has  made  America 

Russian  Film  Envoy 
Meets  With  Mellett 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
in    Washington    over    the  weekend. 

At  the  present  time,  it  was  dis- 
closed by  Antonov,  Russian  pictures 
are  getting  better  distribution  than 
they  have  in  the  past,  and  several  of 
the  more  important  films  have  been 
taken  over  by  American  companies 
for  circulation.  Antonov,  it  was  said, 
is  desirous  of  expanding  an  exchange 
of  pictures  between  U.  S.  and  Rus- 
sia, but  it  could  not  be  ascertained 
to  what  extent  American  features  will 
be  taken  by  Russia,  although  the  news 
reels  were  said  to  be  going  to  that 
country  regularly. 

Antonov's  headquarters  are  in  New 
York  City. 

First  indication  of  the  purpose  of 
Antonov's  mission,  and  his  arrival 
here,  were  published  in  Motion  Pic- 
ture Daily  yesterday. 


great — the  envy  of  the  world ;  the  one 
hope  today  of  preserving  a  free  world. 
All  done  without  a  salary  limitation. 

"You  are  familiar  with  the  story 
of  Babe  Ruth,  who  came  from  a  Bal- 
timore orphanage ;  Henry  Ford  from 
the  workbench;  Joe  Louis  from  the 
Southern  cottonfields ;  Thomas  A. 
Edison  from  a  cottage;  Abbott  & 
Costello  from  poor  city  dwellings. 
That  is  America.  All,  like  myself 
from  the  wrong  side  of  the  railroad 
track.  In  a  country  where  competi- 
tion is  keen  and  swift,  they,  together 
with  thousands  of  others,  have  made 
this  country  great  and  were  rewarded 
for  it. 

"That  is  what  has  built  our  fac- 
tories, has  furnished  employment,  has 
paid  our  taxes,  has  built  our  schools 
and  churches,  has  created  the  highest 
standard  of  living  the  world  has  ever 
known,  has  given  us  the  greatest  free- 
dom on  earth,  and  now  will  defeat  our 
enemies. 

"That  great  American  institution, 
the  American  Federation  of  Labor, 
stated  to  the  Senate  Finance  Commit- 
tee : 

"We,  therefore,  recommend 
that  no  such  arbitrary  ceiling 
as  a  flat  $25,000  be  placed  on 
individual  incomes  after  taxes. 
.  .  .  The  Nation  would  indeed 
be  short-sighted  to  limit  pro- 
ductivity of  its  businessmen  by 
such  an  arbitrary  and  inflexible 
rule." 

"Our  men  and  women  of  the  armed 
forces  are  fighting  for,  and  are  en- 
titled to  return  to,  the  same  land  of 
opportunity.  Will  we  undermine  them 
while  they  are  gone? 

"You  and  I  have  a  great  responsi- 
bility to  those  who  are  fighting  our 
battles  this  very  minute.  This  pro- 
posal is  not  a  tax  measure.  It  is  not 
anti-inflationary.  We  cannot  sit  back 
and  let  a  measure,  disguised  as  a  war 
emergency,  be  put  over  which  would 
change  the  fundamentals  of  our  coun- 
try and  limit  the  opportunities  of  our 
boys  when  they  return  and  actually 
destroy  the  very  thing  which  they  are 
fighting  for  —  an  America  limited 
only  by  the  abilities  of  our  people." 

Loew's  Year  Net 
Profit  $12,133,294 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

against  $18,650,478  the  year  before. 
After  a  reserve  for  depreciation  of  $3,- 
071,070,  the  company's  share  of  profit 
before  Federal  taxes  amounted  to  $18,- 
885,479  as  compared  with  $14,703,105 
a  year  ago.  Provision  of  $6,752,185 
was  made  for  Federal  taxes  against 
$3,568,512  for  the  preceding  year. 

The  company's  preferred  dividend 
payments  during  the  last  fiscal  year 
amounted  to  $442,071,  compared  with 
$884,143  the  preceding  year,  the  pre- 
ferred stock  having  been  retired  in  the 
middle  of  the  1942  fiscal  year. 


Buys  Theatre  Interest 

Kansas  City,  Mo.,  Jan.  11. — An  in- 
terest identified  with  the  Fox  Midwest 
Amusement  Corp.  has  purchased  part 
ownership  of  the  Mainstreet  Theatre. 


FDR  Urges 
Income  Top 
On  Investment 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

salaries  are  stabilized,  the  re- 
ceipt of  very  large  net  incomes 
from  any  source  constitutes  r  c , 
gross  inequity  undermining  nL  . 
tional  unity." 

In  his  message,  the  President  esti- 
mated that  during  the  fiscal  year  be- 
ginning next  July  1,  the  cost  of  the 
war  will  reach  one  hundred  billion 
dollars,  with  only  a  very  slight  reduc- 
tion in  non-war  expenditures,  placed 
at  $4,124,000,000. 

The  additional  taxation  called  for 
will  enable  the  Government  to  meet 
half  of  the  war  cost  out  of  current 
income,  but  the  national  debt  will 
reach  210  billion  dollars  by  the  end  of 
the  coming  fiscal  year,  and  the  interest 
alone  will  amount  to  three  billions. 

The  budget  calls  for  $8,089,600  for 
the  Federal  Communications  Commis- 
sion, against  current  appropriations  of 
$7,386,635,  to  permit  it  to  expand  its 
monitoring  and  other  war  operations. 
The  appropriation  for  the  National 
Archives  is  reduced  from  $1,045,125  to 
$907,000. 

No  estimates  were  included  for  the 
Coordinator  of  Inter- American  Af- 
fairs, Office  of  Economic  Stabilization, 
War  Production  Board,  Office  of 
Price  Administration,  Office  of  War 
Information  or  Office  of  Censorship. 

The  detailed  budget  disclosed  that 
estimates  of  revenue  from  the  admis- 
sion tax  have  been  revised  downward 
since  a  year  ago,  when  the  receipts 
for  the  current  fiscal  year  were  placed 
at  $159,600,000,  and  it  is  now  esti- 
mated that  only  $154,800,000  will  be 
secured.  For  the  fiscal  year  1944,  the 
preliminary  estimate  is  $160,600,000. 

N.Y.  Clerical  Staffs 
To  Decide  on  Union 

Elections  at  the  New  York  ex- 
changes of  Loew's,  United  Artists  and 
20th  Century-Fox  have  been  ordered 
by  the  NLRB  for  selection  of  a  col- 
lective bargaining  agent  for  exchange 
workers.  This  order  follows  a  peti- 
tion to  the  board  by  the  Screen  Office 
and  Professional  Employes  Guild,  Lo- 
cal 109,  CIO,  which  was  contested  by 
the  IATSE. 

The  point  of  dispute  between  the 
unions  centered  on  unit  of  representa- 
tion with  the  IATSE  holding  for  a 
national  unit  and  the  SO  PEG  for 
local  divisions. 

In  its  order,  the  NLRB  disregarded 
the  contract  between  the  AFL  union 
and  the  major  companies,  specifying 
that  it  was  executed  after  the  SO  PEG 
petitions  had  been  filed  and  had  ex- 
pressly excluded  the  three  cases. 

Both  unions  are  on  the  Loew's  and 
United  Artists  ballots,  while  only 
SO  PEG  appears  for  20th  Century- 
Fox.  The  elections  were  ordered  to 
be  held  within  30  days  from  Jan.  8. 

Meanwhile,  negotiations  between 
SOPEG  and  Paramount  on  contracts 
for  home  office  and  music  subsidiaries' 
white  collar  workers  were  scheduled 
to  be  continued  tomorrow  afternoon 
before  Commissioner  Mills  of  the 
U.  S.  Conciliation  service. 


Tuesday,  January  12,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


15 


Off  the  Antenna 


THE  1943  fight  against  paralysis  will  be  launched  officially  by  Basil  O'Con- 
nor, president  of  the  National  Foundation  for  Infantile  Paralysis,  over 
CBS  on  Thursday  at  10:30  p.  m.  The  drive  continues  through  Jan.  30.  Sun- 
day night,  O'Connor  was  heard  over  WBYN,  WEVD,  WHOM  and  WBNX. 
Tonight  Philip  Murray,  CIO  president,  will  discuss  "Labor  for  Health"  over 
Mutual.  Also  slated  for  Thursday  night  is  a  dramatic  program,  "Fifth  Free- 
dom," to  be  aired  over  Mutual  at  9  :30  p.  m.  "The  March  of  Dimes"  is  sched- 
uled for  Jan.  23  on  the  Blue  from  11 :15  p.  m.  to  12:15  a.  m.  with  pickups  from 
the  Birthday  Balls  to  be  broadcast  Jan.  30  at  the  same  hour.  KM  OX,  Co- 
lumbia outlet  in  St.  Louis,  will  sponsor  its  annual  "Mile  O'  Dimes"  with  the 
St.  Louis  Globe-Democrat  from  Friday  through  Jan.  30. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Frank  E.  Mullen,  vice-president  and  general  manager  of 
NBC,  is  now  a  director  of  the  company.  .  .  .  Dee  Engelbach,  associated  for 
five  years  with  the  production  of  the  Metropolitan  Opera  broadcasts  on  the 
Blue,  is  now  producer-director  of  the  Boston  Symphony  programs  on  the  web. 
.  .  .  Charles  Edward  Barnhart  has  been  made  director  of  the  KMOX  con- 
tinuity department  filling  the  vacancy  made  by  Lloyd  Clay,  now  in  the  FBI. 
.  .  .  Grace  Kinzel  has  returned  as  assistant  to  Ron  Ferguson,  Blue  script 
division  head,  after  a  leave  of  absence.  .  .  .  "Civilian  Defense  News"  completes 
its  first  year  on  WMCA  at  the  end  of  the  month.  .  .  .  Dale  Carnegie  will  ap- 
pear five  nights  weekly  over  the  Blue  from  9  :S5  to  10  p.  m.  He  takes  over 
the  spot  formerly  occupied  by  Grade  Fields,  now  on  for  15  minutes  at  10:15 
for  Pall  Mall  cigarettes.  .  .  .  The  University  of  Chicago  Round  Table  is  being 
aired  one-half  hour  earlier  at  2  p.  m.  on  Sundays  over  NBC. 

•  •  • 

More  radio-frequency  power  will  be  installed  for  use  in  industry  by  the 
close  of  the  year  than  the  total  installed  power  of  all  broadcasting  sta- 
tions, I.  R.  Baker  of  the  RCA  Victor  division  reported  in  the  January 
issue  of  Radio  Age,  published  by  RCA.  Baker  described  the  development 
of  methods  of  applying  radio-generated  heat  to  industrial  processes  in  a 
new  field  known  as  radiothermics. 

9         •  • 

Program  Notes:  Procter  and  Gamble  has  extended  coverage  to  include 
the  full  NBC  network  for  "Road  of  Life,"  "Vic  and  Sade,"  "Right  to  Happi- 
ness" and  "Ma  Perkins."  They  are  the  first  daytime  shows  to  adopt  NBC's 
full  network  plan. 

«      •  » 

To  the  Service:  Milford  Noe,  CBS  technician,  has  been  sworn  in  the  Navy 
and  will  report  as  a  lieutenant,  j.  g.,  Jan.  28.  .  .  .  Private  David  Scofield,  for- 
merly a  Don  Lee  announcer,  is  helping  to  set  up  a  network  program  from 
Minter  Field.  .  .  .  Luther  L.  Hill,  on  leave  as  vice-president  of  the  Iowa 
Broadcasting  Co.  and  station  manager  of  KSO-KRNT,  has  been  advanced 
to  lieutenant  colonel  at  the  Army  Air  Corps  Replacement  Center,  Miami 
Be-ach,  Fla. 

•  •  • 

According  to  a  survey  conducted  by  the  Women's  Institute  of  Audience 
Reactions,  an  endowed  organization  serving  as  a  clearing  house  for  wo- 
men's ideas,  listening  trends  in  radio  have  remained  "fairly  constant" 
during  the  first  year  of  war. 


800  Stations 
Cooperate  in 
Nations  Week 


United  Nations  Week,  Jan.  14 
through  Jan.  20,  will  be  observed  by 
more  than  800  independent  and  net- 
work radio  stations  throughout  the 
r  V^try,  in  addition  to  the  motion  pic- 
theatres  participating  in  the 
event,  according  to  Harry  Mandel,  ad- 

v  vertising  and  publicity  director  for 
United  Nations  Week. 

Johannes  Steel,  Paul  Sullivan,  Art 
Green  and  other  news  commentators 

.  will  comment  on  United  Nations 
Week  during  their  regular  broadcasts, 
while  the' Mutual  network  will  carry 
announcements  concerning  the  week 
over  most  of  its  important  stations 
tonight. 

In  New  York,  WOR,  WMCA, 
WHN,  WINS,  WOV,  WLB,  WWRL 
and  WBNX  have  pledged  support  and 
are  already  carrying  special  announce- 
ments, it  was  said. 

Sammy  Kaye  and  his  orchestra  will 
provide  the  music  for  a  21-station 
broadcast,  originating  in  Pittsburgh 
and  covering  Western  Pennsylvania 
and  part  of  West  Virginia,  which  has 
been  arranged  for  Thursday  night,  as 
a  salute  to  the  opening  of  the  cam- 
paign. 

Mayor  Joseph  J.  Kelly,  of  Buffalo, 
has  issued  a  proclamation  for  the  ob- 
servance. Charles  B.  Taylor  of  Buf- 
falo Theatres,  Inc.,  chairman  of  the 
publicity  committee  there,  announced 
that  all  theatres  in  the  city  will  join 
in  giving  the  week  a  big  send-off. 


DuPont  Film  Opens 
Books  to  Pathe  Lab 


The  Du  Pont  Film  Manufacturing 
Corp.  opened  its  books  to  Richard 
Mason,  an  accountant  for  Pathe 
Laboratories,  Inc.,  yesterday  following 
an  order  to  that  effect  by  Judge  John 
W.  Clancy  of  the  Federal  Court  of 
the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 

Judge  Clancy's  action  on  Saturday 
followed  a  motion  made  last  week  by 
Pathe  to  punish  Du  Pont  for  contempt 
for  failure  to  obey  a  previous  Federal 
Court  order  permitting  examination 
of  the  books  and  records  by  Pathe 
accountants.  Louis  Nizer,  Pathe  at- 
torney, charged  that  Du  Pont  had 
arbitrarily  excluded  Mason  from  ex- 
amining the  books. 

The  judge  ordered  that  the  de- 
fendant's answer  in  the  action  seeking 
$610,000  damages  against  Du  Pont  be 
stricken  out  and  a  default  taken 
against  Du  Pont,  unless  the  order 
permitting  examination  was  fully 
obeyed  within  two  days. 


Heinz  Will  Sponsor 
'Information  Please* 

The  "Information  Please" 
radio  program  will  be  spon- 
sored by  H.  Heinz  when  it 
concludes  its  two  and  a  quar- 
ter years  -  for  Lucky  Strike, 
Dan  Golenpaul,  owner  and 
producer  of  the  show,  an- 
nounced yesterday.  The  new 
time  will  be:  Monday  night  at 
10:30  p.  m.,  starting  Feb.  15. 


Report  Strom  Quits 
N.  W.  Allied  Post 


Minneapolis,  Jan.  11. — Fred  Strom, 
executive  secretary  of  Allied  Theatre 
Owners  of  the  Northwest,  was  un- 
derstood today  to  have  resigned  his 
post. 

It  was  understood  further  that  a 
number  of  members,  mostly  from  the 
Twin  Cities,  also  had  resigned.  Don 
Guttman,  Minneapolis  director,  two 
weeks  ago  formally  announced  his 
resignation. 

Strom  said  a  statement  would  be 
forthcoming  in  a  day  or  two  concern- 
ing changes  in  the  organization. 

Some  observers  believed  dissolution 
of  Northwest  Allied  was  in  the  off- 
ing, as  well  as  that  of  the  newly- 
formed  Central  States  Conference  of 
Motion  Picture  Exhibitors. 

RKO  Board  Hears 
Report  by  Koerner 

Charles  Koerner,  RKO's  production 
chief,  yesterday  reported  on  that  com- 
pany's studio's  progress  which  is 
under  his  direction,  to  the  RKO  board 
of  directors.  It  is  reported  that  dur- 
ing his  stay  here  Korner  and  the  com- 
pany's executives  will  discuss  a 
budget  for  the  forthcoming  season's 
program. 


Newsr  eel  Distribution 
Expediting  Discussed 

Newsreel  distribution  in  Latin 
America,  a  survey  of  foreign  press 
correspondents'  requirements  in  war 
time  and  a  report  on  trade  conditions 
in  Mexico  were  considered  at  a  meet- 
ing yesterday  of  the  International 
Film  Relations  Committee  at  MPPDA 
headquarters. 

Fortunat  Baronat,  of  Universal,  and 
David  Blum,  of  M-G-M,  were  desig- 
nated to  expedite  newsreel  shipments 
to  Latin  America.  G.  R.  Keyser,  of 
Warners,  recently  returned  from  Mex- 
ico, made  the  report  on  trade  condi- 
tions there.  The  survey  of  foreign 
press  correspondents'  needs  in  war- 
time was  made  and  submitted  by  Paul 
Ackerman,  of  Paramount,  who  re- 
vealed that  spot  and  feature  film 
news  requests  continue  from  75  per 
cent  of  the  correspondents.  However, 
due  to  paper  shortages  in  many  coun- 
tries, the  number  requesting  photos 
have  dropped  off  from  a  normal  50 
per  cent  to  18  per  cent. 


Joins  20th-Fox  Staff 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  11. — Merle 
Rossen,  formerly  with  the  Hearst 
Morning  Examiner  here,  has  joined 
the  sales  staff  of  the  20th  Century- 
Fox  exchange  here.  He  succeeds 
Hugh  Fratto,  who  is  now  in  the 
Army. 


Supreme  Court 
To  Hear  Webs' 
Appeal  Feb.  10 

Washington,  Jan.  11. — The  Su- 
preme Court  has  set  Feb.  10  as  the 
tentative  date  for  argument  of  the 
appeal  by  CBS  and  NBC  on  the 
validity  of  the  FCC  network  regu- 
lations outlawing  exclusive  con- 
tracts. 

The  networks  are  appealing  from  a 
decision  of  the  New  York  Federal 
District  Court  which  dismissed  their 
application  for  an  injunction  against 
enforcement  of  the  FCC  regulations. 
The  rules  were  issued  on  May  2,  1941, 
and  amended  the  following  Oct.  11. 

Application  of  the  regulations  has 
been  suspended  pending  the  outcome  of 
court  proceedings  which  were  immedi- 
ately instituted  by  the  two  chains. 
Mutual  is  not  involved  in  the  suit 
since  it  supported  the  FCC  in  the 
controversy. 


Lab  Technicians 
Union  Drops  Editors 

Members  of  the  Motion  Picture 
Laboratory  Technicians  Union,  Local 
702,  IATSE,  voted  to  relinquish  juris- 
diction over  editors  at  a  meeting  Sat- 
urday. This  action  follows  the  ap- 
plication for  a  charter  from  the 
IATSE  by  the  Editors  Guild  and  was 
necessary  for  the  issuance  of  a  char- 
ter. It  is  expected  that  the  Guild 
will  be  authorized  by  the  overall  AFL 
body  within  the  next  two  or  three 
weeks. 

Union  members  also  approved  a 
committee  to  gtart  negotiations  oh 
renewal  of  contracts  which  expire  in 
March.  Serving  on  the  committee  are 
John  J.  Francavilla,  acting  president ; 
Adolph  Crude,  secretary-treasurer ; 
Albert  Dassa,  executive  board  mem- 
mer ;  Nicholas  Koutrouby,  trustee ; 
Catherine  Grogan,  Joseph  McCarthy 
and  William  Vermont. 

According  to  Francavilla,  forms  are 
now  being  filled  out  for  submission 
to  the  War  Labor  Board  on  automatic 
10  per  cent  increases,  effective  in 
March  and  included  in  four  contracts 
which  expire  in  1945. 

The  active  president  also  said  that, 
owing  to  the  great  output  of  govern- 
ment work  in  film  laboratories,  the 
union  membership  has  shown  a  great 
increase. 


Wahn  Joins  Warners 

Graham  Wahn,  formerly  editor  of 
Parade,  has  joined  the  Warner 
Bros,  publicity  department,  it  was  an- 
nounced. 


Willkie  on  Air  From 
Duke  U.  Thursday 

Wendell  Willkie  will  be 
heard  over  Mutual  on  Thurs- 
day from  8:30  to  9  p.  m.  He 
will  speak  from  a  mass  meet- 
ing at  Duke  University.  The 
broadcast  of  his  talk,  the  title 
of  which  has  not  been  an- 
nounced, will  originate  from 
WRAL,  Raleigh,  N.  C. 


"7 


ICTOR 


oze/t 


CARBONS 


oN^eV0'CTORYCARBONs 


RECOMMENDED  TRIM  AND  RANGE  OF  ARC  CURRENT  FOR  LAMPS 
USING     COPPER     COATED,    HIGH     INTENSITY,     PROJECTOR  CARBONS 


Type  of  Arc 


Arc  Current  —  Amperes 


New  Victory  Carbons  —  Size  and  Type 


"1  Kw"  High  Intensity,  A.C. 
"1  Kw"  High  Intensity,  D.C. 

Simplified  High  Intensity,  D.C. 

with  adjustable  feed  ratio 
Simplified  High  Intensity,  D.C. 

with  fixed  feed  ratio 
Simplified  High  Intensity,  D.C. 


52-66 
40-42 


42-45 


42-45 


56-65 


7  mm  x  9  inch  H.I.,  A.C.  Carbons  in  both  holders 
7  mm  x  12  inch  or  14  inch  "Suprex"  Positive 

6  mm  x  9  inch  "Orotip"  C  Negative 

7  mm  x  12  inch  or  14  inch  "Suprex"  Positive 

6  mm  x  9  inch  "Orotip"  C  Negative 

7  mm  x  12  inch  or  14  inch  "Suprex"  Positive 

7  mm  x  9  inch  "Orotip"  C  Negative 

8  mm  x  12  inch  or  14  inch  "Suprex"  Positive 
7  mm  x  9  inch  "Orotip"  C  Negative 


You  can  obtain  maximum  efficiency  and  economy  from 
your  Victory  Carbons  by  observing  the  following  simple 
rules. 

USE  CARBON  TRIM  RECOMMENDED  FOR  YOUR  PROJECTION  EQUIPMENT. 

The  Victory  Carbon  trims  indicated  in  the  above  table 
were  established  by  comprehensive  laboratory  and  field 
tests  to  ascertain  the  best  results  obtainable  in  all  types 
of  equipment 

OPERATE  CARBONS  AT  SPECIFIED  ARC  CURRENT. 

Better  projection  and  greater  economy  are  obtained 
when  recommended  arc  currents  are  maintained.  The 
maximum  allowable  arc  current  is  stamped  on  each 
Victory  Carbon  at  the  left  of  the  trade-mark. 

CHECK  FEED  RATIO  CAREFULLY. 

Changes  of  arc  current  alter  the  ratio  of  burning  rate  be- 


tween positive  and  negative  carbons.  On  lamps  equipped 
with  adjustable  feed  and  formerly  operated  above  45 
amperes  arc  current,  this  ratio  should  be  adjusted  to 
meet  the  new  current  conditions. 

A  bulletin  describing  operation  of  the  new  Victory  High 
Intensity  Carbons  is  available  for  distribution  and  will 
be  sent  promptly  upon  request. 


SAVE 


T    H  E 


COPPER 


Most  of  the  coppei  used  for  plating  copper  coated 
projector  carbons  drops  to  the  floor  of  the  lamp  house 
when  the  carbons  are  burned.  Continue  to  save  these 
copper  drippings  and  turn  them  over  to  your  supply 
dealer  as  designated  by  our  government. 


FQPJ/ICTORY 
BUY 


NATIONAL  CARBON  COMPANY,  INC 

Unit  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation 


Carbon  Sales  Division,  Cleveland,  Ohio 

GENERAL  OFFICES 
30  East  42nd  Street,  New  York,  N.  Y. 

BRANCH  SALES  OFFICES 
New  York,  Pittsburgh,  Chicago,  St.  Louis,  San  Francisco 


Alert, 

InteUiget 

a«l  y 

to  the^ftj 

cjtion 

Picture 

Industry 

MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


V4L.  53.  NO.  8 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  WEDNESDAY,  JANUARY  13,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


RKO  to  Offer 
40  Films  for 

New  Season 


Studio   Condition  Good 
Says  Charles  Koerner 


Charles  W.  Koerner,  RKO  stu- 
dio head,  who  is  in  New  York  for 
home  office  conferences,  said  yester- 
day that  the 
company  prob- 
ably will  pro- 
duce   for  the 


new 


season 


approxi- 
mately the 
same  number 
of  pictures  as 
were  an- 
nounced for 
the  current 
season. 

The  studio, 
he  stated,  will 
complete  30  to 
32  features,  this  season,  and  that 
outside  producers  will  add  8  to 
these.     Koerner  also  pointed  out 

(Continued  on  page  15) 


Charles  W.  Koerner 


Nations  Drive  Aided 
By  Radio,  Preview 


Radio  stations  throughout  the  Unit- 
ed States  are  cooperating  in  publiciz- 
ing United  Nations  Week,  which  be- 
gins tomorrow  and  runs  through  Jan. 
20.  Ronald  Reagan  will  act  as  master 
of  ceremonies  on  the  Mutual  network 
United  Nations  Week  broadcast  to- 
night, in  which  James  Cagney,  Nelson 
Eddy  and  Irene  Manning  will  partici- 
pate, it  was  announced. 

AH  proceeds  of  last  night's  preview 
of  "Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn,"  at 
the  Criterion  Theatre,  are  to  be  turned 
over  to  relief  funds  for  war  victims 
in  each  of  the  Allied  Nations.  In  ad- 
dition -  to  Paul  Muni,  star  of  the  pic- 
ture,   diplomatic    representatives  of 

(Continued  on  page  2) 


Writers  to  Discuss 
Salary  Directives 

Hollywood,  Jan.  12. — An  open 
board  meeting  of  the  Screen  Writers 
Guild  will  be  held  at  the  Hollywood 
Roosevelt  Hotel  Monday  to  sound  out 
sentiment  concerning  possible  future 
action  by  the  guild  in  relation  to  wage 
freezing  and  salary  ceiling  directives 
issued  by  the  government. 


House  Group  Plans 
Pay-as-You-Go  Bill 

Washington,  Jan.  12.  —  The 
House  Ways  and  Means  Com- 
mittee yesterday  virtually  de- 
cided to  go  to  work  on  a  bill 
to  put  income  tax  collections 
on  a  pay-as-you  go  basis  be- 
fore looking  for  $16,000,000  of 
new  revenue  which  President 
Roosevelt  seeks  in  his  1943 
budget. 


2,000  Contracts  in 
Momand  Case,  Begin 
Testimony  Today 


Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  12. — While 
attorneys'  throats  grew  hoarse  and 
even  Judge  Bower  Broaddus  left  the 
court  to  attend  to  other  business,  in- 
troduction into  the  records  of  more 
than  2,000  contracts  as  evidence  by 
plaintiff  attorneys  in  the  A.  B.  Mo- 
mand anti-trust  actions  continued  to- 
day and  was  not  expected  to  be  com- 
pleted before  Wednesday  noon. 

The  contracts  are  those  of  the  dis- 
tributor defendants  in  each  of  the  11 
cities  covered  by  Momand's  petition 
that  were  made  not  only  with  the 
Momand  companies  but  with  the  Grif- 
fith companies  and  other  operators 
hereabouts. 

"We're  only  getting  started,"  com- 
mented one  attorney.  "Before  this 
case  is  over  there  will  be  from  40,000 
to  50,000  documents  introduced  into 
evidence." 

The  contracts  are  being  grouped  by 
locations  and  in  turn  by  a  unit  con- 
taining each  distributor's  contracts  in 
that  location  with  each  exhibitor  or 
company  and  are  being  entered  and 
filed  in  that  manner.  Judge  Broaddus 
urged  attorneys  to  devise  this  method 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


PETRILLO 
PROBE  O 


DEMANDS 
F  RADIO 


U.S.  Reopens 
AFM  Chi  Suit 


Chicago,  Jan.  12.— Judge  John  P. 
Barnes,  in  Federal  Court  here,  yester- 
day ordered  James  Petrillo  and  eight 
other  AFM  officials  to  appear  before 
him  Monday  to  show  cause  why  a  pre- 
liminary injunction  should  not  be  is- 
sued against  them  in  the  newly-opened 
U.  S.  anti-trust  suit  to  restrain  Pe- 
trillo and  the  AFM  from  enforcing 
their  restrictions  on  recorders  and 
transcribers. 

An  amended  petition  on  the  one  dis- 
missed by  Judge  Barnes  on  Oct.  13 
was  made  by  Daniel  C.  Britt,  Special 
Assistant  U.  S.  Attorney  General,  and 
granted  by  Judge  Barnes.  The  origi- 
nal petition  was  denied  on  the  court's 
ruling  that  the  case  was  essentially  a 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Loew's  Directors  Up 
For  Reelection  Feb.  26 

All  directors  of  Loew's,  Inc.,  are 
scheduled  to  be  reelected  at  a  special 
meeting  of  stockholders  of  the  com- 
pany on  Feb.  26  at  the  home  office. 
The  special  meeting  has  been  called  in 
lieu  of  the  regular  annual  meeting 
which  was  scheduled  for  December 
but  could  not  be  held  at  that  time. 

Directors  of  the  company  are: 
Nicholas  M.  Schenck,  David  Bern- 
stein, J.  Robert  Rubin,  David  War- 
field,  H.  R.  Winthrop,  John  R.  Hazel, 
Leopold  Friedman,  C.  C.  Moskowitz, 
George  N.  Armsby,  William  A.  Park- 
er, Al  Lichtman  and  Joseph  R.  Vogel. 


No  Penalty  If  Suburbanites 
Attend  Town  Theatres:  OPA 


Washington,  Jan.  12. — Residents 
of  rural  districts  who  motor  into  town 
for  necessary  shopping,  or  to  attend 
church  services,  may  attend  theatres 
without  penalty  on  such  trips,  pro- 
vided they  do  not  drive  out  of  their 
way  to  do  so,  OPA  officials  said  to- 
day. 

A  spokesman  for  the  OPA  said  that 
if  an  automobile  owner  has  a  legiti- 
mate reason  for  driving  his  car,  there 
is  not  objection  to  theatre  attendance 
so  long  as  the  car  is  not  used  for  the 
(Continued  on  page  15) 


Denounces  Story  of 
Stars'  Benefit  Costs 

Washington,  Jan.  12. — Commis- 
sioner J.  Russell  Young,  Chairman  of 
the  Board  of  District  Commissioners, 
and  Chairman  of  the  Celebration  of 
the  President's  Birthday  in  Washing- 
ton, today  said  that  a  story  which  ap- 
peared in  a  West  Coast  motion  picture 
trade  paper  regarding  expenses  in- 
curred here  by  Hollywood  stars  at- 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


AFM  President  fs  First 
Witness  at  Senate 
Musician  Query 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  12.  —  The 
primary  purpose  of  the  ban  on  the 
making  of  records  was  to  secure  the 
employment  of  more  union  musi- 
cians in  broadcasting  stations,  it 
was  admitted  today  by  James  C. 
Petrillo,  president  of  the  American 
Federation  of  Musicians,  at  the 
opening  of  hearings  before  a  Senate 
subcommittee. 

However,  Petrillo  admitted  un- 
der sharp  questioning  by  Senators 
Wheeler,  chairman  of  the  Inter- 
state Commerce  Committee,  and 
Clark,  chairman  of  the  investigat- 
ing group,  the  "strike"  was  called 
without  making  any  demands  on 
the  record  manufacturers  and  no 
objectives  have  ever  been  disclosed 
since  the  ban  went  into  effect  Au- 
gust 1. 

The  union  head  received  a  thorough 
"going  over"  at  the  hands  of  the  com- 
mittee,  the  tenor  of  which  left  no' 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Benefit  Premiere 
Held  for  'Shadow' 


The  world  premiere  of  "Shadow  of 
a  Doubt,"  Universal's  new  Alfred 
Hitchcock  picture,  was  held  last  night 
at  the  Rivoli  Theatre  before  a  brilliant 
audience  for  the  benefit  of  the  Citizens 
Committee  for  the  Army  and  Navy. 
The  proceeds  of  the  show  will  be  de- 
voted to  the  purchase  of  recreational 
equipment  for  the  men  in  the  service. 

Preceding  the  show,  a  special 
pageant,  "Women  Can  Take  It,"  was 
presented  on  the  stage  of  the  theatre. 
Commentators  for  the  stage  presenta- 
tion were  Fannie  Hurst,  Elsa  Max- 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Mexican  producers  count  '42 
gains,  Page  4.  Atlas  bought 
10,000  shares  of  RKO  in  Oct., 
Page  4.  Off  the  Antenna,  Page 
15.  SAG  drops  special  mem- 
bership plan,  Page  15.  Meet- 
ing to  decide  fate  of  N.W. 
Allied,  Page  15. 


in 


2 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Wednesday,  January  13,  1943 


Coast  Flashes 


Hollywood,  Jan.  12 

NEXT  Wallace  Beery  vehicle  at 
MGM  will  be  a  rationing  topical 
comedy  original  by  Robert  Hopkins, 
with  Grant  Garrett  doing  the  script 
for  producer  O.  O.  Dull. 

• 

Alexis  Smith  yesterday  was  set  to 
star  in  Warner's  "Broken  Journey," 
an  Andrew  Rosenthal  comedy  drama, 
with  Benjamin  Glazer  as  producer. 
• 

Columbia  today  signed  Hugh  Her- 
bert to  a  term  contract.  First  pic- 
ture will  be  "Blondie  Buys  a  Horse." 
Studio  also  announced  a  policy  of 
stepping  up  the  Blondie  series  with 
name  players  appearing  as  guest  stars. 
In  addition  to  this  feature,  Herbert 
will  be  starred  in  two-reel  comedies, 
it  was  said. 

• 

Monogram  Producer  Scott  R.  Dun- 
lop  will  be  guest  of  honor  at  a  din- 
ner meeting  of  the  Independent  Mo- 
tion Picture  Producers  Association  Jan. 
18.  Also  Steve  Broidy,  vice  president 
and  general  sales  manager,  leaves  to- 
morrow on  a  cross  country  trip  visiting 
exchanges  and  the  N.  Y.  office. 
George  D.  Burrows,  former  vice  presi- 
dent of  the  Guaranty  Trust  Co.  has 
been  elected  treasurer  of  the  company 
at  a  meeting  of  the  board  of  directors, 
and  J.  P.  Freidhoff,  secretary,  who  has 
been  acting  treasurer,  becomes  assist- 
ant to  Burrows. 


N.Y.  Playwright  Gets 
$3,960  Suit  Award 

Hollywood,  Jan.  12. — In  one  of  the 
few  cases  locally  where  a  plaintiff 
was  given  a  judgment  in  a  plagiarism 
suit,  Fox  today  was  ordered  to  pay 
$3,960  _  damages  to  Myrtle  Louise 
Stonesiter,  N.  Y.,  playwright  known 
as  Louise  Howard,  who  charged  that 
the  studio  utilized  her  play  "Women's 
Hotel"  in  the  picture,  "Hotel  For 
Women." 

Federal  Judge  J.  F.  A.  O'Connor 
awarded  the  sum  based  on  an  account- 
ing of  the  profits.  The  court  said  the 
picture  cost  in  excess  of  $800,000  but 
made  a  net  profit  of  only  $19,600. 


Stan  Goldberg  Joins  WB 

Kansas  City,  Jan.  12.— Stanley 
Goldberg,  former  Columbia  salesman, 
has  joined  the  Warner  Bros,  branch 
office  here,  replacing  Leland  Rock  in 
the  advertising  department. 


Personal  Mention 


PVT.  DASHIEL  HAMMETT, 
author  of  the  "Thin  Man"  film 
series  and  other  motion  picture  mys- 
tery stories,  has  been  made  a  corporal 
in  the  Signal  Corps  at  Ft.  Monmouth, 
N.  J. 

• 

Lenny  Simmons,  former  manager 
of  Warners'  Plaza,  Philadelphia,  is 
now  a  private  in  the  infantry  at  Camp 
Maxey,  Tex. 

• 

Frank  N.  Phelps,  Warner  Circuit 
labor  contract,  is  visiting  Chicago. 

James  Pappas,  former  chief  usher 
at  Loew's  Poli,  Hartford,  is  now  in 
the  Coast  Guard. 

Max  Milder,  Warners'  Great 
Britain  manager,  who  is  visiting  here, 
will  leave  for  the  coast  the  end  of  this 
week. 

• 

Arthur  Krolick,  Century  Theatre 
manager  in  Rochester,  and  Miss  Mil- 
dred Lind  were  married  there  Dec.  26. 


HOWARD  DIETZ  will  leave  for 
the  Coast  on  Friday  for  a  two 
weeks  visit  at  the  MGM  Studio. 


Mary  Jo  Schwalm,  daughter  of 
John  A.  Schwalm,  manager  of  the 
Rialto,  Northio  unit  in  Hamilton,  O., 
was  married  recently  to  Lt.  Judd  Uhl 
of  the  medical  corps,  Army  Air  Base, 
Muroc,  Cal. 

• 

Dennis  Caplin  of  Republic's  adver- 
tising staff,  and  Mrs.  Caplin,  are  the 
parents  of  a  baby  girl  born  Monday 
at  the  Brooklyn  Jewish  Hospital. 

Vic  Potamkin,  former  manager  of 
the  Girard,  Philadelphia,  now  in  the 
Army,  became  a  father  last  week, 
when  a  son  w7as  born  to  Mrs.  Potam- 
kin at  St.  Joseph's  Hospital,  Phila- 
delphia. 

• 

Peter  Colli,  Warner  Bros,  super- 
visor for  Central  America  and  Peru, 
has  arrived  here  for  business  confer- 
ences with  home  office  executives. 


Radio,  Preview  Aid 
United  Nations  Drive 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

United  Nations  attended.  Among  them 
were :  C.  J.  Hambro,  president  of  the 
Norwegian  Parliament ;  Mrs.  A. 
Petch,  Norwegian  Information  Bur- 
eau; Stefan  de  Ropp,  Polish  Informa- 
tion Center ;  C.  L.  Hsia.  Chinese 
News  Service ;  Dr.  Jan  Papanek  and 
Dr.  Miles  Safranke,  Czech  Informa- 
tion Service ;  C.  H.  W.  Hasselriis, 
Friends  of  Denmark ;  Andre  Wolff, 
Luxembourg  Information  Center ;  H. 
A.  Goris  and  Henri  Fast,  Belgian 
Information  Center  ;  David  W.  Bailey. 
Australian  News  Bureau :  Boris  Fur- 
land  and  N.  Mirkovich,  Royal  Yugo- 
slav Information  Bureau ;  Harry 
Sedgwick,  Canadian  Wartime  Inform- 
ation Board,  and  V.  J.  G.  Stavridi, 
British  Coordination  Office. 


'Canteen'  Crew  Arrives 

Sol  Lesser,  producer,  Frank  Bor- 
zage,  director,  and  members  of  the 
cast  and  technical  crew  of  "Stage 
Door  Canteen,"  arrived  in  New  York 
from  the  Coast  yesterday.  They  will 
film  some  of  the  main  sequences  of 
the  picture  at  Fox  Movietone  Studios 
while  here. 


NOTICE  OF  TRADE  SHOWING 


20th  CENTURY-FOX'S 

QUIET  PLEASE, 
MURDER" 

at  the 

20th  CENTURY-FOX  EXCHANGE 
115  Broadway,        Boston,  Mass. 
2:30  P.  M.     THURSDAY,  JAN.  14th 


4  N.  Y.  Film  Firms 
Organize;  4  Dissolve 

Albany,  Jan.  12. — Four  motion  pic- 
ture concerns  have  been  incorporated 
and  four  dissolved  here  within  the 
past  few  days,  according  to  Thomas 
J.  Curran,  new  Secretary  of  State. 

Bonded  Motion  Picture  Corp.,  New 
York,  with  200  shares  of  stock,  was 
formed  by  David  Resnick,  Miriam 
Hoffman  and  Helen  Markell,  all  of 
New  York,  with  H.  M.  Resnick  filing 
the  papers.  Levern  Theatres,  Inc.,  100 
shares  of  stock,  has  been  formed  by 
Samuel  B.  Weingrad,  A.  H.  Shuka't 
and  Benjamin  Bag,  New  York;  Ober 
and  Shukat  filing  the  papers.  Water- 
gates  Productions,  Inc.,  New  York, 
100  shares  of  stock,  by  Leslie  Katz- 
man,  Jacob  L.  Steisel,  filing  attorney, 
and  Kathryn  Deffa.  Anbro  Amuse- 
ment Corp.,  Manhattan,  200  shares, 
no  par  value,  by  Moe  Morris,  I. 
Harold  Brookstone  and  Rose  Fiacco, 
papers  filed  by  Morris  and  Silverman. 

The  four  concerns  dissolved,  all  in 
New  York  City,  were :  H.  O.  H. 
Theatre  Corp.,  Cinema  Building  Corp., 
Theatre  Operating  Co.,  Inc.,  and 
Costen  Theatre  Corp. 


Appointed  Publicity  Mgr. 

Hartford,  Jan.  12. — Larry  LaPenta 
has  been  appointed  publicity  manager 
for  the  Daly  Theatres,  Hartford.  The 
appointment  was  announced  by  Joseph 
DiLorenzo,  Daly  Circuit  division  man- 
ager. 


APARTMENT  FOR  RENT 

To  sub-lease  until  Oc- 
tober 1  attractive  unfur- 
nished apartment  at  350 
West  57th  Street.  Highly 
desirable  as  escape  from 
fuel  and  gasolene  ration- 
ing problems.  Rental  rea- 
sonable. Box  280  MO- 
TION PICTURE  DAILY. 


Newsreel 
Parade 


PRESIDENT  ROOSEVELT'S 
"State  of  the  Nation"  address  to 
the  new  Congress  is  the  midweek 
newsreel  feature.  Al$o<  higlilighted 
are  films  of  Gen.  Mark  W.  Clark  re- 
ceiving Distinguished  Service  Medal 
from  Gen.  Eisenlwwer  in  North  Afri- 
ca, and  the  new  Lockheed  "Constefac  ' 
Hon"  on  a  trial  rim.    Contents  follafC'. 

MOVIETONE  NEWS,  No.  37.— Presi- 
dent's report  to  the  nation.  Secretary  Hull 
and  Dr.  Wei  Tao-Ming  pictured  together 
in  Washington.  Gen.  Clark  decorated  by 
Gen.  Eisenhower.  Russians  drive  Nazis 
back  in  latest  fighting.  California  shipyard 
worker  chosen  Miss  Victory.  All-Negro 
troop  units  in  mass  calisthenics  at  Ft. 
Bragg,  N.  C.  Minnesota's  Gov.  Stassen 
speaks  on  United  Nations  unity. 

NEWS  OF  THE  DAY,  No.  235.— Presi- 
dent reports  to  Congress.  Transport  plane 
makes  maiden  flight.  Ban  on  pleasure 
driving  hits  17  eastern  states.  Message  on 
unity  from  Gov.  Stassen  of  Minnesota.  Rus- 
sian offensive  rolls  back  Nazis  on  all 
fronts. 

PARAMOUNT  NEWS,  No.  40.— Crack 
Negro  battalion  puts  on  precision  drill  at 
Ft.  Bragg,  N.  C.  One-man  drive  to  col- 
lect hunting  knives  for  fighting  men.  Mine 
blast  in  West  Virginia  kills  13.  Chinese 
soldiers  flown  over  impassable  area  in 
transport  planes.  Women  welders  compete 
for  title  in  San  Francisco  shipyards.  Man 
falls  from  bomber  and  lives  to  tell  about 
it.  New  Mexico's  Indians  aid  war  effort. 
New  York  City  streets  emptied  by  gas 
ban. 

PATHE  NEWS,  No.  40. — FDR  reports 
to  Congress.  Gen.  Clark  gets  Distinguished 
Service  Medal.  Open  drive  to  collect  hunt- 
ing knives  for  service  men.  Lady  welders 
in  beauty  contest  in  California  shipyard. 
Gov.  Stassen  of  Minnesota  makes  speech  for 
coming  United  Nations  Week.  New  York 
Canteen  opened  for  Merchant  seamen.  Sky 
giant  gets  first  test. 

UNIVERSAL    NEWSREEL,    No.  153.— 

Roosevelt  reports  to  Congress.  General 
Clark  gets  the  DSM.  Chinese  troops  flown 
to  battle  areas  in  American  transport 
planes.  Air  Corps  marksmen  trained  in 
flying  bombers.  Lockheed  "Constellation" 
takes  off  in  California  test  flight.  Ex- 
beauty  queens  now  welders  in  California 
shipyards.  Gov.  Stassen  of  Minnesota  hails 
United  Nations  Week. 


Frawley  N.Y.A.C.  Head 

G.  B.  J.  Frawley,  veteran  Para- 
mount sales  executive,  yesterday  was 
elected  to  the  presidency  of  the  New 
York  Athletic  Club.  He  has  been 
associated  with  Paramount  for  22 
years,  and  with  the  N.Y.A.C.  since 
1924. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY,  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address, "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Ouigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


"I'm  the  leader"..  "I'm  the  leader"..  "I'm  the  leader" .. ."Me  too!" 


'No  matter  how  you 
figure  it)  boys— 

ONLY  ONE 
COMPANY 
CAN  BE 


FIRST  1 

Of  course  it's  M*Q*M's 

(Sets  all  time  high!  555  votes  out  592/) 


And  it's  not  too 
early  to  predict 

RANDOM 
HAR 

FIRST 

194 

LET'S  GO!  UNITED  NATIONS  WEEK! 


Best  Picture  tf^3 

Bv5°htt  filets  o-H.  ten  besU 


-  By  John  RosenfieU.  bestpictur« 

y  n  nrecincts  on  the  ten      11  is  also 


^^^you_lu/e_aj;  


4 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Wednesday,  January  13,  1943 


Petrillo  Seeks 
Senate  Probe 
Of  U.S.  Radio 


Mexican  Producers  Count; 
1942  Gains;  Plan  40  to  60 


2,000  Contracts  in 
Momand  Case,  Begin 
Testimony  Today 


{Continued  from  page  1) 
doubt  of  the  members'  belief  that  the 
halt  of  record  making  was  a  disser- 
vice   to    the    musicians,    the  armed 
forces  and  the  general  public. 

At  the  outset  of  the  hearing, 
Petrillo  read  a  brief  statement 
in  which  he  demanded  a  "full 
investigation"  of  the  broadcast- 
ing industry,  which  he  declared 
has  consistently  misrepresented 
his  aims  in  prohibiting  records, 
an  action  which  Clark  declared 
left  the  country  with  nothing 
but  "cold  storage"  music. 

Under  questioning,  Petrillo  said  he 
was  desirous  that  201  chain  affiliates 
which  depend  entirely  upon  network 
programs  and  records  should  employ 
musicians,  and  at  one  time  said  he 
didn't  know  there  were  any  stations 
which  did  not  have  chain  connections. 
Asked  whether  he  would  send  one  of 
his  orchestras  to  play  at  a  small  in- 
dependent station,  Petrillo  stated  he 
would  not  because  "they  couldn't  af- 
ford to  pay  it,"  and  admitted  further 
that  the  ban,  accordingly,  deprived 
such  communities  of  good  music. 

"If  there  is  no  money  there,  we 
simply  cannot  get  it,"  he  commented. 

Arnold  After  Him 

Complaining  that  Thurman  Arnold 
had  been  after  him  for  years,  Petrillo 
said  he  had  never  put  any  demands 
in  writing  because  of  fears  the  Jus- 
tice Department  would  "throw  me  in 
the  can  for  five  years."  After  direct 
questioning  as  to  the  results  of  the 
ban,  he  stated  that  it  has  not  helped 
the  AFM  so  far  and  that  he  was  not 
satisfied  with  the  situation. 

Sen.  Wheeler,  who  has  been  coun- 
sel for  many  unions,  including  an 
AFM  union,  warned  Petrillo  that  "if 
some  of  these  labor  leaders  keep  on 
as  they  have  in  the  past  they  are  going 
to  destroy  themselves,  adding  that  if 
the  AFM  decides  to  make  no  more 
records  adverse  legislation  is  likely 
to  be  enacted.  Asked  by  Wheeler  how 
many  of  his  members  derived  a  living 
exclusively  from  music,  Petrillo  said 
he  could  not  answer,  but  denied 
Clark's  statement  that  only  10,000  out 
of  138,000  AFM  members  were  in 
that  category.  Clark  read  from  the 
AFM  president's  report  of  1940  a 
statement  that  fully  half  the  member 
ship  had  other  ways  of  making  a 
living. 

The  AFM  head  insisted  that 
"we  are  not  going  to  make 
canned  music  under  the  former 
condition  unless  the  Govern- 
ment makes  us  do  so,"  but  when 
questioned  directly  by  Clark  as 
to  whether  he  would  lift  the  ban 
at  the  request  of  the  President, 
he  said  he  would. 

In  asking  an  investigation  of  broad 
.  casting,  Petrillo  declared  that  "only 
by  a  sweeping  probe  can  the  tremen 
dous  control  of  the  music  industry  be 
-  shown  to  be  in  the  hands  of  a  few 
giant  corporations."    The  "worst  of 
fender,"  he  said,  was  the  National  As 
sociation  of  Broadcasters,  which  has 
engaged  in   "an    expensive  publicity 
campaign   composed   of  nothing  but 
false  issues  and  personal  abuse." 


By  LUIS  BECERRA  CELIS 

Mexico  City,  Jan.  12. 

PRODUCERS  are  gratified  over  the  progress  made  by  the  industry  at 
home  and  abroad  in  1942,  which  was  in  many  respects  the  best  year  the 
Mexican  industry  enjoyed  since  it  made  its  first  "talkie"  in  1930.  Production 
in  1942  is  estimated  at  about  80  pictures,  a  record  number  for  one  year,  and 
their  quality  was  high. 

"  However,  despite  the  population  ot 
1,750,000,  exhibitors  can  look  to  only 
250,000  for  their  patronage. 

Pictures  are  by  far  Mexico's  fa 
vorite  amusement.     In  this  city,  the 
gross  for  1942  is  estimated  at  about 
$5,500,000.    Of  this  gross,  exhibitors 
pay  taxes  of  from  10%  to  as  high 
as  35%,  because  of  the  method  the 
civic  government  follows  in  applying 
the  levy,  the  supposition  being  that 
each  theatre  sells  all  its  accommoda 
tions  every  day.   This  application  sys 
tern  was  modified  to  the  extent  ol 
allowing  theatres  a  technical  reduc- 
tion in  the  number  of  their  seats,  for 
five  large  theatres  here  in  1942,  three 
first  run  and  two  subsequent. 

Exhibitors  continue  to  grumble 
about  high  taxes  and  labor  costs,  but 
they  have  as  yet,  excepting  those  of 
the  five  theatres  that  got  the  reduc 
tion,  made  no  formal  complaint  about 
these  conditions 

Mexican  films  for  the  first  time 
became  a  serious  competitor  for 
Hollywood  in  1942,  not  only  in  this 
market  but  in  some  other  parts  of 
Latin  America.  Mexican  producers 
opened  exchanges  in  several  impor- 
tant Central  and  South  American 
countries.  However,  American  prod- 
ucts continue  to  lead  this  market  by 
about  93%. 


Some  of  these  productions  were 
record  money  makers.  "Los  Tres 
Musqueteros"  ("The  Three  Musket- 
eers"), satire  of  Alexander  Dumas, 
Sr.'s  classic,  by  Posa  Films,  S.A., 
starring  "Cantinflas,"  who  in  private 
life  is  Mario  Moreno,  vice  president 
of  the  company,  grossed  $35,000  in  a 
three-week  run  at  the  Cine  Alameda, 
first  run  theatre  here,  and  $32,500 
during  a  similar  run  at  the  Cine 
Palacio  Chino,  another  local  first  run. 
This  was  a  record  for  a  Mexican 
picture. 

Producers  estimate  that  their  1942 
production  will  be  between  40  and 
60  pictures.  That  output  will  be  lim- 
ited only  by  the  raw  film  situation. 
They  expect  that  there  will  be  enough 
raw  stock  available  to  assure  that 
much  production  in  the  New  Year. 
1943  looks  even  brighter  for  the  pro- 
ducers than  was  1942  because  of  in- 
creased money  available.  Banks, 
which  formerly  backed  theatre  con- 
struction, are  now  backing  production. 
No  first  run  theatres  were  established 
here  during  1942,  though  several  first 
class  subsequent  run  theatres  opened. 
The  opinion  among  exhibitors  is  that 
the  number  of  first  run  theatres  here 
has  about  reached  the  saturation 
point.  There  are  currently  six  first 
runs  of  a  total  of  67  open  houses. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

to  substitute  for  the  original  one  of 
filing  each  individual  contract  sepa- 
rately, inasmuch  as  such  procedure 
would  have  taken  at  least  two  and-a- 
half  weeks.  Attorneys  feel  this  wr. 
can  be  completed  by  Wednesday  moy . 
ing  so  that  Momand  attorneys  may  be^ 
gin  calling  their  witnesses. 

They  have  subpoenaed  L.  C.  Grif- 
fith and  other  officials  of  the  Griffith 
companies  for  first  appearance  on  the 
stand.  Griffith,  B.  J.  McKenna,  Hor- 
ace Falls,  C.  B.  Akers  and  Claude 
Motely,  ail  Griffith  officials,  were  on 
hand  today  to  testify  should  the  filing 
work  have  been  completed.  It  is  ex- 
pected that  taking  of  their  testimony 
and  cross-examination  will  begin  to- 
morrow with  Griffith  himself  being 
called  to  the  stand. 


Atlas  Bought  10,000 
RKO  Shares  in  Oct. 


Benefit  Premiere 
Held  for  'Shadow' 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

well,  Rex  Stout,  George  Jessel  and 
Zero  Mostel.  The  cast  included  Helen 
Jepson,  Rose  Bampton,  Alice  Marble, 
Benay  Venuta,  Elissa  Landi,  Helen 
Mencken,  Adelaide  Hawley,  and 
Margo. 

Among  those  listed  as  attending 
were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Skouras, 
Jack  Skirball,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barney 
Balaban,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert  Weit- 
man,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leonard  Golden- 
son,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sam  Shain,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Neil  Agnew,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Robert  Gillham,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ed- 
ward Raftery,  Willis  H.  Taylor,  Jr., 
Daniel  M.  Schaeffer,  Ottavio  Pro- 
chet,  Samuel  I.  Posen,  Preston  Davie, 
John  J.  O'Connor,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J. 
Cheever  Cowdin,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wil- 
liam A.  Scully,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William 
J.  Heineman,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  J.  A. 
McCarthy,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fred  Mey- 
ers, Mr.  and  Mrs.  Joseph  H.  Seidel- 
man,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  D.  Prutz- 
man,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sam  Machinovitch, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Maurice  Bergman  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  T.  Gomersall. 


Col.  Votes  Dividend 

A  dividend  of  68%  cents  per  share 
has  been  declared  by  the  board  of  di- 
rectors of  Columbia  Pictures  on  the 
company's  $2.75  convertible  preferred 
stock,  payable  Feb.  15  to  holders  of 
record  Feb.  1. 


Denounces  Story  of 
Stars'  Benefit  Costs 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

tending  the  Birthday  Celebration  was 
completely  unfounded. 

"I  have  not  read  the  story,  which 
was  published  in  Hollywood,  but  if  it 
makes  statements  which  have  been  re- 
ported to  me  it  is  completely  without 
foundation,"  the  Commissioner  said. 
"General  expenses  of  the  Birthday 
Celebration  have  always  been  remark- 
ably low,  due  to  the  splendid  coopera- 
tion we  have  received  from  all  con- 
cerned, the  stars,  the  studios,  and  the 
local  motion  picture  theatres. 

"This  committee  has  never  consid- 
ered placing  any  'limitations  on  ex- 
pense' of  the  visitors,  for  none  has 
ever  been  necessary.  There  never  has 
been  any  criticism,  or  any  reason  for 
criticism,  and  I  have  never  even  heard 
a  rumor  of  any  dissatisfaction.  The 
stars  come  here  to  make  a  patriotic 
contribution.  Their  time  and  talent 
assures  the  success  of  our  whole  pro- 
gram, and  not  one  of  them  has  ever 
incurred  anything  but  the  most  mini- 
mum expense." 


Head  Phila.  Polio  Drive 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  12.  —  Te  d 
Schlanger,  Warner  Bros,  zone  chief, 
and  Sidney  E.  Samuelson,  Eastern 
Pennsylvania  Allied  business  manager, 
are  co-chairmen  for  the  theatres'  fund 
raising  campaign  in  this  territory  for 
the  National  Foundation  for  Infantile 
Paralysis,  starting  Feb.  22. 


Philadelphia,  Jan.  12. — Ten  thou- 
sand share  transactions  in  RKO  and 
20th  Century-Fox  stocks  were  dis- 
closed today  by  the  Securities  and 
Exchange  Commission  in  its  October 
report  on  the  activities  of  corporation 
officials,  directors  and  large  stockhold- 
ers- in  the  securities  of  their  com- 
panies. 

The  report  showed  the  purchase  by 
Atlas  Corporation's  American  Com- 
pany, Jersey  City,  of  10,000  shares  of 
RKO  common  and  400  shares  of  pre- 
ferred stock,  increasing  its  portfolio 
to  325,330  shares  of  common  and  52,- 
471  of  preferred,  exclusive  of  shares 
held  directly  by  Atlas. 

Chase  National  Bank  was  shown  to 
have  sold  10,000  shares  of  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox common  stock,  reducing  its 
holdings  to  211,158  shares. 

Other  transactions  reported  in  the 
October  summary  were  small  in  scope, 
and  included  the  disposition  by  gift  of 
90  shares  of  Columbia  Pictures  com- 
mon stock  by  Abraham  Schneider, 
treasurer,  leaving  him  with  1,914 
shares;  purchase  of  118  shares  of 
Loews  Boston  Theatres  common  stock 
by  Loew's,  Inc.,  increasing  its  total 
to  119,532  shares;  sale  of  1,300  shares 
of  Loew's  common  stock  held  by  Da- 
vid Bernstein,  New  York  officer, 
through  a  corporation  which  still  held 
23,450  shares,  and  the  sale  of  200 
shares  of  Paramount  Pictures  com- 
mon stock  by  Hemphill,  Noyes  & 
Company,  which  held  it  for  Stanton 
Griffis,  director,  leaving  it  with  3,040 
shares. 


U.  S.  Reopens  Suit 
Of  AFM  in  Chicago 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

labor  dispute  and  outside  of  the  court's 
jurisdiction. 

The  granted  petition  contains  the 
original  bill  plus  a  charge  that  the 
union  and  its  president  will  put  some 
500  independent  radio  stations  out  of 
business  because  of  their  ban. 

It  was  reported  that  Thurman  Arn- 
old, head  of  the  anti-trust  division  of 
the  Department  of  Justice,  will  con- 
duct the  government's  case  on  Monday 
before  Judge  Barnes. 


Accorded  the  distinction 
of  an  Astor  theatre  World  Premiere 


TENNESSEE 
JOHNSON 

FROM  POVERTY  TO  PRESIDENT  •  A  GREAT  AMERICAN  STORY 

with 

VAN  HEFLIN 
LIONEL  BARRYMORE 
RUTH  HUSSEY 

MARJORIE  MAIN  •  REGIS  TOOMEY 

Screen  Play  by  John  L.  Balderston  and  Wells  Root 

Directed  by  WILLIAM  DIETERLE 
Produced  by  J.  WALTER  RUBEN 


Serve  your  country!  Sell  Bonds! 


LOVB 


A 


AS' 


dram* 


b\e  scenes 


from 


of 


to 


and  susp 


day* 


ense 


in 


3° 


Team* work  is  the  American  Way ! 


AMERICA  SALUTES 
the  UNITED  NATIONS! 

A  great  national  demonstration  of  solidarity! 

UNITED  NATIONS  WEEK  •  JAN.  14  through  20th 


YOUR  PLEDGE,  PLEASE! 

Again  our  nation  in  its  need  depends  upon  the  proven  patriotism  of  16,000  motion 
picture  exhibitors.  So  that  the  sacrifice  of  our  sons  may  not  be  in  vain,  so  that  victory 
may  be  achieved  in  the  shortest  possible  time,  we  enlist  our  services  in  this  vitally  impor- 
tant job.  This  salute  of  the  American  nation  to  its  Allies,  this  collection  in  the  theatres 
for  their  war-stricken  peoples,  will  tell  them  what's  in  our  hearts! 

FREE  TRAILER  starring  JAMES  CAGNEY,  ANN  SOTHERN,  MARGARET  O'BRIEN.  Also  free  22x28 
card,  one-sheet,  40x60  display,  ad-mat  slugs.  Other  banners  and  decorations  at  cost!  Distribution  by 
National  Screen  Accessories.  Rush  your  pledge  in  order  to  obtain  these  showmanship  materials! 


Sponsored  by  War  Activities  Committee,  1501  Broadway,  N.  Y.  C. 


8 


MOTION  PICTURE  DAILY 


Wednesday,  January  13,  1943 


'Stand  By'  Gets 
$44,000 at  Two 
Boston  Houses 


Boston,  Jan.  12.— Closing  of  stores 
Friday  and  Saturday  making  for  a 
long  weekend  resulted  in  favorable 
downtown  business.  Early  shows 
New  Year's  eve  did  excellent  busi- 
ness, but  later  shows,  probably  due  to 
the  dimout,  did  not  fare  as  well  as 
last  year.  "Stand  By  for  Action"  and 
"The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  at 
Loew's  State  and  Orpheum  Theatres 
drew  a  combined  $44,000.  The  RKO 
Keith  with  "Earl  Carroll's  Vanities 
of  1943"  on  the  stage  and  "When 
Johnny  Comes  Marching  Home" 
netted  a  big  $33,000.  Weather  was 
cold  with  intermittent  rain  and  slush. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  6 : 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"The  McGuerins  From  Brooklyn,"  (Col.) 

LOEW'S  ORPHEUM— (3,000)  (35c-50c- 
65c)  7  days.  Gross:  $25,000.  (Average, 
$19,500) 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"The  McGuerins  From  Brooklyn"  (Col.) 

LOEW'S    STATE— (2,900)  (35c-50c-65c). 
Gross:  $19,000.    (Averajye,  $14,000) 
"When   Johnny   Comes   Marching  Home" 
(Univ.) 

RKO'  BOSTON— (2,679)  (44c-50c-65c)  7 
days.  Stapre:  Earl  Carroll's  Vanities  of  1943 
with  Stroud  Twins,  Gali  Gali.  Willy  West 
and  McGinty,  and  others.  Gross:  $33,000. 
(Average,  $19,000) 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (BKO) 
"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

RKO  MEMORIAL— (2,907)  (44c-55c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $30,000.    (Average,  $21,000) 
"Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"The  Hidden  Hand"  (W.  B.) 

PARAMOUNT  —  (1,797)     (33c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $9,500.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"The  Hidden  Hand"  (W.  B.) 

FENWAY— (1,320)    (33c-44c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.  B.) 
"Girl  Trouble"  (20th-Fox) 

SCOLLAY— (2,500)    (33c-44c-55c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $5,200.    (Average,  $5,000) 
"Jacare"  (U.  A.)  (Second  Week) 
"Living  Ghosts"  (Mono.) 

TRANSLUX— (900)      (17c -28c -44c -55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $6,100.    (Average,  $4,000) 
"My  Sister  Eileen"  (Col.) 
"Daring  Young  Man"  (Col.) 

ESQUIRE— (941)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$1,700.    (Average,  $2,500) 


Hollywood,  Jem.  12 

UNIVERSAL  has  decided  to  continue  its  series  of  streamlined  Sherlock 
Holmes  detective  series,  with  Basil  Rathbone  in  the  title  role  and 
Nigel  Bruce  as  Dr.  Watson  in  the  modernized,  present-day  versions.  Already 
planning  for  the  1943-44  season,  studio  contracts  have  been  let  for  three  more 
in  the  new  schedule.  The  first  will  be 
the  tentatively  titled  "Sherlock  Holmes 
Faces  Death."  Three  modernized 
Sherlock  Holmes  features  were  made 
for  this  season.  .  .  .  Local  44  Affiliated 
Property  Craftsmen,  IATSE,  has 
voted  to  endow  a  double  unit  bun- 
galow at  the  Motion  Picture  Country 
House.  .  .  .  Laurel  and  Hardy  have 
completed  their  vehicle,  "Air  Raid 
Wardens,"  at  M-G-M  six  days  under 
schedule.  .  .  .  Leon  Barsha,  Colum- 
bia producer,  has  been  sworn  in  as  a 
first  lieutenant  in  the  U.  S.  Marine 
Corps.  .  .  .  Columbia  has  extended 
the  contract  of  Marguerite  Chapman. 
Frankie  Sinkwich,  Georgia  Uni- 
versity football  star,  has  been  con- 
contracted  by  Columbia  to  do  a  pic- 
ture in  the  Spring  before  reporting  to 
the  Marines.  .  .  . 

Dennis  Morgan,  John  Garfield 
and  Sydney  Greenstreet  go  into 
starring  roles  of  "Brooklyn,  U.  S.  A.," 
at  Warners.  .  .  .  Lewis  Allen, 
Broadway  stage  director  who  has 
been  dialogue  director  at  Paramount 
for  a  year,  makes  his  debut  as  film 
director  with  "Incendiary  Blonde," 
when  that  picture,  now  postponed  be- 
cause of  Alan  Ladd's  pending  in- 
duction into  the  Army,  gets  going. 


36  Going,  11 
Are  Started  at 
Coast  Studios 


Would  Hold  Permits 
For  Men  in  Service 

Albany,  Jan.  12.  —  A  measure  to 
retain  license  privileges  for  projec- 
tionists entering  military  service  pur- 
suant to  the  General  City  Law,  was 
introduced  in  the  Legislature  tonight 
by  Sen.  A.  J.  Oliver  of  Rochester. 

The  bill  would  amend  a  statute 
passed  last  year  which  provided  that 
many  professions,  licensed  under  State 
law,  would  keep  in  force  licenses  of 
members  in  the  armed  forces.  By  add- 
ing projectionists  to  the  professions 
already  covered,  if  a  licensed  member 
went  into  service  before  July  1  of 
this  year,  he  could  apply  for  and  be 
entitled  to  a  renewal  license  after  his 
military  service. 


Vera  Vague  will  add  laughs 
to  the  next  Henry  Aldrich  pic- 
ture, "Henry  Aldrich  Plays 
Cupid."  .  .  .  Republic  has  bor- 
rowed Mary  McLeod  from 
M-G-M  for  the  feminine  lead 
in  "The  Purple  V."  .  .  .  Jimmy 
Lydon's  contract  has  been  ex- 
tended by  Paramount.  .  .  .  That 
same  studio  has  given  Elena 
Verdugo,  who  played  the  native 
girl  in  "Moon  and  Sixpence,"  a 
term  deal  .  .  .  M-G-M  has  given 
term  contracts  to  Samson  Ra- 
phaelson  and  Peter  Ruric, 
writers.  .  .  .  William  Collier, 
veteran  stage  and  screen  actor, 
is  doing  introductory  dialogue 
for  Sol  Lesser's  "Stage  Door 
Canteen."  .  .  .  Maritta  Wolff's 
new  novel,  "Night  Shift,"  has 
been  purchased  by  Warners,  to 
be  produced  by  Benjamin  Glazer. 
.  .  .  Monogram  this  week  pur- 
chased three  properties:  "Com- 
mand Performance,"  original  by 
William  Sanford  Kyle;  "Wings 
Over  the  Pacific,"  by  James  T. 
Freeman;  and  "Girls  They  Left 
Behind,"  by  Corliss  Hayden. 
•  • 

"The  Big  Time,"  story  of  vaude- 
vile  circa  1910,  has  been  placed  on 


Robert  North's  production  schedule 
at  Republic.  .  .  .  Murray  Jarvis, 
member  of  Universal's  publicity  staff, 
goes  into  the  Coast  Guard  this  week. 
.  .  .  Alfred  Dreifuss  has  signed  a 
four  picture  directorial  deal  with 
Lindsley  Parsons  at  Monogram,  and 
will  guide  as  his  first,  "Sarong  Girl," 
starring  Ann  Cojuo.  .  .  .  Ida  Lu- 
pino's  youngest  sister,  Rita,  makes 
her  film  debut  in  Warner's  "Devo- 
tion." .  .  .  "If  the  Shroud  Fits,"  story 
by  Kelley  Roos,  will  be  a  sequel  to 
"A  Night  to  Remember,"  Columbia, 
with  Loretta  Young  and  Brian 
Aherne  again  playing  top  roles. 
Roos  wrote  the  first  story.  .  .  .  Alex- 
ander Hall  is  set  to  direct  Colum- 
bia's "My  Client,  Carly,"  formerly 
called  "My  Freind  Curly,"  which  will 
star  Rita  Hayworth  and  Humph- 
rey Bogart. 

•  • 

Helen  Walker  replaces  Susan 
Hayward  in  the  feminine  lead 
of  Paramount's  "The  Good  Fel- 
lows." .  .  .  Cal  Shrum  and  his 
Rhythm  Rangers  have  been 
added  to  the  cast  of  "Fighting 
Men,"  Alexander  Stern  produc- 
tion for  PRC  starring  Dave 
O'Brien  and  Jim  Newill.  For- 
tunio  Bonanova  gets  an  impor- 
tant role  in  "Five  Graves  in 
Cairo,"  Paramount.  .  .  .  Wil- 
liam Dover,  assistant  to  Charles 
K.  Feldman,  chairman  of  the 
talent  branch  of  the  Hollywood 
Victory  Committee,  since  its  in- 
ception has  left  for  New  York 
to  accept  a  post  with  USO 
Camp  Shows,  Inc.,  later  plan- 
ning to  go  to  England  to  estab- 
lish a  London  office  for  the 
USO. 

Frank  Craven  and  J.  Edward 
Bromberg  join  the  cast  of  "Destiny," 
Universal  horror  picture.  .  .  .  Harry 
Sherman  announced  this  week  that 
"Pahaska,"  story  of  Buffalo  Bill 
Cody,  would  be  filmed  in  Technicolor 
and  star  Joel  McCrea.  It  will  be 
made  as  one  of  the  10  pictures  of  his 
this  year  for  United  Artists.  .  .  .  Al- 
lyn  Joslyn  is  in  the  "Faculty  Row" 
cast  at  M-G-M.  .  .  .  Xavier  Cugat 
and  his  Orchestra  have  been  signed 
for  Columbia's  "Victory  Caravan." 
.  .  .  Dudley  Field  M alone,  noted 
attorney,  will  portray  Winston 
Churchill  in  Warr|er's  "Mission  to 
Moscow." 


Started : 


Started : 


"Faculty 


Hollywood,.  Jan.  12.  —  Thirty-six 
pictures  were  before  the  cameras  this 
week,  as  11  started  and  seven  finished. 
Twenty-five  are  being  prepared,  and 
58  are  being  edited.  0e 

The  tally  by  studio : 
Columbia 

Finished:   "Broadway  Daddies." 

In  work :  "The  Boy  from  Stalin- 
grad," "Destroyer,"  "Attacked  by 
Night." 

M-G-M 

Finished:  "Air  Raid  Wardens," 
"Private  Miss  Jones." 

In  work:  "Swing  Shift  Maisie," 
"Bataan  Patrol,"  "Dr.  Gillespie's 
Criminal  Case,"  "I  Dood  It,"  "Above 
Suspicion,"  "Gentle  Annie," 
Row." 

"Girl  Crazy." 
Monogram 

'No  Escape." 
Paramount 

Finished :  "Dixie." 

In  work :  "So  Proudly  We  Hail," 
"Lady  in  the  Dark,"  "China." 

Started:     "Henry    Aldrich  Plays 
Cupid,"  "The  Good  Fellows." 
PRC 

Started:  "Fighting  Men." 
RKO 

"From  Here  to  Victory." 
"Petticoat  Larceny." 
Republic 
Finished :  "Idaho." 
Started:     "Tahiti    Honey,"  "The 
Purple  V,"  "King  of  the  Cowboys." 
20th  Century-Fox 
In  work :  "The  Moon  Is  Down." 

United  Artists 
In    work :    "Lady   of  Burlesque" 
(formerly      "G-String  Murders"), 
"Stage     Door     Canteen,"  "Uncon- 
quered." 

Universal 

Finished:   "Good  Morning,  Judge." 

In  work :  "Oh,  Doctor,"  "We've 
Never  Been  Licked,"  "Corvettes  in 
Action,"  "Cowboy  from  Manhattan." 

Started:  "Always  a  Bridesmaid," 
"Destiny." 

Warners 

In  zvork :  "Mission  to  Moscow," 
"Old  Acquaintance,"  "Devotion," 
"Thank  Your  Lucky  Stars." 


Finished : 
Started : 


Add  Women  Workers 
On  Frisco  Film  Row 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  12. — Five  femi- 
nine bookers  are  now  working  on  local 
film  row  due  to  manpower  shortage. 
They  are  Kathryn  Hackett  and  Gladys 
Brownsee,  M-G-M ;  Betty  Gamble, 
Universal ;  Betty  Baker,  Paramount, 
and  Gladys  Paull,  Warner  Bros. 


Houses  Appeal  Miss. 
Blue  Law  Decision 

Jackson,  Miss.,  Jan.  12. — Notices 
of  appeal  have  been  filed  here  by  at- 
torneys for  six  theatre  managers  after 
they  were  assessed  $50  fines  each  by 
City  Judge  Leon  Hendrick  on  charges 
of  violating  Sunday  blue  laws. 

One  operator  was  fined  a  total  of 
$150  on  three  separate  charges.  Hen- 
ry Seel,  of  the  Paramount,  entered  not 
guilty  pleas  at  the  trial  for  five  of  the 
houses,  members  of  the  Kennington- 
Saenger  circuit — the  Century,  Pix, 
Majestic,  Paramount  and  Buck. 


N.  Y.  U.  Offers  Class 
In  Editing,  Cutting 

To  meet  a  growing  demand  for  mo- 
tion picture  editors  and  cutters,  New 
York  University  Washington  Sq.  Col- 
lege of  Arts  and  Sciences  will  in- 
augurate an  eight-week  course  in  film 
editing  and  cutting  starting  Feb.  3, 
Prof.  Robert  Gessner,  chairman  of  the 
motion  picture  department  announced. 

Laboratories  and  workrooms  of 
RKO  Pathe  News  in  New  York  City 
will  serve  as  the  classroom.    The  in- 


P.  A.  King  to  Operate 
Mosque  In  Newark 

Newark,  Jan.  12. — Paul  A.  King, 
president  of  the  Capitol  City  Supply 
Co.,  and  secretary-treasurer  of  Dixie 
Theatres,  Inc.,  which  operates  the 
Avondale  Theatre,  Estates,  Ga.,  has 
arrived  here  to  operate  the  Mosque 
Theatre  and  the  Terrace  Club.  King 
and  N.  H.  Waters,  Sr.,  and  Frank 
V.  Merritt,  independent  circuit  op- 
erators, purchased  the  3,400-seat 
Mosque  and  the  1,200-seat  night  club. 


House  Seeks  Appeal 
From  Union  Decision 

Grand  Central,  Inc.,  operator  of  the 
Grand  Central  Theatre,  Manhattan,  ar- 
gued in  the  Appellate  Division  of  the 
Supreme  Court  on  Friday  for  leave 
to  appeal  to  the  Court  of  Appeals  a 
lower  court  decision  affirming  valid- 


ity of  a  contract  with  operators'  Local 
structor  will  be  Harold  H.  Bonafield,  306.  The  theatre  claims  that  no  con- 
Pathe's  head  cutter.  '  tract  exists.    Decision  was  reserved. 


OUT  OF  THE  PAGES 
OF  THE  BOOK  THAT 
SHOCKED  THE  WORLD 


"You  madmen!  Remember 
Attila,  the  I  lun!  .  .  Attila  is 
gone.  But  the  church  remains. 
Remember,  the  light  always 
outshines  the  dark." 

—German  Bishop,  to  the 

German  Major. 


"Ours  is  a  most  important 
palling. The  Gestapo  is  judge, 
jury,  prosecutor  —  all  rolled 
into  one.  Only  the  best  minds 
should  be  permitted  to  ad- 
minister such  power." 

-  Col.  Henkel. 


"I  choose  the  state  against 
Christianity.  Christianity 
had  its  chance,  and  it  failed. 
And  when  the  time  is  right, 
we  shall  break  it  up  com- 
pletely —  once  and  for  all." 

-  German  Major. 


"Yours  is  a  world  I  won't 
bring  a  baby  into!  Torture 
me!  Kill  me!  But  I  won't 
change.  I  believe  in  some- 
thing that  you  can't  touch!" 
-  the  American-born, 
German-raised  Anna. 


"We,  the  youth  of  Germany, 
shall  win  the  true  crown  of 
••lory!  To  die  for  Adolf  Hit- 
ler is  to  live  for  Germany." 
—  German-born, 
German-trained  Karl, 
in  love  with  Anna. 


"Can  we  stop  Hitler  —  and 
Hitler's  children— before  it  is 
too  late?  You  and  I  know  the 
answer." 

—  Professor  Nichols, 
head  of  the  American 
school  in  Berlin. 


GIGANTIC  50-CITY  DAY- 
WORLD  PREMIERE. ?a*w 


UNDER  THE  SPONSORSHIP. 
OF  RADIO  STATION  . 


mm- 


■v?. 


WLW. . . 

The  widest,  most  intensive  cover- 
age ever  given  a  motion  picture 
...  to  the  millions  of  listeners  served 
by  "The  Nation's  Station"  — 

JANUARY  14th 

World  Premiere  Showings  in 
theatres  all  over  the  WLW  terri- 
tory, honoring  that  station's  own 
GREGOR  ZIEMER,  famous 
commentator  on  world  affairs,  and 
author  of  the  book  from  which  the 
picture  was  made. 

—  A  spectacular  intro- 
duction of  the  attraction 
that's  coming  your  way 
with  a  rush  and  a 
of  tidal-wave  publ 


in 


MS 


IN 


ITS 


'  fndii*tta 

•  K0K0M0  .FORT  WAYNE 


JLAFAYETTE  •  'mARION 
LOGANSPORT  •  ANDERSON 

INDIANAPOLIS  •  tMUNCIE 
^FRANKFORT 

» RICHMOND 


•  NEW  CASTLE 

•PERU 

fBLOOMINGTON 

°™1  "MARIETTA 
•BEDFORD 


•  LIMA 


DAYTON 


GREENVILLE 


EWARK 

•  ZANESVILLE 
COLUMBUS 

*  LANCASTER 


CINCINNATI 


•TERRE  HAUTE 


Film  Daily  says:  "Tremendous  grosses  held  certain  for  this  dramatic 
thunderbolt  about  Nazi  Germany." 


Motion  Picture  Herald  says:  'This  story  is  one  that  had  to  be  told . .  A  strong 
picture  dramatically  and  realistically  and  itshould  be  a  strong  attraction." 

Motion  Picture  Daily  says:  Strong  and  unrelenting  . .  Ought  to  create  ex- 
citement . .  Has  dramatic  wallop  and  the  merit  of  truth." 

Variety  says:  -'Entertainment  as  well  as  exploitation  values  may  be  relied 
on  for  results." 

Showman's  Trade  Review:  "Should  be  a  'must'  on  every  American's  pic- 
ture list." 

Hollywood  Reporter:  "A  vital  and  angry  document . .  by  long  odds  the  frank- 
est picture  about  Nazi  Germany  that  Hollywood  has  yet  undertaken." 


i 


THE  SENSATIONAL  SHOWMANSHIP  SPECIAL  OF  1943! 


home! 


.v.  «ixi  "...ml  l"™!  uttt  M 


,  owe -HANS  CONKOT 
ICY  GATCS 


"MOfR'S  OIGfjr 


Based  on  the  Best  Seller 
EDUCATION  FOR  DEATH 

by  GREGOR  ZIEMER,  And  As 

Told  To  Millions  in  READER'S  DIGEST! 

The  Truth  About  The  Nazis  From 
The  Cradle  To  The  Battlefront! 


How  They  Breed  Babies  For  War!... How  They 
Train  Kids  to  Kill!...  How  They  Regiment 
"Romance". . .  How  They  Decide  Which  Women 
May  Have  Children -And  What  Those  Children 
Must  Become!  .  .  .  How  They  Hate  You,  and 
You,  and  YOU -And  Everything  You  Stand  For! 


Above  is  a  reproduction  of  one  of  the  many 
newspaper  ads  .  .  .  Right,  the  24-sheet  —  both 
samples  of  a  showman's  dream  of  advertising 
and  exploitation  material  available  on  the 
one  picture  that  fairly  cries  to  be  sold  with 
everything  you've  got! 


Film  Daily  says:  "Tremendous  grosses  held  certain  for  this  dramatic 
thunderbolt  about  Nazi  Germany.77 


Motion  Picture  Herald  says:  'This  story  is  one  that  had  to  be  told . .  A  strong 
picture  dramatically  and  realistically  and  it  should  be  a  strong  attraction/7 

Motion  Picture  Daily  says:  Strong  and  unrelenting  . .  Ought  to  create  ex- 
citement . .  Has  dramatic  wallop  and  the  merit  of  truth.77 

Variety  says:  "Entertainment  as  well  as  exploitation  values  may  be  relied 
on  for  results.77 

Showman's  Trade  Review:  "Should  be  a  'must7  on  every  American's  pic- 
ture list.77 

Hollywood  Reporter:  "A  vital  and  angry  document . .  by  long  odds  the  frank- 
est picture  about  Nazi  Germany  that  Hollywood  has  yet  undertaken.77 
Unllv^^rl  ^^..m  »  


Author  says: 

PICTURE  IS  BETTEI 
IAN  THE  BOOK! 


CINCINNATI    0eceMBER  25» 


„  t  Golden 
l270  Sixth  Avenu 
Jlti  York,  N. 

Dear         GoLOEN:  reV1EW  o,  'H1T^^  ' 


LITHO  U  S  / 


MOM.  ..tiC   AND    ALMOST  u«c0UCAT10M 

COMPELLING   AN *U  *T   «H   T   Y°U  THAMK   YOU        y  OUTH 

YOO   HAVE    DONE    P      yooR  p,CTURE 

Your  t*eaT"Ef  the  Gestapo  »8  ™  eb  in  *hIC"  Irounoino 

AHY«HERE.  (T   CUCAR   THAT  Qf  H000L0U3 

Gestapo  wak*  thiNKER8  «n»te 

„,MSELF   «.TH  QOLOEN , 

CENT.  GREAT   ONE,  U«J    ,    haVC  AT- 

^\;i^SlO-  ART,CUL  o  OURS. 

iiav  Goo  »Le"     ,N  MY  book.  VtBY  COROIAI-'-'' 

TeMPTEO   TO  »*' 

<3./to 


i 


V 


Wednesday,  January  13,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


15 


Willkie  Warns  On 
Growing  Censorship 

Wendell  L.  Willkie,  chair- 
man of  the  board  of  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox Film  Corp.,  yester- 
day reiterated  his  criticism  of 
extreme  wartime  censorship 
and  warned  the  Amercan  peo- 
ple that  it  is  a  dangerous 
problem,  while  discussing  the 
varying  nature  of  freedom  in 
the  United  Nations  through- 
out the  world. 


Off  the  Antenna 


WOR's  four  new  participating  programs  begun  in  the  past  year  have  been 
successful,  the  station  announced.  During  1942,  there  were  27  sponsors 
for  the  shows  with  17  representing  products  hitherto  unadvertised  over  WOR. 
All  said  to  be  designed  to  help  listeners  with  wartime  problems  of  food,  nu- 
trition or  home  economy,  the  programs  are  "Pegeen  Prefers,"  "The  Consum- 
ers' Club,"  "The  Food  and  Home  Forum"  and  "Claire  Wilson  Reports." 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Mark  Woods,  president  of  the  Blue,  has  been  named 
chairman  of  the  public  service  division  of  the  businessmen's  committee  for  the 
Boy  Scout  Foundation  of  Greater  New  York  1943  finance  campaign.  Frank 
White,  CBS  treasurer,  and  James  C.  Petrillo,  AFM  president,  are  among 
those  working  with  Woods.  .  .  .  Edgar  Kobak,  Blue  executive  vice-president, 
is  on  a  two-week  vacation.  .  .  .  Pozvel  Crosley,  Jr.,  president  of  the  Crosley 
Corp.,  operating  WLW ,  WSAI  and  short  wave  station  WLOW,  Cincinnati, 
and  owner  of  the  Cincinnati  Reds,  was  married  to  Mrs.  Marianna  Richards 
Walling  ford.  .  .  .  Gerald  Mygatt  and  Miss  Ella  Howard  have  joined  the  CBS 
sales  promotion  department.  Mygatt  is  a  former  editor  of  "This  Week"  and 
of  "Liberty  Magazine."  Miss  Howard  was  promotion  manager  of  "House  and 
Garden"  and  of  "Glamour  Magazine." 

•  •  • 

Completion  of  the  first  two  quarter -hour  transcriptions  in  the  "March 
of  Mercy"  series,  sponsored  by  NBC  and  affiliated  stations  in  cooperation 
with  the  Red  Cross,  was  announced  by  the  network.  They  will  be  broad- 
cast next  week.  The  first  in  the  web's  series,  "That  They  Might  Live,"  to 
help  the  Red  Cross  recruiting  drive  will  be  aired  Sunday  at  12:30  p.m. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  The  WPB  has  taken  over  "Soldiers  of  Production,"  Blue 
government  series  formerly  supervised  by  the  Federal  Security  Administra- 
tion of  the  War  Manpower  Commission.  .  .  .  Benson  and  Hedges  is  sponsor- 
ing "Gambling's  Musical  Clock"  Tuesday,  Thursday  and  Saturdays  from  7:15 
to  8  a.m.  for  52  weeks.  .  .  .  "The  Missus  Goes  A-Shopping,"  WABC  pro- 
gram, will  open  in  its  first  vaudeville  engagement  tomorrow  at  the  Central 
Theatre,  Passaic.  ...  P.  Duff  and  Sons  has  joined  the  list  of  sponsors  for  the 
WOR  Martha  Deane  show.  .  .  .  Abbott  and  Costello  and  their  radio  company 
will  travel  to  New  York  for  their  Jan.  28  broadcast  and' will  then  visit  eastern 
service  camps  over  a  four-week  period.  .  .  For  the  first  time  in  her  career, 
Lotte  Lehman  will  appear  in  a  series  of  radio  song  recitals  to  be  heard  over 
CBS  on  four  successive  Monday  afternoons  beginning  Feb.  15. 


No  Penalty  If  Suburbanites 
Attend  Town  Theatres:  OPA 


RKO  Will  Offer  40 
Films  Next  Season, 
Says  Studio  Chief 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

that  the  studio  is  well  up  on  its 
current  season's  production  sched- 
ule, with  all  but  one  of  the  more 
important  pictures  having  either 
been  completed  or  are  in  work. 

Koerner  related  that  the  studio  has 
not  yet  been  obliged  to  reduce  its 
schedule  because  of  the  curtailed  raw 
stock  allocation,  but  asserted  that 
prints,  obviously,  will  have  to  be  re- 
duced. One  picture,  "Grand  Canyon," 
he  said,  had  to  be  dropped  because  of 
inability  to  obtain  transportation  ac- 
commodations for  a  location  company. 

He  stated  that  the  RKO  studio 
submits  only  those  scripts  to  the  Of- 
fice of  War  Information  which  it  be- 
lieves involve  a  question  pertinent  to 
wartime  considerations.  In  such  re- 
spects, Koerner  said,  the  OWI  has 
been  "very  helpful."  He  stated  that 
Hollywood  still  is  greatly  confused 
and  apprehensive  over  the  possible 
effects  of  the  $25,000  net  salary  ceiling 
order  and  that  no  definite  action  is 
likely  to  be  taken  by  producers  with 
respect  to  contracts  involved  until 
they  are  "face-to-face  with  the  prob- 
lem," at  such  time  as  the  permissible 
maximum  salaries  have  been  paid. 


Meeting  to  Decide 
Fate  of  N. W.  Allied 


Minneapolis,  Jan.  12. — Fate  of 
Allied  Theater  Owners  of  the  North- 
west will  be  determined  at  a  meeting 
expected  to  be  called  late  this  week 
by  E.  L.  Peaslee,  president  of  the 
organization,  it  was  announced  here 
today. 

With  resignation  of  Fred  Strom  as 
executive  secretary,  possible  breakup 
of  Northwest  is  considered  in  the  off- 
ing, one  current  report  being  that  if 
Twin  City  exhibitors  set  up  their  own 
organization,  Northwest  will  continue 
under  Peaslee's  leadership  with  a 
membership  made  up  of  rural  ex- 
hibitors. 


Rodger  s,  Aides  Talk 
Film  Deal  with  FWC 

Hollywood,  Jan.  12. — Discussions 
are  under  way  between  Loew's,  Inc., 
and  Fox  West  Coast  on  product  buy, 
with  William  F.  Rodgers,  general 
sales  manager  of  Loew's,  here  from 
the  East  to  participate  in  the  deal. 
With  him  are  Edward  Saunders,  E.  K. 
O'Shea  and  Jack  Flynn,  division  man- 
agers, and  H.  M.  Richie  and  Edward 
Aaron,  aides. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
latter  purpose  only.  However,  it  was 
said,  if  a  car  is  parked  at  or  near  a 
theatre  it  may  be  necessary  for  the 
owner  to  show  that  it  was  not  driven 
there  for  the  purpose  of  attending  the 
performance. 

Metropolitan  Theatres 
Continue  Normal  Pace 

Motion  picture  theatres  in  the 
metropolitan  area  are  continuing  their 
normal  operation  despite  fuel  ration- 
ing and  the  ban  on  pleasure  driving, 
according  to  reports  in  industry 
circles. 

A  slight  drop  in  attendance  has  been 
noticed  by  neighborhood  theatres  and 
is  attributed  not  as  much  to  fuel  and 
gasolene  shortages  as  to  dimmed-out 
streets  and  increased  taxes. 

It  is  felt  that  the  discontinuance  of 
pleasure  driving  will  eventually  affect 
grosses  and  will  keep  more  people  at 
home. 

Phila.  Business  Good 
Despite  Restrictions 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  12. — Although 
exhibitors  state  that  it  is  "too  early" 
to  determine  what  effect  the  ban  on 
pleasure  motoring  will  have  here,  the 
fact  remains  that  save  for  the  few 
houses  located  in  the  sparsely  popu- 
lated suburban  areas,  there  has  been 
no  appreciable  drop  in  attendance 
since  the  ban  was  placed  in  effect. 
The  major  problem  here  is  heating. 
As  far  as  the  motor  ban  is  concerned, 
the  feeling  is  paramount  that  it  will 
prove  a  boon  to  the  neighborhood 
houses  without  making  any  serious  in- 
roads in  patronage  downtown. 


Two  Theatres  Win 
Arbitration  Awards 

The  arbitration  appeal  board  in  a 
decision  made  public  yesterday  modi- 
fied an  award  by  Claude  O.  Pearcy, 
arbitrator  at  the  St.  Louis  tribunal,  in 
the  clearance  complaint  of  the  Beverly 
Theatre  against  the  five  consenting 
distributors. 

At  the  New  York  tribunal,  Michael 
N.  Chanalin,  arbitrator,  made  an 
award  in  the  clearance  case  of 
Dutchess  Amusement  Co.,  operator  of 
the  Beacon,  Beacon,  N.  Y.,  eliminat- 
ing the  14  days  clearance  of  Netco's 
Ritz  and  Broadway,  Newburgh,  over 
the  Beacon  on  the  grounds  the  thea- 
tres are  not  in  competition.  Para- 
mount, which  had  an  ownership  in- 
terest in  the  intervening  theatres,  was 
dismissed  from  the  complaint  which 
involved  all  five  consenting  companies. 

In  the  Beverly  case,  the  appeal 
board  ruled  that  the  seven  to  14  days 
clearance  of  the  Wellston  and  Victory, 
St.  Louis,  over  the  Beverly  shall  be 
reduced  to  one  day.  Loew's,  which 
had  no  contractual  relationships  with 
the  plaintiff's  theatre,  was  dismissed. 
The  plaintiff  appealed  the  arbitrator's 
award  which,  while  reducing  the 
Wellston's  clearance  over  the  Beverly 
to  one  day,  ignored  the  Victory's 
clearance  over  plaintiff's  theatre. 


On  Air  Force  Staff 

Rochester,  Jan.  12.— Col.  Ed- 
ward Peck  Curtis,  formerly  of 
the  Eastman  Kodak  Company 
here,  has  been  appointed  chief 
of  staff  for  Maj.  Gen.  Carl 
Spaatz,  new  Allied  Air  Forces 
commander  in  Africa,  it  was 
learned.  Curtis  has  been  at- 
tached to  Gen.  Spaatz'  staff 
since  1941. 


Chase  Dividends 
Grow  in  20th-Fox, 
SaysW.W.Aldrich 

Winthrop  W.  Aldrich,  chairman  of 
the  board  of  directors  of  the  Chase 
National  Bank,  at  the  annual  stock- 
holders' meeting  yesterday  in  com- 
menting on  the  bank's  motion  picture 
interests,  in  Twentieth  Century-Fox 
Film  Corporaiton,  National  Theatres 
Corporation  and  General  Precision 
Equipment  Corporation  (formerly 
General  Theatres  Equipment  Cor- 
poration), pointed  out  that  dividends 
from  these  corporations  in  1942  were 
equal  to  or  higher  than  those  re- 
ceived the  previous  year.  He  stated 
that  the  bank  sold  a  few  thousand 
shares  of  Twentieth  Century-Fox 
during  the  year  and  sold  one-eighth 
of  its  interest  in  General  Precision 
Equipment,  but  retained  its  58  per 
cent  stock  interest  in  Natonal  The- 
atres Corporation. 


SAG  Drops  Special 
Membership  Plan 


Hollywood,  Jan.  12. — Because  of 
the  difficulties  involved,  the  board  of 
directors  of  the  Screen  Actors  Guild 
last  night  rescinded  a  two-week  old 
order  creating  a  special  membership 
group,  which  would  have  permitted 
men  from  18  to  25  years  to  work  as 
extras  for  the  duration. 

The  classification  had  been  created 
because  the  guild  did  not  have  suffi- 
cient members  in  this  age  group  to  fill 
studio  calls — the  stipulation  being  that 
the  new  group  would  be  ousted  at  the 
end  of  the  war. 

However,  the  guild  will  now  at- 
tempt other  ways  of  finding  persons 
to  fill  calls  with  a  probability  being 
that  the  Class  B  group,  composed  of 
atmosphere  players,  being  thrown  open 
temporarily  to  new  members. 


George  Skouras  Signs 
Babe  Ruth  for  Stage 

Babe  Ruth  will  make  a  series  of 
personal  appearances  in  the  metropoli- 
tan area,  according  to  an  announce- 
ment from  Skouras  Theatres  in  whose 
houses  in  which  he  will  appear,  in  con- 
nection with  the  war  effort.  He  will 
be  introduced  by  a  short  subject  en- 
titled "The  King  of  Swat." 

Ruth's  first  appearance  will  be  at 
the  Academy  of  Music  in  Manhattan, 
today.  These  performances  will  take 
place  during  the  coming  weeks  both 
during  the  evenings,  and  at  special 
after-school  shows  for  children  on 
Wednesday  and  Thursday  afternoons. 


Alert, 


to  theS^tion 
Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


53.  NO.  9 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  THURSDAY,  JANUARY  14.  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Yates  Names 
Four  District 
Sales  Heads 


Increased  Republic  Film 
Lists  Bring  Changes 


Herbert  J.  Yates  announced  yes- 
terday that,  as  a  result  of  an  ex- 
panded production  schedule  and  in- 
creased distrib- 
ution of  Re- 
public product, 
he  has  appoint- 
ed four  district 
sales  managers 
to  assist  J.  R. 
Grainger,  pres- 
ident and  gen- 
eral sales  man- 
ger of  Repub- 
1  i  c  Pictures 
Corp. 

Yates  is  pre- 
siding at  a 
series  of  sales 
meetings  now  being  held,  at  which 
Maxwell  Gillis,  Eastern  district 
manager;  Sam  Seplowin,  Mid- 
western district  manager ;  Merritt 

(.Continued  on  page  3) 


Herbert  J.  Yates 


London  CEA  Meets 
On  Quota  Problems 


London,  Jan.  13. — A  lengthy  report 
on  the  film  quota  situation  was 
presented  to  the  meeting  of  the  gen- 
eral _  council  of  the  Cinematographic 
Exhibitors  Association,  at  which  pro- 
vincial branches  urged  the  organiza- 
tion either  to  work  for  suspension  of 
the  exhibitors'  quota  or  to  obtain  some 
modification  of  the  present  require- 
ments. 

The  council,  however,  decided  to 
await  the  forthcoming  statistical  report 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


N.  Y.  State  Asked  to 
Tax  Vending  Units 

Albany,  Jan.  13. — A  bill .  which 
would  impose  an  annual  tax  on  coin- 
operated  vending  machines  was  in- 
troduced today  in  the  state  legislature 
by  Senator  Ed  Coughlin  of  Brooklyn. 
In  additon  to  the  tax  which  would 
range  from  $1  to  $100  annually,  the 
bill  requires  licensing  of  operators 
with  the  same  department,  with  fail- 
ure to  obtain  a  license  amounting  to 
a  misdemeanor. 


N.  Y.  Tax  Bill  Given 
Committee  Approval 

Albany,  Jan.  13.— The  Ways 
and  Means  Committee  of 
the  New  York  State  Assembly 
today  reported  favorably  the 
bill  carrying  out  Gov.  Dewey's 
recommendation  for  quarterly 
payments  of  the  income  tax 
and  changing  the  State  fiscal 
year  from  July  1  to  April  1. 


Industry  Gets 
Behind  United 
Nations  Drive 


United  Nations  Week  opens 
throughout  the  country  today  with 
programs  designed  to  bring  home  to 
theatregoers  the 
importance  o  f 
s  o  1  i  d  a  r  i  - 
ty  among  the 
United  Nations 
for  winning  the 
war  and  the 
peace  that  will 
follow.  The 
observance  con- 
tinues through 
Jan.  20.  Ed- 
ward L.  Alper- 
son  is  chairman 
of  the  drive. 

In  Times 
Square,  at  noon 
today,  a  mon- 
ster  rally  will 

be  held  with  Paul  Muni  as  master  of 
ceremonies  and  prominent  entertain- 
ers from  the  opera,  Broadway  stage 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Edward  Ij.  Alperson 


PETRILLO  AGREES 
TO  ACT  ON  BAN 


AFM  Head  Admits  to  Senators  That  Some  of 
His  Demands  Were  'Unreasonable',  and 
Clark  Promises  to  Drop  Inquiry 


Theatres  Fight  R.I. 
Governor's  Move  for 
Two-Day  Closings 


Providence, 
introduced  in 
today  to  give 
Grath  power 


Pleasure  Driving  Ban  May 
Be  Ended  in  Ten  Weeks 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  13. — Immediate  formulation  of  demands  and  nego- 
tiations for  settlement  of  the  ban  on  records  was  promised  the  Clark 
subcommittee  today  by  James  C.  Petrillo,  president  of  the  American 
Federation  of  Musicians. 

At  the  conclusion  of  his  testimony, 
Petrillo  promised  that  he  will  get  his 
executive  committee  together  by  Feb. 
1 ,     develop  a 
a  program  and 
initiate  negotia- 
tions  with  the 
other  parties  to 
the  controversy. 

In  return,  he 
was  told  by 
Clark,  it  may 
not  be  neces- 
s  a  r  y  for  the 
subcommittee  to 
go  any  further 
with  its  investi- 
gation. Tomor- 
r  o  w  ,  Padway 
will  be  given  an 
opportunity  to 
be    heard,  and 

the  subcommittee  plans  to  recess  un- 
til the  AFM  has  had  an  opportunity 
to  negotiate  a  new  contract  and  lift 
the  ban. 

Petrillo,  however,  rejected  a  sug- 
gestion by  Chairman  D.  Worth  Clark 
that  the  ban  be  lifted  first  and  nego- 
tiations then  undertaken,  giving  as 
his  reason  the  belief  that  if  the  re- 
cord makers  are  permitted  to  resume 
operations  the  negotiations  would 
drag  on  "for  two  or  three  years." 

For  the  first  time,  the  AFM  head 
admitted   that  the   broadcasters  and 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


Jan.  13. — A  bill  was 
the  general  assembly 
Gov.  J.  Howard  Mc- 
to  declare  a  five-day 
week  in  non-war  buildings,  thus  clos- 
ing theatres  two  days  each  week. 

Original  provisions  of  the  plan, 
which  was  advanced  by  the  governor 
last  week  following  conferences  with 
state  OPA  Director  Christopher  Del 
Sesto  in  regard  to  the  oil  shortage, 
called  for  theatres,  and  similar  amuse- 
ment places,  to  remain  open  on  the 
two  days  of  the  week  on  which  other 
buildings  were  closed.  Under  ordin- 
ary circumstances  other  non-war  busi- 
nesses would  be  closed  Sunday  and 
Monday. 

The  plan  was  vigorously  opposed  by 
the  state  theatre  managers  and  many 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


Washington,  Jan.  13. — Possible 
relaxation  of  the  ban  on  pleasure  driv- 
ing and  a  break  in  the  fuel  oil  crisis 
in  about  10  weeks  is  expected  by 
Charles  S.  Phillips,  chief  of  the  auto- 
motive supplies  division  of  the  OPA, 
according  to  his  statement  at  a  special 
Senate   committee   hearing  today. 

Phillips  said  that  the  fuel  oil  situa- 
tion would  be  relieved  in  that  period 
unless  a  severe  snowstorm  should  hin- 
der oil  and  gasoline  shipments  to  the 
17  Eastern  states.  The  pleasure  driv- 
ing ban,  he  pointed  out,  was  caused 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


Scarlet  Fever  Scare 
Disturbs  Springfield 

Springfield,  Mass.,  Jan.  13. — A 
resolution  to  ban  children  from  motion 
picture  theatres  for  the  duration  of 
the  scarlet  fever  epidemic  here  was 
backed  by  two  councilmen  following 
a  protest  by  local  Protestant  ministers. 
The  action  by  the  clergymen  was  said 
to  rise  from  a  board  of  health  demand 
that  Sunday  Schools  be  closed. 

Although  Mayor  Roger  L.  Putnam 
protested  Dr.  J.  Jackson  Smith,  city 
Commissioner  of  Public  Health,  might 
order  theatres  to  ban  children. 


James  C.  Petrillo 


British  Union  Asks 
100%  Bonus  Increase 

London,  Jan.  13. — A  demand 
for  an  increase  in  employes' 
war  bonuses  amounting  to  100 
per  cent  more  than  the  pres- 
ent bonus  has  been  presented 
to  exhibitors  by  the  National 
Association  of  Kinematograph 
Employes.  The  demand  is 
based  on  flat  rates  ranging 
from  $4  to  $7.50  per  week  over 
the  present  war  bonus,  ac- 
cording to  employes'  grades. 

A  CEA  committee  has  been 
delegated  to  deal  with  the  de- 
mand. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  January  14,  1943 


^  Heard 
Around 


STARTING  today  and  continuing 
through  Jan.  20,  16,000  _  theatres 
in  America  will  observe  United  Na- 
tions Week.  The  underlying  spirit  of 
the  drive  is  probably  best  keynoted  by 
Ed  Alperson,  chairman,  in  the  follow- 
ing words — "Let  us  be  the  first  to 
demonstrate  what  can  be  accomplished 
by  a  united  effort  for  a  great  cause." 

•  • 

Now  that  Walter  Winchell  has 
returned  to  this  country  from  a 
tour  of  duty,  it  is  expected  that 
he  will  shortly  resume  broadcast- 
ing. .  .  .  20th  Century-Fox  Film 
Corp.  is  interested  in  "Something 
for  the  Boys,"  the  new  Alike  Todd 
musical.  Advance  conjecture  has 
it  that  there  will  be  lively  bidding 
from  the  films  for  this  piece. 
Over  $250,000  is  the  general  esti- 
mate. .  .  .  "Indestructible,"  is  the 
manner  in  which  Charles  Koerner 
is  quoted  as  having  described  the 
motion  picture  industry — and  he 
ought  to  know! 

•  • 

So,  Pat  Scollard  has  been  promoted 
at  Paramount  and  given  added  duties 
as  head  of  all  exchange  operations — 
and  we  hope  that  this  promotion  will 
also  bring  him  a  pay  increase.  Pat, 
you  know,  is  the  fellow  who  did  that 
swell  job  as  arbitrator  in  the  white  col- 
lar wrangle  on  the  Coast,  not  so  long- 
ago. 

•  • 

All  of  New  York  City's  after- 
noon papers  are  now  conducting 
direct  appeals  to  the  public 
urging  it  to  seek  recreation  and 
relaxation  through  theatres  and 
other  amusements — the  lad  who 
authored  the  idea  on  which  cer- 
tain of  these  newspaper  cam- 
paigns are  premised  is  reported 
to  be  none  other  than  Oscar 
Doob.  He's  director  of  advertis- 
ing and  publicity  for  Loew's 
theatres  and  the  motion  picture 
industry's  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee. . . .  Jack  Benny  has  post- 
poned his  visit  to  Fort  Meade, 
for  one  week,  in  order  that  he 
may  be  present  at  the  Carnegie 
Hall  benefit,  Jan.  17,  for  the  In- 
fantile Paralysis  drive. 

•  • 

Watch  for  the  big  Red  Cross  show 
at  Madison  Square  Garden,  in  March. 
It  should  be  another  triumph  for  show 
business,  just  as  were  the  Army,  Navy 
and  USO  campaigns.  .  .  .  Leo  Spitz 
who  has  been  ill  has  completely  recov- 
ered. .  .  .  Sid  Weiss  soon  joins  the 
Army.  .  .  .  Ted  O'Shea,  Jr.,  is  here 
from  North  Carolina  U.,  preparing  to 
enter  the  Army.  Brother  Jim  is  an 
air  cadet  in  Florida.  These  boys  are 


APARTMENT  FOR  RENT 

To  sub-lease  until  Oc- 
tober 1  attractive  unfur- 
nished apartment  at  350 
West  57th  Street.  Highly 
desirable  as  escape  from 
fuel  and  gasolene  ration- 
ing problems.  Rental  rea- 
sonable. Box  280  MO- 
TION PICTURE  DAILY. 


Personal  Mention 


JACK  L.  WARNER  will  leave  for 
the  Coast  today. 

• 

Ed  Hinchy,  head  of  Warners  play- 
date  department,  will  leave  for  Phila- 
delphia tomorrow. 

• 

Harry  Fein  stein,  Cleveland  film 
buyer  for  the  Warner  Circuit,  is  in 
New  York  for  a  few  days. 

• 

Harold  Seidenberg,  former  man- 
ager of  Warners'  Earle,  Philadelphia, 
graduates  from  Officers  Training 
School  at  Ft.  Monmouth,  N.  J.,  as  a 
second  lieutenant  in  the  Army  Signal 
Corps. 

• 

Allan  R.  Wilson  of  International 
Projector  Corp.  was  guest  speaker  at 
this  week's  meeting  of  the  American 
Marketing  Ass'n,  at  Hotel  Sheraton. 
• 

Fred  Emhardt,  former  assistant 
manager  at  Warners'  Ardmore,  Ard- 
more,  Pa.,  is  now  a  second  lieutenant 
in  the  infantry. 

• 

Jack  Kuhn  of  the  MGM  home 
office  exploitation  department  will  re- 
port to  Camp  Upton  today. 


NATE   B.   SPINGOLD   plans  to 
leave  for  the   Coast  late  next 
week. 

• 

Bob  Forman,  first  member  of  the 
Warner  exchange  in  Philadelphia  to 
enter  the  service,  graduated  from  Of- 
ficers' Candidate  School  at  Ft.  Sill, 
Okla. 

• 

Felix  Greenfield,  syndicate  contact 
for  Warners  publicity  department,  is 
the  father  of  a  boy  born  to  Mrs. 
Greenfield  at  Israel  Zion  Hospital, 
Brooklyn. 

• 

Robert  M.  Gillham,  Paramount 
advertising  and  publicity  director,  will 
leave  for  the  Coast  the  end  of  next 
week. 

• 

Lt.   Louis   M.   Gordon,  formerly 
partner  in  the  Lockwood  and  Gor- 
don Theatre  in  New  England,  is  re- 
ported stationed  at  Camp  Lee,  Va. 
• 

Manuel  Reachi,  president  of  Pro- 
mesa  Films,  S.A.,  and  former  Mexican 
government  representative  in  Holly- 
wood, is  in  New  York  on  a  business 
visit. 


the  sons  of  E.  K.  O'Shea,  eastern  and 
southern  division  sales  manager  of 
M-G-M. 

• 

Bert  Balaban,  son  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Barney  Balaban  is  in  the 
Marines.  .  .  .  Lowell  Mellett  says 
it  is  not  true  that  Nelson  Poynter 
will  drop  his  Coast  post.  .  .  .  The 
biggest  single  picture  rental 
earned  at  Radio  City  Music  Hall 
went  to  "Mrs.  Miniver"  for  a 
10-week  run.  The  amount  was 
close  to  $285,000.  .  .  .  George 
Skouras  says  that  "The  Immortal 
Sergeant"  is  a  poem  in  celluloid. 
We  like  it  too.  You'll  get  lots 
of  laughs  out  of  the  antics  of  Ray 
Milland,  Paulette  Goddard,  Vir- 
ginia Field  and  Gladys  George  in 
"The  Crystal  Ball." 

•  • 

The  one  picture  which  the  boys  in 
"This  Is  the  Army,"  now  playing  in 
Chicago,  want  to  see  is  "In  Which 
We  Serve."  So  do  the  lads  at  An- 
napolis, but  United  Artists  hasn't  been 
able  to  gratify  their  wishes  because 
of  a  print  shortage. 

•  • 

A  new  chairman  is  soon  to  be 
elected  for  the  eastern  public 
relations  group  of  the  film 
trade.  And— that  $320,000  na- 
tional ad  campaign  which  has 
been  under  consideration  by 
that  body  may  be  abandoned. 
The  matter  is  now  in  the  laps  of 
a  committee  which  consists  of 
Oscar  Doob,  Mort  Blumenstock 
and  Maurice  Bergman. 

•  • 

Besides  Kay  Kyser,  the  show  which 
Bob  Hope  will  present  on  Jan.  19,  at 
the  U.  S.  Navy  Section  Base,  Ter- 
minal Island,  near  San  Pedro,  will 
include  Francis  Langford,  Vera  Vague, 
Jerry  Colonna,  Ken  Niles  and  Skinny 
Ennis. 

— Sam  Shain 


'Wind'  Into  2  Houses 

Rochester,  Jan.  13. — Schine's  State 
and  Liberty  here  will  play  "Gone  with 
the  Wind"  for  single  performances 
tonight  and  Thursday  at  a 
50-cent  admission  for  adults  and  17 
cents  for  children. 


William  Fay  Elected 
To  S-C  Directorate 

Rochester,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  13. — The 
election  of  William  Fay  of  WHAM 
to  the  Stromberg-Carlson  Co.  board 
of  directors  was  announced  last  night 
at  ceremonies  in  which  the  company 
was  awarded  the  Army-Navy  "E." 
Fay  is  vice-president  in  charge  of 
broadcasting. 

More  than  5,000  employes  and 
guests  were  present  at  the  rites  dur 
ing  which  Wesley  M.  Angle,  presi- 
dent, said  that  the  workers  would  be 
called  on  to  triple  their  1942  produc 
tion  this  year. 


Del.  Theatre  Files 
Clearance  Appeal 

An  appeal  has  been  filed  by  Sidney 
Theatre  Corp.,  operator  of  the  Plaza, 
Milford,  Del.,  from  the  award  of  Wal- 
ter H.  Robinson,  arbitrator  at  the 
Philadelphia  tribunal,  which  reduced 
the  10-day  clearance  of  Wilmington 
first  runs  over  the  Plaza  to  seven 
days. 

The  Plaza's  complaint  named 
Loew's,  Paramount,  RKO  and  20th- 
Fox. 


'Copper  Day*  Success 
in  K.  C.  Theatres 

Kansas  City,  Jan.  13. — Theatres  of 
greater  Kansas  City  held  a  "Copper 
Day"  Jan.  11,  admitting  free  any  per- 
son who  presented  four  ounces  or 
more  of  copper  at  the  box-offices.  Al- 
though results  were  not  large  in  bulk, 
in  proportion  to  attendance,  results 
were  gratifying,  managers  reported. 
The  collection  was  aided  by  the  Public 
Relations  Committee  of  the  War  Ac- 
tivities group  in  cooperation  with  the 
WPB  and  the  OWL 


Navy  Film  to  M.  H. 

The  Radio  City  Music  Hall  starting 
today  is  playing  "Prelude  to  Victory," 
March  of  Time  film  of  the  U.  S. 
Navy  in  battle  and  convoy  duty  and 
work  on  the  industrial  home  front  to 
keep  the  Navy  supplied. 


When  Films  Are  Hot 
So   Are  Theatres 

Hartford,  Jan.  13.  —  The 
Hartford  Courant  discovered 
in  a  survey  of  theatre  heating 
here  that  consumption  of  fuel 
oil  at  the  houses  is  in  direct 
ratio  to  the  quality  and  new- 
ness of  the  films  being  shown. 
Crowded  houses  which  occur 
with  the  opening  of  good  pic- 
tures require  less  heatina^ 
fuel  because  of  the  body  h<^^ 
generated  by  the  patrons,  t». 
paper  said.  Weak  pictures  or 
the  end  of  a  long  run  mean 
small  audiences  and,  accord- 
ingly, more  fuel  burned  for 
heating. 


Para.,  SOPEG  Trial 
Opens  Before  Mills 

Conciliation  proceedings  between 
Paramount  and  the  Screen  Office  and 
Professional  Employes  Guild,  Local 
109,  CIO,  were  instituted  yesterday 
before  Commissioner  Clyde  M.  Mills 
of  the  U.  S.  Conciliation  Service. 
Commissioner  Mills  is  meeting  today 
with  union  representatives.  The  points 
of  dispute  on  the  union  shop  and 
classification  of  labor  occurred  in 
forming  a  contract  for  Paramount 
home  office  and  music  subsidiaries' 
white  collar  workers. 


E.  C.  Callow  Enters 
Marines  as  Captain 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  13. — Everett  C. 
Callow,  director  of  advertising  and 
publicity  for  the  Warner  theatre  cir- 
cuit in  the  Philadelphia  zone,  was 
sworn  in  today  as  a  captain  in  the 
Marines  and  leaves  on  Jan.  29  to  re- 
port for  active  duty.  Before  assum- 
ing the  advertising  and  publicity  post 
six  years  ago,  Callow  was  a  district 
manager  for  the  circuit  in  the  Wil-, 
mington,  Delaware,  territory.  He  was 
the  Quigley  award  winner  in  1940. 
No  successor  has  been  named  to  his 
post  as  yet. 


Kann  Leaves  for  Coast 

Red  Kann,  vice  president  of  Quig- 
ley Publishing  Company,  will  leave  to- 
day for  Hollywood  where  he  will  as- 
sume charge  of  Hollywood  operations 
of  Quigley  Publicaitons. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY,  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center. 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,"Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Ouigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


<l  Thursday,  January  14,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


Yates  Names 
Four  District 
Sales  Heads 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
Davis,  Southern  district  manager ; 
and  Francis  Bateman,  Western 
;  >hict  manager ;  are  conferring 
\.  /branch  managers  in  their  ter- 
v  ritories. 

A  meeting  is  in  session  today  in 
Chicago,  with  Midwestern  district 
manager  Sam  Seplowin,  who  will 
make  his  headquarters  in  that  city, 
heading  a  contingent  which  includes 
franchise  holder  Robert  F.  Withers, 
Kansas  City;  branch  managers  L.  W. 
Marriott,  Indianapolis;  J.  G.  Frack- 
man,  Milwaukee ;  Carl  F.  Reese, 
Minneapolis ;  William  Baker,  Chi- 
cago ;  F.  R.  Moran,  Des  Moines ; 
Harry  Lefholtz,  Omaha;  Nat  E. 
Steinberg,  St.  Louis ;  S.  P.  Gorrel, 
Cleveland  ;  George  H.  Kirby,  Cincin- 
nati ;  and  I.  W.  Pollard,  who  re- 
places Mr.  Seplowin  as  Detroit  branch 
manager. 

Meeting  in  Memphis 

There  was  a  meeting  held  yesterday, 
in  Memphis,  with  Southern  district 
manager  Merritt  Davis  and  the  fol- 
lowing branch  managers  on  hand; 
Lloyd  Rust,  Dallas ;  Russell  I.  Brown, 
Jr.,  Oklahoma  City;  Winfield  Snel- 
son,  Atlanta ;  Harold  Laird,  Tampa ; 
J.  H.  Dillon,  Charlotte;  L.  V. 
Seicshnaydre,  New  Orleans ;  and  N. 
J.  Colquhoun,  Memphis.  Colquhoun 
recently  assumed  the  branch  man- 
agership in  Memphis,  when  Winfield 
Snelson  was  transferred  to  Atlanta 
to  take  over  the  post  vacated  by 
Davis.  Davis  will  make  his  head- 
quarters in  Atlanta. 

Another  meeting  was  also  held 
on  Tuesday,  in  New  York,  at  which 
the  appointment  was  made  of  Max- 
well Gillis,  formerly  branch  manager 
in  Philadelphia,  as  Eastern  district 
manager,  with  headquarters  at  the 
home  office.  Present  were  franchise 
holders  J.  H.  Alexander  and  Sam 
Fineberg,  Pittsburgh;  Sam  Flax, 
Washington ;  and  branch  managers 
Arthur  Newman,  Albany;  M.  E. 
Morey,  Boston;  Jack  Bellman,  Buf- 
falo ;  Sam  Seletsky,  New  Haven ; 
Morris  Epstein,  New  York ;  and  Jo- 
seph Engel,  who  takes  over  the  man- 
agership of  the  Philadelphia  office. 

Seattle  Meeting  Set 

There  will  also  be  a  meeting  on 
January  25th  in  Seattle,  with  fran- 
chise holder  J.  T.  Sheffield,  Seattle ; 
branch  managers  Ed  Walton,  Seattle ; 
J.  H.  Sheffield,  Portland ;  Gene  Ger- 
base,  Denver ;  H.  C.  Fuller,  Salt  Lake 
City ;  Murray  McBride,  Butte  (Acting 
Manager)  ;  Sid  Weisbaum,  San  Fran- 
cisco ;  and  John  Frey,  Los  Angeles ; 
in  attendance  Frey  takes  over  the  post 
vacated  by  Western  district  sales  man- 
ager Francis  Bateman,  who  will  make 
his  headquarters  in  Los  Angeles. 


Petrillo  to  Discuss  Ban 
on  Discs  with  Radio  Men 


New  Balto.  First  Run 

Baltimore,  Jan.  13. — The  Maryland 
\    Theatre    will    reopen    here  Friday, 
•     (Jan.  IS)  with  a  new  policy  of  con- 
tinuous vaudeville  and  first-run  pic- 
tures.    It  was  formerly  a  legitimate 
playhouse  and  was  purchased  by  Wil- 
liam  Nick,  circuit  operator  here.  Jack 
,    Holland,   of   Washington,   has  been 
named  manager. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 


record  companies  "have  got  some  jus- 
tice on  their  side." 

Asked  by  Sen.  Tunnell,  of  Dela- 
ware, whether  he  wanted  legislation 
to  help  him  in  his  controversy  with 
the  transcription  manufacturers  and 
broadcasters,  Petrillo  suggested  "laws 
like  ASCAP  has"  which  would  per- 
mit a  royalty  on  every  record  sold  or 
rented.  He  said  the  record  makers 
"won't  sit  down  and  talk  to  us." 

Petrillo  expressed  confidence  that  if 
the  ban  was  maintained  "two  or  three 
years,"  more  work  would  be  provided 
for  his  members,  because  the  advertis- 
ing agencies  cannot  get  new  records 
and  would  have  to  hire  live  talent  for 
their  programs.  The  union  leader's 
willingness  to  negotiate  was  developed 
after  Sen.  McFarland,  of  Arizona, 
charged  that  he  was  merely  attempt- 
ing to  get  more  men  employed  for 
work  wliich  fewer  men  can  do,  at 
a  time  when  the  country  is  confronted 
by  a  serious  manpower  shortage. 
Public  opinion  has  been  built  up 
against  the  union,  he  said,  because  it 
imposed  the  ban  in  the  midst  of  a 
war. 

NAB  Spent  "Lots",  He  Says 

Reiterating  his  charge  that  the  Na- 
tional Association  of  Broadcasters  had 
spent  large  sums  publicizing  its  side 
of  the  controversy,  the  witness  testi- 
fied that  his  union  has  about  $2,500,000 
in  its  treasury. 

During  the  course  of  the  examina- 
tion, Sen.  Tobey,  of  New  Hampshire, 
brought  up  the  question  of  employ- 
ment of  AFM  members  in  St.  Louis 
and  Chicago  to  turn  records  in  broad- 
casting stations,  and  the  employment 
of  stand-by  musicians. 

Petrillo  explained  that  he  had  de- 
manded the  "pancake  turner"  conces- 
sion in  negotiating  with  the  Chicago 


stations,  but  while  he  agreed  that  it 
might  not  have  been  a  sound  require- 
ment, said  the  broadcasters  had  raised 
no  objection.  Stand-by  musicians,  he 
said,  are  required  as  a  protection  _  to 
local  members  against  competition 
from  other  jurisdictions,  and  the  pro- 
vision is  not  required  by  all  unions. 
"Wake  Island,"  Premiere 

Clark  brought  up  the  case  of  the 
"Wake  Island"  premiere,  where  pay- 
ment of  $200  to  the  local  union  was 
required  for  permission  for  the  Marine 
band  to  play,  although  the  proceeds  of 
the  performance  went  to  the  Marine 
Benefit  Fund,  and  Petrillo  agreed  that 
the  demand  was  unreasonable. 

When  the  chairman  brought  up  his 
suggestion  for  immediate  lifting  of 
the  ban,  which  he  said  would  put  the 
union  in  an  "infinitely  better  position," 
Petrillo  was  skeptical  of  the  good 
faith  of  the  record  makers  and  de- 
clared "they  can  make  enough  records 
in  30  days  of  all  the  popular  tunes  to 
last  them  another  year." 

"The  ban  has  been  on  five  months," 
he  said.  "It  certainly  won't  hurt  if 
we  wait  another  two  weeks." 


Oberstein  Wants  to 
Quit;  802  Says,  "No" 

Local  802  of  the  American  Federa- 
tion of  Musicians  will  not  accept  the 
resignation  of  Eli  Oberstein,  head  of 
the  Classic  Record  Company,  it  was 
said  yesterday.  Oberstein,  whose  re- 
cent record  releases  were  investigated 
by  the  union,  since  there  was  no  list- 
ing of  their  production  before  the  Pe- 
trillo ban,  was  reported  to  have  been 
ready  to  resign  from  the  local.  The 
union  did  not  issue  any  further  in- 
formation on  its  refusal  of  Oberstein's 
resignation. 


Pleasure  Driving  Ban  May 
Be  Ended  in  Ten  Weeks 


(Continued 

by  the  necessity  of  shipping  fuel  oil 
for  heat. 

Rationing  boards  in  states  where 
pleasure  driving  was  not  prohibited 
were  reviewing  B  and  C  ration  books, 
the  OPA  official  said,  in  order  to 
bring  the  average  passenger  automo- 
bile mileage  to  5,000  miles  a  year. 
This  limited  mileage,  he  added,  would 
make  it  possible  to  cars  to  be  sup- 
plied for  many  months  without  relying 
on  synthetic  rubber. 


No  theatre  closings  due  to  the  fuel 
oil  shortage  were  reported  in  the 
metropolitan  area  up  to  last  night. 
The  few  oil-heated  theatres  were  con- 
tinuing their  full  schedules  and  con- 
serving their  fuel  as  much  as  possible, 
it  was  said.  No  drastic  change  is  an- 
ticipated by  these  theatres  unless  un- 
usually cold  weather  sets  in. 

OPA  Clarifies 
Automobile  Uses 

Washington,  Jan.  13—  The  OPA 
today  issued  a  list  of  permissible  uses 
of  automobiles  under  the  ban  on 
pleasure  driving,   stating  specifically 


from  page  1) 
that  if  a  car  is  used  for  an  essential 
errand  it  will  be  permissible  to  take 
in  a  movie  before  driving  back  home  if 
no  extra  driving  is  involved,  as  was 
first  revealed  yesterday  in  Motion 
Picture  Daily. 

However,  they  were  warned,  "driv- 
ing to  dances,  balls,  theatres  or  other 
places  of  amusement  or  entertainment 
is  pleasure  driving  under  restrictions 
of  this  amendment  even  though  such 
functions  are  held  for  the  purpose  of 
raising  funds  for  charity." 

The  interpretation  was  sent  to  OPA 
attorneys  through  the  17  eastern  states 
where  pleasure  driving  is  prohibited, 
to  be  used  as  the  basis  of  actions 
against  violators. 

An  OPA  spokesman  explained  that, 
in  brief,  the  rule  will  be  that  a  car 
may  not  be  used  for  the  specific  pur- 
pose of  attending  a  theatre,  but  if 
used  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing- 
groceries,  going  to  work  or  other  le- 
gitimate driving,  a  "stopover"  to  at- 
tend a  theatre  will  be  all  right  pro- 
vided it  does  not  involve  any  devia- 
tion from  the  route  which  otherwise 
would  be  followed. 


Industry  Gets 
Behind  United 
Nations  Drive 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
and  motion  picture  industry  taking 
part.  Special  salutes  to  the  United 
Nations  will  be  held  in  all  theatres 
in  New  York,  Long  Island  and  New 
Jersey  tonight.  Civic  officials  will 
take  part  in  ceremonies  in  all  five 
boroughs  in  special  opening  day  fes- 
tivities. 

Yorkville  Ceremony 

In  Yorkville,  a  salute  to  United  Na- 
tions Week  will  be  broadcast  from 
RKO's  86th  Street  Theatre  over  sta- 
tion WEVD  at  9  p.m.  Earl  Win- 
gart,  of  the  public  relations  commit- 
tee of  the  industry  in  charge  of  the 
salute,  will  address  members  of  the 
Bayside,  L.  I.,  Kiwanis  Club  at  noon. 
The  meeting  will  inaugurate  the 
week's  celebration  to  be  conducted  by 
the  Skouras  Bayside  theatre. 

All  RKO  theatres  in  Westchester 
and  the  Bronx  will  hold  special  Sat- 
urday morning  shows  for  children  to 
commemorate  the  week,  H.  R.  Emde 
division  manager,  said  yesterday,  and 
all  receipts  will  go  to  the  United 
Nations  fund. 

Margo  Names  Street 

Today  at  noon  Margo  will  put  up 
the  first  sign  changing  the  name  of 
Main  St.,  Mount  Vernon,  to  United 
Nations  Blvd.  in  accordance  with  a 
resolution  passed  by  the  city's  Board 
of  Aldermen  to  have  the  street  re- 
named. 

Margaret  O'Brien,  M-G-M  child 
star,  who  appears  with  James  Cagney 
and  Ann  Sothern  in  the  special  United 
Nations  Week  film,  "You,  John 
Jones,"  will  have  a  birthday  party  in 
reverse  tomorrow  on  the  occasion  of 
her  sixth  birthday  with  all  her  pres- 
ents going  to  suffering  children  in 
countries  occupied  by  the  Nazis. 


London  CEA  Meet 
On  Quota  Problems 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
by  the  Board  of  Trade  and  to  move 
to  reopen  the  quota  subject  at  that 
time. 

No  action  was  taken  at  the  meeting 
on  the  new  distributors'  move  on 
product  grading  despite  the  fact  that 
the  London  branch  of  the  CEA  sought 
to  have  the  organization  express  an 
official  attitude  on  the  action. 


Milw.  Bill  Would  Ban 
All  Theatre  Smoking 

Milwaukee,  Jan.  13. — Aftermath  of 
the  recent  numerous  disastrous  fires 
around  the  country  is  the  proposal 
calling  for  an  ordinance  to  be  intro- 
duced in  the  common  council  here 
making  it  unlawful  for  any  person  to 
smoke  or  light  a  match  while  attend- 
ing any  performance  in  any  theatre  or 
motion  picture  show  in  the  city. 

The  Fox  Badger  Theatres,  Inc.,  has 
been  cited  for  allegedly  permitting 
overcrowding  on  New  Year's  Eve  in 
its  Uptown,  west  side  neighborhood 
house.  The  writ  charges  that  standee 
patrons  blocked  the  aisles  and  exits 
and  that  others  were  permitted  to  sit 
on  the  balcony  steps. 


Collect  at  Every  Performance! 
UNITED  NATIONS  WEEK  JAN.  14  THRU  JAN.  20 


6 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Thursday,  January  14,  1943 


22%  of  Industry's 
Men  Now  Serving 

According  to  latest  figures 
furnished  by  the  Industry 
Service  Bureau,  22  per  cent 
of  the  industry's  manpower 
had  gone  to  war  at  the  year- 
end,  with  4,000  men  in  uni- 
form from  the  18,000  men 
among  the  33,000  workers  in 
Hollywood  studios.  Figures 
indicate  that  withdrawals  for 
military  servce  include  104 
directors,  158  writers,  40  pro- 
ducers and  900  actors. 

An  exceptional  demand  is 
reported  in  both  the  Army 
and  Navy  for  technicians,  in- 
cluding photographers,  sound 
specialists,  camouflage  ex- 
perts, electricians  and  pre- 
cision machinists. 


Off  the  Antenna 


A TALK  on  "Post-War  Radio-FM-Television"  will  be  given  by  Dr.  Wal- 
ter R.  G.  Baker  at  an  open  meeting  today  of  the  American  Marketing 
Association  Radio  Luncheon  Group  at  the  Hotel  Sheraton.  This  will  be  in 
addition  to  a  review  of  current  radio  research  techniques  by  Dr.  Herman  S. 
Hettinger  of  the  OWL 

Dr.  Baker,  at  one  time  general  manager  of  the  RCA-Victor  plant,  is  vice- 
president  of  General  Electric,  in  charge  of  radio,  television  and  electronics. 
The  GE  televsion  station  is  listed  officially  by  his  initials,  WRGB. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Edward  Tomlinson,  inter-American  radio  adviser,  will  be 
a  featured  speaker,  Jan.  27,  during  the  University  of  Rochester's  two-day  con- 
ference on  Latin  America.  .  .  .  Bill  Berns,  who  broadcast  "The  Broadway 
Beam"  for  WNEW  prior  to  his  induction  into  the  Army,  is  doing  the  same 
for  a  camp  program  over  the  Fort  Jackson,  S.  C,  station.  .  .  .  Humboldt  J. 
Greig,  formerly  national  sales  manager  of  the  McClatchy  Broadcasting  Corp., 
is  now  on  the  sales  staff  of  the  Blue  Network.  .  .  .  Kate  Smith  is  not  appear- 
ing currently  on  her  daily  CBS  "Kate  Smith  Speaks"  program  because  of  ill- 
ness. Ted  Collins  is  carrying  on  with  the  full  broadcast  and  the  Friday  night 
show  until  Miss  Smith  is  allowed  to  resume  her  full  schedule.  .  .  .  Goddard 
Lieberson,  music  director  of  Columbia  Recording  Corp.  and  of  the  Master- 
works  Albums,  is  serving  as  program  annotator  of  the  New  York  Philhar- 
monic broadcasts  over  CBS,  an  additional  feature  to  Deems  Taylor. 

•  m  • 

Program  Notes:  "The  Treasure  Hour  of  Song"  will  return  to  Mutual 
next  Thursday  at  9:30  p.m.  in  a  half  hour  weekly  program  similar  to  that 
aired  last  season.  .  .  .  John  Gunther  and  John  Vandercook  will  be  featured  in 
a  half-hour  news  broadcast  to  be  sponsored  on  the  Blue  by  the  D.  L.  Clark 
Co.  of  Pittsburgh  starting  Feb.  28  or  earlier.  .  .  .  Frank  Froeba,  keyboard 
star,  is  heard  in  a  new  series,  "The  Boys  in  the  Back  Room,"  over  WNEW 
Tuesday  through  Friday  from  7:50  to  8  p.m.  .  .  .  Arthur  Toscanini  and  the 
NBC  Symphony  bring  their  six-weeks  Brahms  cycle  to  a  close  on  Sunday, 
Jan.  24,  with  vocal  accompaniment  by  the  Westminster  Choir,  Vivian  della 
Chiesa  and  Herbert  Janssen.  .  .  .  Eva  LeGallienne  will  inaugurate  her  first 
series  of  weekly  broadcasts  over  the  Blue  on  Sunday  at  5:15  p.m. 

•  •  • 

Preperation  for  the  post-war  period  as  being  conducted  by  American  uidus- 
try  and  the  government  is  being  fully  explained  to  American  soldiers  overseas 
in  a  new  series  of  addresses  by  leading  industralists  over  the  shortwave  facili- 
ties of  NBC,  the  web  reported.  The  talks,  presented  in  cooperation  with  the 
National  Association  of  Manufacturers,  are  transmitted  over  WBOS  each 
Sunday  at  2:12  p.m.  by  the  English  section  of  the  chain's  International  Divi- 
sion. 

•  mm 

Around  the  Country:  Of  the  422  former  CBS  employes  now  in  ser- 
vice, 95  are  from  the  KNX  division  in  Hollywood,  the  Coast  branch  an- 
nounced. .  .  .  Gilbert  Canfield,  manager  of  the  Jefferson  Theatre,  Springfield, 
Mass.,  is  broadcasting  each  morning  over  WSPR.  He  was  formerly  an  an- 
nouncer on  WHYN,  Holyoke,  Mass. 

•  •  • 

A  special  program  for  rebroadcast  in  Brazil  was  transmitted  Tuesday 
night  by  NBC  over  Radio  Nacional's  station  in  Rio  de  Janeiro,  PRL-8. 
It  commemorated  the  recent  inauguration  of  Radio  Nacional's  powerful 
50,000-watt  shortwave  transmitter. 


L.  C.  Griffith  Witness 
In  Momand  Trial 

Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  13. — L.  C. 
Griffith,  president  of  the  Griffith 
Amusement  Co.,  and  an  official  in 
other  Griffith  companies,  will  probably 
take  the  stand  to  testify  tomorrow  in 
the  A.  B.  Momand  anti-trust  action 
being  heard  in  Federal  District  Court 
here  before  Judge  Bower  Broaddus. 
Griffith  was  scheduled  to  be  called  to- 
day but  the  entering  into  the  court 
records  of  the  mountain  of  docu- 
mentary evidence  called  into  court  by 
George  S.  Ryan,  Momand  chief  coun- 
sel, had  not  been  completed  Wednes- 
day night.  However,  attorneys  felt 
confident  the  job  could  be  completed 
by  Thursday  noon. 

This  documentary  evidence  includes 
more  than  3,000  contracts  between  the 
distributor  defendants  and  Momand 
companies,  Griffith  companies  and 
other  exhibitors  in  towns  where  Mo- 
mand has  theatres.  Also  offered  today 
were  several  thousand  cut-off  cords 
from  these  same  distributors  for  the 
Momand  towns,  as  well  as  master 
agreements  between  distributors,  and 
not  only  Griffith  but  various  other 
circuits,  together  with  a  considerable 
volume  of  correspondence  between 
many  different  individuals  in  the  mo- 
tion picture  industry. 

Judge  Broaddus  announced  that  he 
would  limit  the  number  of  outside 
contracts  which  the  plaintiffs  could 
enter  into  evidence.  Ryan  explained 
he  wished  to  use  these  in  establishing 
proof  of  a  nationwide  conspiracy 

It  is  though  that  the  testimony  of 
L.  C.  Griffith  will  extend  over  the 
remainder  of  the  week  but  should 
questioning  and  cross  examination  be 
completed  Thursday  night  or  Friday 
morning  other  Griffith  executives  will 
be  called  to  take  the  stand  immediate- 
ly. This,  Momand  attorneys  have  in- 
timated, will  be  only  the  start  of  a 
long  list  of  witnesses  to  be  called. 

Jan  Masaryk  to  Make 
Foreword  of  UA  Film 

Jan  Masaryk,  foreign  minister  of 
the  Czechoslokian  Government-in-Ex- 
ile,  has  agreed  to  speak  the  foreword 
of  "Unconquered,"  Arnold  Pressburg- 
er-Fritz  Lang  film,  which  United  Art- 
ists will  release,  it  was  announced. 
The  filming  of  the  foreword  will  take 
place  in  Denham,  England.  The  film 
is  about  Czech  resistance  to  the 
Nazis. 


Conn.  Exhibitors  Aid 
Prisoners '  Campaign 

New  Haven,  Jan.  13. — Following  a 
joint  luncheon  meeting  of  Allied  The- 
atre Owners  of  Connecticut  and 
MPTO,  the  local  theatre  committee 
of  the  War  Prisoners'  Aid  Campaign 
for  the  collection  of  musical  instru- 
ments and  sports  equipment  was  or- 
ganized under  the  chairmanship  of 
Harry  F.  Shaw,  Loew-Poli  division 
manager. 

Theatre  men  in  New  Haven,  Wal- 
lingford,  Seymour,  Branford  and  Mil- 
ford  will  be  asked  to  work  on  this  lat- 
est activity  of  the  War  Activities 
Committee,  in  which  Shaw  will  be  as- 
sisted by  Lou  Brown,  Herman  Levy, 
Maxwell  Alderman,  Dr.  J.  B.  Fish- 
man,  Maurice  Bailey,  Lou  Schaefer, 
Robert  Russell,  John  Hesse  and  Sid- 
ney Kleper. 


Para.  Tenn.  Air  Short 

Nashville,  Jan.  13. — A  short  on 
aviation  in  Tennessee  will  be  filmed 
by  Paramount,  Colonel  Herbert  Fox, 
director  of  the  state's  Bureau  of 
Aeronautics,  announced.  The  Civil 
Aeronautics  Authority  will  sponsor 
the  film  and  write  the  script,  it  was 
said. 


Ohio  Censors  Make 
Few  Dec.  Deletions 

Columbus,  Jan.  13.— In  reviewing 
190  films  representing  511  reels  dur- 
ing December,  the  Ohio  censors 
ordered  eliminations  in  15  films  cover- 
ign  22  reels,  it  was  announced.  De- 
letions in  only  one  reel  were  directed 
for  the  week  ending  Dec.  12. 

For  the  previous  month  eliminations 
were  ordered  in  23  films  or  39  reels 
of  189  pictures  representing  542  reels 
were  reviewed. 


Columbia  To  Release 
Three  OWI  Shorts 

Columbia  will  distribute  three  Vic- 
tory short  subjects  for  the  War  Activ- 
ities Committee.  Titles  and  release 
dates  are  as  follows:  "Troop  Train," 
Feb.  4;  "Wartime  Farming,"  March 
4;  "Right  of  Way,"  March  18. 


Gillespie  Dies 

Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  13 —William 
C.  Gillespie,  vice-president  of  the  Tul- 
sa Broadcasting  Co.  and  general  man- 
ager of  KTUL,  died  today  of  a  skull 
fracture  and  brain  concussion  suf- 
fered in  a  fall  at  his  home. 


Theatres  Fight  R.I. 
Governor's  Move  for 
Two-Day  Closings 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
others  at  a  public  hearing  yesterday, 
but  the  draft  of  the  measure  submitted 
today  shows  no  signs  of  their  protests 
being  taken  into  consideraiton. 

The  measure  as  presented  toc|^B 
makes  no  arbitrary  exemptions  fr^' 
the  closing,  but  it  does  give  the  Gov- 
ernor power  to  make  exemptions  or  to 
delegate  such  power  to  the  State 
Labor  Director. 

Before  he  could  order  a  closing  the 
Governor,  under  the  bill,  would  have 
to  declare  an  emergency  to  exist. 
Then,  with  the  consent  of  the  State 
Council  of  Defense  he  could  issue  ap- 
propriate orders.  Agrieved  parties 
would  have  the  right  of  appeal  within 
five  days  to  a  special  board  of  three, 
consisting  of  a  Superior  Court  justice 
and  representatives  of  labor  and  in- 
dustry. 

Although  the  Governor  had  planned 
originally  to  put  his  plan  into  effect 
next  Monday  the  bill  was  referred  to 
conference  today  and  there  were  indi- 
cations that  it  would  not  be  sped 
through  the  assembly  in  time  for 
action  by  Monday. 

Protest  Lifting  ofNJ. 
Sunday  Film  Ban 

Princeton,  N.  J.,  Jan.  13. — Church 
leaders  here  have  lodged  a  formal 
protest  with  Governor  Charles  Edison 
on  his  decision  to  allow  Princeton 
motion  picture  houses  to  operate  on 
Sundays.  The  governor's  wartime 
powers  permitted  the  lifting  of  the 
ban  on  Sunday  films  and  were  ex- 
ercised, it  was  said,  to  help  solve 
recreational  problems  for  the  1,100 
service  men  stationed  at  the  Princeton 
University  Naval  School. 

It  is  expected  that  the  churchmen 
will  attempt  to  formulate  a  plan  by 
which  service  men  may  be  entertained 
in  the  afternoon  without  involving  the 
general  public. 

Circulate  MGM  Plan 
For  Victory  Shorts 

Explanation  of  the  "locked  book- 
ing" plan  for  distribution  of  war 
films,  which  are  released  by  the  Office 
of  War  Information  and  handled  by 
the  several  distributors,  is  included  in 
a  manual  sent  to  committee  chairman 
in  each  exchange  center,  W.  F. 
Rodgers,  chairman  of  the  Distributors' 
Division  of  the  WAC,  announced. 

Entitled  "Our  Job— Distribution  of 
War  Films,"  the  manual  is  a  24  page, 
red,  white  and  blue  booklet  compiled 
at  the  direction  of  Mr.  Rodgers  in 
collaboration  with  heads  of  other 
WAC  divisions. 

Schlesinger  To  Make 
U.S.  Training  Films 

Following  a  six  week  stay  in  the 
East,  Leon  Schlesinger  returns  to  the 
coast  next  week  to  begin  an  extensive 
schedule  of  animated  training  films  for 
the  Army  Signal  Corps,  the  Navy  and 
the  Treasury  Department.  A  fourth 
group  of  pictures,  for  the  WPB,  is 
slated  for  general  showing  in  theatres. 

While  in  the  East,  he  is  reported  to 
have  conferred  with  government  offi- 
cials in  Washington. 


Red  Kann: 

Good  luck — best  wishes, 
from  your  many 
friends  at 
Universal  Pictures 


YOU  CAN  SAY  IT  AGAIN... AND  AGAIN! 

CHINA  GIRL! 
CHINA  GIRL ! 
CHINA  GIRL ! 
CHINA  GIRL ! 
CHINA  GIRL ! 
CHINA  GIRL! 


terrific!  at  the 

WISCONSIN, MILWAUKEE! 

terrific!  at  the 

UTAH,  SALT  LAKE  CITY! 

TERRIFIC!     at  the 

STATE,  SPOKANE! 

TERRIFIC!   at  the 

EMBASSY,  JOHNSTOWN! 

JERRI f Id    at  the 

PALACE, NEWPORT  NEWS! 

TERRIFIC!  at  the 

ORPHEUM,  GREEN  BAY! 


Collect  at  Every  Performance!  UNITED  NATIONS  WEEK  Jan.  14—20 


to  the  Tftrojtion 
Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


First  in 


VOL.  53.  NO.  10 


NEW  YORK,  U.  S.  A.,  FRIDAY,  JANUARY  15,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Air,  Disc  Men 
Are  Profiteers, 
Says  Padway 

Counsel  Backs  Petrillo; 
Senate  Quiz  Recesses 


Washington,   Jan.   14. — Large 
profits  of  the  record  makers  and 
radio  networks  were  cited  today  by 
Joseph  A.  Padway,  attorney  for  the 
American  Federation  of  Musicians, 
as  justifying  the  claim  of  James  C. 
Petrillo,  president   of  the  AFM, 
that  those  industries  could  well  af- 
ford an  agreement  providing  addi- 
tional employment  for  musicians. 
The  companies,  Padway  told 
the  Senate  Subcommittee  inves- 
tigating Petrillo's  ban  on  re- 
cords,  have   grown  "powerful 
and  wealthy"  on  "canned  mu- 
sic," and  the  musicians  "feel 
that  it  would  be  nothing  short 
of  suicide  to  continue  to  make 
the    instruments    which  put 
them  out  of  jobs." 

No  further  hearings  will  be  held 
for  at  least  two  weeks  and  probably 
not  until  the  AFM  has  been  given  an 
opportunity  to  carry  but  Petrillo's 
promise  to  seek  a  settlement. 

Padway  repeatedly  charged  the  Na- 
tional Association  of  Broadcasters 
with  running  a  campaign  of  "vilifica- 

(Continued  on  page  13) 


'Hitler's  Children' 
Opens  in  Cincinnati 


Cincinnati,  Jan.  14.— RKO  held 
the  premiere  of  "Hitler's  Children" 
here  today  at  the  Albee,  with  the  the- 
atre playing  to  capacity  throughout 
the  day,  it  was  reported. 

The  evening  performance  was  pre- 
ceded by  a  one-hour  show  on  the 
stage  put  on  by  WLW,  sponsor  of 
the  premiere.  Personal  appearances 
were  made  at  each  performance  by 
Bonita  Granville  and  H.  B.  Warner, 
featured  in  the  picture,  and  Gregor 
{Continued  on  page  13) 


Walker  Reported  to 
Accept  Demo.  Post 

Washington,  Jan.  14. — Post- 
master General  Frank  C. 
Walker  will  accept  the  chair- 
manship of  the  Democratic 
National  Committee,  it  was 
reported  here  today. 


Times  Square  Rally 
Opens  Theatre  Week 
For  United  Nations 


United  Nations  Week  was  officially 
launched  in  the  theatres  of  the  country 
yesterday  with  events  in  many  cities. 
A  noon  rally  at  Times  Square  inaugu- 
rated the  campaign  in  New  York. 
The  drive  will  continue  through  Jan. 
20. 

Several  thousand  persons  attended 
the  Times  Square  rally,  it  was  esti- 
mated. Featured  on  the  program 
were  Benny  Goodman  and  his  band, 
Frank  Sinatra  and  Betty  Lee,  all  cur- 
rently appearing  at  the  Paramount 
Theatre  on  Broadway.  Benny  Rubin 
was  master  of  ceremonies. 

Entertainers  representing  United 
Nations  performed  at  the  rally  which 
was  preceded  by  a  parade  led  by  the 
United  States  Army  Band  from  Fort 
Jay.  Service  men  from  the  various 
Allied  countries  carried  flags  of  the 
United  Nations.  Also  marching  were 
members  of  the  American  Legion 
Post,  French-American  Veterans  and 
the  American  Legion  Post  of  Greek- 
American  War  Veterans. 

Margaret  Fisher,  WHN  singer, 
opened  the  program  with  the  singing 
of  the  "Star  Spangled  Banner,"  and 
was  followed  by  a  folk  dance  per- 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


Blumenstock  Elected 
Service  Bureau  Head 

Mort  Blumenstock,  advertising  and 
publicity  director  for  Warner  Bros, 
in  the  East,  yesterday  was  elected 
chairman  of  the  Industry  Service  Bu- 
reau, the  Eastern  public  relations  or- 
ganization whose  membership  com- 
prises the  advertising  and  publicity 
directors. 

Blumenstock  succeeds  S.  Barret 
McCormick  of  RK'O  in  the  post.  He 
will  serve  for  six  months,  the  estab- 
lished tenure  for  the  office. 


Disney  Income  Tax 
Film  Ready  Feb.  4 

"The  Spirit  of  '43,"  six-min- 
ute Walt  Disney  subject  pro- 
duced for  the  Treasury  De- 
partment and  designed  to 
stimulate  early  payment  of  in- 
come taxes,  will  be  available 
Feb.  4  at  National  Screen  Ser- 
vice exchanges,  the  War  Ac- 
tivities Committee  announced 
yesterday.  A  total  of  677 
Technicolor  prints  are  being 
made,  it  was  said,  with  the 
intention  of  obtaining  exhibi- 
tion of  the  film  in  as  many 
theatres  as  possible  by  March 
15.  Donald  Duck  is  the  star 
of  the  film.  A  similar  subject 
was  made  by  Disney  last  year. 


ChicagoHouses 
Give  Operators 
5%  Wage  Rise 


Chicago,  Jan.  14. — A  new  two-year 
contract  providing  for  a  five  per  cent 
increase  in  projectionists'  scales  this 
year  and  an  additional  three  per  cent 
increase  the  second  year  was  agreed 
upon  late  last  night  at  a  meeting  of 
officials  of  the  operators'  union  and  a 
committee  representing  Chicago  ex- 
hibitors. 

The  agreement  is  subject  to  the  ap- 
proval of  the  War  Labor  Board.  If 
not  opposed  it  will  be  retroactive  to 
Sept.  1,  1942,  the  expiration  date  of 
the  old  contract. 

Prevailing  working  conditions  for 
operators  will  continue  unchanged 
under  the  new  agreement. 

The  pact  has  been  in  negotiation 
here  for  several  months  with  the  per- 
(Continued  on  Page  6) 


Valentine  Bans  Nudity  in 
N.  Y.  Night  Club  Shows 


Fadiman  New  M-G-M 
Head  of  Story  Dep't 

William  J.  Fadiman  has  been  ap- 
pointed head  of  the  M-G-M  story  de- 
partment, and  will  immediately  take 
over  his  new  duties  at  the  Culver 
City  studios,  it  was  announced  yester- 
day. Since  last  June,  he  has  been  as- 
sistant at  the  studios  to  Kenneth  Mc- 
Kenna,  who  has  just  been  given  a 
commission  as  Army  captain. 


More  extensive  shrouding  from  the 
public  eye  of  female  performers  in 
night  clubs  and  cabarets,  and  the  stop- 
ping of  indiscriminate  photographing 
of  patrons  in  the  clubs  will  be  put  in- 
to effect  in  New  York  City  in  about 
two  weeks,  a  new  order  by  Police 
Commissioner  Valentine  published  in 
the  current  City  Record  revealed  yes- 
terday. 

The  order  provides  that : 

"No  female  shall  be  permitted  to 
(Continued  on  page  6) 


Report  Ickes 
May  Cut  Off  Oil 
For  Theatres 


But  Effort  to  SupplyFilm 
Houses  Is  Indicated 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  14. — Denial 
of  all  fuel  oil  supplies  for  places 
of  amusement  may  be  recommend- 
ed to  the  Office  of  Price  Adminis- 
tration by  Petroleum  Administra- 
tor Harold  L.  Ickes  in  a  list  of 
essential  consumers  which  is  now 
being  drafted,  it  was  indicated 
today. 

Ickes  refused  to  say  just 
what  action  he  would  take  with 
respect  to  theatres,  but  when 
asked  if  amusements  would  be 
cut  off,  said  it  is  up  to  Leon 
Henderson,  OPA  chief,  adding, 
"I  think  the  effect  of  his  sys- 
tem will  be  to  do  that  as  a  mat- 
ter of  course." 

There  was  a  possibility,  however,  it 
was  indicated,  that  an  effort  may  be 
made  to  keep  theatres  supplied  at 
their  present  ration  level,  if  deliveries 
of  oil  to  the  Eastern  states  continue 
their  present  trend  of  improvement. 

The  primary  factor  in  any  decision 
reached  will  be  the  impact  of  military 
demands  upon  the  oil  supplies  of  the 
area,  it  was  said. 

Meanwhile,  an  amended  order  No. 
1  issued  by  the  Petroleum  Adminis- 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


Griffith  on  Stand  at 
Momand  Trust  Trial 


Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  14. — L.  C. 
Griffith,  head  of  the  circuits  bearing 
his  name,  was  questioned  for  an  hour 
by  George  S.  Ryan,  plaintiff's  attor- 
ney, as  the  fourth  day  of  the  A.  B. 
Momand  anti-trust  suit  came  to  a 
close  in  the  Federal  district  court  here 
today.  Griffith  will  be  returned  to  the 
stand  for  continuing  questioning  to- 
morrow. 

Most  of  the  hour  period  Ryan  used 
was  devoted  to  identifying  Griffith  and 
his  connections  and  seeking  to  probe 

(Continued  on  page  13) 


In  Today*s  Issue 

Review  of  "Silver  Skates," 
Page  4.  Key  city  box-office 
reports,  Pages  4  and  8.  Off  the 
Antenna,  Page  13. 


2 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Friday,  January  15,  1943 


Coast  Flashes 


Hollywood,  Jan.  14 

FELIX  JACKSON  rejoins  Univer- 
versal  Monday  under  a  long  term 
contract  as  a  producer-writer  and  will 
start  preparation  on  the  next  Deanna 
Durbin  picture,  which  will  be  based 
on  women  in  the  war.  He  will  have 
Frank  Shaw  as  associate  producer, 
e 

Thomas  F.  Brady,  Hollywood  cor- 
respondent of  the  New  York  Times, 
reports  for  induction  in  the  Volunteer 
Officers  Corps  Wednesday.  Fred 
Stanley  has  been  named  to  the  Times 
post  during  Brady's  absence. 

• 

Samuel  Goldwyn  today  signed  Ann 
Harding  for  "The  North  Star,"  pic- 
ture of  invaded  Russia. 

• 

Kay  Kyser,  Edgar  Bergen  and 
Charlie  McCarthy  will  be  co-starred 
in  the  RKO  musical  comedy  "Keep 
'Em  Singing,"  which  Allan  Dwan  will 
produce  and  direct. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN      .     GREER  GARSON 
In  James  Hilton's 

"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN   M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue    •  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 

IN  PERSON 

PRESENTS 

BENNY 

STIR  SPANGLED 

GOODMAN 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

RHYTHM' 

with  43  STARS 

— Extra — 
Frank  Sinatra 

PARAMOUNT     -    Times  Square 

Tyrone  Maureen  f^n. 

POWER  •  O'HARA 

the  Black  $wm 

A  26rt  C.nlury-Foa  Triumph       |N  TECHNICOLOR! 

*   PLUS  BIG  STAGE  SHOW  * 
BUY  A  WAR  n  f  \  V  V  7lh  Av*- 
BOND  at  the  KwA  I 


soih  sr. 


PALACE 


B  WAY  & 
47th  St 


VICTOR  MATURE    •    LUCILLE  BALL 

' SEVEN  DAYS  LEAVE' 

—and — 

'GORILLA  MAN' 

WITH  JOHN  LODER 


"The  Perfect  Skating  Show" —  Mantle,  News 

Krte  +q  S  I  50  a*  a"  Performantes  ex-\Plus 
&UC  to  »  |  .su  Mnt  Sa,  Eves.50cto$2.50|Tax 

Souja  Henie  9  Arthur  M.  Wirtx  present 

STARS  ON  ICE  i**™™™™ 

CENTER  THEA..  Rockefeller  Center  CO.  5-5474 

America's  Only  Ice  Theatre 
Evgs.  Incl.  Sun.  8:40    Mats. :  Wed.,  Sat.  &  Sun. 
No  Monday  Pert.  Mail  Orders  Filled 


Personal  Mention 


Loew'°8  STRTE  I  In  Person 
Benny 

FIELDS 

Extra! 
Joe  Rines 


ON  SCREEN 
BING  CROSBY 
DOROTHY  LAMOUR 
BOB  HOPE 

'ROAD  TO 
MOROCCO' 


&  Orch. 


SPYROS  SKOURAS,  president  of 
20th  Century-Fox,  is  due  today 
from  the  Coast. 

Nick  Cavaliere,  March  of  Time 
cameraman,  was  in  New  Haven  on 
leave  after  a  Cuban  assignment. 
• 

David    O.    Selznick    and  Mrs. 
Selznick  are  in  town  from  the  Coast. 
• 

Jack  L.  Warner  left  New  York 
yesterday  for  California. 

• 

Max  Friedman,  buyer  and  booker 
for  Warner  Circuit  houses  in  the  Al- 
bany zone,  is  in  town. 

• 

Leon  Schlesinger  left  yesterday 
for  the  coast  after  a  visit  here. 
• 

Joseph  Ehrlich,  Boston  publicity 
man,  is  in  New  York. 


WA.  SCULLY,  Universal  vice- 
•  president  and  general  sales 
manager,  left  last  night  for  a  two 
weeks  visit  at  the  studio. 

• 

F.  J.  A.  McCarthy,  Universal 
Southern  and  Canadian  sales  mana- 
ger, returned  from  New  Orleans  yes- 
terday. 

• 

Pvt.  Alfred  M.  Simon,  of  John 
Eberson's  office  is  in  training  at  Ab- 
erdeen Proving  Grounds,  Md.  He  is 
the  son  of  Mrs.  Cecile  F.  Simon  of 
Warners'  purchasing  department. 
• 

I.  J,  Hoffman,  Warner  Circuit 
New  Haven  zone  manager,  is  a  New 
York  visitor. 

• 

Joseph  Amstead,  manager  of  the 
Elm  Street,  Worcester,  is  in  the  hos- 
pital for  a  minor  operation. 


Rosenfield  Reelected 
N.  Y.  SPG  President 

Jonas  Rosenfield,  Jr.,  of  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox, was  re-elected  president  of 
the  Screen  Publicists  Guild  of  New 
York,  Local  114,  UOPWA,  CIO,  and 
Charles  L.  Wright,  free  lance  writer, 
was  retained  as  treasurer  in  annual 
elections  last  night  at  the  Hotel  Pic- 
cadilly.   Both  were  unopposed. 

Harry  Hochfeld,  also  of  Fox,  was 
chosen  first  vice-president.  He  was 
also  unopposed.  Lawrence  H.  Lip- 
skin  was  chosen  second  vice-presi- 
dent over  Sam  Gerson,  and  Gertrude 
Gelbin  was  elected  secretary,  defeat- 
ing Fred  Hodgson. 

SPG  members  in  the  armed  forces 
voted  by  mail. 


RKO  Theatre  Dep't 
Plans  Koerner  Party 

RKO's  home  office  theatre  division 
will  give  a  luncheon  for  Charles  W. 
Koerner,  vice-president  in  charge  of 
production,  at  the  Waldorf-Astoria 
next  Monday,  the  company  announced. 
Koerner  formerly  was  general  man- 
ager of  RKO  Theatres.  Executives 
scheduled  to  attend  are  Richard  C. 
Patterson,  Jr.,  Peter  Rathvon,  Mal- 
colm Kingsberg,  Ned  Depinet,  E.  L. 
Alperson,  Leon  Goldberg,  L.  E. 
Thompson,  Gordon  Youngman  and  J. 
Miller  Walker.  New  York  theatre 
managers  will  attend. 


Sindlinger  Resigns 
March  of  Time  Post 

Albert  E.  Sindlinger,  advertising 
and  promotion  head  of  March  of 
Time,  has  resigned  that  post,  effec- 
tive Monday,  the  company  disclosed 
yesterday.  No  successor  to  Sind- 
linger has  been  named  yet  and  his 
future  plans  were  not  announced. 

Prior  to  joining  March  of  Time, 
Sindlinger  was  for  five  years  asso- 
ciated with  Warner  and  Loew's  thea- 
tre management  and  in  that  capacity, 
was  a  Quigley  Silver  Award  winner 
in  1935. 


Gets  Stromberg  Account 

The  Hunt  Stromberg  Productions 
advertising  account  has  been  placed 
with  the  Donahue  &  Coe  agency. 


Capital  Officials 

See  'Commandos' 

Washington,  Jan.  14. — A  special 
invitational  screening  of  Columbia's 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  was 
given  here  tonight  at  the  Department- 
al Auditorium,  with  many  govern- 
ment officials,  representatives  of  the 
United  Nations  and  other  countries 
as  well  as  press  representatives  and 
radio  commentators  attending  as  the 
guests  of  Wilhelm  Munthe  De  Mor- 
genstierne,  Norwegian  Ambassador. 

Among  those  announced  as  attend- 
ing were  Crown  Prince  Olav  and 
Crown  Princess  Martha  of  Norway ; 
Harold  L.  Ickes,  Secretary  of  the  In- 
terior ;  Frances  Biddle,  Attorney  Gen- 
eral ;  Supreme  Court  Justices  Stanley 
Forman  Reed,  Felix  Frankfurter, 
Frank  Murphy ;  James  Francis 
Byrnes,  Director  of  Economic  Stabili- 
zation ;  Herbert  Bayard  Swope ;  Leon 
Hend  erson,  Office  of  Price  Adminis- 
tration chief;  E.  R.  Stettinius,  Jr., 
Lend-Lease  Administrator,  Admiral 
Emory  S.  Land ;  Mrs.  J.  Borden  Har- 
riman,  former  Ambassadress  to  Nor- 
way ;  Maxim  LitvinofF,  Russian  Am- 
bassador, and  Sir  Ronald  Campbell, 
charge  d'affaires  for  Great  Britain. 


Board  Approves  1943 
Budaet  for  MPPDA 

The  MPPDA  board  of  directors 
approved  the  organization's  1943 
budget  at  a  meeting  yesterday.  It 
was  not  disclosed  whether  the  budget 
called  for  an  increase  or  decrease  in 
expenditures  this  year  as  compared 
with  1942.  The  meeting  was  ad- 
journed subject  to  call  early  next 
week. 


APARTMENT  FOR  RENT 

To  sub-lease  until  Oc- 
tober 1  attractive  unfur- 
nished apartment  at  350 
West  57th  Street.  Highly 
desirable  as  escape  from 
fuel  and  gasolene  ration- 
ing problems.  Rental  rea- 
sonable. Box  280  MO- 
TION PICTURE  DAILY. 


Newsreel 
Parade 


HT  HE  capture  of  15  Jap  fliers  in 
-*-  Guadalcanal,  service  men  taking 
over  Yale  University  dormitories,  and 
the  arrival  of  a  U.  S.  hospital  ship  at 
Port  Moresby  are  some  of  the  fea- 
tured week-end  newsreel  clips.  The 
contents  follow. 

MOVIETONE   NEWS,   No.  3i.—Amz0f 

can  Paratroops  capture  air  port  in  Noi 
Africa.  U.  S.  Hospital  ship  arrives  at  Fort 
Moresby  with  American  nurses.  Ameri- 
cans in  Australia  save  rubber  by  moving 
trucks  with  one  piled  on  top  of  another. 
U.  S.  infantry  troops  in  Australia  learn 
commando  tactics.  Jap  airmen  captured  in 
Solomons.  Japanese  payroll  in  trunk  cap- 
tured on  Guadalcanal.  United  Nations  two- 
cent  victory  stamp  is  printed  in  Washing- 
ton. Women  replace  men  in  Long  Island 
aircraft!  plant.  Army  air  cadets1  take 
quarters  at  Yale  University.  Dogs  of  war 
trained  at  Wonalancet,  N.  H. 

NEWS  OF  THE  DAY,  No.  236.— Yank 
paratroops  in  North  Africa.  Americans  on 
Guadalcanal  capture  Jap  fliers.  U.  S. 
Army  nurses  in  New  Guinea.  U.  S.  troops 
in  Australia  get  commando  training.  (Ex- 
cept Cincinnati  and  Cleveland).  Clark 
Gable  is  aerial  gunner.  War  plant  produc- 
tion goes  up.  United  Nations  victory  post- 
age stamp.  Training  dogs  for  combat  duty 
in  New  England.  Russian  women  at  war. 
(Except   Cincinnati   and  Cleveland). 

PARAMOUNT  NEWS,  No.  41.— Army 
takes  over  Colleges.  United  Nations  issue 
of  two-cent  stamp  rolls  off  Treasury 
presses.  Sled  dogs  and  machine-gunners 
train  in  20  degrees  below  in  N.  H.  15  Jap 
aviators  captured.  Women  make  tanks  for 
armored  division  in  Seattle.  Canadian  wom- 
en build  cargo  ships  at  East  Coast  port. 
Signal  Corps  films  of  arrival  of  U.  S.  hos- 
pital ship  at  Port  Moresby.  New  type  com- 
mando tactics  with  collapsible  assault  boats. 
Australian  and  American  troops  train  as 
barb-wire  busters. 

PATHE  NEWS,  No.  41.— Air  forces  train 
at  Yale.  Wendell  Willkie  talks  on  im- 
portance of  liberal  arts  studies.  15  Jap 
aviators  captured  in  Solomons.  Mercy  ship 
visits  New  Guinea.  United  Nations  stamp 
issued.  Yanks  in  Australia  save  tires  by 
moving  piled  up  trucks.  World's  largest 
asbestos  mine  is  in  Province  of  Quebec. 
U.  S.  paratroops  attack  in  North  Africa. 

UNIVERSAL   NEWSREEL,   No.  154- 

News  from  the  South  Pacific  area;  capture 
of  15  Jap  fliers,  arrival  of  hospital  ship  at 
Port  Moresby,  commando  training.  Para- 
troopers in  North  Africa  capture  airport. 
Yale  welcomes  Army  Air  Corps.  Economic 
Diector  Byrnes  in  tribute  to  farmers.  Au- 
tomatic crewless  convoy  ship  completes 
successful  run  from  Florida  to  Washing- 
ton. New  stamp  honors  our  allies.  Cana- 
dian girls  work  on  cargo  ships.  Oil  pipe- 
line to  connect  N.  Y.  and  Philadelphia  with 
oil  supplies,  nearer  completion. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY,  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN.  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address, "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl. 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Ouigley  Publishing  Company,  Tnc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938.  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


N.  Y.  TIMES  SAYS  THIS  ABOUT 
ALFRED  HITHCOCK'S 


"You've  got  to  hand  it  to  Alfred  Hitchcock.  When 
he  sows  the  fearful  seeds  of  mistrust  in  one  of  his  mo- 
tion pictures  he  can  raise  more  goosepimples  to  the 
square  inch  of  a  customer's  flesh  than  any  other  direc- 
tor of  thrillers  in  Hollywood.  He  did  it  quite  nicely 
in  *  Rebecca'  and  again  in  *  Suspicion'  about  a  year 
ago.  And  now  he  is  bringing  in  another  bumper  crop 
of  blue  ribbon  shivers  and  chills  in  Jack  Skirball's 
diverse  production  of  *  Shadow  of  a  Doubt,  which 
came  to  the  Rivoli  last  night. 


A  SKIRBALL  PRODUCTION 
Produced  by  Jack  H.  Skirball 


Yes,  the  way  Mr.  Hitchcock  folds  suggestions  very 
casually  into  the  furrows  of  his  films,  the  way  he  can 
make  a  torn  newspaper  or  the  sharpened  inflection  of 
a  person's  voice  send  ticklish  roots  down  to  the  sub- 
soil of  a  customer's  anxiety,  is  a  wondrous,  invariable 
accomplishment.  And  the  mental  anguish  he  can  there- 
by create,  apparently  in  the  minds  of  his  characters  but 
actually  in  the  psyche  of  you,  is  of  championship  pro* 
portions  and  a  sheer  delight. ' ' 


4 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Friday,  January  15,  1943 


'Random'  Does 
$77,800  as  L.  A. 
Grosses  Soar 


Los  Angeles,  Jan.  14.— "Random 
Harvest,"  in  four  simultaneous  en- 
gagements at  the  Carthay  Circle,  Chi- 
nese Loew's  State  and  Kitz  grossed  a 
startling  $77,800-  All  first  run  busi- 
ness was  exceptionally  strong,  aided 
materially  by  New  Year's  Eve  busi- 
ness. "Now,  Voyager"  grossed  a  total 
of  $45,800  in  simultaneous  runs  at 
Warners'  Hollywood,  Downtown  and 
Wiltern.  "Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon 
did  approximately  $33,000  at  the  Hill- 
street  and  Pantages. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  6: 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

CARTHAY  CIRCLE-(1,513)  (33c-44c- 
55c-75c),  7  days.  Gross:  $14,500.  (Aver- 
age, $10,000.) 

•Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

CHINESE-(2,500)  (33c-44c-55c-75c),  7 
days.  Gross:  $20,000.  (Average,  $12,000.) 
"Jacare"  (U.  A.)  .  . 

"Dudes  Are  Pretty  People     (U.  A.) 

HAWAII-(UOO)  (33?:44<;-S5c-75c) 
2nd  week.   Gross:  $3,600.   (Average,  $3,500.) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO)   2d  wk. 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.) 

HILLSTREET-  (2,700)  ,  P^-^'Sft 
7  days.  Gross:  $17,500.  (Average,  $6,500.) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STATE-(2,500)  (33c-44c-55c-75c 
7  days.  Gross:  $28,500.  (Average,  $14,000.) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO)  2nd  wk. 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.) 

PANTAGES    (3,000)    (33c-44c-55c-75c),  7 
days.     Gross:  $14,300.     (Average,  $7,000.) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Hollywood)— (1,407)  (33c- 
44c-5Sc-75c).  7  days,  2nd  wk.    Gross:  $13,500. 
(Average,  $9,400.) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Downtown)-(3,595)  (33c- 
44c-S5c-75c),  7  days,  2nd  wk.)   Gross:  $19,500. 
(Average,  $18,000.) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

RITZ— (1,376)    (33c-44c-65c-85c),    7  days. 
Gross:    $14,800.  (Average,  ) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER    BROS.     (Hollywood)— (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c),  7  days,  2nd  wk.  Gross: 
$14,330.  (Average,  $14,000.) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER     BROS.     (Downtown)— (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c),  7  days,  2nd  wk.  Gross: 
$18,030.     (Average,  $12,000.) 
"Now,  Volager"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (Wiltern)-(2,200)  (33c- 
44c-55c-6Sc-85c),  7  days,  2nd  wk.  Gross: 
$13,440.    (Average,  .) 

'Morocco's'  $12,500 
Keeps  Toronto  Lead 

Toronto,  Jan.  14— "Road  to  Mo- 
rocco" was  still  the  big  draw  of  the 
town  for  its  second  week  at  the  Im- 
perial Theatre  with  a  take  of  $12,500. 
At  Shea's  Theatre  "The  Major  and  the 
Minor"  accounted  for  $10,000  in  its 
second  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  11 : 

"Desperate  Journey"  (W.  B.) 

EGLINTON  — (1.086)    (18c -30c -48c -60c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $4,300.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

IMPERIAL— (3,373)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $12,500.  (Average. 
$9,500) 

"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  —  (2,074)  (18c -30c -42c -60c -78c)  6 
davs.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,500.  (Average. 
$9,500) 

"The  Major  and  the  Minor"  (Para.) 

SHEA'S  —  (2,480)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-9Oc)  6 
days.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $10,000.  (Average. 
$10,000) 

"The  Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

TIVOLI  — (1,434)     (18c-30c-48c)    6  days. 
Gross:  54,500.    (Average,  $4,200) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

UPTOWN— (2,761)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
davs.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Average. 
$8,500) 


Review 


"Silver  Skates" 

{Monogram) 

Hollyivood,  Jan.  14 

\XT  ITH  release  of  this  musical  comedy  on  skates  the  House  of  Mono- 
*  »  gram  breaks  new  and  higher  ground  in  the  field  of  entertainment. 
That  is  a  matter  which  exhibitors,  not  customers,  are  to  be  concerned 
with.  The  matter  which  the  customers  are  to  be  concerned  with  is  the 
76  minutes  of  rounded,  blended  and  polished  entertainment  which  the 
picture  holds  for  each  and  every  one  of  them  wherever  and  however  they 
live. 

From  the  skating  domain  the  film  has  recruited  Belita,  who  does 
things  on  blades  that  ballerinas  do  on  their  own  pinning;  Frick  and 
Frack,  comedians,  who  do  on  ice  some  things  which  no  comedians  ever 
tried  to  do  on  a  stage;  Irene  Dare  and  Danny  Shaw,  juniors  who 
measure  up  to  these,  and  a  skating  chorus  which  asks  no  favors  in  com- 
parison with  rivals. 

From  radio  the  film  has  recruited  Kenny  Baker,  who  sings  in  peak 
form,  and  from  musicland  it  has  brought  Ted  Fio  Rita  and  his  orches- 
tra. To  these  the  songwriting  team  of  David  Oppenheim  and  Roy  In- 
graham  has  given  six  numbers  that  please  the  ear  and  linger  in  memory, 
Oppenheim  and  Archie  Gottler  furnishing  a  seventh  which  does  like- 
wise. Patricia  Morrison,  Joyce  Compton,  Frank  Paylen,  Paul  McVey, 
Ruth  Lee,  John  Maxwell  and  Henry  Wadsworth  are  the  film  players 
present,  all  members  of  the  cast,  from  all  sources,  performing  skillfully 
the  script  by  Jerry  Cady  which  ties  the  proceedings  together. 

Production  by  Lindsley  Parsons,  supervised  by  William  D.  Shapiro, 
and  direction  by  Leslie  Goodwins  combine  to  effect  a  singleness  of  whole 
which  makes  the  most  of  the  constituent  factors  without  penalizing  any 
of  them  in  behalf  of  the  others.  Dave  Gould's  direction  of  the  produc- 
tion numbers  is  a  final  touch  of  proficiency. 

It's  for  any  and  all  theatres,  at  any  and  all  times,  and  all  good. 

Running-  time,  76  minutes.  "G."* 

Roscoe  Williams 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Seattle  Goes  Big 
For  '  Gal,'  $21,400 


Seattle,  Jan.  14. — The  new  year 
started  off  in  strong  style  locally,  with 
"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  playing  the 
Fifth  Avenue  and  Music  Hall  for  a 
total  gross  of  $21,400.  "The  Black 
Swan"  at  the  Paramount  and  "George 
Washington  Slept  Here"  at  the  Or- 
pheum  were  also  well  over  par,  as 
were  the  usual  holdover  attractions. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  8: 

White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 
"Seven  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M) 

BLUE  MOUSE— (950)   (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.    Moved  from  Fifth  Avenue. 
Gross:  $5,100.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 
"Omaha  Trail"  (M-G-M) 

FIFTH  AVENUE— (2,500)  (40c-50c-65c- 
80c)  7  days.  Gross:  $12,600.  (Average, 
$9,000) 

"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.A) 
"The  Devil  With  Hitler"  (U.A) 

LIBERTY— (1,800)  (40c -50c -65c -80c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $7,350.  (Average, 
$7,500) 

'Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

MUSIC    BOX— (950)    (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.     Moved  from  Paramount. 
Gross:  $5,400.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"For  Me  and  Mv  Gal"  (M-G-M) 
"The   Falcon's  Brother"  (RKO) 

MUSIC  HALL— (2,275)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $8,800.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"George  Washington  Sleot  Here"  (W.B.) 
"Eyes  of  the  Underworld"  (Univ.) 

ORPHEUM— (2,450)     (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $11,900.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Icecapades   Revue"  (Rep.) 

PALOMAR— (1.500)      (30c -42c -58c -70c)  7 
days.    Stage:  Vaudeville  and  Holiday  Re- 
vue.   Gross:  $8,350.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT— (3.050)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $11,400.    (Average,  $9,000) 


Hitchcock  Due  Sunday 

Alfred  Hitchcock  will  arrive  from 
the  Coast  Sunday  and  will  be  a  guest 
on  the  Fred  Allen  program  Sunday 
night. 


Business  Up  in  All 
New  Haven  Houses 


New  Haven,  Jan.  14. — New  Year's 
Eve  midnight  shows  aided  Loew-Poli 
to  a  record  smashing  week,  as  busi- 
ness everywhere  else  was  excellent. 
The  second  week  of  "Black  Swan" 
dualled  with  a  new  co-feature,  "Laugh 
Your  Blues'  Away"  took  $5,000. 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  and  "The  Mc- 
Guerins  from  Brooklyn"  took  $12,300 
at  the  Loew-Poli,  up  by  $3,300,  and 
moved  over  to  the  College  for  a  second 
week.  At  the  Paramount,  "Road  to 
Morocco"  and  "Wild  Cat"  took  $8,000, 
over  average  by  $3,000,  while  at  the 
Roger  Sherman  "Once  Upon  a  Hon- 
eymoon" and  "The  Falcon  Takes 
Over"  grossed  $7,500,  over  by  $1,500. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  8: 

"Black  Swan,"  (20th- Fox) 

"Laugh  Your  Blues  Away"  (Col.) 

COLLEGE— (1,627)  (40c-50c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  $2,900) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"The  McGuerins  of  Brooklyn"  (U.A.) 

LOEW-POLI— (3,005)    (40c-50c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $12,300.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"Wild  Cat"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,373)    (40c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:   $8,000.     (Average,  $5,000) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon,"  (RKO) 
"The  Falcon  Takes  Over"  (RKO) 

ROGER  SHERMAN— (2,067)  (40c-50c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $7,500.     (Average,  $6,000) 


Phil  Koury,  K.C.  Star 
Film  Critic,  in  Navy 

Kansas  City,  Jan.  14. — Phil  Kou- 
ry, motion  picture  editor  of  the  Kan- 
sas City  Star,  has  been  commissioned 
a  lieutenant,  junior  grade  in  the  Navy, 
and  has  been  succeeded  by  D.  L.  Hart- 
ley, writer  of  "Starbeams." 


'Morocco'Tops 
InPhila.Boom, 
Heavy  $50,500 


Philadelphia,  Jan.  14. — Aided  by 
heavy  New  Year's  Eve  and  week-end 
patronage,  grosses  boomed  to  new 
holiday  highs.  The  "Ice  Follies"  at 
the  Arena  provided  little  competitioi^^ 
to  the  first-run  houses  in  view  of  th~ 
increased  spending.  "Road  to  Moroc- 
co" led  the  local  field,  drawing  $46,000 
at  the  Stanley  and  an  additional  $4,500 
at  the  Earle  on  Sunday  for  a  total  of 
$50,500.  "Stand  By  For  Action" 
opened  to  a  banner  $31,000  at  the  Fox 
with  all  other  houses  reporting  boom 
business. 

Estimated   receipts    for   the  week 
ended  Jan.  5-8: 

"The  Moon  and  Sixpence"  (U.A.) 
ALDINE— (900)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 

days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $14,800.  (Average, 
$9,000) 

"Whtie  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 

ARCADIA— (600)  (35c-46c-57c-68c)  7  days, 
2nd  run.  Gross:  $4,600.  (Average,  $2,800) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (Ztoh-Fox) 

BOYD— (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $27,500.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Ice-Capades  Revue"  (Rep.)  (6  days) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.)  (1  day) 

EARLE— (3,000)  (46c-57c-75c)  6  days  of 
vaudeville,  including  Ina  Ray  Hutton's! 
orchestra,  Marion  Hutton  and  the  Modern- 
aires  with  Johnny  Drake,  Jack  Durant  and 
Ben  Beri.  Gross:  $31,000.  (Average,  $18,- 
000) 

"Army  Surgeon"  (RKO) 

FAY'S— (2,190)  (29c-35c-46c-57c)  7  days 
of  vaudeville  including  Tiny  Bradshaw's 
orchestra,  Lil  Green,  The  Kit  Kats  and 
The  Sheldons.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average, 
$6,000) 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

FOX — (3,000)     (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $31,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"You  Were  Never  Lovelier"  (Col.) 

KARLTON— (1,000)  (35c-41c-46c-S7c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Aver- 
age, $3,500) 

"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 

KEITH'S— (2,200)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c) 
7  days,  2nd  run,  2nd  week.     Gross:  $10,- 
000.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

MASTBAUM— (4,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $25,000 
"Read  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

STANLEY  —  (3,700)  (35c-41c-4oc-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $46,000.  (Average,  $14,- 
000) 

"The  Navy  Comes  Through"  (RKO) 

STANTON— (1,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $8,900.  (Av- 
erage, $6,500) 


'Morocco'  at  $8,750 
Tops  Oklahoma  City 

Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  14. — "The 
Road  to  Morocco"  took  this  town  by 
storm  last  week,  grossing  $8,750,  and 
was  held  over  for  a  second  week  at  the 
Criterion,  a  rare  happening  here. 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  also  rang  the 
bell  with  $7,100.  The  weather  was 
excellent. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  7: 

"The  Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

CRITERION— (1,500)  (20c-25c-40c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $8,750.    (Average,  $5,250) 
"City  of  Silent  Men"  (PRC) 
"Pierre  of  the  Plains"  (M-G-M) 

FOLLY— (600)  (18c)  7  days.  Gross:  $700. 
(Average,  $750) 

"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.) 
"Home  in  Wyoming"  (Rep.) 

LIBERTY—  (1,200)      (20c-25c)      7  days. 
Gross:   $2,500.     (Average,  $2,500) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

MIDWEST— (1,500)    (20c-25c-40c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $7,100.    (Average.  $5,750) 
"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 
"Scattergood  Survives  a  Murder"  (RKO) 

STATE— (1,100)  (25c-40c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$3,800.     (Average.  $3,800) 
"The  Major  and  the  Minor"  (Para.) 

TOWER— (1,000)  (20c-25c-40c)  7  days. 
Moveover  from  Criterion.  Gross:  $2,000. 
(Average,  $1,750) 


N.  Y.  HERALD  TRIBUNE  SAYS  THIS 
ABOUT  ALFRED  HITCHCOCK'S  . 


" Alfred  Hitchcock  has  reverted  to  a  straight  melo- 
dramatic technique  in  'Shadow  of  a  Doubt.'  What 
he  is  concerned  with  is  murder,  violence  and  suspense. 
Since  the  great  English  director  is  a  past  master  at 
mixing  these  ingredients,  the  Rivoli  offering  is  a  tense- 
ly exciting  show.  Since  the  company  has  been  bril- 
liantly selected  and  subordinates  its  acting  to  the  main 
business  of  a  curious  horror  tale,  it  is  an  altogether 
superior  motion  picture. 

f  ' f  Shadow  of  a  Doubt'  is  a  sinister  and  striking  thriller. ' ' 


A  SKIRBALL  PRODUCTION 
Produced  by  Jack  H.  Skirball 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  January  15,  1943 


Times  Square  Rally 
Opens  Theatre  Week 
For  United  Nations 


Report  Ickes  May  Cut  Off 
Oil  Supply  from  Theatres 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
formed  by  six  Czechoslovakian  school 
children.  Harry  Singer  of  WHN 
spoke  on  the  importance  of  United 
Nations  Week  as  a  tribute  to  the 
fighting  allied  nations  who  have  felt 
the  destructive  force  of  the  Axis  pow- 
ers and  are  now  united  in  their  battle 
against  fascism. 

Singers  representing  the  United  Na- 
tions sang  their  respective  national 
anthems.  The  orchestras  of  Harry 
Silvers  and  Don  Albert  alternated 
during  the  program.  The  five  final- 
ists in  the  "Miss  United  Nations' 
beauty  contest"  were  presented. 

Similar  demonstrations  were  held  in 
the  other  boroughs  of  New  York. 


Week's  Program 
Set  in  Washington 

Washington,  Jan.  14. — United  Na- 
tions Week  started  here  today  with  a 
full  week's  program  of  events  sched- 
uled under  the  co-chairmanship  of 
John  J.  Payette  and  Carter  Barron, 
directors  of  the  local  War  Activities 
Commitee,  working  under  A.  Julian 
Brylawski,  chairman  of  the  field  com- 
mittee and  Frank  LaFalce,  area  direc- 
tor of  publicity. 

The  District  Commissioners  pro- 
claimed "United  Nations  Week."  The 
board  of  education  will  cooperate  with 
theatres  in  holding  a  "school  parade 
of  pennies,"  in  which  school  children 
will  participate. 

In  addition  to  special  screenings,  a 
"United  Nations"  medley  of  songs 
will  be  presented  at  the  Earle  and 
Capitol  theatres  during  the  week. 
Fifty  posters  from  the  United  Nations 
have  been  placed  on  display  in  the 
Capitol  Theatre  lobby. 


Washington  State 
Exhibitors  in  Drive 

Seattle,  Jan.  14.  —  Seventy-five 
Washington  exhibitors  at  a  meeting 
here  heard  Bob  White,  co-chairman 
for  the  Western  division  of  the  United 
Nations  drive,  explain  plans  for  the 
campaign,  and  then  named  Frank  L. 
Newman,  Sr.,  as  state  chairman  with 
John  Hamrick  and  Herbert  Sabottka, 
of  the  Hamrick-Evergreen  theatres,  as 
co-chairman  for  the  Seattle  and  King 
county  areas. 

Hays  and  Benny  on 
Lombard  Memorial 

Indianapolis,-  Janj.  14. — Will  H. 
Hays  and  Jack  Benny  will  be  fea- 
tured on  a  broadcast  honoring  Indi- 
ana's war  dead  as  a  highlight  of  the 
Carole  Lombard  Memorial  dinner  to- 
morrow night  in  the  Claypool  Hotel 
here.  The  dinner  will  mark  the  anni- 
versary of  the  nation's  first  war  bond 
rally.  Hays  will  be  heard  from  Hol- 
lywood and  Benny  from  New  York. 

Chicago  Houses  Give 
Operators  5%  Raise 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
centage  of  wage  increase  the  principal 
point  at  issue.  The  projectionists 
were  demanding  a  flat  five  per  cent  in- 
crease annually  and  the  exhibitor  rep- 
resentatives had  countered  with  an 
offer  of  a  two  and  one-half  per  cent 
increase  per  year. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

tration  for  War  cancels  the  preferen- 
tial list  of  fuel  oil  consumers  which 
has  operated  heretofore  and  places  all 
civilian  users  on  the  same  basis,  which 
is  first-come-first-served. 

The  effect  of  the  amended  order  is 
to  place  theatres  and  other  public 
places  of  amusement  on  the  same  pur- 
chasing plane  for  whatever  fuel  oil 
is  available  as  private  homes,  apart- 
ment houses,  hospitals  and  essential 
public  services  for  the  time  being. 
However,  the  amended  order  is  mere- 
ly a  prelude  to  the  issuance  of  a  new 
priority  directive  which  is  expected  to 
be  issued  within  the  next  few  days 
and  under  which  amusement  places 
are  expected  to  be  given  a  secondary 
position  in  fuel  oil  purchases. 

Further  reports  from  the  field  on 
the  effects  of  the  gasoline  and  fuel 
oil  situation  follow : 

May  Aid  Phila. 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  14. — Since  war 
industry  payrolls  has  bettered 
the  financial  circumstances  of  movie- 
goers here,  there  has  been  an  in- 
creasing tendency  on  the  part  of  the 
public  to  frequent  the  central  city 
theatrical  district.  With  the  ban  on 
pleasure  driving,  the  feeling  is  that  the 
neighborhood  house  will  take  on  added 
importance.  It  is  agreed  that  there 
will  hardly  be  any  tendency  on  the 
part  of  the  public  to  remain  at  home 
just  because  they  are  unable  to  drive 
their  cars  downtown. 

Of  the  115  independent  houses, 
it  is  estimated  that  between  80 
and  90  per  cent  are  oil  heated, 
and  only  a  small  percentage  of 
these  are  able  to  convert  to  coal. 
A  large  number  eliminated 
week-day  matinees  last  month. 
It  is  expected  that  many  more 
houses  will  follow  the  neighbor- 
hood trend  here  and  close  down 
part  time,  while  others  will 
close  all  day  Mondays.  It  is 
figured  that  the  added  evening 
patronage  because  of  the  ban 
on  pleasure  driving  will  make 
up  for  any  losses  in  matinee 
business,  which  has  been  in- 
creasingly on  the  down-grade 
at  the  neighborhood  houses 
here. 

Reports  from  Reading  and  Allen- 
town  in  upstate  Pennsylvania  state 
that  there  has  been  no  appreciable 
drop  of  attendance  because  of  the  ban 
on  pleasure  driving.  Exhibitors  re- 
port that  the  movie-goers  are  respond- 
ing to  the  order  by  using  public  trans- 
portation and  by  walking. 


Rules  for  Patrons 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  14. — Fred  Chap- 
man, mayor  of  Somers  Point  in  South- 
ern New  Jersey,  has  ruled  that  rural 
residents  who  drive  into  town  to  shop 
or  to  attend  church  services  and  re- 
main to  attend  theatres  are  not  violat- 
ing the  ban  on  pleasure  driving.  Town 
police  have  been  instructed  not  to  in- 
terefere  with  such  theatre  patrons. 

The  town  ruling  is  in  accord  with 
that  given  by  the  office  of  Price  Ad- 
ministration in  Washington  on  Tues- 
day in  response  to  a  request  by  Mo- 
tion Picture  Daily.  The  OPA  rul- 
ing was  that  theatre  attendance  by 
rural  residents  while  in  town  for  es- 
sential shopping  or  to  attend  religious 


services  is  in  order  providing  it  does 
not  entail  consumption  of  any  addi- 
tional gasoline. 


Serious  Upstate 

Albany,  Jan.  14. — An  estimated  25 
theatres  out  of  220  in  this  territory 
are  considering  curtailed  operating 
hours  or  complete  closing  due  to  the 
fuel  oil  and  gasoline  rationing  situa- 
tions. 

In  upstate  New  York,  at  least,  ap- 
proximately 40  per  cent  of  small  town 
theatre  business  is  attracted  from  out- 
side town  or  village  limits.  This  busi- 
ness, as  well  as  some  within  the  towns 
proper,  has  always  come  in  automo- 
biles and  had  been  pretty  well  pooled 
the  past  two  months.  Continuation  of 
the  ban  on  pleasure  driving  will  sound 
the  death  knell  for  some  small  thea- 
tres. 

Several  Smalley  Circuit  theatres 
here  dropped  matinees,  excepting  Sat- 
urdays and  Sundays.  Keene  Valley 
School  Board,  which  operates  the 
theatre  there,  has  notified  exchanges 
that  it  expects  to  close.  Sid  Dwore's 
Cameo,  Schenectady,  has  closed  Mon- 
days and  Tuesdays  to  conserve  fuel 
oil. 

Chris  Buckley's  General  Stark, 
Bennington,  Vermont,  has  stopped 
matinees.  Frank  Weating,  Park, 
Cobleskill,  is  considering  closing  ex- 
cept Saturdays  and  Sundays,  while 
the  New  Theatre,  Hoosick  Ealls,  may 
close  after  this  week-end.  The  Indian 
Lake,  operated  by  Charlie  Wilson,  has 
closed,  due  to  the  gas  rationing  situa- 
tion, while  Schine's  Plaza,  Malone, 
has  been  closed. 

Film  salesmen  have  been  consolidat- 
ing calls  on  the  far-distant  exhibitors 
by  selling  more  than  one  block  at  a 
time  when  possible.  Since  virtually 
no  exhibitors  have  been  attending  the 
screenings  for  months  due  to  gas  ra- 
tioning, territorial  calls  have  neces- 
sarily had  to  be  made  with  each  block 
to  date. 


Pitt.  Area  Unaffected 

Pittsburgh,  Jan.  14. — No  fuel  oil 
shortage  confronts  exhibitors  in  this 
area  and  there  is  little  prospect  of 
forced  changes  in  operating  hours  re- 
sulting hereabouts  for  that  reason. 

Business  held  up  pretty  well  after 
the  ban  on  pleasure  driving,  but 
theatre  men  hope  to  meet  with  trans- 
portation men  later  this  week  to  dis- 
cuss better  bus  and  street  car  service 
on  Sundays.  There  is  a  possibility 
of  shifting  closing  time  so  that  au- 
dience would  be  out  by  11  :30  at  night, 
to  catch  midnight  bus  or  car.  Sub- 
urban matinee  business  has  held  up 
well,  and  there  has  been  no  suggestion 
for  closing. 

Exchange  salesmen,  in  some  in- 
stances, are  offering  more  than  one 
block  of  five  on  rural  calls,  when  there 
is  more  than  one  available,  but  the 
practice  is  not  general. 


Coal  Storage  Problem 

New  Haven,  Jan.  14. — Neighbor- 
hood theatres  are  experiencing  diffi- 
culty with  the  construction  of  storage 
space  for  coal  and  facilities  for  the 
removal  of  ashes. 

Among  the  houses  alreadv  converted 
in  the  state  are  Warner's  Capitol,  An- 
sonia,  Empress  and  Palace,  Danbury ; 
Commodore  Hull,  Derby :  Palace, 
Norwich ;    Palace,    South    Norwalk ; 


Palace,  Torrington;  Warner,  Torring- 
Lon ;  Capitol,  Willimantic ;  Cameo, 
Bristol;  Central,  Colonial  and  Lenox, 
Hartford ;  Capitol,  New  Britain ; 
State,  Waterbury ;  Waldorf  and 
Warner,  Lynn ;  all  15  Loew-Poli 
hou- es ;  the  Black  Rock,  Bridgeport; 
Middlesex,  Middletown ;  Webb,  Weth- 
ersfield ;  Rivoli,  West  Haven ;  Lyric, 
New   Haven ;   Community,  Fairfield. 

In  process  of  conversion  are  War- 
ner's Garde,  New  London;  Gem,  Wil- 
limantic ;  Merritt,  Bridgeport ;  War- 
ner, Bridgeport ;  Regal,  Hartford ; 
Embassy  and  Strand,  New  Britain; 
Fishman's  Dixwell  Playhouse,  New 
Haven. 


Balto.  Off  10  to  20% 

Baltimore,  Jan.  14. — Theatre  at- 
tendance at  first  runs  here  has  dropped 
10  to  20  per  cent  since  the  ban  on 
pleasure  driving  went  into  effect,  the- 
atre operators  estimate. 

William  K.  Saxton,  Loew's  city 
manager,  predicts,  however,  that  the 
decrease  will  be  overcome  as  soon  as 
the  former  "driving  public"  becomes 
accustomed  to  using  public  transporta- 
tion to  theatres.  Neighborhood  at- 
tendance has  not  been  affected  ma- 
terially. 


Bus  Traffic  Quadrupled 

Northampton,  Mass.,  Jan.  14. — 
Local  transportation  facilities  were 
quadruple  to  handle  theatre  patrons 
forced  to  put  up  their  cars  after  the 
pleasure  driving  ban. 

The  Holyoke  Street  Railway,  which 
operates  the  local  traction  lines,  re- 
ported that  where  one  bus  on  every 
line  had  been  sufficient  heretofore  to 
handle  theatre  passengers  it  has  been 
necessary  since  the  ban  to  put  four 
buses  on  every  line. 


No  Effect  in  Buffalo 

Buffalo,  Jan.  14. — No  theatres 
have  closed  or  intend  to  close  in  this 
territory  as  a  result  of  the  gasoline 
and  oil  situation,  according  to  exhib- 
itors. Neither  has  the  situation  caused 
any  change  in  operating  hours,  it  was 
said. 


Police  Ban  Nudity 
In  N.Y.  Night  Clubs 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

with  her  breasts  or  the  lower  part  of 
her  torso  uncovered,  or  so  thinly  cov- 
ered or  draped  as  to  appear  uncov- 
ered. 

"No  obscene  or  indecent  language 
or  conduct,  offensive  to  decency  or 
propriety,  shall  be  indulged  in  by  the 
entertainers  or  other  participants  in 
any  scene,  sketch  or  act. 

"For  the  duration  of  the  war  the 
taking  of  a  photograph  of  a  patron 
or  patrons,  guest  or  guests,  is  pro- 
hibited. This  regulation  shall  not  ap- 
ply to  the  taking  of  a  photograph  by  a 
duly  accredited  member  of  the  press." 

Enforcement  of  the  order  will  be 
delayed,  however,  by  an  injunction 
suit  against  the  photo  ban  filed  by 
Attorney  Moses  Polakoff  on  behalf 
of  Richards  and  Hanson  Enterprises, 
Inc.  That  firm  has  the  camera  con- 
cession in  five  midtown  night  spots. 
The  injunction  suit  will  be  heard  in 
Supreme  Court  Jan.  22. 


Short  on  Wallace  Speech 

Hollywood,  Jan.  14. — M-G-M  an- 
nounced that  Carey  Wilson  would 
produce  a  short  for  its  miniature 
series  based  on  Vice-President  Hen- 
ry Wallace's  recent  speech  concerning 
post-war  aims. 


N.Y.  DAILY  NEWS  SAYS  THIS  ABOUT 
ALFRED  HITCHCOCK'S 


l  • 


"There  is  no  doubt  about  it,  Alfred  Hitchcock  is  the 
master  of  all  film  directors  who  try  to  produce  and 
sustain  a  suspenseful  mood  upon  the  screen.  He  has 
succeeded  admirably  in  conjuring  suspicion,  fear  and 
horror  in  mounting  intensity  throughout  '  Shadow  of 
a  Doubt/  which  had  its  first  showing  on  the  Rivoli 
screen  last  night  


A  SKIRBALL  PRODUCTION 
Produced  by  Jack  H.  Skirball 


"The  picture  is  Hitchcock  at  his  best.  It  ranks  with 
fThe  Lady  Vanishes/  although  it  lacks  the  amusing 
threads  of  comedy  that  were  shot  through  the  British- 
made  film,  and  with  *The  39  Steps/  *  Suspicion' 
and  'Rebecca/  It  is,  however,  more  realistic  than 
any  of  these  earlier  thrillers. 


8 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Friday,  January  15,  1943 


Loop  Grosses 
Big; '  Morocco' 
Takes  $60,000 


Chicago,  Jan.  14.— Excellent  busi- 
ness for  the  first  week  end  of  the  new 
year  helped  Chicago  grosses  to  make 
a  good  showing.  Patrons  are  getting 
used  to  using  the  public  transporta- 
tion system  and  a  number  of  good 
shows  brought  out  the  crowds. 

"Road  to  Morocco"  in  its  second 
week  at  the  Chicago  did  $60,000, 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  at  the 
Palace  drew  $24,000  and  "Ice-Capades 
Revue"  at  the  Oriental  received 
$25,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  8th: 

"Seven  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M) 

7  days,  2nd  week  _  ■ 

"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.)  7  days,  2nd  week 

APOLLO — (1,400)  (36c-55c-65c-7Sc).  Gross: 
$8,000.    (Average.  $5,000) 

"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.)  7  days,  2nd  week 

CHICAGO-(4,000)    (36c-55c-75c).  Stage. 
Les    Brown    orchestra.      Gross:  $60,000. 
(Average,  $32,000)  . 
"Springtime  in  the  Rockies  (Z0th-rox) 
2  days,  4th  week  in  loop 
"Undying  Monster"  (Z»th-Fox)  5  days 
"Dr.  Renault's  Secret"  (Zttth-Fox)  5  days 

GARRICK— (1,000)  (36c-55c-65c-75c).  Gross: 
$10,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Ice-Capades  Revue"  (Rep.)  7  days 

ORIENTAL— (3,200)    (27c  -  31c  -  50c  -  59c). 
Gross:  $25,000.    (Average,  $16,000) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO)  7  days 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.)  7  days 

PALACE — (2,500)     (40c -55c -75c).  Gross: 
$24,000.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"George  Washington.  Slept  Here    (W.  B.) 
7  days,  2nd  week 

ROOSEVELT  —  (1,500)  (35c-55c-65c-75c). 
Gross:  $20,000.    (Average,  $11,000) 
"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 
7  days,  2nd  week 

STATE -LAKE  —  (2,700)  (36c-55c-65c-75c). 
Gross:   $32,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Moon  and  Sixpence"  (U.  A.) 
7  days,  2nd  week 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,700)  (36c-55c-65c- 
75c).    Gross:  $20,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 


'Doodle'  Has  Fine 
$17,000  Mpls.  Week 

Minneapolis,  Jan.  14.  —  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy,"  despite  some  sub- 
zero weather,  turned  in  a  $17,000 
gross  for  New  Year's  week,  while 
"Across  the  Pacific,"  coupled  with  a 
stage  show,  netted  $18,000  at  the  Or- 
pheum. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  8: 

"Between  Us  Girls"  (Univ.) 

GOPHER— (998)  (30c)  7  days  (and  New 
Year's  Eve  midnight  show).  Gross:  $3,500. 
(Average,  $3,000) 

"The  Moon  and  Sixpence"  (U.A.) 

WORLD— (350)  (30c-40c-50c-60c)  7  days 
(and  midnight  show),  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$3,350.  (Average,  $2,000) 
"You  Were  Never  Lovelier"  (Col.) 

CENTURY— (1,600)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days 
(and  midnight  show).  Gross,  $7,000.  (Av 
erage,  $5,000) 

"Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

LYRIC— (1,150)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days  (and 
midnight  show),  2nd  week.    Gross:  $4,800. 
(Average,  est.,  $4,000) 
"Across  the  Pacific"  (W.B.) 

ORPHEUM— (2,800)    (30c-44c-55c)   7  days 
(and  midnight  show).    With  Charlie  Barnet 
orchestra,  Nita  Bradley,  Howard  McGhee, 
Frank  &  Jean  Hubert.   Gross:  $18,000.  (Av 
erage,  $7,500) 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

STATE— (2,300)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days  (and 
midnight  show).  Gross:  $17,000.  (Average, 
$8,500) 

"Mug  Town"  (Univ.)  4  days 
"Army  Surgeon"  (RKO)  4  days 
"Halfway  to  Shanghai"  (Univ.)  3  days 
"That  Other  Woman"  (20th-Fox)  3  days 

ASTER— (900)  (20c-30c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$2,500.    (Average,  $2,000) 


Pitt.  Grosses  Hold 
Up  Despite  Curbs; 
'Reunion,' $17,500 


Pittsburgh,  Jan.  14. — With  screen 
fare  consisting  largely  of  hold-overs 
and  second  runs,  and  with  the  clamp- 
down  on  pleasure  driving  arriving  in 
the  middle  of  the  week,  theatres  here 
still  did  better-than-average  business 
for  a  post-holiday  period.  "Reunion 
in  France,"  combined  with  Jan  Sa- 
vitt's  orchestra  and  Hal  LeRoy  on  the 
stage  at  the  Stanley,  led  with  $17,500. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  12-14 : 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

FULTON — (1,700)  (3Oc-40c-55c)  7  days, 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $6,500.  (Average,  $7,500) 
"The  Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

HARRIS— (2,200)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.     Gross:  $8,000.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

PENN— (3,400)      (30c-40c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $15,000.    (Average,  $12,500) 
"The  Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

RITZ— (1,100)    (30c-40c-S5c)    7   days,  3rd 
run.    Gross:  $3,500.    (Average,  $2,500) 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.A.) 

SENATOR— (1,750)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $2,600.  (Average,  $4,500) 
"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 

STANLEY— (3,800)   (30c-44c-55c-65c).  On 
Stage,  6  days  of  vaudeville,  including  Jan 
Savitt's  orchestra,  Hal  LeRoy.  Gross:  $17, 
500.     (Average,  $14,000) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

WARNER— (2,000)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  run.    Gross:  $5,500.     (Average,  $6,000) 


St.  Louis  Improves; 
'Morocco',  $21,500 


St.  Louis,  Jan.  14. — Business  picked 
up  in  St.  Louis  last  week,  with  "Road 
to  Morocco"  scoring  a  sensational 
$21,500  in  its  first  week  at  the  Fox  to 
lead  the  city. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  7: 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.A.) 

LOEWS— (3,126)  (30c-40c-50c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $18,000.    (Average,  $15,000) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"You  Can't  Escape  Forever"  (W.B.) 

AMBASSADOR— (3,134)     (30c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $13,500.     (Average,  $11,500) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

FOX— (5,038)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$21,500.     (Average,  $15,000) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.B.) 
"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 

MISSOURI — (3,514)   (30c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"The  Cat  People"  (RKO) 
"Escape  from  Crime"  (W.B.) 

ST.  LOUIS— (4,000)  (30c-40c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $7,000.     (Average,  $4,400) 


All  Cleve.  Grosses 
Up  in  Big  Week 


Abbott  &  Costello 
Lead  Tulsa,  $9,000 

Tulsa,  Jan.  14.— "Who  Done  It?" 
packed  them  in  at  the  Ritz  all  week  to 
gross  $9,000  and  lead  the  town.  The 
weather  was  good. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  7: 

"Between  Us  Girls"  (Univ.) 

MAJESTIC— (570)      (25c-40c)      7  days. 
Gross:  $2,550.     (Average,  $1,750) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

ORPHEUM— (1,400)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:   $7,750.     (Average,  $6,500) 
"Half  Way  to  Shanghai"  (Univ.) 
"Red  River  Robin  Hood"  (RKO) 

RI ALTO— (1,250)  (20c-40c)  3  days.  Gross: 
$1,250.     (Average,  $1,250) 
"Manila  Calling"  (20th-Fox) 
"The  Boogie  Man  Will  Get  You"  (Col.) 

RIALTO-0,250)  (20c-40c)  4  days.  Gross: 
$1,750.    (Average,  $1,750) 
"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 

RITZ-(2,000)  (25c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:    $9,000.     (Average,  $6,750) 


Cleveland,  Jan.  14. — "Road  to  Mo- 
rocco" led  here  again  in  another  pros- 
perous week,  earning  an  unusually 
high  $14,000  in  a  second  week  at 
Loew's  Stillman.  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy"  returned  to  Warners'  Hippo- 
drome, drawing  an  excellent  $20,000, 
and  "Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  at- 
tracted $8,000  in  a  second  week  at  the 
Allen. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  7-8 : 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

ALLEN— (3,000)  (35c-40c-50c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

WARNERS'     HIPPODROME  —  (3,800) 
(35c-40c-50c)  7  days.     Gross:  $20,000.  (Av- 
erage, $12,000) 
"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 

WARNERS'  Lake— (900)  (35c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $2,700.  (Average, 
$1,500) 

"Flying  Fortress"  (W.  B.) 

RKO  PALACE—  (3,100)  (40c-50c-65c)  Hal 
Mclntyre's  Orchestra,  Mary  Small  on  stage, 
7  days.  Gross:  $19,000  (Average,  $17,500) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (3,500)   (35c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $19,500.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

LOEW'S  STILLMAN— (1,900)  (35c-40c- 
50c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $14,000.  (Av- 
erage, $6,000) 


K.C.  Grosses  Good; 
'Stand  By',  $16,000 


Kansas  City,  Jan.  14. — With  sev- 
eral theatres  running  extra  shows 
New  Year's  Eve,  theatres  totaled 
the  highest  first-run  grosses  regis- 
tered here  in  many  months.  Top  gross 
was  at  the  Midland  where  "Stand  By 
for  Action"  and  "The  McGuerin's 
from  Brooklyn"  rang  up  a  neat  $16,- 
000.  A  dual  bill  at  the  Orpheum, 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  and 
"Street  of  Chance"  totaled  more  than 
$12,000  and  was  held  for  a  third  week. 

Estimated  reecipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  6-7: 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

ESQUIRE  —  (800)     (35c-50c)     7'A  days. 
Gross:  $8,500.     (Average,  7V2  davs,  $3,250) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"The   McGuerins   from   Brooklyn"  (U.A.) 

MIDLAND— (3,600)      (35c-60c)     7  days. 
Gross:   $16,000.     (Average,  $10,000) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

NEWMAN— (1,900)    (35c-50c)    7y2  days. 
Gross:  $10,000.    (Average,  7lA  days.  Gross: 
$10,000.    (Average,  754  days,  $8,000) 
""Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

ORPHEUM — (1,900)  (35c -50c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.     Gross:  $12,500.    Average,  $6,000) 
"Sin  Town"  (Univ.) 
"Just  Off  Broadway"  (ZOth-Fox) 

TOWER— (2,200)    (35c)    7    days.  Stage 
show.    Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $6,500) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

UPTOWN— (2,000)  (35c-50c)  7V2  days. 
Gross:  $8,500.    (Average,  7l/2  days,  $5,000) 


Jack  Dietz  Pleads 
Guilty  to  Charges 

Jack  Dietz,  former  producer  of  mo- 
tion pictures  of  championship  prize 
fights,  pleaded  guilty  yesterday  in 
District  Court  to  an  indictment  alleg- 
ing evasion  of  income  tax  payments 
in  1936  and  1937.  and  will  be  sentenced 
on  Jan.  26  by  Judge  William  Bondy. 

Dietz,  according  to  the  indictment, 
derived  an  income  of  more  than  $300,- 
000  during  those  two  years  from  the 
illegal  distribution  of  fight  pictures 
in  interstate  commerce  and  failed  to 
declare  these  earnings.  The  govern- 
ment contends  that  he  owes  a  total  of 
$200,237  in  income  tax  payments. 


Buffalo  Cars 
Halt,  Theatres' 
Grosses  Soar 


Buffalo,  Jan.  14.  —  The  pleasure- 
driving  ban  had  no  effect  on  business 
here.  All  downtown  houses  had  one 
of  their  best  weeks  in  many  months. 
Precedent  was  established 
but  two  houses  more  than  dout 
their  averages.  Leader  was  "The 
Black  Swan"  at  the  Great  Lakes  with 
$23,800.  "Seven  Days  Leave"  made 
$20,000  at  the  Twentieth  Century  and 
"Arabian  Nights"  was  a  smash  hit  at 
the  Lafayette  with  $17,000.  "Stand  By 
for  Action"  was  just  short  of  the 
$20,000  mark  at  the  Buffalo. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  9: 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

"The   McGuerins   from   Brooklyn"  (U.A.) 

BUFFALO  —  (3,489)   (35c-5Sc)  7  days. 
Gross:  $19,900.    (Average,  $15,000) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (2»th-Fox) 

GREAT  LAKES— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $23,800.    (Average,  $10,800) 
"The  Forest  Rangersi"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  (Para.) 

HIPPODROME— (2,100)  (35c-50c)  7  days, 
2nd  week  downtown.  Gross:  $9,700.  (Av- 
erage, $8,500) 

"Seven  Days'  Leave"  (RKO) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 

TWENTIETH  CENTURY— (3,000)  (35c- 
S5c)  7  days.  Gross:  $20,000.  (Average,  $8,- 
500) 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"You're  Telling  Me"  (Univ.) 

LAFAYETTE— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $17,000.     (Average,  $8,000) 


'Doodle'  at  $11,000 
Smash  in  Cincinnati 


Cincinnati,  Jan.  14.  —  The  New 
Year  got  off  to  a  flying  start,  with 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  doubling  the 
RKO  Capitol  average  for  a  $11,000 
second  week  gross,  while  "Once  Upon 
a  Honevmoon"  brought  the  RKO 
Albee  $15,000.  "The  Road  to  Mo- 
rocco" collected  $9,000  at  Keith's,  up 
$4,000  over  average,  and  "Stand  By 
for  Action"  grossed  $11,000  at  the 
RKO  Palace.  "Jacare"  dualed  with 
"The  Devil  with  Hitler"  brought 
$6,000  to  the  RKO  Shubert. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  6-9: 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

RKO  ALBEE— (3,300)  (33c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $15,000.     (Average,  $12,000) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

RKO  PALACE — (2,700)    (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $11,000.    (Average,  $10,000) 
"Jacare"  (U.  A.) 
"The  Devil  With  Hitler"  (U.  A) 

RKO  SHUBERT— (2,150)    (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $5,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

RKO  CAPITOL—  (2,000)  (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average, 
$5,500) 

"The  Silver  Queen"  (U.  A.) 

RKO    GRAND^(1,500)     (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $5,000.     (Average,  $5,000) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 
"The  Undying  Monster"  (20th-Fox) 

RKO  LYRIC—  (1,400)  (28c-33c-42c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $4,500.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"Rhythm  Parade"  (Mono.) 
"Traitor  Within"  (Rep.) 

RKO  FAMILY—  (1,000)  (20c-30c)  4  days. 
Gross:  $1,350.    (Average,  $1,200) 
"Enemy  Agents  Meet  EUery  Queen"  (Col.) 
"The  Daring  Young  Man"  (Col.) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)  (20c-30c),  3  days. 
Gross:  $950.     (Average,  $800) 
"The  Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

KEITH'S— (1,500)  (33c-40c-50c)  7  days.  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $5,000) 


SKIRBALL  PRODUCTION 
oduced  by  Jack  H.  Skirball 


THE  NEW  YORK  PAPERS  WERE 
UNANIMOUS  IN  THEIR  RAVES... 


When  Alfred  Hitchcock  is  right,  nothing  else  on  the  screen  can  come 
close  to  the  excitement  and  suspense  he  gets  into  a  completely  en- 
grossing mystery  story.  And,  boy,  how  right  he  is  in  'Shadow  of  a 
Doubt'!"  —  NEW  YORK  WORLD  TELEGRAM 


". . .  one  of  the  season's  entertainment  aces.  I  strongly  advise  you  to 
see  this  film."  — NEW  YORK  DAILY  MIRROR 


in 


Shadow  of  a  Doubt'  is  guaranteed  to  send  the  chills  racing  up  and 
down  any  spine  . . .  The  picture  is  well  worth  seeing." 

—NEW  YORK  SUN 

"This  is  a  Hitchcock  movie  in  the  old  hypnotic  manner,  with  action, 
lighting,  and  music  building  up  to  an  overpowering  climax  of  terror." 

— PM 

".  .  .  suspenseful  and  intriguing  .  .  .  sufficiently  good  to  warrant  your 
seeing  and  enjoying  it."  —NEW  YORK  JOURNAL  AMERICAN 

"It  goes  without  saying  you  will  want  to  see  this  picture  ...  it  lives 
and  excites  in  its  moments."  —NEW  YORK  POST 


TERRIFIC  RAVES  ABOUT  A  TERRIFIC  PICTURE 
NOW  PLAYING  TO  RECORD-BREAKING  BUSI- 
NE55  AT  THE  RIVOLI  THEATRE  IN  NEW  YORK! 


WARNERS 

Varsity  Show 

(reissue) 
(M) 
Fred  Waring 
Dick  Powell 

Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy  (M) 

James  Cagney 

The  Gorilla 
Man  (D) 

John  Loder 
Ruth  Ford 

Casablanca  (D) 

Humphrey 
Bogart 
Ingrid  Bergman 

Truck  Busters 
(D) 

Richard  Travis 
Ruth  Ford 

The  Hard  Way 
(D) 

Ida  Lupino 
Joan  Leslie 
Dennis  Morgan 

UNIVERSAL 

The  Great 

Impersonation 
(D) 

Ralph  Bellamy 
Evelyn  Ankers 

Arabian  Nights 

.(D) 
Maria  Montez 

Sabu 
(Technicolor) 

When  Johnny 
Comes 
Marching 
Home  (M) 

Allan  Jones 

Eyes  of  the 
Underworld  (D) 

Richard  Dix 
Wendy  Barrie 

Shadow  of  a 
Doubt  (D) 

Theresa  Wright 
Joseph  Cotten 

Mug  Town  (D) 

Dead  End  Kids 
and 
Little  Tough 
Guys 

Solid  Senders 
(M) 

Andrew  Sisters 

Sherlock 
Holmes 
and  the  Secret 
Weapon  (D) 

Basil  Rathbone 

Hi  Buddy 
(M) 

Dick  Foran 
Harriet  Hilliard 

< 

&  * 
OO  § 

In  Which  We 

Serve  (D) 
A/otf/  Coward 

The  Crystal 
Ball  (C) 
The  McGuerins 

From 
Brooklyn  (C)  1 

The  Powers 
Girl  (M) 

Anne  Shirley 
Carole  Landis 
Dennis  Day 

Young  and 
Willing  (C) 
Calaboose 
(C) 

Lady  of 
Burlesque  (D) 

Barbara 
Stanwyck 

Stage  Door 
Canteen  (M) 

Helen  Hayes 
Katharine 
Hepburn 

si 

S  tit 
fa    «s  e 

20TH-FOX 

Life  Begins  at 
Eight-Thirty 
(C)  322 
Monty  Woolley 
Ida  Lupino 

China  Girl 
(D)  323 
Geo.  Montgomery 
Gene  Tierney 

We  Are  the 
Marines  (D) 
324 

U.  S.  Marines 

Over  My  Dead 
Body  (C)  325 

Milton  Berle 
Mary  Beth 
Hughes 

Time  to  Kill 

(D)  326 
Lloyd  Nolan 
Mary  Beth 
Hughes 

Immortal 
Sergeant 
(D)  327 

Henry  Fonda 

Chetniks 

(The  lighting 
Guerillas) 
(D)  328 

Phillip  Dorn 

The  Meanest 
Man  in  the 
World  (C)  329 

Jack  Benny 
Priscilla  Lane 

Margin  For 
Error  (C)  330 

Milton  Berle 
Joan  Bennett 

The  Young 
Mr.  Pitt 
(D)  316 

Robert  Donat 
Robert  Morley 

RKO  RADIO 

Cat  People 

Simone  Simon 
Jock  Holt 

The  Great 
Gildersleeve 
(C) 

Harold  Peary 
Jane  Darwell 

7  Miles  From 
Alcatraz 
(D) 

Bonita  Granville 
James  Craig 

Saludos  Amigos 

(Technicolor) 
(Walt  Disney 
Production) 

Hitler's 
Children  (D) 

Bonita  Granville 
Tim  Holt 

Fighting 
Frontier  (O) 

Tim  Holt 
Cliff  Edwards 

They  Got  Me 
Covered  (C) 

Bob  Hope 
Dorothy  Lamour 

Journey  Into 
Fear  (D) 

Joseph  Gotten 
Orson  Welles 
Dolores  Del  Rio 

Flight  For 
Freedom  (D) 

Rosalind  Russell 
Fred  MacMurray 
Herbert  Marshall 

Cinderella 
Swings  It  (C) 

( Scattergood ) 
Guy  Kibbee 
Gloria  Warren 

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MONO. 

Dawn  on  the 
Great  Divide 
(O)  251 

Buck  Jones 
Tim  McCoy 

Two-Fisted 
Justice  (O) 

(Range  Busters) 
John  King 
Max  Terhune 

Silent  Witness 
(D) 

Frank  Albertson 
Maris  Wrixon 

Cosmo  Jones 
the  Crime 
Smasher 
(D) 

Frank  Graham 

Kid  Dynamite 
(D) 

Leo  Gorcey 
Bobby  Jordan 

You  Can't  Beat 
the  Law  (D) 

Edward  Norris 
Joan  Woodbury 

Silver  Skates 
.  (M) 

Patricia  Morrison 
Belita 

Ape  Man 
(D) 

B ela  Lugosi 

M-G-M 

Reunion  in 
France  (D) 

Joan  Crawford 
John  Wayne 
Phillip  Dorn 

Stand  By  For 
Action  (D) 

Robert  Taylor 
Chas.  Laughton 
Brian  Donlevy 

Dr.  Gillespie's 
New  Assistant 

Lionel  Barryinore 
Van  Johnson 

Andy  Hardy's 
Double  Life 
(C) 

Mickey  Rooney 
Lewis  Stone 

Northwest 
Rangers  (O) 

Wm.  Lundigan 
Patricia  Dane 
James  Craig 

COLUMBIA 

Tornado  in  the 

Saddle  (D) 
Russell  Hayden 
Alma  Carroll 

Commandos 

Strike  at 
Dawn  (D) 

Paul  Muni 
Anna  Lee 

City  Without 
Men  (D) 

Linda  Darnell 
Michael  Duane 

One  Dangerous 
Night  (D) 

Marguerite 
Chapman 
Warren  William 

Power  of  the 
Press  (D) 
Fightmg 
Bxtckaroo  (O) 

Reveille  With 
Beverly  (M) 

Ann  Miller 
William  Wright 

No  Place  For 
a  Lady  (D) 

William  Gargan 
Margaret  Lindsay 

Riders  of  the 

Northwest 
Mounted  (O) 

Russell  Hayden 
Alma  Carroll 

&  s 

►-4 

• 

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§  a 

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&  " 

2  * 

it's  au  a 

W>T  OF  W. . 

£  as  a  matter  o£ 

fact ,  it's  the 
funniest  picture 
of  the  year  j  ] 


WE  CANT 


6 


LtoJdmiiQLM  V PRESENT. 

3 oB  ooftowy 

HOPE  MMOUR 


<  ^  WHAT  ITU  2 


SCftEEH  PlfiV  by  HAZRV  KURNITZ 


R  K  O 
RADIO 

TICTURE 


Va  ^rE* 

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Friday,  January  15,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


13 


Off  the  Antenna 


A  N  expansion  of  promotions  for  WEAF  in  order  to  develop  a  local 
identity  for  the  station  was  announced  by  Sherman  D.  Gregory,  general 
manager.    For  January,  1943,  Gregory  stated,  national  spot  and  local  sales 
will  be  33  per  cent  ahead  of  the  same  month  last  year. 

Shirley  F.  Woodell,  sales  manager  for  NBC's  international  division,  has 
been  named  WEAF  promotion  manager.  DeLancey  Provost  has  joined  the 
station  as  assistant  manager  and  Leighton  Blood  has  been  assigned  to  WEAF 
publicity. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  E.  P.  H.  lames,  former  director  of  promotion  and  pub- 
licity for  the  Blue  and  now  a  first  lieutenant  in  the  Air  Force  stationed  at  Har- 
risburg,  Pa,,  will  be  married  on  Jan.  23  to  Laura  Wyatt-Brown,  daughter  of 
the  Right  Rev.  Hunter  Wyatt-Brown,  Episcopal  Bishop  of  Harrisburg.  .  .  . 
Orson  Welles  lias  received  his  release  from  Lockheed  and  Vega  from  thc\ 
"Ceiling  Unlimited''  series  effective  Feb.  1.  The  "Ceiling  Unlimited"  format 
will  remain  unchanged  for  the  next  13-week  period  with  no  successor  to  Welles 
named  as  yet.  .  .  .  Roger  W.  Clipp,  vice-president  and  gen-era!  manager  of 
WFIL,  has  been  reappointed  as  chairman  of  the  research  committee  for  NAB. 
.  .  .  Band  leader  Dick  Jurgens,  on  Mutual  since  1937,  will  air  his  last  broad- 
cast for  the  duration  on  Sunday  at  midnight.  He  will  then  disband  his  or- 
chestra and  report  for  army  induction,  .  .  .  Walter  Bunker,  Jr.,  production 
manager  of  the  NBC  western  division,  has  resigned  to  become  producer 
of  the  Jack  Benny  show  for  Young  and  Rubicam  advertising  agency.  He  suc- 
ceeds Robert  L.  Welch,  who  left  this  week  to  join  the  Army.  .  .  .  Thomas 
H.  Belviso,  manager  of  the  Music  Library  Dhision  of  NBC,  will  receive  an 
honorary  degree  of  doctor  of  music  at  Bethany  College,  W.  Va.,  Jan,  24. 

•  •  • 

James  L.  Fly,  FCC  chairman,  will  be  principal  speaker  at  the  annual 
dinner  of  the  Washington  section  of  the  Institute  of  Radio  Engineers  on 
Thursday,  Jan.  28.  The  engineers  have  called  off  their  annual  convention 
and  will  meet  sectionally  throughout  the  country. 


Griffith  on  Stand  as 
Momand  Trust  Trial 
Concludes  4th  Day 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

the  operations  against  Momand  in 
Shawnee  during  1926-27.  Griffith  ex- 
pressed inability  to  answer  all  of 
these  questions  but  volunteered  to  sup- 
ply any  and  all  records  which  give 
£san  the  answers  he  sought  tomor- 

Asked  if  he  had  at  that  time  any 
desire  to  injure  or  damage  Momand's 
interests  or  those  of  any  of  his  other 
competitors,  Griffith  stated  emphati- 
cally that  he  had  not  and  had  not 
given  such  thoughs  any  consideration 
whatsoever.  In  answer  to  Ryan's 
queries  Griffith  stated  that  he  did  not 
concern  himself  with  any  of  the  minor 
details  of  his  business  but  left  those 
matters  solely  to  his  subordinate  offi- 
cials. Asked  if  he  had  anything  to  do 
then  or  now  with  the  buying  of  prod- 
uct he  replied  in  the  negative,  and 
said  that  his  only  connection  with  this 
phase  of  the  operation  of  his  com- 
panies was  in  the  final  approval  of  the 
agreements  as.  reached  by  other  offi- 
cials. 

3,000  Documents  Filed 

The  morning  period  of  today's  court 
session  was  devoted  to  the  completion 
of  the  three-day-old  task  of  filing 
agreements,  letters,  contracts,  etc.,  as 
evidence  by  Ryan.  These  total  nearly 
3,000  documents 

At  the  start  of  the  afternoon  period 
Judge  Bower  Broaddus  suggested  that 
before  any  witnesses  were  heard  he 
would  prefer  both  sides  to  make  brief 
statements  explaining  the  contracts, 
agreements,  etc.,  what  they  contained 
and  what  each  though  to  tbe  their 
relation  to  the  case. 

Will  Show  'Conspiracy5 

Ryan,  in  answer,  explained  that  the 
contracts  would  show  "clear-cut  con- 
spiracy" as  outlined  in  Momand's  pe- 
tition, that  they  would  show  partition- 
ing of  the  United  States  by  producer- 
distributors  for  the  benefit  of  affiliat- 
ed circuits,  that  they  would  show 
favoritisms  in  matters  of  price,  book- 
ings, credit,  etc.,  for  circuits  or  pro- 
ducer-owned or  affiliated  companies 
against  independents  with  whom  they 
were  in  competition. 

Edward  McClellan  for  the  defend- 
ants challenged  that  the  contracts 
showed  anything  such  as  Ryan  sug- 
gested and  that  most  of  all  they  failed 
to  show  any  conspiracy  whatsoever ; 
that  the  most  they  could  show  was  re- 
straint of  trade. 

/.  A.  Rank  Forming 
War  Saving  Group 

London,  Jan.  14. — J.  Arthur  Rank 
of  General  Film  Distributors  is  or- 
ganizing an  all-industry  committee 
which  will  cooperate  in  the  govern- 
ment's forthcoming  "Wings  for  Vic- 
tory Week,"  the  national  war  savings 
campaign. 


Fire  Closes  Theatre 

Boston.  Jan.  14. — The  Community 
Theatre,  Dedham,  Mass.,  was  closed 
due  to  fire  which  for  a  time  threat- 
ened the  downtown  section  of  the  city. 
Damage  to  the  Ralph  Snider  theatre 
was  estimated  at  $4,000. 


'Hitler's  Children' 
Opens  in  Cincinnati 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

Ziemer,  author  of  the  book,  "Educa- 
tion for  Death,"  on  which  the  Edward 

A.  Golden  production  is  based. 

The  picture  opened  in  a  total  of  30 
cities  in  the  Midwest.  The  opening 
nrogram  at  Keith's,  Dayton,  and  the 
Palace.  Columbus,  were  picked  up  as 
part  of  the  radio  program  in  the  eve- 
ning. A  dinner  at  the  Netherlands 
Plaza  Hotel  preceded  the  program. 

Among  those  attending  the  premiere, 
it  was  announced,  were : 

N.  Peter  Rathvon,  Ned  E.  Depinet, 
Robert  Mochrie,  S.  Barret  McCor- 
mick,  Nat  Levy,  Edward  A.  Golden. 
Robert  S.  Golden,  Charles  Boasberg. 

B.  G.  Kranze,  Stanley  Jacques,  M. 
E.  Lefko,  Terry  Turner,  B.  L.Heid- 
ingsfeld,  E.  Y.  Dinerman. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Louis  Crosley,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Raymond  Cosgrove,  Ellis 
Travers,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  D. 
Shouse,  vice  president,  WLW ;  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Robert  E.  Dunville,  vice- 
Dresident,  WLW ;  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Harry  M.  Smith,  sales  manager 
WLW ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Bigger, 
program  director,  WLW. 

Also :  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gregor  Ziemer, 
Lieut.  Governor  and  Mrs.  Paul  M. 
Herbert,  Colonel  A.  Frudenfeld, 
Mayor  James  G.  Stewart  and  City 
Manager  Colonel  Sherrill  of  Cin- 
cinnati. 

Three  Tradeshows 
Listed  by  Warners 

Dates  for  national  tradeshowings  of 
three  Warner  features  were  an- 
nounced yesterday  by  Ben  Kalmen- 
son,  general  sales  manager  of  the 
company. 

"Truck  Busters"  will  be  shown 
Monday,  with  a  New  York  screening 
scheduled  for  10:30  a.m.  at  the  home 
office.  "Air  Force"  and  "The 
Mysterious  Doctor"  will  be  shown 
Tuesday,  Feb.  23. 


Equity  Council  Will 
Weigh  $10  Increase 


A  proposed  $10  increase  in  the 
minimum  wage  for  legitimate  actors 
will  be  presented  to  the  Actors  Equity 
Council  on  Tuesday.  The  increase, 
which  would  raise  the  minimum  to 
$60,  was  agreed  upon  by  the  board  of 
governors  of  the  Leageu  of  New  York 
Theatres  and  an  Equity  negotiating 
committee. 

If  the  increase  obtains  council  ap- 
proval, it  will  be  sent  to  the  War 
Labor  Board. 

The  negotiations  are  described  in 
the  January  issue  of  the  Equity  maga- 
zine published  today  as  "one  of  the 
friendliest  and  most  cooperative"  ever 
conducted  with  the  managers.  The 
editorial  cites  the  rise  in  the  cost  of 
living,  particularly  for  actors  on  tour, 
which  brought  about  negotions  for  the 
increase.  Provisions  in  the  basic 
agreement  between  Equity  and  the 
League  allowed  for  opening  of  nego- 
tiations in  the  event  of  cost  of  living 
changes. 

Brazil  Radio  Official 
To  Be  Guest  of  Webs 

Capt.  Amilcar  Dutra,  director  of 
the  Radio  Division  of  the  Department 
of  Press  and  Information  of  Brazil, 
will  make  a  tour  of  CBS  on  Mon- 
day and  Tuesday  and  of  NBC  on 
Thursdav  and  Fridav.  He  will  be  the 
guest  of  William  S.  Paley,  CBS 
president,  on  Tuesday  and  of  NBC  of- 
ficials on  Friday.  Capt.  Dutra  is  in 
this  country  for  a  month's  visit  at 
the  invitation  of  Nelson  Rockefeller. 
Coordinator  of  Inter-American  Af- 
fairs. 


Nurse  Campaign  on  NBC 

A  campaign  to  assist  the  Red  Cross 
!n  recruiting  36.000  graduate  nurses. 
100,000  nurses'  aides  and  a  million  stu- 
dents in  home  nursing  classes  will  be 
launched  over  NBC,  Sunday  at  12:30 
p.  m..  the  network  announced. 


Air,  Disc  Men 
Are  Profiteers, 
Says  Padway 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

tion  and  abuse"  to  cloud  the  issue,  but 
commended  the  broadcasting  industry. 

"Officials  of  RCA  are  manifestly 
fair  in  their  approach,"  he  said. 
"They  have  not  engaged  in  vilifica- 
tion. The  same  is  true  of  the  Blue 
Network." 

So  different  are  the  attitudes  of  the 
two  groups,  he  told  the  subcommittee, 
that  "the  network  people  will  be  able 
to  do  more  in  an  hour  than  the  NAB 
could  do  in  a  month  to  settle  this." 
The  broadcasting  organization,  he 
said,  has  exhibited  such  a  spirit  that 
it  would  be  "embarrassing"  for  the 
union  even  to  sit  down  with  them. 

Under  questioning  by  members  it 
was  brought  out  that  the  international 
union  has  jurisdiction  only  over  trav- 
eling bands  and  whether  musicians  are 
to  be  paid  for  appearing  on  govern- 
ment programs  is  up  to  the  local 
unions.  In  some  instances,  it  was  ad- 
full  rate  is  not  demanded. 

Padway   admitted   that  last 
August  might  not  have  been  a 
logical  time  to  impose  the  ban, 
but  maintained  it  was  necessary 
despite  the  war  because  bands 
and    orchestras    were  being 
broken  up  as  the  younger  play- 
ers went  into  military  service 
and  the  older  musicians  were 
being  left  without  jobs. 
Discussing  the  aims  of  the  AFM, 
he  assured  the  subcommittee  that  the 
small  stations  will  not  be  required  to 
spend  any  more  money  than  they  have 
in  the  past  and  no  restrictions  will  be 
put  on  the  use  of  records,  although  if 
records  made  by  amateurs  are  used 
the  union  will  not  permit  the  use  of 
records  made  by  its  members. 

AFM  Ready  to  Act 

He  assured  the  members  that  the 
AFM  is  willing  "to  sit  down  with  any 
responsible  group  or  groups  represent- 
ing the  industry,  in  an  effort  to  work 
out  a  solution  that  will  be  fair  and 
equitable  to  all  concerned." 

At  the  conclusion  of  his  testimony 
yesterday,  Petrillo  promised  that  the 
record  ban  would  be  the  first  thing 
taken  up  when  his  executive  board 
meets  Feb.  1,  and  no  time  will  be  lost 
in  formulating  demands  and  initiating 
negotiations. 

Chairman  Clark  expressed  gratifica- 
tion over  the  effect  of  the  hearings  in 
influencing  Petrillo  to  abandon  the 
standpat  attitude  he  has  maintained  for 
nearly  six  months  and  indicated  that 
further  investigation  may  not  be 
necessary. 

He  said  he  would  call  his  subcom- 
mittee into  session  Monday  to  decide 
whether  to  go  anv  further.  If  it  is 
determined  that  more  hearings  may  be 
necessary,  he  will  so  report  to  the 
full  committee  and  request  the  Senate 
to  extend  the  life  of  the  investigation. 


Stars  at  Boston  Premiere 

The  Jan.  20  Boston  premiere  of 
"Arabian  Nights"  at  the  Memorial 
Theatre  will  be  attended  by  the  pic- 
ture's two  stars,  Maria  Montez  and 
Sabu,  and  six  other  Universal  play- 
ers, including  Elyse  Knox.  Nigel 
Bruce,  Dick  Foran,  Donald  O'Connor, 
Gloria  Jean  and  Peggy  Ryan,  the 
company  announced. 


FAME 

NINTH  ANNUAL 
EDITION  IS  NOW 
IN  CIRCULATION 

T^iE  INTERNATIONAL 
INDEX  TO  PRODUCTION,  TALENT 
AND  TECHNICAL  VALUES  IN  THE 
WORLD  OF  ENTERTAINMENT  .  .  . 

SCREEN    ♦    CONCERT    ♦  RADIO 


One  Dollar  the  Copy 
EDITED  BY  TERRY  RAMSAYE 


QUIGLEY  PUBLICATIONS 

ROCKEFELLER        CENTER,        NEW  YORK 


to  the^ytion 

Picture 

Industry 


tDO  not  remove: 

MOTION  PICTURE 


First  in 


and 

Impartial 


1 i-t=..  53.  NO.  11 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  MONDAY,  JANUARY  18,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


R.  I.  Theatres 
To  Cut  Shows 
For  Oil  Saving 

One-Seventh  Reduction  in 
Operations  Expected 


Providence,  Jan.  17. —  Indica- 
tions are  that  every  theatre  in 
Rhode  Island  will  be  compelled  to 
reduce  its  operating  time  by  one- 
seventh  under  an  order  expected  to 
be  issued  tomorrow  by  Governor  J. 
Howard  McGrath,  designed  to  con- 
serve fuel  oil  for  the  state. 

The  order  also  may  be  applied  in 
other  New  England  states,  Governor 


Providence,  Jan.  17. — As  the 
first  step  in  Rhode  Island's  fuel 
conservation  program,  Gov.  J. 
Howard  McGrath  said  that  all 
schools  and  public  buildings 
would  be  closed  on  Mondays 
beginning  tomorrow. 


McGrath  indicated  on  Friday  when,  in 
reply  to  a  question  put  to  him  in  the 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Loew's  Paid  Mayer 
$935,866  in  Year 


Louis  B.  Mayer  as  managing  direc- 
tor of  M-G-M  Productions  received 
$935,866  aggregate  remuneration  from 
Loew's,  Inc.,  for  the  fiscal  year  end- 
ed Aug.  31,  1942,  the  company's  proxy 
statemetn  sent  to  stockholders  over 
the  weekend  disclosed. 

The  sum  is  exclusive  of  aggregate 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Moskowitz  Observes 
30th  Year  at  Loew's 

Charles  C.  Moskowitz,  vice- 
president  and  general  theatre 
executive  of  Loew's,  Inc., 
marked  his  30th  anniversary 
with  the  company  on  Friday. 
He  observed  the  milestone  by 
arriving  at  his  office  an  hour 
earlier  than  usual  and  work- 
ing three  hours  later  than  is 
his  custom.  Friends  recalled 
that  he  started  with  the  firm 
as  a  junior  bookkeeper,  keep- 
ing books  during  the  day  and 
studying  theatre  operation  at 
night,  progressing  until  he 
became  a  home  office  execu- 
tive. 


Stars  in  Algiers 
For  Troop  Shows 

Martha  Raye,  Kay  Francis, 
Carole  Landis  and  Mitzi  May- 
fair  arrived  in  Algiers  Friday 
to  start  a  series  of  Red  Cross 
sponsored  shows  in  the  U.  S. 
Army  area,  according  to  news- 
paper reports  from  Allied 
headquarters  in  North  Africa. 
Miss  Raye  said  the  USO  camp 
show  would  play  in  Algiers 
four  nights  weekly  and  then 
visit  air  and  ground  forces  in 
the  Middle  East  to  entertain 
units  there,  the  reports  stated. 
The  group  had  been  enter- 
taining U.  S.  troops  in  En- 
gland. 


J.  L.  Warner  Visions 
Films'  Role  in  Peace 


"Motion  pictures  definitely  cannot 
write  the  peace  but  they  can  help 
interpret  it  and  they  must  interpret 
it  with  the  wis- 
dom   and  the 
power  they  ap- 
ply   to  telling 
the  story  of  the 
war,"  declared 
Jack   L.  War- 
ner, executive 
p  r  o  d  u  cer  of 
Warner  Bros. 
^Upgr  studios,   on  his 

|^    ijBli^fc.      arrival  in  Hol- 
^^^B     lywood  over  the 
Bhu  i     weekend  from  a 

H    ^HJ     visit  to  the 
East  and 
Jack  Warner  South,  accord- 

ing to  a  state- 
ment released  by  the  company  here. 
In  Washington,  it  was  stated,  War- 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


U.S.  LIFTS  CEILING 
ON  PROFIT  SHARING 

1943  Compensation  Under  Such  Agreements 
Unaffected  by  $25,000  Limit  on  Salaries 
If  Entered  Into  Before  Oct.  3, 1942 

Washington,  Jan.  17. — The  Treasury  Department  and  Office 
of  Economic  Stabilization  have  forwarded  to  producers  a  ruling 
establishing  the  validity  under  the  $25,000  net  salary  ceiling  order 
of  profit-sharing  agreements  with  producers,  talent  and  others  which 

were  entered  into  prior  to  Oct.  3, 


Ban  on  Driving 
Seen  in  Canada 
By  Next  April 


Toronto,  Jan.  17.  —  All  pleasure 
driving  in  Canada  is  expected  to  be 
banned  April  1  when  the  present  gaso- 
line rationing  books  expire,  G.  R.  Cot- 
trelle,  Canadian  oil  controller,  warned 
in  a  bulletin  just  issued. 

The  move  apparently  is  inspired  by 
the  ban  on  pleasure  driving  in  the  17 
Atlantic  seaboard  states  in  the  U.  S., 
due  to  the  fact  that  despite  gasoline 
rationing  in  the  Dominion  there  is 
considerable  freedom  in  the  matter  of 
routine  use  of  automobiles  in  Canada, 
which  derives  most  of  its  gasoline 
from  the  United  States. 

Cottrelle's  warning  included  the 
statement  that  theatre  parking  lots  will 
be  of  no  use  after  April  1.  Notice  also 
has  been  given  that  temporary  permits 
for  oil  furnaces  in  commercial  build- 
ings are  to  be  cut  off. 


Sister  Kenny  Will  Receive 
Variety  Clubs'  '43  Award 


Sister  Elizabeth  Kenny,  whose 
method  of  treatment  for  infantile 
paralysis  has  aided  thousands  of  suf- 
ferers, will  receive  the  1943  fourth 
annual  National  Humanitarian  Award 
of  the  Variety  Clubs  of  America,  it 
was  announced.  The  award,  consist- 
ing of  a  scroll,  a  silver  plaque  and 
$1,000  will  be  made  to  Sister  Kenny 
in  Sacramento  Jan.  20,  at  a  luncheon 
given  by  the  Governor  of  California. 

Presentation  of  the  award  will  be 
made  by  John  H.  Harris,  national 
Chief  Barker  of  Variety  Clubs,  and 
A.  K.  Rowswell,  chairman  of  the  com- 


mittee of  37  rion-member  judges  who 
select  the  greatest  humanitarian  of  the 
year,  and  will  be  aired  on  a  coast-to- 
coast  NBC  network  starting  at  1 
p.  m.,  Pacific  Coast  time. 

Other  representatives  of  the  Varie- 
ty Clubs  of  America  at  the  luncheon 
will  be:  R.  J.  O'Donnell,  first  assist- 
ant national  Chief  Barker  and  head 
of  the  Interstate  Circuit  of  Texas ; 
Duke  Clark  of  Paramount,  Los  An- 
geles, and  Charles  Skouras,  president 
of  National  Theatres. 

The  annual  award  has  been  the 
highlight  of  each  national  convention, 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


1942. 

The  ruling  establishes  as 
1942  salary,  and  hence  exempt 
from  the  provisions  of  the  ceil- 
ing, remuneration  paid  or  re- 
ceived under  such  profit-shar- 
ing contracts  during  1943. 

It  has  wide  application  in  the  indus- 
try, particularly  in  Hollywood.  Sev- 
eral hundred  such  contracts  are  be- 
lieved to  be  in  existence  throughout 
the  industry  and  will  be  affected  by 
the  ruling.  The  profit-sharing  ar- 
rangements extend  over  lengthy  pe- 
riods normally,  remuneration  under 
them  being  payable  out  of  distribution 
receipts  on  the  pictures  involved.  Such 
receipts  not  infrequently  are  received 
for  a  period  of  years  after  release  of 
the  picture,  although  naturally  the 
bulk  of  the  remuneration  is  paid  dur- 
ing the  first  nine  to  15  months  after 
release. 

With  the  ruling  defining  all  such 
receipts  as  1942  salary,  recipients  are 
not  required  to  include  them  in  income 
when  computing  their  $67,200  gross 
income  alowed  for  1943. 


ChicagoPetrilloWrit 
Hearing  Off  to  Feb. 


Chicago,  Jan.  17. — Hearing  on  a 
second  petition  of  the  Department  of 
Justice  for  an  injunction  against  the 
record  ban  of  James  C.  Petrillo  and 
the  American  Federation  of  Musicians, 
scheduled  in  Federal  court  here  to- 
morrow, has  been  postponed  to  Feb.  8 
for  convenience  of  counsel,  Daniel 
Britt,  assistant  U.  S.  Attorney  Gen- 
eral here,  announced  yesterday. 

However,    before    the    petition  is 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Review  of  "The  Crystal  Ball" 
will  be  found  on  Page  2. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  January  18,  1943 


Personal 
Mention 


WF.  RODGERS,  E.  K.  O'Shea, 
•  Jack  Flynn,  E.  M.  Saunders 
and  H.  M.  Richey  left  California  over 
the  weekend  for  New  York. 

• 

Harry  M.  Kalmine  and  Harry 
Goldberg  are  due  today  from  Chi- 
cago and  Milwaukee. 

• 

Morris  Mechanic,  owner  of  the 
New  Theatre,  Baltimore,  is  vacation- 
ing at  Palm  Beach,  Fla. 

• 

Mort  Blu  men  stock  returns  today 
from  Washington. 

• 

Harry  Rosenquest,  Warner  Cir- 
cuit short  subject  buyer,  returns  to- 
day from  Philadelphia. 

• 

Frank  Moneyhun,  formerly  of 
the  20th  Century-Fox  advertising  and 
publicity  department  and  now  at  the 
Indianapolis  exchange,  is  visiting 
here. 

• 

R.  C.  LiBeau,  Paramount  district 
manager  in  Kansas  City,  was  a  visitor 
at  the  Des  Moines  exchange. 

Frank  W.  Leff,  operator  of  the 
Cascade  Theatre,  Cascade,  la.,  and 
Mrs.  Leff  are  parents  of  twin 
daughters,  born  last  week. 

• 

Harold  Field  of  Minneapolis,  head 
of  the  Pioneer  Theatre  Corp.,  visited 
in  Des  Moines  recently. 

• 

James    Laremoke,   assistant  man- 
ager   of    the    Northio  Paramount. 
Hamilton,  O.,  has  entered  the  Army. 
• 

Toni  Spitzer  returned  from  Wash- 
ington over  the  weekend. 


Pension  Plan  Set  U p 
For  No.  Calif.  FWC 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  17. — The  first 
big  employes'  retirement  plan  to  be 
adopted  by  a  large  circuit  has  been 
placed  in  operation  here  by  Fox  West 
Coast  Theatres. 

The  plan  provides  for  retirement  of 
employes  at  age  65,  with  retirement 
benefits  being  paid  to  them  regularly 
thereafter.  Weekly  payroll  deductions 
are  made  for  the  pension  fund  and 
for  each  unit  of  pay  contributed  by 
an  employe  two  units  are  subscribed 
by  the  company. 

The  plan  authorized  for  employes 
of  all  of  the  circuit's  Northern  Cali- 
fornia theatres,  also  was  approved  re- 
cently for  Fox  West  Coast's  Southern 
California  units. 


APARTMENT  FOR  RENT 

To  sub-lease  until  Oc- 
tober 1  attractive  unfur- 
nished apartment  at  350 
West  57th  Street.  Highly 
desirable  as  escape  from 
fuel  and  gasolene  ration- 
ing problems.  Rental  rea- 
sonable. Box  280  MO- 
TION PICTURE  DAILY. 


Review 


The  Crystal  Ball' 


(United  Artists) 

THE  "mystic"  powers  of  a  phoney  crystal  gazer  brings  Paulette  God- 
clard  and  Ray  Milland  together  in  "The  Crystal  Ball"  and  also 
serve  as  a  mainstay  for  the  plot  of  this  comedy.  Miss  Goddard  as  Toni 
Gerard,  a  redheaded  beauty  from  Texas,  does  well  in"  her  role,  and  Mil- 
land,  playing  Brad  Cavanaugh,  a  successful  attorney,  is  debonair  as  usual. 

Madame  Zenobia  (Gladys  George),  an  artful  crystal  gazer  who  leads 
her  rich  patrons  into  investments  favorable  to  her,  reads  the  poverty- 
stricken  Miss  Goddard's  future  in  the  crystal,  and  also  obtains  employ- 
ment for  her  with  Cecil  Kellaway,  who  operates  a  shooting  gallery. 

Meanwhile,  Toni  has  fallen  in  love  with  Milland.  He  is  due  to  become 
the  next  husband  of  Virginia  Field,  a  rich  young  widow  who  delves  into 
the  future  via  Madame  and  her  crystal  ball.  When  Toni  substitutes  as 
a  mystic  for  Zenobia  at  a  benefit  attended  by  Milland,  she  makes  the 
most  of  her  opportunity,  with  the  result  that  all  is  harmony  at  the  fade- 
out,  despite  Miss  Field's  endeavors  to  break  up  the  romance. 

Elliott  Nugent  provided  skillful  direction  and  the  screenplay  was  ef- 
fectively handled  by  Virginia  Van  Upp.    Richard  Blumenthal  was  as- 
sociate producer.    The  supporting  cast,  which  includes  William  Ben- 
dix  in  addition  to  those  mentioned,  is  capable. 
Running-  time,  81  minutes.  "G."* 


Sec.  Hull  Commends 
United  NationsWeek 


*"(r"  denotes  general  classification. 


Quotes  4M.  P.  Daily' 
On  Car  Driving  Rule 


On  learning  from  Motion  Picture 
Daily  last  Wednesday  that  the  OP  A 
had  ruled  in  Washington  that  rural 
residents  visiting  nearby  towns  for  es- 
sential shopping  or  to  attend  church 
services  may  also  go  to  theatres  if  no 
additional  driving  is  entailed,  Thomas 
di  Lorenzo,  operator  of  the  New 
Paltz  Theatre,  New  Paltz,  N.  Y., 
took  to  the  radio  to  inform  residents 
of  his  area. 

The  broadcast  over  WKNY, 
Kingston,  N.  Y.,  was  sponsored  by 
the  theatre  and,  quoting  Motion  Pic- 
ture Daily,  the  announcement  was 
carried  four  successive  days  at  12  :30. 
The  recent  ban  on  pleasure  driving 
forced  the  New  Paltz  to  close  week- 
days. Numerous  exhibitors  similarly 
situated  are  hopeful  that  the  OPA 
ruling  will  restore  some  part  of  their 
lost  patronage. 


Mrs.  Jesse  Crawford, 
Organist,  Dies  at  43 

Mrs.  Jesse  Crawford,  43.  organist 
and  song  writer,  who  with  her  hus- 
band constituted  one  of  the  best  known 
theatre  and  radio  organist  teams,  died 
here  Friday  after  a  short  illness.  She 
appeared  with  her  husband  as  a  twin 
organ  team  at  the  Paramount  Theatre 
on  Broadway  from  1926  to  1931  and 
also  in  several  shorts  for  Warner 
Bros. 


Marjorie  Morrow 
W.  B.  Talent  Aide 

Marjorie  Morrow,  with  CBS  for 
the  past  seven  years  as  director  of 
auditions  and  casting,  will  Jom  the 
new  Warner  Bros,  talent  bureau  in 
the  East  Feb.  IS  as  assistant  to  Mar- 
tin Jurow,  head  of  the  department,  the 
company  announced. 


Mentlik  Wins  Wings 

Lt.  Lewis  S.  Mentlik,  former  film 
trade  paper  representative  in  New 
York,  completed  his  training  course 
late  last  week  at  the  Brooks  Field, 
Texas,  Aerial  Observation  School  and 
received  his  wings. 


Rank  Circuit  Deal 
In  Britain  Collapses 

London,  Jan.  17.  —  Negotiations 
which  have  been  under  way  here  for 
acquisition  of  control  of  Gaumont 
Super-Cinemas  by  J.  Arthur  Rank  in- 
terests have  been  terminated  without 
prospect  of  their  being  renewed,  it  is 
learned. 

Trade  circles  believe  this  to  be  the 
first  instance  of  failure  on  the  part  of 
Rank  interests  to  realize  a  commer- 
cial objective.  The  circuit  involved 
in  the  negotiations  consists  of  11  in- 
dependent houses  controlled  by  Hy- 
ams  Brothers  and  estimated  to  be 
worth  millions  of  pounds. 


WAC  Issues  Manual 
For  Field  Committees 

A  manual  entitled  "The  A-B-C  of 
the  PRD  of  the  WAC,"  outlining  the 
objectives  of  the  Public  Relations 
Division  of  the  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee, is  being  sent  to  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  division  throughout  the 
country,  the  WAC  announces. 

Oscar  A.  Doob,  public  relations 
chairman  of  the  WAC,  summarizes 
in  the  publication  the  type  of  work  in 
which  local  chairmen  will  engage  dur- 
ing 1943,  and  lists  the  war  "assign- 
ments" expected  in  the  next  few 
months. 


Daff  in  England  on 
Tour  of  W  Offices 

London,  Jan.  17.— Al  Daff.  assist- 
ant to  Joseph  Seidelman,  Universal 
vice-president  and  foreign  manager, 
has  arrived  from  New  York.  After 
conferences  with  Universal  sales 
representatives  here,  Daff  will  visit 
other  distribution  offices  of  the  com- 
pany in  neutral  and  Allied-occupied 
countries,  it  is  reported. 


The  current  national  observance  of 
United  Nations  Week  in  theatres  was 
commended  by  Secretary  of  State 
Cordell  Hull  in  a  weekend  message 
from  Washington. 

The  observance,  Hull  said,  "has  the 
dual  aim  of  more  thoroughly  acquaint- 
ing Americans  with  the  peoples  as- 
sociated with  us  and  raising  funds 
for  the  relief  of  their  war  strick~-\ 
whose  need  is  very  great.  This  f  i 
ect,  sponsored  by  the  motion  pit.  e 
industry  with  the  approval  of  the 
President's  War  Relief  Control 
Board,  offers  a  splendid  opportunity 
to  the  American  people  for  strength- 
ening the  spirit  of  unity  so  essential 
to  winning  the  war  and  winning  the 
peace." 

9,684  Sign  Up 

Meanwhile,  the  industry  campaign 
committee  reported  that  9,684  exhibi- 
tors, operating  an  uncalculated  num- 
ber of  theatres,  have  signed  pledges 
of  participation  of  their  theatres  in 
the  week's  observance.  Early  reports 
of  large  collections  from  all  parts  of 
the  country  indicate  that  a  huge  total 
will  be  realized  by  Jan.  20,  final  day 
of  the  drive,  it  was  said. 

Laine  Solg,  Russian-born  New 
York  girl,  who  was  selected  "Miss 
United  Nations"  from  among  more 
than  1,400  applicants,  will  be  crowned 
by  Allied  service  men  on  the  stage 
of  the  Strand  Theatre  this  evening. 

Long  Island's  United  Nation  Week- 
rally  will  be  held  at  Lynbrook, 
Wednesday,  with  Sylwin  Strakacz, 
consul-general  for  Poland,  and  Fran- 
cis S.  Harmon  of  the  industry  War 
Activities  Committee  as  the  principal 
speakers  at  a  dinner  to  be  held  in 
connection  with  the  rally.  Ed  Freiber- 
ger  of  the  Century  Circuit  is  in  charge 
of  arrangements. 


Flinn  to  Confer  Here 

John  C.  Flinn,  executive  secretary 
of  the  Society  of  Independent  Motion 
Picture  Producers,  is  expected  here 
today  from  the  Coast  for  conferences 
with  members  of  the  association  now 
in  New  York.  This  announcement 
was  released  Friday  through  20th 
Centurv-Fox. 


Mullin  Again  Heads 
Boston  Variety  Club 

Boston,  Jan.  17.— Martin  J.  Mullin 
of  Mullin  &  Pinanski  Theatres  has 
been  reelected  chief  barker  of  Variety 
Club  Tent  23  here  along  with  the  en- 
tire existing  slate.  Others  reelected 
are :  Al  Kane,  assistant  barker ;  Ted 
Fleisher,  second  chief  barker;  Harold 
Stoneman,  dough  guy,  and  William 
Erbb,  property  master. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

-MARTIN  QUIGLEY,  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN.  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center 
New  York  City.  Telephone.  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address.  "Quigpubco,  New  York  "  Mar- 
tin Ouigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann.  Vice-President;  T  T 
^Yl llVan'T  Secretary;  Sam  Shain.  Editor; 
Alfred  T  Fmestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager- 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver.  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau.  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl 
Hope  Burnup.  Manager.  Aubrey  Flanagan' 
j  °r:  A,C,able  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don. All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Uuiglev  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Ouigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


I  jet 


STAR 
LIGHTED 
ENTERTAINMENT 
AT  ITS 
GLORIOUS 
BEST 


Featuring-  The  ICE-CAPADE5  Company  with  the 
Internationally  Famous  Skating  Stars 

VERA  MEGAN  LOIS 

HRUBA  TAYLOR  •  DWORSHAK 

DONNA  ATWOOD  •  "RED"  MCCARTHY  •  PHIL  TAYLOR 
JOE  JACKSON,  JR.  •  JACKSON  &  LYNAM  •  ROBIN  LEE 
DENCH  &  STEWART*  THE  BENOITS  •  ERIC  WAITE  •  BABS  SAVAGE 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Monday.  January  18,  1943 


S.  F.  Business 
Strong;6  Action' 

Draws  $20,500 


San  Francisco,  Jan.  17. — "Stand 
By  For  Action"  billed  with  "Seven 
Sweethearts"  grossed  a  big  $20,500  at 
the  Fox.  "Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon" 
took  $19,500  in  its  second  week  at 
the  Golden  Gate.  "A  Night  to  Remem- 
ber" dualed  with  "Lucky  Legs"  did 
$12,800  at  the  Orpheum. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  5-7 : 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RK.O) 

GOLDEN   GATE— (2,850)    (44c-S5c-75c)  7 
clays,  2nd  week.    Stage:  vaudeville.  Gross: 
$19,500.    (Average,  $17,500) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 
"Lucky  Legs"  (Col.) 

ORPHEUM  —  (2,440)    (20c -35c -SOc- 65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $12,800.    (Average,  $10,000) 
"Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 
"You  Can't  Escape  Forever"  (W.  B.) 

PARAMOUNT—  (2,740)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $13,500.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.  B.) 
"Secret  Enemies"  (W.  B.) 

WARFIELD  —  (2,680)  (2Oc-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $12,000.  (Average, 
$13,000) 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"Seven  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M) 

FOX— (5,000)     (20c-35c-50c-65c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $20,500.    (Average,  $17,000) 
"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 
"Omaha  Trait"  (M-G-M) 

ST.    FRANCIS  —  (1,400)    (20c-35c-65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.    (Moved  over  from  Fox.) 
Gross:  $6,880.    (Average,  $6,500) 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.  A.) 
"Boston  Blackie  Goes  Hollywood"  (Col.) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,200)  (20c-35c-50c- 
65c)    7    days,    2nd    week.       Gross:  $8,000. 
(Average,  $8,000) 
"Valfangare"  (Foreign) 

CLAY— (400)  (15c-35c-45c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $1,000.    (Average,  $1,000) 


J.  L.  Warner  Visions 
Films'  Role  in  Peace 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
ner  conferred  at  length  with  Govern- 
ment officials  and  came  away  with 
the  conviction  that  "motion  pictures 
must  be  up  front  in  the  next  18 
months  in  the  work  of  helping  to 
shape  the  world  after  the  war." 

"We  have  a  tremendous  responsibil- 
ity to  the  entire  world  in  being  an  in- 
formative source  for  the  shape  of  the 
peace  that  the  millions  fought  for,"  he 
said. 

Speaking  specifically  about  Warner 
Bros.,  Warner  said:  "In  1943,  my 
brothers  and  I  have  dedicated  our 
studios  to  the  production  of  pictures 
which  will  help  the  people  to  under- 
stand the  peace  and  the  victory.  This 
has  long  been  our  policy." 


Chicago  Petrillo  Writ 
Hearing  Off  to  Feb. 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
heard,  the  U.  S.  Supreme  Court  is 
expected  to  announce  whether  it  will 
consider  the  Government's  appeal  from 
the  action  of  the  Chicago  court  dis- 
missing its  original  injunction  suit. 

A  motion  to  dismiss  the  second 
petition  for  an  injunction,  which  has 
been  filed  by  the  AFM,  is  scheduled 
for  argument  here  Jan.  25. 


Reported  Killed 

Rochester,  Jan.  17.  —  Lt.  A.  W. 
Nimghan,  formerly  an  experimental 
motion  picture  photographer  for  East- 
man Kodak  Co.  here,  has  been  report- 
ed killed  in  an  airplane  accident  near 
Orlando,  Fla. 


Momand  Anti-Trust 
Trial  Goes  Into 
Second  Week  Today 


Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  17. — Testi- 
mony by  a  parade  of  plaintiff's  wit- 
nesses in  the  Momand  anti-trust  trial 
being  heard  in  Federal  District  Court 
here  before  Judge  Bower  Broaddus 
was  to  continue  tomorrow  and  ex- 
pected to  take  up  most  of  the  second 
week  of  the  $5,000,000  action  directed 
against  major  producers,  distributors 
and  the  Griffith  companies. 

Examination  of  L.  C.  Griffith,  presi- 
dent of  Griffith  Amusement  Co.,  was 
completed  Friday  for  the  time  being, 
but  he  is  expected  to  be  called  back 
to  the  stand  after  other  Griffith  execu- 
tives have  been  heard. 

Bernard  J.  McKenna,  general  man- 
ager, and  Horace  Falls,  buyer  and 
supervisor  of  booking  for  Griffith, 
were  also  heard  Friday.  McKenna 
testified  as  to  record  systems  used 
and  how  they  operated.  Falls  testi- 
fied as  to  the  buying  and  booking  de- 
tails of  the  organization. 

Describes  Universal  Deals 

Griffith,  who  had  spent  an  hour  on 
the  stand  Thursday,  was  the  first  wit- 
ness called  Friday  morning.  He  pre- 
sented details  of  negotiations  with  Al 
Fair  of  the  Universal  circuit  of  thea- 
tres, from  whom  $450,000  was  bor- 
rowed to  start  the  Griffith  Amuse- 
ment Co.  after  the  Griffith  brothers 
had  already  acquired  some  30  thea- 
tres. Griffith  stated  that  this  was 
paid  back  in  eight  years  at  interest  of 
10  per  cent  and  that  during  the  life 
of  the  agreement  covering  the  loan, 
Universal  had  had  no  voice  in  deter- 
mining policies  of  the  company  nor 
had  influenced  the  buying  of  any  prod- 
uct of  any  of  the  major  producers, 
but  had  been  a  liability  in  conducting 
such  negotiations. 

He  also  related  how  he  had  entered 
into  an  agreement  with  Momand  in 
1930  under'  which  Griffith  theatres 
were  to  be  pooled  with  Momand  at  the 
head  and  Griffith  was  to  lend  the 
new  firm  $100,000.  The  agreement 
was  signed  by  Momand,  he  said,  but 
never  carried  out. 

Under  questioning  by  George  S. 
Ryan,  Momand  counsel,  Griffith  de- 
nied having  ever  discussed  with  Mo- 
mand a  purported  trade  of  the  latter's 
Oklahoma  interests  for  Griffith  inter- 
ests in  Texas. 


Sister  Kenny  to  Get 
Variety  Club  Award 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
but,  due  to  the  war,  the  1942  meeting, 
originally  scheduled  for  Los  Angeles, 
was  called  off.  However,  a  session 
of  Variety  Club  officers  from  all  Tents 
will  be  held  in  Chicago,  Feb.  19 
through  21. 

The  award  was  created  in  1938  to 
honor  annually  an  individual  who  had 
done  the  most  for  underprivileged 
children.  Father  Flanagan,  Martha 
Berry  of  the  Berry  Schools  in  Geor- 
gia, and  Dr.  George  Washington  Car- 
ver, who  died  recently,  are  previous 
winners. 


Studio  Labor  Pact 
Reached  in  Britain 

London,  Jan.  17. — After  five 
and  one-half  years  of  negotia- 
tions the  British  Film  Pro- 
ducers Association,  represent- 
ing employers,  and  the  Asso- 
ciated Cinema  Technicians, 
representing  employes,  have 
reached  a  detailed  agreement 
on  a  standard  contract  gov- 
erning wages  and  hours  for 
all  studios  and  laboratories. 
The  agreement  remains  to  be 
ratified  by  members  of  both 
associations,  whose  aproval  is 
expected. 


CBS  Gross  in  1942 
Totaled$45,593,125 


Ginger  Rogers  to  Wed 

Hollywood,  Jan.  17. — Ginger  Rog- 
ers and  Pvt.  Jack  Briggs  of  Schenec- 
tady, N.  Y.,  actor,  now  a  Marine  sta- 
tioned at  San  Diego,  will  be  married, 
the  film  actress  said. 


Gross  billings  of  $45,593,125  have 
been  announced  by  CBS  for  1942.  Ad- 
vertisers of  foods  and  food  beverages 
led  the  industries  buying  time  on  the 
network  with  $12,887,697  for  the  year, 
it  was  stated.  Drugs  and  toilet  goods 
advertisers  were  next  with  $10,- 
301,665. 

Young  &  Rubicam,  Inc.,  the  leading 
advertising  agency  on  the  list,  placed 
$5,674,501  with  CBS  in  1942.  Ruthrauff 
&  Ryan  followed  with  $5,101,813,  and 
J.  Walter  Thompson  Co.,  Blackett- 
Sample-Hummert  and  Ward  Wheel- 
ock  Co.  were  others  in  the  top  five, 
respectively. 

Lever  Brothers  Co.  was  listed  as 
the  largest  network  advertiser  with 
gross  billings  of  $4,266,550  for  the 
year.  General  Foods-  Corp.  was  next 
with  $4,223,395.  Proctor  &  Gamble 
Co.  spent  $3,087,534  with  CBS,  while 
the  Campbell  Soup  Co.  had  a  time 
expenditure  of  $2,858,829,  and  Wil- 
liam Wrigley,  Jr.,  $2,462,069. 

There  were  120  advertisers  listed. 
Paramount,  the  only  picture  company 
represented,  had  a  time  expenditure 
of  $11,166. 


Frank  Cuhel  Guest 
of  MBS  Luncheon 

Miller  McClintock,  president  of 
Mutual,  was  host  at  a  press  luncheon 
at  Toots  Shor's  restaurant  Friday  for 
Frank  J.  Cuhel,  network  correspon- 
dent, who  has  just  returned  from 
Australia.  Cuhel,  who  was  introduced 
by  McClintock,  sjx>ke  on  the  need 
for  improving  relations  between  the 
United  States  and  Australia. 

David  H.  Bailey,  director  of  the 
Australian  News  and  Information 
Bureau  here,  discussed  the  role  of  the 
press  and  radio  in  planning  for  the 
post-war  world.  Theodore  C.  Streibert, 
Mutual  vice-president,  and  Fred  Web- 
er, general  manager,  attended  the 
luncheon. 


R.  I.  Theatres 
To  Cut  Shows 
For  Oil  Saving 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
State  Assembly  as  to  whether  any  of 
the  other  states  in  the  Eastern  fuel 
zone  had  resorted  to  similar  curtail- 
ment, he  stated  that  he  had  been  ask/^  ^ 
by  several  states  for  copies   of  is  ■ 
Rhode  Island  bill.    The  measure,  au- 
thorizing the  Governor  to  issue  the 
restrictive  order,  was  passed  by  the 
General  Assembly  on  Friday. 

The  bill  applies  to  all  non-war  pub- 
lic buildings  as  well  as  theatres.  It 
had  been  proposed  at  first  that  all 
such  buildings  be  placed  on  a  five-day 
week.  However,  theatre  and  other 
opposition  apparently  will  win  a  con- 
cession from  the  Governor  curtailing 
their  operations  by  only  one-seventh. 
Indications  are  that  they  may  be  per- 
mitted to  open  later  each  day,  rather 
than  to  close  for  a  full  day  each  week. 
A  substitute  measure  which  would 
have  required  theatres  to  remain  closed 
until  6  p.  m.  each  day  except  Wednes 
day,  Saturday  and  Sunday  was  aban 
doned  by  the  Assembly. 


Connecticut  House  Hit 

New  Haven,  Jan.  17. — The  400-seat 
Cheshire  at  Cheshire,  has  been  badly 
affected  by  the  pleasure-driving  ban 
and  is  contemplating  closing  all  but 
week-ends,  J.  DiFrancesco  said. 


Loew's  Paid  Mayer 
$935,866  Last  Year 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

remuneration  of  $2,819,832  paid  by  the 
company  or  its  subsidiaries  to  direc- 
tors and  officers  as  a  group  during 
the  fiscal  year,  which  included  aggre- 
gate remuneration  of  $419,934  paid 
to  Nicholas  M.  Schenck,  president. 

Loew's  stockholders  will  meet  Feb. 
26,  at  which  time  the  present  10  di- 
rectors are  scheduled  to  be  reelected. 


Will  Press  Inquiry 
Of  FCC,  Cox  Says 


Washington,  Jan.  17. — Determina- 
tion to  press  his  resolution  for  investi- 
gation of  the  Federal  Communications 
Commission  was  voiced  by  Represen- 
tative Cox  of  Georgia  after  an  at- 
torney for  the  Commission  on  Friday 
attempted  to  put  into  a  hearing  record 
evidence  that  the  legislator  had  acted 
as  special  counsel  for  the  station  in- 
volved, j 

Delacey  Allen,  counsel  for  WALB, 
Albany,  Ga.,  on  whose  application  for 
renewal  of  license  the  hearing  was 
being  held,  protested  the  introduction 
of  the  minutes  of  a  stockholders' 
meeting  reporting  Cox  had  been  re- 
tained at  a  fee  of  $1,500. 

Declaring  the  charge  was  a  "frame- 
up"  and  renewing  his  allegation  that 
FCC  Chairman  James  L.  Fly  was 
maintaining  a  "Gestapo"  which  threat- 
ens freedom  of  press  and  speech,  Cox 
characterized  the  proceedings  as  an 
"inquisition  not  because  of  any  in- 
fraction of  FCC  rules  by  the  station 
but  simply  because  of  my  resolution 
to  investigate  Fly's  dictatorial  setup." 

Wright  Now  Eastern 
NBC  Program  Head 

NBC !  has  announced  the  appoint- 
ment of  Wynn  Wright  as  Eastern  Di- 
vision program  manager.  He  will  be 
succeeded  as  division  production  man- 
ager by  Lester  O'Keefe,  now  assist- 
ant manager.  The  network  also  an- 
nounced that  Ned  Tollinger,  NBC 
production  director  of  the  Bob  Hope 
and  Rudy  Vallee  programs,  succeeds 
Walter  Bunker,  Jr.,  as  production 
manager  of  the  Western  Division. 
The  latter  is  producing  the  Jack  Ben- 
ny program  for  Young  &  Rubicam. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

▲ 


«U   P.   PRODUCERS  & 
DISTRIBUTORS  OF  AM. ,  INC 
28  WEST  44TH  ST. , 
NEW  YORK, 

N.  Y.  (3  COPI% 


ILY 


First  in 


1 


53.  NO.  12 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  TUESDAY,  JANUARY  19,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


ExpectFurther 
Cut  in  Oil  for 
EasternHouses 


Theatres  to  Come  Under 
Priorities  System 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  18. — Heating 
oil  supplies  for  Eastern  theatres  are 
expected  to  be  further  curtailed  to- 
morrow under  a  priorities  system 
for  the  distribution  of  petroleum 
drafted  today  by  the  Petroleum 
Administration,  but  it  is  not  be- 


Hartford,  Conn.,  Jan.  18. — Be- 
cause of  the  fuel  situation, 
Gov.  Baldwin  in  a  special 
broadcast  tonight  requested  the 
closing  of  theatres,  business  es- 
tablishments, and  other  amuse- 
ment centers  every  Monday 
over  a  two-month  period. 


lieved  that  any  theatre  will  be  de- 
nied  some  supply. 

Under  the  priorities  arrangement 

(Continued  on  page  10) 


'Shadow  of  Doubt' 
Gets  Strong  Start 


Grosses  were  strong  on  Broadway 
over  the  weekend,  managers  reported. 
The  healthy  business  continued  yes- 
terday, it  was  said,  with  the  cold  rain 
failing  to  dent  Monday  box-office 
grosses.  With  many  high  school  stu- 
dents free  because  of  the  Regents' 
examinations,  the  week  is  expected  to 
be  a  good  one  for  Broadway  houses. 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  played  to 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


Probe  of  FCC  Gets 
Approval  of  House 

Washington,  Jan.  18.— The 
House  Rules  Committee  today 
approved  the  Cox  resolution 
for  an  investigation  of  the 
Federal  Communications  Com- 
mission by  a  special  five-man 
committee  of  which  the 
Georgia  Representative  is  ex- 
pected to  be  chairman.  The 
purpose  of  the  inquiry,  ac- 
cording to  the  resolution, 
would  be  to  determine  whether 
the  commission  is  conducting 
itself  "in  accordance  with  the 
law  and  public  interest." 


Film  and  Materials 
Will  Be  Discussed 
At  Meet  with  WPB 


Washington,  Jan.  18. — Members 
of  the  Motion  Picture  Advisory  Com- 
mittee will  come  to  Washington  Jan. 
22  for  their  first  1943  meeting  with 
War  Production  Board  officials. 

The  major  subject  of  discussion  is 
expected  to  be  the  recent  film  alloca- 
tion order  setting  the  quotas  for  the 
first  quarter  of  the  year,  but  various 
phases  of  the  general  situation,  includ- 
ing the  supply  position  of  various  stra- 
tegic materials,  will  be  discussed  by 
Harold  Hopper,  chief  of  the  Motion 
Picture  Section,  and  WPB  experts. 

A  committee  representing  the  manu- 
facturers of  photographic  film  will 
meet  with  Hopper  Jan.  21  to  consider 
proposals  involving  raw  materials  and1 
production  of  film. 


Sussman  Joins  NSS 
In  Sales  Position 


William  Sussman,  former  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox Eastern  division  sales  man- 
ager, has  joined  National  Screen  Ser- 
vice in  an  executive  sales  capacity, 
George  Dembow,  vice-president  in 
charge  of  sales,  announced  yesterday. 

According  to  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac,  Sussman  joined  the 
sales  statistical  department  of  Famous 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Democrats  Name 
Walker  Chairman 

Chicago,  Jan.  18.  —  Post- 
master General  Frank  C. 
Walker  was  unanimously 
elected  chairman  of  the  Demo- 
cratic National  Committee  at 
its  meeting  here  today.  Gov. 
Culbert  L.  Olson  of  California, 
who  placed  Walker's  name  in 
nomination,  lauded  him  as  "a 
consistent  and  faithful  sup- 
porter of  the  liberal  policies 
of  the  administration."  The 
Postmaster  General  formerly 
was  president  of  Comerford 
Theatres,  Inc. 


Pension  of  $1,250 
A  Year  Provided  in 
Nat'l  Theatres  Plan 


By  ROBERT  HALL 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  18. — A  maxi- 
mum retirement  income  of  $1,250  a 
year  is  provided  for  in  the  National 
Theatres  retirement  plan  which  has 
been  placed  in  effect  for  employes  of 
Fox  West  Coast,  it  is  revealed  by  of- 
ficials of  the  circuit,  of  which  Charles 
Skouras  is  president. 

Employes  and  executives  may  '  re- 
tire at  65  after  having  paid  a  weekly 
percentage  of  their  salary,  which  the 
company  matches  by  a  ratio  of  two  to 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


Industry  March  of  Dimes 
Drive  Set  for  Feb.  18-24 


As  United  Nations  Week  drew  to  a 
close,  plans  moved  forward  yesterday 
to  launch  the  motion  picture  industry's 
next  important 
campaign  — the 
March  of 
Dimes  to  aid 
the  fight  on  in- 
fantile paraly- 
s  i  s  ,  it  was 
a  n  n  o  u  n  ced. 
Nicholas 
M.  Schenck, 
president 
of  L  o  e  w  '  s, 
again  was 
named  chair- 
man of  the 
drive  and  has 
set  Feb.  18-24 
as  dates  for 
collections  i  n 
the  country. 
Through  state  chairmen,  pledges  to 


Nicholas  Schenck 


theatres  throughout 


take  part  in  the  drive  are  going  out  to 
exhibitors  and  several  thousand  thea- 
tres already  have  enlisted  in  the  cam- 
paign to  make  audience  collections, 
with  a  total  of  at  least  15,000  theatres 
expected  to  participate,  it  was  stated. 

One-third  of  all  monies  collected 
by  the  National  Foundation  for  In- 
fantile paralysis  in  1942  was  raised 
by  the  motion  picture  campaign  which 
collected  $1,450,000,  the  announce- 
ment revealed. 

Schenck  said  that  headquarters  for 
the  industry's  campaign  have  been 
opened  in  the  Astor  Hotel,  and  an- 
nounced the  following  national  com- 
mittee members  : 

Executive  committee  :  Barney  Bala- 
ban,  E.  L.  Alperson,  Gus  Eyssell,  Si 
Fabian,  Harry  Kalmine.  Charles  C. 
Moskowitz,  Herman  Robbins,  Spyros 
Skouras  and  Harry  Brandt ;  home  of- 
fice   chairman,    Leonard    Goldenson ; 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


Escrow  Plan 
For  Salaries 
Put  to  Actors 


Meeting  Set  for  Friday 
On  Over-Limit  Pay 


Hollywood,  Jan.  18.  —  The 
Screen  Actors  Guild  today  an- 
nounced a  special  meeting  for  Fri- 
day night  to  discuss  the  proposed 
escrow  plan  for  handling  earnings 
in  excess  of  the  $67,200  ceiling. 
All  actors  whose  earnings  will  be 
affected  by  the  ceiling  have  been 
asked  to  attend. 

The  announcement  of  the  meeting 
said  in  part :  "The  plan,  which  was 
evolved  in  Washington  last  month  dur- 
ing conferences  between  representa- 
tives of  the  Government  and  the  mo- 
tion picture  industry,  stipulates  that 
the  studios  pay  employes  their  full 
salary  during  1943.  Only  the  amount 
permitted  under  the  ceiling  will  go 
directly  to  the  actor.  The  balance 
will  be  held  in  escrow. 

"Should  certain  changes  be  made  in 
the  salary  ceiling  the  money  will  be 
turned  over  to  the  actor.  Should  the 
1943  tax  rate  be  so  high  that  the  $67,- 
200  gross  does  not  yield  $25,000  net, 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


Zoellner  Testifies 
In  Momand  Trial 


By  T.  L.  BUTTERFIELD 

Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  18. — Judge 
Broaddus,  in  whose  court  the  Mo- 
mand $5,000,000  anti-trust  action  is 
being  heard  here,  today  ruled  that  he 
would  not  order  the  defendants  to 
produce  any  records  or  documents 
they  did  not  have  in  their  possession 
in  Oklahoma  City.  He  stated  that 
in  preliminary  hearings  he  had  al- 
lowed ample  opportunity  for  Mo- 
mand's  attorneys  to  secure  this  evi- 
dence or  make  demands  for  it  and 
that  unless  a  reasonable  excuse  could 

(Continued  on  page  10) 


Seven  Reviews  Today 

"Cinderella  Swings  It," 
"Lost  Canyon,"  "Kid  Dyna- 
mite," Page  5.  "Mug  Town," 
"My  Son,  The  Hero,"  Page  6. 
"Truck  Busters,"  "The  Old 
Chisholm  Trail,"  Page  8.  Key 
city  box-office  reports.  Page 
5.  Atlas  adds  to  RKO  hold- 
ings, Page  6. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  January  19,  1943 


Coast  Flashes 


Hollywood,  Jan.  18 

GARY  COOPER  has  been  signed 
by  Warner  Bros,  for  the  lead  in 
"Saratoga  Trunk,"  the  studio  an- 
nounced today.  Cooper  also  was 
signed  today  for  the  title  role  in  Para- 
mount's  "The  Story  of  Dr.  Wassell," 
to  be  directed  by  Cecil  B.  DeMille. 
• 

Arthur  Schwartz,  composer  for  the 
Broadway  stage,  has  been  signed  by 
Columbia  as  a  producer,  the  studio 
announced.  His  first  assignment  will 
be  "The  Cover  Girl,"  in  Technicolor. 
• 

"In  Our  Time,"  a  war  story  by 
Robert  St.  John,  has  been  bought  by 
Warner  Bros,  as  a  vehicle  for  Paul 
Henreid,  John  Garfield  and  Brenda 
Marshall.  Frederick  Faust  is  doing 
the  screenplay  and  Jerry  Wald  will 
produce. 

• 

James  Cagney  has  accepted  chair- 
manship of  the  industry's  Red  Cross 
drive  here  which  starts  in  March, 
o 

Harold  Sugarman,  manager  of 
Universal's  studio  foreign  department, 
succeeds  William  Bishop,  of  20th 
Century-Fox,  as  chairman  of  the  For- 
eign Department  Committee  of  the 
Association  of  Motion  Picture  Pro- 
ducers. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN      .      GREER  GARSON 
In  James  Hilton's 

"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN   M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue    .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 
PRESENTS 

{STAR  SPANGLED 
RHYTHM' 

with  43  STARS 
PARAMOUNT 


IN  PERSON 

BENNY 
GOODMAN 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

— Extra — 
Frank  Sinatra 

Times  Square 


Tyrone 

POWER 


Maureen 


O'HARA^ 

™BiackSwan 

a««*c.»i«,.k..m.».p*    IN  TECHNICOLOR! 
*   PLUS  BIG  STAGE  SHOW  ★ 

BUY  A  WAR  n  f\  V  V  7,h  Avr 

BONDatthe  K.        JK  ■    SOU  sr. 


PALACE 


B  WAY  & 
47th  St. 


VICTOR  MATURE 


LUCILLE  BALL 


' SEVEN  DAYS  LEAVE ' 

—  and  — 

'GORILLA  MAN' 

WITH  JOHN  LODER 


loTwsSTBTE 


ON  SCREEN 
BING  CROSBY 
DOROTHY  LAMOUR 
BOB  HOPE 

ROAD  TO 
MOROCCO' 


! 


In  Person 
Benny 

FIELDS 

Extra! 
Joe  Rines 
&  Orch. 


Personal  Mention 


EK.  O'SHEA  is  expected  back  in 
•   New  York  tomorrow  from  the 
Coast. 

• 

Jack  Flynn  arrives  in  Chicago  to- 
day from  California. 

• 

Irving  Briskin,  Columbia  produc- 
er, is  expected  to  leave  Hollywood 
tomorrow  for  New  York. 

• 

Charles  W.  Koerner,  RKO  studio 
head,  will  leave  for  the  Coast  today 
after  a  10-day  visit  here. 

• 

Sgt.  David  Whalen,  formerly  Re- 
public publicity  manager  and  public 
relations  man  for  Gene  Autry,  is  at  an 
Air  Corps  school  here. 

• 

Ensign  Robert  Johnson,  son  of 
Adolph  G.  Johnson  of  the  Strand, 
Hamden,  Conn.,  has  been  named  as- 
sistant athletic  director  at  the  Miami 
sub-chaser  school. 

• 

Morris  Leonard,  B.  and  K.  attor- 
ney, has  returned  to  Chicago  from  a 
Mexican  vacation. 


HARRY    COHN    and    Nate  B. 
Spingold  are  scheduled  to  leave 
for  the  Coast  at  the  end  of  the  week. 
• 

Dr.  A.  H.  Giannini  postponed  his 
departure  for  the  Coast  until  today 
or  tomorrow  after  contracting  a  cold. 
• 

Charles  Rich,  Warner  Bros, 
branch  manager  in  Cleveland,  arrived 
in  New  York  yesterday. 

• 

Murphy  C.  Robertson,  of  Warner 
Bros,  exchange  in  Atlanta,  has  been 
inducted  in  the  Army. 

• 

James  B.  Lansing,  vice-president 
of  Altec  Lansing,  has  arrived  from 
the  Coast. 

• 

Capt.  Frank  M.  Gookin  of  North 
Attleboro,  Mass.,  formerly  with  RCA 
as  field  engineer,  has  reported  to  the 
Signal  Corps  at  Ft.  Monmouth,  N.  J. 
• 

Louis  Levine,  manager  of  the  Ri- 
voli  Theatre,  Chicopee,  Mass.,  is  back 
at  work  after  an  operation. 


$55,000  at  Loew's 
For  United  Nations 

Loew's  reported  that  its  houses  in 
the  New  York  metropolitan  area  col- 
lected $55,000  during  the  first  four 
days  of  the  United  Nations  Drive,  ex- 
ceeding, it  was  said,  all  previous  cam- 
paigns such  as  'March  of  Dimes"  and 
Army-Navy  Relief. 


San  Francisco,  Jan.  18. — During 
the  first  three  days  of  the  United  Na- 
tions Drive,  Fox  West  Coast  Thea- 
tres in  this  area  collected  more  than 
$22,000,  and  the  week's  total  for  the 
circuit  is  expected  to  reach  $50,000, 
according  to  officials. 


The  Palace  Theatre,  Chicago,  and 
Orpheum,  Kansas  City,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  United  Nations  Week 
celebration,  will  hold  benefit  previews 
tomorrow. 


Orpheum,  St.  Louis, 
Reopens  January  28 

St.  Louis,  Jan.  18. — The  Orpheum 
Theatre  here  will  open  under  Loew 
management  Jan.  28  with  a  war  bond 
showing  of  "The  War  Against  Mrs. 
Hadley."  Eddie  Dowden,  of  the  Loew 
publicity  staff,  is  in  St.  Louis  assist- 
ing District  Manager  Allen  Sparrow 
and  Rex  Williams,  manager  of  Loew's 
Theatre  here,  in  preparing  the  open- 
ing campaign. 


Davie s  to  Appear  in 
Prologue  to  Film 

Joseph  E.  Davies,  former  Ambassa- 
dor to  Russia,  will  write  and  appear 
in  a  prologue  to  the  Warner  Bros.' 
screen  version  of  his  best-seller,  "Mis- 
sion to  Moscow,"  now  in  production, 
the  company  announced.  Walter  Hus- 
ton plays  the  Davies  role  in  the  film. 


$3,550  for  'Spring  Again' 

Springfield,  Mass.,  Jan.  18. 
"Spring  Again"  on  the  stage  of  the 
Court  Square  Theatre  here  grossed 
$3,550  for  one  matinee  and  evening 
performance,  Milton  Hale,  executive 
secretary  of  the  Playgoers  League, 
reported. 


Wendell  Willkie's 
Book  Out  in  March 

A  book  by  Wendell  Willkie,  chair- 
man of  the  board  of  20th  Century- 
Fox,  entitled  "One  War,  One  Peace, 
One  World"  will  be  published  in 
March  by  Simon  and  Schuster,  it  was 
announced.  Primarily  a  plea  for  open 
discussion  of  the  war  and  the  peace  to 
follow,  the  book  tells  of  his  experi- 
ences on  the  recent  trip  he  made  to 
Russia,  China  and  the  Near  East,  the 
publisher  stated. 


Ask  Juvenile  Ban  in 
Springfield  Epidemic 

Springfield,  Mass.,  Jan.  18. — The 
city  health  department  has  requested 
theatre  managers  to  bar  children  who 
cannot  give  proof  of  being  over  16 
years,  for  the  duration  of  the  scarlet 
fever  epidemic.  This  request  came  as 
as  a  result  of  complaints  from  minis- 
ters who  had  been  asked  to  close  Sun- 
day schools  during  the  epidemic,  while 
theatres  were  allowed  to  remain  open. 


Long  Leaves  HansonFirm 

Toronto,  Jan.  18. — H.  T.  Long  has 
resigned  as  an  executive  official  of 
Pioneer  Films,  Ltd.,  of  which  O.  R 
Hanson  is  president.  Previous  to 
joining  Pioneer  some  months  ago. 
Long  was  general  manager  of  Asso- 
ciated Theatres,  Ltd.,  here  for  more 
than  a  decade. 


APARTMENT  FOR  RENT 

To  sub-lease  until  Oc- 
tober 1  attractive  unfur- 
nished apartment  at  350 
West  57th  Street.  Highly 
desirable  as  escape  from 
fuel  and  gasolene  ration- 
ing problems.  Rental  rea- 
sonable. Box  280  MO- 
TION PICTURE  DAILY. 


Ice  Show  Week's 
One  Opening;  New 
Plays  Preparing 

Openings  along  the  rialto  reached 
ebb  tide  this  week.  Last  night's 
"Hollywood  Ice  Revue"  at  Madison 
Square  Garden,  starring  Sonja  Henie, 
is  the  week's  only  opening.  The  ice 
show  will  have  a  10-day  run.  "A 
My  Friend  Sandy,"  originally  scht  . 
uled  for  this  Thursday  at  the  Bift- 
more,  has  been  postponed  until  Jan. 
27. 

Margaret  Webster  is  directing  the 
Lee  Sabinson  produced  "Counterat- 
tack," due  at  the  Windsor  theatre 
Feb.  3.  Janet  and  Philip  Stevenson 
have  written  a  play  based  upon  the 
Russian  original  by  Ilya  Vershinin 
and  Mikhail  Ruderman.  Morris  Car- 
novsky  and  Martin  Wolfson  are  in 
the  cast,  and  Barbara  O'Neil  has  the 
only  female  part  in  the  role  of  a  Nazi 
nurse. 

Eddie  Dowling  has  signed  Nicho- 
las Joy  for  a  role  in  "This  Rock," 
the  comedy  which  he  will  bring  here 
on  Feb.  18,  following  two  weeks  in 
Boston.  Martha  Scott  will  not  appear 
in  the  play  as  announced  earlier,  and 
her  part  has  been  taken  by  Virginia 
Kaye. 

Ruth  Wilk,  Producer 

Ruth  Wilk,  daughter  of  Jacob  Wilk 
of  Warner  Bros.,  and  Katharine 
Brown,  vice-president  of  Hunt  Strom- 
berg  Productions,  announced  Sunday 
that  they  will  produce  "Suds  in  Your 
Eyes."  Nathaniel  Curtis  has  drama- 
tized Mary  Lasswell's  novel  of  that 
title. 

Robert  Milton  and  Frank  Cruick- 
shank  will  produce  the  Russian  play, 
"Distant  Point,"  by  Alexander  Afino- 
geney,  which  Herbert  Griffith  has 
translated.  The  producers  have  ob- 
tained American  and  Canadian  rights 
to  the  play,  and  Milton  will  direct. 
A  tour  of  the  production  will  start  in 
Bridgeport  about  March  1,  and  the 
entire  engagement  will  be  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Red  Cross,  it  was  an- 
nounced. 

The  Theatre  Guild's  production  of 
the  Philip  Barry  comedy,  "Without 
Love,"  will  give  a  special  perform- 
ance for  the  Actors'  Fund  on  Tues- 
day afternoon,  Feb.  9,  at  the  St. 
James  Theatre. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


4 


WANTED 


Above:  The  ad 
that  Allentown 
saw  first.  Then, 
(right)  the  second 
ad  of  the  unique 
campaign. 


SELL 
SEATS 
WITH 
IDEAS! 


Leo  Trainor,  Manager  of  the 
Rialfo  Theatre,  AIIentown,put 
on  a  campaign  that  clicked! 

Increased  newspaper  advertising.  8  24-sheets;  2  3-sheets; 
4  6-sheets  posted  week  in  advance.  Tie-up  with  Lion's 
Club  for  underprivileged  children.  The  tickets  were 
sold  under  the  sponsorship  of  a  committee  consisting 
of  100  members.  Radio:  Spot  announcements  immedi- 
ately preceding  and  following  the  Red  Skelton  program 
in  advance.  30  station-break  flashes.  Daily  spot  announce- 
ments immediately  following  local  news  program  dur- 
ing engagement.  This  program  has  an  exceedingly  large 
listening  audience.  Radio  Station  WSAN.  Dashboard 
cards  on  all  trolley  cars  and  buses — approximately  100. 
35  14x22  cards  on  newsstands.  Tie-up  with  Mattie 
Thompson  Beauty  Salon,  including  ad  and  window 
display.  3,000  bags  imprinted  for  McCrory's  five-and-a- 
dime  store.  Story  in  Woman's  Gossip  column  of  Evening 
Chronicle.  Story  in  Shopper's  Guide.  Red  Skelton  win- 
dow in  building  of  Radio  Station  WSAN.  Tie-up  with 
Morning  Call  and  Evening  Chronicle — on  Shopping 
Guide  page — twice  in  each  paper  before  opening.  30 
bumper  strips  on  Allen  taxicabs.  Sides  of  Bonded  Coal 
Company's  trucks  bannered;  also  trailer  trucks  hauling 
coal  from  mines  to  yard  in  Allentown.  Picture  plugged 
by  Joe  McCarron  in  his  sports  page  in  Morning  Call. 
Picture  plugged  by  Johnny  Van  Sandt,  sports  com- 
mentator of  Station  WSAN.  18  center-city  window  dis- 
plays. 4  40x60's  in  empty  store  windows.  30x40's  in 
hotel  lobbies. 


ALLENTOWN'S 

4 

CHAMPION 

SOUR-PUSSES 

WE  BELIEVE  THAT  RED  SKELTON'S 
LATEST  PICTURE — 

"WHISTLING  IN  DIXIE" 
Which  will  be  the  next  attraction  at  the 
Rialto  Theatre,  is  so  funny  that  nobody 
can  sit  through  it  without  being  con- 
vulsed with  laughter. 

To  test  this,  as  an  experiment,  we  would 
like  to  engage  the  four  sourest-pusses  in 
Allentown  who  think  they  can  sit 
through  an  advanced  screening  of  this 
picture  without  laughing  —  Each  will  be 
paid  $5.00.  Apply  today  at  the  Rialto 
Theatre. 

LEO  TRAINOR, 
Manager 


"Showmanship 
is  positively 
not  dead  in 
Allentown!" 


PROOF  THAT  ALLENTOWN 
HAS  NO  MORE  SOUR-PUSSES! 

THEY  SAID  "YOU  CAN'T 
MAKE  US  LAUGH" 


JANES  E.  BICE  EL        ULYSSES  C.  ALTEMOSE  JR 


BAHDOLPH  HOrFMAH 
1ZI  S«.  Jtffnio*  Sl 


BUT  WE  DID" 

AT  A  PRIVATE  ADVANCED  SCREENING  OF  "WHISTLING  IN  DIXIE" . . .  VOD. 
TOO,  WILL  BE  CONVULSED  WITH  LAUGHTER.  RED  SKELTON  IS  AT  HIS  BEST. 


There's  Dough  in  This  Show! 

RED  SKELTON  ,„  *  g-ms 
WHISTLING  IN  DIXIE 

With 

Ann  Rutherford  •  George  Bancroft  •  Guy  Kibbee  •  Diana  Lewis  •  Peter  Whitney 
Screen  Play  by  Nat  Perrin  •  Additional  Dialogue  byWilkieMahoney  •  Directedby 
S.  SYLVAN  SIMON  •  Produced  by  GEORGE  HAIGHT  •  An  M-G-M  Picture 


Serve  vour  country !  Sell  Bonds ! 


Tuesday,  January  19,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


5 


Holdovers  Strong 
In  Providence; 
<Swan\  $12,600 


Providence,  Jan.  18. — "The  Black 
Swan"  topped  this  city's  grosses  with 
$12,600.  There  was  only  one  other 
new  picture  during  the  week ;  the 
others  were  holdovers.  Business  with 
,£)nce  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  at  the 
•yKO-Albee  continued  good  enough  to 
warrant  a  third  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  14-15 : 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"Mexican  Spitfire's  Elephant"  (RKO) 

RKO- ALB  EE — (2,239)  (28c-39c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Average, 
$7,000) 

"Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 


days. 


"Johnny  Doughboy"  (Rep.) 

STRAND— (2,200)     (28c-39c-S0c)  7 
Gross:  $9,500.    (Average,  $8,500) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.A.) 

LOEWS  STATE— (3,232)  (28c-39c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $10,800.  (Average, 
$11  000) 

"The  Black  Swan"  (2«th-Fox) 

MAJESTIC— (2,250)   (28c-39c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $12,600.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

CARLTON— (1,526)    (28c-39c-50c)   7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $4,900.    (Average,  $3,500) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  (Para.) 

PLAYHOUSE — (1,280)  (28c-39c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $1,800.  (Average, 
$2,000) 

"Rhythm  Parade"  (Mono.) 

METROPOLITAN — (3,045)  (30c-35c-55c) 
3  days.  On  stage:  Bob  Chester's  Orches- 
tra, Harris  Berger  &  Hally  Chester,  Ruthie 
Barnes,  Beatrice  Kay.  Gross:  $7,500.  (Av- 
erage, $7,000) 

"Boss  of  Big  Town"  (PRC) 

FAY'S— (1,800)  (28c-39c-50c)  7  days.  _  On 
stage:  Christy  &  Ross,  De  Maranvilles, 
Myrtle  Dunedin,  Derby  Wilson  &  Frenchie, 
Ruth  Urban,  Jacky  Leal,  Cartier  Sisters. 
Gross:  $5,700.    (Average,  $6,000) 


Driving  Ban  Hurts 
Grosses  in  Balto. 


Baltimore,  Jan.  18. — The  pleasure 
driving  ban  had  telling  effects  on  the 
past  week's  business,  although  local 
managers  claim  matinee  audiences  have 
shown  a  slight  increase.  Apparently, 
they  agree,  film  fans  attend  theatres 
while  downtown  in  preference  to  mak- 
ing an  additional  trip  in  the  evening. 

The  majority  of  attractions  were 
holdovers.  The  second  week  of 
"Stand  By  For  Action"  drew  $11,000 
at  the  Century  while  "Arabian 
Nights"  scored  $10,000  at  Keith's. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  14 : 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

CENTURY—  (3,000)  (28c-44c  and  55c  dur- 
ing weekends)   7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$11,000.    (Average,  $12,000) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

KEITH'S— (2,406)  (15c-28c-33c-44c  and  55c 
during  weekends)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross: 
$10,000.    (Average,  $10,000) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 

NEW— (1,581)  (15c-28c-35c-55c)  7  days.  3rd 
week.    Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 

STANLEY— (3,280)  (15c-28c-39c-44c-55c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $13,500.  (Average, 
$13,000) 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO1) 

HIPPODROME  —  (2,205)  (15c-28c-39c-44c- 
55c -66c)  7  days,  stage  show  with  Jackie 
Miles;  Lime  Trio;  Kim  Loo  Sisters;  Six 
Willys;  Burns  Twins  and  Evelyn.  Gross: 
$15,500.  (Average,  $14,000) 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.) 

MAYFAIR  —  (1,000)  (20c-40c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 


Schulberg  in  Washington 

Washington,  Jan.  18.  —  Budd 
Schulberg  is  in  Washington  for  source 
material  for  his  forthcoming  script 
on  "Government  Girl"  for  RKO. 


Reviews 


'Cinderella  Swings  It" 

(RKO-Radio) 

Hollywood,  Jan.  18 

'  I AHIS  film  in  what  has  been  known  as  the  "Scattergood  Baines" 
series  produced  by  Jerrold  T.  Brandt  for  RKO-Radio  release  con- 
tains more  in  the  way  of  talent  and  variation  than  most  of  its  predeces- 
sors. Guy  Kibbee  is  again  seen  in  the  central  characterization  but 
has  more  collaborators  than  usual  in  the  shouldering  of  the  burden  of 
entertainment. 

The  screenplay  by  Michael  L.  Simmons,  directed  by  Christy  Ca- 
banne,  concerns  the  career  of  a  small  town  girl  singer,  played  and  sung 
with  verve  by  Gloria  Warren,  who  succeeds  in  the  field  of  swing  after 
failing  in  the  field  of  classics.  Leonid  Kinsky  as  her  music  teacher, 
Dick  Hogan  as  the  romantic  lead  and  Dink  Trout  as  the  stationmaster 
are  principals  on  the  right  side  of  the  story,  with  Helen  Parrish  ef- 
fective as  the  romantic  opponent  and  Pierre  Watkin  adequate  as  the 
impresario.  Willie  Best  supplies  supporting  comedy.  Other  roles  are 
played  by  Lee  White,  Fern  Emmett,  Ed  Waller,  Kay  Linaker,  Christine 
Mclntyre  and  Grace  Costello. 

A  number  of  vaudeville  acts  are  worked  into  the  proceedings,  inclu- 
sive of  jugglers,  a  rhumba  chorus,  a  tap  dancer  and  a  comedy  magician. 
"I  Heard  You  Cried  Last  Night",  by  Ted  Grouya  and  Jessire  Krugar, 
and  "The  Flag's  Still  There  Mr.  Key,"  by  George  Jessel  and  Ben  Oak- 
land, are  features  of  the  score.  Frank  Melford  was  associate  producer. 

Running  time,  71  minutes.    "G."*  Roscoe  Williams 


"Lost  Canyon" 

(United  Artists — Harry  Sherman) 

Hollywood,  Jan.  18 

TT  ARRY  SHERMAN'S  42nd  Hopalong  Cassidy  Western,  which  is 
*■  ■*  his  second  for  United  Artists  distribution,  maintains  par  for  the 
distance  and  the  running  time.  It  sags  a  bit  below  the  average  of  the 
series  as  to  story  and  a  bit  above  it  as  to  action.  It  contains,  as  an 
additional  asset  which  has  its  virtues  although  dated,  a  rendition  of  the 
song  hit,  "Spurs  That  Jingle  Jangle  Jingle,"  a  number  that  sets  the 
story  in  motion  to  a  rhythm  which  is  maintained  for  most  of  the  63  min- 
utes. 

William  Boyd  is  himself  as  Cassidy,  and  Andy  Clyde  gives  his  usual 
performance  as  California,  Jay  Kirby  supplying  the  third  characteriza- 
tion in  the  heroic  triangle.  Lola  Lane  is  the  girl  in  this  number, 
Douglas  Fowley,  Herbert  Rawlinson,  Guy  Usher  and  Carl  Hackett 
rounding  out  the  cast. 

The  story,  based  on  the  Clarence  E.  Mulford  characters,  is  about  a 
bank  robbery  and  associated  deviltries  committed  by  a  villainous  gent 
who  holds  a  position  of  respect  in  the  community  until  exposed  by 
Happy.  There  is  a  lot  of  riding,  a  lot  of  shooting  and  a  deal  of  humor 
worked  into  the  proceedings.  Lewis  Rachmil  served  Harry  Sherman 
as  associate  producer  and  Leslie  Selander  directed. 

Running  time,  63  minutes.    "G."*  Roscoe  Williams 


"Kid  Dynamite" 


(Monogram) 

Hollywood,  Jan.  18 

DOSSIBLY  the  best  in  the  series  of  East  Side  Kids  pictures  from  all 
standpoints,  "Kid  Dynamite"  was  adapted  from  a  Saturday  Eve- 
ning Post  story,  "The  Old  Gang,"  by  Paul  Ernest.  The  Sam  Katzman- 
Jack  Dietz  production  has  romance,  suspense  and  action  as  well  as  a 
topical  flavor. 

The  story  concerns  the  rivalry  between  two  youngsters,  one  the  gang 
leader  and  the  other  his  "Stooge,"  which  comes  to  a  head  when  the 
latter  joins  the  Army  and  refuses  to  aid  in  a  robbery  planned  by  the 
gang. 

Leo  Gorcey,  Huntz  Hall,  Bobby  Jordan,  Gabriel  Dell,  Pamela  Blake 
(borrowed  from  M-G-M),  Bennie  Bartlett,  Sammy  Morrison,  Bobby 
Stone,  Vince  Barnett  and  Charles  Judels  head  the  cast. 

The  screenplay  by  Gerald  Schnitzer,  with  additional  dialogue  by 
Morey  Amsterdam,  provides  an  able  framework  for  the  antics  of  the 
youngsters. 

Wallace  Fox's  direction  made  the  most  of  every  opportunity  afforded 
by  the  story.  Worthy  of  special  note  is  the  cinematography  by  Mack 
Stengler. 

Running  time,  73  minutes.  "G"*  Vance  King 

*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


'Sixpence'  and 
'Voyager'  Best 
In  Los  Angeles 


Los  Angeles,  Jan.  18. — "The  Moon 
and  Sixpence"  on  a  dual  with  "The 
Devil  With  Hitler"  was  the  leading 
grosser  here,  netting  a  total  of  $44,- 
300  at  three  downtown  theatres.  Next 
was  "Now,  Voyager,"  which  garnered 
a  third  week  total  of  $32,800  at  three 
houses.  "Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon" 
on  a  dual  with  "Lucky  Legs"  was 
strong  in  a  third  week  with  $17,600 
at  two  theatres. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  13 : 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

CARTHAY  CIRCLE — (1,518)  (33c-44c-55c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,800.  (Av- 
erage, $10,000) 

"The  Moon  and  Sixpence"  (U.A.) 
"The  Devil  With  Hitler"  (U.A.) 

CHINESE—  (2,500)      (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $15,400.    (Average,  $12,000) 
"Jacare"  (U.A.) 

"Dudes  Are  Pretty  People"  (U.A.) 

HAWAII— (1,100)  (33c -44c -55c -75c)  7  days, 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $2,600.  (Average,  $3,500) 
"Once    Upon   a    Honeymoon"    (RKO)  3rd 

week 

"Lucky  Legs"  (Col.) 

HILL-STREET—  (2,700)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $9,500.     (Average,  $6,500) 
"The  Moon  and  Sixpence"  (U.A.) 
"The  Devil  With  Hitler"  (U.A.) 

LOEWS  STATE— (2.500)  (33c-44c-55c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $19,800.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Once    Upon    a    Honeymoon"    (RKO)  3rd 
week 

"Lucky  Legs"  (Col.) 

PANTAGES— (3,000)     (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $8,100.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 

PARAMOUNT  (Hollywood)— (1,407)  33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Av- 
erage, $9,400) 

"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 

"My  Heart  Belongs  to  Daddy"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Downtown)— (3,595)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $17,600.  (Aver- 
age, $18,000) 

"The  Moon  &  Sixpence"  (U.A.) 
"The  Devil  With  Hitler"  (U.A.) 

RITZ— (1,376)     (33c-44c-65c-85c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $9,100. 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.B.) 

WARNER     BROS.     (Hollywood)— (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross: 
$9,600.     (Average,  $14,000) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.B.) 

WARNER     BROS     (Downtown)— (3,400) 
(33c -44c -65c -85c)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross: 
$13,900.    (Average,  $12,000) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (Wiltern)— (2,200)  (33c- 
44c-55c-65c-85c)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross: 
$9,300. 


New  Haven  Receipts 
Up  Despite  Gas  Ban 

New  Haven,  Jan.  18. — In  spite  of 
cold  weather  and  the  pleasure-driving 
ban  most  houses  were  over  par.  "The 
Glass  Key"  and  "Henry  Aldrich, 
Editor"  at  the  Paramount  took  $7,000 
and  holds  for  a  second  week.  At  the 
Roger  Sherman  "Once  Upon  a 
Honeymoon"  and  "The  Falcon  Takes 
Over"  did  $7,500. 

Some  3,000  officer  candidates  sta- 
tioned in  the  Yale  University  buildings 
are  helping  downtown  business. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  14 : 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.  A.) 

COLLEGE— (1.627)  (40c-50c)),  6  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $3,000.     (Average,  $2,900) 
'Thunderbirds"  (20th-Fox) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (ZOth-Fox) 

LOEW-POLI— (3,005)    (40c-50c)    6  days. 
Gross:  $7,000.     (Average.  $9,000) 
"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  Para.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,373)    (40c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $7,000.    (Average,  $5,500) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"The  Falcon  Takes  Over"  (RKO) 

ROGER  SHERMAN— (2,067)  (40c-50c)  7 
clays.    Gross:  $7,500.     (Average,  $6,000) 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  January  19,  1943 


Reviews 


"Mug  Town" 

( Universal) 

Hollywood,  Jan.  18 

'TPHE  Dead  End  Kids  open  this  number  with  a  battle  in  a  flop  house 
*■  and  end  it  in  the  Army.  Between  these  points  they  take  to  the 
road,  take  up  residence  in  a  small  town,  get  into  and  out  of  various 
troubles,  become  involved  in  a  fur-hijacking  plot  and,  by  and  large, 
disport  themselves  about  as  usual  with  about  the  usual  degree  of  suc- 
cess in  providing  entertainment  for  their  following. 

The  personnel  consists  of  Billy  Halop,  Huntz  Hall,  Gabriel  Dell, 
Edward  Norris,  Bernard  Punsly,  Tommy  Kelly,  Dick  Hogan,  Jed 
Prouty,  Murray  Alper  and  Paul  Fix,  on  the  male  side,  with  Grace 
McDonald  and  Virginia  Brissac  taking  good  care  of  the  slender  assign- 
ments allotted  to  the  distaff  side. 

Ken  Goldsmith  produced  and  Ray  Taylor  directed  from  a  script  by 
Brenda  Weisberg,  Lewis  Amster,  Harold  Tarshis  and  Henry  Sucher 
based  on  a  story  by  Charles  Grayson.  The  film  is  not  the  Dead  End 
Kids'  best  or  worst  and  might  be  figured  as  average  for  their  long  and 
variously  trademarked  sequence  of  offerings. 

Running  time,  60  minutes.    "G."*  Roscoe  Williams 


'My  Son,  the  Hero" 

{Producers  Releasing) 

Hollywood,  Jan.  18 

THE  efforts  of  a  broken  down  fight  manager  who  puts  up  a  false 
front  of  wealth  to  attempt  to  impress  his  son,  a  heroic  war  corre- 
spondent, form  the  background  for  "My  Son,  the  Hero,"  an  Atlantic 
Pictures  Corp.  production  for  PRC  release.  However,  the  comedy 
fails  to  jell  in  more  than  a  few  spots,  despite  valiant  efforts  of  the  cast. 

Roscoe  Karns,  as  the  manager ;  Patsy  Kelly,  as  the  woman  who 
poses  as  his  second  wife,  Joan  Blair,  Carol  Hughes,  Maxie  Rosenbloom, 
Louis  Alberni  and  Joseph  Allen,  Jr.,  head  the  casl;. 

The  original  screenplay  by  Doris  Malloy  and  Edgar  Ulmer,  while 
containing  basic  ingredients  for  a  lively  comedy,  failed  to  deliver  in 
the  unfolding.  Ulmer,  who  directed  for  Producer  Peter  Van  Duinen, 
let  matters  get  out  of  hand. 

The  story  deals  primarily  with  the  manager's  posing  as  a  wealthy 
man,  in  a  borrowed  mansion,  with  a  "borrowed"  wife  and  other  trap- 
pings in  order  to  impress  his  son,  whom  he  has  not  seen  for  some  time. 
Complications  develop  when  the  son  seeks  to  sell  $100,000  in  bonds. 
Running  time,  68  minutes.    "G"*  Vance  King 


Atlas  Buys  8,300 
Of  RKO  Common, 
Adds  to  Holdings 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  18. — Continu- 
ing the  buying  program  through 
which  10,000  shares  of  RKO  common 
and  400  shares  of  preferred  stock 
were  added  to  its  portfolio  in  October, 
Atlas  Corp.'s  American  Co.  acquired 
another  8.300  shares  of  common  and 
1,100  shares  of  preferred  in  Novem- 
ber, it  was  reported  tonight  by  the 
Securities  and  Exchange  Commission. 
Atlas  Corp.  also  was  in  the  market 
during  the  month,  buying  700  shares 
of  RKO  preferred,  it  was  shown. 

The  commission's  monthly  summary 
of  transactions  of  officers,  directors 
and  principal  stockholders  in  the  se- 
curities of  their  corporations  showed 
that  at  the  close  of  the  month  Atlas 
Corp.  held  981,323  shares  of  RKO 
common  stock,  327,812  warrants  for 
common  and  53,171  shares  of  pre- 
ferred stock  directly,  and  333,630 
shares  of  common  and  1,230  shares  of 
preferred  through  its  American  Co. 
Chase  Sells  20th-Fox 

Chase  National  Bank,  which  sold 
10,000  shares  of  20th  Century-Fox 
common  stock  in  October,  disposed  of 
another  1,500  shares,  whittling  its 
holdings  down  to  209,658  shares,  it 
was  reported. 

A  number  of  smaller  transactions 
were  disclosed  by  the  summary, 
Loews,  Inc.,  picking  up  another  26 
shares  of  Loews  Boston  Theatres 
common  for  a  total  of  19,558  shares, 
while  in  the  parent  company,  Leo- 
pold Friedman^  New  York  officer, 
bought  100  shares  of  common,  giving 
him  a  total  of  712  shares. 

In  Monogram  Pictures,  W.  Ray 
Johnston,  president,  disposed  of 
1,032  shares  of  common  held  direct, 
leaving  him  with  22,404  shares,  and 
3,285  held  through  Monogram  Pic- 
tures of  Cincinnati. 

A  report  on  Paramount  Pictures 
showed  the  sale  of  40  shares  of  com- 
mon stock  held  by  Stanton  Griffis, 
New  York  director,  through  Hemp- 
hill Noyes  &  Co.,  leaving  him  with 
3,000  shares  so  held  together  with 
19,000  shares  held  through  four  trusts, 
and  a  return  for  Universal  Pictures 
showed  the  acquisition  by  Universal 
Corp.  of  200  shares  of  common  stock, 
giving  it  a  total  of  231,127  shares. 

Reports  on  the  equity  holdings  of 
persons  becoming  officers  or  directors 
showed  that  DeWitt  Millhauser,  New 
York,  held  no  Keith-Albee-Orpheum 
securities  when  he  became  a  director 
last  Aug.  14. 

March  of  Dimes 

Drive  Feb.  18-24 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

exchange  chairman,  Abe  Montague ; 
treasurer,  Walter  Vincent ;  public  re- 
lations, Oscar  A.  Doob  and  Ernest 
Emerling. 

This  year's  "March  of  Dimes"  in- 
dustry campaign  was  set  back  from 
the  usual  Jan.  30,  the  President's 
birthday,  to  February,  to  avoid  con- 
flict with  the  United  Nations  cam- 
paign. President  Roosevelt  approved 
the  change,  it  was  said. 


Robinson  Reissue  Mar.  15 

Astor  Pictures  Corp.  announced  it 
has  acquired  reissue  rights  to  "Thun- 
der in  the  City,"  a  1937  Columbia  re- 
lease starring  Edward  G.  Robinson. 
The  film  will  be  released  March  15. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 

 :    

v7~  J  ~~ 

Md.  Theatre  Brings 
Clearance  Complaint 

A  demand  for  arbitration  of  a  clear- 
ance complaint  has  been  filed  at  the 
Washington  tribunal  by  Ellicott  The- 
atre, Inc.,  Ellicott  City,  Md.,  against 
RKO.  Charging  that  the  14  days 
clearance  granted  the  Alpha  over  the 
Ellicott  is  unreasonable,  the  demand 
asks  that  the  clearance  be  eliminated 
or  reduced. 

Also,  at  the  New  York  tribunal  an 
award  has  been  entered  by  Herbert 
Tenver,  arbitrator,  reducing  the  clear- 
ance of  theatres  in  the  surrounding 
area  over  the  New  Paltz,  New  Paltz, 
N.  Y.,  while  at  the  Dallas  tribunal  the 
designated  run  and  some  run  complaint 
of  the  Capitol,  New  Braunfels,  Texas, 
against  the  five  consenting  companies, 
the  Griffith  Circuit's  Brauntex  and 
H.  A.  Cole's  Cole  Theatre,  has  been 
dismissed  by  Laurence  H.  Fleck,  ar- 
bitrator. 

The  New  Paltz  award  set  the  maxi- 
mum clearance  which  may  be  granted 
to  the  Bardavon  and  Stratford,  Pough- 
keepsie,  over  the  New  Paltz  by 
Loew's,  Paramount,  RKO  and  20th 
Century-Fox  at  14  days,  and  the  max- 
imum which  may  be  granted  to  the 
Broadway  and  Kingston,  Kingston, 
N.  Y.,  over  the  New  Paltz  at  seven 
days.  The  award  also  directed  that 
the  availability  of  the  New  Paltz 
shall  be  no  later  than  45  days  after 
completion  of  first  run  at  the  Pough- 


J olson  to  Be  M.  C. 
At  President's  Ball 

Washington,  Jan.  18. — Plans  for 
the  President's  Birthday  Ball  here 
call  for  Al  Jolson  to  act  as  master  of 
ceremonies,  it  was  announced  by  Dis- 
trict Commissioner  John  Russell 
Young. 

Others  announced  to  appear  at  the 
various  functions  now  being  arranged 
to  celebrate  President  Roosevelt's 
birthday  and  to  provide  funds  for  the 
prevention  of  infantile  paralysis  aje 
James  Cagney,  Marjorie  Lawrence  of 
the  Metropolitan  Opera  Co.,  Conrad 
Thibault,  Roy  Rogers,  Lynn  Bari  and 
Roddy  McDowell.  The  full  list  of 
name  personalities  has  not  been  an- 
nounced as  yet. 

"The  Eve  of  St.  Mark"  has  been 
chosen  for  the  "command  perform- 
ance" arranged  by  Andrew  R.  Kelly, 
motion  picture  critic  of  the  Washing- 
ton Star,  who  heads  the  entertain- 
ment committee.  The  performance 
will  take  place  at  the  National  Thea- 
tre January  24. 


keepsie  and  Kingston  theatres,  dated 
from  completion  of  the  first  exhibi- 
tion of  such  pictures. 

The  provisions  of  the  award  also 
were  extended  to  apply  to  the  High- 
land Theatre,  Highland,  N.  Y.,  op- 
erated by  Frank  V.  Walsh,  despite 
the  fact  that  the  theatre  did',  not  inter- 
vene in  the  proceedings. 


Escrow  Plan 
For  Salaries 
Put  to  Actors 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
additional  money  for  taxes  will  be 
made  available  to  the  employe.  If  f 
the  termination  of  the  year  there  is  rfe 
change  in  the  ceiling  regulations,  the 
money  in  escrow  will  revert  to  the 
Treasury  Department. 

"Use  of  the  escrow  plan  is  contin- 
gent on  its  being  accepted  by  the  tal- 
ent guilds.  Feeling  that  it  should  not 
make  a  decision  until  it  has  had  full 
expression  from  all  the  members  in- 
volved, the  Screen  Actors  Guild  will 
seek  that  expression  at  Friday's 
meeting." 

Du  Pont  Must  Show 
Books  in  Pathe  Case 

Two  motions  brought  by  the  E.  I. 
du  Pont  de  Nemours  &  Co.,  Inc.,  in 
connection  with  the  suit  against  du 
Pont  Film  Co.  by  Pathe  Laboratories, 
Inc.,  were  denied  yesterday  by  Fed- 
eral Judge  Simon  H.  Rifkind.  The  du 
Pont  parent  company  had  moved  to 
quash  a  subpoena  requiring  disclos- 
ure of  its  books  and  records  before 
a  master  to  hear  disputes  over  costs 
charged  to  Pathe,  which  Pathe  holds 
were  more  than  cost  to  E.  I.  du  Pont 
plus  25  per  cent,  the  contract  price. 

This  motion  was  rejected  on  the 
grounds  that  the  records  "are  mate- 
rial, relevant  and  necessary."  Judge 
Rifkind  also  denied  du  Pont's  claim 
that  the  books  held  valuable  trade  se- 
crets because  it  did  not  seem  plausible 
to  him  that  "a  corporation  as  large 
as  E.  I.  du  Pont  would  allow  trade 
secrets  to  be  kept  in  financial  records 
which  are  always  subject  to  scrutiny 
by  taxing  authorities  and  other  gov- 
ernmental agencies." 

The  court  also  discounted  du  Pont's 
contention  that  submission  of  "tons 
of  records"  would  interfere  unreason- 
ably with  its  operation. 

Du  Pont  also  lost  a  motion  to  re- 
fer the  cost  disputes  to  Price,  Water- 
house  &  Co.,  accounting  firm,  in  ac- 
cordance with  a  clause  of  the  contract. 
Judge  Rifkind  upheld  the  contention 
of  Pathe's  counsel,  Louis  Nizer,  that 
such  an  arbitration  clause  in  a  con- 
tract which  preceded  the  Federal  ar- 
bitration statute  was  unenforcible.  He 
also  found  that  du  Pont  had  waived 
this  clause  by  not  previously  raising 
it  during  the  almost  two  years  of  liti- 
gation. 


M-G-M  Times  Sq. 
Booth  to  WAACS 

M-G-M  is  completing  plans  to  turn 
over  its  globe-shaped  booth  at  46th 
St.  and  Broadway  to  the  Women's 
Army  Auxiliary  Corps  for  recruiting 
purposes,  the  company  announced. 
The  official  transfer,  for  which  a  date 
has  not  been  set,  will  be  marked  by 
ceremonies  featuring  leading  figures  in 
military,  civic  and  entertainment  cir- 
cles. It  will  be  known  as  the  "Times 
Square  WAAC'S  Recruiting  Sta- 
tion." 


In  a  great  movie  theatre,  an  audience  of  thousands 
— carried  out  of  their  everyday  lives — look,  and  listen, 
to  the  drama  pouring  from  a  strip  of  photographic  film 
about  one  inch  wide.  Everything  is  on  this — not  only  the 
living,  moving  scenes  of  the  story,  but  on  the  tiny  "sound 
track"  at  the  left,  the  sound:  whispered  words  of  love 
.  .  .  a  terrified  scream . . .  the  nerve-shattering  roar  of  a 
dive  bomber. . .  an  enchanting  voice  crooning  a  lullaby. 
Film  carries  it  all. 


Most  Hollywood  movies  are  on  film  made 


FROM  the  time  when  Thomas  A. 
Edison  and  George  Eastman 
worked  together  on  the  early,  flicker- 
ing movies,  the  improvement  of  mate- 
rials for  professional  motion  pictures 
has  been  one  of  the  chief  fields  of 
Kodak  research.  Kodak  has  been  the 
pacemaker,  and  is  by  far  the  largest 
supplier  of  Hollywood. 

From  "the  flickers"  to  art 

Kodak's  original  production  of 
transparent  roll  film,  the  key  to  motion 
pictures  .  .  .  specialized  negative  and 
positive  films  .  .  .  the  production  of 
high-speed  panchromatic  materials  . . . 
the  modern  color  phase,  now  rapidly 
expanding  .  .  .  these  are  important 
scenes  in  the  advance  from  "the  flick- 
ers" to  today's  work  of  art,  in  which 
Kodak  has  played  a  leading  role.  And 


there  is  another  .  .  .  The  success  of 
"sound"  pictures  hinged  on  making 
the  spoken  words,  or  music,  or  "sound 
effects,"a  basic  part  of  the  picture.That 
is  what  you  have  today,  because  . . . 

Sound,  too,  is  pictured 

With  special  fine-grain  emulsions, 
Kodak  "sensitizes"  film  for  sound 
recording.  In  effect,  sound  is  changed 
into  light,  and  this  light  is  recorded 
on  the  film,  simultaneously  with  the 
recording  of  the  scenes.  Lips  move — 
a  voice  speaks.  Yet  the  voice  is  also  a 
"picture" — an  effect  of  light  on  film. 
The  voice  changes  from  a  whisper  to 
an  angry  roar — each  tone  is  a  series  of 


"light"  pictures,  different  in  quality. 

As  you  sit  in  the  theatre,  the  process 
is  reversed  —  the  "light  pictures"  on 
the  sound  track  are  changed  back  into 
sound  . .  .The  "sound"  newsreels  are 
made  in  much  the  same  way. 

Movies  for  everybody 
For  children,  movies  are  education. 
For  normal  men  and  women  they  are 
the  grandest  form  of  entertainment, 
reaching  almost  everyone.  For  those 
distraught  by  worry  or  sorrow,  they 
are  wholesome  escape.  For  our  service 
men  on  ships  or  in  distant  camps,  they 
are  a  little  of  everything  that  is  needed 
to  give  a  man  a  "lift".  .  .  Eastman 
Kodak  Company,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 


Serving  human  progress  through  Photography 


This  institutional  advertisement  is  one  of  a  series  covering  a  wide  variety  of  Kodak 
products  and  services.  It  appeared  in  December  popular  magazines  read  by  millions. 


8 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Tuesday,  January  19,  1943 


Reviews 


"Truck  Busters" 

{Warner  Bros.) 

'T^HE  little  man's  fight  against  tremendous  odds,  a  favorite  American 
*■  topic  since  Washington  crossed  the  Delaware,  packs  "Truck  Bust- 
ers" with  plenty  of  action  and  audience  appeal.  The  plot  runs  along 
rather  conventional  lines  with  new  angles  of  a  wartime  boom  and  lack  of 
materials. 

A  quartet  of  comparative  newcomers,  Richard  Travis,  Virginia  Chris- 
tine, Charles  Lang  and  Ruth  Ford,  play  their  sympathetic  roles  with  the 
right  amount  of  feeling,  while  Don  Costello  and  Rex  Williams  are 
villains  par  excellence. 

The  original  screenplay  by  Robert  E.  Kent  and  Raymond  L.  Schrock 
doesn't  allow  for  lags  and  keeps  the  story  moving  at  a  good  pace.  B. 
Reaves  Eason,  the  director,  followed  the  same  effective  pattern. 

Casey  Dorgan,  played  by  Travis,  and  his  brother  are  among  a  group 
of  independent  truckers  whom  William  B.  Davidson,  as  a  ruthless  truck- 
ing magnate,  is  trying  to  force  out  of  business.  When  Costello,  play- 
ing Tony  Bonetti,  a  gangster,  and  his  mob  get  to  work,  Casey's  brother 
(Charles  Lang),  who  is  about  to  become  a  father,  is  murdered.  Casey 
sets  out  for  revenge  and  is  almost  held  for  the  murder  of  Rex  Williams, 
one  of  the  mobsters.    Justice  is  finally  administered  all  the  way  'round. 

Running  time,  58  minutes.  "G"* 


"The  Old  Chisholm  Trail" 

( Universal) 

CURPRISE!  It's  a  lady  villain  in  this  newest  epic  of  the  west,  and 
^  she  winds  up  in  jail  instead  of  dead.  Mady  Correll  as  Belle  Turner 
is  the  brunette  Miss  who  fences  off  the  only  water  hole  on  the  Chisholm 
Trail,  and  then  charges  cattlemen  five  dollars  a  head  to  water  their 
herds.  Of  course,  this  is  putting  the  ranchers  out  of  business,  since  their 
cattle  can't  make  the  long  trip  over  the  trail  without  getting  water,  and 
the  men  can't  afford  to  pay  that  much  money.  When  they  complain  to 
Belle  Turner,  she  turns  a  deaf  ear. 

However,  when  Johnny  Mack  Brown  and  his  friends  bring  their  herds 
through,  they  won't  take  "no"  for  an  answer.  They  stop  in  at  the  local 
trading  post  and  meet  its  owner,  Jennifer  Holt,  and  her  friend  and  ad- 
mirer, Tex  Ritter.  These  three,  plus  Brown's  fellow  cattle  men  and 
Fuzzy  Knight,  a  hypnotist,  decide  to  drill  for  water  near  the  trading 
post.  Belle  tries  to  stop  them.  They  fight  it  out  and  the  cattlemen  win, 
in  a  windup  which  takes  the  prize  for  originality. 

Tex  Ritter,  Johnny  Mack  Brown  and  Jennifer  Holt  provide  the  tri- 
angular romantic  interest.  Also  in  the  cast  are  Earle  Jodgins,  Roy  Bar- 
croft,  Edmund  Cobb  and  Budd  Buster.  Elmer  Clifton  directed  his  own 
screenplay  and  Oliver  Drake  was  associate  producer. 

Running  time,  59  minutes.  "G"* 


'Shadow  of  Doubt' 
Gets  Strong  Start; 
Holdovers  Do  Well 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

big  business  at  the  Rivoli,  grossing  an 
estimated  $31,000  in  its  first  five  days. 
The  Alfred  Hitchcock  picture  received 
favorable  newspaper  reviews.  At  the 
Astor,  "Tennessee  Johnson"  grossed 
an  estimated  $12,300  in  its  first  six 
days,  and  starts  a  second  week  today. 
The  scale  for  this  film  is  45,  55  and 
85  cents,  a  reduction  of  10  to  25  cents 
from  prices  for  "For  Me  and  My 
Gal,"  the  preceding  Astor  attraction. 

For  the  third  week  ending  tonight, 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  with  Benny 
Goodman  and  his  band  on  the  stage 
was  heading  for  an  estimated  $71,000 
at  the  Paramount.  It  will  be  held 
over. 

After  grossing  an  estimated  $50,000 
for  its  third  week  at  the  Capitol,  "In 
Which  We  Serve"  garnered  an  esti- 
mated $36,400  for  the  first  four  days 
of  its  fourth  week  starting  Thursday. 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  continued 
well  at  the  Strand  with  an  estimated 
$23,400  for  the  first  three  days  of  the 
fourth  week,  after  drawing  an  esti- 
mated $47,000  for  the  third  week.  Jim-' 
my  Dorsey  and  his  band  are  on  the 
stage,  and  will  be  followed  Friday  by 
Sammy  Kaye  and  his  band. 

'Swan'  $45,700 

"The  Black  Swan"  grossed  an  esti- 
mated $45,700  for  for  days  of  its 
fourth  week  at  the  Roxy,  after  an  es- 
timated $74,500  for  the  third  week. 
Carmen  Miranda  and  the  Nicholas 
Brothers  head  the  stage  show.  "China 
Girl"  with  Guy  Lombardo  and  his 
band  as  the  stage  attraction  opens  at 
the  house  tomorrow. 

"Random  Harvest"  with  the  stage 
presentation  earned  about  $64,000  for 
four  days  of  its  fifth  week  at  the 
Radio  City  Music  Hall  and  enters  a 
sixth  week  Thursday.  It  grossed  an 
estimated  $110,000  for  the  fourth 
week.  In  four  days  of  its  eighth  week 
at  the  Hollywood  "Casablanca" 
garnered  an  estimated  $14,700  after 
$21,900  for  the  seventh  week.  The 
film  starts  a  ninth  week  Thursday. 

For  the  first  two  days  of  its  second 
week  at  the  Globe,  "Silver  Queen" 
drew  an  estimated  $4,500  after  an  es- 
timated $10,000  for  the  first  week. 
"American  Empire"  grossed  an  esti- 
mated $5,000  in  its  first  five  days, 
opening  Wednesday,  at  the  Rialto.  It 
followed  "Sherlock  Holmes  and  the 
Secret  Weapon,"  which  grossed  an  es- 
timated $9,000  in  nine  days. 

Hughes'  'The  Outlaw' 
Premiere  in  Frisco 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  18. — The  pre- 
miere of  Howard  Hughes'  "The  Out- 
law" is  scheduled  for  Jan.  29  here  at 
the  Geary  Theatre.  The  picture  will 
run  on  a  roadshow  basis,  with  Hughes 
distributing  ithimself,  it  was  said. 
Jack  Buetel  and  Jane  Russell,  stars 
of  the  film,  are  to  appear  at  the  open- 
ing in  a  25-minute  stage  sketch. 


Ginger  Rogers  Married 

Hollywood,  Jan.  18. — Ginger  Rog- 
ers, film  actress,  was  married  to  Pvt. 
Jack  Briggs  of  the  U.  S.  Marines  at 
Pasadena  on  Saturday.  Briggs  was 
formerly  a  stock  actor  and  radio  pro- 
gram conductor,  and  also  appeared  in 
films. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Australia  Thanks  US 
Stars  for  Drive  Aid 

Letters  of  thanks  have  been  received 
by  American  screen  personalities  and 
industry  organizations  from  the  Com- 
monwealth of  Australia  for  coopera- 
tion in  preparing  trailers  and  tran- 
scriptions for  the  recent  "Austerity 
Loan"  campaign,  it  was  announced. 
Letters  were  received  by  the  Foreign 
Managers  Committee  of  the  MPPDA 
and  the  International  Film  Relations 
Committee. 

Others  have  been  received  by  the 
Hollywood  Victory  Committee,  Hol- 
lywood Foreign  Department  Commit- 
tee, Paulette  Goddard,  Cecil  Kellaway, 
Laraine  Day,  Deanna  Durbin,  Bette" 
Davis,  Greer  Garson,  Dorothy  La- 
mour,  Ann  Sheridan,  Joel  McCrea, 
Pat  O'Brien,  Abbott  and  Costello  and 
Cecil  B.  de  Mille. 


Sequel  to  'Casablanca' 

Hollywood,  Jan.  18.  —  Warner 
Bros,  announced  plans  for  a  sequel  to 
"Casablanca"  to  be  titled  "Brazza- 
ville," with  Humphrey  Bogart  playing 
the  same  character  he  had  in  the  first. 


20th-Fox  Transfers 
Building  to  FWC 

Oakland,  Cal.,  Jan.  18. — Sale  of 
the  Orpheum  Theatre  building  by  20th 
Century-Fox  to  Fox  West  Coast 
Theatres,  operator  of  the  Orpheum, 
has  been  complete.  The  reported  sale 
price  is  $300,000  with  terms  calling 
for  a  down  payment  of  $100,000  and 
the  balance  to  be  paid  in  equal  pay- 
ments of  about  $20,000  over  the  next 
ten  years. 

The  FWC  circuit  will  continue  to 
operate  the  Orpheum  Theatre  in  the 
building,  which  it  had  leased  for  some 
years  from  the  Fox  Realty  Corp.  Ltd. 

Capital  Variety  Club 
Sponsors   Ice  Show 

Washington,  Jan.  18.— With  $500,- 
000  in  war  bonds  already  sold  for 
the  Variety  Club  opening  tomorrow 
night  of  "Ice-Capades"  at  the  Uline 
Ice  Arena  here,  a  new  goal  of  $1,000,- 
000,000  in  bond  sales  has  been  set  by 
Chief  Barker  Sam  Wheeler,  it  was 
announced.  The  Variety  Club  and 
Station  WRC  are  sponsoring  the 
opening  performance. 


Pension  of  $1,250 
A  Year  Provided  in 
Nat'l  Theatres  Plan 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

one.  An  employe  leaving  the  com- 
pany before  the  retirement  age  may 
take  a  cash  payment  equal  to  his  own 
contribution,  plus  interest,  or  retain 
his  share  in  retirement  income  begin-/ 
ning  at  the  normal  retirement  age' 
which  his  own  contributions  have  al- 
ready provided. 

All  employes,  both  men  and  women 
are  eligible,  provided  they  have  earned 
a  basic  salary  of  $40  a  week  and  have 
attained  their  25th  birthday.  Those 
who  have  attained  their  64th  birthday 
are  not  eligible. 

In  the  event  of  death  before  retire- 
ment, the  entire  amount  paid  in  plus 
interest  is  paid  to  the  beneficiary. 

Service  since  Dec.  1,  1942,  is  con- 
sidered "future  service,"  paid  for  on 
a  two-to-one  basis  for  service  prior 
to  that  date.  The  company  expects 
to  pay  the  entire  cost  of  the  plan  out 
of  income  earned  by  the  circuit's 
candy  counters  in  recent  years. 

Past  service,  however,  applies  only 
to  employment  after  the  employe's 
30th  birthday.  For  instance,  an  em- 
ploye now  35  years  old  who  joined 
the  company  at  25,  is  entitled  to  five 
years  "past  service."  A  new  employe 
now  25  years  old  and  serving  40  years, 
until  the  age  of  65,  at  a  basic  weekly 
salary  of  $50,  pays  $4.95  monthly  into 
the  fund.  He  would  receive  $66 
monthly  income  on  retirement.  His 
primary  Social  Security  benefit 
would  be  $52.80,  making  a  total  retire- 
ment income  of  $118.80  a  month. 

Should  this  employe  live  an  average 
span  of  173  months  after  retirement, 
he  would  receive  $11,418  in  retire- 
ment income,  exclusive  of  Social  Se- 
surity  benefits,  and  his  total  payments 
into  the  fund  would  have  been  $2,376. 

Sussman  Joins  NSS 
In  Sales  Position 

(.Continued  from  page  1) 

Players-Lasky  in  1920,  and  became 
office  manager  and  salesman  at  the 
New  York  Paramount  exchange  in 
1923.  He  returned  to  the  home  office 
in  1925  as  assistant  to  George  J. 
Schaefer,  then  Eastern  division  sales 
manager,  and  the  following  year  be- 
came assistant  to  the  late  John  D. 
Clark,  then  Paramount  Western  di- 
vision sales  manager.  He  went  to  Fox 
Film  Corp.  with  Clark  in  1932,  and 
in  1936  was  made  Eastern  division 
sales  manager,  a  post  he  held  until 
being  assigned  last  Summer  to  special 
home  office  duties.  He  resigned  last 
August  from  20th  Century-Fox. 

Calif.  ITO  Favors 
Present  Clearance 

Los  Angeles,  Jan.  18. — The  struc- 
ture and  principle  of  present  local 
zoning  and  clearance  schedules  should 
not  be  changed  due  to  the  reduction 
in  prints,  independent  exhibitors 
agreed  today  at  a  meeting  sponsored 
by  ITO  of  Southern  California  and 
Arizona. 

Called  to  discuss  the  print  reduction 
situation,  the  meeting  voted  to  place 
the  entire  matter  in  the  hands  of  the 
committee  of  independent  exhibitors 
which  would  survey  the  territory  and 
make  suggestions  and  recommenda- 
tions affecting  policies  arising  from 
the  war  situation. 


START  THE 
NEW  YEAR 
RIGHT.... 


The  1942  Internal  Revenue  Act  makes  it  more 
necessary  than  ever  for  everybody  in  business 
to  keep  complete  and  accurate  records. 

The  new  Victory  Tax  is  an  added  accounting 
responsibility. 

No  matter  how  large  or  how  small  the  business 
is  the  U.  S.  Treasury  requires  complete  records 
of  Defense  Tax  collections,  of  payroll  expendi- 
tures, of  Victory  Tax  collections,  and  regular  re- 
ports on  income,  expenditures  and  profits. 

Theatre  Management  Record  and  Tax  Register 
provides  a  practical  and  simple  accounting 
system,  requires  no  bookkeeping  expense,  elimi- 
nates tax  headaches  and  avoids  ultimate  com- 
plications. 

Theatre  Management  Record  and  Tax  Register 
is  a  proven  accounting  system  for  motion  picture 
theatres  and  it  is  sold  with  a  money  back 
guarantee. 

We  are  prepared  to  supply  a  limited  number  of 
orders  without  delay. 


SEND    YOUR   CHECK  TODAY  TO 


QUIGLEY  BOOKSHOP 

Rockefeller  Center  New  York  Mm  POS™'° 


$0.00 


10 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  January  19,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


THE  advisory  board  on  the  George  Foster  Peabody  Radio  Awards  has 
met  in  New  York  to  begin  consideration  of  a  report  submitted  by  a 
special  committee  of  University  of  Georgia  faculty  members.  The  board's 
report  on  the  awards,  which  are  administered  by  the  University  and  the  NAB, 
is  expected  to  be  prepared  by  March.  Both  programs  and  stations  are  to  be 
included  in  the  1942  citations,  it  is  said. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Frederick  C.  Young,  chiej  engineer,  has  been  named  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  engineering  at  the  Stromberg-Carlson  Co.,  Rochester, 
N.  Y '.,  and  Lloyd  L.  Spencer,  general  sales  manager,  has  become  vice-president 
in  charge  of  sales.  .  .  .  Allen  C.  Kaye-Martin  and  Margaret  Sidney  Eaton  are 
now  on  the  sales  promotion  staff  of  the  Blue  net.  .  .  .  Robert  B.  Stone  is  the 
new  program  manager  of  11  RGB,  General  Electric  television  station  in 
Schenectady.  He  succeeds  John  G.  T.  Gilmour,  now  a  first  lieutenant  in  the 
Signal  Corps  stationed  at  Astoria,  L.  I.  .  .  .  Alfonso  Merlet  of  Chile  has  joined 
the  staff  of  the  CBS  Network  of  the  Americas  as  writer-annoimcer  for  news 
and  musical  programs.  .  .  .  Roy  Harlow,  former  Yankee  Network  vice-presi- 
dent, has  been  appointed  music  and  program  station  relations  contact  mail  with 
BMI. 

•  •  • 

Mrs.  Franklin  D.  Roosevelt  will  discuss  "Women's  Part  in  Polio"  when 
she  appears  on  a  special  broadcast  over  the  Blue  on  Friday.  The  pro- 
gram will  originate  in  Town  Hall  at  4  p.  m.  and  will  be  sponsored  by  the 
Women's  Division  of  the  National  Foundation  for  Infantile  Paralysis. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  All  commercial  announcements  will  be  waived  by  the 
Pepsoden  Co.  on  Bob  Hope's  program  next  Tuesday  when  Hope  and  guest 
Bing  Crosby  will  conduct  a  war  bond  drive.  ...  A  special  "Quiz  Kids"  broad- 
cast will  be  heard  over  the  Blue  on  Monday  at  4  p.  m.  in  connection  with  the 
campaign  of  the  National  Foundation  for  Infantile  Paralysis.  .  .  .  "Good  List- 
ening," a  variety  quiz  show,  will  make  its  bow  on  CBS  tomorrow  at  9:30 
p.  m.  .  .  .  "Hollywood  Digest,"  a  new  daily  program  on  WNEW,  will  be 
conducted  by  Paula  Stone.  .  .  .  The  Chase  and  Sanborn  program  will  be  heard 
for  an  hour  rather  than  30  minutes  on  Sunday  night  in  celebration  of  the 
Army-Navy  "E"  award  to  the  Standard  Brands,  Peekskill,  N.  Y.,  branch.  .  .  . 
Jed  Harris  productions  will  sponsor  the  WEAF  news  spot  Mondays  through 
Fridays  from  midnight  to  12  :05  a.  m.  for  "Dark  Eyes." 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  Marcus  Bartlett,  production  manager  of  WSB,  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  has  reported  as  lieutenant,  j.  g.,  to  the  Navy  at  Charleston,  S.  C.  .  .  . 
Fred  Wieting,  W1BG,  Philadelphia,  drama  and  film  critic,  will  report  to  the 
Navy  for  officer's  training.  .  .  .  Noel  Gerson,  former  WGN ,  Chicago,  staff 
member  in  the  press  and  talent  divisions,  has  been  promoted  to  a  captaincy. 

•  •  • 

Canadian  Broadcasting  Corp.  broadcast  a  15-minute  network  program 
on  "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  Sunday  night  preceding  the  Canadian 
premiere  on  Thursday  at  the  Capitol  Theatre,  Ottawa. 


Expect  Further  Fuel  Oil 
Cut  for  Eastern  Houses 


NBC  Man  Describes 
Bombing  of  Berlin 

Stanley  Richardson,  chief  of 
NBC's  London  office,  was  the 
only  American  radio  man  to 
ride  the  RAF  bombers  in  the 
Saturday  night  raid  on  Berlin, 
the  network  reported  yester- 
day. He  described  the  raid  in 
a  broadcast  Sunday  night  over 
NBC. 


U.S.  Supreme  Court 
Grants  FCC  Review 


Washington,  Jan.  18. — The  Su- 
preme Court  today  granted  a  petition 
of  the  Federal  Communications  Com- 
mission for  review  of  a  decision  of  the 
District  of  Columbia  Circuit  Court  of 
Appeals  holding  that  Station  KOA, 
Denver,  had  the  right  to  intervene  in 
proceedings  in  connection  with  the 
application  of  Station  WHDH,  Bos- 
ton, for  an  increase  of  power  and  an 
extension  of  time. 

The  two  stations  are  on  the  same 
frequency  and  KOA  sought  to  appear 
at  the  hearings  on  the  Boston  applica- 
tion on  the  ground  that  its  approval 
would  result  in  interference.  The 
Commission  denied  the  station  the 
right  to  intervene  and,  after  granting 
the  application  of  WHDH,  rejected  a 
petition  for  rehearing. 

Prepare  Manpower, 
Parts  Data  for  Radio 


Washington,  Jan.  18. — A  list  of 
essential  jobs  in  the  communications 
industry  and  the  results  of  an  inves- 
tigation of  available  surplus  radio 
equipment  will  be  prepared  within  the 
next  few  days,  it  was  announced  to- 
day by  James  L.  Fly,  chairman  of  the 
Federal  Communications  Commission. 

Fly  said  the  listing  of  essential  occu- 
pations was  undertaken  for  the  War 
Manpower  Commission,  which  is  de- 
veloping lists  in  all  industries  for  con- 
sideration by  local  draft  boards  in 
passing  on  applications  for  deferment. 

The  results  of  the  equipment  survey 
will  be  made  available  to  the  industry 
with  a  view  to  securing  the  distribu- 
tion of  surplus  material  among  broad- 
casters who  may  be  in  urgent  need  of 
repair  and  replacement  parts. 

CBS  Script  Dep't 
Has  Name  Change 

The  CBS  script  department  is  now 
the  department  of  program  writing 
under  the  direction  of  Robert  J.  Lan- 
dry, recently  appointed  director. 

With  the  renaming  of  the  depart- 
ment, Albert  Perkins  assumes  the  title 
of  manager  of  writing  staff,  while 
John  C.  Turner  will  be  script  editor. 
Joseph  Ruscoll,  writer  of  the  "Our 
Town"  sketches  for  the  Camel  Cara- 
van, has  joined  the  program  writing 
department  staff. 


Johnstone  on  CBS 

Eric  A.  Johnstone,  president  of  the 
U.  S.  Chamber  of  Commerce,  will  be 
heard  in  a  talk  over  CBS  on  Thurs- 
day at  10:30  p.m.  He  will  discuss  busi- 
ness and  post-war  planning,  in  an  ad- 
dress on  "The  Frontiers  of  the  Fu- 
ture." He  will  speak  from  WJSV,  the 
CBS  station  in  Washington. 


(Continued  from  page  I) 

a  schedule  of  oil  users  will  be  set  up, 
with  war  industries  and  essential 
civilian  activities  getting  first  call  on 
supplies.  Non-essential  activities  will 
have  their  supplies  reduced  to  the  re- 
ported extent  of  25  to  40  per  cent. 

So  far  as  could  be  learned  tonght, 
no  industry  will  be  totally  deprived 
of  oil,  but  officials  indicated  that  some 
will  find  their  rations  cut  drastically, 
possibly  to  the  point  where  they  may 
have  to  operate  part-time.  All  ration 
books  will  be  called  in  by  the  local 
ration  boards  for  "tailoring"  to  meet 
the  new  allocations. 


Eastman  Bans  Bus 
Increase  for  Pleasure 

Washington,  Jan.  18. — Bus  opera- 
tors in  the  17  Eastern  states  have  been 
advised  by  Joseph  B.  Eastman,  direc- 
tor of  the  Office  of  Defense  Transpor- 
tation, not  to  increase  bus  service  for 
the  accommodation  of  pleasure  seek- 
ers. 

Eastman  said  "there  is  no  objection 
to  pleasure  seekers  using  the  mass 
transportation  faciliites  where  they 
can  be  accommodated  with  the  regular 
service,  not  requiring  the  additional 
expenditure  of  fuel  and  rubber."  He 
also  stated  that  "supplementing  street 
railway  and  like  facilities,  which  do 


not  consume  gas  and  rubber  is,  of 
course,  permissible." 


Rochester,  Jan.  18.— A  slight  de- 
crease in  theatre  attendance  here  fol- 
lowing the  pleasure  driving  ban  is 
rapidly  being  overcome.  Former  mo- 
torist patrons  are  becoming  accus- 
tomed to  walking  or  using  public 
transportation  to  the  theatres,  it  is 
said. 


Springfield,  Mass.,  Jan.  18. — Local 
theatres  continued  to  feel  little  or  no 
effect  on  attendance  as  the  ban  on 
pleasure  driving  entered  its  second 
week.  Attendance  at  early  Sunday 
afternoon  shows  is  off  but  the  slump 
is  made  up  later  in  the  day. 


Glover sville,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  18. — In 
an  effort  to  offset  the  OP  A  ban  on 
pleasure  driving,  the  Schine  theatres 
home  office  here  is  planning  institu- 
tional advertising  urging  people  to 
ride  the  buses.  In  this  connection  it 
is  enlisting-  bus  lines  in  Gloversville 
and  other  Schine  locations  which  cater 
to  a  large  suburban  trade  to  arrange 
bus  schedules  so  that  citizens  who  are 
in  town  late  will  have  ample  trans- 
portation home.  More  and  larger 
buses  on  10:30  to  midnight  runs  are 
being  advocated. 


Zoellner  Testifies 
As  Momand  Trial 
Goes  into  2d  Week 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

be  presented  he  would  not  order  this 
out-of-state  evidence  produced  in  the 
trial. 

Three  witnesses  took  the  stand  to- 
day in  answer  to  subpoeneas  from 
Momand  attorneys  and  were  quesf 
tioned  at  length  by  George  S.  Ryan? 
Momand  chief  counsel. 

Most  of  the  day's  testimony  was 
given  by  William  B.  Zoellner,  man- 
ager of  the  M-G-M  exchange  in  Ok- 
lahoma City  for  17  years,  who  testified 
as  to  the  methods  of  making  deals, 
securing  information  about  exhibitors 
before  closing  deals,  and  his  experi- 
ences as  a  member  of  the  Film  Board 
of  Trade  in  Oklahoma  City. 

At  one  point  in  the  testimony 
Zoellner  claimed  that  Momand  "gave 
me  more  trouble"  than  all  of  his 
other  customers  put  together.  He 
pointed  out  instances  where  Momand 
in  taking  over  contracts  would  play 
off  the  "big"  pictures  as  quick  as  he 
could  get  them  and  then  demand  cuts 
of  50  per  cent  in  film  rentals  on  the 
remainder,  claiming  they  were  in- 
ferior product.  Such  disputes  were 
generally  settled  on  a  20  per  cent  cut 
basis,  Zoellner  testified. 

McKenna  Also  Heard 

Also  heard  today  were  B.  J.  Mc- 
Kenna, general  manager  of  the  Grif- 
fith Amusement  Co.,  co-defendant  in 
the  anti-trust  action  with  the  major 
producers  and  distributors.  McKenna 
was  brought  back  to  the  stand  to  tes- 
tify as  to  the  authenticity  of  copies 
of  reports  of  Griffith  Company  hold- 
ings in  Shawnee,  Seminole  and  We- 
woka  over  a  seven  year  period.  These 
reports  detailed  cross  returns  over 
that  period  of  time. 

Also  heard  was  former  theatre 
owner  L.  W.  Brophy,  who  had  leased 
the  State  at  Pawhuska  to  Momand 
and  who  said  Roy  Hefner,  then 
Paramount  exchange  manager,  who 
is  charged  by  Momand  with  having 
promoted  competition  against  him 
when  Momand  refused  to  buy  Para- 
mount, and  suggested  that  Momand 
might  be  behind  in  his  rent  and  that 
he  knew  a  much  better  tenant  for  the 
State.  Brophy  said  he  recommended 
J.  B.  Terry,  who  had  just  opened  the 
Paramount  at  Wewoka,  under  the 
backing  of  Hefner,  as  Momand 
charged. 

WOR  Broadcasts 
'Death  On  Wheels' 

A  special  broadcast,  "Death  on 
Wheels,"  was  made  over  WOR  on 
Sunday  by  means  of  on-the-scene  re- 
cordings made  while  driving  through 
the  streets  of  New  York.  The  program 
was  presented  by  Dave  Driscoll  and 
John  Whitmore  of  WOR's  War  Ser- 
vices and  News  Division.  It  decried 
the  lack  of  police  enforcement  of  traf- 
fic laws. 

Advanced  Purchases 
Circle  Music  Catalog 

Advanced  Music  Corp.,  a  Warner 
Bros.'  subsidiary,  has  acquired  the 
catalog  of  Circle  Music  Publications, 
Inc.,_  which  includes  Raymond  Scott 
music,  it  was  announced.  Advanced 
also  recently  obtained  the  Ager, 
Yellen  &  Bornstein  catalog,  it  was 
stated. 


PLEASE  NOTE 


to  the  lotion 
Picture 
Industry 


TION  PICTlMI 

DAILY 


First  in 


and 

Impartial 


?J  53- 


NO.  13 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  WEDNESDAY,  JANUARY  20,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


N.  E.  Theatre 
Operations  Hit 
By  Gas,  Oil  Cut 

Partial  Closing  Reported 
In  Various  Sections 


Theatres  in  New  England,  most- 
ly in  small  towns,  have  been  hard 
hit  by  the  ban  on  pleasure  car  driv- 
ing, gasoline  rationing  and  the 
shortage  of  fuel  oil.  Reports  show 
that  operators  are  curtailing  their 
playing  time,  doing  away  with 
matinees,  or  closing  for  one,  two 
or  more  days  a  week,  due  not  only 
to  the  shortage  of  fuel  oil  to  heat 
their  houses  but  also  a  lack  of 
customers. 

Meanwhile,  from  Washington 
it  was  reported  yesterday  that 
Eastern  theatres  had  escaped, 
at  least  temporarily,  further 
reduction  of  their  oil  rations  in 
new  orders  of  the  OPA  which 
cut  the  allowance  of  oil  used 
by  non-essential  industries  for 
purposes  other  than  heating  by 
40  per  cent. 

From  Boston  it  was  reported  that 

{Continued  on  page  5) 


Sister  Kenny  Award 
Ceremonies  Today 


Sacramento,  Jan.  19. — Presenta- 
tion of  the  1943  annual  National  Hu- 
manitarian Award  of  the  Variety 
Clubs  of  America  will  be  made  here 
tomorrow  to  Sister  Elizabeth  Kenny 
at  a  luncheon  given  by  Gov.  Earl 
Warren  of  California. 

The  program  will  be  broadcast  over 
the  Blue  Network  at  1  p.m.,  PCT, 

{Continued  on  page  5) 


Chicago  Cold  Wave 
Hurts  Attendance 

Chicago,  Jan.  19.  —  Ten 
inches  of  snow  followed  by  a 
cold  wave  today  which  reached 
eight  degrees  below  in  Chi- 
cago and  as  much  as  20  be- 
low in  surrounding  territory 
caused  a  drop  of  over  25  per 
cent  in  theatre  attendance. 

Film  salesmen  were  re- 
ported stranded  in  a  number 
of  small  towns,  being  unable 
to  use  their  cars  for  travel 
because  of  huge  snow  drifts. 


Schenck  Appoints 
State  Chairmen  in 
'March  of  Dimes' 


Nicholas  M.  Schenck,  chairman  of 
the  Motion  Picture  Committee  of  the 
March  of  Dimes  campaign,  yesterday 
announced  most  of  the  state  chairmen 
for  the  drive.  Others  are  to  be  an- 
nounced. Dates  for  collections  in  the- 
atres throughout  the  country  have 
been  set  for  Feb.  18-24,  with  the 
contributions  going  to  the  National 
Foundation  for  Infantile  Paralysis  to 
aid  the  fight  on  the  dread  disease. 

State  chairmen,  most  of  whom  led 
their  states  in  the  1942  drive  are : 

Arizona,  Harry  Nace,  Phoenix ;  Ar- 
kansas, M.  A.  Lightman,  Memphis ; 
California,  Charles  Skouras,  Robert 
H.  Poole,  Los  Angeles ;  A.  M. 
Bowles,  San  Francisco ;  Colorado, 
Rick  Ricketson,  Denver ;  Connecticut, 
L.  J.  Hoffman,  New  Haven ;  Dela- 
ware, Carter  Barron,  Washington,  D. 
C,  Joseph  D.  Fiore,  Wilmington ; 
District  of  Columbia,  Carter  Barron, 
{Continued  on  page  5) 


Local  306-Circuit 

Dispute  to  WLB 

The  wage  dispute  between  Opera- 
tors' Local  306  and  major  circuits  in 
the  metropolitan  area  has  been  certi- 
fied to  the  National  War  Labor  Board, 
according  to  a  letter  sent  to  the  parties 
involved  by  Secretary  of  Labor  Fran- 
ces Perkins.  Action  by  the  Board  is 
expected  soon  in  the  disagreement  on 
the  cost-of-living  raise  asked  by  the 
union  for  its  operators  in  the  circuits 
numbering  close  to   1,000  men. 

Secretary  Perkins  requested  that  all 
the  parties  concerned  refrain  from  any 
actions  which  might  interfere  with  the 
Board's  present  consideration  of  the 
matter. 


McCarthy  Reported 
Leaving  CIAA  Post 

Charles  E.  McCarthy  yes- 
terday was  reported  to  have 
tendered  his  resignation  as 
assistant  to  Francis  W.  Al- 
stock,  director  of  the  motion 
picture  division  of  the  Co- 
ordinator of  Inter-American 
Affairs  as  a  result  of  differ- 
ences over  office  policies. 
Resignations  of  several  other 
members  of  McCarthy's  pub- 
licity department  also  were 
reported  to  have  been  turned 
in. 

Alstock,  who  left  for  Wash- 
ington last  night,  declined  to 
comment  on  the  reports  and 
it  could  not  be  learned 
whether  the  resignations  had 
been  acted  upon. 


Zoellner  Denies 
Conspiracy  Charge 
In  Momand  Case 


By  T.  L.  BUTTERFIELD 

Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  19. — Scores 
of  letters  and  telegrams  he  had  writ- 
ten home  office  executives  were 
brought  before  W.  B.  Zoellner, 
M-G-M  resident  manager  here,  as  he 
again  took  the  stand  today  to  testify 
in  the  A.  B.  Momand  anti-trust  suit 
against  major  producers,  distributors 
and  Griffith  Circuit  companies.  Charg- 
ing that  these  letters  and  telegrams 
revealed  intent  to  damage  Momand 
and  his  companies,  and  showed  inter- 
change of  information  on  exchanges 
here,  George  S.  Ryan,  Momand  chief 
counsel,  kept  Zoellner  on  the  stand 
{Continued  on  page  5) 


United  Nations  Week  Fund 
Seen  Over  $2,500,000 


Edward  L.  Alperson,  national  cam- 
paign chairman  for  United  Nations 
Week,  announced  that  early  reports  of 
motion  picture  theatre  collections  in- 
dicate that  the  United  Nations  Week 
fund  will  be  enriched  bv  more  than 
$2,500,000. 

In  RKO  theatres,  collections  up  to 
yesterday  amounted  to  $110,156,  ac- 
cording to  Alperson.  Charles  Skou- 
ras reported  that  Fox  West  Coast 
and  affiliated  theatres  in  the  first  four 
days  of  the  drive  collected  approxi- 
mately $90,000. 

All  proceeds  from  previews  of  "Hit- 

{Continucd  on  page  6) 


Wage  Rise  to  U.  A. 
Home  Office  Staffs 

Wage  increases  ranging  from  $3  to 
$5  weekly  have  been  given  to  United 
Artists  home  office  clerical  employes 
under  a  two  year  contract  between 
the  company  and  the  Screen  Office  and 
Professional  Employes  Guild,  Local 
109,  CIO,  the  union  announced.  The 
contract  covers  about  200  workers  and 
allows  for  maintenance  of  70  per  cent 
of  union  membership,  a  $20  minimum 
wage  and  severance  pay  up  to  12  weeks 
depending  on  length  of  service,  union 
officials  said. 


House  Votes 
FCC  Probe; 
Starts  in  Feb. 


Cox  Chairman  of  Special 
Inquiry  Committee 

Washington,  Jan.  19. — By  a 
voice  vote,  the  House  today  ap- 
proved the  Cox  resolution  for  an 
investigation  of  the  Federal  Com- 
munications Commission.  The 
measure  was  adopted  after  Rep.  E. 
E.  Cox  of  Georgia  again  reviewed 
his  charges  that  FCC  Chairman 
James  L.  Fly  had  set  up  a  "Gestapo" 
and  engaged  in  a  "smear"  cam- 
paign. 

The    "Gestapo,"    he  alleged, 
sought  to  investigate  his  mail 
through  the  post  office,  urged 
the    Justice     Department  to 
prosecute  him,  and  had  his  in- 
come returns  for  a  period  of 
10  years  probed  by  the  Intern- 
al Revenue  Bureau. 
Cox  told  the  House  that  the  feud 
started  with  his  appearance  before  the 
Commission  on  behalf  of  an  Albany, 
Ga.,   broadcasting   station    which,  he 
said,  has  since  had  difficulty  in  obtain- 
ing license  renewals. 

The  investigation  of  the  Commis- 
sion will  be  conducted  by  a  special 
committee    of    which    Cox    will  be 

{Continued  on  page  6) 


Tennessee  Repeals 
Anti-Ascap  Statute 

A  bill  repealing  Tennessee's  anti- 
Ascap  law,  which  was  passed  by  the 
State  legislature  last  week,  was  signed 
by  the  governor  and  became  a  law 
yesterday,  Ascap  announced. 

The  repeal  measure  was  introduced 
in  the  Tennessee  senate  by  Senator 
J.  H  .  Ballew.  administration  floor 
leader,  and  the  house  bill  by  Rep. 
Fred  S.  Powell,  according  to  John  G. 
Paine,  Ascap  general  manager. 

The  Tennessee  anti-Ascap  law,  en- 
acted in  1937,  is  the  first  of  several 
similar  state  measures  against  the  so- 

{Continued  on  page  6) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "Forever  And  A 
Day"  and  "Tarzan  Triumphs", 
Page  5.  Key  city  box-office  re- 
port, Page  6.  Off  the  An- 
tenna, Page  6. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  January  20,  1943 


Coast  Flashes 


Personal  Mention 


Hollywood,  Jan.  19 

M-G-M  confirmed  the  report  that 
Abbott  and  Costello  were  Num- 
ber One  money-making  stars  in  the 
Motion  Picture  Herald-Fame  poll  and 
signed  them  to  a  two-picture  deal,  one 
to  be  made  this  year,  one  next. 
• 

Luise  Rainer  returns  to  the  screen 
after  several  years'  absence  in  Para- 
mount's  "Hostages."  The  studio, 
which  has  been  testing  the  actress  for 
several  weeks,  has  an  option  on  her 
further  services. 

• 

Paramount  today  bought  "A  Medal 
for  Benny,"  John  Steinbeck's  first 
original  screen  story  which  was  writ- 
ten in  collaboration  with  John  Wag- 
ner. Dorothy  Lamour,  Fred  Mac- 
Murray  and  Akim  Tamiroff  will  be 
starred. 

• 

Columbia  today  announced  the  sign- 
ing of  Mae  West  to  star  in  the  Greg- 
ory Ratoff  production,  "Tropicana." 
Ratoff  first  must  do  a  picture  at 
M-G-M. 

• 

Cary  Grant  has  been  signed  to  play 
the  lead   in   "Concertina,"  Columbia 
picture  from   an  original  by  Lieut. 
John  Huston  and  Frederick  Kohner. 
• 

Donald  Gledhill,  for  the  last  seven 
years  executive  secretary  of  the  Acad- 
emy of  Motion  Picture  Arts  and  Sci- 
ences, leaves  tomorrow  for  Washington 
to  report  as  a  captain  in  the  Army  Sig- 
nal Corps.  Walter  Wanger,  Academy 
president,  today  announced  that  Mrs. 
Gledhill  had  been  appointed  as  acting 
executive  secretary  of  the  Academy 
by  the  Board  of  Governors.  Mrs. 
Gledhill  had  been  serving  as  Academy 
librarian  without  pay  for  seven  years. 

Connors,  Home  to 
Coast  Conferences 

Tom  J.  Connors,  vice-president  in 
charge  of  world-wide  distribution  for 
20th  Century-Fox,  plans  to  leave  for 
California  tomorrow  night  for  produc- 
tion conferences  at  the  studio.  He 
plans  to  stop  over  in  Washington  and 
Chicago  for  conferences  with  local 
managers.  Hal  Home,  advertising  and 
publicity  director,  is  expected  to  leave 
Friday  night  and  join  Connors  in 
Chicago  en  route  to  California. 


Ginger  Rogers  In  'Army' 

Hollywood,  Jan.  19. — Ginger  Rog- 
ers will  play  the  feminine  lead  in  the 
•screen  version  of  "This  Is  the 
Army,"  and  her  part  will  be  specially 
-written  into  the  film,  Warner  Bros, 
announced. 


APARTMENT  FOR  RENT 

To  sub-lease  until  Oc- 
tober 1  attractive  unfur- 
nished apartment  at  350 
West  57th  Street.  Highly 
desirable  as  escape  from 
fuel  and  gasolene  ration- 
ing problems.  Rental  rea- 
sonable. Box  280  MO- 
TION PICTURE  DAILY. 


NEIL  AGNEW,  Paramount  vice- 
president    and    sales  manager, 
visited  in  Chicago  yesterday. 

• 

Terry  Turner,  head  of  RKO 
Radio's  field  exploitation  staff,  became 
father  of  a  fourth  daughter  last  Sat- 
urday, born  to  Mrs.  Turner,  at  New 
York  Hospital. 

• 

A.  A.  Ward  of  Altec  Lansing  is 
here  from  the  coast. 

• 

Bruce  Glassman,  son  of  Norman 
Glassman,  manager  of  the  Rialto 
Theatre,  Lowell,  Mass.,  was  Bar 
Mitzvahed  recently  in  Lowell.  A  re- 
ception was  held  later  in  Boston  with 
many  industry  people  attending. 
• 

Carl  D.  Jenson,  former  Walt 
Disney  employe  in  Hollywood,  and 
more  recently  with  the  Hartford 
Courant's  city  staff,  has  been  inducted 
into  the  Army. 

• 

Lt.  Seymour  Levine,  son  of  I. 
Levine  of  New  Haven,  is  now  in 
Memphis. 

• 

Joseph  H.  Lamm,  comptroller  of 
Producers  Releasing,  is  the  father  of 
a  daughter  born  last  Saturday. 
• 

Pvt.  Jack  L.  Harris,  son  of  Ben 
Harris,  manager  of  the  American 
Films  Exchange,  Philadelphia,  now  in 
Officers  Candidate  School  at  Ft.  Mon- 
mouth, N.  J.,  became  the  father  of  a 
daughter  born  to  Mrs.  Harris  last 
week  in  Baltimore. 


Sindlinger  Appointed 
Research  Executive 

Albert  E.  Sindlinger,  who  resigned 
last  week  as  director  of  advertising, 
promotion  and  publicity  for  the  March 
of  Time,  has  been  appointed  execu- 
tive vice-president  of  Audience  Re- 
search Institute,  Inc.,  of  Princeton, 
N.  J.,  it  was  announced  yesterday. 
The  Institute,  of  which  Dr.  George 
Gallup  is  consulting  director,  conducts 
scientific  surveys  in  the  motion  pic- 
ture field,  with  research  headquarters 
in  Princeton.  Sindlinger  will  leave 
Friday  for  Hollywood  on  business. 

'Arabian'  Players 
Feted  in  Chicago 

Chicago,  Jan.  19. — Stars  of  Univer- 
sale "Arabian  Nights"  were  enter- 
tained last  night  at  a  dinner  at  the 
Ambassador  Hotel  arranged  by  Man- 
ny Gottlieb,  district  manager ;  Ed 
Heber,  new  branch  manager  of  the 
Chicago  exchange,  and  Tom  Gorman, 
RKO  theatre  district  manager.  Im- 
mediately afterward,  the  stars  left  for 
Boston,  where  they  will  attend  the 
opening  of  the  film. 


John  Turner  Honored 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  19. — A  bache- 
lor dinner  for  John  Turner,  film  buy- 
er and  booker  for  Warner  Circuit 
houses  in  this  zone,  who  will  be  mar- 
ried Saturday,  was  given  at  the  War- 
wick Hotel  here  Monday  night. 
Among  those  attending  were  Harry 
M.  Kalmine,  Harry  Goldberg,  Leon- 
ard Schlesinger,  Clayton  Bond,  W. 
Stewart  McDonald,  Ed  Hinchy, 
Frank  Marshall,  Louis  Kaufman  and 
Rudy  Weiss  of  the  Warner  home  of- 
fice. 


AW.  SMITH,  JR.,  20th  Century- 
•  Fox  Eastern  sales  manager,  is 
expected  here  tomorrow  from  Dallas. 
• 

Arthur  Greenblatt,  PRC  vice- 
president  and  sales  head,  was  called 
back  to  New  York  yesterday  from 
the  Midwest  by  the  serious  illness  of 
his  mother. 

Harry    Lawrenson,  Fox-Movie- 
tone News  makeup  editor,  reports  for 
active  duty  with  the  Army  Signal 
Corps  today  as  a  first  lieutenant. 
• 

Sidney  Salkow,  Columbia  director, 
has    been    commissioned    a  Marine 
Corps  lieutenant  and  has  reported  for 
active  duty  at  Camp  Elliot,  Calif. 
• 

Capt.  Martin  Hirsch,  formerly 
with  the  Hirsch  circuit,  Philadelphia, 
and  Helen  Philipp,  of  Louisville, 
Ky.,  were  married  last  month  in  Jef- 
fersonville,  Ind. 

• 

Walter  H.  Watson,  booker  for 
RKO   Pictures,   Cincinnati,   has  en- 
tered military  service,  and  is  stationed 
at  Camp  Bradford,  Norfolk,  Va. 
• 

Cpl.  Leo  Weiss,  husband  of  Grace 
Rosenfield,  Hal  Roach  eastern  repre- 
sentative, is  stationed  at  Officers 
Candidate  School,  Mississippi  State 
College,  State  College,  Miss. 
• 

Myron  Rapp  of  the  Strand  Thea- 
tre, Hamden,  Conn.,  has  enlisted  in 
the  Marines. 


Benny,  Others  to  Aid 
Photographers'  Ball 

Among  those  scheduled  to  enter- 
tain at  the  annual  Press  Photograph- 
ers Ball  Feb.  5,  are  Jack  Benny,  Ro- 
chester, Mary  Livingston,  Milton 
Berle,  Al  Jolson,  Harry  Hershfield, 
Benay  V enuta,  Jimmy  Walker,  Ethel 
Merman,  Phil  Baker,  Danny  Kaye, 
Olson  and  Johnson,  George  Jessel,  Ed 
Sullivan  and  Dennis  Day.  The  affair 
to  benefit  the  USO  will  be  held  in 
the  grand  ballroom  of  the  Waldorf 
Astoria. 


FWC  Names  Kersken 
Frisco  Area  Manager 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  19. — Herman 
Kersken,  while  continuing  as  manager 
of  the  Fox  Theatre  here,  has  been 
named  to  the  newly-created  post  of 
San  Francisco  district  manager  of 
Fox-West  Coast  Theatres  and  will 
supervise  six  other  local  houses,  in- 
cluding the  Warfield,  Paramount,  St. 
Francis,  State,  El  Capitan  and  Rialto. 
Charles  M.  Thall,  formerly  city  man- 
ager, has  been  transferred  to  the  film 
buying  department. 

Gillis,  Engel  Party 
Planned  in  Phila. 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  19. — Maxwell 
Gillis,  recently  appointed  district  man- 
ager for  Republic,  and  Joseph  Engel, 
former  Columbia  salesman  who  suc- 
ceeds Gillis  as  Republic  branch  man- 
ager, will  be  honored  at  a  luncheon 
sponsored  by  the  Motion  Picture  As- 
sociates on  Feb.  1,  at  the  Ritz-Carl- 
ton  Hotel.  Al  Cohen  is  in  charge  of 
arrangements. 


Newsreel 


Parade 


pflLMS  of  the  U.S.S.  Hornet's  last 
*  battle  are  featured  in  all  midweek 
newsreels.  Also  highlighted  are  the 
newest  films  from  Guadalcanal,  and 
scenes  of  future  blimp  pilots  training 
in  California.  Deputy  War  Manpozver 
Chairman  Fowler  Harper  urges 
workers  to  seek  war  work  wit&sr 
their  communities.    Contents  /o///anV'< 

MOVIETONE  NEWS,  No.  39.— Aircraft 
carrier  Hornet  sunk  in  South  Pacific.  Films 
of  mother  of  five  Sullivan  boys  missing  in 
action.  U.  S.  speeds  program  of  blimps  for 
patrol.  Fowler  Harper,  Deputy  Chairman 
of  the  War  Manpower  Commission,  urges 
people  to  take  defense  jobs  in  their  home 
communities.  University  of  New  Hamp- 
shide  coeds  take  wartime  physical  training. 
Maj.  Gen.  Geiger  on  tour  of  inspection  in 
Solomons.  Coast  Guard  commandos  train 
at  Lake  Michigan. 

NEWS  OF  THE  DAY,  No,  Z37.-Hornet 

gees  down  in  blaze  of  glory.  Mother  of 
five  Sullivan  boys  lost  in  action,  carries  on 
bravely.  Arctic  commandos  training  for 
U.  S.  Coast  Guard.  New  York  launches 
March  of  Dimes.  Fowler  Harper  urges 
people  to  turn  to  war  work,  but  in  their 
home  towns.  Coeds  keep  fit  Army  way  at 
University  of  New  Hampshire. 

PARAMOUNT  NEWS,  No.  42.— Future 
pilots  get  blimp  training  in  California. 
Coeds  get  tough  at  University  of  New 
Hampshire.  Fighting  in  the  Solomons.  New- 
York  launches  F.D.R.  birthday  drive. 
Scouts  honor  Rickenbacker.  Mother 
christens  ''Gehrig"  ship.  Aircraft  carrier 
Hornet  in  her  last  engagement  of  the  war. 

PATHE  NEWS,  No.  42.-U.S.S.  Hornet 
sunk  in  Pacific.  Sullivan  family  loses  five 
sons  at  sea.  Workers  crowd  war  centers, 
should  find  work  near  home— Fowler  Har- 
per. Air  cadets  train  in  balloons  at  Sunny- 
vale, Cal.  Chili's  naval  cadets  graduate  af 
Valparaiso.  Chili.  Marines  bombard  Japs 
on  Guadalcanal. 

UNIVERSAL   NEWSREEL,    No.  155.— 

Hornet's  last  great  fight.  News  from 
Guadalcanal.  Navy  fliers  study  free-bal- 
looning.  New  Hampshire  girls  toughen  up 
Fowler  Harper,  Deputy  Chairman  of  the 
War  Manpower  Commission,  urges  every- 
one to  switch  to  war  plant  work. 


Confer  on  Navy  Films 

Lt.  Earl  Allvine  of  the  motion  pic- 
ture division,  Bureau  of  Aeronautics, 
U.S.N.,  conferred  here  yesterday  with 
newsreel  editors  on  Navy  film  mat- 
ters. Lt.  Allvine,  who  formerly  was 
with  Movietone  News,  will  return  to 
Washington  today. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


ITS  /ALL  AB"UT 
WAsHiHGTOtJ 

...-AND 

SPIES 


NIGHT  CLUB 


LAUGHINGLY  Q PRESENTS 

B08  pORomy 


/oast 

GAGS  J 


Directed  b</  D<9Vid  Buile* 

SCREEN  PWV  BV  HURRY  KURNITZ 
ORIGINAL  STORY  BV  LEONARD  Q.R0J5  AND  LEONARD  SPIG-EL&A55 

DISTRIBUTED  BY  RKO  RAO/0  PICTURES,  IMC. 


PR£SEMT 

Altitude 
record  ? 

(FORGET 


§3? 


$£S2t2.t 


Wednesday,  January  20,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


5 


Reviews 


"Forever  and  a  Day" 

(RKO) 

|  N  the  making  for  almost  two  years,  "Forever  and  a  Day"  offers  for 
rich  entertainment  and  exploitation  values  the  talents  and  names  of 
79  stars  and  featured  players,  21  writers,  seven  directors  and  producers 
and  numerous  musical,  art  and  technical  contributors  comprising  most 
if  not  all  of  Hollywood's  British  colony.  Proceeds  from  distribution  of 
the  picture,  after  distribution  charges,  will  be  given  to  war  charities,  al- 
located by  a  trusteeship.  All  of  those  who  worked  on  the  picture  con- 
tributed their  services  without  pay. 

Many  of  the  well  known  players  constituting  the  cast  appear  only  in 
minor  roles  or  bit  parts,  for  obviously  more  talent  was  available  for  the 
production  than  major  roles  in  which  to  utilize  all  of  it  in  its  accus- 
tomed prominence.  The  result  is  an  episodic  tale  of  Britain  in  war 
and  peace  told  in  the  histories  of  two  families  who  were  the  occupants 
of  a  London  house  built  in  1804.  Their  power  to  capture  and  hold 
audience  interest  frequently  lies  in  the  quality  of  the  acting  in  the  minor 
as  well  as  the  major  roles. 

Beginning  with  the  Battle  of  London  in  1941,  the  story  of  the  house, 
its  occupants  and  with  them  the  pageant  of  British  history,  is  recited 
by  Ruth  Warrick  to  Kent  Smith  in  a  bomb  shelter  in  the  cellar  of  the 
house  during  an  air  raid.  The  two  are  descendants  of  the  families  which 
occupied  the  house,  Smith  having  returned  to  dispose  of  it  for  his  father 
in  America.  The  story,  told  in  flashbacks,  presents  C.  Aubrey  Smith, 
the  original  builder  of  the  house ;  Gladys  Cooper  and  Roland  Young,  its 
occupants  during  the  first  World  War ;  Ray  Milland,  Claude  Rains,  Ian 
Hunter,  Jesse  Matthews,  Edward  Everett  Horton,  Ida  Lupino,  Brian 
Aherne,  Robert  Cummings,  Merle  Oberon,  Charles  Laughton,  Anna 
Neagle  and  many  others. 

Production  values  are  excellent  and  there  is  sufficient  diversity  of 
story  incident,  portrayed  uniformly  well  by  topflight  talent  throughout 
to  attract  and  amuse  all  types  of  audiences.  Lloyd  Richards  is  credited 
as  "production  coordinator." 

Running  time,  104  minutes.  "G."* 


"Tarzan  Triumphs" 

(RKO-Sol  Lesser) 

Hollywood,  Jan.  19 

MOVING  his  tree  tops  and  hanging  vines  from  the  premises  of 
M-G-M  to  the  RKO-Radio  acreage,  Johnny  Weissmuller  herewith 
continues  without  interruption  or  letdown  his  heroics  in  behalf  of  virtue. 
First  of  the  Sol  Lesser  series  of  Tarzan  pictures  to  be  released  through 
RKO-Radio  in  a  period  of  years,  the  film  maintains  the  level  of  entertain- 
ment to  which  its  predecessors  have  accustomed  its  public. 

The  trouble  that  comes  to  Tarzan's  domain  this  time  is  brought  by  a 
band  of  Nazi  parachutists,  seeking  critical  materials  of  war,  who  enslave 
a  peaceful  community  and  at  length  incur  the  wrath  of  the  lord  of  the 
jungle.  Before  this  comes  to  eventuation  there  are  incidents  and  sections 
of  dialogue  which  portray  Tarzan  as  the  complete  isolationist,  the  hero 
declaring  war  on  the  Nazis  verbally  at  the  point  where  the  action  takes 
a  turn  toward  violence.  After  that  the  Nazis  capture  him  and  he  escapes 
and  administers  death  to  the  members  of  the  troop  by  various  but  uni- 
formly thorough  methods. 

Frances  Gifford  is  the  girl  in  this  picture,  although  not  replacing  the 
absent  Maureen  O'Sullivan  in  the  romantic  relationship  to  the  hero,  and 
Johnny  Sheffield  plays  Tarzon's  son.  The  cast  includes  Stanley  Ridges, 
Sig  Ruman,  Pedro  de  Cordoba,  Philip  Van  Zandt,  Stanley  Brown,  Rex 
Williams,  and  Cheta,  the  chimpanzee. 

The  script  by  Roy  Chanslor  and  Carroll  Young  is  a  neatly  contrived 
bit  of  fiction,  and  direction  by  William  Thiele  preserves  plausibility  and 
flow  of  interest. 

Running  time,  77  minutes.    "G."*  Roscoe  Williams 


Schenck  Appoints 
State  Chairmen  in 
'March  of  Dimes' 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

John  Payette,  Washington ;  Georgia, 
J.  H.  Thompson,  Hawkinsville ;  E.  D. 
Martin,  Columbus ;  Idaho,  I.  H.  Har- 
ris, Burley ;  IHinois,  Jules  J.  Rubens, 
Chicago ;  Indiana,  Harry  Katz,  New 
k  City,  Kenneth  C.  Kollins,  In- 
'  .fcapolis  ;  Iowa  and  Nebraska,  A.  H. 
Blank,  Des  Moines  ;  Kan.,  E.  Rhoden, 
Kansas  City ;  Kentucky,  Fred  Dolle, 
Louisville ;  Maine,  Massachusetts, 
New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  Martin 
Mullin,  Boston;  Maryland,  Sidney 
Lust,  Washington,  D.  C.. 

Michigan,  Paul  Schlossman,  Mus- 
kegon, J.  O.  Brooks,  Detroit;  Mis- 
souri, Harry  C.  Arthur,  St.  Louis ; 
Montana,  A.  M.  Russell,  Bozeman ; 
Nevada,  M.  Naify,  San  Francisco ; 
New  Jersey,  Walter  Reade,  New 
York  City ;  New  Mexico,  Milas  L. 
Hurley,  Tucumcari ;  New  York,  J. 
Meyer  Schine,  Gloversville,  Charles 
H  a  y  m  a  n,  Niagara  Falls,  Fred 
Schwartz,  New  York  City ;  North 
Dakota,  Mike  Cooper,  Grand  Forks ; 
Ohio,  P.  J.  Wood,  Columbus;  Okla- 
homa, L.  C.  Griffith,  Oklahoma  City ; 
Oregon,  A.  Finke,  Portland ;  Pennsyl- 
vania, Ted  Schlanger,  Philadelphia, 
Sidney  Samuelson,  Philadelphia, 
M.  A.  Rosenberg,  McKees  Rock ; 
Pennsylvania  and  West  Virginia,  Moe 
Silver,  Pittsburgh ;  Rhode  Island,  E. 
M.  Fay,  Providence ;  South  Dakota, 
Charles  Klein,  Deadwood ;  Tennessee, 
Tony  Sudekum,  Nashville ;  Texas, 
Julius  Gordon,  Beaumont;  Utah,  John 
Rugar,  Park  City;  Virginia,  W.  F. 
Crockett,  Virginia  Beach ;  Washing- 
ton, Frank  Newman,  Sr.,  Seattle ; 
Wisconsin,  Harold  Fitzgerald,  Mil- 
waukee ;  Wyoming,  E.  J.  Schulte, 
Casper. 


Zoellner  Denies 
Conspiracy  Charge 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

most  of  the  day.  Zoellner  vigorously 
denied  any  intent  on  his  part,  or  that 
of  his  company  to  injure  Momand  or 
his  companies,  and  stated  at  one  point 
that  his  home  office  did  not  even  know 
that  the  latter  existed  until  he  "start- 
ed kicking  up  so  much  fuss  against 
the  distributors,  and  their  method  of 
doing  business."  He  also  denied  that 
he  had  ever  talked  about  or  exchanged 
any  information  with  regard  to  any 
exhibitor  with  any  other  exchange 
managers  in  Oklahoma  City  at  any 
time. 

Ray  H.  Russ,  now  owner  of  the 
Camera  Theatre  at  Stillwater,  was 
questioned  by  Ray  Smith,  of  the  Mo- 
mand staff,  and  told  how  Roy  Hefner, 
who  was  Paramount  resident  manager 
in  Oklahoma  City,  and  Ed  Brewer, 
First  National  manager  13  years  ago, 
urged  him  to  go  into  the  theatre  busi- 
ness at  Stillwell  against  Griffith.  Russ 
said  Hefner  and  Brewer  offered  to  do 
all  his  buying  and  booking  for  him  and 
did  so  for  two  years. 

Questioning  J.  B.  Terry,  who  went 
into  Wewoka  against  Momand  after 
the  latter  refused  to  deal  with  Para- 
mount, Smith  brought  out  that  Hef- 
ner and  Terry  were  partners  in  the 
Paramount  Theatre  there,  Hefner  be- 
ing a  silent  partner. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Mrs.  Alice  Ryan  Buried 

Chicago,  Jan.  19. — Funeral  services 
were  held  today  for  Mrs.  Alice  Ryan, 
76,  who  died  last  week  following  sev- 
eral months'  illness.  She  was  the 
mother  of  Charles  Ryan,  Chicago  dis- 
trict manager  of  the  Warner  circuit, 
Waldon  Ryan,  manager  of  the  Rex 
Theatre,  Sheboygan,  Wis.,  and  Leo 
Ryan,  former  assistant  manager  of  the 
Symphony  Theatre.  One  other  son, 
George  Ryan  of  the  Signal  Corps  at 
Ft.  Lewis,  Wash.,  came  here  for  the 
funeral. 


Pioneer  Exhibitor  Dies 

Camden,  N.  J.,  Jan.  19. — Charles 
Kaufmann,  81,  retired  motion  picture 
exhibitor  and  builder  of  the  original 
Parkside  Theatre  here,  died  in  a 
Philadelphia  hospital  after  a  long  ill- 
ness. 


Services  for  I.  Schneck 

Funeral  services  for  Isaac  I. 
Schneck,  73,  father  of  Armand 
Schneck  of  the  PRC  sales  department 
here,  will  be  held  at  Memorial  Chapel 
here,  this  morning. 


N.  E.  Theatre 
Operations  Hit 
By  Gas,  Oil  Cut 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

two  neighborhood  theatres  there,  the 
Columbia  and  Puritan,  both  were 
closed  yesterday  and  will  be  closed 
each  Tuesday  until  further  notice. 

In  Spencer,  Mass.,  the  Spencer  The- 
atre is  closing  four  days  a  week,  op- 
erating only  Friday,  Saturday  and 
Sunday.  The  Lincoln  Theatre  in  Da- 
mariscotta,  Me.,  has  dropped  Tuesday 
shows,  and  the  Playhouse  in  Newport, 
Me.,  is  closing  Wednesday  and  Thurs- 
day until  the  situation  is  alleviated. 

Neighborhood  houses  in  Fairfield 
and  New  Haven  counties  in  Connecti- 
cut report  business  off  as  much  as 
50  per  cent.  The  Community  Theatre 
in  Fairfield  has  dropped  Tuesday, 
Thursday  and  Friday  matinees.  The 
Fine  Arts  in  Westport,  has  abandoned 
all  matinees  except  Wednesday,  Sat- 
urday and  Sunday,  and  has  reduced 
its  evening  showings  from  the  usual 
two  performances  to  one  from  7:15 
to  10 :30.  The  Saybrook  Theatre  in 
Westport  has  also  curtailed  evening 
performances  to  one  show. 

Although  schools  and  public 
buildings  in  Rhode  Island  were 
closed  Monday  by  order  of  the 
Governor,  no  official  edict  ban- 
ning theatre  openings  on  Mon- 
days has  been  issued  as  yet. 
In    Washington,    the    new  OPA 
order  classified  broadcasting  stations 
and   other   essential  communications, 
transportation  and  public  utilities  ser- 
vices as  activities  entitled  to  receive 
unrestricted  deliveries  of  fuel  oil  for 
non-heating  purposes. 

There  were  reports  originally  that 
the  "priorities"  list  drafted  by  the 
Petroleum  Administrator,  on  which 
the  order  was  based,  would  classify 
amusements  and  certain  other  activi- 
ties as  not  entitled  to  any  oil,  but  it 
was  explained  that  no  further  cut  in 
heating  oil  allowances  is  contemplated 
at  the  moment. 


Sister  Kenny  Award 
Ceremonies  Today 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

and  will  include  talks  by  Joseph  M. 
Schenck,  Infantile  Paralysis  drive 
chairman  for  California ;  Sister  Ken- 
ny, Gov.  Warren  and  Lieut.  Com- 
mander Corydon  M.  Wassell.  Gov. 
Charles  Edison  of  New  Jersey  will 
speak  from  New  York. 

John  H.  Harris,  national  Chief 
Barker  of  Variety  Clubs,  and  A.  K. 
Roswell,  chairman  of  the  committee 
of  37  non-member  judges  selecting  the 
award  winner,  will  make  the  presen- 
tation to  Sister  Kenny,  who  has  devel- 
oped a  method  of  infantile  paralysis 
treatment  which  has  aided  thousands 
of  victims  of  the  disease. 

Leo  Carrillo  will  be  master  of 
ceremonies  for  the  broadcast. 


Flinn  to  Capital 

John  C.  Flinn,  executive  secretary 
of  the  Society  of  Independent  M.  P. 
Producers,  will  go  to  Washington  to- 
morrow to  confer  with  Christopher  J. 
Dunphy  and  other  WPB  officials  on 
behalf  of  the  organization. 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  January  20,  1943 


Loop  Grosses 
Wilt  Following 
Holiday  Boom 


Chicago,  Jan.  19.— Business  dipped 
last  week  after  the  enormous  holiday 
trade  and  with  a  large  number  of 
shows  being  held  over.  "Once  Upon  a 
Honeymoon,"  held  over  at  the  Pal- 
ace, drew  $18,000.  "Stand  By  for 
Action"  at  the  United  Artists  proved 
strong,  doing  $18,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  ending 
Jan.  14: 

"The  War  Against  Mrs.  Hadley"  (M-G-M) 
(7  days) 

APOLLO— (1,400)  (36c-55c-65c-75c).  Gross: 
$9,500.     (Average,  $8,500) 

"The  Road  to   Morocco"   (Para.)    (7  days, 
3rd  week) 

CHICAGO— (4,000)  (36c-55c-75c).  Stage, 
Lucky  Millinder's  Orch.  Gross:  $49,000. 
(Average,  $48,000) 

"The  Undying  Monster"  (2flth-Fox) 
(7  days) 

"Dr.  Renault's  Secret"  (ZCth-Fox)  (7  days) 

GARRICK  —   (1,000)  (36c-55c-65c-75c). 
Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"The  Lady  from  Chungking"   (P.R.C.)  (7 
days) 

ORIENTAL  —  (3,200)  (27c-41c-50c-59c). 
Stage,    Henry    Busse    Orchestra.  Gross: 
$22,000.     (Average,  $22,000) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO)  (7  days, 
2nd  week) 

"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"   (Univ.)   (7  days, 
2nd  week) 

PALACE— (2,500)    (40c-55c-75c).  Gross: 
$18,000.     (Average,  $17,500) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.B.) 
(7  days,  3rd  week) 
ROOSEVELT  —  (1,500)  (36c-55c-6Sc-75c). 
Gross:  $16,000.     (Average,  $16,000) 
"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M)  (7  days, 
3rd  week) 

STATE-  LAKE—  (2,700)     (36c-5Sc  -65c  -75c) . 
Gross:  $19,000.     (Average,  $19,700) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M)  7  days 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,700)  (36c-55c-65c- 
75c).    Gross:  $18,000.    (Average,  $15,500) 


Priaulx  WMCA 

General  Manager 

The  appointment  of  C.  Nicholas 
Priaulx  as  general  manager  of 
WMCA  was  announced  yesterday  by 
E.  E.  Anderson,  station  president. 
Priaulx  will  also  continue  as  WMCA 
treasurer.  The  promotion  of  Charles 
Stark,  sales  manager,  to  vice-presi- 
dent in  charge  of  sales  also  was  an- 
nounced. 


Herbert  Hoover  on 
NBC  Tomorrow 

Ex-President  Herbert  Hoover  will 
be  heard  over  NBC  tomorrow  be- 
tween 10  and  10:30  p.  m.  in  an  ad- 
dress before  the  National  Conference 
Industrial  Board  at  the  Waldorf  As- 
toria. His  topic  will  be  "Food  Sup- 
plies for  This  War."  Abbott  and  Cos- 
tello,  scheduled  to  perform  on  the  web 
at  that  time,  will  not  be  heard. 


SWG  Wires  Solons 
To  Widen  Ceiling 

Hollywood,  Jan.  19. — An 
open  board  of  directors  meet- 
ing of  the  Screen  Writers 
Guild  last  night  ordered  a 
telegram  sent  to  local  Con- 
gressmen urging  them  to  en- 
act legislation  placing  a  $25,- 
000  net  ceiling  on  all  types  of 
income  instead  of  the  present 
Presidential  directive  limit 
applying  only  to  wages. 


Off  the  Antenna 


BOB  HOPE,  Champion  of  Champions  in  Motion  Picture  Daily's  recent 
seventh  annual  poll  of  radio  editors  in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  heads 
the  "First  15"  in  the  Jan.  15  Hooper  National  Program  Ratings  Report.  He 
is  followed  in  top  positions  by  Charlie  McCarthy,  Fibber  McGee  and  Molly, 
Jack  Benny  and  Bob  Burns,  in  that  order.  Red  Skelton  is  named  first  among 
programs  broadcast  after  10  :30  p.  m.  Also  reported  by  Hooper  is  a  drop  of 
3.2  per  cent  in  the  "sets-in-use"  index  since  the  period  after  Pearl  Harbor.  The 
present  rate  of  35.2,  however,  is  well  above  the  average  rating  of  12.4. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  William  Hillman,  Blue  commentator,  has  been  appointed 
Washington  correspondent  for  the  chain.  .  .  .  William  Thomas  Hamilton  has 
resigned  from  the  sales  division  of  WOR  to  become  an  advertising  solicitor 
for  "Puck,  the  Comic  Weekly."  .  .  .  Kent  Paterson  has  been  appointed  to  the 
Detroit  sales  staff  of  the  Blue.  .  .  .  George  Schreier  has  been  named  night 
publicity  manager  of  the-  Blue.  .  .  .  Robert  Jones  has  left  the  announcing  staff 
of  WSPR,  Springfield,  Mass.,  and  has  joined  that  of  WHYN,  Holyoke. 

•  •  • 

One-minute  talks  by  radio  personalities  have  been  recorded  and  sent 
to  300  stations  in  the  1943  fight  against  infantile  paralysis,  the  National 
Foundation  for  Infantile  Paralysis  announced.  The  artists,  who  gave 
their  services  through  AFRA,  are  Clifton  Fadiman,  Dan  Seymour,  Ed 
Herlihy,  Clayton  Collyer,  Paul  Sullivan,  Lowell  Thomas,  Hugh  James, 
Warren  Sweeney,  Ben  Grauer  and  George  Putnam. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Harold  E.  Stassen,  governor  of  Minnesota,  and  Edgar 
Guest,  poet,  will  appear  on  the  10th  anniversary  program  of  the  Lone  Ranger 
on  Saturday  over  the  Blue.  .  .  .  General  Baking  Co.  has  signed  its  fourth  con- 
tract with  WABC  and  will  participate  in  the  Arthur  Godfrey  program  six 
days  weekly  from  7  to  7 :45  a.  m.  and  in  "Personally,  It's  Off  the  Record" 
five  days  from  4  :45  to  5  p.  m.  .  .  .  The  Stroud  Twins,  radio  performers  and 
honorary  WAAC  recruiters  in  Connecticut  during  January,  inducted  22  wom- 
en on  the  stage  of  the  State  Theatre,  Hartford,  with  the  group  sworn  in  dur- 
ing a  broadcast  over  WTHT.  ...  A  new  serial,  "A  Woman  of  America,"  has 
its  premiere  over  NBC  on  Monday  at  10:45  a.  m.  ...  A  one  reel  film  of 
Ginny  Simms  and  her  NBC  "Johnny  Presents"  show  will  be  shown  at 
NBC's  Hollywood  Radio  City  on  Tuesday  night  for  an  audience  of  service 
men  and  radio  and  picture  stars.  A  showing  of  "The  Fuehrer's  Face"  will 
also  be  held.  .  .  .  Walter  Winchell  returns  to  the  "Jergens  Journal"  on 
Sunday. 

•  •  • 

Women  are  playing  an  important  part  in  production  at  the  W estinghouse 
FM  station  W67B  with  studios  in  the  Hotel  Bradford,  Boston.  Miss  Ruth 
Sherrill  is  an  announcer  five  days  each  vueek  and  Miss  Muriel  Kennedy  is  a 
studio  technician  for  the  station.  She  is  the  only  female  member  of  the  sta- 
tion's engineering  staff. 


Change  in  N.Y.  Tax 
Payments  Approved 

Albany,  Jan.  19. — Quarterly  pay- 
ment of  State  income  taxes  and  a 
change  in  the  fiscal  year  from  July  1 
to  April  1  were  sanctioned  today  when 
the  Senate  passed  both  administration 
bills  by  31-20. 

Prompt  signature  by  Gov.  Thomas 
E.  Dewey  is  a  foregone  conclusion. 
The  Assembly  had  previously  passed 
the  bills  last  night. 

Sen.  Peter  Farrell  of  Queens  to- 
day submitted  another  bill  to  permit 
chance  games  when  operated  by  re- 
ligious, incorporated  veteran  or  other 
non-profitmaking  corporations. 

Assemblyman  E.  J.  Bannigan  of 
Brooklyn  introduced  a  bill  to  prohibit 
resale  of  admission  tickets  within  900 
yards  of  theatres  and  other  amuse- 
ment places.  Assemblyman  Crews, 
also  of  Brooklyn  introduced  a 
measure  to  permit  the  state  and  mu- 
nicipalites  to  conduct  lotteries  to  raise 
money  for  unemployment  and  poor 
relief. 


Woods  Named  Manager 

St.  Louis,  Jan.  19.  —  George 
Woods,  formerly  a  theatre  manager 
and  Monogram  salesman  here,  has 
been  named  manager  of  Monogram's 
St.  Louis  branch.  He  succeeds  Rob- 
ert Taylor,  who  died  recently. 


Tennessee  Repeals 
Anti-Ascap  Statute 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

ciety  to  be  repealed.  The  statute  re- 
quired Ascap  to  register  all  song  titles 
in  its  catalogue  with  the  secretary  of 
state  and  imposed  what  was  regarded 
as  a  prohibitive  tax  on  the  society  to' 
do  business.  Ascap  obtained  a  tem- 
porary injunction  restraining  Tennes- 
see officials  from  enforcing  the  law  in 
1938,  and  in  1940,  a  three-judge  Fed- 
eral court  granted  a  permanent  in- 
junction. The  Tennessee  attorney 
general  has  stated  that  there  was  no 
further  need  for  the  law  since  Ascap 
became  a  party  to  the  Federal  consent 
decree  of  1942. 

Similar  anti-Ascap  measures  were 
enacted  by  Florida  and  Nebraska. 


Nations  Campaign 

Over  $2,500,000 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

ler's  Children"  at  the  Palace,  Chica- 
go; Orpheum,  Kansas  City;  Allen, 
Cleveland ;  Orpheum,  New  Orleans ; 
Keith's,  Lowell ;  Albee,  Providence ; 
Capitol,  Trenton,  and  Keith's,  Wash- 
ington, scheduled  for  tonight,  will  be 
given  to  the  United  Nations  Week 
fund,  it  was  stated. 

Robert  Young,  Laraine  Day  and 
other  film  players  will  appear  tomor- 
row night  at  the  Greater  Boston 
United  War  Fund  benefit  in  the  Bos- 
ton Garden. 


House  Votes 
FCC  Probe; 
Starts  in  Feb. 


w  ^ler- 
oIn>jf 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

chairman.     Other   members  will 
Reps.  Edward  J.  Hart  of  New 
sey,  Warren  G.  Magnuson  of 
ington,  Richard  B.  Wiggles  woi! 
Massachusetts  and  Louis  E.  Miller  of 
Missouri. 

Cox  said  tonight  he  planned  to  call 
his  committee  together  within  th 
next  few  days  to  map  out  the  in 
vestigation  but  the  hearings  probabl 
would  not  start  before  late  in  Febru 
ary. 

The  committee,  he  said,  would  ap- 
point a  counsel  and  make  intensive 
preliminary  studies  before  calling  wit 
nesses  to  appear  to  hearings. 


I 


Treaty  Halves  Duty 
On  Imported  Film 


Washington,  Jan.  19. — Provisions 
of  the  recently  consummated  recipro- 
cal trade  agreement  with  Mexico  pro- 
viding for  the  halving  of  import  duties 
on  motion  picture  films  from  that 
country  will  become  effective  Jan.  30 
and  the  concessions  will  be  extended  to 
all  countries  with  which  we  have 
most-favored-nation  treaties. 

Under  the  agreement  the  duty  on 
exposed  negatives  will  be  reduced 
from  two  to  one  cents  per  linear  foot 
undeveloped  and  from  three  to  one 
and  one-half  cents  developed,  while 
the  rate  on  positives,  prints  and  dupli- 
cates will  be  cut  from  one  cent  to 
one-half  cent  per  foot.  Under  the 
most-favored-nation  policy,  the  re- 
ductions in  rates  will  be  applied  to 
imports  from  practically  all  countries 
except  those  with  which  we  are  at 
war. 

6  Million  Ft.  in  1940 

Total  imports  of  motion  picture 
negative  and  positive  film  in  1940 
amounted  to  6,000,000  feet,  involving 
payments  for  exhibition  of  less  than 
$5,000,000,  according  to  State  Depart- 
ment figures. 

Nicaragua  will  continue  for  another 
year  a  rebate  of  50  per  cent  of  the 
tariff  on  all  motion  pictures  in  view 
of  their  educational  and  recreational 
value,  according  to  cabled  reports  to 
newspapers  here.  Propaganda  films 
of  the  democratic  countries  consigned 
to  Nicaraguan  legations  are  admitted 
duty  free. 


Pay  Rise  Approved 
By  Equity  Council 

Actors  Equity  Council  yesterday  ap- 
proved a  $10  increase  in  the  minimum 
wage  for  its  members.  The  increase, 
raising  the  minimum  to  $60,  was  pre- 
viously agreed  upon  by  the  League  of 
New  York  Theatres  board  of  gov- 
ernors and  an  Equity  negotiating  com- 
mittee. It  will  now  be  referred  to  the 
War  Labor  Board  and  will  be  effec- 
tive on  approval. 

The  council  also  agreed  to  the  man- 
agers' request  for  another  day  of  re- 
hearsal and  pro  rata  rehearsal  pay  for 
a  straight  play  and  two  days  for  a 
musical  when  it  is  brought  to  Broad- 
way from  out  of  town. 


Alert, 


fion 


Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


CO  I 
 1 


in 


%  53.  NO.  14 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  THURSDAY,  JANUARY  21,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


No  Conspiracy 
Shown  Yet  in 
Momand  Trial 


Evidence  Favors  Defense 
So  Far,  Judge  Says 


By  T.  L.  BUTTERFIELD 

Oklahoma     City,     Jan.     20. — A 
statement  by  Judge  Bower  Broaddus 
as  to  "what  is  on  my  mind"  set  plain 
tiff  attorneys  aback  today  in  the  eighth 
day  of  the  A.  B.  Momand  anti-trust 
action  being  heard  in  Federal  Dis 
trict   Court   here.     Judge  Broaddus 
told  Momand  chief-of-staff  George  S 
Ryan,  that  as  far  as  he  was  concerned 
the  plaintiffs  had  not  shown  any  joint 
effort  or  conspiracy  on  the  part  of 
the  defendant  distributors   and  pro- 
ducers. 

He  stated  that  the  depositions  taken 
in  New  York  and  Boston  "have  no 
bearing  on  this  case  so  far  as  I  can 
see,"  pointing  out  that  while  a  "com- 
bination" may  have  been  formed  in 
other  parts  of  the  country  "what  hap- 
pened in  New  England  has  absolute 
ly  no  bearing  on  this  situation  here 

(Continued  on  page  10) 


Schnitzer  Adds  N.E. 
Ferritory  to  Duties 

Edward  M.  Schnitzer,  formerly 
Mid-Eastern  district  manager  for 
Jnited  Artists,  has  been  assigned  the 
Mew  England  territory  in  addition 
o  the  New  York  metropolitan  area, 
ilready  a  part  of  his  district,  by  Carl 
^eserman,  general  sales  manager,  it 
vas  reported  yesterday. 

Schnitzer  heretofore  supervised 
Philadelphia  and  Washington,  in  ad- 
lition  to  the  metropolitan  New  York 

{Continued  on  page  8) 


Sherwood  to  Africa 
On  News  Problems 

Washington,  Jan.  20. — Rob- 
ert E.  Sherwood,  playwright 
and  director  of  overseas  op- 
erations for  the  Office  of  War 
Information,  will  be  sent  to 
North  Africa  by  Elmer  Davis, 
OWI  chief,  it  is  reported,  to 
untangle  information  and 
censorship  problems.  Sher- 
wood, it  is  said,  will  attempt 
to  straighten  out  the  situa- 
tion so  that  the  American 
public  can  get  a  clear  picture 
of  developments. 


Sister  Kenny  Gets 
Variety  Club  Award 
For  Polio  Treatment 


Sacramento,  Calif.,  Jan.  20. — John 
H.  Harris,  national  chief  barker  of 
the  Variety  Clubs,  today  presented  the 
organization's  annual  Humanitarian 
Award  to  Sister  Elizabeth  Kenny, 
Australian  nurse,  who  developed  a 
new  technique  for  treating  infantile 
paralysis. 

The  presentation  was  made  at  a 
luncheon  at  the  Hotel  Senator  here. 
The  award,  which  consists  of  a  silver 
plaque  and  a  check  for  $1,000,  was 
given  Sister  Kenny  in  recognition  of 
the  greatest  humanitarian  service  by 
an  individual  in  1942.  Sister  Kenny 
said  she  will  devote  the  money  to 
carrying  forward  research  and  other 
work  in  connection  with  her  under- 
taking. 

Harris  was  introduced  by  Arthur 
Rosswell,  Pittsburgh  radio  commen- 
tator.   Charles  Skouras,  president  of 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


R.  I.  FILM  THEATRES 
TO  CUT  OPERATIONS 

Gov.  McGrath  Will  Order  All  Amusements 
To  Curtail  One-Seventh  to  Save  Fuel; 
Exhibitors  to  Work  Out  Procedure 


By  BRADFORD  F.  SWAN 

Providence,  Jan.  20. — Theatres  and  other  public  amusement  places 
throughout  Rhode  Island  will  be  ordered  by  Governor  J.  Howard 
McGrath  and  the  State  Council  of  Defense  tomorrow  to  curtail  opera- 
tions to  six-sevenths  of  what  they  were  in  the  week  beginning  Jan.  3. 

The  order  is  designed  to  con- 
serve fuel   and   applies   to  all 


Col.  Directors  Elect 
7  Vice-Presidents 


Seven  Columbia  executives  were 
elected  vice-presidents  of  the  company 
at  the  organization  meeting  of  the 
board  of  directors  held  at  the  home 
office  yesterday,  at  which  Abe  Mon- 
tague was  also  elected  to  the  board 
of  directors. 

Harry  Cohn  was  reelected  president 
and  Jack  Cohn,  executive  vice-presi- 
dent. The  newly  elected  vice-presi- 
dents are:  Montague,  Nate  B.  Spin- 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Protest  Conn. 
Closing  Order 


Hartford,  Jan.  20. — Connecticut  ex- 
hibitors are  preparing  an  organized 
protest  against  Governor  Baldwin's 
proposal  for  the  closing  of  all  places 
of  amusement  in  the  state  on  Sundays 
and  Mondays  to  help  conserve  fuel. 

The  protest  is  based  on  the  fact  that 
a  majority  of  the  state's  theatres  are 
not  dependent  upon  oil  for  heating 
purposes  and  on  the  contention  that 
the  Governor's  objective  could  be  ac- 
complished as  well  by  curtailed  oper- 
ations on  days  other  than  Sunday,  one 
of  the  best  business  days  of  the  week 
for  the  theatres. 

The  exhibitors  are  expected  to  peti- 
tion the  Governor  to  permit  theatres 
to  reduce  their  operating  hours  by 
one-seventh,  as  it  appears  theatres  in 
Rhode   Island,  where  the  fuel  con- 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Seized  Axis  Film  Patents 
Available  to  U.S.  Industry 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  20. — More  than 
500  patents  and  56  applications  for 
patents  dealing  with  still  and  motion 
picture  photography  have  been  taken 
over  by  the  Alien  Property  Custodian 
and  are  being  made  available  to 
American  industry,  it  was  disclosed 
today. 

These  patents  were  among  the  more 
than  50,000  standing  in  the  name  of 
nationals  of  enemy  and  enemy-occu- 
pied countries  seized  under  the  Trad- 
ing With  the  Enemy  Act. 

Where  exclusive  licenses  are  not 
already  outstanding  to  American  in- 
dustry, the  APC  will  issue  non-exclu- 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Escrow  Illegality 
Report  Disclaimed 


Washington,  Jan.  20. — Officials  of 
the  Salary  Stabilization  unit  of  the 
Internal  Revenue  Bureau  today  dis- 
claimed reports  that  they  had  held 
illegal  plans  for  placing  in  escrow 
Hollywood  salaries  in  excess  of  the 
$67,200  ceiling. 

A  spokesman  for  the  unit  when 
questioned  concerning  the  status  of  the 
plan  said  that  the  I.R.B.  had  not  com- 
mitted itself  on  the  subject  further 

{Continued  on  page  8) 


amusement  places  regardless  of 
whether  or  not  they  are  heated 
by  oil.  The  form  of  the  order 
was  agreed  upon  today  under 


Providence,  Jan.  20. — It  is  re- 
ported that  theatres  in  Rhode 
Island  will  close  from  6  to  7:30 
p.m.  daily,  and  thereby  make  up 
the  one-seventh  curtailment  of 
operating  time  ordered  by  the 
Governor. 


legislation  enacted  last  Friday 
granting  the  Governer  emerg- 
ency powers.  It  will  be  issued 
tomorrow  and,  meanwhile,  there 
is  no  official  indication  of  its  ef- 
fective date,  although  it  is  gen- 
erally believed  this  will  be  next 
Monday. 

Theatre  managers  of  the  state  will 
meet  here  tomorrow  afternoon  to  de- 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


6  Firms  to  Protest 
WPB  Film  Allotment 


Six  companies  will  discuss  and  en- 
deavor to  clarify  objections  to  the 
WPB's  Jan.  1  raw  stock  allocation 
order  of  the  first  1943  meeting  of  the 
Motion  Picture  Advisory  Committee 
with  War  Production  Board  officials 
in  Washington  tomorrow,  it  is  re- 
ported. 

Tomorrow's  meeting  also  will  dis- 
cuss the  16mm.  raw  stock  situation. 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Heard  Around"  by  Sam 
Shain,  Page  2.  Key  city  box- 
office  reports,  Pages  6,  9  and 
10.  CBS  condemns  FCC  net- 
work rules,  Page  10.  Off  the 
Antenna,  Page  10.  Mexico 
City  Notes,  Page  6. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  January  21,  1943 


-  Heard  Around  - 

AFTER  some  tossing  around — it  now  appears  that  the  rights  to  Eddie  Rick- 
enbacker's  life  story  may  go  to  Winfield  R.  Sheehan  and  that  Sheehan 
may  make  the  picture  for  20th  Century-Fox  Film  Corp.  Christy  Walsh  is 
associated  with  Sheehan  in  the  transaction.  Rickenbacker  will  receive  a  sub- 
stantial sum  in  cash  for  the  rights  plus  a  percentage  of  the  profits  which  may 
aggregate  as  much  as  $1,000,000,  depending  on  the  eventual  gross  of  the  film. 

•  •  • 

It  may  not  be  generally  known . . .  that  Sir  Alexander  Korda  gave  up  his 
equities  in  the  American  distribution  rights  to  "In  Which  We  Serve,"  as  well 
as  "One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing,"  to  obtain  that  settlement  with  United 
Artists,  under  the  terms  of  which  Korda  owns  the  stock  he  has  held  so  long 
in  the  company  .  .  .  that  the  distribution  end  of  RKO  which  includes  produc- 
tion is  now  netting  around  $60,000  weekly — and  Paramount  Pictures,  Inc., 
should  show  a  net  profit  of  about  $14,500,000  for  1942. 

•  •  • 

Story  of  the  week.  .  .  .  Warners  turned  down  "Education  for  Death," 
now  known  as  "Hitler's  Children,"  which  is  breaking  all  records.  When 
W.  B.  rejected  the  yarn,  Edward  Golden  took  it  to  Pete  Rathvon  and 
Ned  Depinet  of  RKO.  The  picture  was  made  for  about  $190,000  and, 
before  it  hardly  had  been  started,  RKO  also  almost  kicked  over  the  pic- 
ture. This  was  at  the  time  that  it  was  learned  that  the  Guaranty  Trust 
Company,  which  was  to  have  financed  Golden's  half  of  the  deal,  walked 
out  on  him.  However,  having  put  about  $15,000  already  into  the  embryo 
film  and  because  Golden,  who  already  had  agreed  to  give  RKO  40  per  cent 
of  the  profits,  agreed  further  to  give  RKO  an  additional  10  per  cent, 
raising  the  figure  to  50  per  cent,  RKO's  home  office  chieftains 
agreed  to  assist  further  in  the  finance  of  it,  especially  since  the  com- 
pany needed  pictures  at  the  time.  Two  or  three  well  known  theatre  men 
are  associated  with  Golden  in  the  transaction,  and  now  RKO's  most  con- 
servative income  prophets  say  the  picture  will  gross  at  least  $1,000,000, 
domestic.  And — Golden  has  been  given  a  liberal  advance  on  his  end  of 
the  prospective  profits. 

•  •  • 

Our  nomination  .  .  .  for  the  role  of  Mme.  Chiang  Kai  Shek,  in  that  picture 
on  China  which  20th  Century-Fox  is  contemplating — Myrna  Loy.  She  enjoys 
the  fame,  the  name,  and  has  the  ability  and  the  figure  which  fits  the  part. 

•  •  • 

Tom  Connors'  currently  contemplated  visit  to  the  20th  Century-Fox 
Company's  studios  is  to  catch  a  glimpse  or  two  of  the  newest  films  and  pro- 
duction plans.  However,  Hal  Home  has  an  additional  purpose  for  going—to 
try  and  set  up  a  special  personal  liaison  exploitation  branch  at  the  studio  and 
his  candidate  is  Richard  Condon. 

•  •  • 

Mike  Todd's  newest  Broadway  musical  hit,  "Something  for  the  Boys," 
cost  about  $150,000 — and  it  is  grossing  in  the  neighborhood  of  $32,000  to 
$34,000  weekly.   Advance  sales  this  week  hit  a  new  high  of  $180,000. 

•  •  • 

Don't  be  surprised  to  hear  .  .  .  Col.  Darryl  Zanuck  is  thinking  about  re- 
turning to  Hollywood  production. 

Sam  Shain. 


Personal 
Mention 

BEN  KALMENSON,  Warner 
Bros,  general  sales  manager,  ar- 
rived in  Kansas  City  yesterday  from 
the  Coast.  He  will  visit  Southern 
cities  before  returning  here. 

William  F.  Rodger  s  is  vacationing 
at  Palm  Springs  before  returning  here 
from  the  Coast. 

• 

A.  C.  Hayman,  Niagara  Falls  and 
Buffalo  exhibitor  and  president  of  the 
MPTO  of  New  York  State,  is  vaca- 
tioning in  Florida. 

• 

Ray  Ferrigno,  manager  of  the 
Grand  Theatre,  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  and 
Mrs.  Ferrigno  are  the  parents  of  a 
boy. 

Jack  Schwartz,  West  End,  Bridge- 
port, exhibitor,  has  a  broken  knee  cap 
and  his  visitors  are  autographing  the 
cast. 

• 

Marvin  Rothenberg,  son  of  Irv- 
ing Rothenberg  of  Warner  Bros.' 
New  York  sales  staff,  has  been  com- 
missioned a  second  lieutenant  in  the 
Army  and  is  stationed  with  the  Sig- 
nal Corps  at  Astoria. 

• 

Roy  Haines  left  for  Washington 
yesterday. 

• 

Frank  N.  Phelps,  Warner  Cir- 
cuit labor  contact,  is  touring  Ohio. 
• 

Ed  Gates,  manager  of  the  Esquire, 
San  Francisco,  has  joined  the  Navy. 
• 

Bradley  Boden  stein,  manager  of 
the  Rialto,  East  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  is 
the  father  of  a  boy  born  to  Mrs. 
Bodenstein  recently. 

• 

Mrs.  Edward  C.  Wheeler,  the 
former  Jane  Griffin,  has  returned  to 
her  post  as  secretary  for  the  Basil 
Circuit,  Buffalo,  after  her  honeymoon. 
Her  husband  is  a  corporal  at  Camp 
Edwards,  Mass. 

Miss  Marion  Ryan,  Buffalo 
branch  office  manager  for  M-G-M,  has 
returned  from  New  York. 

• 

Dan  Nolan,  RKO  visiting  auditor 
from  New  York,  is  at  the  New  Haven 
exchange  for  a  few  weeks. 

• 

Jack  Schembs,  former  assistant 
manager  of  Warners'  Aldine,  Phila- 
delphia, is  overseas  with  the  Marine 
Corps. 

Robert  Campbell,  son  of  Hugh  J. 
Campbell,  manager  of  the  Warner 
Central  Theatre  in  West  Hartford,  is 
reported  stationed  overseas  with  the 
Army  Medical  Corps. 

• 

Marjorie.  McBride  of  the  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox Buffalo  exchange,  has  re- 
turned to  work  after  a  two-week  ill- 
ness. 


TO  SUB-LEASE  veT  desirable  three 
room  apartment,  unfurnished,  con- 
veniently located.  Lease  rental  $125 
per  month.  What  do  you  offer  to 
October  1st?  Box  280,  Motion 
Picture  Daily. 


Mrs.  T.  D.  Thacher 
Interment  Today 

Funeral  services  for  Mrs.  Thomas 
D.  Thacher,  wife  of  the  Paramount 
counsel,  will  be  held  at  10  a.m.  this 
morning  at  the  Madison  Avenue 
Presbyterian  church,  Manhattan. 
Mrs.  Thacher  died  Tuesday  after  a 
brief  illness  at  the  age  of  59.  In 
addition  to  her  husband,  recently 
named  corporation  counsel  for  the 
city,  Mrs.  Thacher  is  survived  by  two 
daughters,  Mrs.  George  L.  Storm 
and  Mrs.  Daniel  N.  Brown,  and  a 
son,  Ensign  Thomas  Thacher, 
U.S.N.R. 

N.  Y.  Assembly  Gets 
Chance  Games  Bill 

Albany,  Jan.  20. — Assemblyman 
George  Archinal  today  introduced  the 
companion  measure  to  Sen.  Farrell's 
bill  to  legalize  chance  games  when 
operated  by  religious,  veteran  or  other 
non-profitmaking  corporations. 

Assemblyman  Harold  B.  Ehrlich 
told  Motion  Picture  Daily  the  bill 
to  repeal  "blue  laws"  relative  to  child 
actors  in  motion  pictures,  radio  and 
similar  fields  will  be  reintroduced 
shortly.  The  bill  passed  the  legisla- 
ture at  the  last  three  sessions,  but 
was  vetoed. 


Rose  Franken  Loses 
'Claudia'  Trial  Suit 

A  supreme  court  jury  of  which 
Mrs.  Wendell  L.  Willkie,  wife  of  the 
20th  Century-Fox  board  chairman, 
was  a  member,  awarded  $11,000  to 
the  estate  of  Adrienne  Morrison,  play 
broker,  in  action  against  Rose  Fran- 
ken  for  commissions  alleged  to  be  due 
on  her  play  "Claudia." 

Arthur  Schwartz  of  Schwartz  & 
Frohlich  contended  as  counsel  for  the 
estate  that  Miss  Morrison  brought  the 
play  to  the  attention  of  John  Golden, 
who  produced  it.  Miss  Franken  testi- 
fied that  she  had  not  authorized  Miss 
Morrison,  the  mother  of  Constance, 
Barbara  and  Joan  Bennett,  to  act  as 
agent,  but  merely  asked  her  to  make 
contact  with  producers. 


Theatres  Aiding  OWI 
Campaign  to  Negroes 

More  than  400  theatres  in  the  Unit- 
ed States  which  cater  to  colored  pa- 
trons will  assist  the  Office  of  War 
Information  in  distributing  a  maga- 
zine entitled  "Negroes  and  the  War" 
in  the  OWI  campaign  among  Ne- 
groes, Si  Fabian,  chairman  of  the 
WAC  Theatres  Division,  announced 
yesterday. 


Impasse  Reported  in 
Schine  Malone  Deal 


Buffalo,  Jan.  20. — An  impasse  has 
been  reached  in  the  Schine  divestiture 
procedure  with  regard  to  the  Plaza 
Theatre,  Malone,  N.  Y.,  according  to 
the  January  report  filed  in  U.  S. 
district  court  here  today  under  the 
Schine  anti-trust  suit  court  agree- 
ment. 

The  report,  filed  by  Willard 
Kay,  Schine  counsel,  stated  that  i|>  J 
been  impossible  to  conclude  negotia- 
tions with  respect  to  the  Plaza  be- 
cause after  an  inspection  by  state 
police  and  a  representative  of  the  De- 
partment of  Labor  the  house  was 
ordered  closed  pending  the  "making  of 
repairs."  The  order  has  been  com- 
plied with,  according  to  the  report. 

McKay  alleged  in  the  report  that 
the  repairs  "are  entirely  the  respon- 
sibility of  the  landlord,  and  none  of 
which  are  the  responsibility  of  any 
Schine  company." 

With  regard  to  sale  of  the  Opera 
House  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  McKay  re- 
ported that  negotiations  are  still 
pending." 

Pa.  Epidemic  Hits 
Theatres;  1  Closed 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  19. — Exhibitors 
in  this  territory  reported  a  drop  in 
theatre  attendance,  especially  at  chil- 
dren's matinees,  as  a  result  of  the 
smallpox  epidemic  which  started 
among  the  Amish  residents  in  Lan- 
caster. 

Only  one  closing,  the  Milroy  Thea- 
tre at  Milroy,  Pa.,  occurred,  but  thea- 
tres in  towns  near  Milroy  were  told 
they  would  be  permitted  to  remain 
open  until  a  case  of  smallpox  was  re- 
ported in  their  localities.  Philadelphia 
itself  was  not  affected.  Wholesale 
vaccinations  checked  the  epidemic. 

U.A.to  Distribute 
'Hi  Diddle  Diddle9 

Hollywood,  Jan.  20. — United  Art- 
ists today  announced  a  deal  with  An-i 
drew  L.  Stone,  producer,  for  produc- 
tion and  distribution  of  "Hi  Diddle 
Diddle,"  a  comedy  in  which  Adolphe 
Menjou,  Martha  Scott,  Lupe  Velez 
and  others  will  appear.  Production  is 
expected  to  start  in  three  months. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by   Quigley   Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.    Telephone,  Circle  7-3100., 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar-! 
tin  Quigley,  President ;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice-i 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,    Secretary;    Sam    Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred    L.    Finestone,    Managing  Editor; 
James    A.    Cron,    Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago     Bureau,     624     South  Michigan 
Avenue,     Oscar     Lundy,  Correspondent: 
Hollywood    Bureau,     Postal    Union  Liff 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon 
don  Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl 
Hope  Bumup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanaga 
Editor;    cable    address    "Quigpubco,  Lon 
don."    All    contents    copyrighted    1943  b 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Othe 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her 
aid,  Better  Theatres,  International  Moti 
Picture   Almanac   and    Fame.  Entered 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  th 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  th^ 
act  of  March  3,  1879.    Subscription  rate! 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  fori 
eign;  single  copies  10c 


IN  ALL  SITUATIONS  FROl 


note:  Please  check  this  claii 


NEW  YORK 
Criterion  Theatre 

PITTSBURGH 

J.P.Harris  Theatre 

LAWRENCE,  Mass. 
Palace  Theatre 

PORTLAND,  Me. 
Strand  Theatre 

JOHNSTOWN,  Pa. 
Embassy  Theatre 

NEW  LONDON,  Conn. 
Garde  Theatre 

NORWICH,  Conn. 
Palace  Theatre 


SEATTLE,  Wash. 
Liberty  Theatre 

BUFFALO,  N.Y. 
Lafayette  Theatre 

MADISON,  Wise. 
Orpheum  Theatre 
Madison  Theatre 

ALLENTOWN,  Pa. 
Colonial  Theatre 

HAVERHILL,  Mass. 
Lafayette  Theatre 

WICHITA,  Kansas 
Miller  Theatre 


Jointhelndus^ 


LARGEST  TO  SMALLEST 


SPRINGFIELD,  Mass. 
Bijou  Theatre 

HUNTINGTON,  W.Va. 
Palace  Theatre 


MIAMI,  Florida 
Lincoln  Theatre 
Miami  Theatre 
Capitol  Theatre 


IJGm 

01  ''f/i 

MTiffl 

TTlTfiBi  :  H     ■  ■  ■  nm 

6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  January  21,  1943 


Coast  Shoots 
35  Pictures; 
23  Prepared 


Hollywood,  Jan.  20.  —  Thirty-five 
pictures  were  before  the  cameras  this 
week,  as  five  started  and  six  finished. 
Twenty-three  were  being  prepared 
and  57  were  being  edited. 

The  tally  by  studio: 
Columbia 

Finished:   "Boy  from  Stalingrad." 

In  Work :  "Attack  by  Night,"  "De- 
stroyer." 

M-G-M 

In  work:  "Faculty  Row,"  "Swing 
Shift  Maisie,"  "Bataan  Patrol,"  "Dr. 
Gillespie's  Criminal  Case,"  "I  Dood 
It,"  "Above  Suspicion,"  "Gentle 
Annie,"  "Girl  Crazy." 

Monogram 

In  work :  "No  Escape." 

Paramount 

In  Work:  "So  Proudly  We  Hail," 
"Lady  in  the  Dark,"  "China,"  "Henry 
Aldrich  Plays  Cuipid,"  "The  Good 
Fellows/' 

RKO 

In  work :  "Petticoat  Larceny." 
Started:  "The  Sky's  the  Limit." 

Republic 
In  work :    "Tahiti   Honey,"  "The 
Purple  V,"  "King  of  the  Cowboys." 
Started:  "Carson  City  Cowboy." 

20th  Century-Fox 
Finished:  "The  Moon  Is  Down." 

United  Artists 
Finished :  "Unconquered." 
In   work :    "Lady    of  Burlesque," 
"Stage  Door  Canteen." 

Universal 
Finished:  "Oh,  Doctor." 
In  work :  "Cowboy  in  Manhattan," 
"We've  Never  Been  Licked,"  "Cor- 
vettes in  Action,"  "Always  a  Brides- 
maid," "Destiny." 

Started:  "Cross  Your  Fingers." 
Warners 

Finished:  "Thank  Your  Lucky 
Stars." 

In  work :   "Mission  to  Moscow," 
"Old  Acquaintance,"  "Devotion." 
Producers  Releasing 
Finished:  "Fighting  Men." 
Started:  "Billy  the  Kid"  Number  4. 


Milw.  Grosses  Drop 
In  Holdover  Week 

Milwaukee,  Wis.,  Jan.  20. — In  a 
week  of  holdovers  at  three  first  run 
houses,  "The  Glass  Key"  and  "Wild- 
cat" at  Fox's  Palace  was  the  only  pro- 
gram to  clear  par,  and  that  with  a 
$6,800  gross.  Continued  snowy  weath- 
er had  a  somewhat  adverse  effect  on 
attendance. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  14: 

"The  Glass  Key"  Para.) 
"Wildcat"  (Para.) 

PALACE — (2,400)  (44c-65c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$6,800.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Flying  Fortress"  (W.  B.) 

RIVERSIDE — (2,700)     (44c-65c)    7  days. 
Stage:  Bombshells  of  1943.    Gross:  $10,000 
(Average,  $12,000) 
"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 
"This  Gun  for  Hire"  (Para.) 

STRAND— (1,400)    (44c-65c)    7   days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $2,000.    (Average,  $2,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER— (2,400)    (33c-44c-60c)    7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $7,000.    (Average,  $8,600) 
"Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (ZOth-Fox) 

WISCONSIN— (3,200)  (44c-65c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $7,500.    (Average,  $8,300) 


Notes  from  Mexico  City 


By  LUIS  BECERRA  CELIS 

Mexico  City,  Jan.  20 

LUMBER  merchants  have  become 
the  most  important  exhibitors  in 
Monterrey,  capital  of  Nuevo  Leon 
state  and  a  leading  industrial  center, 
on  the  American  border.  Gregorio 
Garza  Guzman,  who  began  his  work- 
ing life  as  a  sawer's  mate  in  a  mill, 
has  just  opened  the  city's  most  pre- 
tentious theatre,  the  Cine  Encanto, 
a  3,000  seater,  that  cost  $210,000,  a 
big  price  for  a  theatre  outside  Mex- 
ico City.  The  Florida  and  the  Ala- 
meda, two  other  important  Monterrey 
theatres,  are  also  owned  by  lumber 
merchants. 

Sale  of  a  stage  theatre  and  a  school 
to  the  company  that  is  to  build  a 
cinema,  the  Cine  Reforma,  in  Pachuca, 
capital  of  Hidalgo  state,  near  here  and 
site  of  some  of  the  world's  greatest 
silver  mines,  has  been  authorized  by 
the  Hidalgo  government.  The  sale 
price  is  $45,000.  The  legislature  con- 
cluded that  the  cinema  will  be  of  bet- 
ter public  service  than  the  theatre 
which  was  used  infrequently.  It  is 
scheduled  to  open  in  midsummer. 

Two  de  luxe  subsequent  run  the- 
atres, the  Lindavista  and  the  Lido, 
each  seating  3,500,  were  inaugurated 
in  Mexico  City  on  Christmas  Day 
with  ceremonies  that  leading  lights  of 
the  picture  industry  and  some  public 
officials  and  capacity  audiences  at- 
tended. These  new  cinemas  bring  to 
71  the  number  of  local  active  film  the- 
atres. 

• 

Service  of  a  semi-official 
weekly  news  reel  covering  Mex- 
ico, "Noticiero  Mexicano,"  has 
been  started  here  by  a  company 
headed  by  Gen.  Juan  F.  Azca- 
rate,  president  of  Mexico-Es- 
pana-Argentina  Films,  S.  A., 
important  producers,  and  presi- 
dent of  the  recently  organized 
Cinematographic  Chamber  of 
Commerce  who  was  the  last 
Mexican  minister  to  Germany. 
The  reel  is  being  exhibited  in 
all  the  leading  theatres  of  Mex- 
ico. 

• 

Workers  of  the  industry  are  fast 
being  all  unionized.  The  latest  to  be 
organized  are  the  writers  and  adapt- 
ors. They  have  organized  here  the 
Sociedad  de  Argumentistas  y  Adapta- 


dores  de  Cine  and  have  joined  the  Na- 
tional Cinematographic  Industry 
Workers  Union  as  Section  No.  9. 

Norman  Foster  has  arrived  here 
from  Hollywood  on  leave  from  20th 
Century-Fox  and  under  contract  to 
Francisco  de  P.  Cabrera,  prominent 
producer,  to  direct  a  new  version  of 
"Santa"  ("Saintess"),  based  upon  the 
classic  novel  of  the  same  name  by  the 
late  Federico  Gamboa,  dean  of  Mexi- 
can authors,  which  was  the  theme  of 
Mexico's  first  talkie,  produced  here 
in  1930  by  Antonio  Moreno.  Esther 
Fernandez,  recently  returned  from 
Hollywood,  and  Jose  Cibrian  have  the 
leading  roles  in  this  new  "Santa," 
production  of  which  is  scheduled  to 
start  about  Jan.  15. 

• 

Another  film  biography,  that 
of  Father  Jose  Maria  Morelos, 
outstanding  general  of  Mexico's 
independence  war  from  Spain, 
which  lasted  from  1818  to  1821, 
who  was  executed  by  the  Span- 
iards near  here  Dec.  22,  1815,  is 
being  produced  here  by  Miguel 
Contreras  Torres,  who  has 
worked  in  Hollywood,  and  who 
last  summer  released  "Simon 
Bolivar,"  life  of  the  Venezuelan 
patriot,  which  was  Mexico's 
most  expensive  picture,  costing 
$210,000.  "Morelos"  is  expected 
to  be  released  during  Easter. 
• 

What  he  calls  a  high  class  tragedy, 
"El  Medico  de  las  Locas"  ("Physician 
for  Crazy  Women")  is  to  go  into 
production  here  this  winter  by  Fe- 
lipe Mier  who  was  Warners'  mana- 
ger here  some  years  ago,  then  became 
an  agent  for  picture  equipment  and 
has  been  a  distributor,  then  a  pro- 
ducer. Direction  will  be  by  Patino 
Gomez. 

"Yolanda,"  first  production  of  Pro- 
mesa  Films,  S.A.,  organized  here  re- 
cently by  Manuel  Reachi,  former  rep- 
resentative of  the  Mexican  govern- 
ment in  Hollywood,  has  been  signed 
for  its  premiere  by  the  Cine  Teatro 
Alameda,  a  leading  local  first  run  the- 
atre. The  exhibition  is  scheduled  for 
mid-January. 

Producers  have  a  serious  problem 
in  a  sharp  scarcity  of  cameras  as  there 
are  now  only  15  of  them  at  their  ser- 
vice. Efforts  are  being  made  to  ob- 
tain more  from  the  United  States  to 
carry  on  the  1943  program. 


'Who  Done  It?9  Gets 
Big  $10,200,  Omaha 

Omaha,  Jan.  20.— "Who  Done  It?" 
pulled  a  smash  $10,200  at  the  Omaha 
and  was  held  for  a  second  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  13-14 : 

"Seven  Days   Leave"  (RKO) 
"The  Falcon's  Brother"  (RKO) 

BRANDEIS— (1,200)  (30c-35c-44c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $4,100.  (Averajr 

$4  500) 

"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 
"Wildcat"  (Para.) 

OMAHA— (2,000)     (30c-35c-50c)     7  day 
Gross:  $10,200.     (Average.  $7,500) 
"Eyes  in  the  Night"  (M-G-M) 

ORPHEUM— (3,000)  (40c-55c)  7  days 
Stage:  Les  Brown  and  orchestra.  Gross: 
$14,600.     (Average,  $14,500) 


Tyree  Dillard  in  Navy 

Tyree  Dillard  of  Loew's  home  of- 
fice legal  staff  was  sworn  into  the 
Navy  this  week  and  expects  to  be  as- 
signed to  duty  as  a  deck  officer. 


Change  to  Central 
Time  Seen  in  Ohio 

Columbus,  Jan.  20.- — Consideration 
of  shifting  of  clocks  back  one  hour 
from  present  Eastern  war  time  to 
Central  time  will  probably  be  consid- 
ered in  the  newly  convened  Ohio  Gen- 
eral Assembly,  it  was  learned  here. 
Governor  Bricker  reportedly  has  ex- 
pressed belief  that  sentiment  among 
farmers,  school  officials  and  others  is 
strong  for  a  change,  despite  WPB  de- 
sire that  the  present  time  system  be 
retained.  Two  bills  have  been  intro- 
duced in  the  legislature  to  effect  the 
time  change. 


Fire  Destroys  Theatre 

St.  Louis.  Jan.  20.  —  The  Ozark 
Theatre  at  Clair,  Mo.,  was  destroyed 
by  fire  last  week.  Only  theatre  in 
town,  it  was  located  on  the  second 
floor  of  a   Masonic  lodge  building. 


Phila.  Unhurt 
ByDrivingBan; 
'Life,'  $13,200 


Philadelphia,  Jan.  20. — Holdover 
holiday  bills  predominated  at  down- 
town houses  last  week,  and  in  spi*e 
of  the  ban  on  pleasure  driving  and  fc^J 
capacity  crowds  attracted  by  the  "ice 
Follies"  at  the  Arena,  business  con- 
tinued at  favorable  levels.  Biggest 
business  was  reported  by  the  Earle 
where  "When  Johnny  Comes  March- 
ing Home"  and  Sammy  Kaye's  band 
on  the  stage  hit  a  heavy  $27,500  in  six 
days.  "Life  Begins  at  Eight-Thirty" 
opened  nicely  at  the  Aldine  with  $13,- 
200  and  among  the  holdovers,  "Road 
To  Morocco"  continued  big  at  the 
Stanley  with  $22,500  for  a  second 
week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ended  Jan.  12-15  : 

"Life  Begins  at  Eight-Thirty"  (ZOth-Fox) 

ALDINE — (900)  (3Sc-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $13,200.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.  A.) 

ARCADIA— (600)  (35c-46c-57c-68c)  7  days, 
3rd  run.  Gross:  $3,300.  (  Average,  $2,800) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 

BOYD— (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $13,400.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"When  Johnny  Comes  Marching  Home" 

(Univ.)  (6  days) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.)  (1  day) 

EARLE— (3,300)  (46c-57c-75c)  6  days  of 
vaudeville  including  Sammy  Kaye's  or- 
chestra, Criss  Cross  &  Louie,  Tommy 
Ryan,  Arthur  Wright,  Nancy  Norman, 
Billy  Williams  and  Don  Cummings.  Gross: 
$30,500.  (Average,  $18,000) 
"Boston  Blackie  Goes  Hollywood"  (Col.) 

FAY'S— (2,190)  (29c-35c-46c-57c)  7  days  of 
vaudeville  including  Louis  Prima's  orches- 
tra, Ernie  Fields'  orchestra,  Canfield  Cmith 

6  Snodgrass,  John  Mason  &  Co.,  Jack 
Vigal  and  Raps  &  Taps.  Gross:  $7,200. 
(Average.  $6,030) 

"Stand  By  For  Action"  (M-G-M) 

FOX— (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $14,900.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 

KARLTON— (1,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $6,500.  (Aver- 
ave,  $3,500) 

"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 

KEITH'S— (2,200)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c) 

7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $4,200.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

MASTBAUM  —  (4,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c- 
68c-57c)  7  days,  3rd  week.    Gross:  $17,200 

STANLEY—  (3,700)  -(35c-41c-46c-57c-68c 
75c)  7  days,  3rd  week.    Gross:  $17,200 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

STANLEY  —  (3,700)  (35c-41c-46c-S7c-58c- 
75c)    7    days,    2nd    week.     Gross:  $22,500. 
(Average,  $14,000) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 

STANTON  —  (1,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $12,800.  (Average, 
$6,500) 


'Andy  Hardy*  Draws 
Good  $8,800,  Tulsa 

Tulsa,  Jan.  20.  —  "Andy  Hardy's 
Double  Life"  at  the  Ritz  was  top 
grosser  here  last  week  with  $8,800. 
All  grosses  at  average  or  better  as 
the  weather  continued  good  through- 
out the  entire  period  and  no  competi- 
tion was  in  existence. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  14: 

"You  Can't  Escape  Forever"  (W.B.) 

MAJESTIC  —  (570)  (25c-40c)  7  days. 
Gross:   $1,950.     (Average,  $1,950) 

Here  We  Go  Again"  (R-K-O) 

ORPHEUM— (1,400)  (20c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:   $7,500.     (Average,  $7,000) 

Eyes  of  the  Underworld"  (M-G-M) 

'Stick  to  Your  Guns"  (Para.) 

RIALTO— (1,250)  (20c -40c)  3  days.  Gross: 
$1,350.     (Average,  $1,350) 

You  Can't  Take  It  With  You"  (Col.) 

Underground  Agent"  (Col.) 

RIALTO-(1,250)  (20c-40c)  4  days.  Gross: 
$2,200.    (Average.  $1,950) 
'  Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 

RITZ-(2,000)  (25c-40c-SOc)  7  days.  Gross: 
$8,200.     (Average,  $7,500) 


SORRY,  MRS.  MINIVER! 

You're  a  swell  gal,  but  "Random  Harvest" 
is  the  new  marvel  of  Radio  City  Music  Hall 


3     1st Week-Below  Zero!       2nd -Circles  Block!        3d -New  Records! 


4th  -Lobby  Hold-out!     5th-Rain!  Who  Cares?    6,h-And  Still  SRO! 


RANDOM  HARVEST'  TOPS! 

Biggest  grosser  in  10-year  history  of  Music 
Hall!  Now  challenges  "Miniver  length  of  run! 


New  York  — ► 
watches 
the  ads 
that  tell 
the  amazing 
story  of  M-G-M's 
"Random 
Harvest." 
And  in 
Los  Angeles 
it's  blazing 
new  long-run 
records,  too! 


'I'LL  CATCH  UP  WITH  THAT  GAL  YET! 


When  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's  "Mrs.  Min,iver"  ran  so  long  at  the  Radio  City  Music 
Hall,  everybody  thought  that  its  amazing  record  would  stand  for  all  time...  But 
now  look  what's  happening !  "Random' Harvest"  is  right  on  "Mrs.  Miniver's"  heels ! 

RONALD  COLMAN  •  GREER  GARSON 
"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

Directed  by  Mervyo  LeRoy  •  Produced  by  Sidney  Franklin  with  Philip  Dorn  •  Susan  Peters  •  Henry  Travers 
Reginald  Oweo  •  Bramwetl  Fletcher  •  Screen  Play  by  Claudioe  West,  George  Froeschel  and  Arthur  Wimperis 
Based  upon  the  novel  by  James  Hilton  •  A  Mervyo  LeRoy  Production  •  A  Metro- Gold wyn-  Mayer  Picture 

6th  WEEK!  RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

Buy  United  States  War  Bonds  and  Stamps  Tor  Victory ! 


Enlist  in  "March 
of  Dimes"! 
Feb.  18-24th 


8 


MOTION  PICTURE  DAILY 


Thursday,  January  21,  1943 


Seized  Axis  Film  Patents 
Available  to  U.S.  Industry 


R.I.  to  Order 
Theatres  to 
Cut  Operation 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

cide  the  best  procedure  to  follow  in 
effecting  the  curtailment  of  operating 
hours  by  one-seventh.  Apparently,  the 
choice  will  be  left  to  them,  which 
places  the  theatre  operators  in  a  much 
more  favorable  position  than  was  be- 
lieved likely  when  the  Governor  origi- 
nally proposed  Sunday  and  Monday 
closings.  Later,  following  public 
hearings,  it  was  apparent  that  the 
curtailed  operations  would  be  asked 
for  the  equivalent  of  one  day  per  week 
only.  Theatres  could  shorten  daily  op- 
erating hours  to  accomplish  the 
ordered  curtailment  or  could  close  all 
day  Mondays. 

Retail  stores  will  be  called  upon  to 
close  Mondays ;  public  buildings,  ex- 
cept schools,  on  Saturdays,  and  other 
places  on  either  Mondays  or  Satur- 
days. The  cities  and  towns  will  de- 
cide for  themselves  on  school  closings. 
The  order  applying  to  them  went  into 
effect  this  week  but  was  rescinded  to- 
day to  permit  local  action  instead. 


Protest  Conn. 
Closing  Order 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

servation  measure  originated,  will  be 
permitted  to  do.  This  failing,  they 
are  reported  ready  to  urge  that  they 
be  permitted  to  close  Mondays  and 
Tuesdays  rather  than  Sundays  and 
M  on  days. 

The  Governor's  proposal  does  not 
stem  from  legislation,  as  is  the  case 
in  neighboring  Rhode  Island,  but  was 
put  to  the  public  in  a  radio  address 
in  the  form  of  a  patriotic  appeal  for 
voluntary  action.  It  was  suggested 
that  the  closings  be  inaugurated  this 
Sunday  and  all  non-war  business  and 
public  buildings,  including  state  and 
municipal,  would  be  affected. 

Labor  representatives  expressed 
themselves  as  being  in  favor  of  the 
proposal  provided  that  no  deductions 
in  wages  were  made  as  a  result  of  the 
curtailed  work  week. 

While  no  Hartford  theatres  have 
yet  announced  changes  in  operating 
schedules  others  in  this  area  outside 
the  city  are  advertising  later  openings, 
earlier  closings  and  dropping  of  mat- 
inees. Warner  theatres  in  the  area 
will  open  and  close  15  minutes  earlier 
to  permit  patrons  unable  to  drive  their 
cars  to  make  better  night  bus  connec- 
tions. The  Strand,  Plainville,  has 
eliminated  matinees  three  days  a  week. 


Exhibitors  Meet 

New  Haven,  Jan.  20. — A  joint 
meeting  of  the  Connecticut  M.P.T.O. 
and  Allied  T.O.  of  Connecticut  was 
held  here  yesterday  to  formulate  a 
program  of  action  in  connection  with 
Governor  Baldwin's  request  for  clos- 
ing of  theatres  two  days  a  week  to 
conserve  fuel. 

Dr.  J.  B.  Fishman,  Allied  president, 
and  Arthur  Lockwood,  M.P.T.O. 
president,  declined  to  disclose  the 
meeting's  action  but  indicated  that  ex- 
hibitors would  protest  Sunday  clos- 
ings 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

sive  and  non-assignable  royalty-free 
licenses  for  the  life  of  any  enemy- 
owned  patent  to  any  reputable  firm  or 
individual  for  a  fee  of  $50  for  each 
single  patent,  plus  §5  for  each  addi- 
tional related  patent  to  be  covered  in 
the  same  license.  Licenses  will  be 
granted  on  the  same  terms  for  patents 
owned  by  nationals  of  enemy-occu- 
pied countries,  but  the  royalty-free 
provision  will  apply  only  for  the  du- 
ration of  the  war  and  six  months 
thereafter,  at  the  end  of  which  royal- 
ties which  are  reasonable  on  the  basis 
of  prevailing  commercial  practice  will 
be  charged. 

Exclusive  licenses  held  by  Ameri- 
can industry  under  patents  which  have 
been  taken  over  will  be  examined  but 
will  be  permitted  to  stand  if  they  do 
not  contain  restrictive  provisions  il- 
legally curbing  production  or  use. 
Holders  of  such  licenses,  however, 
may  relinquish  them  and  acccept  a 
non-exclusive  royalty-free  license. 
Where  the  original  licenses  are  re- 
tained, the  rovalties  are  to  be  collected 
by  the  APC.' 


Escrow  Illegality 
Report  Disclaimed 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
than  to  point  out  that  there  is  nothing 
at  all  in  the  regulations  regarding 
such  action. 

It  was  stated  that  no  ruling  what- 
ever has  been  issued  on  this  point 
and,  further,  that  the  unit  is  not  now 
prepared  to  issue  any  decision.  It  was 
indicated,  however,  that  the  matter 
has  been  given  some  consideration, 
although  it  was  not  disclosed  whether 
any  concrete  proposals  had  been  sub- 
mitted. 


Plan  Not  Submitted 

Industry  officials  indicated  yesterday 
that  the  plan  for  placing  in  escrow 
industry  salaries  called  for  by  contract 
in  excess  of  $67,200  has  not  yet  been 
submitted  formally  to  the  Treasury 
or  Internal  Revenue  Bureau  for  a 
ruling,  although  there  has  been  some 
discussion  of  the  idea  in  Washing- 
ton. Formal  action  will  await 
preparation  of  a  definite  proposal, 
probably  by  the  Hollywood  talent 
guilds. 

The  American  Federation  of  Radio 
Artists  has  been  in  contact  with  the 
Screen  Actors  Guild  in  Hollywood  on 
the  proposed  escrow  plan,  according 
to  Mrs.  Emily  Holt,  AFRA  execu- 
tive secretary.  These  views  cannot 
be  disclosed  as  yet,  Airs.  Holt  said, 
nor  has  any  definite  procedure  been 
set  for  presentation  of  the  AFRA 
position. 


Hollywood,  Jan.  20. — Actors  af- 
fected by  the  salary  ceiling  will  meet 
Monday  night  under  Screen  Actors 
Guild  auspices  to  discuss  the  pro- 
posed escrow  plan. 


Warner  Fetes  Berlin 

Hollywood,  Jan.  20. — Jack  L.  War- 
ner was  host  today  to  Irving  Berlin 
at  a  press  luncheon.  Berlin  told  re- 
porters that  he  would  appear  in  the 
film  version  of  "This  Is  the  Army." 


Col.  Directors  Elect 
7  Vice-Presidents 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

gold,  B.  B.  Kahane,  Abe  Schneider, 
who  also  was  reelected  treasurer; 
Joseph  A.  McConville,  L.  J.  Barbano 
and  Sidney  Buchman,  writer  and  Co- 
lumbia studio  executive.  The  com- 
pany heretofore  has  had  no  vice-presi- 
dents other  than  the  executive  vice- 
president,  Jack  Cohn. 

Charles  Schwartz,  counsel  for  the 
company,  was  reelected  secretary ; 
David  Fogelson,  also  of  Columbia 
counsel,  was  elected  an  assistant  sec- 
retary, replacing  William  Hinckle, 
and  Duncan  Cassell  of  Los  Angeles 
was  reelected  an  assistant  secretary. 
Mortimer  Wormser,  former  comptrol- 
ler, and  Leo  Jaffe,  assistant  to 
Schneider,  were  elected  assistant 
treasurers.  C.  W.  Sharpe,  former  as- 
sistant comptroller,  was  elected  comp- 
troller, and  S.  M.  Love  was  elected 
assistant  comptroller.  Barbano  form- 
erly was  assistant  secretary  and  as- 
sistant treasurer,  and  McConville  also 
was  formerly  an  assistant  secretary  in 
addition  to  heading  the  company's  for- 
eign department. 

Montague  replaced  Lt.  Comm.  L. 
M.  Blancke  on  the  board  of  directors. 
The  latter,  after  being  reelected  to  the 
board  at  the  stockholders  meeting  last 
week,  resigned  because  of  military 
duties. 

The  board  also  elected  a  new 
finance  committee  consisting  of  Harry 
Cohn,  Jack  Cohn,  Schneider,  Spingold, 
Dr.  A.  H.  Giannini  and  Barbano. 
Harry  Cohn  and  Spingold  are  sched- 
uled to  leave  for  the  Coast  tomorrow. 
Dr.  Giannini  left  for  the  Coast  yes- 
terday. 

Sister  Kenny  Gets 
Variety  Club  Award 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

National  Theatres,  and  Joseph  M. 
Schenck  attended  the  luncheon,  which 
was  sponsored  jointly  by  the  Gov. 
Earl  Warren  of  California,  and  form- 
er Gov.  Culbert  L.  Olsen. 

In  a  two-minute  address  acknowl- 
edging the  award,  Sister  Kenny  paid 
tribute  to  America  as  a  country  in 
which  she  said  she  had  found  the  most 
encouragement  in  her  long  fight  for 
recognition  of  her  treatment  for  in- 
fantile paralysis.  The  program  was 
broadcast  over  the  Blue  network. 

Frances  Farmer 

Ordered  to  Rest 

Los  Angeles,  Jan.  20. — Frances 
Farmer  today  was  declared  to  be 
mentally  ill  and  was  ordered  placed  in 
a  sanatorium  for  quiet  and  rest.  She 
will  remain  in  custody  of  the  Psvcho- 
oathic  Court  on  probation  until  of- 
ficials believe  she  is  well  again,  Judge 
Dudley  S.  Valentine  said. 


O'Connell  Dies  at  52 

Hollywood,  Jan.  20.  —  Hugh 
O'Connell,  52,  veteran  actor,  died  last 
night,  apparently  of  a  heart  attack. 
He  appeared  in  numerous  plays  and 
pictures  as  a  character  actor  and 
comedian. 


Six  Firms  to 
Protest  WPB 
Film  Allotment 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

Indications  are,  it  is  reported,  that  al- 
locations of  this  stock  also  will  be  ec^  "- 
tailed.  The  meeting  is  expected 
consider  a  formula  for  limiting  Tffid 
standardizing  newsreel  footage  and 
the  amount  of  footage  to  be  employed 
for  credits,  as  well. 

The  companies,  which  contend  that 
the  order  reducing  their  raw  stock 
supply  to  an  average  of  25  per  cent 
less  than  the  amount  each  consumed 
in  1941  is  unfair,  are  RKO,  Universal, 
United  Artists,  Republic,  Monogram 
and  PRC.  It  is  understood  that  they 
regard  the  uniform  25  per  cent  reduc- 
tion as  disadvantageous  to  them  in 
that  their  1941  consumption  of  raw 
stock  was  at  a  minimum  level,  where- 
as that  of  the  other  companies  was 
abnormally  large. 

To  impose  a  blanket  25  per  cent  re- 
duction on  that  basis,  it  is  said,  would 
unduly  penalize  during  the  forthcom- 
ing year  those  companies  which  used 
less  than  their  average  amount  of  raw 
stock  in  1941.  It  would  impose  less 
of  a  hardship,  it  is  argued,  on  the 
companies  whose  1941  raw  stock  con- 
sumption was  above  normal. 

The  meeting  also  will  discuss  the 
general  supply  position  of  various 
strategic  materials  essential  to  the 
film  industry  with  Harold  Hopper, 
chief  of  the  WPB  Motion  Picture 
Section.  A  committee  representing 
raw  stock  manufacturers  is  scheduled 
to  meet  with  Hopper  in  Washington 
today  to  consider  matters  concerning 
raw  materials  and  raw  stock  manu- 
facture. 

The  producers  and  distributors  must 
file  reports  on  the  amount  of  raw 
stock  used  by  them  for  Victory  shorts 
on  or  before  Feb.  10  in  order  to  ob- 
tain full  credit  from  the  WPB  for 
footage  so  used.  They  will  then  be 
allocated  a  corresponding  amount  of 
additional  raw  stock  for  their  regular 
use.  The  reports  must  be  filed  by 
the  10th  of  each  month  thereafter  to 
obtain  the  credit. 


Schnitzer  Adds  N.  E. 
Territory  to  Duties 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

territory.  Under  the  new  alignment, 
Philadelphia  and  Washington  will  be 
reassigned  to  another  district,  it  is 
said.  United  Artists  New  England 
territory  has  been  without  a  district 
manager  since  the  death  of  Charles 
Stern,  Eastern  district  manager,  in  the 
Cocoanut  Grove  disaster  in  Boston  in 
December. 


Services  for  Rodner  Kin 

Funeral  services  will  be  held  in 
Glens  Falls,  N.  Y.,  today  for  Mrs. 
Sarah  Kaplan,  mother-in-law  of  Har- 
old Rodner  of  Warner  Bros.  Mrs. 
Kaplan  died  Tuesday  at  Rodner's 
home  here. 


W.  B.  Booker  in  Brooklyn 

Michael  Anderson  of  the  Warner 
Bros.  New  York  exchange  has  been 
appointed  booker  for  the  Brooklyn  ter- 
ritory, succeeding  Phil  Levine,  who 
resigned,  it  was  announced. 


Thursday,  January  21,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


9 


'Dixie' and  'Gillespie' 
Smash  $16,000,  K.C. 


Kansas  City,  Jan.  20. — "Whistling 
in  Dixie,"  plus  "Dr.  Gillespie's  New 
Assistant,"  brought  top  gross,  estimat- 
ed at  $16,000,  at  the  Midland.  "Once 
Upon  a  Honeymoon,"  with  "Street  of 
Chance,"  gave  the  Orpheum  an  esti- 
mated $9,000  in  the  third  week  and 
"'Are  held  a  fourth.  Increase  in  motor 
'  Mr  use  was  noted,  but  downtown  the- 
atres continued  to  have  far  better  at- 
tendance than  suburban,  relatively. 
The  weather  was  mild. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  13-14: 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

ESQUIRE— (800)  (35c-50c)  5  days,  2nd 
week.  Gross:  $3,750.  (Average,  5  days, 
$2,250) 

"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 

"Dr.  Gillespie's  New  Assistant"  (M-G-M) 

MIDLAND— (3,600)      (35c -50c)     7  days. 
Gross:   $16,000.     (Average,  $10,000) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

NEWMAN— (1,900)  (35c-50c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $7,500.     (Average.  $7,500) 
"Once   Upon  a   Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

ORPHEUM— (1,900)  (35c-50c)  7  clays,  3rd 
week.     Gross:  $9,000.     (Average,  $6,000) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (Z«ith-Fox) 
"The  Great  Impersonation"  (Univ.) 

TOWER— (2,200)    (35c)    7  days.  Stage 
show.     Gross:  $6,750.     (Average,  $6,500) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

UPTOWN — (2,000)  (35c-50c)  5  days,  2nd 
week.  Gross:  $3,500.  (Average,  5  days, 
$3,200) 


'Morocco'  Holds  O.C. 
Lead  for  2nd  Week 


Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  20. — "Road 
To  Morocco"  after  leading  here  last 
week  continued  to  show  strength  at 
the  Criterion  with  a  nice  $6,250,  while 
"The  Glass  Key"  at  the  Midwest 
grossed  a  very  good  $5,750.  All  other 
films  returned  good  grosses  as  weather 
continued  perfect. 

Estimated    receipts   for   the  week 
ending  Jan.  14  : 
"The  Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

CRITERION — (1,500)  (25c-40c-50c)  2nd 
week,  7  days.  Gross:  $6,250.  (Average, 
$5  500) 

"Hell  Harbor"  (Ind.) 

"Wild  Women  of  Papua"  (Ind.) 

FOLLY— (600)  (20c)  7  days.    Gross:  $750. 
(Average,  $800) 
"Top  Sergeant"  (Mono.) 
"Busses  Roar"  (W.B.) 

LIBERTY— (1,200)     (20c-25c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $2,000.     (Average,  $2,500) 
"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.) 

MIDWEST— (1,500)    (25c-40c-45c)   7  days. 
Grfoss:  $5,750.     (Average,  $5,500) 
"The  Moon  and  Sixpence"  (U.A.) 
"The  McGuerins  From  Brooklyn"  (U.A.) 

STATE— (1,100)  (25c-40c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$4,900.    (Average,  $4,000) 
"Stand  By  For  Action"  (M-G-M) 

TOWER — (1,000)  (20c-25c-40c)  2nd  week, 
7  days.     Gross:   $2,500.     (Average.  $2,000) 


Starr  Heads  Rep.  Trailers 

Hollywood,  Jan.  20. — Sam  Starr 
has  been  made  head  of  Republic's 
trailer  department,  succeeding  Harry 
Keller  who  joined  the  cutting  depart- 
ment, the  studio  announced. 


Cliff  Work  Helps 
His  Old  Pal,  Felix 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  20. — 
As  has  been  his  custom  for 
the  past  10  years,  general 
manager  Cliff  Work,  of  Uni- 
versal Studios,  did  not  forget 
his  old  friend  Felix  when  the 
Yuletide  season  came  around. 
Work,  who  used  to  manage 
the  Golden  Gate  Theatre 
here,  bought  Felix  an  entire 
new  outfit  of  clothing,  and 
gave  him  five  dollars  in  dimes 
for  his  pocket.  Felix,  a 
familiar  figure  on  theatre  row 
for  many  years,  is  known  as 
the  Mayor  of  Powell  St. 


N.B.  Investigates 
Amusement  Places 

St.  John,  N.  B.,  Jan.  20. — Investi- 
gations of  all  entertainment  places  are 
being  made  by  safety  boards  and  fire 
authorities  in  this  territory  with  the- 
atres given  the  least  attention  of  all, 
it  was  reported. 

Although  closings  have  been  forced 
on  dance  halls,  night  clubs  and  bingo 
halls,  no  theatres  have  been  closed. 
Some  changes  in  exits  and  entrances 
have  been  ordered  at  theatres  in  the 
maritime  provinces. 


'Arabian'  at  $11,200 
Tops  Indpl's  Gross 


Indianapolis,  Jan.  20.  —  "Arabian 
Nights"  with  "Strictly  in  the  Groove" 
led  here  this  week  with  $11,200. 
"Whistling  in  Dixie"  and  "Dr.  Gil- 
lespie's New  Assistant"  at  Loew's  did 
$9,730.  At  the  Circle,  "Seven  Days' 
Leave"  with  "The  Falcon's  Brother" 
grossed  $8,480.  "George  Washington 
Slept  Here"  and  "Army  Surgeon," 
moved  to  the  Lyric  from  the  Indiana, 
did  $4,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  12-14: 

"Seven  Days'  Leave"  (RKO) 
"The  Falcon's  Brother"  (RKO) 

CIRCLE—  (2,800)    (28c-33c-44c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $8,480.     (Average,  $6,500) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Strictly  in  the  Groove"  (Univ.) 

INDIANA — (3,200)    (28c-33c-44c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $11,200.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 
"Dr.  Gillespie's  New  Assistant"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S— (2,800)     (28c-33c-44c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $9,730.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.B.) 
"Army  Surgeon"  (RKO) 

LYRIC  —  (2,000)  (28c-33c-44c)  7  days. 
Gross:   $4,000.     (Average,  $4,500) 


Frisco  Critic  in  Navy 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  20. — Kevin 
Wallace,  drama  editor  of  the  San 
Francisco  Examiner,  has  been  com- 
missioned an  ensign  in  the  Navy. 
Alexander  Fried,  formerly  music  edi- 
tor, succeeds  him. 


Film  Daily 


LOADED  WITH   FUN    AND   POPULAR  MUSIC- 


JOHNNY    DOUGHBOY  starring  JANE  WITHERS 


with   HENRY   WILCOXON  •   PATRICK  BROOKS 

WILLIAM   DEAAAREST  •   RUTH    DONNELLY  and  members  of  the  20  minus  club  BOBBY  BREEN  .  BABY  SANDY  .  "ALFALFA"  SWITZER  .   "SPANKY"  McFARLAND 
BUTCH  AND  BUDDY  .  CORA  SUE  COLLINS  •  ROBERT  COOGAN  .  Director  JOHN  H.  AUER  .  Screen  play  by  LAWRENCE  KIMBLE  .  Original  story  by  FREDERICK  KOHNER 
A   UIPIHIIf   PICTURE  •  III  Y   U.  S.  WAR   SAWINCi  BONDS 


10 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  January  21,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


ANEW  evening  course  designed  for  men  and  women  in  advertising, 
radio,  department  store  and  allied  activities  will  be  conducted  at  CBS 
headquarters  by  John  J.  Karol,  market  research  counsel  for  the  network, 
it  was  announced.  Entitled  "The  Business  Side  of  Radio,"  the  course 
will  be  under  the  auspices  of  New  York  University  and  will  be  held  each 
Thursday  from  Feb.  4  through  May  20.  Karol,  formerly  manager  of 
Crossley,  Inc.,  said  that  the  class  will  study  functions  of  all  important 
departments  in  radio  as  well  as  survey  methods,  scientific  developments, 
practical  applications  of  promotion  and  research  and  relations  of  the  FCC, 
ASCAP,  BMI  and  NAB  to  station  and  network  operation. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Mrs.  Roberta  Dufton  has  been  named  assistant  to  Miller 
McClintock,  Mutual  president.  She  was  previously  associated  with  the  Adver- 
tising Council  and  the  Traffic  Audit  Bureau.  .  .  .  Ralph  J.  Gleason,  CBS  trade 
news  editor,  has  resigned  to  join  the  OWI  overseas  branch.  Mel  Spiegel  will 
succeed  him.  .  .  .  C.  L.  Menser,  NBC  vice-president  in  charge  of  programs,  is 
in  Washington  today.  .  .  .  Frank  Kern  of  the  WFIL,  Philadelphia,  engineering 
staff,  has  been  appointed  supervisor  to  replace  Jack  Schants,  now  an  army 
captain.  .  .  .  W.  W .  Chaplin,  NBC  news  commentator,  has  signed  with  D. 
Appleton-C  entury  Co.  for  a  book  describing  conditions  on  the  war  fronts  he 
has  covered.  .  .  .  Robert  W .  Friedheim,  eastern  sales  manager  of  NBC's  radio- 
recording  division,  has  been  appointed  business  manager  of  the  division. 

•  •  • 

Station  KRIS,  Corpus  Christi,  Tex.,  and  KRGV,  Weslaco,  Tex.,  have 
joined  the  NBC  network  as  members  of  the  Southwest  group,  it  was 
announced  by  NBC. 

•  .    •  * 

Program  Notes:  "The  Broadway  Beam,"  conducted  each  Saturday  over 
WNEW  by  Paul  A.  Stone,  will  be  heard  in  four  special  broadcasts  start- 
ing tomorrow  from  the  Civilian  Defense  Volunteer  Office  Information 
Center  at  Pershing  Square.  .  .  .  "Songs  By  Morton  Downey"  will  be 
heard  Monday  through  Friday  3-3:15  p.  m.  on  the  Blue  under  the  spon- 
sorship of  Coca-Cola  bottlers  and  the  Coca-Cola  Co.  of  Atlanta.  .  .  . 
WFIL,  Philadelphia,  will  inaugurate  "The  CD  Block  Busters"  on  Sun- 
day'afternoon  in  cooperation  with  the  U.  S.  Treasury.  .  .  .  The  Williams- 
burgh  Savings  Bank  of  Brooklyn  will  launch  a  campaign  on  WJZ  with 
a  15-minute  program  following  the  Saturday  Opera  matinee.  .  .  .  Made- 
leine Carroll  and  Ilka  Chase  will  be  guests  on  Mutual's  "Cresta  Blanca 
Carnival"  on  Wednesday. 

•  •  • 

The  WFIL  Code  School  for  Navy  Applicants  will  hold  graduation  exer- 
cises tomorrow  for  students  who  have  completed  a  \2-iveeks'  course  prior  to 
qualifying  for  advanced  Navy  training.  Since  the  school's  organisation  last 
July,  75  men  have  been  graduated.    Tuition  and  supplies  are  free. 


Frisco  Pace 


Slows; '  Action' 
Draws  $16,500 


San  Francisco,  Jan.  20. — Grosses 
were  somewhat  lower  here  this  week 
due  to  the  fact  that  holdover  bills 
predominated  in  the  first  runs.  "Stand 
By  for  Action,"  teamed  with  "Seven 
Sweethearts,"  continued  strong  in  a 
second   week  at   the  Fox, 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  12-14: 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

GOLDEN   GATE— (2,850)    (44c-55c-65c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.    Stage:  Vaudeville.  Gross: 
E1S.50O.     (Average,  $19,500) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 
"Lucky  Legs"  (CoL) 

ORPHEUM  —  (2,440)  (2Oc-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,500.  (Average, 
$10,500) 

"Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 

"You  Can't  Escape  Forever"  (W.  B.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,740)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $12,000.  (Average, 
£13,000) 

"Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"I  Live  on  Danger"  (Para.) 

WARFIELD— (2,680)    (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $14,500.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"Seven  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M) 

FOX— (5,000)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $16,500.     (Average,  $18,000) 
"Now  Voyager"  (W.  B.) 
"Secret  Enemies"  (W.  B.) 

ST.  FRANCIS— (1.400)  (20c -35c -50c -65c)  7 
days,  4th  week.     (Moved  over  from  War- 
field.)    Gross:  $7,000.     (Average,  $6,500) 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  is  Missing"  (U.  A.) 
"Boston  Blackie  Goes  Hollywood"  (Col.) 

UNITED  ARTISTS  —  (1,200)  (20c-35c-50c- 
65c)    7   days,   3rd   week.      Gross:  $7,000. 
(Average,  $8,000) 
"Jacare"  (U.  A.) 

CLAY — (400)  (15c-35c-45c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$700.    (Average,  $1,000) 

'Morocco's'  2nd  Week 
$16,000,  Tops  St  Louis 

St.  Louis,  Jan.  20. — "Road  to  Mo- 
rocco" grossed  an  impressive  $16,000 
in  its  second  week  at  the  Fox  to  lead 
the  city. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  ending 
Jan.  14: 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

"The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.  A.) 

LOEWS— (3,162)  (30c-40c-50c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross.  $14,0C0.  (Average,  $15,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

AMBASSADOR  —  (3,154)  (30c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $13,500.    (Average,  $11,500) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

FOX— (5,038)    (30c-40c-50c)    7    days.  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $16,000.     (Average,  $15,000) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"You  Can't  Escape  Forever"  (W.  B.) 

MISSOURI— (3,514)    (30c-40c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $7,000.     (Average,  $7,000) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 
"Busses  Roar"  (W.  B.) 

ST.  LOUIS— (4,000)  (30c-40c)  7  days,  2nd 
week  on  "Cat  People."  Gross:  $5,000. 
(Average,  $4,400) 


4No  ConspiracyProof 
Yet,'  Momand  Trial 
Judge  Declares 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

in  Oklahoma"  unless  that  combina- 
tion was  on  a  nation-wide  basis. 

The  remarks  were  not  offered  as  a 
decision  but  were  given  by  the  Judge, 
he  said,  as  indication  of  "what  is  on 
my  mind  at  this  time,"  and  in  answer 
Ryan  pointed  out  that  there  were 
many  more  facts  to  be  heard  and 
much  additional  evidence  to  be  pre- 
sented. 

Judge  Broaddus  also  commented 
that  while  the  contracts  introduced 
into  evidence  by  Ryan  might  well 
show  the  Griffith  companies  had  been 
overbuying  for  a  purpose,  the  fact 
that  they  were  doing  this  did  not 
necessarily  make  the  distributors  and 
producers  liable. 

Most  of  the  day's  session  was  de- 
voted to  testimonv  from  a  former 
film  salesman,  E.  W.  Johnson,  and  to 
settling  of  numerous  legal  tangles  in- 
volved in  the  conduct  of  the  case,  par- 
ticularly with  regard  to  a  demand  of 
plaintiff  attorneys  that  the  defendants 
produce  certain  Paramount  contracts, 
memos,  letters.  8,534-office  communi- 
cations, etc.  The  Judge  granted  the 
request  in  an  order,  and  also  granted 
defense  counsel  a  similar  request  upon 
Momand  attorneys  to  produce  all  of 
their  correspondence  with  Paramount. 


Petrillo  Bans  Dance 


FCC  Network  Rules 
Would  Lower  Radio 
Standards,  CBS  Says 


Washington,  Jan.  20. — Enforce- 
ment of  the  Federal  Communications 
Commission's  network  regulations 
would  inevitably  result  in  "a  lowering;, 
of  program  standards  with  consequ^ 'y 
deterioration  of  the  value  of  raS^t. 
broadcasting  as  a  medium  for  the 
dissemination  of  news,  information, 
ideas  and  entertainment  to  the  public," 
the  Supreme  Court  was  told  today 
by  Columbia  Broadcasting  System. 

Contending  that  the  Commission  did 
not  have  the  authority  to  control  net- 
work broadcasting  and  charging  that 
the  regulations  are  "arbitrary  and  ca- 
pricious," Columbia,  in  a  brief  in 
support  of  its  appeal  from  the  South- 
ern New  York  District  court  deci- 
sion dismissing  its  suit  to  annul  the 
regulations,  asserted  that  they  would 
seriously  impair  its  ability  to  maintain 
the  integrity  of  its  network  operations, 
with  consequent  injury  both  to  itself 
and  to  the  public  interest. 

"The  network  system  makes  possible 
the  production  of  a  quality  and  variety 
of  programs,  both  commercial  and  sus- 
taining, which  would  otherwise  not 
be  available,"  it  was  maintained.  "In- 
dividual stations  and  local  advertisers 
are  financially  unable,  at  their  own 
expense,  to  plan,  develop  and  offer  to 
their  listening  audiences  the  expensive 
programs  which  can  be  economically 
justified  only  if  the  programs  enjoy 
widespread  simultaneous  broadcast- 
ing." 

6  Swan,' $13,500  for 
2nd  Buffalo  Week 


Blue  Gave  857  Hrs. 
To  War  Effort  in  '42 

The  Blue  Network  gave  857 
hours  and  8  minutes  of  time 
to  the  war  effort  in  1942,  the 
network  announced  yesterday. 
Of  this  total,  it  was  said,  720 
hours  and  41  minutes  was 
sustaining  time,  with  136 
hours  and  27  minutes  given 
by  sponsors.  Sustaining  time 
given  to  the  war  effort  in- 
creased from  34:11  in  Janu- 
ary, 1942,  to  83:08  in  Decem- 
ber, 1942,  while  sponsored 
time  increased  from  5:21  in 
January  to  31:05  in  December. 


Remotes  on  2  Webs 


Remote  dance  band  pickups  were 
banned  to  the  Blue  and  CBS  networks 
yesterday  by  order  of  James  C.  Pe- 
trillo, president  of  the  American 
Federation  of  Musicians. 

Petrillo's  action  follows  a  dispute 
involving  wages  and  general  condi- 
tions between  the  Pittsburgh  local  and 
WJAS,  CBS  affiliate,  and  KQV  of 
the  Blue.  According  to  an  AFM 
spokesman,  the  stations  asked  for  re- 
ductions in  salaries  during  contract 
negotiations,  while  the  union  wanted 
increases. 

Meanwhile,  the  networks  had 
planned  substitute  programs  to  fill  the 
time  usually  taken  by  the  dance  bands 
pickups. 

AFRA-Web  Pacts 
To  WLB  in  Week 

The  minimum  basic  sustaining  con- 
tracts between  the  American  Federa- 
tion of  Radio  Artists  and  the  networks 
are  not  expected  to  be  submitted  to 
the  War  Labor  Board  for  at  least 
another  week,  it  was  reported  yester- 
day. 

The  pacts,  which  allow  for  an  av- 
erage 10  per  cent  increase  and  cover 
New  York,  Chicago  and  the  Pacific 
Coast,  are  still  being  perfected  in 
minor  details  and  extensive  forms 
must  be  filled  out  by  the  employers,  it 
was  said. 


Buffalo,  Jan.  20.— "The  Black 
Swan"  and  "Over  My  Dead  Body" 
continued  strong  in  a  second  week  at 
the  Great  Lakes  and  led  all  other 
downtown  houses  with  $13,500.  Busi- 
ness was  off  slightly,  but  "Seven  Days 
Leave"  merited  a  third  week's  engage- 
ment at  the  Twentieth  Century  when 
the  second  seven  days  grossed  $11,800. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  16 : 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

"The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.  A.) 

BUFFALO— (3,489)  (35c-55c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $10,000.     (Average,  $15,000) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (2»th-Fox) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (20th-Fox) 

GREATLAKES— (3.000)   (35c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $13,500.  (Average,  $10,800) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 
"Dr.  Renault's  Secret"  (20th-Fox) 

HIPPODROME— (2,100)  (35c-50c)  7  days, 
!nd  week  downtown.  Gross:  $7,700.  (Average, 
$8,500) 

"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 

TWENTIETH   CENTURY— (3,000)  (35c- 
S5c)    7   days,   2nd   week.      Gross:  $11,800. 
(Average,  $8,500) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"You're  Telling  Me"  (Univ.) 

LAFAYETTE— (3. 000)  (35c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 


Harmon  Talks  To  Club 

Francis  S.  Harmon,  executive  vice- 
chairman  of  the  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee, yesterday  addressed  a  joint 
meeting  of  the  Advertising  Club  of 
New  York  and  its  "Fighting  Film 
Forum"  on  the  subject  "Movies  Go  to 
War." 


THE  WHITE  HOUSE 

WASHINGTON 

. .  .As  I  have  said  in 
the  past  and  repeat 
now — nothing  is  closer 
to  my  heart  than  the 
health  of  our  boys  and 
girls  and  young  men 
and  young  women. 

To  me  it  is  one  of 
the  front  lines  of  our 
National  Defense. 

I  feel  strongly, 
therefore,  that  the 
work  of  the  National 
Foundation  must  be 
continued. . . . 


To  NICHOLAS  M.  SCHENCK,  Chairman, 
National  Motion  Pictures  Committee, 
1943  March  of  Dimes  Campaign, 

Suite  173-ASTOR  HOTEL,  New  York  City 

My  heart,  like  our  President's,  is  also  in  the  war  against 
Infantile  Paralysis  — and  I  pledge  my  complete  and  hearty 
cooperation  in  the  motion  picture  industry's  campaign  to  raise 
funds  to  carry  on  this  necessary  fight. 

During  the  week  of  Feb.  18-24, 1  promise  to  show  the  appeal 
trailer  and  make  audience  collections  in  my  auditorium. 
Send  full  details. 

Signed ,  ,   .  ,  ,  .  


THEATRE 


STREET 


COUNTY 


CITY 


(//  you  operate  more  than  one 
theatre,  please  sign  a  separate 
pledge  for  each  theatre  ) 

PLEASE.'  MAIL  IT  TODAY  TO  N.  Y.  HEADQUARTERS  OR  YOUR  STATE  CHAIRMAN.'  FREE  TRAILER  and  PRESS  BOOK.' 


Alert, 


to  the 
Picture 
Industry 


tion 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


T  REMOVB 


53.  NO.  15 


NEW  YORK,  U.  S.  A.,  FRIDAY,  JANUARY  22,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Films  Delayed, 
Box-offices  Hit 
By  Snow,  Cold 

Seattle  Area  Exhibitors 
Report  75%  Drop 


Theatre  attendance  has  been  ad- 
versely affected  in  approximately 
one-half  of  the  country  for  the  past 
two  days  due  to  severe  cold  and 
heavy  snow  storms  from  the  Ap- 
palachians to  the  Pacific  Northwest 
and  from  Canada  to  the  Texas 
Panhandle,  distribution  officials  re- 
ported yesterday. 

In   numerous   instances  the 
cold  was  accompanied  by  heavy 
snow  or  ice  storms  which  crip- 
pled transportation  and  dam- 
aged light  and  power  lines.  Es- 
timates of  attendance  decreases 
in  the  Northern  tier  of  states 
ranged  as  high  as  75  per  cent. 
Temperatures  in  the  Northern  and 
Middle  Western  states  ranged  from 
51  below  zero  in  Minnesota  to  below 
(Continued  on  page  7) 

B'way  Gross 
RemainsFirm 


Chief  of  OP  A  Doubts 
Driving  Ban  Legality 

Washington,  Jan.  21. — Re- 
lief from  the  pleasure  driv- 
ing ban  is  in  sight  if  a  state- 
ment by  Prentiss  Brown,  new 
OPA  head,  made  here  today  is 
any  criterion.  Speaking  to  re- 
porters on  his  first  day  at  the 
helm  of  the  organization, 
Brown  told  them  he  doubted 
the  legality  of  the  present 
ban  on  pleasure  driving  in  the 
East,  pointing  out  that  he  was 
sure  there  was  no  authority 
in  the  law  for  such  an  order. 
Should  the  ban  be  lifted,  a  re- 
turn to  normal  grosses  in 
suburban  motion  picture  the- 
atres is  expected. 


Rain  at  the  beginning  of  the  week 
caused  a  slight  drop  in  grosses,  ac- 
cording to  Broadway  theatremen,  but 
despite  the  extreme  cold  Tuesday  eve- 
ning and  Wednesday  business  was  said 
to  have  improved  only  to  be  threat- 
ened again  late  yesterday  by  snow. 

"China  Girl"  with  Guy  Lombardo 
and  his  band  on  the  stage  opened 
strong  at  the  Roxy  on  Wednesday 
after  "The  Black  Swan"  with  Car- 
men Miranda  and  the  Nicholas  Broth- 
ers as  the  in-person  attractions  drew 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


Major  Eric  Knight 
Dead  in  Air  Crash 

Major  Eric  Knight,  author 
of  "This  Above  All,"  one  of 
20th  Century-Fox's  top  pro- 
ductions of  1942,  was  among 
the  26  passengers  and  nine 
crew  members  killed  in  the 
crash  of  a  four-motor  Army 
transport  plane  at  Paramari- 
bo, Dutch  Guiana,  on  Jan.  15. 
The  plane  was  southbound,  en 
route  to  North  Africa  from 
the  United  States. 


WPB  Seeking 
Increased  Raw 
Stock  Output 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  21. — Possible 
methods  of  expanding  the  production 
of  35  and  16  mm.  motion  picture  film 
to  meet  increasing  requirements  were 
canvassed  today  at  a  conference  be- 
tween members  of  the  photographic 
film  manufacturers'  advisory  commit- 
tee and  Harold  Hopper,  chief  of  the 
Motion  Picture  and  Photographic 
Section  of  the  War  Production  Board. 

In  a  discussion  of  operations  under 
the  film-production  limitation  order, 
it  was  indicated  that  production  of  all 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


CURTAILMENT  SET 
FOR  PROVIDENCE 


Conn.  Allows 
Closings  One 
Day  Weekly 


New  Haven,  Jan.  21. — Wesley  A. 
Sturges,  State  fuel  administrator,  to- 
night advised  Herman  Levy,  chair- 
man of  a  joint  exhibitors'  committee, 
that  closing  one  day  a  week  will  be 
sufficient  compliance  with  Governor 
Baldwin's  order  for  fuel  conservation. 
The  Governor  previously  had  request- 
ed closing  of  theatres  two  days  a 
week. 

Sturges  stated,  however,  according 
to  a  telegram  received  by  Levy,  that 
theatre  buildings  must  be  closed  one 
full  day  weekly.  He  also  stated  that 
each  exhibitor  may  decide  for  himself 
the  day  to  close.  The  Governor's 
order  is  effective  next  Sunday. 

The  official  requested  that  theatres 
advise  patrons  of  their  closing  day  "by 
public  display,"  so  that  all  will  be 
informed. 

Sturges  said  that  it  is  recognized 
that  theatres  are  regularly  open  seven 
days  a  week,  that  as  instrumental  hies 
of  entertainment  they  are  patronized 
by  war  workers  and  others,  and  that 
the  pleasure  driving  ban  has  been 
"especially  serious  to  the  motion  pic- 
ture theatres." 

Earlier  in  the  day,  representatives 
of  the  Connecticut  MPTO  and  Allied 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


Momand  Testifies  in  Trust 
Suit  After  12-Year  Wait 


By  T.  L.  BUTTERFIELD 

Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  21. — After 
waiting  12  long  years  to  tell  his  story 
in  court,  A.  B.  Momand  stepped  on 
the  stand  in  U.  S.  district  court  here 
today  to  begin  testimony  in  his  own 
behalf  toward  the  goal  of  winning  the 
$5,000,000  anti-trust  suit  he  has 
brought  against  the  major  film  com- 
panies and  the  Griffith  circuit. 

Momand's  questioning  under  the  di- 
rection of  his  counsel,  George  S.  Ry- 
an, was  begun  before  Judge  Bower 
Broaddus  near  closing  time  and  had 
not  proceeded  beyond  the  establish- 
ment of  facts  in  regard  to  his  theatre 
acquisitions,  prices  paid,  kind  of 
houses,  policies  of  each  and  how  they 


were  disposed  of  or  lost.  Taking  each 
house  separately,  Momand  had  not 
completed  the  list  of  some  18  theatres 
he  owned  in  1926  when  the  session 
adjourned. 

Previously,  C.  B.  Cochran,  Griffith 
attorney,  had  cross-examined  Cleland 
Lyles,  former  partner  of  Momand  at 
Clinton,  and  since  then,  an  independent 
operator,  and  Ray  Smith  had  quali- 
fied Momand's  auditor,  Guy  Fox,  who 
has  prepared  the  summaries  of  Mo- 
mand  company  books. 

Tomorrow's  session  will  be  given 
over  entirely  to  continuation  of  Mo- 
mand's testimony  on  his  own  behalf, 
which  is  not  expected  to  be  completed 
by  end  of  the  day's  session. 


Later  Openings,  Earlier 
Closings  Decided  in 
Fuel  Saving  Plan 

By  BRADFORD  F.  SWAN 

Providence,  Jan.  21. — Edward 
M.  Fay  announced  that  the  Provi- 
dence theatre  managers  had  adopt- 
ed a  plan  of  later  openings  and  uni- 
form closing  by  11  p.m.  to  effect 
the  required  curtailment  of  one- 
seventh  of  their  operating  time  un- 
der the  Governor's  fuel-saving 
edict. 

In  most  cases  the  Providence 
theatres  will  start  at  1:20  p.m. 
Mondays  through  Fridays.  They 
will  start  at  11  a.m.  on  Satur- 
days and  2  p.m.  on  Sundays. 
Closings  each  night  will  be  at 
11  p.m. 

Certain  theatres  may  vary  slightly 
from  this  schedule,  Fay  said,  and  out- 
of-town  theatres,  which  are  not  ac- 
customed to  opening  as  early  as  Provi- 
dence houses,  probably  will  work  out 
a  plan  of  eliminating  certain  mati- 
nees.   — 

At  present,  Fay  said,  the  Gustomary 
operating  hours  of  Providence  thea- 
tres are  12  hours  on  week  days  and 
nine  hours  on  Sundays,  a  total  of  81 
hours  a  week.  Under  the  Governor's 
edict,  a  curtailment  of  11  hours  and 
(Continued  on  page  7) 

IATSE  Officials  Off 
To  Denver  Meeting 

IATSE  officials  will  leave  here  to- 
day for  Denver  to  attend  the  semi- 
annual meeting  of  the  general  execu- 
tive board  at  the  Albany  Hotel  there, 
starting  Monday  and  continuing 
through  the  week. 

In  the  delegation  leaving  from  here 
will  be  Richard  F.  Walsh,  IATSE 
president ;  Lou  Krouse,  secretary- 
treasurer;  James  J.  Brennan,  vice- 
president,  and  W.  P.  Raoul,  assistant 
international  vice-president.  The  pro- 
posed 48-hour  week  for  studio  work- 
ers is  expected  to  be  one  of  the  sub- 
jects discussed  at  the  meeting. 


In  Today's  Issue 

About  half  of  U.  S.  film  cor- 
porations  showed  taxable  in- 
come in  1940,  Page  7.  Key  city 
box-office  reports,  Page  3.  Off 
the  Antenna,  Page  8. 


2 


MOTION  PICTURE  DAILY 


Friday,  January  22,  1943 


Coast  Flashes 


Hollywood,  Jan.  21 

FIRST  studio  to  announce  produc- 
tion of  war  training  films  under 
the  new  Signal  Corps  Photographic 
Center  here  is  Edward  Small,  who 
has  converted  his  United  Artists  pro- 
duction unit  to  the  making  of  Army 
films  exclusively.  Small  started  to- 
day on  the  first  of  three  full-length 
training  films. 

• 

Walter  Compton,  Republic  studio 
publicity  director,  left  today  by  plane 
for  Washington  to  prepare  for  the 
attendance  of  Hollywood  players  at 
the  President's  birthday  ball  next 
week.  Lance  Heath,  aide  to  Arch 
Reeve,  secretary  of  the  Industry  Serv- 
ice Bureau  here,  will  accompany  the 
group,  which  will  leave  Jan.  26. 
• 

"The  Immortal  Sergeant,"  20th 
Century-Fox  film,  will  open  in  18 
Southern  California  cities  Feb.  4,  it 
was  announced  today. 


M-G-M  Men  Return 

E.  K.  O'Shea,  Edwin  Aaron  and 
H.  M.  Richey  arrived  yesterday  from 
the  studio  where  they  attended  con- 
ferences. Edward  M.  Saunders  is 
touring  Western  exchanges,  and  Wil- 
liam F.  Rodgers  is  vacationing  at 
Palm  Springs  before  returning. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN      .      GREER  GARSON 
in  James  Hilton's 

" RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN  M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue   .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


IN  PERSON 

BENNY 
GOODMAN 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

—Extra- 
Frank  Sinatra 

PARAMOUNT    ■    Times  Square 


PARAMOUNT 
PRESENTS 

STAR  SPANGLED 
RHYTHM' 

with  43  STARS 


EENE  TIERNEY  •  GEORGE  MONTGOMERY  •  LYNN  BARI 

China  Girl 

CI  .  *  I  Guv  LOMBARDO  &  Band 
-//t  re^MC  |  NAN  vVYNN  •  Other  Acts 

ROXY 


BUY  BONDS 


7ih  A**.  50th  S*. 


PALACE 


JON 
HALL 


SABU 


B  WAY  & 
47th  St. 


MARIA 
MONTEZ 


"ARABIAN  NIGHTS" 

—  and  — 
"TRUCK  BUSTERS" 
with  RICHARD  TRAVIS 


ON  SCREEN 
FRED  ASTAIRE 
RITA  HAYWORTH 

"You  Were 
Never  Lovelier" 


A. 


IN  PERSON 

EARL 
CARROLL'S 
VANITIES 

MUSICAL 
REVUE 

CAST  OF 
STARS 


Personal  Mention 


R 


OBERT  MOCHRIE  left  yester- 
day on  a  Southern  trip. 


Phil  Reisman  is  scheduled  to 
leave  for  Cuba  this  weekend. 

Harry  Goldberg  of  Warner  Bros, 
will  be  in  Philadelphia  today. 
• 

Emmet  Cashman  of  the  RKO  home 
office  playdate  department  became  a 
father  recently  when  a  daughter  was 
born  to  Mrs.  Cashman. 

• 

Ralph  Caranza,  assistant  manager 
at  the  Strand,  New  Britain,  will  be  in- 
ducted into  the  Army  next  week. 
• 

Morris  Rutter,  formerly  chief  of 
service  at  Warner's  Karlton,  Philadel- 
phia, is  a  sergeant  bombardier  and 
turret  gunner  in  the  Army  Air  Corps. 


ALLAN  USHER,  Paramount  dis- 
trict manager,  is  visiting  the 
Paramount  exchanges  in  Milwaukee 
and  Minneapolis. 

• 

Pvt.  Frank  Ramsey,  formerly 
manager  of  the  Warner  Lenox,  Hart- 
ford, has  been  stationed  with  the 
Army  Air  Forces  Special  Service 
Office  in  New  Orleans. 

• 

■  Sebastian  Sampas,  formerly  at  the 
Rialto  Theatre,  Lowell,  Mass.,  is  re- 
ported stationed  with  the  Army  at 
Camp  Lee,  Va. 

• 

Eugene  Cosiminski,  formerly  at 
the  Park  Theatre,  Fall  River,  Mass., 
is  reported  stationed  at  Great  Lakes, 
111.,  Naval  Training  Station. 

• 

John  Bykowski,  Buffalo  booker 
for  United  Artists,  is  ill. 


'Marines*  Gets  Partial 
Approval  of  MPPDA 

A  partial  victory  was  won  by  March 
of  Time  in  a  decision  made  yester- 
day by  the  MPPDA  board  of  direc- 
tors on  the  appeal  from  a  Production 
Code  Administration  ruling  denying 
a  seal  to  "We  Are  the  Marines"  be- 
cause of  objectionable  dialogue. 

The  board  overruled  the  PCA, 
Eastern  branch,  on  some  of  the  dia- 
logue objected  to  originally  but  sus- 
tained it  in  other  instances,  asserting 
at  the  same  time  that  its  action  was 
not  to  be  interpreted  as  a  precedent  or 
as  indicating  any  relaxation  of  the 
Production  Code  on  the  subject  of 
profanity  in  films.  The  March  of 
Time  film  has  been  playing  with  the 
dialogue  objected  to  by  the  PCA 
painted  out  of  the  sound  track  since 
the  original  ruling. 


Big  U  Club  Elects 
Officers  for  1943 

The  Big  U  Club,  organization  of 
Universal  New  York  exchange  em- 
ployes, elected  the  following  officers  to 
serve  for  the  ensuing  year :  Essie 
Weisberger,  president;  Fred  Mayer, 
vice-president ;  Harry  Tissot,  treas- 
urer ;  Arthur  Mamula,  secretary,  and 
Jack  Horowitz,  sergeant-at-arms. 

The  following  were  named  to  the 
board  of  directors :  David  Levy,  Leo 
Simon  and  Frank  Gallotto. 


Ungerfeld  Joins  Univ. 

Robert  Ungerfeld,  manager  of 
Skouras  and  RKO  theatres  for  the 
past  13  years,  has  joined  Universal's 
home  office  publicity  department  to 
handle  special  exploitation  assign- 
ments. He  is  working  currently  on 
the  British  war  film,  "Next  of  Kin," 
which  Universal  will  distribute. 


To  Become  Citizen 

Hartford,  Jan.  21.  —  Madeleine 
Carroll,  film  actress,  took  her  first 
examination  at  the  local  Immigration 
and  Naturalization  Service  office  here 
preparatory  to  taking  out  American 
citizenship  papers.  Miss  Carroll  is  a 
British  subject. 


Roy  Disney  in  New  York 

Roy  Disney,  vice-president  and  gen- 
eral manager  of  Walt  Disney  Pro- 
ductions, is  here  in  connection  with 
the  opening  of  "Saludos  Amigos"  at 
the  Globe  Theatre  Feb.  12. 


Lab  Union  Prepares 
For  Pact  Negotiation 

In  preparation  for  the  opening  of 
negotiations  on  a  new  contract  to  re- 
place the  one  expiring  in  March,  the 
negotiating  committee  of  Laboratory 
Technicians  Union,  Local  702,  met 
with  shop  stewards  Wednesday  night 
to  discuss  proposed  changes  in  the 
present  pact.  Another  session  is 
scheduled  next  week,  after  which  the 
union  will  make  plans  for  meetings 
with  the  laboratories. 

Local  702  will  hold  its  fifth  annual 
ball  Jan.  30  at  the  Henry  Hudson 
Hotel,  John  J.  Francaville,  acting 
president  announced.  Ten  per  cent 
of  the  proceds  will  be  given  to  Unit- 
ed Nations  Relief,  it  was  said. 


Newsreel 
Parade 


Margolies  Opens  Own 
Film  Publicity  Office 

Albert  Margolies,  public  relations 
manager,  will  open  his  own  offices  in 
the  Paramount  Building  here  today  to 
handle  publicity  for  motion  picture 
and  other  clients. 

Margolies,  former  publicity  and  ad- 
vertising manager  with  United  Artists, 
Fox  Films  and  Gaumont-British  dur- 
ing the  past  14  years,  presently  is 
handling  publicity  for  "Shadow  of  A 
Doubt"  and  is  coordinator  of  the  pub- 
licity campaign  on  Sol  Lesser's  "Stage 
Door  Canteen." 


Blumberg  Promoted 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  21.  —  Irving 
Blumberg,  manager  of  the  Midway, 
has  been  named  Warner  Theatres  ad- 
vertising and  publicity  manager  for 
the  Philadelphia  zone.  He  succeeds 
Everett  Callow,  who  was  given  a 
dinner  tonight  on  leaving  to  serve 
as  a  captain  in  the  Marines. 

Grauman  Show  Success 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  21.  —  Sid- 
Grauman's  "Highlites  of  1943,"  an 
all-vaudeville  revue  starring  Gertrude 
Niesen  and  Borrah  Minnevitch's  Ras- 
cals, opened  here  recently  and  is  doing 
excellent  business  at  the  Alcazar. 


TO  SUB-LEASE  very  desirable  three 
room  apartment,  unfurnished,  con- 
veniently located.  Lease  rental  $125 
per  month.  What  do  you  offer  to 
October  1st?  Box  280,  Motion 
Picture  Daily. 


TjyEEKEND  newsreels  feature 
rr  news  from  the  world-wide  war 
fronts,  also  the  first  graduation  of 
three-year  men  at  West  Point,  special 
hand-to-hand  combat  training  at  Ft. 
Bragg,  and  New  York  City's  old  "El" 
cars  being  used  to  alleviate  crar-ded 
transportation  conditions  at  OyiJ  d 
shipyard.    The  contents  follow : 

MOVIETONE  NEWS,  No.  40.— British 
Eighth  Army  closing  in  on  Tripoli.  West 
Point  first  winter  graduation.  Junked  "El" 
cars  put  to  work.  War  bonnets  for  women 
workers.  Lew  Lehr:  Newsette.  Hand-to- 
hand  fighting  taught  in  close  combat  school 
at  Ft.  Bragg,  N.  C.  Ski  troops  in  action; 
sled  dogs  carry  messages  to  outposts,  at 
Camp  Hale,  Col. 

NEWS  OF  THE   DAY,  No.  238. — RA 

hits  Tripoli  as  Nazis  flee  Libya.  West 
Point  graduates  165  to  Air  Force.  Lenin- 
grad under  siege  carries  on  heroically. 
Hand-to-hand  combat  school  at  Ft.  Bragg. 
N.  C.    Safety  hats  for  women  war  workers. 


PARAMOUNT  NEWS,  No.  43.— Tripoli 
bombarded,  Rommel's  main  supply  base  hit. 
Allied  drive  on  Tunis.  British  Eighth 
Army  pushes  on  after  retreating  Rommel. 
Old  "El"  cars  salvaged  to  carry  war  work- 
ers at  Oakland,  Cal.,  shipyard.  Postmaster 
General  Frank  C.  Walker  succeeds  Edward 
J.  Flynn  as  party  chairman.  First  three - 
year  class  receives  commissions  at  West 
Point.  Ft.  Bragg's  new  physical  toughness 
program  teaches  soldiers  latest  combat 
tricks. 

PATHE  NEWS,  No.  43— African  pincers 
close  on  Axis.  West  Point  class  graduates. 
Tunked  "El'  cars  used  on  Kaiser  railroad 
to  transport  shipyard  workers.  Mountain 
troops  on  skiis  at  Camp  Hale,  Col. 

UNIVERSAL    NEWSREEL,    No.  15«.- 

West  Point  graduation.  "El"  trains  carry 
shipyard  workers  to  their  jobs  at  Oakland. 
Cal.  Collapsed  Tacoma  Bridge  gets  in  the 
scrap.  New  safety  caps.  More  Berlin - 
bound  Yanks  train  at  east  coast  Army 
camp.    Eighth  Army  hot  after  Rommel. 


ITOA  to  Fight  N.  Y.  BUI 

The  ITOA  said  yesterday  that  it 
would  fight  a  bill  now  in  the  N.  Y. 
Legislature  which  would  legalize 
chance  games  operated  by  veteran 
groups,  churches  or  charity  organiza- 
tions, but  which  ignores  theatres.  Max 
A.  Cohen,  head  of  the  Cinema  Circuit, 
has  joined  the  ITOA,  it  was  an- 
nounced. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUTGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Edjtor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


Friday,  January  22,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


3 


'Swan'  Terrific  in 


Seattle  at  $15,300 
'Night'  Fine  $8,350 


Seattle,  Jan.  21. — Business  held  up 

1  well  despite  the  fact  that  there  were 
only  two  new  openings  for  the  week. 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  at  the  Lib- 
erty was  good  for  a  strong  $8,350,  and 
'"^ILe  Black  Swan"  at  the  Paramount 
<  ^SjMusic  Hall   in  a  second  week 

\  topped  the  extended  runs  with  a  total 
of  $15,300.  Competition  was  offered  by 
"The  Student  Prince"  in  a  sell-out 

<  engagement  on  the  Metropolitan  stage. 
Estimated    receipts   for    the  week 

-  ending  Jan.  16  : 

"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M-) 
"Seven,  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M) 

1       BLUE  MOUSE — (950)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 

days,  4th  week.    Moved  from  Fifth  Avenue. 

Gross:  $4,200.     (Average,  $4,500) 

"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 
i    "Omaha  Trail"  (M-G-M) 

FIFTH    AVENUE— (2,500)  (40c-50c-6Sc- 

80c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,750. 
■    (Average,  $9,000) 

"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 

"Stand  By  All  Networks"  (Col.) 
i      LIBERTY  —   (1,800)    (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 

days.     Gross:  $8,350,     (Average,  $7,500) 

"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
MUSIC    BOX— (950)    (40c -50c -65c -80c)  7 

days,  4th  week.     Moved  from  Paramount. 

Gross:  $4,800.     (Average,  $4,500) 

"The  Black  Swan"  (Z»th-Fox) 

"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 
!      MUSIC  HALL— (2,275)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
;    days,  2nd  week.     Gross:  $6,400.  (Average, 
i  $7,500) 

"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 
"Eyes  of  the  Underworld"  (Univ.) 

ORPHEUM  —  (2,450)  (40c -50c -65c -80c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.     Gross:  $8,450.  (Average, 
,  $9,000) 

.    "Madamei  Spy"  (Univ.) 

"The  Hidden  Hand"  (W.  B.) 

PALOMAR  —  (1,500)  (30c-42c-58c-70c)  7 
days.      Stage:   Vaudeville.      Gross:  $7,450. 
(Average,  $7,500) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (ZOth-FoK) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT— (3,050)  (40c -50c -65c -80c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.     Gross:  $8,900.  (Average, 
'  $9,000) 


'Arabian'  Grosses 


Big  $16,300  at  Cin. 

i|   

i      Cincinnati,  Jan.  21.  —  "Arabian 
Nights"  grossed  a  big  $16,300  at  the 
:  '  RKO    Albee,   and    "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy"   pulled   $8,000   in   the  third 

•  week  of  an  extended  run  at  the  RKO 
Capitol  at  regular  prices.  "Road  to 
Morocco"  collected  $7,500  on  a  third 
downtown  week  at  Keith's.  "Palm 
Beach  Story"  collected  $12,000  at  the 
RKO  Palace. 

Estimated   receipts    for    the  week 
ending  Jan.  13-16: 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

RKO     ALBEE— (3,300)     (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $16,300.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
RKO    PALACE—  (2,700)     (33c-40c-50c)  7 
1  ,    days.    Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $12,000) 
>  >    "Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

RKO  SHUBERT—  (2,150)    (33c-40c-50c)  7 

5  i;  days,  2nd  week.  Gross.  $3,800.  (Average, 
U  $4,500) 

fj  '    "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

M  RKO  CAPITOL— (2,000)  (33c-40c-50c)  7 
l\->  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $8,000.  (Average, 
5"  $5,500) 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
RKO  GRAND  —   (1,500)   33c-40c-50c)  7 
I"    days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $4,300.  (Average, 

6  :  $5,000) 

[i  s    "Jungle  Siren"  (PRC) 

H    "Secrets  of  a  Co-Ed"  (PRC) 

I,  J      RKO     LYRIC— (1,400)     (28c-33c-42c)  7 
i,  i    days,  Gross:  $4,000.     (Average,  $4,000) 
i        Dawn  on  the  Great  Divide"  (Mono.) 

(     Secrets  of  the  Underground"  (Rep.) 
j  i       RKO  FAMILY—  (1,000)   (20c-30c)  4  days. 
,.      Gross:   $1,300.     (Average,  $1,400) 
,       Army  Surgeon"  (RKO) 
(  >i     Undercover  Man"  (U.A.) 
||  3      RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)  (20c-30c)  3  days. 
k      Gross:  $800.    (Average,  $800. 
,  >!     Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
,  ,      KEITH'S— (1,500)  (33c-40c-50c)  7  days,  3rd 
week.    Gross:  $7,500.    (Average,  $5,000) 


Ky.  2nd  Floor  House 
Permitted  to  Reopen 

Frankfort,  Ky.,  Jan.  21.— A 
permanent  injunction  against 
closing  a  second- floor  theatre 
in  Stanford,  Ky.,  has  been 
granted  by  Circuit  Judge  W. 
B.  Ardery.  C.  Hays  Foster,  co- 
owner  of  the  building,  testi- 
fied that  the  floor  had  been 
used  as  a  film  house  more 
than  25  years  without  fire  or 
accident.  He  said  that  a  fire 
escape  and  other  safety  fac- 
tors had  been  added  at  the  re- 
quest of  state  officials,  and 
denied  that  being  one  flight 
up  made  the  theatre  danger- 
ous. State  Insurance  Di- 
rector Sherman  Goodpastor 
declared  that  as  far  as  he 
knew  it  was  the  only  second- 
floor  film  house  in  the  state, 
and  had  been  closed  since  Jan. 
10,  1941,  because  its  location 
was  regarded  as  dangerous  in 
case  of  emergency. 

Turkey  Has  200  U.S. 
Films;AxisCompetes 

Washington,  Jan.  21. — Motion  pic- 
ture films  produced  in  the  United 
States  were  featured  in  seven  of  the 
eight  first-run  theatres  of  Turkey  at 
the  opening  of  the  current  motion  pic- 
ture season,  according  to  the  Depart- 
ment of  Commerce. 

Approximately  200  films  of  United 
States  origin  are  in  the  hands  of  dis- 
tributors in  Turkey,  sufficient  to  meet 
normal  trade  requirements.  Distribu- 
tors believe  that  short  films  depicting 
life  and  work  in  the  United  States 
would  be  as  popular  as  the  full-length 
films  if  obtainable. 

The  Axis  nations  are  showing  con- 
siderable interest  in  the  film  trade  of 
Turkey.  A  studio  is  being  established 
in  Istanbul,  with  the  financial  assis- 
tance of  the  German  Ministry  of  Pro- 
paganda, for  dubbing  German  films 
with  Turkish,  making  them  more 
suitable  for  distribution. 

Much  Film  from  Nazis 

Since-much  of  the  positive  film  used 
locally  for  dubbing  foreign  films  is 
imported  from  Germany,  some  ap- 
prehension has  been  expressed  in  the 
local  trade  concerning  the  possibility 
that  this  studio  may  be  favored  in  the 
matter  of  film  supplies. 

It  is  reported  that  a  new  theatre  to 
be  opened  in  Istanbul  in  March  will 
be  operated  by  an  Italian  as  an  outlet 
for  Italian  productions.  Programs 
will  be  supplemented  with  German  and 
United  States  pictures. 

British  companies  are  showing  lit- 
tle interest  in  the  Turkish  market  for 
feature  films.  They  will  continue  to 
be  prominent  suppliers  of  short  and 
educational  pictures  and  have  made 
about  20  films  of  these  types  available. 

Ohio  '42  Admission 
Taxes  Show  Increase 

Columbus,  Jan.  21.  —  Admission 
taxes  on  all  types  of  amusements  in 
Ohio  for  1942  totaled  $1,939,666, 
according  to  Don  H.  Ebright,  state 
treasurer.  Based  on  three  per  cent  of 
grosses,  this  figure  compares  with 
$1,820,904  in  1941. 

There  was  $188,608  collected  in  cen- 
sorship fees  in  1942,  while  $194,624 
was  collected  in  1941. 


New  Selections  of 
WAC  Publicity  Men 
In  Field  Announced 


Robert  Busch,  Uptown  theatre, 
Oklahoma  City,  has  been  named  pub- 
lic relations  chairman  for  the  Okla- 
homa City  exchange  area,  the  industry 
War  Activites  Committee  announced. 
He  named  as  city  chairmen  George 
Limerick,  Aztec  Theatre,  Enid,  Okla., 
and  Ralph  Talbot,  Ritz  Theatre, 
Tulsa. 

Everett  Callow,  public  relations 
chairman  for  the  Philadelphia  ex- 
change area,  announced  the  following 
city  chairmen  to  represent  the  pub- 
lic relations  division  of  WAC  in  that 
territory :  Joseph  Bergin,  Chester ; 
Leo  Trainor,  Allentown ;  Clifford  G. 
Flynn,  Montrose ;  Bert  Leighton, 
Lancaster ;  Ray  Powell,  West  Ches- 
ter ;  Dutch  Seaschultz,  Chambersburg ; 
Dave  Titleman,  Ardmore ;  William 
Bayer,  Leighton ;  George  Ickes,  Dun- 
cannon  ;  Byron  Linn,  Scranton ;  Wil- 
liam Wilson,  Williamsport ;  Harry 
Taylor,  Mansfield ;  Joseph  Murdock, 
Camden;  Edgar  Doob,  Wilmington; 
Victor  Austin,  East  Stroudsburg ; 
Ray  Meyers,  Upper  Darby ;  Clifford 
Flynn,  Mifflinburgh  ;  Paul  O.  Klinger, 
Lewistown ;  Harry  Olmsted,  Read- 
ing ;  William  Hissner,  Lebanon ;  Paul 
Harvey,  York ;  Clem  Reck,  Shamokin ; 
J.  King,  Elkins  Park;  Sam  Gillman, 
Harrisburg ;  Doc.  Weller,  Athens ; 
Fred  Osterstock,  Easton ;  James 
Brenan,  Trenton ;  Harry  Gammett ; 
Bethlehem. 

Browning  Names  Chairmen 

Harry  Browning,  publicity  chair- 
man for  the  Boston  area,  has  named 
the  following  additional  city  chairmen : 
Howard  Parker,  Arlington ;  Walter 
Stuart,  North  Attleboro ;  Elmer 
Daniels,  Worcester ;  William  Hart- 
net,  Waltham ;  Arthur  Pinkham, 
Taunton;  George  Van  Buskirk,  New- 
ton ;  Morris  Simms,  New  Bedford ; 
Ben  Greenberg,  Woonsocket ;  A.  L. 
Lashway,  Pawtucket ;  Ralph  L. 
Tully,  Newport;  Frank  A.  Vennett, 
Rutland ;  Samuel  Grant,  Burlington ; 
John  P.  Hassett,  Barre ;  Harry  Bot- 
wick,  Portland  ;  Peter  Latchis,  Keene  ; 
Frank  Hollis,  Portsmouth ;  Frank 
Eldridge,  Concord ;  Edward  Gilbert, 
Berlin. 

'Dandy'  Gets  Good 
$14,000,  Cleveland 

Cleveland,  Jan.  21.  —  "Road  to 
Morocco"  drew  $8,500  in  a  third  week 
at  Loew's  Stillman,  and  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy"  grossed  $14,000  for  its 
second  week  at  Warners'  Hippodrome. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  14-15 : 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

ALLEN — (3,000)  (35c-40c-50c)  7  days,  3rd 
week.    Gross:  $5,500.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B. 

WARNERS'     HIPPODROME  —  (3,800) 
(35c-40c-55c)    7    days,    2nd    week.  Gross: 
£14,000.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"A-Haunting  We  Will  Go"  (20th-Fox) 

WARNERS  LAKE— (900)  (35c-40c-50c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $2,500.     (Average,  $2,000) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 

RKO  PALACE— (3,100)  (40c-50c-65c).  Bob 
Allen's  Band,  Stuart  Erwin,  June  Collyer 
on  stage.  7  days.  Gross:  $19,000.  (Aver- 
age, $20,000) 

"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STATE-(3,50O)   (35c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $12,500.    (Average.  $14,000) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

LOEW'S  STILLMAN — (1 ,900)  (35c-40c- 
30c)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Av- 
erage. $7,000) 


Hub  Takes  Big; 
'Honeymoon'in 
$25,000  Week 

Boston,  Jan.  21.  —  Grosses  were 
good  in  a  week  of  mild  weather  and 
with  no  adverse  effects  from  the  ban 
on  pleasure  driving  due  to  the  easy 
accessibility  of  all  first  runs  by  public 
transportation  lines.  "Seven  Miles 
from  Alcatraz,"  running  with  a 
strong  stage  show,  gave  the  RKO 
Boston  a  big  $28,000.  "Once  Upon  a 
Honeymoon"  on  the  same  bill  with 
"The  Great  Gildetsleeve"  and  "Der 
Fuehrer's  Face"  drew  an  excellent 
$25,000  in  a  second  week  at  the  RKO 
Memorial. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing January  13 : 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

"The  McGuerims  from  Brooklyn"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S  ORPHEUM  —  (3,000)  (35c-50c- 
60s)    7   days,   2nd   week.      Gross:  $18,500. 
(Average,  $19,500) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S  STATE  THEATRE  —  (2,900) 
(35c-50c-60c)  7  days.  Gross:  $11,500.  (Aver- 
age, $14,000) 

"Seven  Miles  from  Alcatraz"  (RKO) 

RKO  BOSTON — (2,679)  (44c-55c-65c-85c) 
7  days.  Stage:  Woody  Herman  and  His 
Odchestra,  Paul  Sydell  and  His  Dogs  and 
other  acts.  Gross:  $28,000.  (Average,  $25,000) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

RKO  MEMORIAL— (2,907)  (44c-S5c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $25,000.  (Average, 
S20.000) 

"Springtime  in  the  Rockies"  (20th-Fox) 
"The  Man  in  the  Trunk"  (ZOth-Fox) 

METROPOLITAN  —  (4,367)  (30c-40c-55c- 
65c-75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $25,000.  (Average, 
$24,000) 

"One  of  Our  Aircraft  is  Missing"  (U.  A.) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (ZOth-Fox) 

PARAMOUNT  —  (1,797)  (33c-40c-60c)  7 
days,  Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  is  Missing"  (U.  A.) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (20th-Fox) 

FENWAY— (1,320)    (33c-40c-60c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $6,500.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"Silver  Queen"  (U.  A.) 

SCOLLAY— (2,500)    (33c-40c-60c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $5,C00.     (Average,  $5,000) 
"Mug- Town"  (Univ.) 
"Man's  World"  (Col.) 

TRANSLUX  —  (900)   (17c-28c-44c-55c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $5,300.     (Average,  $5,000) 
"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 
"Get  Hep  to  Love"  (Univ.) 

ESQUIRE— (941)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$1,500.     (Average,  $2,500) 


'Morocco'  $12,000  in 
Third  Toronto  Week 

Toronto,  Jan.  21.— "Road  to  Mo- 
rocco" held  up  in  its  third  week  at  the 
Imperial  Theatre  against  new  pro- 
grams at  all  other  houses,  grossing 
$12,000.  "Now,  Voyager,"  grossed 
$13,000  at  Shea's  Theatre,  and  "Stand 
By  For  Action"  brought  $12,500  to 
Loew's  Theatre,  with  "White  Cargo," 
also  strong  at  the  Uptown  at  $12,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  18: 

"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 
"Careful,  Soft  Shoulders"  (20-th-Fox) 

EGLINTON— (1,086)    (18c -30c -48c -60c)  6 
lays.    Gross:  $3,200.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

IMPERIAL-(3,373)  (18e-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $12,000.  (Average. 
$10,500) 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  —  (2,074)  (18c-3Oc-42c-60c-78c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $12,500.    (Average,  $10,000) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.  B.) 

SHEA'S  —  (2,480)   (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.     Gross:  $13,000.     (Average,  $11  000) 
"The  Pied  Piper"  (20th-Fox) 
"Boston  Blackie  Goes  Hollywood"  (Col.) 

TTVOLI  —  (1,434)    (18c-30c-48c)   6  days. 
Gross:  $3,800.    (Average.  $4,200) 
"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 

UPTOWN  —  (2,761)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90)  6 
days.    Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $9,500) 


THE  WINNING  COMBINATION  OF  "THE  SPOILERS 


LIBERTY  GOES  TO  THE  MOVIES 


vSffhFVans  (Randolph  Scott)  and  Josie  Win- 
Ji  ffiene  Dietrich)  stage  a  rescue  in 
a  coal inine and  meet  for  the  second  tnne. 


Pitt  Markham  (John  Wayne)  tells  Doc  (Frank 
Craven)  that  his  experiments  on  sulfa 
drugs  must  give  way  to  commercial  work. 


■■"jcSTalnr^cerwith  Josie  as 
2 diaZand  pledge  themselves  to .jut  every, 
thing  they  have  into  working  for  victory. 


PITTSBURGH 

TTTF  +pa™  of  Marlene 

TW^iT  Randolph  scott.and 
JolmWavne.  last  seerT  in  The 
^pml—  is  together  again  m  this 
i„ety  TT^Inrlramatic  story  op  mining 
town.  Pittsburgh  not  only  fia^plent^ 
„f  ^tinr.  and  a  romantic  triangle,  but 
^rrio*  a  definite  message  for 
+^  war  worker  and  ttie^ountry  as 
a  whole  in  thpsft  davs  of  all-out  pro- 
duction drives. 

"The  message  is  simply  that  notn- 
ing_personal  feuds,  supposedly  un- 
conquerable problems,  or  anything 
else— can  stand  in  the  way  of  turn- 
ing out  material  for  our  armies.  It  is 
effective  propaganda  for  the  war 
effort  and  good  entertainment  too. 

The  story  concerns  itself  with  two 
miners,  "Pitt"  Markham  (John 
Wayne)  and  "Cash"  Evans  (Ran- 
dolph Scott)  who  are  not  quite  re- 
signed to  a  life  of  digging  black 
diamonds."  Pitt  is  the  mercurial  half 
of  the  team,  short-tempered,  hasty, 
thoughtless.  Cash,  just  as  anxious  to 
get  out,  is  more  cautious. 

A  mine  cave-in  brings  them  to- 
gether with  Josie  Winters  (Marlene 
Dietrich),  the  daughter  of  a  mine 
worker  who  had  been  killed  in  an 
explosion.  She  provides  the  romantic 
incentive  for  the  boys  to  get  out  of 
the  mines  and  into  the  coal  business 
for  themselves. 

The  story  of  their  rise  to  power 
and  Pitt's  conversion  to  a  hard, 
shrewd,  money-hungry  boss  pro- 
vides  some  good  acting  opportunities 
for  the  cast  and  a  few  mighty  tense 
moments  for  the  audience. 

Frank  Craven,  repeating  his  now 
familiar  routine  as  the  films  nar- 
rator-which  he  did  originally  in 
Our  Town-gives  a  fine  portrayal  of 
Doc,  whose  curiosity  about  the  pos- 
sible derivatives  of  coal  tar  leads 
to  important  discoveries  on  plastics 
and  sulfa  drugs-and  perhaps  even 
the  solution  to  synthetic  rubber 

Pittsburgh  has  a  few  slow  spots, 
but  generally  there  is  lots  of  action, 
with  Scott  and  Wayne  staging  a 
minor  repetition  of  their  bang-up 
fight  in  The  Spoilers.  "\  . 

For  a  change,  Marlene  Dietrich 
isn't  a  bedizened  hussy.  Her  part  is 
a  straight  one,  giving  her  a  chance 
to  do  some  honest  acting.  Her  Josie 
is  restrained  and  believable. 

All  in  all,  Pittsburgh  is  sure  to 
please  because  it  has  action,  romance, 
suspense,  and  a  simple,  sincere  pa- 
triotic message  to  deliver. 

(Universal.)  LIBERTY 

JANUARY  9,  19*^ 


DOES  IT  AGAIN  IN  "PITTSBURGH  ! 


THE  WASHINGTON  POST:  WEDNESDAY.  DECEMBER  16.  1942 


Kelson  B.  Bell  About  the  Showshops 

Tittsburgh/RKO-Keith's, 
Exerts  a  Twofold  Wallop 

Marlene  Dietrich,  Randolph  Scott,  John  Wayne 
^rine  Again  in  Picture  With  a  Dual  Purpose; 
irt  Subjects  Sharpen  Flavor  of  Ace  Bill 

HATS  OFF  TO  UNIVERSAL  fpr  having  exercised  unusual 
adroitness  in  combining  a  strong  plea  for  the  country's  wartime 
production  effort  and  a  rip-snorting  biographical  melodrama,  to  the 
end  of  interesting  and  exciting  entertainment. 

In  "Pittsburgh,"  which  opened  yesterday  on  the  screen  at  RKO- 
Keith's  Theater,  the  urge  to  patriotic,  all-out  war  effort  has  not 
"been,  overstressed,  nor  have  the  humorous,  thrilling  and  romantic 
elementsof  an  enlivening  personal  narrative  been  slighted.  The 
nice  balance  of  the  two  results  in  a  rough-and-ready  item  of  "escape" 
and  admonition  that  represents  as  fine  a  job  of  its  kind  as  has  come 
along  to  date. 

The  picture  is  described  as  a  "personal  narrative"  because  its. 
title  pertains  to  one  of  the  principal  characters  in  the  story  and 
not  to  the  steel  metropolis.  "Pittsburgh"  Markham  and  Cash  Evans 
are  the  sturdy  coal  miners  whose  careers  form  the  basis  of  the 
fiction.  The  action  opens  with  their  exhortation  of  their  thousands 
of  workers,  who  have  just  won  a  Government  "E"  for  exceeding 
production  schedules.  Then  "Doc"  Powers  recalls  their  beginnings, 
and  the  part  Josie  Winters  played  uftheir  lives  and  the  tale  there- 
after is  presented  by  the  familiar  flashback  method,  initiating  the 
narrative  proper  in  the  mining  shafts  deep  under  ground. 

This  "Pittsburgh"  Markham  is  a  double-order  of  man— physically 
fearless,  egotistically  inflated  and  ruthless  in  his  dealings  with 
those  around  him,  When  he  and  Cash  hit  upon  a  scheme  to  reduce 
the  price  of  coke  by  improved  fabricating  methods  and  win  a  huge 
contract  from  the  steel  company,  his  rise  and  downfall  have  their 
simultaneous  origin.  He— and  his  -saner  and  not  silent  partner- 
become  tycoons  of  the  first  water.  Evans  achieves  real  standii  g 
by  square  dealing.  Markham  builds  on  the  false  premise  of  might 
over  right  and  is  bounced  out  of  his  position  of  power  much  more 
rapidly  than  he  achieved  it. 

How  he  learns  his  bitter  lesson  in  •humility  and  rehabilitates 
himself  and  his  giant  enterprises  constitutes  the  "surprise"  climax 
of  the  drama,  which  deserves  better  than  premature  exposure. 

Since  the  three  stars  of  the  last  edition  of  "The  Spoilers"  again 
find  themselves  in  costellar  association,  something  of  the  formula 
of  that  perennial  hit  has  been  woven  into  the  warp  and  woof  of 
••Pittsburgh."  It  is  packed  with  rowdy  goings-on  and  boisterous 
comedy,  has  its  foil  share  of  rough-and-tumble  fights,  gets  Itself 
finally  Into  the  precincts  of  "smart"  society  and  then  manages  that 
final  climax  and  denouement  that  lose  nothing  of  dramatic  punch 
by  being  dedicated  to  the  high  principle  of  service  to  country.  As 
If  that  tremendous  battle  between  the  fending  partners — beginning 
on  the  floor  of  the  mine,  finding  its  way  Into  an  elevator  cage  and 
ending  up  on  the  surface — were  not  enough,  one  of  the  earliest 
comedy  sequences  is  devoted  to  "Pittsburgh's"  acceptance  of  the 
challenge  to  stay  three  rounds  with  the  heavyweight  contender  on 
a  theater  stage  and  then  sending  Cash  into  the  ring  to  do  his 
battling  for  him,  while  he  makes  a  play  for  the  "Countess,"  who 
turns  out  to  be  a  "hunkie,"  who  finally  emerges  as  Josie  Winters, 
the  distaff  director  of  destiny.  As  we  were  saying,  it's  a  pretty 
good  picture. 

Played  to  the  Hilt  by  Stars 

In  this  sort  of  epic  of  both  physical  and  temperamental  violence 
there  is  scant  call  for  finesse.  The  stars  and  their  supporting 
players  make  no  effort  to  inject  any  into  performances  that  demand 
ruggedness  of  mind  as  well  as  body.  Marlene  Dietrich  is  strikingly 
effective  in  the  role  of  the  ambitious  young  woman,  striving  for 
something  better  than  the  penury  she  has  always  known.  Desperately 
in  love  with  "Pittsburgh"  as  long  as  he  seems  to  be  worth  it,  she 
is  not  unaware  of  the  sterling  qualities  of  Mr.  Evans,  whose  wife 
she  finally  becomes.  It  is  to  her  that  the  film  owes  not  only  a  great 
degree  of  its  dramatic  soundness,  but  most  of  its  patriotic  zeal,  as 
well.  Randolph  Scott  and  John-Wayne,  as  the  firm  of  Evans  & 
Markham,  are  partners  in  excellence  as  well  as  big  business.  Scott 
has  a  part  cut  to  his  order  and  Wayne  has  never  been  better — if  as 
good.  Frank  Craven,  the  "Doc"  Powers,  serves  as  narrator  in 
addition  to  playing  another  cut-to-measure  role,  and  Thomas  Gomez 
contributes  an  excellent  portrait  of  the  labor  leader  who  has  an 
Important  finger  in  everything  that  goes  on.  The  side  of  social 
aristocracy  is  represented  by  Samuel  S.  Hinds  and  Louise  All- 
britton,  as  the  steel  magnate  and  his  unhappy  daughter  who 
becomes  Mrs.  Markham  to  her  sorrow.  Those  in-  the  lesser  assign- 
ments are  uniformly  competent 

e+* 

The  excellence  of  the  new  bill  at  Keith's  is  not  confined  to  its 
major  feature.  An  interesting  insight  Into  war  production  In 
England  is  afforded  by  "Night  Shift,"  in  which  2000  women  war 
workers  take  over  a  munitions  plant  and  operate  it  in  its  entirety 
with  inspiring  spirit  and  skill.  The  newsreel  continues  Its  recital 
of  vital  affairs  in  North  Africa  and  one  of  Walt  Lantz's  color 
cartoons,  "Swing  Symphony,"  Introduces  a  new  note  into  the  comic 
aspects  of  war  production,  to  add  farther  zest  to  a  program  that  is 
practically  as  dynamic  as  dynamite. 


"Spoilers"  Cast  Moves  to  "Pittsburgh 


oI  ,  woman  »hotao»  ^^mffMg^l 


PITTSBURGH 


„i— =  ihat  too 

L  ^  -emetine  «f\  m  ^/^Wfc  ta* 
Tf  T^mol"  Unt  6ood  to<  ^Ygured  out  tor 

andbenerdd^en.  playmg    <»«         her,  and 

A")h0"-  b^the  death  ot  her  coal-m-n er 
trying  to  S<* a    ,  r:  Casn  t-  miner 

a  Uota  calche  her 

Scoltl    and     rut  s  brawl  when  r.  _Doc 

baddies,  meet  k""»  .  eyes  during  a  BS  is 
S*<  .  £££  cauV  *  •  »  ft ta*  care 
Powers  ^Vrb  and  fL  W;  she  sparks 

rescued  b,  fcotf,  (all  torJos«.         up  ,„ 

„(  him.  Cash  and  ^  ^  .0*5.  ^  pros. 
their  ambit.ons;  a  &  Evans  gots 

lhe  coal-mming  Ma  toaido  track  1U„ 
perily,  P>«,  «ho  had  ^ d„ol  ^  only 
high  hat,  marn« ■*  r  stK-ss  bn»g  «re 

an°  embittered  los-e.    disappointn>en^-h  ^ 

— to  -tr*-^  £ k  far- p 

Harbor  had  a  tot  t^  ^  ^  n.gged  ^  on  a  ,evel  ol 
Sbemp  H"»ar 


Collect  at  Every  Performance! 

UNITED  NATIONS  WEEK... Jan.  14  through  Jan.  20 


PITTSBURGH 


A  ChaHes  K.  Feldman  Production 
tforriae 

Marlene  Randolph  John 

DIETRICH  •  SCOTT  •  WAYN 

wM 

FRANK  CRAVEN  •  IOUISE  ALLBRITTON  •  SHEMP  HOWARD 
THOMAS  GOMEZ   •    LUDWIO  STOSSEL  •   SAMUEL  S.  HiNOS 

Screen  Play,  Kanootti  Garnet,  Tom  Rood  •  Original  Story,  George  Owen, 
Ton  Rood    •    Additional  Dialogue,  John  Two* 

Directed  by  LEWIS  SB l£*     .     Associate  Producer,  ROBERT  ft 


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Ida  Lupino 
Joan  Leslie 
Dennis  Morgan 

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Friday,  January  22,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


7 


Conn.  Allows 
Closings  One 
Day  Weekly 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

Theatre  Owners  of  Connecticut  con- 
ferred in  Hartford  with  Governor 
.Baldwin  on  arrangements  for  curtail* 
^X)  theatre  operations  in  the  state  in 
-^zl  with  hte  Governor's  proposal  to 
close  buildings  to  effect  fuel  saving. 

New  Haven  retailers  today  voted 
to  close  Mondays.  Connecticut  ex- 
hibitors favor  the  Rhode  Island  plan 
of  curtailing  operating  hours  one-sev- 
enth, spreading  the  shutdown  through 
the  entire  week. 


Providence  Houses 
Curtail  Operations 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

35  minutes  is  required.  Under  the 
new  schedule  the  theatres  will  operate 
69  hours  and  20  minutes  each  week. 

Fay  said  the  schedule  would  be  filed 
with  the  State  Labor  Department  as 
soon  as  possible,  and  that  it  probably 
would  go  into  effect  next  Thursday. 


Warned  to  Convert 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  21. — Theatres, 
along  with  all  other  buildings  using 
2,000  to  10,000  gallons  of  fuel  oil  an- 
nually, were  again  warned  that  they 
must  convert  their  heating  systems  to 
coal  by  Feb.  8,  all  fuel  oil  coupons  to 
be  invalidated  after  that  date.  The 
only  exceptions  provided  for  are  those 
showing  proof  that  a  contract  has  been 
entered  into  for  conversion  to  coal, 
or  a  heating  expert  has  certified  that 
conversion  is  impossible. 


Boston  Opera  Cancelled 

Boston,  Jan.  21.  —  The  Boston 
Metropolitan  Opera  will  dispense  with 
its  Spring  season  this  year  because  of 
restrictions  on  automobile  useage. 
Many  patrons  of  the  season  come  from 
Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont, 
Rhode  Island  and  Western  Massachu- 
setts. It  is  the  first  interruption  of 
the  company's  Spring  season  in  10 
6  vpprs. 


Half  of  Film  Firms  Showed 
Profit  in  '40,  U.S.  Reports 


Washington,  Jan.  21. — Only  2,- 
353  of  the  4,682  motion  picture  cor- 
porations in  the  country  reported 
taxable  income  on  their  1940  opera- 
tions, but  those  that  were  in  the  black 
paid  income  and  excess  profits  taxes 
of  $12,579,000,  it  was  reported  to- 
day by  the  Internal  Revenue  Bureau. 

A  bureau  analysis  of  1940  returns 
showed  that  189  of  653  producing  cor- 
porations, with  total  receipts  of  $346,- 
668,000  and  net  income  of  $33,354,000, 
paid  income  taxes  of  $4,179,000  and 
excess  profits  taxes  of  $31,000,  while 
368  others,  with  total  receipts  of  $72,- 
242,000,  had  a  deficit  for  tax  purposes 
of  $4,867,000.  The  remaining  76  cor- 
porations were  inactive.  The  tax  pay- 
ing corporations  paid  dividends  in 
cash  and  assets  other  than  their  own 
stock  of  $12,390,000  and  the  deficit 
corporations  paid  $210,000. 

2,164  Theatre  Firms  File 

In  the  exhibition  field,  2,164  out  of 
4,049  theatre  corporations,  with  total 
receipts  of  $463,848,000  and  net  in- 
come of  $45,629,000,  paid  income  taxes 
of  $8,346,000  and  excess  profits  taxes 
of  $43,000,  and  the  remaining  1,750 
active  corporations,  with  total  income 
of  $124,096,000,  reported  a  deficit  of 
$5,654,000.  The  tax-paying  corpora- 
tions reported  dividends  of  $24,945,- 
000  and  the  others  $129,000. 

Returns  of  650  broadcasting  and 
television  corporations  showed  that 
only  389  paid  taxes,  paying  $6,075,000 
on  income  and  $4,500  on  excess  profits 
on  total  receipts  of  $153,275,000  and 
net  income  of  $26,746,000;  197  other 
corporations  had  total  receipts  of  $7,- 
862,000,  and  a  tax  deficit  of  $1,022,- 
000.  Dividends  of  tax-paying  corpora- 
tions amounted  to  $12,944,000,  and  of 
the  others  to  $6,000,  it  was  stated. 


B'way  Gross 
RemainsFirm 


M.P.T.A.  of  Ontario 
Moves  to  Expand 

Toronto,  Jan.  21.  —  The  newly- 
formed  Motion  Picture  Theatres  As- 
sociation of  Ontario,  headed  by  E.  D. 
Warren  of  Aurora,  Ont.,  has  expand- 
ed its  organization  network  by  the 
creation  of  divisional  committees  in 
two  sections  of  the  Province  to  pro- 
vide increased  cooperation  in  its 
"united  front"  policy. 

A  group  has  been  organized  in  the 
Ottawa  Valley,  in  Eastern  Ontario 
with  William  O  Regan  elected  district 
chairman  at  the  regional  meeting 
which  was  attended  by  N.  A.  Taylor 
and  Syd  Taube,  secretary,  of  Toronto. 
O'Regan  is  manager  of  the  Francais 
and  Victoria  theatres  in  Ottawa  and 
the  Laurier  in  Hull. 

A  district  meeting  was  held  at 
Windsor  for  the  Southwestern  On- 
tario zone,  at  which  Gordon  Hogarth, 
owner  of  the  Roxy,  Kingsville,  wa? 
elected  regional  chairman. 

Meetings  are  to  be  held  in  different 
sections  of  Ontario. 


Bond,  Stamp  Sales 
On  Rise  in  Theatres 


Returns  from  theatres  in  New  Jer- 
sey and  New  York  state  show  marked 
increases  in  war  bond  and  stamp  sales 
during  the  past  few  months,  accord- 
ing to  reports. 

S.  Solomon,  on  leaving  as  manager 
of  the  Capitol  in  Woodbine,  N.  J.,  to 
join  the  Army,  reported  sales  totaling 
$60,244.65.  Eight  Rochester,  N.  Y., 
theatres  during  December  sold  $32,- 
454.60  worth  of  bonds  and  stamps  at 
booths  located  in  their  lobbies,  it  was 
announced. 

In  Trenton,  N.  J.,  Henry  Scholl, 
manager  of  the  RKO  Capitol,  an- 
nounced a  total  of  $200,000  in  sales 
during  the  final  quarter  of  1942.  John 
Bodley,  manager  of  the  Gaiety,  in 
Trenton,  stated  that  bond  and  stamp 
sales  at  his  theatre  during  the  holiday 
totaled  $30,000. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

an  estimated  $62,000  for  its  final  six 
days. 

At  the  Rivoli  "Shadow  of  a  Doubt" 
ended  its  first  week  with  about  $37,- 
000,  which  is  very  good.  The  pic- 
ture continued  its  money-making  pace 
as  it  started  a  second  week  Wednes- 
day. "Tennessee  Johnson"  was  esti- 
mated to  have  grossed  a  fair  $15,000 
for  the  first  seven  days  at  the  Astor 
and  is  in  a  second  week. 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  with 
Benny  Goodman  and  his  band  on  the 
stage  grossed  a  sensational  $69,000 
for  a  third  week  at  the  Paramount 
with  Wednesday's  business  said  to 
have  topped  that  of  Monday  and  Tues- 
day as  the  show  began  a  fourth  week. 
A  healthy  $43,400  figure  was  reported 
for  the  fourth  week  of  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy"  at  the  Strand,  ending 
last  night.  Sammy  Kaye  and  his  or- 
chestra replace  Jimmy  Dorsey  tomor- 
row in  the  stage  show. 

'Serve'  Grosses  $52,200 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  grossed  an 
estimated  $52,200  in  its  fourth  week 
at  the  Capitol  ending  Wednesday 
night  and  started  a  fifth  week  yester- 
day. For  its  fifth  week  at  the  Radio 
City  Music  Hall,  "Handom  Harvest" 
and  the  stage  presentation  grossed  an 
estimated  $100,000,  and  entered  a  sixth 
week  yesterday. 

"Casablanca"  began  a  ninth  week 
at  the  Hollywood  yesterday  after 
grossing  an  estimated  $21,600  on  the 
eighth  week.  The  film  will  hold  until 
Feb.  3,  when  "Air  Force"opens  at  the 
house. 

Heading  for  $7,500  on  a  second 
week  at  the  Globe,  "Silver  Queen" 
will  be  followed  tomorrow  by  "Mar- 
gin for  Error."  "American  Empire" 
drew  a  reported  $7,500  for  a  week  at 
the  Rialto  and  will  play  an  extra 
three  days,  with  "Lucky  Jordan" 
opening  tomorrow. 


Films  Delayed, 
Box-offices  Hit 
By  Snow,  Cold 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

freezing  in  Souhern  states  with  the 
exception  of  Florida. 

Theatres  in  central  Southern  states 
were  unable  to  meet  heating  require- 
ments in  many  instances  as  a  result 
of  the  unexpected  drop  in  tempera- 
tures. Film  deliveries  were  delayed 
and  in  a  few  instances  stopped  in  the 
regions  of  heavy  snowfall,  ranging 
from  the  Pacific  Northwest  to  the 
Middle  West.  Many  film  salesmen 
in  that  area  were  temporarily 
stranded. 


Monogram  Buys  10 
War  Theme  Stories 

Holy  wood,  Jan.  21. — Half  of  the 
last  20  story  purchases  by  Monogram 
have  had  war  themes,  Trem  Carr, 
executive  director  in  charge  of  pro 
duction,  announced  today  in  declaring 
that  he  believes  the  public  wants  film 
entertainment  between  "escapist"  and 
"realistic"  pictures. 


Boston  Variety  Club 
To  Honor  Walters 

Boston,  Jan.  21. — A  buffet  luncheon 
will  be  served  by  Variety  Club  23 
here  next  Tuesday  at  the  headquarters 
in  Hotel  Statler  in  honor  of  Lou 
Walters,  former  barker  of  the  group 
and  one  of  the  producers  of  the  cur- 
rent "Ziegfeld  Follies,"  which  will 
have  its  premiere  in  the  Hub  the  fol 
lowing  night.  Stars  of  the  show  will 
appear  at  the  affair. 

Harry  Browning,  chairman  of  the 
New  Engand  division  of  Public  Rela 
tions  for  WAC,  has  been  named  as- 
sistant chief  barker  of  the  club,  it  was 
announced. 


Entertain  Convicts 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  21. — For  the 
26th  consecutive  year,  local  entertain- 
ers and  visiting  celebrities  staged  a 
free  entertainment  for  more  than  3,000 
San  Quentin  convicts.  Harry  Etling 
of  the  Golden  Gate  Theatre  produced 
the  show,  which  was  originated  by  Sid 
Grauman. 


Seattle  Off  75  Per  Cent 

Seattle,  Jan.  21. — Attendance  at 
downtown  first  run  theatres  was  cut 
to  25  per  cent  of  normal  by  the  most 
severe  snowstorm  the  city  has  ex- 
perienced in  20  years. 

Neighborhood  theatres  also  are 
badly  hit  and,  while  no  closings  have 
been  reported  yet,  there  is  a  possi- 
bility that  continued  cold  and  trans- 
portation difficulties  may  force  some 
outlying  houses  to  shut  down  tem- 
porarily. 

All  schools,  many  retail  stores  and 
some  war  industries  were  forced  to 
close  Wednesday  and  Thursday  due 
to  the  disruption  of  public  and  private 
transportation  and  the  failure  of 
power  and  light  service  and  crippling 
of  other  utilities  by  the  storm. 

Legion  of  Decency 
Approves  13  Films 

The  National  Legion  of  Decency  in 
its  current  listing  approved  13  fea- 
tures, seven  for  general  patronage  and 
six  for  adults,  while  one  is  classified 
as  "objectionable  in  part."  The  films 
and  their  classifications  follow : 

Class  A-l,  Unobjectionable  for  Gen- 
eral Patronage :  "Andy  Hardy's 
Double  Life,"  "Arizona  Stagecoach," 
"Chetniks,"  "Cinderella  Swings  It," 
"Keep  'Em  Slugging,"  "Night  Plane 
from  Chungking."  Class  A-2,  Un- 
objectionable for  Adults:  "Bowery  at 
Midnight,"  "City  Without  Men," 
"Frankenstein  Meets  the  Wolf-Man," 
"Gorilla  Man,"  "He's  My  Guy," 
"Hitler's  Children,"  "Over  My  Dead 
Body."  Class  B,  Objectionable  in 
Part :  "Happy  Go  Lucky." 

A  separate  notation  regarding  "Hit- 
ler's Children"  said :  "This  film, 
classified  A-2,  unobjectionable  for 
adults,  presents  the  evils  of  the  Na- 
tional Socialist  regime  in  Germany  as 
they  affect  women  and  children. 
Among  the  evils  challenged  in  the  film 
is  the  sterilization  of  women." 


Safe  Robbery  Jails 
Two  Toronto  Youths 

Toronto.  Jan.  21. — John  Kippax, 
20,  and  Wilfred  Blaney,  22,  were  sen- 
tenced to  five  and  seven  year;,,  re- 
spectively, in  the  penitentiary  by 
Judge  James  Parker  in  County  Crimi- 
nal Court,  after  they  had  been  found 
guilty  of  attempted  robbery  of  the 
safe  at  the  Grand  Theatre,  suburban 
house.  Police  said  the  youths  were 
caught  while  trying  to  open  the  safe, 
and  had  engaged  in  a  gun  duel  with 
officers. 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  January  22,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


A COAST-TO-COAST  broadcast  of  the  1943  March  of  Dimes  on  the  Air 
will  be  one  of  the  features  in  the  annual  drive  for  funds  in  the  nationwide 
fight  against  infantile  paralysis.  The  program  is  scheduled  on  the  Blue  to- 
morrow from  11:15  p.  m.  to  12:15  a.  m.  Eddie  Cantor  will  be  master  of 
ceremonies  for  the  fifth  consecutive  year.  Others  scheduled  to  appear  are 
Fibber  McGee  and  Molly,  Fanny  Brice,  Hanley  Stafford,  Burns  and  Allen. 
Dinah  Shore,  Harriet  Hilliard  and  Red  Skelton. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Kenneth  D.  Fry,  NBC  Central  Division  news  and 
events  director,  has  resigned  to  join  the  OWI  Overseas  branch.  He  will  be 
succeeded  by  Bill  Ray.  .  .  .  Win  Crawford  and  Harry  Dority,  WICC ,  Bridge- 
port, engineers,  are  visiting  New  York  stations.  .  .  .  Edwin  Jerome  and  Helene 
Freeman,  CBS  performers,  plan  to  be  married  in  May,  they  announced. 

•  •  • 

XEQ,  Mexico  City  station,  has  contracted  for  49  series  programs  for 
this  year.  They  vary  from  one  to  21  a  week.  Coca  Cola,  Max  Factor, 
Colgate-Palmolive-Peet  and  RCA  Victor  are  among  the  advertisers.  The 
number  of  programs  is  said  to  be  a  record  for  the  station. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Sister  Elizabeth  Kenny,  winner  of  the  Variety  Clubs 
of  America  Humanitarian  award,  will  be  the  first  guest  on  Alice  Hughes'  new 
program,  "A  Woman's  Views,"  starting  Sunday  over  WMCA.  .  .  .  Jan  Struth- 
er,  author  of  "Mrs.  Miniver,"  will  speak  on  Columbia's  "School  of  the  Air 
of  the  Americas"  on  Jan.  29.  .  .  .  Sponsorship  of  "Meet  Your  Navy"  on  the 
Blue  has  been  extended  by  Hall  Bros,  for  another  13  weeks,  effective  Feb. 
19.  .  .  .  Alfred  Hitchcock  will  be  a  guest  on  Fred  Allen's  Texaco  Star  Theatre 
on  Sunday. 

•  •  • 

In  the  Service:  Vincent  Sexton,  night  editor  of  the  CBS  publicity  depart- 
ment, reported  yesterday  in  Washington  as  a  captain  in  the  Bureau  of  Public 
Relations,  War  Department.  .  .  .  Ensign  Emerson  Hoyt,  formerly  a  WTHT, 
Hartford,  announcer,  is  stationed  at  the  Navy's  Corpus  Christi  base.  .  . 
Aloysius  Christie  of  the  CBS  photo  department,  joins  the  Army  on  Tuesday. 


WPB  Seeking 
Increased  Raw 
Stock  Output 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

types  of  film  except  those  for  motion 
pictures  is  now  close  to  requirements. 
No  hint  was  given  as  to  how  far 
short  of  needs  those  types  were  run- 
ning, but  it  was  emphasized  that  if 
output  is  increased  it  must  be  ac- 
complished without  adverse  effect 
upon  other  phases  of  operations. 

Tomorrow,  members  of  the  motion1 
picture  producers'  advisory  commit- 
tee will  meet  with  Hopper  and  other 
WPB  officials  for  their  first  meeting 
since  November,  and  are  expected  to 
discuss  the  recent  allocation  order, 
limiting  industry  consumption  to  302,- 
000,000  feet  for  the  first  three  months 
of  1943. 

Copper  Show  Items 
Must  Be  Destroyed 

Exhibitors  have  been  advised  to  de- 
stroy in  front  of  bearers  all  usable 
items  turned  in  at  "copper  matinees," 
in  accordance  with  War  Production 
Board  instructions,  the  War  Activities 
Committee  said. 

The  WAC  announced  that  Schine 
circuit  managers  are  planning  special 
shows  for  the  collection  of  copper, 
brass  and  bronze. 


St.  Paul,  Jan.  21. — Governor  Har- 
old E.  Stassen  at  the  request  of  the 
local  industry  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee, has  proclaimed  the  week  of 
Feb.  5  to  12,  "Copper  Scrap  Week." 
All  theatres  in  the  state  are  expected 
to  cooperate  by  holding  copper  mati- 
nees during  the  week. 


Omaha,  Jan.  21. — The  local  Vari- 
ety Club  is  taking  the  lead  here  in 
the  copper  and  brass  salvage  drive 
which  will  be  held  from  Jan.  23  to 
Feb.  13.  Cooperating  theatres  will  give 
<-opper  matinees  and  proceeds  from  the 
sale  of  the  metal  will  go  to  the  Vari- 
ety Club's  charity  fund,  after  deduc- 
tion of  promotion  costs. 


More  than  100  theatres  in  the  New 
Orleans  exchange  area  collected  an 
estimated  10,000  pounds  of  salvage 
copper,  brass  and  bronze  at  special 
matinees  held  Jan.  9,  the  WAC  an- 
nounced. The  drive  there  will  be  con- 
tinued by  the  schools  with  twice- 
monthly  collections. 


Copper  matinees  will  be  held  by  42 
Warner  theatres  in  the  Philadelphia 
area  Feb.  3.  Another  21  theatres  of 
the  circuit  are  holding  copper  salvage 
matinees  there  this  week.  Every 
house  in  the  Warner  circuit  will  hold 
such  matinees  eventually. 


Westfield,  Mass.,  Tan.  21. — The 
Strand  Theatre  here  will  give  a  cop- 
per matinee  Saturday  at  which  all 
those  bringing  an  amount  of  salvage 
copper  worth  at  least  10  cents  will  be 
admitted  on  paying  the  admission  tax 
only. 


245  S-C  Men  in  Service 

Rochester,  N.  Y..  Jan.  21. — A  total 
of  245  employes  of  Stromberg-Carlson 
Co.,  radio  manufacturers  here,  are  now 
in  the  armed  forces. 


Elson  Chief  Barker 
Of  Twin  City  Club 

Minneapolis,.  Jan.  21 — William 
Elson  has  been  elected  chief  barker  of 
Twin  City  Variety  Club,  succeeding 
M.  E.  Frosch,  with  Levoy  Miller  and 
M.  Frank  McCormick,  assistants ;  M. 
A.  Levy,  property  man  ;  Max  Torador, 
a  dough  guy  and  Frosch,  national 
canvassman. 

Directors  include  Frosch,  Ben 
Blotcky,  Al  Steffes,  John  J.  Friedl, 
Eddie  Ruben,  Ben  Friedman,  McCor- 
mick, Torador,  Ben  Berger,  Gil 
Nathanson,  Elson,  Merle  Potter,  Levy 
and  Miller. 

Frosch  reported  club  membership 
during  the  past  year  increased  to  200 
members.  Philanthropic  activities  cost 
£9,871.97,  going  to  the  Milk  Fund,  Red 
Cross,  serum  fund,  golf  activities  and 
other  causes.  Films  for  shut-ins,  war 
bond  and  stamp  sales,  and  assistance 
in  the  sale  of  Army  and  Navy  relief 
show  tickets  increased  the  total  of 
beneficences  to  about  $46,000,  the  re- 
port said. 

NBC  to  Coordinate 
Speeches  by  Staff 

A  bureau  to  coordinate  all  public 
speaking  activities  of  NBC  staff  mem- 
bers has  been  set  up  by  the  network. 
Frank  E.  Mullen,  vice-president  and 
g-eneral  manager,  announced.  Albert 
Dale,  NBC  director  of  the  department 
of  information,  will  head  the  bureau, 
with  Anita  Barnard  as  supervisor  of 
operations. 


Gov.  Dewey  on  Mutual 

Gov.  Thomas  E.  Dewey  will  be  the 
principal  speaker  at  the  57th  annual 
Lincoln  Day  dinner  scheduled  for  an 
exclusive  broadcast  over  Mutual  on 
Friday,  Feb.  12,  from  10  to  10:30  p.m. 
The  dinner,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
National  Republican  Club,  will  be 
broadcast  from  the  Hotel  Waldorf- 
Astoria. 


Newscaster  Sues 
AFRA  for  $25,000 

Cincinnati,  Jan.  21.— A  suit  seek- 
ing $25,000  from  the  American  Fed- 
eration of  Radio  Artists  local  and  two 
of  its  officers  has  been  filed  in  U.  S. 
District  Court  here  by  Edwin  T.  El- 
liott, WKRC  newscaster.  Elliott 
charged  the  union,  which  had  expelled 
him,  made  false  allegations  against 
him  in  calling  him  for  a  hearing  be- 
fore the  board  two  years  after  he 
had  resigned  from  membership,  on 
charges  of  committing  acts  injurious 
to  AFRA. 

High  Court  Ruling  in 
Music  Suit  Expected 

The  U.  S.  Supreme  Court  is  ex- 
pected shortly  to  render  a  decision  in 
a  suit  involving  copyright  renewal 
rights  to  the  song  "When  Irish  Eyes 
Are  Smiling."  M.  Witmark  &  Sons, 
a  Warner  subsidiary,  brought  suit 
against  Fred  Fisher  Music  Co.  seek- 
ing to  enjoin  the  latter  from  publish- 
ing the  song,  renewal  rights  to  which, 
the  latter  claims,  were  assigned  to  it 
by  George  Graff,  the  author.  Original 
rights  were  held  by  Witmark. 


CBS  Shifts  Wood 

Robert  S.  Wood,  assistant  director 
of  CBS  news  broadcasts,  has  been 
named  CBS  director  of  public  affairs 
in  Washington,  it  was  announced.  Ev- 
erett Holies,  night  news  editor,  will 
succeed  Wood,  while  Henrv  Wefing 
will  be  night  news  editor.  Ann  Gillis 
has  resigned  as  director  of  CBS  spe- 
cial events  in  Washington. 


Show  'News  Parade'  Film 

"News  Parade  for  the  Year  1942." 
a  16mm  film,  is  now  shown  at  12,  2  :30 
and  4:30  p.m.  daily  at  the  "World  at 
War"  exhibition  at  the  New  York 
Museum  of  Science  and  Industry  in 
Rockefeller  Center,  it  was  announced.  ' 


Stage,  Screen  News 
Aired  to  Fighters 

Current  news  of  the  stage 
and  screen  will  be  broadcast 
to  the  overseas  fighting 
forces  each  Thursday  at  3:45 
p.m.  over  shortwave  station 
WBOS,  NBC's  international 
division  announced.  The  pro- 
gram, titled  "Standing  Room 
Only,"  had  its  first  perform- 
ance yesterday. 


Dance  Remote  Ban 
Protested  by  Woods 


Mark  Woods,  president  of  the  Blue 
network,  yesterday  protested  the  ban 
on  remote  dance  band  pickups  imposed 
on  the  network  by  the  American  Fed- 
eration of  Musicians.  The  AFM  lo- 
cal in  Pittsburgh  is  disputing  with 
station  WQV,  of  the  Blue,  and 
WJAS,  CBS  affiliate,  on  a  new  con- 
tract relating  to  wages  and  general 
conditions  of  musicians  employed  by 
the  stations. 

Woods  declared:  "The  Blue  is  the 
innocent  but  injured  party  in  the  cur- 
rent ban.  Not  only  is  the  network 
penalized  by  conditions  beyond  its 
control,  but  145  stations  affiliated  with 
the  Blue  are  also  penalized  because 
one  Blue  affiliate  has  differences  with 
the  musicians'  union." 

CBS  officials  did  not  comment  upon 
the  situation  yesterday. 


Labor  Board  Rules 
On  Union  Contracts 

Washington,  Jan.  21. — The  Na- 
tional Labor  Relations  Board  again 
adhered  to  its  ruling  that  a  closed 
shop  does  not  prevent  employes  from 
transferring  to  another  union  at  the 
expiration  of  the  contract.  In  another 
important  decision,  the  board  ruled 
that  an  oral  understanding  between 
an  employer  and  a  union  does  not  bar 
another  union  from  obtaining  a  collec- 
tive bargaining  election. 

The  cases  involved  Rutland  Court 
Owners,  Inc.,  of  Washington,  and  El- 
sor,  Inc.,  of  Chicago,  manufacturers  of 
electrical  equipment,  respectively. 


34  Ideas  for  NBC 
Program  Promotion 

Thirty-four  different  exploitation  and 
promotion  activities  for  the  NBC 
series,  "That  They  Might  Live,"  are 
included  in  a  press  book  prepared  by 
the  network.  The  series,  which  started 
on  Sunday,  is  a  part  of  the  American 
Red  Cross  recruiting  drive  for  Army 
and  Navy  nurses,  nurse's  aides  and 
home  nursing  students.  The  press  book 
was  sent  to  all  NBC  affiliated  stations. 


W.  B.  Lewis  Named  to 
New  OWI  Radio  Post 

Washington,  Jan.  21. — Appoint- 
ment of  William  B.  Lewis,  chief  of 
the  Domestic  Radio  Bureau  of  the 
Office  of  War  Information,  as  an  as- 
sistant director  of  the  domestic  branch 
in  charge  of  plans  and  production  was 
announced  tonight. 

A  successor  to  Lewis  as  chief  of  the 
Radio  Bureau  is  expected  to  be  an- 
nounced next  week. 


FILL.  KsV?-  * 


Alert, 


to  the 


Picture 
Industry 


tion 


M  OTIOITT* I C  T  U  KE 

DAILY 


First  In 


and 

Impartial 


53.  NO.  16 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  MONDAY,  JANUARY  25,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Ticket  Tax  Up 
$58,553,000  in 
1942  Over  '41 


N. 


Y.  Collections  Double 
Previous  Year's 


Washington,  Jan.  24. — -Treas- 
ury revenue  from  the  Federal  ad- 
mission tax  in  1942  amounted  to 
$146,372,271,  compared  with  $87,- 
819,000  in  1941,  according  to  fig- 
ures just  compiled  by  the  Internal 
Revenue  Bureau. 

The  major  part  of  the  increase  in 
receipts  was  the  result  of  the  1941 
tax  law,  which  eliminated  the  admis- 


A  table  of  admission  tax  col- 
lections by  months  in  1941  and 
1942  will  be  found  on  Page  4. 


sion  exemptions,  the  effect  of  which 
was  reflected  in  collections  for  only 
the  last  two  months  of  that  year. 

The  bureau's  report  showed  that 
collections  reached  a  new  all-time 
high  in  December  at  $15,922,909, 
compared  with  $11,310,821  in  Novem- 
ber. Of  that  increase,  slightly  more 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


Illinois  Run  Award 
Reversed  on  Appeal 


The  arbitration  appeal  board  re- 
versed an  arbitrator  at  the  Chicago 
tribunal  and  dismissed  the  spscific  run 
complaint  of  Steve  Bennis,  operator 
of  the  Freeport,  Freeport,  111.,  against 
the  five  consenting  distributors  in  a 
decision  made  public  on  Friday. 

The  arbitrator  originally  had  en- 
tered an  award  in  favor  of  Bennis  in 
which  he  held  that  the  refusal  of 
Loew's,  RKO,  20th  Century-Fox  and 
Vitagraph  to  grant  the  Freeport  first 
run  of  their  product  was  an  arbitrary 
action  influenced  by  the  fact  that  the 
Patio,  Freeport,  was  a  part  of  the 
Publix  Great  States  circuit,  to  which 

(Continued  on  page  4) 

Sherman  Lists  Ten 
'43  Films  for  U.  A. 

Ten  Harry  Sherman  productions  to 
be  made  for  United  Artists  release 
this  year  will  include  two  Richard 
Dix  starring  vehicles,  an  announce- 
ment stated.  One  starring  Joel  Mc- 
Crea  will  be  made  in  Technicolor,  and 
the  balance  of  the  schedule  consists 
of  six  Hopalong  Cassidys  and  a  his- 
torical drama,  it  was  announced. 


Walker  Gets  LL.D.  at 
Manhattan  College 

Frank  C.  Walker,  Postmas- 
ter General  and  newly  elected 
Chairman  of  the  Democratic 
National  Committee,  yester- 
day received  the  honorary 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  at 
the  90th  commencement  exer- 
cises of  Manhattan  College. 
Archbishop  Francis  J.  Spell- 
man  presided  at  the  exercises. 


Court  Queries  Realty 
Deals  by  Momand; 
Trial  in  3rd  Week 


By  T.  L.  BUTTERFIELD 

Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  24. — Several 
hundred  more  distributor-exhibitor 
contracts  were  beginning  to  be  filed 
Friday  as  the  second  week's  session 
of  the  A.  B.  Momand  anti-trust  action 
being  heard  before  Federal  Judge 
Bower  Broaddus  came  to  a  conclu- 
sion. 

The  filing  is  expected  to  be  finished 
by  tomorrow  afternoon,  after  which 
Momand  will  resume  the  stand  in  his 
own  behalf  to  go  into  details  of  the 
events  which  led  up  to  dissolution  of 
his  circuit  through  the  alleged  con- 
spiracy of  the  distributor-producer  and 
Griffith  company  defendants. 

Momand  on  Friday  completed  testi- 
mony designed  to  place  into  the  record 
details  as  to  the  purchase  and  dispo- 
sition of  each  of  his  properties  as  well 
as  specific  information  as  to  policies 
in  their  operation,  and  similar  data. 

During  this  testimony  with  regard 
to  two  real  estate  developments  pur- 
chased for  theatre  building  purposes, 
Judge  Broaddus  stated  that  he  could 
not  see  how  the  defendants  could  be 
made  liable  for  damages  to  these 
properties  on  which  no  development 

(Continued  on  page  2) 


WPB  SEES  FURTHER 
CUTS  IN  RAW  STOCK 

Demands  of  U.  S.  Services  May  Cause  Added 
Curtailment,  Industry  Committee  Is  Told; 
Conservation  for  Newsreels  Discussed 


M-G-M  Future 
Blocks  to  Be 
More  Than  5 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  24. — Possibilities  of  further  cuts  in  35mm.  film  al- 
loactions  for  the  motion  picture  industry  were  raised  Friday  at  a  con- 
ference between  the  Motion  Picture  Advisory  Committee  and  War  Pro- 
duction Board  officials. 

Members  of  the  committee 
were  warned  by  Harold  B. 
Hopper,  Chief  of  the  WPB  Mo- 
tion Picture  Section,  that  in- 
creased demands  for  film  by  the 
Army,  Navy  and  Board  of  Eco- 
nomic Warfare  have  made  the 
commodity  more  critical  than 
ever. 

His  disclosure  to  the  film  repre- 
sentatives followed  a  lengthy  discus- 
sion Thursday  with  the  Film  Man- 
ufacturers' Advisory  Committee  of  the 
possibilities  of  increasing  the  produc- 
tion of  35mm.  film  without  interfer- 
ing with  the  output  of  other  types 
equally  needed  in  the  war  effort. 

Confronted  by  the  possibility  of 
further  cuts,  the  producers'  committee 
devoted  much  of  its  time  to  considera- 
tion of  efficiencies  both  in  the  making 
of  pictures  and  in  distributon,  under 
the  restrictions  of  the  limitation  order 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


M-G-M  will  continue  its  policy  of 
releasing  blocks  of  more   than  five 
features  at  a  time,  home  office  sales 
officials  said  on 
Friday    follow-  i 
ing    their  re- 
turn   from  the 
s  t  udio     where     I  £ 
they  viewed  re-  } 
cently  complet- 
ed   f  e  a  t  u  res.  C* 
The   home  of- 
fice   delegation  . 
was  headed  by  ) 
William  F. 
Rodgers,  vice 
p  r  e  s  i  dent  in 
charge    of    dis-  H 
tribution.  ,  ...Mmj^^^^M 

The  com- 
pany's    third        William  Rodgers 
block  will  con- 
sist of  either  10  or  12  features,  it  was 
stated,  corresponding  to  the  two  pre- 

(Continued  on  page  2) 


20th-Fox  Starts  New 
Exploitation  Dep't 


Roosevelt  Praises  'Dimes 9 
Drive  in  Letter  to  Schenck 


Recognition  of  and  a  tribute  to  the 
results  of  the  industry's  March  of 
Dimes  drive  last  year  was  made  by 
President  Roosevelt  in  a  personal  let- 
ter to  Nicholas  M.  Schenck,  national 
chairman  of  the  industry's  1943  drive, 
which  was  made  public  over  the  week- 
end. 

President  Roosevelt  gave  his  ap- 
proval in  the  letter  for  the  conduct 
of  the  drive  by  theatres  from  Feb. 
18  to  24,  rather  than  in  the  week  of 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Ditcham  May  Head 
GFD  Temporarily 

London,  Jan.  24.— Frank  Ditcham, 
sales  head  of  General  Film  Distribu- 
tors, may  be  designated  to  head  the 
company  for  the  time  being,  it  is 
learned.  GFD  has  been  without  an 
official  head  since  the  death  of  C.  M. 
Woolf.  The  company  handles  Uni- 
versal distribution  here. 

In  the  event  that  John  Woolf,  son 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


A  new  special  exploitation  depart- 
ment will  be  set  up  at  the  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox studios  as  an  adjunct  of  the 
home  office  advertising  and  publicity 
department  under  Hal  Home,  Eastern 
director,  and  in  conjunction  with  the 
Western  publicity  department  under 
Harry  Brand,  the  company  announced 
on  Friday. 

Richard  Condon,  Eastern  publicity 
manager,  will  head  the  new  depart- 
ment at  the  studio.  He  will  be  suc- 
ceeded here  by  Jack  Goldstein.  A 
(Continued  on  page  2) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Review  of  "The  Meanest 
Man  in  the  World,"  Page  4. 
Critics'  Quotes,  Page  6.  Key 
city  box-office  reports,  Pages 
6  and  7.  Off  the  Antenna, 
Page  8.  Mexico  City  notes, 
Page  7. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  January  25,  1943 


Art  Entries  Made 
In  Academy  Awards 


Personal  Mention 


Hollywood,  Jan.  24. — Nominations 
in  art  direction  achievement  divisions 
of  the  Academy  of  Motion  Picture 
Arts  &  Sciences  15th  annual  awards 
were  announced  over  the  week-end. 

Each  studio  art  department  selects 
its  outstanding  achievement  in  black 
and  white  and  color  films.  Finalists 
in  black  and  white  films  are  "George 
Washington  Slept  Here,"  Warner 
Bros. ;  "Magnificent  Ambersons," 
Mercury-RKO;  "Pride  of  the  Yan- 
kees," Goldwyn-RKO ;  "Random 
Harvest."  M-G-M ;  "Shanghai  Ges- 
ture." Pressburger-U.  A. ;  "Silver 
Queen,"  Sherman-U.  A. ;  "The  Spoil- 
ers," Universal;  "Take  a  Letter, 
Darling,"  Paramount ;  "Talk  of  the 
Town,"  Columbia  ;  "This  Above  All," 
20th  Century-Fox. 

Entries  in  the  color  classification 
include  "Arabian  Xights."  Wanger- 
Universal ;  "Captains  of  the  Clouds," 
Warner  Bros. ;  "Jungle  Book,"  Korda- 
U.  A-;  "My  Gal  Sal,"  20th  Century- 
Fox  ;  "Reap  the  Wild  Wind,"  De- 
Mille-Paramount. 

The  art  direction  awards  committee 
will  start  viewing  entries  on  Tuesday. 


N.  J.  Allied  Sponsors 
Blind-Checking  Bill 

Trextox,  Jan.  24. — Allied  T.  O.  of 
Xew  Jersey  is  the  sponsor  of  an  anti- 
blind  checking  measure  introduced  in 
the  state  legislature  here  recently,  a 
current  bulletin  from  the  organization 
discloses. 

ihe  bulletin  urges  all  members  to 
attend  a  "joint  special  legislative 
meeting"  of  the  North  and  South  Jerv 
sey  units  at  the  Stacy-Trent  Hotel 
here,  Feb.  1.  "in  order  to  show  our 
strength  before  the  speakers  at  the 
meeting  and  in  the  Assembly  and  Sen- 
ate on  that  day." 

Scheduled  to  speak  at  the  meeting 
are  Senator  Harold  Eastwood,  senate 
majority  leader,  and  David  Wilentz, 
attorney  general. 


Local  F  51,  Exchange 
Office  Union,  Elects 

Jack  Finkelstein  of  RKO  was 
chosen  president  of  "front  office"  ex- 
change workers  Local  F  51,  IATSE. 
in  the  first  election  held  by  the  group 
since  its  affiliation  with  the  AFL 
about  six  months  ago.  Others  elected 
were  Irving  Barron  of  Paramount, 
vice-president ;  Mildred  Weber  of 
Warner  Bros.,  treasurer :  Eleanor 
Howard  of  Warner  Bros.,  financial 
secretan- ;  Gertrude  Reiman  of  War- 
ner Bros.,  recording  secretary,  and 
Murray  Blutreich  of  RKO,  sergeant- 
at-arms. 


Roddick  Drive  Chairman 

Halifax,  X.  S..  Jan.  24.— R.  S 
Roddick,  regional  manager  for  the 
Famous  Players  Canadian  Corp..  has 
been  named  district  chairman  in  the 
drive  for  the  Canadian  Aid  for  Rus- 
sia Fund. 


TO  SUR-LEASE  very  desirable  three 
room  apartment,  unfurnished,  con- 
veniently located.  Lease  rental  SI 25 
per  month.  What  do  you  offer  to 
October  1st?  Box  2S0.  Motion 
Picture  Dailv. 


CARL  LESERMAX  left  for  the 
Coast  on  Friday. 

• 

Herbert  Alpert,  former  assistant 
manager  of  the  Lyric,  Bridgeport,  is 
now  in  England  in  the  service. 
• 

Hal  Horxe  will  arrive  in  Cali- 
fornia today. 

• 

S.  P.  Eagle  has  returned  to  Holly- 
wood from  Xew  York. 

• 

Mike  Peccerrello,  former  assistant 
at  the  Globe.  Bridgeport,  is  stationed 
at  Camp  McCoy,  Wis. 

• 

Dax-  Cummixgs,  former  stage 
manager  of  the  Paramount.  Xew 
Haven,  is  on  the  .S\.S".  Seattle,  a  train- 
ing ship. 


MAX  MILDER,  managing  direc- 
tor in  Britain  for  Warner  Bros., 
is  expected  on  the  Coast  tomorrow 
from  Xew  York. 

• 

Regixald  Armour,  managing  direc- 
tor of  Walter  Disney  Productions,  has 
arrived  in  London. 

• 

Joseph  Moskowitz  left  for  the 
Coast  over  the  weekend. 

• 

Robert  Youxgsox,  who  has  been 
writing  Navy  training  scripts  for 
RKO  Pathe  Xews,  enters  the  Army 
Signal  Corps  at  Astoria  Studios  as 
a  senior  script  writer  in  a  civilian 
capacity. 

• 

Albert  Sixdlixger  has  left  for 
Hollywood. 


A.  L.  Erlanger  Estate 
Shrunk  to  $271,000 

A  final  accounting  of  the  estate  of 
Abraham  Lincoln  Erlanger,  theatrical 
producer  reputedly  worth  $75,000,000 
at  the  time  of  his  death  in  1930  and 
whose  will  was  hotly  disputed  in  court 
10  years  ago,  revealed  that  assets  of 
onlv  $271,000  are  on  hand  against  lia- 
bilities of  $4,139,000. 

Another  accounting  filed  in  Surro- 
gate's Court  was  of  the  will  of  Giulio 
Gatti-Casazza,  general  manager  of  the 
Metropolitan  Opera  from  1908  to  1935, 
who  left  a  gross  estate  of  $266,735. 

Isidore  Witmark,  co-founder  of  M. 
Witmark  &  Sons,  music  publishers, 
.eft  a  gross  estate  of  $61,557  with  a 
.vet  value  of  $33,726.  according  to  an 
accounting  filed. 


National,  Louisville, 
Is  Sold  for  $100,000 

Louisville.  Jan.  24. — The  Xational 
Theatre.  one-time  Keith-Orpheum 
house,  dark  for  the  past  several  years, 
has  been  purchased  by  A.  J.  Hoff- 
man, head  of  an  Evansville,  Ind., 
construction  firm,  from  the  Louisville 
Title  and  Insurance  Co..  trustee,  for 
approximately  5100,000. 

A  short  term  lease  on  the  house  has 
been  taken  by  Harry  Schwartz,  Lex- 
ington. Ky..  exhibitor.  Hoffman  said. 
The  two  will  endeavor  to  re-establish 
the  Xational  as  a  leading  local  theatre 
on  a  combination  film  and  vaudeville 
policv.  it  was  said.  The  house  seats 
2.700  and  cost  about  $1,000,000  when 
new. 


Gillham  Leaves  for 
Studio  Conferences 

R.  M.  Gillham.  Paramount  adver- 
tising and  publicity  director,  left  for 
the  Coast  on  Saturday  to  discuss  with 
studio  officials  preliminary  plans  for 
merchandising  "For  Whom  the  Bell 
Tolls."  He  will  spend  about  10  days 
on  the  Coast  conferring  with  Y.  Frank 
Freeman,  studio  head :  B.  G.  DeSylva. 
production  head ;  Sam  Wood,  produc- 
er-director of  the  picture,  and  George 
Brown,  studio  advertising  head. 


W.  B.  Club  Buys  Bonds 

Philadelphia.  Jan.  24. — A  total  of 
SI 20.942  in  war  bonds  and  stamcs  has 
been  nurchased  to  date  by  the  Phila- 
delphia Warner  Club.  Al  Zimbalist, 
oresident.  announced.  This  includes  in- 
dividual purchases  in  addition  to  the 
10  per  cent  payroll  deduction  plan. 


Trailer  Ready  for 
Prisoner  Aid  Drive 

A  two-minute  trailer  with  narration 
by  Ben  Grauer.  XBC  announcer,  has 
been  prepared  for  use  in  three  test 
campaigns  for  War  Prisoners'  Aid  to 
be  conducted  in  theatres,  the  War 
Activities  Committee  announced.  The 
trailer,  urging  contributions  of  musical 
instruments  and  athletic  equipment  for 
prisoners,  will  be  "tested"  in  Roches- 
ter, New  Haven  and  Pittsburgh. 


R"chester.  X.  Y.,  Jan.  24. — "Give 
Him  Courage  to  Live"  is  the  slogan 
that  will  keynote  the  War  Prisoners 
Aid  Committee  test  campaign  here 
Feb.  1  to  7,  it  was  announced. 


Xew  Haven,  Jan.  24. — A  campaigr 
sponsored  by  the  local  WAC  to  col- 
lect musical  instruments  and  athletic 
equipment  for  prisoners  of  war  will  be 
held  here  Jan.  25  to  31.  it  was  an- 
nounced. 


DeBra  Will  Address 
Worcester  Censors 

Worcester.  Mass..  Jan.  24. — Ar- 
thur DeBra.  director  of  research  for 
the  MPPDA.  is  scheduled  to  be  the 
principal  speaker  at  the  annual  dinner 
of  the  Worcester  Board  of  Motion 
Picture  and  Theatre  Review  here 
Thursday  night.  The  board  is  in 
charge  of  local  censorship.  Civic 
leaders  have  been  invited  to  attend. 


Bowling  Funds  to  Drive 

Prize  monies  realized  from  a  bowl- 
ing match  between  the  Century  Cir- 
cuit and  Empire  State  Operators 
Union  have  been  given  to  the  United 
Xations  Fund,  it  was  announced 
Headed  by  Abe  Kindler,  the  Empire 
team,  which  won  the  match,  included 
X.  Pitta.  P.  Elarde.  B.  Strauss,  I. 
Ricca  and  A.  Schnall.  The  Century 
squad  included  J.  R.  Springer.  M. 
Greene,  M.  Nicholas,  L.  Rosenthal. 
W.  McDeavitt  and  K.  Williams. 


Leon  J.  Bamberger,  who  served  as 
campaign  director  for  the  United  Xa- 
tions Week,  has  completed  his  assign- 
ment and  has  resumed  his  duties  as 
sales  promotion  manager  for  RKO.  it 
was  announced. 


Hollywood,  Jan.  24. — Warner  Bros 
announced  that  United  Nations  Week 
collections  at  the  Strand  Theatre 
here  totaled  $5,117  and  at  the  Holly- 
wood $2,910. 


20th-Fox  Starts  New 
Exploitation  Dep't 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

group  of  field  publicity  men  will  work 
under  Condon's  direction  and  in  co- 
operation with  the  company's  regular 
exploitation  staff,  which  is  headed  by- 
Rodney  Bush  of  the  home  office  de- 
partment. 

William  Danziger,  assistant^to 
Home,  has  been  placed  in  char  A  m. 
trade  paper  advertising  and  '*S\v 
York  opening  campaigns  in  addition 
to  his  other  duties,  it  was  also  an- 
nounced. 

"Heard  Around"  in  Motion  Pic- 
ture Daily  on  Jan.  21  revealed  that 
Hal  Horne  would  set  up  a  special  ex- 
ploitation department  at  the  studio 
and  that  Richard  Condon  would  head 
it. 


M-G-M  Will  Sell  in 
Blocks  More  Than  5 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

ceding  blocks.  Indications  are  that 
"The  Human  Comedy,"  William 
Saroyan  story  starring  Mickey 
Rooney,  will  be  sold  separately,  it  was 
said. 

Howard  Dietz  will  confer  with 
home  office  sales  officials  on  a  selling 
plan  for  the  picture  when  he  returns 
to  Xew  York  next  week  after  view- 
ing the  picture  at  the  studio. 


Court  Queries  Realty 
Deals  by  Momand 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

had  been  made.  He  informed  George 
Ryan.  Momand  counsel,  that  he  would 
have  to  produce  "very  conclusive"  ci- 
tations Monday  if  he  did  not  wish 
these  requests  for  damages  ruled  out 
at  that  time. 


Getschal  Joins  W.B. 

Bud  Getschal  has  joined  the  War- 
ner Bros,  advertising  department  and 
will  work  under  Gilbert  Golden,  it 
was  announced  by  Mort  Blumenstock. 
advertising  and  publicity  director  in 
the  East.  He  formerly  was  with 
Paramount. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QTJIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLV1N  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
Xew  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President:  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager: 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue.  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau.  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup.  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan. 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


A  HAL  B.  WALLIS  PRODUCTION 


I 


HUMPHREY  INGRID  PAUL 

BOGART-  BERGMAN  •  HENREID 

in"CASABLANCA"„ith 

CLAUDE  RAINS  •  CONRAD  VEIDT  •  SYDNEY  GREENSTREET 
PETER  LORRE  •  Directed  by  MICHAEL  CURTIZ 

Screen  Plav  by  Julius  J.  &  Philip  G.  Epstein  and  Howard  Koch   •   From  a  Play  by 
Murray  Burnett  and  Joan  Alison  ■   Music  by  Max  Steiner 


4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  January  25,  1943 


W.  P.  B.  Sees 
Further  Cuts 
In  Raw  Stock 


Roosevelt  Praises  'Dimes 9 
Drive  in  Letter  to  Schenck 


Review 


"Meanest  Man  in  the  World" 

(20th  Century-Fox) 

T  ACK  BENNY'S  innate  good  nature  saves  him  from  becoming  a  per- 
manent  "Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  and  his  wit  contributes  to 
making  the  film  of  that  title  pleasant  entertainment.    Rochester  is  in 
this  one,  too,  with  his  usual  support  for  Benny  and  a  feather  or  two  in 
his  own  cap. 

There's  additional  marquee  star  attraction  in  Priscilla  Lane,  who  has 
the  role  of  the  small  town  girl  for  whom  Benny  attempts  to  make  his 
fortune  as  a  lawyer  in  the  big  city.  It's  a  hard  struggle  for  the  kind- 
hearted  fellow  to  get  along  until  he  finally  hits  on  the  idea  that  to  be 
mean  is  to  be  successful. 

The  plan  works  up  to  a  point  and  then  the  fireworks  begin.  Miss 
Lane  throws  Benny  over  despite  all  his  attempts  at  explaining  his  build- 
up as  a  guy  who  dispossesses  old  women  from  their  homes  and  takes 
candy  away  from  babies.  Rochester  talks  his  boss  into  his  on-the-sur- 
face  career  of  hate  and  also  gets  him  out  of  his  troubles  by  placating 
Miss  Lane.  Anne  Revere  performs  ably  as  Benny's  long  suffering  New 
York  secretary. 

The  film  is  short,  running  57  minutes.  Taken  from  a  play  of  the 
same  title  by  George  M.  Cohan,  the  script  was  by  George  Seaton  and 
Allan  House.  William  Perlberg  produced  and  Sidney  Lanfield  directed. 
Running  time,  57  minutes.  "G."* 


Safe-Cracker  Misses 
Safe,  Cracks  Sound 

Cleveland,  Jan.  24. — A  bur- 
glar fell  18  feet  through  a 
skylight  of  the  Lexington 
here  and  landed  on  the  the- 
atre's sound  amplifying  mech- 
anism. Police  found  him  hid- 
ing under  the  seats  in  the 
auditorium  but  an  accomplice 
who  had  attempted  to  crack 
the  theatre's  safe  escap  1 
through  a  side  exit.  ^ 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

authorizing  the  use  of  only  302,000,- 
000  feet  of  35mm.  during  the  first 
quarter  of  this  year. 

While  several  companies  were 
known  to  be  disturbed  by  the 
cut,  because  of  the  fact  that 
allocations  were  based  on  con- 
sumption in  1941,  when  they 
were  operating  at  very  low 
levels,  so  far  as  could  be  as- 
certained, however,  there  is 
little  likelihood  that  any  reme- 
dial action  can  be  taken  at  this 
time. 

A  conservation  program  for  news- 
reels  was  discussed  as  one  possible 
means  of  stretching  the  supply  of 
him  available  to  the  individual  com- 
panies, although  both  Government  of- 
ficials and  industry  representatives 
agreed  that  they  are  performing  a 
very  valuable  function  and  should  not 
be  crippled. 

It  was  suggested  that  the  producers 
seek  to  limit  their  newsreels  to  an 
average  of  750  feet  and  that  the  dis- 
tributors attempt  to  work  out  a  meth- 
od of  maintaining  present  coverage 
with  a  smaller  number  of  prints. 

Some  consideration  was  given  to 
the  internal  footage  used  in  produc- 
tion, based  on  a  report  showing  that 
the  waste  in  Technicolor,  largely  in 
processing,  is  much  greater  than  the 
two  per  cent  experienced  with  black- 
and-white. 

In  their  review  of  conditions,  the 
commitee  found  that  16mm.  film  also 
is  becoming  scarce,  but  no  recom- 
mendations were  made  immediately. 
However,  it  was  said,  all  phases  of 
the  film  situation  will  be  further 
studied  before  the  next  meeting  of 
the  group. 

Executives  at  Meeting 

Among  those  attending  the  confer- 
ence were :  Barney  Balaban  and  W. 
B.  Cokell,  Paramount ;  Tom  J.  Con- 
nors, 20th  Century-Fox;  N.  Peter 
Rathvon  and  Sidney  Kramer,  RKO ; 
Joseph  Hazen  and  A.  W.  Schwalberg, 
Warner  Bros. ;  J.  Robert  Rubin  and 
Alan  Cummings,  Loew's ;  Herman 
Robbins,  National  Screen  Service ; 
Gradwell  L.  Sears,  United  Artists ; 
John  J.  O'Connor  and  Thomas  Mead, 
Universal ;  Arthur  Lee,  Artlee  Corp. ; 
W.  G.  Brennan,  Columbia ;  W.  C. 
Ament,  Pathe;  O.  H.  Briggs,  Pro- 
ducers Releasing ;  Edmund  Reek  and 
Anthony  Muto,  Movietone  News. 

Government  representatives  present 
included:  R.  B.  Murray,  Army  Mo- 
tion Picture  Service ;  Capt.  Harry 
Davidow,  Products  Branch,  Resources 
and  Production  Division,  War  De- 
partment, and  Dudley  P.  Felt,  director 
of  the  WPB  Consumers  Durable 
Goods  Division. 

Ditcham  May  Head 
GFD  Temporarily 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

of  the  former  GFD  head,  could  be 
released  from  Army  service,  it  is  be- 
lieved that  he  would  be  made  manag- 
ing director.  No  successor  to  Woolf 
has  been  named  by  the  Gaumont  or 
other  companies  in  which  he  held  im- 
portant posts. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


( Continued  f 

the  President's  birthday,  Jan.  30,  to 
avoid  conflict  with  the  United  Na- 
tions' campaign  just  concluded. 

At  the  same  time,  C.  C.  Moskow- 
itz,  co-chairman  of  the  March  of 
Dimes  drive  in  the  industry,  asked  ex- 
hibitors to  write,  not  wire,  a  birthday 
greeting  to  the  President  in  time  to 
reach  the  White  House  by  Jan.  30, 
mentioning  in  their  communications 
that  their  theatres  will  participate  in 
the  March  of  Dimes  drive. 

"Such  a  demonstration  of  loyalty 
and  affection,"  Moskowitz  said,  "is 
bound  to  hearten  our  Commander-in- 
Chief  and  let  him  know  that  the  the- 
atre men  of  America  are  behind  him." 

Text  of  Letter 

The  text  of  President  Roosevelt's 
letter  to  Schenck  follows : 

"I  am  delighted  to  learn, 
through  Basil  O'Connor,  of  the 
generous  offer  which  you  and 
your  associates  have  made  in  con- 
nection with  the  1943  fund-raising 
effort  of  the  National  Foundation 
for  Infantile  Paralysis. 

"Your  suggestion  that  the  drive 


rom  page  1) 

in  the  motion  picture  theatres  be 
conducted  during  the  week  of 
Feb.  22,  instead  of  the  last  week 
in  January,  is  agreeable  to  me. 
The  Birthday  Celebration  must, 
of  course,  go  on  in  the  month  of 
January  but  naturally  there  should 
be  no  interference  with  the  mo- 
tion picture  campaign  which  has 
been  scheduled  for  the  United 
Nations  in  the  middle  of  January. 

"1  think  you  know  how  much 
I  value  the  magnificent  perform- 
ance of  the  motion  picture  theatres 
in  the  National  Foundation's 
1942  campaign,  and  I  hope  that 
this  year's  effort  will  be  equally 
as  successful." 


Approve  British  Pact 

London,  Jan.  24. — The  British 
Film  Producers  Association  has  rati- 
fied the  new  studio  basic  agreement 
with  labor  unions  agreed  upon  re- 
cently. It  is  expected  that  the  Asso- 
ciation of  Cinematograph  Technicians, 
acting  for  the  unions,  also  will  ratify 
the  agreement  soon. 


Illinois  Run  Award 
Reversed  on  Appeal 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

the  first  run  was  sold.  Paramount, 
as  owner  of  a  substantial  interest  in 
Great  States,  was  dismissed  from  the 
action. 

The  award  was  appealed  by  Loew's, 
20th  Century-Fox  and  Great  States. 
In  reversing  the  arbitrator  and  dis- 
missing the  complaint,  the  appeal 
board  held  that  the  sales  practice  had 
been  established  in  Freeport  before 
Bennis  took  over  operation  of  his  the- 
atre there.  The  board  also  ruled  that 
Bennis'  theatres  offered  no  better  rev- 
enue possibilities  to  the  distributors 
than  they  were  realizing  from  the 
Patio  and  their  action  in  refusing  to 
make  a  change,  therefore,  could  not  be 
regarded  as  "arbitrary." 


Clearance  Award  to 
Sheridan,  North  Chicago 

Chicago,  Jan.  24. — Harold  J.  Clark, 
arbitrator,  ruled  here  that  clearance 
granted  the  Times  Theatre,  Wau- 
kegan,  111.,  over  the  Sheridan,  North 
Chicago,  is  unreasonable  as  to  area 
on  the  grounds  that  the  Sheridan  is  in 
the  clearance  area  known  as  "City  of 
Chicago,  General  Release,"  and  that 
the  Times  is  outside  that  area. 

He  awarded  the  Sheridan  Theatre 
its  request  for  second  week  of  general 
release  from  Vitagraph  and  RKO. 
This  had  been  agreed  to  by  Vitagraph 
during  the  hearings. 


U.  S.  Ticket  Tax 
Returns  Up  in  '42 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
than  $2,000,000  was  concentrated  in 
the   Third   New   York  (Broadway) 
District,  where  collections  rose  from 
$1,317,362  to  $3,378,752. 

A  special  report  for  the  district 
showed  that  $3,186,086  was  collected 
in  December  from  box-office  admis- 
sions, against  $1,193,458  in  November  ; 
$14,983  from  tickets  sold  by  brokers, 
against  $8,934;  $2,511  from  tickets 
sold  by  proprietors  in  excess  of  the 
established  price,  against  nothing ; 
$51  from  permanent  use  or  lease  of 
boxes  and  seats,  against  nothing ;  and 
$175,120  from  admissions  to  roof  gar- 
dens and  cabarets,  against  $115,170. 

Monthly  collections  for  both  years 
are  shown  in  the  accompanying  table. 


Assigned  to  Pa.  Sales 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  24.  —  Reuben 
Pearlman  has  joined  the  local  Co- 
lumbia exchange  as  salesman  for  the 
Harrisburg,  Pa.,  territory,  succeeding 
Joseph  Schaeffer,  who  has  been  as- 
signed the  Philadelphia  city  territory. 


'41-42  Admission  Tax  Collections 


Washington,  Jan.  24 

Because  of  the  difference  in  .tax  bases  in  1941  and  1942  no  comparison 
of  the  collections  for  the  two  'years  is  possible.  However,  the  monthly 
collections  showing  the  variations  in  each  year  are  given  in  the  following 


table :  1942  1941 

January    $11,355,639.41  $6,583,277.97 

February    9,769,397.59  6,495,283  66 

March    10,592,455.22  7,104,956.34 

April    10,788,463.32  5,627,394.21 

May   11,803,921.97  6,955,991.27 

June    11,550,144.36  5,880,649.30 

July   12,484,881.17  6,760,861.38 

August    12,436,303.79  '  7,330,283.72 

September    13,662,336.81  6,444,950.05 

October    14,694,996.93  6,812,275.12 

November    11,310,821.36  10,411,197.95 

December    15,922,909.43  11,412,678.66 


I  did  it  for 
my  Uncle  Sam  I 
He's  depending 
on  every  patriotic 
Showman  to  book 
it — and  fast!" 


INCOME  TAX  BUREAU 

:  2De£catrte/ 


7 


WALT 

ISMS 

DONALD 
DUCK 

ti 


FREE  ONE  SHEET 

(From  Your  National  Screen  Exchange) 


A  SWELL  REEL 
GRATIS  FOR  A 
BIG  WAR  JOB! 

Donald  Duck's  "The  Spirit  of  '43"  will  help  Uncle  Sam  collect  the 
biggest  Income  Tax  bill  in  history! 

It  prepares  new  tax-payers  as  well  as  old  ones  for  their  duty — and 
does  it  in  the  gay  Disney  way! 

-Because  of  celluloid  quotas  there  is  a  limited  supply  of  prints. 

-Bookings  must  begin  at  once  to  cover  all  theatres  by  March  15th. 

-Write  or  wire  today  to  your  National  Screen  Branch. 


'Sponsored  by  War  Activities  Committee,  1501  Broadway,  N.  Y.  C. 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  January  25.  1943 


Critics 9  Quotes  .  .  . 


"SHADOW  OF  A  DOUBT"  (Universal) 

When  Alfred  Hitchcock  is  right  nothing  else  on  the  screen  can  come  close 
to  the  excitement  and  suspense  he  gets  into  a  completely  engrossing  mystery 
story.  And  boy,  how  right  he  is  in  "Shadow  of  a  Doubt."  He  gives  his 
audience  a  nerve-wracking  time  and  leaves  them  in  a  spell  of  enthusiasm 
that  lasts  for  hours. — Alton  Cook,  New  York  World  Telegram. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  you  will  want  to  see  this  picture.  Just  re- 
member to  enjoy  it  as  it  goes  along.  It  lives  and  excites  in  its  moments. 
When  the  picture  ends  it  leaves  very  little  behind,  except  possibly  a  new 
resolution  to  examine  more  closely  the  characters  and  intentions  of  ah 
charming,  courtly  uncles  from  far  away. — Archer  Winsten,  New  York  Post. 

Alfred  Hitchcock  has  reverted  to  a  straight  melodramatic  technique  in 
"Shadow  of  a  Doubt."  Since  the  company  has  been  brilliantly  selected  and 
subordinates  its  acting  to  the  main  business  of  a  curious  horror  tale,  it  is 
an  altogether  superior  motion  picture. — Howard  Barnes,  New  York  Herald 
Tribune. 

It's  a  fine  suspenseful  murder  melodrama,  built  around  a  plot,  short  on 
material,  but  directed,  produced  and  acted  so  excitingly  that  it  shapes  up 
as  one  of  the  season's  entertainment  aces. — Lee  Mortimer,  Nczv  York  Daily 
Mirror. 

There  is  sufficient  sheer  excitement  and  refreshing  atmosphere  in  the 
film  to  compensate  in  large  measure  for  its  few  disappointing  faults.  Alfreo 
Hitchcock  ...  is  bringing  in  another  bumper  crop  of  blue-ribbon  shivers 
and  chills  in  Jack  Skirball's  diverse  production  of  "Shadow  of  a  Doubt."— 
Bosley  Crowther,  New  York  Times. 

"COMMANDOS  STRIKE  AT  DAWN"  (Columbia) 

After  a  two-year  absence  from  the  movies,  Paul  Muni  has  certainly  re- 
turned with  what  may  literally  be  described  as  vengeance  in  "Commandos 
Strike  At  Dawn."  .  .  .  And  whatever  the  faults  of  the  picture — however 
stagey  parts  of  it  may  be  .  .  .  the  fact  is  quite  clearly  apparent  that  Mr.  Muni 
had  his  heart  and  soul  in  it  and  that  its  most  affecting  moments  are  largely 
due  to  him. — Bosley  Crowther,  Nczv  York  Times. 

For  the  greater  part  of  its  footage,  "Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  is  a 
familiar,  sometimes  sensational  drama  of  Nazi  terror  in  a  conquered  country 
— Norway,  in  this  case — and  of  a  peaceful  people  turned  avengers.  Then, 
living  up  to  its  title,  this  Columbia  production  presents  the  most  explicit 
and  exciting  picture  of  a  Commando  action  shown  to  date  in  this  country.— 
Newsweek. 

No  namby-pamby  fare  is  this  newest  war  film  of  Director  John  Farrow  .  .  . 
Canadian  Commandos  .  .  .  enact  a  raid  to  help  Norway  that  is  not  often 
matched  for  gripping,  breath  catching  excitement. — Look  magazine. 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  packs  tremendous  power,  and  it  is  a  photo- 
play that  is  going  to  be  as  mighty  with  the  "trade"  as  it  is  with  the  critics. 
.  .  .  From  first  to  last,  here  is  a  picture  to  tie  you  to  your  chair  and  keep 
you  there. — Karl  Krug,  Pittsburgh  Sun-Telegraph. 

Warm  and  rich  and  stirring  is  this  story  of  a  tiny  Norwegian  village  that 
refuses  to  live  under  the  yoke  of  Nazism.  It  is  a  simple  story,  simply  told ; 
and  it  is  powerful  because  of  its  simplicity. — Harriet  Gould,  Liberty. 

Quietly,  but  with  a  trenchant  suspense  that  at  times  approaches  the  agon- 
izing, "The  Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  builds  to  its  inevitable  climax,  the 
blistering  commando  raid  on  the  secret  German  air  base  along  the  coast  of 
Norway,  builds  steadily  through  scenes  of  horrible  brutality  and  choking 
sacrifice.  "Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  is  right  out  of  Hollywood's  top 
drawer  and  those  final  20  minutes  are  straight  from  hell  itself. — Harold  V. 
Cohen,  Pittsburgh  Post-Gazette. 

"STAND  BY  FOR  ACTION"  (M-G-M) 

This  exciting  melodrama  of  the  United  States  Navy  in  action  is  high  on 
entertainment  value  and  low,  praise  be,  on  the  sort  of  romantic  fiddle-faddle 
that  has  half-spoiled  so  many  otherwise  promising  pictures.  .  .  .  The  pic- 
ture. .  .  has  a  sense  of  spaciousness,  of  salt  air  and  of  inescapable  masculine 
virility  that  should  make  it  as  appealing  to  women  as  it  is  to  men. — Elinor 
Hughes,  Boston  Herald. 

Despite  its  infantile  plot  and  characters  who  bear  no  convincing  re- 
semblance to  men  of  the  U.  S.  or  any  other  navy,  "Stand  By"  is  fast,  better- 
than-average  entertainment. — Time  Magazine. 

Heart-warming  and  inspiring  is  this  epic  of  the  antiquated  World  War 
destroyer  .  .  .  which  is  resurrected  and  polished  up  after  Pearl  Harbor  and 
sent  back  to  the  wars.  Better  than  many  more  highly-touted  war  pictures 
in  both  entertainment  and  morale-building  value,  there  is  no  romantic  non- 
sense about  "Stand  By  For  Action." — D.  A.  J.,  Philadelphia  Bulletin. 

"Stand  By  For  Action"  has  a  lot  of  good  action  but  not  enough  and  some 
of  the  efforts  to  provide  laughs  seem  a  bit  in  bad  taste.  There  are  plenty 
of  stars  in  the  film  who  do  all  right  with  what  they  are  supplied  and  it's 

a  shame  that  the  play  couldn't  have  been  made  of  stronger  stuff.  Dick 

Fortune,  Pittsburgh  Press. 

You'll  be  flabbergasted  and  amused.  But  you'll  also  be  horrified  more  than 
somewhat  at  the  manner  in  which  the  talents  of  Charles  Laughton,  Robert 

Taylor  and  Brian  Donlevy  have  been  ground  up  in  the  hash  of  script.  Rob 

Reel,  Chicago  Herald- American. 


Coe  to  Speak  in  Hub 
On  Films'  War  Role 

Charles  Francis  Coe,  vice-president 
and  general  counsel  of  the  MP  PDA, 
will  make  the  first  of  a  series  of  pub- 
lic talks  on  the  war  role  and  contri- 
butions of  the  industry  at  the  Adver- 
tising Club  of  Boston,  Feb.  16. 

His  talk  will  cover  the  entire  range 
of  industry  war  activities,  from  the 
smallest  theatre  to  the  largest  studio. 
It  is  understood  that  it  will  serve  as 
a  pattern  for  subsequent  addresses 
which  he  will  make  to  both  public  and 
trade  groups  throughout  the  country. 

The  story  of  the  industry's  war  role 
is  associated  with  consideration  being 
given  to  an  institutional  advertising 
campaign,  under  study  for  some  time 
by  the  MPPDA  board  of  directors 
and  the  Industry  Service  Bureau.  No 
formal  action  on  the  campaign  has 
been  taken  yet,  however,  it  is  stated 
by  company  officials. 

A  field  press  force  consisting  of 
Gordon  White,  Mark  Larkin  and 
Duke  Hickey  has  been  formed  by  the 
ISB  to  further  the  effort  of  placing 
the  industry's  war  contributions  before 
the  press  and  public.  Indications  are 
that  they  will  be  assigned  to  terri- 
tories for  initial  work  in  the  way  of 
correlating  field  activities  with  Coe's 
appearances. 


Frigid,  Car  less  N.  H. 
Beats  Path  to  Shows 

New  Haven,  Jan.  24. — In  spite  of 
severe  cold  and  the  pleasure  driving 
ban,  theatres  downtown  continued  to 
hold  up  well.  The  Loew-Poli  with 
"Reunion  in  France"  and  "Dr.  Gilles- 
pie's New  Assistant"  took  $9,500  and 
was  moved  to  the  College  for  a  second 
week.  At  the  College  "The  War 
Against  Mrs.  Hadley"  and  "Man  in 
the  Trunk"  grossed  $3,300. 

Estimated  takings  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  21 : 

"The  War  Against  Mrs.  Hadley"  (M-G-M) 
"Man  in  the  Trunk"  (20th-Fox) 

COLLEGE — (1,627)     (40c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $3,300.    (Average,  $2,900) 
"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 
"Dr.   Gillespie's  New  Assistant"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW-POLI— (3,005)     (40c-50c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $9,500.     (Average,  $9,000) 
"The  Glasa  Key"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,373)    (40c-50c)   7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  $5,500) 
"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.A.) 

ROGER  SHERMAN— (2,067)  (40c-50c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $6,000.     (Average,  $6,000) 


Better  Films  Group 
Urges  End  of  Duals 

Worcester,  Mass.,  Jan.  24.  —  A 
resolution  urging  the  elimination  of 
double  features  for  the  duration  and- 
pledging  "publicity  and  support  for 
the  important  contribution  of  the  film 
industry  in  winning  the  war"  has 
been  adopted  by  the  Worcester  Better 
Films  Council. 

The  resolution  also  urged  producers 
to  "create  films  which  stimulate  patri- 
otism through  a  truthful  yet  emphatic 
portrayal  of  the  nation's  war  effort." 


MGM  Buys  'Expendable' 

M-G-M  announced  the  purchase  of 
W.  L.  White's  book,  "They  Were 
Expendable,"  dealing  with  the  Navy's 
motor  torpedo  boats  during  the  fight- 
ing on  Bataan.  The  Navy  depart- 
ment has  given  approval  to  the  deal, 
it  was  announced. 


Salesman  in  Cincinnati 

Cincinnati,  Jan.  24. — Max  Birn- 
baum,  former  student  salesman,  has 
been  made  salesman  at  the  Warner 
exchange  here. 


Rochester  Man  Missing 

Rochester,  Jan.  24.  —  John  W. 
Junot  II  of  Bausch  &  Lomb  Opticai 
Co.  was  reported  missing  in  action 
by  the  Navy  Department. 


Chicago  WAC  Plans 
School  Scrap  Drive 

Chicago,  Jan.  24. — The  War  Ac- 
tivities Committee  of  the  Chicago  area 
will  enlist  the  support  of  600,000  pub- 
lic and  parochial  school  children  next 
month  to  collect  vital  scrap  materials 
in  what  is  expected  to  be  one  of  the 
biggest  salvage  drives  ever  to  be  con- 
ducted by  motion  picture  thejicres. 
Free  tickets  to  "Munitions  Ma(?R> h" 
on  Feb.  20  and  27  will  be  used  a^he 
incentive  in  the  drive,  which  will  be 
held  Feb.  8  through  Feb.  19. 

Arrangements  for  school  coopera- 
tion were  made  at  a  meeting  of  the 
exhibitors  and  representatives  of  the 
two  school  systems  held  in  the  office 
of  James  B.  McCahey,  Superintendent 
of  Schools.  Distribution  of  tickets 
will  be  handk-d  by  principals  and 
teachers. 

An  extensive  publicity  campaign 
using  radio,  newspapers  and  other  me- 
dia will  get  underway  shortly,  it  was 
announced.  Prizes  in  the  form  of 
plaques  and  certificates  of  merit  will 
be  awarded  by  the  salvage  committee 
of  the  WPB.  Support  for  the  drive 
has  already  been  pledged  by  Illinois 
Allied  and  all  independent  and  affili- 
ated circuits,  it  was  said. 


Omaha,  Jan.  24. — A  drive  for  cop- 
per and  brass  items  sponsored  by  the 
Omaha  Variety  Club  has  started  in 
the  Omaha  trade  territory,  compris- 
ing Nebraska,  Western  Iowa  and 
Southern  South  Dakota.  The  cam- 
paign, conducted  in  conjunction  with 
the  WPB  and  WAC,  will  continue 
to  Feb.  13. 


Elect  Mclntyre  Head 
Of  Omaha  Operators 

Omaha,  Jan.  24. — R.  L.  Mclntyre, 
Orpheum  Theatre  projectionist,  who 
left  to  handle  sound  and  projection 
work  for  the  war  effort,  was  elected 
president  of  Local  343,  IATSE,  for 
the  duration,  at  the  annual  business 
meeting.  Alvin  Kostlan  of  the  Bran- 
deis,  first  vice-president,  was  elected 
acting  president,  and  Jerry  Reeves, 
Omaha,  was  named  acting  first  vice- 
president. 

Other  officers,  all  re-elected,  are : 
Shep  Owen,  second  vice-president ; 
Clyde  Cooley,  recording  secretary ; 
Baird  Loomis,  treasurer ;  Glenn  Jor- 
dan, financial  secretary ;  Howard 
Jackson,  business  agent. 


Canadian  Pioneers 
Plan  'Movie  BalV 

Toronto,  Jan.  24. — C.  F.  Mavety, 
Archie  Laurie,  Ben  Cronk,  S.  B. 
Taube  and  Walter  Kennedy  have  been 
appointed  as  the  committee  of  the  Ca- 
nadian Picture  Pioneers  to  organize 
the  Movie  Ball  and  Old  Timers'  Stage 
Show  at  the  Royal  York  Hotel,  To- 
ronto, to  raise  funds  for  war  chari- 
ties. The  function  will  be  held  in 
March.  Because  of  wartime  condi- 
tions and  transportation  difficulties, 
the  Pioneers  will  forego  seeking  film 
stars  for  the  occasion. 


Chicago  Club  Installs 

Chicago,  Jan.  24. — Frank  Flaherty 
has  been  installed  as  president  of  the 
Reel  Fellows  Club  here.  He  said  that 
the  club  will  assist  families  of  film 
salesmen  in  the  service  and  members 
of  the  club  whenever  there  is  a  need. 


Monday,  January  25,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Balto,  in  Upturn; 
'Voyager,'  $19,000 


Notes  from  Mexico  City 


Baltimore,  Jan.  24. — Indications 
are  that  the  public  is  fast  becoming 
adjusted  to  the  pleasure  driving  ban 
here.  Although  not  back  to  former 
peaks,  local  box-office  returns  show 
an  increase  over  the  initial  slump  fol- 
lowing the  ban  on  pleasure  driving. 
The  weekend  was  near  normal  and 
in-y^ — :ral  instances,  capacity  audiences 
wsy.  Reported. 
j>  Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  21 : 

"Whistling  ui  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 

CENTURY— (3,000)  (28c-44c  and  55c  dur- 
ing weekends)  7  days.    Gross:  $12,500.  Av- 
erage, $12,000) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Uhiv.) 

KEITH'S — (2,406)  (15c-28c-33c-44c  and  55c 
during   weekend)   7   days.     Gross:  $16,500. 
(Average,  $10,000') 
"The  Black  Swan,"  (ZOth-Fox) 

NEW — (1.581)  (15c-28c-35c-55c)  7  days, 
4th  week.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Average,  $8,000) 
"Now  Voyager"  (W.B.) 

STANLEY— (3,280)  (15c-28c-39c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $19,000.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

HIPPODROME— (2,205)  (28c-39c-44c-55c- 
66c)  7  days.    Stage  show  with  Bobby  Sher- 
wood and  his  Orchestra,  and  others.  Gross: 
$17,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"The  Great  Impersonation"  (Univ.) 

MAYFAIR— (1,000)      (20c-40c)     7  days. 
Gross:   $6,000.     (Average,  $6,000) 
"The  Avengers"  (Para.) 

MARYLAND— (1,300)  (35c-5Sc)  7  days. 
(Opening  week).  Gross:  $9,000.  (Average, 
$9,000) 


Mexico  City,  Jan.  24 

THE  Cinematographic  Industry 
Chamber,  organized  here  recently 
under  the  presidency  of  Gen.  Juan  F. 
Azcarate,  chief  of  Mexico-Espafia- 
Argentina  Films  and  a  former  diplo- 
mat, has  advised  all  producers,  dis- 
tributors, exhibitors  and  studio  pro- 
prietors that  they  must  register  their 
membership  with  it  by  Jan.  31  or 
incur  the  penalties  the  law  provides 
for  industrialists  and  businessmen 
who  fail  to  register  with  the  chamber 
that  represents  their  line  of  endeavor. 


Patrons  in  the  high  galleries 
of  the  Cine  Hippodromo,  a  sub- 
sequent run  theatre  and  the 
leading  one  in  Tacubaya,  his- 
toric local  suburb,  had  a  thril- 
ling experience  when  during  a 
fire  of  undetermined  origin  that 
broke  out  during  a  matinee 
when  the  place  was  crowded, 
they  were  escorted  by  firemen 
down  ladders  of  the  apparatus 
the  department  was  using  for 
the  first  time.  There  were  no 
casualties.  Damage  was  esti- 
mated at  $3,000. 


The  national  supreme  court  has  up- 
held the  sentence  of  five  years'  im- 
prisonment imposed  upon  Sabino 
Lopez  Ramirez,  a  local  man  who  in- 
spired Mario  Moreno,,  vice  president 
of  Posa  Films,  S.  A.,  and  Mexico's 
leading  tramp  comedian,  to  enact  the 
character  "Cantinflas,"  typical  Mexi- 
can hobo,  which  he  has  portrayed  in 
many  pictures  and  on  the  stage.  He 
was  convicted  of  killing  a  comrade  in 
an  altercation. 

• 

President  Manuel  Avila  Camacho 
has  appointed  Emilio  Azcarraga, 
president  of  the  company  of  his  name 
that  operates  the  Cine  Alameda, 
select  first  run  theatre,  and  the  Bu- 
careli,  subsequent  run,  and  radio  sta- 
tions XEW  and  XEQ  here,  chairman 
of  the  employers'  section  of  the  Insti- 
tute of  Social  Insurance.  The  Presi- 
dent ordered  this  Institute  established 
to  supervise  the  functioning  of  na- 
tional social  insurance. 

• 

Two  of  the  latest  Russian  pictures, 
"Moscow  Attacks"  and  "Tania,"  have 
been  brought  here  for  exhibition  by 
Metropolitan  Films.  Both  pictures 
are  being  shown  exhibitors. 


OP  A  Calls  in  600 
'Pleasure'  Drivers 

Albany,  Jan.  24.— The  OPA 
announced  that  about  600  car 
owners  in  Eastern  New  York 
have  been  summoned  before 
ration  boards  to  explain  vio- 
lations of  the  "no  pleasure 
driving"  order.  Government 
attorneys  are  expected  to 
prosecute  violators. 


Omaha  Defies  Cold; 
'Story'  Draws  $8,800 


Omaha,  Jan.  24.— First-run  theatres 
here  enjoyed  generally  good  business 
despite  a  cold  wave  which  cut  into 
week-end  grosses.  "The  Palm  Beach 
Story"  grossed  a  nice  $8,800  at  the 
Orpheum. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  20-21 : 

"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 
"Wings  and  the  Woman"  (RKO) 

BRANDEIS— (1.200)     (30c-35c-44c-50c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $4,800.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"Who  Dome  It?"  (Univ.) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

OMAHA— (2,000)  (30c-35c-50c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.     Gross:  $8,100.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"The  Devil  with  Hitler"  (U.A.) 

ORPHEUM — (3.CC0)  (30c-35c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $8,800.     (Average,  $8,000) 


SHOULD   PROVE  WINNER  WHEREVER   SHOWN  -  Daily  Variety 


JOHNNY  DOUGHBOY        jane  withers 


with   HENRY   WILCOXON  •   PATRICK  BROOKS 

WILLIAM   DEMAREST  •   RUTH    DONNELLY  and  members  of  the  20  minus  club  BOBBY  BREEN  •  BABY  SANDY  .  "ALFALFA"  SWITZER  .   "SPANKY"  McFARLAND 
BUTCH  AND  BUDDY  .  CORA  SUE  COLLINS  .  ROBERT  COOGAN  .  Director  JOHN  H.  AUER  .  Screen  play  by  LAWRENCE  KIMBLE  .  Original  story  by  FREDERICK  KOHNER 
A   REPUBLIC   PICTURE  •  IBUY    U.  9.  WAR  BONDS 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  January  25,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


RADIO'S  progress  during  the  last  two  decades  will  be  overshadowed 
by  its  post-war  applications,  Thomas  H.  Belviso,  manager  of  NBC's 
music  library  division,  said  yesterday  in  an  address  at  the  commencement 
exercises  of  Bethany  College,  Bethany,  W.  Va.  He  pointed  out  that  the 
same  electronic  devices  now  being  used  destructively  by  the  armed  forces 
will  raise  living  conditions  to  new  high  standards  in  peacetime.  Belviso 
received  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Music  at  the  exercises. 

•  •  a 

Purely  Personal:  Shep  Chartoc  has  been  named  publicity  director  of 
WBBM,  Chicago,  succeeding  James  Kane,  who  has  been  appointed  assistant  to 
George  Crandall,  CBS  director  of  publicity.  .  .  .  Frances  Scott,  master  of 
ceremonies  for  NBC's  "Let's  Play  Reporter"  program,  discussed  "Trends  in 
Radio"  at  a  meeting  of  the  Women's  National  Republican  Club's  Business 
Women's  Forum  on  Thursday.  .  .  .  Kay  Kyser  and  Edgar  Bergen  will  be  co- 
starred  in  an  RKO  musical,  tentatively  titled  "Keep  'Em  Smiling,"  it  was 
announced.  .  .  .  N.  Ray  Kelly  of  NBC's  production  staff  has  been  appointed 
assistant  Eastern  division  production  manager  in  charge  of  dramatic  shows. 
.  .  .  Rev.  Patrick  J.  Masterson,  assistant  executive  secretary  of  the  National 
Legion  of  Decency,  will  speak  on  Mutual's  "Radio  Chapel"  Sunday. 

•  •  • 

A  series  of  lectures  for  college  students  in  the  San  Francisco  area  has 
been  launched  by  NBC-KPO  department  heads,  under  the  direction  of 
John  W.  Elwood,  general  manager  of  KPO.  Station  executives  have 
already  addressed  classes  at  Stanford  University  and  San  Francisco 
Junior  College  on  aspects  of  production. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  An  award  for  distinguished  service  to  safety  was 
presented  to  "The  Lone  Ranger,"  sponsored  by  General  Mills,  Inc.,  on 
54  Blue  stations,  on  Saturday  by  the  National  Safety  Council.  .  .  .  Starting 
Friday,  H.  V.  Kaltenborn  will  be  heard  on  WEAF  Fridays  as  well  as 
Mondays  through  Wednesdays  at  7:45  p.  m.  .  .  .  World  problems  of  war 
and  peace  are  discussed  by  school  children  on  a  new  WMCA  series 
which  started  yesterday.  .  .  .  Hill  Brothers  Co.  and  Drygoods  Retailers, 
Inc.,  have  been  added  to  the  list  of  participating  sponsors  on  Mary  Mar- 
garet McBride's  WEAF  program.  .  .  .  WMCA  inaugurated  a  new  series 
of  Navy  programs,  "It's  Navy  Time,"  on  Saturday  at  9:45  p.  m.  .  .  .  The 
annual  meeting  of  the  N.  J.  State  Board  of  Agriculture  will  be  covered 
each  morning  this  week  by  Morton  Emmert,  WEAF  farm  editor,  on  his 
program,  "The  Modern  Farmer."  .  .  .  "The  Kate  Smith  Hour"  will 
broadcast  Friday  from  the  Naval  Air  Station  at  Lakehurst. 

»      •  • 

To  the  Service:  Joe  Hazel,  WJZ  sports  commentator,  reports  to  Camp 
Upton  on  Wednesday.  .  .  .  Pvt.  John  Springer,  formerly  film  commentator  for 
WHAM,  Rochester,  and  publicity  head  for  the  Little  Theatre  in  that  city,  is 
stationed  at  Miami  Beach,  Fla. 

•  •  • 

NBC  executives,  members  of  several  departments  of  the  network  and 
the  staff  of  Free  and  Peters,  radio  station  representatives,  will  be  guests 
Monday  night  at  a  pheasant  dinner  given  by  WDAY,  Fargo,  N.  D.,  at 
the  Ambassador  Hotel  here.  The  main  dish  is  to  be  shipped  in  from* 
Fargo. 


Radio  Salute  to  FDR 
For  March  of  Dimes 

A  one-hour  radio  program,  'Ameri- 
ca Salutes  the  President's  Birthday," 
on  Saturday  will  climax  the  "March 
of  Dimes"  campaign  for  the  National 
Foundation  for  Infantile  Paralysis. 
Mutual,  NBC,  CBS  and  the  Blue  and 
local  stations  including  WNEW, 
WMCA  and  possibly  WHN  will  car- 
ry the  broadcast. 

Clifton  Fadiman  will  open  the  pro- 
gram in  New  York  at  11 :15  p.m. 
with  an  introduction  for  a  Norman 
Corwin  drama,  "Four  Freedoms  Mon- 
tage." Basil  O'Connor,  president  of 
the  Foundation,  will  speak  from 
Washington.  The  Great  Lakes  Naval 
Training  Station  choir  will  then  be 
heard  from  Chicago,  followed  by  a 
switch  to  Luke  Field,  Ariz.,  and  then 
to  Des  Moines.  Chief  Petty  Officer 
Artie  Shaw  and  his  Navy  band  will 
then  play  from  Hollywood,  and  the 
broadcast  will  be  concluded  from  there 
with  talks  by  screen  personalities. 

9  Stars  to  Capital 
For  Birthday  Ball 

Hollywood,  Jan.  24. — Nine  film  ac- 
tors will  go  to  Washington  to  take 
part  in  the  President's  Birthday  Ball 
there,  it  has  been  announced.  They 
are :  James  Cagney,  UA ;  Lynn  Bari, 
Roddy  McDowell,  20th-Fox ;  Edgar 
Bergen  and  Charlie  McCarthy,  RKO  ; 
Janet  Blair,  Columbia ;  Laraine  Day 
and  Robert  Young,  M-G-M ;  Roy 
Rogers,  Republic  and  Loretta  Young, 
Paramount. 


Actors  Record  Talks 
For  Paralysis  Drive 

Transcriptions  of  one-minute  talks 
by  ten  motion  picture  actors  have  been 
made  by  NBC  in  Hollywood  through 
the  Hollywood  Victory  Committee  for 
the  National  Foundation  for  Infantile 
Paralysis.  Those  who  gave  their 
services,  it  was  announced,  are  Bette 
Davis,  Cary  Grant,  Edward  Arnold, 
Mickey  Rooney,  Olivia  de  Havilland, 
Ida  Lupino,  Don  Ameche,  Loretta 
Young,  George  Montgomery  and  Alan 
dd. 


More  Data  Filed  in 
Pickwick  Trust  Suit 

New  Haven,  Jan.  24. — Answers  to 
the  plaintiffs'  interrogatories  in  the 
$5,452,575  anti-trust  suit  of  the  Pick- 
wick Theatre,  Greenwich,  Conn., 
against  the  eight  major  film  compa- 
nies have  been  completed  with  the  fil- 
ing of  additional  answers  by  United 
Artists,  Paramount  and  Vitagraph  in 
the  U.  S.  District  Court  here.  An- 
swers give  complete  schedules  for  the 
years  1929  through  1941,  when  the 
case  was  filed,  for  the  Capitol  and 
Embassy,  Port  Chester,  N.  Y,  show- 
ing titles,  availabilities,  playdates, 
rentals,  terms,  and  similar  informa- 
tion. / 


MBS  Board  Meets 
In  Chicago  Friday 

The  board  of  directors  of  Mutual 
Broadcasting  System  will  meet  on 
Friday  at  the  Blackstone  Hotel,  Chi- 
cago; it  was  announced.  Executive 
committee  sessions  are  scheduled  for 
Wednesday  and  Thursday. 


E.  T.  Darlington  to 
Retain  A.C.A.  Post 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  24. — Edgar  T. 
Darlington,  WFIL  engineer,  has 
withdrawn  his  resignation  and  will 
serve  out  the  remaining  year  and  one- 
half  of  his  term  as  national  executive 
vice-president  of  the  American  Com- 
munications Association  and  head  of 
Broadcast  District  Local  1.  The  ACA 
national  executive  committee  an- 
nounced that  it  refused  to  accept  Dar- 
lington's resignation  reportedly  sub- 
mitted because  of  differences  with  the 
local  here. 

Huh  Chance  Games 
Seen  On  Way  Out 

Boston,  Jan.  24. — Chance  games  in 
theatres  here  and  in  the  suburbs  are 
doomed,  according  to  exhibitors,  who 
are  reported  canceling  them  follow- 
ing the  recent  arrest  of  Harry  Sagan- 
sky,  purported  owner  of  a  night  club 
here. 

It  is  believed  that  Attorney  Gen- 
eral Robert  T.  Bushnell  will  move 
against  houses  featuring  chance  games 
in  the  near  future,  according  to  re- 
ports. 


Katharine  Cornell 
Acts  for  'Canteen' 

Katharine  Cornell,  stage  star, 
played  a  scene  from  "Romeo  and  Ju- 
liet" before  the  cameras  Friday  at 
the  Fox  Movietone  Studios  here,  as 
her  contribution  to  the  Sol  Lesser- 
U.  A.  production,  "Stage  Door  Can- 
teen." Lon  McAllister,  soldier-actor, 
played  opposite  Miss  Cornell.  The 
shooting  schedule  for  this  week  in- 
cludes the  filming  of  parts  by  Gyp- 
sy Rose  Lee,  Judith  Anderson,  Selena 
Royle,  Helen  Menken,  Katharine  Hep- 
burn, Al  Jolson  and  George  Jessel. 

Empire  Theatre  to 
Get  Players'  Plaque 

Mrs.  Franklin  D.  Roosevelt  will 
present  a  plaque  on  behalf  of  the 
Players  Club  to  Lester  Meyers,  owner 
of  the  Empire  Theatre,  in  com- 
memoration of  the  theatre's  50th  an- 
niversary tonight  at  midnight.  The 
presentation  will  be  broadcast  over 
WOR.  Names  of  famous  players  who 
have  performed  at  the  Empire  will 
be  on  the  plaque. 


Post- War  Division 
Revealed  by  CBS 


CBS  revealed  yesterday  that  a  post- 
war division  of  the  program  depart- 
ment, known  as  "Department  X,"  has 
been  functioning  for  the  past  year. 
William  S.  Paley,  president  of  the 
network,  in  a  statement  declared  that 
purpose  of  the  division  is  to  present 
and  clarify  issues  of  post-war  plan- 
ning, and  to  make  available  brc  *'  (st- 
ing  time  for  discussion  of  psiV'j;ent 
issues. 

Lyman  Bryson,  Director  of  Educa- 
tion and  chairman  of  the  Adult  Edu- 
cation Board  for  the  web,  is  in  charge 
of  the  project,  which  has  been  in  ex- 
istence since  Dec.  1,  1941. 

The  statement  said  that  hundreds 
of  plans  being  formulated  by  leaders 
of  thought  and  various  groups  in  re- 
lation to  the  peace  are  being  examined 
by  this  post-war  division.  Weekly 
conferences  by  executives  of  the  net- 
work bring  the  project  up  to  date  at 
all  times,  it  was  said. 


ACA  Training  Course 
For  Announcers  Open 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  24. — Classes  in 
the  10-week  announcing  course,  spon- 
sored in  Philadelphia  by  Local  28  of 
the  American  Communications  Asso- 
ciation in  cooperation  with  station 
managements,  will  start  Tuesday 
night,  it  was  announced.  The  course 
will  be  conducted  by  John  Dillon, 
president  of  the  CIO  local,  and  other 
local  announcers. 

Samuel  R.  Rosenbaum,  president  of 
WFIL  and  chairman  of  the  commit- 
tee of  operation  on  the  ACA  wartime 
training  plan,  praised  the  union  in  a 
statement  on  its  organization  of  the 
training  program  "to  enable  it  to  fill 
gaps  in  the  stations  in  the  face  of 
the  manpower  shortage  created  by 
war  emergency  conditions." 

RCA  Issues  Booklet 
On  Electron  Tubes 

A  booklet  entitled  "Radio  and  Elec- 
tronics" has  been  issued  by  the  Radio 
Corporation  of  America,  dealing  with 
the  development  of  electron  tubes  and 
their  effect  on  modern  life.  Additional 
advancements  are  foreseen  because  of 
war  demands  and  electronic  television 
for  the  home  in  peace-time  is  predict- 
ed. The  book  recalls  that  the  radio 
tube  and  microphone  in  1927  "played 
a  major  role  in  turning  the  silent  films 
into  talking  motion  pictures." 

Ruppel  Given  Leave 
To  Join  Air  Marines 

Louis  Ruppel,  former  head  of  CBS 
publicity  and  now  executive  assistant 
to  the  president  of  the  Crowell-Collier 
Publishing  Co.,  has  been  granted  a 
leave  of  absence  to  accept  a  first  lieu- 
tenant's commission  in  the  Air  Branch 
of  the  Marine  Corps  Reserve.  He  ex- 
pects to  leave  for  Quantico  at  the  end 
of  the  month. 


Toscanini  to  Cincinnati 

Cincinnati,  Jan.  24. — Arturo  Tos- 
canini will  conduct  the  Cincinnati 
Symphony  Orchestra  here  Feb.  13,  it 
was  announced.  The  program  has 
been  arranged  to  fill  in  the  time  dur- 
ing which  the  orchestra  would  have 
been  on  tour  had  not  transportation 
difficulties  interfered  with  its  plans. 


Alert, 


to  the 


Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

ULY 


PLEASE  NOTE 


^  V-T  I 




— -  y»- 

\-4 


53.  NO.  17 


NEW  YORK,  U.  S.  A.,  TUESDAY,  JANUARY  26,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Para.,  W.  B. 
Drop  2  Films 
On  No.  Africa 


War  Dep't  Asked  Halting 
Of  Gen.  Clark  Picture 


Hollywood,  Jan.  25. — Unsettled 
conditions  in  North  Africa  have 
caused  the  postponement  of  one 
Paramount  and  one  Warner  fea- 
ture based  on  characters  prominent 
in  that  phase  of  the  war. 

Paramount's  "Advance  Agent 
in  Africa,"  which  was  to  have 
depicted  the  experiences  of  Ma- 
jor General  Mark  Clark  in  pre- 
paring for  the  Allied  invasion, 
has  been  indefinitely  postponed. 
Approval  of  the  War  Depart- 
(Continued  on  page  12) 


Seventh  Richardson 
4Bluebook'Published 


A  new  edition  of  F.  H.  Richardson's 
"Bluebook  of  Projection"  has  just 
been  published  by  Quigley  Publishing 
Co.  It  is  the  seventh  edition  of  a  work 
that  first  appeared  more  than  30  years 
ago. 

The  new  volume  brings  the  contents 
up-to-date  with  respect  to  both  op- 
erating practices  and  equipment  de- 
sign, and  additionally,  Richardson  has 
used  a  new  arrangement  of  material 
to  facilitate  reference  as  well  as  study. 

Five  chapters  on  general  electricity 
{Continued  on  page  12) 


Pay-as-You-Go  Plan 
1st  on  House  Agenda 

Washington,  Jan.  25.— The 
issue  of  income  tax  collec- 
tions on  a  pay-as-you-go  basis 
will  be  the  first  order  of  busi- 
ness of  the  House  Ways  and 
Means  Committee,  Chairman 
Doughton  stated  today.  Leg- 
islation will  be  acted  upon 
either  tomorrow  or  Thursday, 
he  said.  Treasury  Depart- 
ment officials  have  urged  plac- 
ing tax  collections  on  a  cur- 
cent  basis.  The  chief  contro- 
versy involves  whether  tax- 
payers will  be  "forgiven" 
their  1942  income  tax  liabili- 
ties, as  advocated  by  Beards- 
ley  Ruml,  New  York  banker, 
or  be  made  to  pay  two  years' 
taxes  in  one  year's  time. 


Momand  Relates 
Product  Troubles 
In  2  Okla.  Towns 


Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  25. — "I  could 
obtain  all  the  product  I  needed  for 
all  my  theatres  in  1926-7  but  after 
the  Griffith  Amusement  Company 
came  into  Shawnee  and  Seminole 
against  me,  I  could  obtain  nothing 
from  the  major  distributors  for  the 
next  season  for  these  two  towns,"  A. 
B.  Momand  testified  yesterday  as  the 
third  week  of  his  anti-trust  suit  in 
Federal  District  Court  here  got  under 
way. 

Momand  told  how  all  major  distrib- 
utor managers  were  anxious  to  do 
business  with  him  for  the  1926-7  sea- 
son and  assured  him  at  the  time  that 
thev  would  continue  to  do  business 
with  him  in  the  future,  but  that  these 
same  managers  when  it  came  time  to 
buy  the  next  season's  product  told  him 
deals  for  these  two  cities  had  been 
taken  out  of  their  hands.  Product  for 
these  locations,  he  testified  they  in- 

(Continucd  on  page  3) 


Woollcott  Funeral 
Services  Thursday 

Services  for  Alexander  Woollcott, 
56,  author,  critic,  actor  and  commen- 
tator, who  died  at  Roosevelt  Hosnita1 
Saturday  night,  will/  be  held  here 
Thursday.  He  died  several  hours  after 
he  suffered  a  heart  attack  while  an- 
nearing  on  "The  People's  Platform" 
broadcast  over  CBS.  The  body  will 
be  cremated  and  the  ashes  sent  to 
Lake  Bomoseen,  Vt.,  his  summer 
home. 

Woollcott  was  born  in  Phalanx. 
N.  J.,  and  was  educated  at  a  Phila- 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Army  Seeking  Film, 
Radio  Equipment 

Washington,  Jan.  25.  — 
Urgently  in  need  of  motion 
picture  and  radio  equipment, 
the  Army  Signal  Corps  an- 
nounced today  that  it  has 
sent  a  purchasing  mission  on 
a  tour  of  the  major  cities  to 
buy  up  amateur  equipment. 

All  types  of  both  kinds  of 
material  are  needed,  it  was 
said.  In  the  motion  picture 
field,  cameras,  projectors, 
parts  and  film,  both  35mm. 
and  16mm.  are  sought,  and  in 
radio,  both  transmitting  and 
receiving  apparatus  are 
needed. 


BroadwayBox-office 
Continues  Fast  Pace; 
'China  Girl',  $73,000 


Both  new  product  and  holdovers  did 
strong  business  over  the  weekend, 
Broadway  theatremen  reported  yester- 
day. "China  Girl"  with  Guy  Lom- 
bardo  and  his  orchestra  on  the  stage 
was  heading  for  about  $73,000  in  the 
first  week  ending  tonight  at  the  Roxy 
and  enters  a  second  week  tomorrow. 

It  was  expected  that  "Shadow  of  a 
Doubt"  would  garner  about  $26,000  at 
the  Rivoli  for  the  second  week  ending 
tonight,  which  is  very  good.  The  film 
holds  over.  The  Rialto  grossed  an 
estimated  $5,400,  on  Saturday,  opening 
day,  and  Sunday  with  "Lucky  Jor- 
dan." 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  with  Ben- 
ny Goodman  and  his  band  heading  the 

(Continued  on  page  12) 


A  wait  High  Court  Decision 
On  Review  of  Petrillo  Ban 


McCarthy,  Dunne 
Resign  from  CI  A  A 

The  resignations  of  Charles  E. 
McCarthy  and  Phillip  Dunne  have 
been  accepted  by  Nelson  Rockefeller, 
Co-ordinator  of  Inter-American  Af- 
fairs, it  was  learned  yesterday. 

McCarthy  was  executive  assistant  to 
Francis  Alstock,  head  of  the  Coor- 
dinator's New  York  office,  and  Dunne 
was  a  script  writer.  As  reported  by 
Motion  Picture  Daily  last  week, 
their  resignations  were  tenedered  as  a 
result  of  differences  over  office  pol- 
icy. Before  joining  the  CI  A  A  Mc- 
Carthy was  director  of  advertising 
and  publicity  for  20th  Century-Fox. 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  25. — The  Su- 
preme Court  next  Monday  is  expected 
to  announce  whether  it  will  review  the 
decision  of  the  Chicago  court  in  dis- 
missing the  initial  petition  of  the  De- 
partment of  Justice  for  an  injunction 
against  James  C.  Petrillo's  ban  on  the 
making  of  records. 

An  appeal  from  the  decision  dis- 
missing the  suit  without  hearing  has 
been  filed  by  the  Department  and  is 
being  opposed  by  Joseph  A.  Padway, 
counsel  for  the  American  Federation 
of  Musicians.  The  suit  originally 
was  dismissed  by  Judge  John  P. 
Barnes  of  the  Chicago  Federal  court 
(Continued  on  page  12) 


Albany  Area 
Houses  Study 
3-Day  Closing 

Small  Towns  Reported 
Hit  by  Poor  Grosses 

By  RICHARD  J.  CONNERS 

Albany,  Jan.  25. — Many  thea- 
tres in  the  rural  sections  of  this 
exchange  territory  are  considering 
closing  three  days  a  week  as  at- 
tendance continues  to  dwindle  un- 
der the  ban  on  pleasure  driving  and 
the  fuel  oil  problem  becomes  in- 
creasingly more  difficult. 

The  Community  Theatre,  Saratoga 
Springs,  will  close  tomorrow  for  an 
indefinite  period.  Flagship  of  the 
Benton  Circuit,  the  house  could  not 
be  converted  to  coal  arid  oil  supplies 
are  too  limited  and  uncertain  to  per- 
mit it  to  continue  in  operation,  it  was 
said. 

Theatres  at  Manchester  Depot,  Vt., 
Pine  Plains  and  Copake  already  are 
on  a  four-day  week,  having  eliminated 
Tuesday,  Wednesday  and  Thursday 
performances.  The  Essex,  in  Essex, 
and  the  Hunter  in  Hunter  have  closed 
because  of  the  ban  on  pleasure  driv- 
ing and  plan  to  remain  closed  until 
early  Summer. 

Film  salesmen  working  out  of  local 
exchanges  report  many  rural  theatres 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Local  306  Goes  to 
Court  on  Wage  Cut 

In  what  is  believed  to  be  the  first 
case  of  its  kind  since  the  govern- 
ment's wage  stabilization  order  on 
Oct.  3,  operators'  Local  306  filed  a 
complaint  in  Washington  Heights 
Magistrates  Court  on  Friday  against 
an  exhibitor  on  charges  of  allegedly 
reducing  the  wages  of  three  union 
members. 

Tflie  local  contended  that  Harry 
Karesh,  general  manager  of  the  Real- 
ty and  Amusement  Co.,  Inc.,  operator 
of  the  Park  West  Theatre,  had  com- 
mitted a  misdemeanor  by  offering  the 

(Continued  on  page  12) 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Heard  Around,"  by  Sam 
Shain,  Page  2.  Short  subject 
reviews,  Page  7.  Key  city  box- 
office  reports,  Pages  3,  6,  7  and 
12.  Hollywood  production 
news,  Page  6. 


2 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Tuesday,  January  26,  1943 


'The  Russian  People' 
Bought  by  20th-Fox 

Screen  rights  to  "The  Russian 
People,"  the  Theatre  Guild's  fourth 
play  of  the  season,  have  been  bought 
by  20th  Century-Fox  for  $30,000,  the 
company  announced.  Twentieth  Cen- 
tury-Fox has  a  $17,500  interest  in  the 
play,  it  was  said. 


W.  B.  Buys  'Doughgirls' 

"The  Doughgirls,"  Broadway  "hit" 
comedy  produced  by  Max  Gordon,  has 
been  acquired  for  the  screen  by  War- 
ners at  a  reported  purchase  price  of 
$250,000.  The  film  version  cannot  be 
released  before  June,  1944. 


'Times'  Runs  Ad  On 
Films'  Part  in  War 

A  1,000-line  advertisement  prepared 
by  Donahue  &  Coe,  advertising  agen- 
cy, relating  to  the  motion  picture  in- 
dustry's part  in  the  war  effort,  ap- 
peared Saturday  in  the  New  York 
Times.  The  advertisement  was  the 
seventh  in  a  series  of  16  for  which 
the  Times  is  donating  the  space. 


Storm  in  Hartford 
Hurts  Film  Gross 

Hartford,  Jan.  25. — Theatre  busi- 
ness was  reported  off  last  Saturday 
night  because  of  a  storm.  Roads  were 
ice-covered  and  vehicular  traffic  was 
stalled  throughout  the  night. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN      .     GREER  GARSON 
In  James  Hilton's 

"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN  M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue    .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 

IN  PERSON 

PRESENTS 

BENNY 

'STAR  SPANGLED 

GOODMAN 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

RHYTHM' 

with  43  STARS 

—Extra- 
Frank  Sinatra 

PARAMOUNT    ■    Times  Square 

GENE  TIERNEY  •  GEORGE  MONTGOMERY  •  LYNN  BARI 

CbinaCirf 

n  I  Guy  LOMBARDO  &  Band 

/It  reW<»C  |  nan  WYNN  •  Other  Acts 

ROXY 


BUY  BONDS 


7'h  Ay.  50th  St. 


PALACE 


JON 
HALL 


SABU 


B'WAY  & 
47th  St. 


MARIA 
MONTEZ 


"ARABIAN  NIGHTS" 

—  and  — 
"IT  COMES  UP  LOVE" 
GLORIA  JEAN  IAN  HUNTER 


Loew  s  STATE 


ON  SCREEN 
FRED  ASTAIRE 
RITA  HAYWORTH 

"You  Were 
Never  Lovelier" 


T 


IN  PERSON 

EARL 
CARROLL'S 
VANITIES 


-  Heard  Around  - 

BROADWAY  treasurers  report  .  .  .  that  business  on  Friday  nights  and 
Saturdays  in  the  legitimate  playhouses  is  as  big  as  that  usually  done 
around  New  Year's  .  .  .  that  motion  picture  exhibitors  aver  business  is  so  good 
that  it  takes  only  one  picture  nowadays  to  make  a  successful  Hollywood  pro- 
ducer and  two  to  make  a  sales  manager. 

•  •  • 

Story  of  the  week  .  .  .  the  only  Eastern  society  of  film  men  devoted  -wholly 
to  charitable  purposes  is  the  Motion  Picture  Associates — once  numbering  only 
about  100  members — but,  now,  thanks  to  Bill  Rodgers,  of  M-G-M,  the  mem 
bership  is  around  500.  The  organisation  makes  no  public  solicitation  of  funds, 
dispensing  about  $5,000  or  $6,000  every  year  from  the  annual  membership  dues 
on  approximately  300  cases,  and  on  Feb.  10,  at  a  luncheon  meeting  at  the  Hotel 
Astor,  will  observe  its  24th  annual  installation  of  officers. 

•  •  • 

Don't  be  surprised  ...  if  you  hear  that  "March  of  Time"  officials  are 
holding  discussions  with  film  companies  other  than  20th  Century-Fox, 
through  which  firm  it  is  presently  releasing — because  unless  the  reel 
determines  by  inquiry  from  all  of  the  companies  whether  any  of  them 
can  provide  it  with  sufficient  raw  stock  to  continue  its  program,  "March 
of  Time"  cannot  plead  for  "independent  status"  from  the  Government 
.  .  .  you  see,  under  its  present  arrangement  with  20th  Century-Fox, 
"March  of  Time"  is  classified  as  a  newsreel  and  newsreel  footage  must 
come  out  of  the  overall  raw  stock  requirements  of  a  company,  rather 
than  on  a  separate  basis  .  .  .  and  20th  Century-Fox  can't  put  up  that 
8,600,000  feet  required,  unless  "March  of  Time"  can  win  an  independent 
or  "emergency"  classification  and  thus  be  allowed  footage  on  that 
basis  ...  or  M.O.T.  might  claim  a  raw  stock  allowance  from  RKO,  on  the 
basis  that  that  company's  original  allotment  included  footage  for  M.O.T., 
then  associated  with  it  .  .  .  and  that's  how  John  C.  Flinn  came  to  be  in 
Washington,  the  other  day,  because  as  secretary  of  the  Society  of  Inde- 
pendent Motion  Picture  Producers,  he  sat  in  for  "March  of  Time"  in  the 
Hopper  sessions. 

•  •  • 

Believe  it  or  not  .  .  .  the  Government  wants  the  film  companies  to  surrender 
25  per  cent  of  their  typewriters,  and  if  the  film  firms  give  up  only  10  per  cent 
of  their  writing  machines  purchased  since  1935  these  will  have  aggregated  in 
number  about  25  per  cent  of  all  the  machines  held  by  these  concerns  .  .  .  there 
are  about  865  U.  S.  Army  film  theatres  in  this  country  and  Raymond  B 
Murray,  U.  S.  Army  chief  film  buyer  and  booker,  is  here  to  discuss  the  mat- 
ter of  prints  and  distributor  credits  for  bookings  in  the  hope  of  arriving  at 
some  formula  by  which  the  companies  can  retrieve  their  proper  raw  stock 
expendables  on  army  prints. 

•  •  • 

No  doubt  about  it— Bill  Zoellner,  of  Oklahoma  City,  will  get  that 
choice  M-G-M  spot  in  Atlanta,  under  Charlie  Kessnich,  recently  vacated 
by  Roy  Avey,  who  is  with  Lucas  &  Jenkins  Theatres. 

•  •  • 

Did  you  know  .  .  .  that  John  Cunningham  and  Roy  Winkler,  two  lads  who 
formerly  were  employed  at  Warners,  are  nozv  associated  with  the  John  Buch- 
anan advertising  agency  .  .  .  that  Eugenie  Leontovich,  star  of  "Dark  Eyes," 
which  is  current  at  the  Belasco,  has  a  chaperone  with  her  at  all  times,  who  in 
cidently  is  her  mother-in-law,  Gregory  Ratoff's  mother  .  .  .  that  Bill' Rodgers 
4s  in  Chicago  .  .  .  that  Col.  Darryl  Zanuck  was  reported  in  (own  over  the 
zveekend  .  .  .  that  Mose  Gumbel,  publicist  for  Warner  music  is  heading  West 
to  build  up  a  crescendo  of  ballyhoo  for  the  song,  As  Time  Goes  By,"  from 
the  picture,  "Casablanca"  .  .  .  that  Warners  may  bring  those  Coast  film  critics 
Ion  to  New  York  again  for  the  premiere  of  Air  Force," — or  maybe  Jimmy 
Starr  is  coming  by  himself? 

•      •  • 

Will  20th  Century-Fox  Film  Corp  purchase  the  Chase  Bank's  inter- 
est in  National  Theatres?  Well,  it  is  our  opinion  that  the  company  might 
do  so  and  the  bank  might  sell  were  a  suitable  method  for  transacting  a 
transfer  of  interest  be  devised.  When  a  deal  is  made,  we  think  also  that 
Lehman  Bros,  will  make  it.  The  price?  Oh,  about  $13,000,000. 
  — Sam  Shain 


Expect  200  at  Nat'l 
Variety  Club  Meet 

Additional  reservations  for  the 
Variety  Club  national  convention  to 
be  held  at  the  Blackstone  Hotel,  Chi- 
cago, Feb.  19  to  21,  will  insure  the 
expected  attendance  of  200  officers, 
delegates  and  tent  representatives,  it 
was  announced  yesterday. 


Chicago  Police  Lift 
Ban  on  'Native  Land' 

Chicago,  Jan.  25. — Police  Commis- 
sioner James  P.  Allman  has  over- 
ruled the  censor  board  and  lifted  its 
ban  on  "Native  Land,"  produced  by 
Frontier  Films.  He  took  the  action 
after  viewing  the  film  with  Mayor 
Kelly,  following  protests  against  the 
censor  board's  action. 


Movietone  Appoints 
Muth  Makeup  Editor 

Russell  Muth,  formerly  foreign  edi- 
tor of  Movietone  News,  yesterday  was 
appointed  general  makeup  editor  by 
Edmund  Reek,  producer  and  general 
manager.  Muth,  a  newreel  veteran 
who,  before  the  war  was  in  charge  of 
the  reel's  Paris  office,  replaces  Harry 
Lawrenson,  who  entered  the  Army 
Signal  Corps  last  week. 


TO  SUB-LEASE  very  desirable  three 
room  apartment,  unfurnished,  con- 
veniently located.  Lease  rental  $125 
per  month.  What  do  you  offer  to 
October  1st?  Box  280,  Motion 
Picture  Daily. 


Personal 
Mention 


WILLIAM  J.  KUPPER,  execu- 
tive assistant  to  Tom  J.  Con- 
nors, will  return  from  Jacksonville, 
Fla.,  today,  where  he  visited  his  son, 
William,  Jr.,  who  is  in  the  Army  Air 
Corps,  and  who  was  stricken  with 
pneumonia  recently. 

Jack  Lucy  of  the  Senator,  Val- 
lejo,  Cal.,  has  enlisted  in  the  Navy. 
• 

Pvt.  Gabriel  Rubin,  owner  of  the 
Art  Cinema  Theatre,  Pittsburgh,  is 
now  with  the  313  Bomber  Squadron 
at  MacDill  Field,  Tampa,  Fla. 
• 

Norman  Elson  is  in  Boston  today. 
• 

Pvt.  Joseph  Read,  formerly  assis- 
tant manager  of  the  Warner  Bros. 
Highland  Theatre,  Chicago,  is  re- 
ported at  the  base  hospital  in  San 
Francisco  after  active  duty  in  Cale- 
donia. 

• 

Samuel  Pinanski,  head  of  the  M 
and  P  Theatres,  Boston,  was  elected 
to  the  board  of  the  Roxbury  Boys' 
Club  for  three  years. 

• 

Warren  L.  Slater,  formerly  of 
Eastman  Kodak  Co.,  Rochester,  is  a 
second  lieutenant  navigator  with  the 
California  Group  of  the  Air  Trans- 
port Command. 

• 

John  Turner,  chief  film  buyer  for 
Warner  Theatres,  Philadelphia,  and 
Sue  Remy,  secretary  to  Ellis  Ship- 
man,  of  the  same  circuit,  were  mar- 
ried on  Saturday. 

• 

Hugh  Ward,  former  chief  of  ser- 
vice at  Warner  Bros.  Shore  Theatre, 
Chicago,  has  been  promoted  to  first 
lieutenant  at  Camp  Rucker,  La. 
• 

L.  W.  Conrow,  president  of  Altec 
Service,  has  left  for  the  coast. 

• 

Joseph  A.  DeFiore,  Jr.,  of  Phila- 
delphia, son  of  Joseph  A.  DeFiore, 
manager  of  the  Park,  Wilmington, 
Del.,  and  Florence  Marie  DeTore, 
were  married  last  week. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QTJIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor: 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c 


Tuesday,  January  26,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


'The  Patriots',  Lone 
Drama  Opening  on 
Booming  Broadway 


With  the  second  postponement  of 
"Ask  My  Friend  Sandy,"  this  time 
until  the  week  of  Feb.  1,  Sgt.  Sidney 
Kingsley's  historical  drama,  "The  Pa- 
'  '  tfs,"  is  this  week's  sole  dramatic 
^  —ning,  coming  to  the  National  The- 
atre Friday  evening  with  a  cast  in- 
cluding Raymond  Edward  Johnson, 
Madge  Evans,  Cecil  Humphreys, 
House  Jameson,  Francis  Compton, 
John  Souther  and  Judson  Laire. 
Shepard  Traube  directed,  and  The 
Playwrights'  Company  and  Rowland 
Stebbins  are  producing  the  play. 

Following  last  night's  performance 
of  "Life  With  Father,"  the  audience, 
among  whom  were  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wendell  Willkie,  was  invited  to  re- 
main for  a  ceremony  commemorating 
the  Empire  Theatre's  50th  anniver- 
sary. 

Haila  Stoddard,  Philip  Bourneuf, 
Arthur  Franz,  Will  Geer,  Mary  Lou 
Taylor,  Vera  Allen,  A.  Winfield 
Hoeny,  Frederick  Slemons  and  Grace 
Coppin  are  among  those  cast  in  Jack 
Kirkland's  production  of  "The  Moon 
Vine,"  expected  at  the  Morosco  The- 
atre Feb.  9.  Mr.  Bourneuf,  who  left 
the  cast  of  "Arsenic  and  Old  Lace" 
to  appear  in  the  Kirkland  production, 
has  been  replaced  by  Walter  Wagner. 

Gordon  Sets  Play 

Max  Gordon  has  signed  Joseph  De 
Santis,  Ernest  Graves  and  Guy  Spaull 
for  his  forthcoming  production  of 
"Men  in  Shadow,"  a  melodrama  by 
Mary  Hayley  Bill.  Roy  Hargrave 
will  direct  and  will  also  have  a  lead- 
ing role  in  the  production. 

Elia  Kazan,  who  directed  "The  Skin 
of  Our  Teeth,"  will  also  direct  the 
Helen  Hayes  vehicle,  "Harriet,"  a 
biography  of  Harriet  Beecher  Stowe. 
Others  in  the  cast  are  Joan  Tetzel, 
Helen  Carew  and  Jane  Seymour. 

Jess  Smith  is  producing  "The  Bar- 
ber Had  Two  Sons,"  by  Thomas 
Duggan  and  James  Hogan,  with 
Blanche  Yurka,  Tom  Keene,  Tutta 
Rolf  and  Walter  Brooke  in  the  cast. 
The  production  goes  into  the  Play- 
house on  Feb.  1.  It  was  staged  in 
San  Francisco  and  closed  there  Sat- 
urday night. 


Conn.  MPTO  Elects 
Wilkinson  President 

New  Haven,  Jan.  25. — George  H. 
Wilkinson,  Jr.,  operator  at  the  Wilkin- 
son at  Wallingford,  was  elected  presi- 
dent of  Connecticut  MPTO  at  the  an- 
nual election  meeting  here.  Irving  C. 
Jacocks,  Jr.,  operator  of  the  Branford 
Theatre,  is  treasurer,  Herman  M. 
Levy,  has  been  reelected  executive  sec- 
retary, and  Adolph  G.  Johnson  vice- 
president. 

On  the  new  board  will  serve  all  of- 
ficers and  Hy  Fine,  district  manager 
of  M  &  P  Theatres  ;  B.  E.  Hoffman, 
Warner  Theatres ;  Arthur  H.  Lock- 
wood,  of  Lockwood  and  Gordon,  Bos- 
ton ;  Edwin  Rafhle,  New  Haven ;  A. 
E.  Robbins,  Jr.,  Strand,  Hamden ; 
Peter  Perakos,  New  Britain  and 
Plainville  operator ;  Louis  Schaefer, 
manager  of  the  Paramount,  New 
Haven ;  Harry  F.  Shaw,  Loew-Poli 
division  manager ;  Lou  Brown,  Loew- 
Poli  publicity  director,  and  Irwin 
Wheeler,  Playhouse,  New  Canaan. 


Rural  Theatres  in  Albany 
Area  Study  3-Day  Closing 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

are  averaging  a  gross  oi  $>o  nightly, 
one  tneatre  was  reported  to  nave  nau 
only  lour  patrons  last  Wednesday 
mgnt.  .even  neignoornood  theatres 
aeie  are  reeling  uie  pnicn.  rations, 
once  on  a  dus,  preier  to  go  downtown 
lo  inc  tneatre  wneie  tney  can  ume 
aiierwara.  utners,  stnl  uriving  men 
cars,  aiso  go  aowntown  wncie  tneir 
cars  may  De  panted  near  department 
stores  ana  questioning  is  tnereDy 
avoided. 


Hartford,  Jan.  ^5. —  lneatre  clos- 
ing scnedules  in  tms  city  m  compli- 
ance with  uovernor  ijaidwin  s  re- 
quest tor  reuuction  ui  operations  by 
one-seventh  to  conserve  iuei  oil  were 
agreed  upon  over  tne  weeKeno.  borne 
nouses  win  curtail  their  oauy  opera- 
tions Dy  one-seventn ;  otners  will  close 
one  lun  day  a  week. 

.Local  theatres  adopting  the  six-day 
week:  schedule  are:  WeDster,  Kivoii 
and  State,  closed  Mondays ;  Allyn, 
Colonial,  .Daly,  iL.  M.  Loew  s,  Loew  s 
roll,  Crown,  Princess,  Kegai,  btrana 
and  JNew  Astor,  closed  luesdays; 
.Loew  s  .Foil  .Palace,  Central,  Proven 
rictuies,  Lenox,  nastwood  and  Webb 
Playhouse,  closed  W  ednesdays ;  the 
Lyric  and  Rialto,  closed  Thursdays. 


New  Haven,  Jan.  25. — While  some 
theatres  here  will  reduce  daily  operat- 
ing hours  one-seventh  under  the  state's 
program  of  fuel  conservation,  several 
local  houses  will  close  one  full  day  a 
week.  In  this  group  are  the  Roger 
iherman,  closing  Tuesdays ;  the  Para- 
mount, Thursdays,  and  three  neigh- 
borhood Hamden  houses,  the  Dixwell, 
Strand  and  Whitney,  closing  Wednes- 
days. 

Harry  F.  Shaw,  Loew  Poli  division 
manager,  is  reported  conferring  in 
New  xork  on  the  closing  schedule  for 
that  circuit  locally. 


Pittsburgh,  Jan.  25. — Theatre  at- 
tendance here  has  been  affected  only 
negligibly  by  the  ban  on  pleasure 
driving.  Good  pictures  continue  to 
pack  them  in,  managers  say,  but  in- 
different programs  feel  the  brunt  of 
the  changed  conditions  since  theatre 
attendance  is  no  longer  merely  a  mat- 
ter of  just  dropping  in. 

All  houses  have  shifted  running  time 
to  end  their  last  show  at  11 :45  p.m. 
for  the  convenience  of  patrons  using 
public  transportation.  Managers  are 
considering  making  requests  to  trans- 
portation officials  for  an  increase  of 
Sunday  service. 


Start  Special  Trailer 
For  March  of  Dimes 

Shooting  on  the  special  trailer  for 
the  industry's  March  of  Dimes  cam- 
paign, Feb.  18  to  24,  in  which  Greer 
Garson  will  make  the  appeal  to  the 
public,  was  begun  at  the  M-G-M  stu- 
dios yesterday  by  Frank  Whitbeck, 
it  was  announced  yesterday  by  the 
committee  in  New  York. 

The  WPB  has  approved  the  use  of 
2,000,000  feet  of  film  for  making_  10,- 
000  prints  of  the  trailer.  National 
Screen  Service  will  distribute  it  with- 
out charge  to  theatres  pledging  to 
make  audience  collections  during  the 
campaign  week. 


Pleasure  Driving 
Ban  Hits  Pittsburgh; 
'Witch,'  Kaye  Big 


Pittsburgh,  Jan.  25. — With  the  ban 
on  pleasure-driving  to  encourage  stay- 
at-homes  and  dismally  cold  weather 
to  discourage  even  the  venturesome, 
attendance  at  most  downtown  houses 
is  reported  below  average.  That  a 
strong  bill  overcomes  the  drawbacks, 
however,  was  proved  by  the  $27,000 
grossed  at  the  Stanley  by  "I  Married 
a  Witch"  and  Sammy  Kaye's  orches- 
tra. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  19-21 : 

"Life  Begins  at  8:30"  (20th-Fox) 

FULTON — (1,700)    (30c-40c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $6,600.      (Average,  $7,500) 
"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 

HARRIS— (2,200)     (30c-40c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $10,700.     (Average,  $9,200) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RJKO) 

PENN— (3,400)      (30c-40c-55c)      7  days. 
Gross:  $15,500.     (Average,  $17,000) 
"The  Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

SENATOR— (1,750)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  run.  Gross:  $3,700.  (Average,  $3,400) 
"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.  A.) 

STANLEY  —  (3,800)  (30c-44c-55c-65c). 
Stage:  6  days  of  vaudeville  with  Sammy 
Kaye's  orchestra.  Gross:  $27,000.  (Aver- 
age, $20,000) 

"The    Palm    Beach    Story"  (Para.) 

WARNER— (2,000)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  run.     Gross:  $4,500.     (Average,  $6,500) 


Momand  Relates 
Product  Trouble 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

formed  him,  would  have  to  be  bought 
through  the  home  offices.  Momand 
then  testified  how  home  office  execu 
tives  came  to  Oklahoma  City  and 
made  deals  with  Griffith  officials  be 
fore,  in  some  instances,  he  could  even 
contact  them. 

"I  could  obtain  all  the  major  first- 
run  product  I  needed  for  that  season 
in  my  other  locations  but  not  in 
Shawnee  or  Seminole  against  Grif 
nth,"  Momand  declared.  He  testi- 
fied that  he  could  not  even  obtain 
second-run.  product  for  Shawnee  and 
Seminole  and  had  to  continue  his  op- 
eration with  "poor  quality  and  infer- 
ior pictures." 

Under  questioning  by  George  S 
Ryan,  Momand's  chief  counsel,  he  re- 
lated scores  of  conversations  he  had 
had  with  exchange  managers  in  Okla- 
homa City  during-  these  two  years  in 
which  they  had  expressed  extreme 
pessimism  as  to  his  ability  to  obtain 
major  product  against  Griffith,  they 
having  suggested  to  him  that  he  eith 
er  make  a  deal  to  give  Griffith  half 
his  organization,  so  that  he  might  pro 
tect  the  other  half,  or  move-  out  of 
Seminole  and  Shawnee  into  another 
location  not  competing  with  Griffith 

He  also  testified  to  several  con- 
versations he  had  had  with  local  ex- 
change managers  wherein  they  had 
disclosed  to  him  their  full  knowl- 
edge of  what  he  was  paying  for  pic 
tures  of  other  distributors. 


'Hitler's  Children' 
At  Record  $26,000 
In  Cincinnati  Week 


Cincinnati,  Jan.  25.  —  "Hitler's 
Children"  gave  the  RKO  Albee  the 
record  high  for  recent  years  at  $26,- 
000  on  an  eight-day  run,  including  a 
tremendous  opening  day,  highlighted 
by  personal  appearances  of  Bonita 
Granville,  H.  B.  Warner  and  Gregor 
Ziemer,  author  of  the  book  on  which 
the  picture  is  based.  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy"  continued  strong  with 
$6,300  on  its  fourth  week  at  the  RKO 
Capitol,  while  "The  Powers  Girl" 
turned  in  $13,000  at  the  RkO  Palace. 
Keith's  collected  $6,200  for  the  fourth 
week  of  "Road  to  Morocco,"  and 
"Arabian  Nights"  had  a  $5,700  week 
at  the  RKO  Grand. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  20-23 : 

"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

RKO  ALBEE— (3,300)  (33c-40c-50c)  8 
days.  Gross:  $26,000.  (Average,  7  days, 
$14,000) 

"The  Powers  Girl"  (U.  A.) 

RKO    PALACE—  (2,700)    (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $13,000.     (Average,  $12,000) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

RKO  SHUBERT—  (2,150)  (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $4,500.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

RKO  CAPITOL— (2,000)  (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  6,300.  (Average, 
$5  500) 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

RKO  GRAND— (1,500)  33c-40c-50c),  7 
days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $5,700.  (Average, 

$5,000) 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO1) 

RKO  LYRIC— (1,400)  (28c-33c-42c)  7  days, 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $3,800.  (Average,  $4,- 
000) 

"Silent  Witness"  (Mono.) 
"War  Dogs"  (Mono.) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)  (20c-30c)  4  days. 
Gross:  $1,300.     (Average,  $1,400) 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.) 
"Boston  Blackie  Goes  to  Hollywood"  (Col.) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)  (20c-30c)  3  days. 
Gross:  $1,000.    (Average,  $800) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

KEITH'S—  (1,500)  (33c-4Oc-50c)  7  days, 
4th  week.    Gross:  $6,200.     (Average,  $5,000) 


Woollcott  Funeral 
Services  Thursday 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 
delphia  high  school  and  Hamilton 
College,  Clinton,  N.  Y.  From  1914 
to  1922,  he  was  drama  critic  of  the 
New  York  Times,  followed  by  posts 
on  the  Herald  Tribune  and  the  old 
World. 

Besides  being  a  well-known  radio 
commentator,  he  wrote  a  number  of 
books,  appeared  in  plays  and  in  a  mo- 
tion picture.  His  friends  included 
the  great  in  politics,  in  the  arts  and  in 
practically  all  fields.  Among  them 
were  the  President  and  Mrs.  Roose- 
velt. In  recent  years,  he  had  lived  off 
and  on  at  the  White  House. 

He  was  featured  on  a  sponsored 
radio  program,  "The  Town  Crier"  for 
a  number  of  years.  He  first  appeared 
on  the  stage  in  1931  in  S.  M.  Behr- 
man's  "Brief  Moment." 

In  1935,  he  appeared  in  the  film, 
"The  Scoundrel,"  for  Paramount,  and 
in  1937  and  1939  in  a  group  of  RKO 
short  subjects.  In  1940,  he  played  the 
leading  role  in  the  touring  company 
of  "The  Man  Who  Came  to  Dinner," 
a  brilliant  character  fashioned  on  him- 
self. 


,  A   COLUMBIA  PICTURE 

The  k  f  that's  packing  'em  in  today! 


6 


MOTION  PICTURE  DAILY 


Tuesday,  January  26,  1943 


'Alcatraz'  and 
KrupaBest  in 
S.  F.,  $22,500 


San  Francisco,  Jan.  25— "Seven 
Miles  from  Alcatraz"  with  Gene 
Krupa's  orchestra  on  the  stage  drew 
excellent  $22,500  at  Golden  Gate.  Next 
best  was  $17,000  for  "China  Girl"  and 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  at  the  Fox. 
"Arabian  Nights"  and  "Behind  the  8 
Ball"  at  the  Orpheum  started  well 
with  $13,500  for-  the  week.  Rains 
finally  arrived. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  19-21 : 

"Seven,  Miles  From  Alcatraz"  (RKO) 

GOLDEN  GATE — (2,850)    (44c-55c-65c)  7 
days.    Stage:    vaudeville.    Gross:  $22,500. 
(Average,  $19,500) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Behind  the  S  Ball"  (Univ.) 

ORPHEUM  —  (2,440)     (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days.  Gross:  $13,500.    (Average,  $10,500) 
"Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 
"You  Can't  Escape  Forever"  (W.B.) 

PARAMOUNT—  (2,740)  (20c-35c-5Oc-65c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $10,500.  (Average, 
$13,000) 

"Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"I  Live  on  Danger"  (Para.) 

WARFIELD  —  (2,680)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $12,500.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"China  Girl"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (ZOth-Fox) 

FOX—  (5,000)    (20c-35c-50c-6Sc)  7 
Gross:  $17,000.   (Average.  $18,000) 
"Stand  By  For  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"Seven  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M) 

ST.  FRANCIS— (1,400)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  (Moved  from  Fox).  Gross: 
$6,800.  (Average.  $6,500) 
"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.  A.) 
"American  Empire"  (U.  A.) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,200)  (20c-35c-50c- 
65c)  7  days.  Gross:  $9,800.  (Average,  $8,000) 
"Sacrifice  D'Honneur"  (French) 

CLAY— (400)  (15c-35c-45c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$900.  (Average,  $1,000) 


days 


Notes  from  Hollywood 


Hollywood,  Jan.  25 

U*REDDIE  MARTIN  and  his  orchestra  have  been  signed  for  "What's 
*■  Buzzin',  Cousin  ?",  a  Columbia  picture.  .  .  .  Isobel  Elsom,  one  of 
the  top  Broadway  actresses,  goes  into  the  cast  of  Columbia's  "Attack  by 
Night,"  which  stars  Merle  Oberon  and  Brian  Aherne.  Dorothy 
Arzner  is  directing.  .  .  .  Eddie  Brack- 


Snow  and  Cold  Cut 
Milwaukee  Grosses 


Milwaukee,  Wis.,  Jan.  25. — Only 
theatre  to  turn  in  fairly  good  business 
in  a  week  of  heavy  snows  and  sub- 
zero temperatures  was  the  Riverside 
where  the  Ink  Spots  and  "Eyes  of  the 
Underworld"  on  the  screen  collected 
$13,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  20-23 : 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER — (2,400)    (33c-44c-60c),   7  days. 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $5,000.  (Average.  $8,600) 
"Eyes  of  the  Underworld"  (Univ.) 

RIVERSIDE— (2,700)    (44c-65c).    7  davs. 
Stage:    The    Ink    Spots.    Gross:  $13,000. 
(Average,  $12,000) 
"Panama  Ha  trie"  (M-G-M) 
"Eyes  in  the  Night"  (M-G-M) 

PALACE— (2,400)  (44c-65c),7  days.  Gross: 
56,000.  (Average.  $6,000) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.) 

STRAND— (1,400)  (44c-65c),  7  days.  Gross: 
$1,500.  Average,  $2,000) 
"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 
"Seven  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M) 

WISCONSIN— (3,200)  (44c-65c),  7  days. 
Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $8,300) 


Army  Eyes  Fairgrounds 

York,  Pa.,  Jan.  25.— The  York  In- 
terstate Fairgrounds,  site  of  the  state's 
largest  annual  exposition,  may  be 
taken  over  by  the  Army.  Samuel  S. 
Lewis,  president  and  general  manager 
of  the  fair,  disclosed  that  Army  of- 
ficials "looked  over"  the  grounds.  The 
Army  last  Fall  took  over  the  fair- 
grounds at  neafby  Reading,  also  one 
of  the  largest  expositions  in  the  state. 


en  gets  one  of  he  top  roles  in  C.  B. 
De  Mille's  "The  Story  of  Dr.  Was- 
sell."  .  .  .  Reginald  Owen  will  sup- 
port Greer  Garson  and  Walter 
Pidgeox  in  M-G-M's  "Madame 
Curie."  .  .  .  Among  the  stories  set  for 
Joan  Leslie  at  Warners  is  "I  Wasn't 
Born  Yesterday,"  a  Mark  Helling- 
er  production.  .  .  .  Dinah  Shore 
gets  one  of  the  principal  roles  of  the 
Samuel  Goldwyn  comedy  with  music, 
"With  Flying  Colors."  This  is  the 
film  in  which  Danny  Kaye  will  make 
his  screen  debut,  according  to  Gold- 
wyn plans.  It  will  be  made  in  Tech- 
nicolor from  an  original  screenplay 
by  Don  Hartman  and  Allen  Bo- 
retz.  .  .  .  Dennis  Morgan  has  had 
his  contract  extended  by  Warners 
.  .  .  M-G-M  reenters  the  two-reel  mu- 
sical short  subject  field  with  "Heav- 
enly Music,"  with  Fred  Brady  fea- 
tured. 

•  • 

Erskine  Caldwell  is  set  at 
20th  Century-Fox  to  do  the 
script  for  "The  Grand  Street 
Boys,"  for  Boris  Morros  and 
S.  P.  Eagle.  .  .  .  Agnes  Moore- 
head,  the  New  York  Film  Critics 
Circle  winner  for  the  best  act- 
ing performance  of  1942,  is  set 
for  "Jane  Eyre"  at  the  same 
studio.  .  .  .  Murphy  McHenry, 
assistant  to  George  Brown, 
Paramount  studio  publicity  di- 
rector, has  been  placed  in 
charge  of  special  exploitation 
campaigns. . . .  Armand  Schaefer 
gets  the  production  assignment 
on  the  Republic  picture  to  star 
Al  Pearce  and  His  Gang.  It  was 
formerly  held  by  Fanchon.  .  .  . 
Robert  Benchley  joins  the  cast 
of  RKO's  "The  Sky's  the  Limit." 
.  .  .  Warners  has  changed  the 
title  of  "Murder  on  Wheels"  to 
"The  Last  Ride."  .  .  .  Arnold 
Albert,  short  subject  producer, 
has  been  promoted  to  be  assis- 
tant to  Gordon  Hollingshead. 
head  of  Warners  short  subject 
department.  .  .  .  Sam  Bischoff 
will  produce  Columbia's  "Let 
the  Eagle  Scream,"  an  original 
story  by  Roland  Brown  and 
Frank  Fenton.  .  .  .  Despite  ru- 
mors to  the  contrary.  Penny 
Singleton  has  returned  to  Co- 
lumbia for  the  title  role  in  the 
Blondie  series,  next  of  which 
will  be  "Blondie  Buys  a  Horse." 

•  • 

RKO  has  started  its  musical  "The 
Sky's  the  Limit,"  featuring  Fred  As- 
taire  and  Joan  Leslie,  the  latter 
borrowed  from  Warners.  David 
Hempstead  is  producing  and  Edward 
H.  Griffith  is  directing.  .  .  .  Frank 
Ross,  who  will  produce  the  film  ver- 
sion, and  Alex  Aarons,  stage  pro- 
ducer, have  completed  final  plans  for 
the  production  on  the  London  stage 
of  "The  Robe,"  adaptation  of  Lloyd 
Douglas'  novel.  It  will  open  in 
March,  and  the  film  version  is  ex- 
oected  to  be  released  through  RKO. 
Donna  Reed  has  been  given  the  role 
of  the  "other  woman"  in  "Marriage 
Is  a  Private  Affair,"  set  at  M-G-M 
for  Lana  Turner  and  Gene  Kelly. 
Fred  Zinnemann  will  direct  the  film. 


having  recently  graduated  from  the 
short  subjects  directorial  ranks.  .  .  . 
The  Number  One  song  hit  of  1925, 
"Thanks  for  the  Buggy  Ride,"  will 
be  revived  in  Universal's  "Always  a 
Bridesmaid,"  featuring  the  Andrews 
Sisters,  Patric  Knowles  and  Grace 
McDonald. 

•  • 

Universal  has  signed  Edmund  Jo- 
seph to  develop  an  original  script 
under  the  title  "The  Naughty  Nine- 
ties," which  will  be  used  as  an 
Abbott  and  Costello  vehicle.  .  .  . 
ZaSu  Pitts  draws  a  featured  role 
in  Paramount's  "Let's  Face  It,"  Bob 
Hope  vehicle.  .  .  .  Marjorie  Man- 
ners has  been  signed  for  the  femi- 
nine lead  of  the  fourth  of  Sig  Neu- 
feld's  "Billy  the  Kid"  westerns  fea- 
turing Buster  Crabbe  and  Al  St. 
John.  .  .  .  Arthur  Ripley's  next 
production  for  P.  R.  C.  will  be 
"Strange  Music,"  a  story  with  Cuba 
and  Czechoslovakia  as  its  locales. 
Fred  Torberg  is  writing  the  script. 
.  .  .  Patricia  Morison  has  joined 
Maureen  O'Hara  and  John  Gar- 
field in  RKO's  "The  Fallen  Sparrow." 
Martha  O'Driscoll  also  has  a  sup- 
porting role.  .  .  .  RKO's  mystery  hor- 
ror picture,  "The  Leopard  Man,"  will 
have  Jean  Brooks  appearing  opposite 
Dennis  O'Keefe.  .  .  .  Warners  has 
extended  the  contracts  of  Virginia 
Christine,  Juanita  Stark,  Mar- 
jorie Hoshelle  and  Ross  Ford.  .  .  . 
Seeking  to  stir,  it  hopes,  some  sort 
of  controversy,  Warners  puts  out  the 
story  that  the  choice  of  the  title  role 
in  "The  Life  of  Marilyn  Miller"  has 
been  narrowed  down  to  Joan  Leslie 
and  Alexis  Smith.  Both  girls  are 
under  contract  to  the  studio. 

•  • 

Basil  Rathbone  and  Nigel 
Bruce  who  appeared  together 
on  the  Screen  Guild  program 
last  week  have  donated  their 
AFRA  minimum  paychecks  re- 
ceived for  the  performance  to 
the  Motion  Picture  Relief  Fund. 
. . .  Phyllis  Povah,  one  of  Broad- 
way's best  known  actresses,  has 
been  signed  for  "Let's  Face  It," 
Paramount.  ...  "I  Love  That 
Guy"  is  a  forthcoming  musical 
at  Universal,  Hugh  Wedlock  and 
Howard  Snyder  having  been  set 
to  write  the  original  screenplay 
for  it.  .  .  .  "On  the  Spot"  is  the 
next  Ritz  Brothers  vehicle  at 
Universal.  Mel  Ronson  is  work- 
ing on  the  script.  .  .  .  Carl  Es- 
mond, who  has  been  kicking 
around  indiscriminately  in  Hol- 
lywood productions  for  some 
time,  gets  the  role  of  a  Dutch 
Army  officer  in  C.  B.  De  Mille's 
"The  Story  of  Dr.  Wassell."  Es- 
mond, an  Austrian  citizen,  ex- 
pects to  get  his  final  American 
citizenship  papers  this  week. 


Bad  Weather 
Reduces  Film 
Gross  in  Loop 


'a  Mi 


Chicago,  Jan.  25. — A  two-day  snow 
storm  followed  by  sub-zero  tempera 
tures  cut  heavily  into  Chicago  bo: 
office  grosses.   "I  Married  a  W: 
with  Woody  Herman's  orchestra 
the  stage  grossed  $40,000  at  the  Chi- 
cago.  "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  in  a 
return  engagement  at  popular  prices 
at  the  Roosevelt  drew  $12,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  21  : 

"China  Girl"  (ZOth-Fox) 

"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (20th-Fox) 

APOLLO— (1,400)  (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.  (Average.  $8,500) 
"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.  A.) 

CHICAGO—  (4.000)    (36c-55c-75c)    7  days. 
Stage:  Woody  Herman's  orchestra.  Gross: 
$40,000.    Average,  $48,000 
"The  Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.)  4th  week 

in  loop 
"Omaha  Trail"  (M-G-M) 

GARRICK— (1,000)  (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.  (Average,  $7,000) 
"Seven  Miles  from  Alcatraz"  (RKO) 

ORIENTAL  —  (3,200)    (27c-31c-50c-59c)  7 
days.  Stage:  Bob  Allen's  Orchestra.  Gross: 
516,000.   (Average,  $22,000) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO)  6  days, 

3rd  week 

"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO)  6  days 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.)  1  day 
"Sherlock  Holmes  and  the  Secret  Weapon," 
(Univ.)  1  day 

PALACE  —  (2,500)    (40c -55c -75c).  Gross: 
$12,000.  (Average.  $17,500) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

ROOSEVELT— (1.500)    (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days.  Gross:  $12,000.  (Average.  $16,000) 
"For  Men  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 

STATE- LAKE— (2,700)  (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days.  4th  week.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average, 
519,700) 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1.700)  (36c-55c-65c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $10,000. 
(Average,  $15,500) 


K.C.  Strong  Despite 
Below  Zero  Weather 


Kansas  City.  Jan.  25. — The  first 
below-zero  weather  of  the  winter  re- 
duced grosses  early  in  the  week,  but 
business  reacted  later,  resulting  in 
substantial  receipts  at  most  houses. 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  and 
"Stand  By,  All  Networks"  at  the 
Midland  turned  in  $14,000,  strongest 
gross  of  the  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  20-21 : 

"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 

ESQUIRE— (800)  (35c-50c)  8  days.  Gross: 
$5,500.     (Average,  8  days.  $3,500) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 
"Stand  By,  All  Networks"  (CoL) 

MIDLAND — (3.600)     (35c-50c)  7 
Gross:  $14,000.     (Average,  $10,000) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.  B.) 

NEWMAN— (1,900)     (35c-50c)  7 
Gross:  $13,500.     (Average.  $7,500) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

ORPHEUM— (1,900)    (35c-50c)  6% 
Gross:  $7,000.     (Average,  6V2  days,  $4,500) 
"Ice-Capades  Revue"  (Rep.) 
"We  Are  the  Marines"  (ZOth-Fox) 

TOWER— (2,200)    (35c)    7  days, 
show.  Gross:  $6,500.     (Average,  $6,500) 
"China  Girl"  (20th -Fox) 

UPTOWN—  (2.000)  (35c-50c)  8  days 
Gross:  $4,250.     (Average,  8  days,  $5,000) 


da3's. 


days. 


days. 


Stage 


Tugend  on  Film  for  Army 

Hollywood,  Jan.  25. — Harry  Tu- 
gend, Paramount  writer,  has  been  giv- 
en leave  of  absence  to  write  the 
screenplay  for  "Unconquered  De- 
mocracies," feature-length  film  to  be 
made  by  Lt.  Col.  Frank  Capra's  Army 
unit. 


3 


Tuesday,  January  26,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


7 


Short  Subject  Reviews 


"One  Day  of  War- 
Russia  1943" 

(March  of  Time) 

(20//&  Century-Fox) 

THRILLING  photography  of  the 
Russian  Army  in  action  along  the 
long  Russo-German  front,  scenes  in 
^he  interior  of  Russia  where  men  and 
^Dmen  work  ceaselessly  to  provide 
,.ne  munitions  and  food  for  the  fight- 
ing men,  and  an  excellent  musical 
background  make  this  subject  absorb- 
ingly interesting  throughout.  No  less 
than  165  Russian  photographers  were 
said  to  have  shot  these  films  in  various 
sections  of  the  country.  They  went 
to  the  farms,  to  the  factories,  to  the 
beleaguered  cities,  to  the  battle  fronts 
and  to  the  navy.  One  particularly 
striking  sequence  shows  a  Russian 
tank  riding  into  point-blank  firing 
range  of  several  German  anti-tank 
guns — and  getting  through.  Running 
time,  21  mins.    Release,  Jan.  29. 


"Cuba — Land  of 
Adventure  and  Sports" 

(Sports  Parade) 

{Warner  Bros.) 

The  scenic  beauties  of  Cuba  are 
stunningly  portrayed  in  this  film  as 
interest  is  sustained  with  views  of  na- 
tive dancing,  bull  fighting,  a  Jai-Alai 
game,  sugar  plantations  and  a  fisher- 
man's paradise.  Technicolor  adds  to 
the  general  effectiveness.  Knox  Man- 
ning is  narrator.  Running  time,  10 
minutes.    Release,  Jan.  9. 


"Pluto  at  the  Zoo" 

(Walt  Disney) 

(RKO) 

This  picture  has  a  moral :  Don't 
envy  the  other  fellow  for  his  greater 
possessions.  Pluto  is  envious  of  the 
lion's  tremendous  bone.  He  drops  his 
own  tiny  one  with  disdain,  and  sneal"- 
into  the  sleeping  king's  den.  Before  h; 
gets  out  of  the  zoo,  he  is  attacked  by 
its  everv  inhabitant.  His  whirlwind 
departure  leaves  the  animals  in  a  state 
of  havoc,  and  Pluto  is  last  seen  joy- 
fully playing  with  his  own  tiny  bone. 
The  Technicolor  is  good  and  the  film 
amusing.  Running  time,  8  mins.  Re- 
lease, Nov.  20. 


"His  Wedding  Scare" 

(Columbia) 

El  Brendel  is  married  to  a  girl  by 
the  name  of  Susan,  and  after  their 
wedding  party,  which  is  conducted 
with  the  customary  humorous  touches 
of  the  mother-in-law  falling  face  first 
into  the  cake  and  El  getting  slapped 
around  by  everyone,  they  start  on 
their  honeymoon.  The  bride  has  ne- 
glected to  tell  El  that  she  has  been 
married  several  times  before,  and  as 
their  trip  progresses,  they  continue  to 
run  into  Susan's  ex-spouses,  with  ad- 
ventures galore.  Running  time,  17 
mins.    Release,  Jan.  15. 


"Screen  Snapshots" 

(Columbia) 

As  a  slight  change  from  the  usual 
'Screen  Snapshots"  manner  of  pre- 
sentation, this  film  is  mainly  devoted 
to  actual  motion  pictures  of  Ginny 
Simms]  radio  broadcast.  She  is  en- 
tertaining an  audience  of  servicemen, 
and  soldiers  appear  on  the  program, 
one  of  them  to  receive  a  birthday  cake 
from  the  hands  of  his  mother  who  had 


been  invited  to  the  program  as  a 
special  birthday  gift,  and  the  other  to 
speak  to  Father  Flanagan  of  "Boys' 
Town,"  where  he  had  lived.  Miss 
Simms  sings,  too.  The  film  is  quite 
interesting.  Running  time,  10  mins. 
Release,  Jan.  29. 


"Barney  Bear's 
Victory  Garden" 

(M-G-M) 

Barney  Bear  in  this  Technicolor 
cartoon  does  his  patriotic  best  to 
plant  and  cultivate  a  victory  garden 
and  with  the  help  of  Army  planes, 
which  bomb  a  face  of  Hitler  he  has 
painted  on  the  ground,  the  ground  is 
turned.  The  plants  are  growing  well 
when  a  hungry  mole  starts  destroying 
the  garden  and  Barney's  attempts  to 
foil  the  mole  wreck  the  whole  pro- 
ject. Running  time,  8  mins.  Release, 
Dec.  26.   

"Slay  It  With  Flowers" 

(The  Fox  and  The  Crow) 

(Columbia) 

In  this  amusing  Technicolor  sub- 
ject, the  fox  plants  a  Victory  garden 
and  the  crow  trails  along  in  back  of 
him  and  eats  the  seed's.  The  enraged 
fox  sneaks  a  handful  of  hot  pepper 
seeds  in  with  his  corn,  and  the  feud  is 
on.  The  two  attempt  to  outwit  each 
other  and  generally  make  life  painful! 
When  the  fox  finally  manages  to  get 
a  word  in,  he  explains  to  the  crow 
that  he  is  trying  to  plant  a  Victory 
garden.  That  puts  an  end  to  the  quar- 
rel— almost.  Running  time,  6  mins. 
Release,  Jan.  29. 


"Destruction,  Inc." 

(Superman) 

(Paramount) 

The  animation  and  Technicolor  are 
somewhat  wearing  on  the  eyes,  and 
the  picture  will  probably  appeal  only 
to  youngsters.  Lois  and  Superman 
tackle  saboteurs  and  frustrate  their 
diabolic  plans  to  blow  up  a  munitions 
factory.  Superman  also  does  a  side- 
iob  of  rescuing  Lois  who  has  been 
caught  by  the  saboteurs.  This  film 
stacks  up  favorably  with  the  others 
in  the  Superman  series.  Running 
time,  8TA  mins.    Release,  Dec.  25. 


"The  Last  Lesson" 

(Miniature) 

(M-G-M) 

Alphonse  Daudet's  famous  and 
tragic  story  of  a  French  schoolmaster 
in  an  era  when  France  was  once  be- 
fore in  the  clutches  of  Germanv  fs  pic- 
tured in  this  effective  film.  Then,  as 
now,  there  was  a  conviction  that  a 
free  country  would  rise  again,  and  the 
schoolmaster's  touching  farewell  to  his 
pupils  is  a  heartfelt  utterance  of  this 
feeling.  Running  time,  10  mins.  Re- 
lease, Dec.  19. 


"First  Aid" 

(Pete  Smith  Specialty) 

(M-G-M) 

_  Correct  methods  of  applying  first 
aid  are  demonstrated  by  Sally  Eilers, 
Leila  Hyams  and  Eileen  Percy,  now 
instructresses  in  the  Beverly  Hills 
chapter  of  the  American  Red  Cross. 
Comedy  features  are  supplied  by 
David  O'Brien  and  Edna  Harris. 
Running  time,  10  mins.  Release, 
Jan.  2. 


"The  Valley  of 
Vanishing  Men" 

(Serial) 

(Columbia) 

T-*  HE  first  two  chapters  of  this 
*■  chapter  play  achieve  fast  moving- 
action  and  thrilling  mystery.  Capt. 
Tolliver  (Bill  Elliott)  at  the  close  of 
the  Civil  War,  goes  out  to  the  New 
Mexico  territory  to  find  his  father 
who  had  gone  prospecting.  He  comes 
to  Canyon  City  and  finds  a  town 
where  more  people  vanish  daily,  in- 
cluding his  own  father,  a  lovely  Span- 
ish senorita,  who  is  buying  supplies 
for  Juarez,  and  a  band  of  masked 
villains  who  are  agents  for  Emperor 
Maximilian.  Tolliver  is  accompanied 
by  his  faithful  soldier  friend,  Slim 
Summerville,  who  adds  humorous 
touches  to  this  otherwise  dramatic 
production.  Future  chapters  promise 
great  excitement  and  heroic  deeds. 
Running  time:  chapter  1,  20  mins.; 
chapter  2,  19  mins.    Release,  Dec.  17. 


"Popular  Science" 

(J2-3) 

(Paramount) 

The  ladies  will  be  delighted  to  see 
how  their  silver  fox  coats  look  when 
they're  running  around  in  their  na- 
tural state,  under  the  supervision  of 
expert  silver  fox  farmers.  The  Wily 
Wizard  again  turns  up  with  an  in- 
valuable invention — a  ship  christening 
gadget  that  absorbs  the  champagne  in 
a  special  sponge  receptacle.  Also  pic- 
tured are  the  newest  U.  S.  cargo 
planes  in  the  process  of  being  con- 
structed. The  Magnacolor  is  good 
and  the  film  holds  audience  attention 
throughout.  Running:  time.  lO1^  mins. 
Release,  Feb.  2. 


"Steelhead  Fighters" 

(Sports  Review) 

(2Clth  Century-Fox) 

Through  this  film  trout  fishing  en- 
thusiasts can  vicariously  reach  those 
wonderful  lakes  and  rivers  of  the  Pa- 
cific Northwest,  where  they  have  al- 
ways dreamed  of  fishing.  The  Steel- 
head  Trouts  put  up  a  good  fight,  and 
the  picture  is  good,  even  though  it  is 
something  seen  many  times  before. 
Non-fishing  members  of  the  audience 
will  like  this  one,  too.  Running  time, 
9  mins.    Release,  Jan.  15. 


WAC  Sets  3  More 
Shorts  in  February 

Release  of  two  'Victory"  shorts  and 
one  "America  Speaks"  film  in  Feb- 
ruary has  been  announced  by  the  War 
Activities  Committee.  Dates  are : 
"Troop  Train,"  Columbia-OWI.  Feb 
11;  "Red  Cross,"  Paramount- WAC, 
Feb.  18;  "Arsenals  of  Might,"  Uni- 
versal, Feb.  25.  These  are  in  addition 
to  Walt  Disney's  short,  "The  Spirit 
of  '43,"  which  will  be  released  Feb. 
4  by  National  Screen  Service  for  the 
Treasury  ■  Department,  as  announced. 


W.  B.  Patriotic  Short 

Hollywood,  Jan.  25.— Warner  Bros, 
announced  that  its  next  two-reel  patri- 
otic short  in  Technicolor  will  be 
"The  Army,  the  Navy  and  the  Ma- 
rines." It  will  show  coordination  of 
attack  on  military  objectives. 


Boston  Grosses 
At  High  Levels; 
'Slept'  $28,000 


Boston,  Jan.  25. — Business  flour- 
ished here  despite  extreme  cold  and 
snow.  High  gross  of  the  week  was 
$28,000  for  "George  Washington  Slept 
Here"  and  "You  Can't  Escape  For- 
ever," at  the  Metropolitan  with  "Dr. 
I.  Q."  on  the  stage  Monday  night. 
"White  Cargo"  and  "Friendly  Ene- 
mies" at  Loew's  Orpheum  rolled  up 
$24,800.  "Ravaged  Earth,"  an  indepen- 
dent film,  grossed  a  big  $10,000  at  the 
Maiestic. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  20 : 

"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 
"Friendly  Enemies"   (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S  ORPHEUM — (3,000)  (35c-50c-<50c) 
7  days.  Gross:  $24,800.  (Average,  $19,500) 
"White  Car g o"  (M-G-M) 
"Friendly  Enemies"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (2,900)   (35c-50c-60c)  7 
days.  Gross:  $14,900.  (Average,  $14,000) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 

RKO  BOSTON — (2,679)  (44c-55c-65c-8Sc)  7 
days.  Stage:  "Best  Foot  Forward",  tabloid 
edition  of  George  Abbott's  show,  with  Joy 
Hodges,  Marty  May,  and  others.  Gross: 
$27,000.  (Average,  $25,000) 
"Once  Upon  A  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

RKO  MEMORIAL  THEATRE  —  (2,907) 
(44c-55c-75c)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $23,- 
000.  (Average,  $20,000) 

"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 
"You  Can't  Escape  Forever"  (W.  B.) 

METROPOLITAN  —  (4,367)  (30c-40c-55c- 
65c-75c)  7  days.  Stage:  "Dr.  I.  Q.",  Mon- 
day nights  only.  Gross:  $28,000.  (Average, 
$24,000) 

"Springtime  in  the  Rockies"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"The  Man  In  The  Trunk"  (20th-Fox) 

PARAMOUNT  —  (1,797)   (33c-44c-60c)  7 
days.  Gross:  $9,000.   (Average,  $8,000) 
"Springtime  In  The  Rockies"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"The  Man  In  The  Trunk"  (ZOth-Fox) 

FENWAY — (1,320)    (33c-40c-60c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $5,000.   (Average,  $6,000) 
"One  Of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.  A.) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (ZOth-Fox) 

SCOLLAY— (2,500)    (33c-40c-60c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $4,200.  (Average,  $5,000) 
"War  Dogs"  (Mono.) 
"Eyes  Of  the  Underworld"  (Univ.) 

TRANSLUX  —  (900)   (17c-28c-44c-55c)  7 
days.  Gross:  $4,500.  (Average,  $5,000) 
"Ravaged  Earth"  (Independent) 

MAJESTIC— (1,525)  (40c-55c-65c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $10,000. 

"Get  Hep  To  Love"  (Univ.) 

"For  Me  And  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 

ESQUIRE— (941)  (3Sc-50c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.  Gross:  $1,000.   (Average,  $2,500) 


Conciliation  Setup 
Urged  in  Cincinnati 

Cincinnati,  Jan.  25. — A  proposal 
for  the  formation  of  an  industry  con- 
ciliation board  to  hear  and  attempt  to 
resolve  every  type  of  exhibitor-  dis- 
tributor complaint  is  being  advanced 
by  the  Indignant  Exhibitors  Forum, 
which  was  organized  here  last  year. 

Willis  Vance,  independent  circuit 
operator  and  chairman  of  the  organi- 
zation, stated  that  it  is  proposed  that 
the  board  consist  of  men  familiar  with 
the  industry's  complexities  who  have 
no  "axe  to  grind."  He  said  that  the 
board  should  be  authorized  to  hear 
film  rental  complaints,  as  well  as  those 
on  extended  playing  time,  spread- 
eagle  play  dates,  moveovers  and  all 
other  grievances. 


JACK  SHAINDLIN 

MUSICAL  DIRECTION 
Completed 

Three  "VARIETY  VIEWS" 

Universal 

"NAVY  AND  THE  NATION" 

March  of  Time  —  20th  Century-Fox 


•Saluted  to 

RED  KANN 


Ij£p  NNOUNCEMENT  of  the  re-association  of  Red  Kann  with 
"jr — ;\  Quigley  Publications,  as  vice-president,  to  be  in  charge 
I  of  Hollywood  activities,  has  brought  letters  of  approval 
and  felicitation  from  members  of  all  branches  of  the 
Motion  Picture  Industry.  Here  and  on  the  following  two 
;  pages  are  excerpts  from  some  of  them: 


NEIL  F.  AG  NEW,  vice-presi- 
dent in  charge  of  Paramount  distribu- 
tion— You  will  do  well.  It's  a  habit  of 
yours.  And  you  deserve  to  be  congratu- 
lated. Here  are  mine.  That  goes  for 
Martin  Quigley  as  well. 

EDWARD  L.  ALPERSON,  gen- 
eral manager,  RKO  Theatres  —  It  is  a 
distinct  pleasure  for  me  to  wish  you 
every  success. 

HARRY  C  ARTHUR,  JR., 
Fanchon  and  Marco  Service  Corpora- 
tion, St.  Louis — The  Quigley  Company 
has  outdone  itself  in  bringing  you  within 
its  fold  as  one  of  the  experts  in  trends, 
policies  and  film  values.  Likewise,  you 
have  outdone  yourself  in  joining  one  of 
the  finest  industrial  publications  in  our 
business.  Together,  it  should  make  a 
fine  combination. 

BARNEY  BALABAN,  presi- 
dent, Paramount  Pictures,  Inc. — My  sin- 
cere congratulations  and  all  good  wishes. 

CARL  R.  BAMFORD,  general 
manager,  Publix  Bamford  Theatres,  Inc., 
Ashville,  N.  C. — Glad  to  hear  you  are 
back. 

TRACY  BARHAM,  Intermoun- 
tain  Theatres,  Inc.,  Salt  Lake  City — I  was 
indeed  happy  to  receive  your  letter. 
Congratulations! 

E.  C.  BEATTY,  president,  W.  S. 
Butterfield  Theatres,  Inc.,  Detroit  —  Am 
glad  to  see  you  are  back  with  Quigley. 
Good  luck! 

MAURICE  BERGMAN,  East- 
ern director  of  advertising  and  publicity, 
Universal  —  My  heartfelt  good  wishes 
and  congratulations  upon  your  assuming 
this  important  post.  I  am  particularly 
happy  about  the  fact  you  are  to  spend 


considerable  time  in  Hollywood.  I  think 
the  seasoned  and  matured  Kann  point 
of  view  in  the  manufacturing  center  of 
our  business  will  be  most  helpful  and 
constructive. 
► 

DAVID  BERNSTEIN,  vice-presi- 
dent and  treasurer,  Loew's,  Inc. — Much 
success  in  your  new  undertaking. 
► 

A.  H.  BLANK,  president,  Tri- 
States  Theatre  Corporation,  Des  Moines 
— Your  new  post  sounds  great  and  I 
know  you  will  acquit  yourself  with  the 
same  old  verve  and  enthusiasm.  I'll  be 
watching  out  for  your  news  notes  and  I 
don't  have  to  tell  you  I  wish  you  well. 
► 

MORT  BLUMENSTOCK,  in 
charge  of  Warner  advertising  and  pub- 
licity in  the  East — Let  me  join  with  all 
your  friends  in  the  Quigley  family,  most 
of  whom  are  my  friends,  too,  and  say — 
welcome  home! 
► 

HARRY  BRANDT,  president, 
Independent  Theatre  Owners  of  New 
York — You  and  Martin  Quigley  are  to 
be  congratulated.  I  am  sure  you  will 
prove  to  be  tremendous  assets  to  one 
another  and  wish  you  all  the  luck  in  the 
world. 
► 

WILLIAM  CAGNEY,  Cagney 
Prod.,  Inc.,  Hollywood — My  brother  Jim 
and  I  wish  to  convey  our  heartiest  con- 
gratulations. We  know  your  future  holds 
prosperity  and  happiness. 

JACK  COHN,  executive  vice- 
president,  Columbia  Pictures  Corpora- 
tion— Swell!  All  the  best  to  the  Quigley 
organization  and  to  you. 

CHARLES  FRANCIS  COE, 
vice-president,  Motion  Picture  Producers 
and  Distributors  Association — A  move 


so  important  to  the  industry  is  of  the 
deepest  interest.  To  say  "congratula- 
tions" is  puerile. 

COLONEL  HARRY  A.  COLE, 
president,  Allied  Theatre  Owners  of 
Texas,  Dallas — The  best  of  good  luck. 

TOM  J.  CONNORS,  in  charge 
of  world-wide  sales,  20th  Century-Fox — 
My  heartiest  congratulations  and  wishes 
for  the  success  your  efforts  and  ability 
deserve.  I  am  sure  the  results  in  your 
new  position  will  be  outstanding. 

J.  CHEEVER  COWDIN,  chair- 
man of  the  board,  Universal  Pictures  Co. 
— All  good  luck. 

WILLIAM  F.  CROCKETT, 
president,  MPTO  of  Virginia,  Virginia 
Beach,  Va. — The  best  of  everything  in 
your  new  undertaking. 

GEORGE  F.  DEMBOW,  gen- 
eral sales  manager,  National  Screen  Ser- 
vice Corporation  —  The  return  of  the 
prodigal  son  gives  Quigley  Publications 
the  old-fashioned  flavor  to  which  we 
were  accustomed  and  so  much  inclined. 
Consequently,  Martin  Quigley  and  Red 
should  both  be  congratulated. 

CECIL  B.  DE  MILLE  — Con- 
gratulations. Your  fine  journalistic  hand 
will  have  many  a  shake  of  welcome  in 
Hollywood. 
► 

SAM  DEMBOW,  JR.,  Para- 
mount Theatres  Service  Corporation — I 
once  left  the  Paramount  family  and  was 
gone  for  over  five  years.  When  I  had 
the  opportunity  to  rejoin  them  I  did  so, 
and  now  I  don't  mind  telling  you  that 
I've  never  had  a  happier  association  in 
my  life.  Your  situation  is  not  unlike  my 
own  experience  and  I  am  sure  you  are 
going  to  be  just  as  happy. 

NED  E.  DEPINET,  president, 
RKO  Radio  Pictures,  Inc.— I  have  told 
you  before,  but  I  wish  to  express  here 
in  black  and  white  my  pleasure  over 
your  new  connection  with  the  Quigley 
Publishing  Company.  May  you  have 
good  luck,  good  health  and  contentment 
in  your  new  task. 

HOWARD  DIETZ,  vice-presi- 
dent in  charge  of  advertising  and  pub- 
licity, Loew's,  Inc.  —  Needless  to  say, 
good  luck  in  your  new  venturing. 

CHARLES  EINFELD  ,  vice-presi- 
dent in  charge  of  advertising  and  pub- 
licity, Warner  Bros.  Pictures,  Inc.— Best 
of  luck  in  your  new  setup.  Count  on  me. 

GUS  EYSSELL.  managing  di- 
rector, Radio  City  Music  Hall — All  pos- 
sible success. 
► 

SIMON  H.  FABIAN,  Fabian 
Theatres — In  the  many  years  that  we 
have  known  each  other,  I  have  always 
looked  upon  you  as  an  outstanding  ex- 
ample of  what  a  real,  straight-shooting 
newspaper  man  in  our  business  should 
be.  Best  of  luck. 


GEORGE  W.  ERDMANN,  sec 
retary,  Cleveland  Exhibitors  Association 
— Heartiest  congratulations. 

EDWARD  M.  FAY,  Fay  The- 
atres, Providence,  R.  I.  —  Congratula- 
tions and  best  wishes. 

JOHN  J.  FITZGIBBONS,  presi- 
dent, Famous  Players  Canadian  Cor- 
poration, Toronto  —  May  we  congratu- 
late you,  as  we  certainly  think  the 
Quigley  group  is  one  of  the  finest  news- 
gathering  organizations  this  industry  has 
ever  been  blessed  with,  and  your  broad 
and  tried  experience  will  add  greatly  to 
their  publications.  Wherever  you  are, 
we  will  always  cheer  for  you,  as  we  have 
found  you  to  be  tried,  true  and  honest. 
Continuing  that  kind  of  reporting  will 
take  you  as  high  as  you  care  to  go  in 
this  industry. 

Y.  FRANK  FREEMAN;  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  Paramount  pro- 
duction —  Congratulations,  I  know  you 
well  enough  to  know  that  your  straight- 
forward approach  to  matters  will  be 
understood  by  Hollywood)  people  and  I 
feel  sure  you  will  be  happy  in  your  work 
here. 

HERBERT  FRESTON,  Freston 
and  Files,  Los  Angeles — In  your  case,  I 
am  sure  you  are  one  vice-president  who 
will  be  busy. 

JOHN  J.  FRIEDL,  president, 
Minnesota  Amusement  Company,  Min- 
neapolis— Your  pen  wields  a  tremendous 
influence  on  the  constructive  side  in  this 
business,  and  I  am  sure  the  New  Year 
will  provide  the  opportunity  for  you  to 
cover  a  lot  of  ground  in  your  usual 
capable  manner.  Best  of  luck. 

LOUIS  FRISCH  and  SAMUEL 
RINZLER,  Randforce  Amusement  Cor- 
poration, Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  — ■X^'top- 
notcher"  like  yourself  belongs  with  the 
biggest  in  the  business.  Best  wishes  for 
a  continuation  of  your  successful  career. 

LEON  FROMKESS,  vice-presi- 
dent in  charge  of  PRC  production — I 
know  that  Quigley  Publications  has  se- 
cured a  real  asset  in  Red  Kann. 
► 

B.  B.  GARNER,  vice-president 
and  general  manager,  Florida  State  The- 
atres, Inc.,  Lakeland  —  You  may  rest 
assured  the  exhibitors  as  a  whole  all  over 
the  country  will  appreciate  the  informa- 
tion you  intend  placing  in  Motion  Pic- 
ture Herald  and  Motion  Picture  Daily. 
►  7 

CHARLES  R.  GILMOUR, 
president,  Gibraltar  Enterprises,  Inc., 
Denver — Congratulations.  We  shall  look 
forward  to  your  comment. 

WILLIAM  GOETZ.  vice-presi- 
dent in  charge  of  20th  Century-Fox  pro- 
duction— I  want  to  tell  you  how  happy 
I  am  that  you  will  be  here,  which  will 
give  me  an  opportunity  of  seeing  you 
more  often  than  I  have  heretofore,  and 
to  wish  you  well. 


SAMUEL  GOLDWYN— There 
is  nothing  I'd  like  better  than  to  have  a 
good  reporter  such  as  you  are  in  Holly- 
wood; and  you  can  always  count  on  the 
fullest  co-operation  from  my  organiza- 
tion. 

EDMUND  GRAINGER,  presi- 
dent,  Shea  Enterprises,  Inc.  —  I  con- 
gratulate both  you  and  Martin  Quigley. 

JAMES  R.  GRAINGER,  presi- 
dent, Republic  Pictures  Corporation — 
You  know  what  I  wish  for  you.  It's  al- 
ways the  very  best,  in  spades. 

ARTHUR  GREEN BLATT,  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  PRC  distribution 
— Wish  you  the  success  which  you  so 
richly  deserve. 

FRANCIS  S.  HARMON,  ex- 
ecutive vice-chairman,  War  Activities 
Committee — You  have  my  best  wishes. 
I  value  your  friendship  and  am  always 
glad  to  work  with  you  in  behalf  of  the 
common  cause. 

JOHN  H.  HARRIS,  Harris 
Amusement  Companies,  Pittsburgh  —  I 
am  very  happy  for  you  and  I  am  glad 
to  see  ail  these  promotions. 

P.  S.  HARRISON,  publisher, 
Harrison's  Reports — You  know  you  don't 
have  to  have  my  best  wishes  in  writing 
not  only  because  you  always  have  them, 
but  also  because  you  cannot  help  suc- 
ceeding. It  isn't  in  you  to  do  otherwise. 

WILL  H.  HAYS  —  I  wish  you 
the  greatest  success. 

JOSEPH  H.  HAZEN,  vice- 
president,  Warner  Brothers  Pictures,  Inc. 
— I  am  happy  to  reecive  the  good  news. 
Good  luck  and  my  very  best  wishes. 

KARL  HOBLITZELLE,  presi- 
dent, Interstate  Circuit,  Inc.,  Dallas — I 
know  you  will  continue  to  fight  for  the 
principles  that  are  essential  to  the  suc- 
cess of  this  industry. 

W.  RAY  JOHNSTON,  presi- 
dent, Monogram  Pictures  Corporation — 
You  are  back  to  the  old  stamping 
grounbViq  an  even  bigger  capacity  than 
before.  All  the  Monogram  staff  join  me 
in  wishing  you  every  success. 

JOHN  JOSEPH,  director  of 
advertising  and  publicity,  Universal  Pic- 
tures Company — That  you  will  be  spend- 
ing a  good  deal  of  time  in  Hollywood 
is  certainly  fine  news.  Congratulations. 

HARRY  M.  KALMINE,  assist- 
ant general  manager,  Warner  Brothers 
Circuit  Management  Corporation  — 
Congratulations.  I  am  sure  you  will  do 
as  well  on  this  as  you  have  always  done 
in  everything  else. 

ARTHUR  W.  KELLY,  vice- 
president,  United  Artists  Corporation — 
I  hasten  to  "jump  the  gun"  to  tell  you 
I  am  very  happy  you  are  back  with  the 
old  firm. 


DR.  HERBERT  T.  KALMUS, 
president,  Technicolor  M.  P.  Corpora- 
tion, Hollywood — My  best  wishes. 

AUSTIN  C.  KEOUGH,  vice- 
president  and  general  counsel,  Par- 
amount Pictures,  Inc. —  I  congratulate 
you  and  Mr.  Quigley  on  the  renewal  of 
your  associations. 

MALCOLM  KINGSBERG, 
president,  RKO  Service  Corporation — 
Best  wishes  and  congratulations. 

CHARLES  S.  KOERNER,  ex- 
ecutive vice-president  in  charge  of 
RKO  production — I  know  your  new  as- 
signment will  be  a  continuation  of  your 
previous  successes. 

LOUIS  KROUSE,  general  sec- 
retary-treasurer, I.A.T.S.E. — I  congratu- 
late you. 

E.  L  KUYKENDALL,  president. 
M.P.T.O.A. — Very  good  newsl  All  con- 
gratulations and  best  wishes.  You  have 
demonstrated  your  worth  long  since. 
So,  of  course,  have  the  Quigley  papers. 
A  fine  combination  and  destined  for 
bigger  things. 

ARTHUR  LUCAS,  president, 
Lucas  &  Jenkins,  Inc.,  Atlanta — I  feel  I 
have  always  known  everybody  in  the 
Quigley  organization  and  its  splendid 
personnel,  and  they  are  to  be  congratu- 
lated as  well  as  yourself  in  this  new 
association.  You  have  done  an  excellent 
job  and  have  rendered  an  invaluable 
service  to  the  industry. 

S.  A.  LYNCH,  Paramount  En- 
terprises, Miami — I  have  always  consid- 
ered you  my  personal  friend  and  I  just 
want  you  to  know  I  am  very  delighted 
with  your  promotion. 

S.  BARRET  McCORMICK,  di- 
rector of  advertising  and  publicity, 
RKO  Radio  Pictures,  Inc.  —  Your  long 
experience  and  many  friendships  will 
add  much  to  the  Quigley  executive  and 
editorial  organization  which  has  always 
represented  and  fought  for  the  best  in- 
terests of  this  business. 

VINCENT  R.  McFAUL,  presi- 
dent, Buffalo  Theatres,  Inc.,  Buffalo, 
N.  Y. — -Congratulations  on  your  return. 
I  feel  sure  you  will  be  of  great  value. 

LOUIS  B.  MAYER,  vice-presi- 
dent, Loew's,  Inc. — I  am  glad  to  know 
you  are  rejoining  the  Quigley  Company 
and  congratulate  you  on  the  vice-presi- 
dency. I  know  you  will  do  good  work 
for  them  and  am  looking  forward  to  see- 
ing you. 

ROBERT  MOCHRIE,  general 
sales  manager,  RKO  Radio  Pictures,  Inc. 
— Aside  from  being  a  very  able  news 
man,  you  have  been  a  great  force  for 
the  good  of  the  industry  and  so  I  offer 
heartiest  congratulations. 


.  .  .  MORE  ON  THE  FOLLOWING  PAGE 


SALUTES     TO     RED     KANN:  continued 

A.  MONTAGUE,  general  sales 
manager,  Columbia  Pictures  Corpora- 
tion— Since  you  are  rejoining  the  or- 
ganization, I  want  you  to  know  that 
from  my  observation  there  is  no  com- 
pany that  has  a  finer  group  than  the 
Quigley  Publishing  Company.  May  ever- 
continuing  success  be  yours! 

ROY  E.  LARSEN,  president, 
Time,  Inc.  —  Congratulations  on  your 
vice-presidency  of  Quigley  Publications 
and  all  best  wishes. 

MORRIS  G.  LEONARD,  presi- 
dent, Exhibitors'  Association  of  Chicago 
— Congratulations,  best  wishes. 

SOL  LESSER  — Congratu- 
lations. 

JULES  LEVEY,  president,  May- 
fair  Prod.,  Inc. — This  is  a  change  that 
will  be  of  material  benefit  to  everyone 
concerned. 

AL  LICHTMAN,  vice-presi- 
dent, Loew's,  Inc.,  Culver  City  —  Con- 
gratulations on  the  success  I  know  you 
will  have. 

M.  A.  LIGHTMAN,  president, 
Malco  Theatres,  Memphis  —  I  am  very 
happy  for  you  now  that  you  are  com- 
ing into  your  own.  Sincere  and  hearty 
congratulations. 

DAVID  A.  UPTON,  director 
of  advertising  and  publicity,  Columbia 
Pictures  Corporation  —  My  association 
with  you  in  this  business  has  always  been 
a  great  pleasure  and  a  privilege.  The 
very  best  of  luck. 

CHARLES  C.  MOSKOWITZ, 
vice-president,  Loew's,  Inc. — J  congratu- 
late you,  Mr.  Vice-President,  and  you 
can  always  rely  on  the  Family  Mosfewrtz 
being  in  your  corner. 

ABRAM  F.  MYERS,  chairman 
of  the  board,  Allied  States  Association, 
Washington — I  have  a  high  regard  for 
Martin  Quigley  personally  and  am  con- 
fident the  association  with  him  will  be 
pleasant. 

JOHN  J.  PAYETTE,  Washing- 
ton zone  manager,  Warner  Brothers  Cir- 
cuit Management  Corporation  —  Con- 
gratulations. You  may  be  sure  I  will  be 
looking  forward  to  reading  articles  by 
you  in  Motion  Picture  Herald  and 
Motion  Picture  Daily. 

EDWARD  C.  RAFTERY,  presi- 
dent, United  Artists  Corporation  —  I 
know  you  will  do  a  great  job  and  you 
have  a  great  field  to  work  in.  My  very 
best  wishes  to  you. 

N.  PETER  RATHVON,  presi- 
dent, Radio-Keith-Orpheum  Corporation 
— I  am  delighted  that  you  are  to  rejoin 
the  Quigley  Publishing  Company  and 
congratulate  you  on  becoming  its  vice- 
president. 


E.  V.  RICHARDS,  JR.,  presi- 
dent and  general  manager,  Paramount- 
Richards  Theatres,  Inc.,  New  Orleans — 
Good  luck. 

HERMAN  ROBBINS,  presi- 
dent, National  Screen  Service  Corpora- 
tion— I  am  sure  you  are  going  to  be 
very,  very  happy  and  I  feel  certain 
Quigley  Publications  will  have  good  sub- 
stantial reasons  to  be  happy.  So  you 
have,  as  you  know,  my  very  best  wishes, 
my  help  and  support  whenever  I  can  be 
helpful. 

WILLIAM  F.  RODGERS,  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  MGM  distribu- 
tion— Best  wishes.  T  tnow  you  will  give 
a  good  account  of  yourself. 

JOSEPH  M.  SCHENCK  —  I 

wish  you  success  and  happiness  in  your 
new  association  with  Quigley  Publishing 
Company.  I  know  you  will  be  an  asset 
to  the  Quigley  publications. 

NICHOLAS  M.  SCHENCK, 
president,  Loew's,  Inc. — I  am  delighted 
and  wish  you  the  best  of  luck! 

J.  MYER  SCHINE,  president, 
Schine  Circuit,  Inc.,  Gloversville,  N.  Y. — 
I  know  that  your  association  with  Quigley 
Publications  will  have  a  marked  effect 
on  the  future  of  that  company  to  the 
point  where  their  progress  will  surely  be 
even  more  notable  than  it  has  been  in 
the  past. 

GRADWELL  L.  SEARS,  vice- 
president,  United  Artists  Corporation — 
I  think  it's  marvelous.  You  know  you 
have  my  very  best,  always. 

JOSEPH  H.  SEIDELMAN,  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  foreign  distribu- 
tion for  Universal  —  A  motion  picture 
publication  without  Red  Kann  on  the 
staff  must  be  a  dreadful  experience  to 
contemplate,  and  so  condolences  to  the 
loser  and  congratulations  to  Martin 
Quigley  and  you.J^|l-i((^^^^^^^H 

DAVID  O.  SELZN1CK  — My 
most  sincere  congratulations.  I  think 
Martin  Quigley  is  also  to  be  congratu- 
lated on  having  you  back.  I  feel  you  are 
soulmates  and  that  your  marriage  should 
have  no  further  interruptions. 

HARRY  S RETTM ATT—  Con- 
gratulations and  the  best  of  luck. 

HOWARD  STRICKLING,  di- 
rector of  MGM  studio  publicity — There 
is  certainly  a  job  to  be  done  in  Holly- 
wood, but  such  a  job  can  only  be  done 
by  someone  with  standing  and  respect 
in  the  industry  such  as  you  have  from 
everyone.  We  will  most  certainly  wel- 
come you  to  California. 

J.  H.  THOMPSON,  president, 
M.P.T.O.  of  Georgia,  Hawkinsville  — 
Please  let  me  be  one  of  the  first  among 
those  to  congratulate  you.  You  have 
joined  the  forces  of  the  most  outstand- 
ing papers  in  this  industry.  Let  me  hear 
from  you  often. 


NILES  TRAMMELL,  president, 
National  Broadcasting  Corporation, 
New  York — Congratulations.  I  know  you 
will  do  a  great  job  for  your  company. 

WALTER  VINCENT,  president, 
Wilmer  &  Vincent  Corp.,  New  York — 
Congratulations.  You  have  never  failed 
to  do  a  good  job  wherever  you  were 
and  I  look  forward  to  your  doing  a  good 
job  in  your  better  position. 

HAL  B.  WALLIS,  associate 
executive,  Warner  Bros.  Pictures,  Inc., 
Burbank,  Calif. — Hearty  congratulations. 

WALTER  WANGER  — De- 
lighted at  your  appointment  and  that 
you  are  going  "Hollywood".  It  is  about 
time. 

JACK  L.  WARNER,  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  Warner  produc- 
tion— I  wish  you  every  success  in  your 
new  position.  We  will  be  happy  to  co- 
operate with  you  at  all  times. 

N.  H.  WATERS,  Waters  The- 
atre Company,  Birmingham,  Ala. — If  I 
can  be  of  service,  I  want  you  to  feel 
entirely  free  to  write  me  as  it  will  be 
a  real  pleasure  to  continue  the  pleasant 
relationship  that  has  existed  in  the  past. 

DAVID  E.  WESHNER,  direc- 
tor of  advertising  and  publicity,  United 
Artists  Corporation  —  Nothing  more 
than  I  expected  in  the  light  of  your 
tremendous  accomplishments.  That  you 
will  prove  a  bulwark  of  strength  to 
Quigley  Publications  is  unquestionable. 

ROBERT  B.  WILBY,  president, 
Wilby-Kincey  Service  Corporation,  At- 
lanta— Wherever  you  go  and  whatever 
you  do,  I  want  you  to  know  you  have 
my  very  best  wishes. 

CLIFF  WORK,  vice-president 
in  charge  of  Universal  production — My 
heartiest  and  most  sincere  congratula- 
tions. Please  be  assured  of  our  co- 
operation in  any  way  possible. 

JOSEPH  R.  VOGEL,  vice-pres- 
ident, Loew's,  Inc.,  New  York — You  know 
you  can  count  on  my  co-operation  at  all 
times.  Good  luck,  Red,  and  all  my  best 
wishes  in  your  new  endeavor. 

HERBERT  J.  YATES,  Republic 
Pictures  Corporation — It  is  my  opinion 
you  used  excellent  judgment  in  returning 
to  the  Quigley  Publishing  Company  and 
I  congratulate  you.  Further,  I  wish  you 
abundant  success  which,  I  am  sure,  you 
will  attain  as  a  result  of  your  experience 
and  painstaking  efforts. 


Cy\  and  on  the 

(V        following  page — 


acknowledging  congratulations  also  from 


B.  B.  Kahane 
George  Brown 
L.  W.  Conrow 
J.  Noble  Braden 
Joseph  I.  Breen 
Col.  John  A.  Cooper 
Sam  Katz 

John  Grierson 

v  Henry  King 

'S.  P.  Eagle 
Christopher  J.  Dunphy 
John  S.  Hamilton 

E.  W.  Aarons 
Phil  Abrams 
Leo  Abrams 
Al  Adams 

H.  J.  Allen 
Morris  Alin 
Ken  Aneser 
Francis  Alstock 
Capt.  Harold  Auten 
Merlin  H.  Aylesworth 
R.  M.  Avey 
J.  A.  Bachmann 
David  Bader 

C.  B.  Bahn 
P.  M.  Baker 
H.  G.  Ballance 
L.  J.  Bamberger 
J.  F.  Bannan 

L.  J.  Barbano 
George  Barnett 

F.  W.  Beetson 
John  Benas 
Howard  Benedict 
Jack  Benny 
Benny  Berger 
Rudolph  Berger 
Stanley  Bergerman 
A.  C.  Berkholtz 

J.  S.  Berkson 
Joseph  Bernhard 
Sidney  Bernstein 
Dave  Blum 
Sid  Blumenstock 
Ben  Blumenthal 
Whitney  Bolton 
J.  J.  Bowen 
Major  Edward  Bowes 
E.  L.  Bragdon 
Harry  Brand 
W.  E.  Branson 
W.  B.  Brenner 
C.  J.  Briant 
Bernie  Brooks 
Walter  Brown 
Harry  Browning 
A.  Julian  Brylawski 
Harry  D.  Buckley 
H.  H.  Buxbaum 
John  Byram 


E.  C.  Callow 
Ben  Y.  Cammack 
E.  T.  Carr 
Trem  Carr 

N.  L.  ("Turk")  Carter 
D.  J.  Chatkin 
J.  P.  Clark 
M.  R.  Clark 
Charles  Cohen 
Harry  C.  Cohen 
Max  A.  Cohen 
Richard  Condon 
Regina  Crewe 
Bosley  Crowther 
Jack  Davis 
Leo  M.  Devaney 
A.  S.  Dickinson 
Martin  Dickstein 
Roy  Disney 


T.  J.  Donaldson 
Oscar  A.  Doob 
R.  V.  Downing 
W.  A.  Downs 
Arthur  F.  Driscoll 

G.  J.  Dureau 
John  Eberson 
Sam  Eckman,  Jr. 
Clyde  Eckhardt 
Arthur  Eddy 

H.  E.  Edington 
Henri  Elman 
Norman  Elson 
H.  R.  Emde 
Ernest  Emerling 
David  A.  Epstein 
Margaret  Ettinger 
Tom  Evans 

Alex  Evelove 
C.  C.  Ezell 
M.  H.  Feld 


J.  J.  Felder 
Max  Fellerman 
Harold  D.  Field 
Jack  Fier 

Herman  Finkelstein 
W.  A.  Finney 
H.  W.  Fitelson 
Maurice  Firth 
J.  E.  Flynn 

G.  B.  J.  Frawley 
J.  L.  Franconi 

E.  W.  Fredman 
S.  B.  Freeman 
Wilmd  Freeman 
Leopold  Friedman 
Louis  D.  Frohlich 
L.  J.  Furman 
J.  H.  Gallagher 
Sam  A.  Galanty 
L.  E.  Gaudreau 
W.  C.  Gehring 
T.  W.  Gerety 
Evelyn  Gerstein 
Dr.  A.  H.  Giannini 
Don  Gillette 
Henry  Ginsberg  \ 
George  Glass 
Benjamin  Glazer 
Ben  Goetz 

H.  M.  Goetz 
Jack  Goetz 
Harry  Goldberg 
Lee  L.  Goldberg 
Leon  Goldberg 
Louis  Goldberg 
Stanley  Goldberg 
Edward  A.  Golden 
Nathan  D.  Golden 
J.  D.  Goldhar 
William  Goldman 
H.  H.  Goldstein 
Larry  Golob 

E.  T.  Gomersall 
Del  Goodman 
Morris  Goodman 
M.  R.  Goodman 
Tom  Gorman 
Alex  Gottlieb 
M.  M.  Gottlieb 
Walter  Gould 
Harry  Graham 
Monroe  W.  Greenthal 
Jack  J.  Gross 
Sam  Gross 
Milt  Grossman 
Harold  L.  Groves 
Toby  Gruen 
Clair  Hague 
H.  R.  Hamburg 


Earle  W.  Hammons 
William  Hebert 

G.  Heiber 

W.  J.  Heineman 

H.  M.  Herbel 
Henry  Herzbrun 
John  Hertz,  Jr. 
C.  A.  Hill 

E.  E.  Hinchy 
Hal  Hode 
Michael  Hoffay 
Russell  Holman 
Arthur  Housman 
A.  K.  Howard 
A.  S.  Howson 
E.  J.  Hudson 
H.  E.  Huffman 
J.  S.  Hummel 
E.  L.  Hyman 
Rube  Jackter 
Arthur  Jeffrey 
W.  K.  Jenkins 
C.  R.  Jones 
Julian  Johnson 
Jason  S.  Joy 
Abe  H.  Kaufman 

A.  J.  Kearney 
Lionel  H.  Keene 
R.  M.  Kennedy 

C.  E.  Kessnich 

D.  Kimelman 
H.  F.  Kincey 
Edward  L.  Klein 
Paul  Kohner 

H.  F.  Kreeke 

B.  B.  Kreisler 
Bert  Kulick 

W.  C.  Kunzmann 

C.  E.  Kurtzman 


Frank  La  Falce 
Jules  Lapidus 
P.  N.  Lazarus,  Jr. 
P.  N.  Lazarus,  Sr. 
Arthur  A.  Lee 
Claude  F.  Lee 
Sam  Lefkowitz 
Irving  Lesser 
J.  M.  Levenson 
Jack  Levin 
A.  H.  Levy 
M.  A.  Levy 
Nat  Levy 
W.  B.  Levy 
Perry  W.  Lieber 
Harry  Lichtig 
A.  H.  Lockwood 
Edwin  Loeb 
Phil  Longdon 
H.  J.  Lorber 
L.  J.  Ludwig 
H.  C.  Lund 
F.  L.  Lynch 
W.  E.  MacKee 
Charles  E.  McCarthy 
F.  J.  A.  McCarthy 
Leo  J.  McCarthy 
A.  H.  McCausland 
J.  A.  McConville 
W.  S.  McKay 
Elliott  McManus 
Edward  McNamee 
Sam  Machnovitch 
Irving  Maas 
J.  J.  Moloney 
Harry  Mandel 
N.  L.  Manheim 
R.  G.  March 
Albert  Margolies 
Fally  Markus 
Lesley  Mason 


H.  M.  Masters 
Arthur  L.  Mayer 
E.  H.  Mayer 
Howard  G.  Mayer 
Archie  Mayers 
Bert  Mayers 
J.  S.  Mednikow 
Lowell  Mellett 
Don  Mersereau 
Lou  B.  Metzger 
Fred  S.  Meyer 
Sidney  Meyer 


Dan  Michalove 
H.  J.  Michalson 
Joe  Miller 
Carl  E.  Milliken 
Capt.  G.  S.  Mitchell 
Ray  Moon 
Paul  Mooney,  Sr. 
Norman  H.  Moray 
Sam  E.  Morris 
S.  L.  Morris 
William  Morris 
Leo  Morrison 
T.  E.  Mortensen 
J.  H.  Moskowitz 

B.  S.  Moss  » 
Edgar  Moss 
Paul  Moss 

T.  P.  Mulrooney 
Tom  Murray 
Anthony  Muto 
P.  S.  Nathan 
Oscar  Neufeld 
Louis  Nizer 
John  Nolan 
J.  J.  O'Connor 
R.  J.  O'Donnell 
J.  P.  O'Loghlin 
Hugh  Owen 
David  Palfreyman 
Rodney  A.  Pantages 
Arthur  Perles 

E.  J.  Peskay 
Louis  Phillips 
Percy  Phillipson 
Pvt.  Leo  Pillot 
Barney  Pitkin 
M.  G.  Poller 

C.  C.  Pettijohn 
Joe  Pasternak 
Ralph  Pielow 
Louis  Patz 
Joseph  Pincus 
Charles  D.  Prutzman 

F.  C.  Quimby 
Harry  Rapf 
Mitchell  Rawson 
Charles  Reagan 
Sidney  H.  Rechetnik 


Arch  Reeve 
Edmund  Reek 
Henry  Reeve 
Phil  Reisman 
W.  M.  Richardson 

H.  M.  Richey 
Samuel  Rinzler 
Louis  de  Rochemont 
R.  S.  Roddick 
Budd  Rogers 
Charles  R.  Rogers 
John  Rose 
Samuel  Rosen 

Col.  Sol  A.  Rosenblatt 
L.  Rosenfeld 
J.  B.  Rosenthal 
P.  F.  Rosian 

D.  A.  Ross 
Max  Roth 
William  M.  Saal 
Arthur  Sachson 

E.  A.  Sargoy 
E.  M.  Saunders 
R.  M.  Saving 
G.  J.  Schaefer 
C.  A.  Schaufele 
Marvin  H.  Schenck 
Adolph  Schimel 
Louis  W.  Schine 
Charles  Schlaifer 
M.  A.  Schlesinger 
Robert  Schless 

I.  J.  Schmertz 
E.  M.  Schnitzer 
Edward  Schreiber 
Sidney  Schreiber 
A.  W.  Schwalberg 
Arthur  Schwartz 
Charles  Schwartz 
Milton  Schwarzwald 
C.  J.  Scollard 

W.  E.  Scott 
J.  J.  Scully 


Si  Seadler 
H.  A.  Seed 
A.  J.  Sharick 
Victor  M.  Shapiro 
Irvin  Shapiro 
H.  F.  Shaw 
Jack  A.  Shea 
Joe  Shea 
Al  Sherman 
Besa  Short 
Stanley  Shuford 
A.  J.  Shumow 
L.  K.  Sidney 
Emanuel  Silverstone 
A.  F.  Sindlinger 
Mort  H.  Singer 
Robert  F.  Sisk 


C.  A.  Smakwitz 
Morris  Small 
Robert  Smelter 

A.  W.  Smith,  Jr. 
Cresson  E.  Smith 
George  A.  Smith 
Lou  Smith 
Martin  Smith 
Pete  Smith 

J.  J.  Spandau 
M.  A.  Spring 
Martin  Starr 

B.  M.  Stearn 

A.  W.  Stebbins 
Andrew  Stein 
Joseph  L.  Stein 
J.  H.  Stevens 
N.  E.  Steinberg 

B.  V.  Sturdivant 
Lester  Sturm 
William  Sussman 
Mrs.  C.  M.  Swabb 
S.  Cadwell  Swanson 
Joel  Swenson 


H.  J.  Takiff 
Robert  S.  Taplinger 
L.  E.  Thompson 
Lester  Thompson 
J.  M.  Totman 
Vincent  Trotta 
Walter  Trumbull 
Terry  Turner 
Frederic  Ullman,  Jr. 
Allen  Usher 
Al  Vaughan 
Frank  C.  Walker 
Wallace  Walthall 
Mo  Wax 

Fred  Wehrenberg 
Louis  Weinberg 
A.  I.  Weiner 
H.  E.  Weiner 
M.  J.  Weisfeldt 
George  Weltner 
Clint  Weyer 
L.  F.  Whelan 
Jacob  Wilk 
Arthur  Willi 
Herman  Wobber 
M.  N.  Wolf 
Nat  Wolf 
H.  P.  Wolfberg 
R.  S.  Wolff 
Mitchell  Wolfson 
Harmon  Yaffa 
Hal  C.  Young 
Gordon  E.  Youngman 
M.  E.  Youngstein 
George  W.  Weeks 
Al  Zimbalist 


44 


My  sincere  thanks  and 


appreciation  to  you  all. 


7  7 


12 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Tuesday,  January  26,  1943 


Australian  Radio 
Censorship  4Bad', 
MBS  Man  Says 


By  LUCILLE  GREENBERG 

Rigid  censorship  of  domestic  and 
foreign  broadcasts  by  Australia  has 
resulted  in  the  elimination  of  all  but 
favorable  news  and  is  "definitely  bad," 
Frank  J.  Cuhel,  Mutual  correspondent 
recently  returned  from  Australia,  said 
in  an  interview  yesterday. 

The  radio  reporter,  who  broadcast 
from  Sydney  for  eight  months,  at- 
tributed errors  in  consorship  to  the 
lack  of  censors'  sufficient  experience 
in  handling  programs.  Cuhel  advo- 
cated a  more  liberal  control  of  news, 
withholding  only  those  facts  which 
would  affect  the  security  of  the 
United  Nations. 

The  most  effective  American  propa- 
ganda for  better  relations  with  Aus- 
tralians, Cuhel  said,  is  contained  in 
broadcasts  featuring  such  entertainers 
as  Bob  Hope,  Bing  Crosby,  Fibber 
McGee  and  Molly,  and  Eddie  Cantor. 
Talks  by  President  Roosevelt,  Wen- 
dell Willkie  and  other  leading  public 
figures  are  closely  followed  in  that 
country,  Cuhel  pointed  out. 

American  Films  Dominate 

Cuhel  also  discussed  motion  pictures 
in  Australia  and  said  that  American 
product  dominated  the  field  with  men 
in  charge  of  film  distribution  either 
American  or  American  trained. 

American  soldiers  in  Aus- 
tralia throng  metropolitan  the- 
atres when  they  are  on  leave, 
Cuhel  said,  and  are  provided 
with  pictures  at  camps  and  as 
close  to  the  front  lines  as  pos- 
sible. The  Red  Cross  with  the 
assistance  of  the  Army's 
morale  division  carry  equip- 
ment to  forward  troops  and 
present  shows  under  whatever 
conditions  possible.  Some- 
times, Cuhel  said,  the  soldiers 
build  makeshift  theatres  out  of 
doors.  Other  times,  the  screen- 
ings are  given  in  jungle  clear- 
ings. 

The  soldiers  and  civilians  like  gay 
films,  Cuhel  said,  with  comedies  and 
musicals  the  most  popular.  The  sol- 
diers also  are  enthusiastic  about  west- 
erns. The  Red  Cross,  Office  of  War 
Information  and  the  Army  Morale 
Division  supervise  screenings  at  the 
permanent  camps,  Cuhel  said. 

The  Mutual  correspondent  praised 
Australia's  propaganda  films,  issued 
by  the  Department  of  Information, 
which  he  said  were  superior  to  Amer- 
ican product  of  the  same  type  in  some 
cases.  He  particularly  mentioned  pic- 
tures on  hoarding  and  soil  conserva- 
tion. 


Dubuque  Station  Planned 

Dubuque,  la.,  Jan.  25. — The  Du- 
buque Broadcasting  Co.  has  been 
granted  a  charter  to  engage  in  radio 
broadcasting  here.  Charles  Landon 
is  president  and  James  D.  Carpenter 
and  O.  F.  Christoffersen  vice-presi- 
dents. These  officers,  all  of  whom 
are  of  Dubuque,  with  D.  B.  Cassat 
and  H.  A.  Hautli,  form  the  board  of 
directors. 


Off  the  Antenna 

TALKS  on  radio's  contribution  to  the  preservation  of  democratic  prin- 
ciples were  made  before  130  audiences  during  1942  by  Mrs.  Doris  Corwith, 
assistant  to  Dr.  James  Rowland  Angell,  NBC's  public  service  counselor,  ac- 
cording to  Mrs.  Corwith's  annual  report.  Mrs.  Corwith  emphasized  the  net- 
work's contribution  to  the  war  effort  in  speeches  heard  by  38,900  persons, 
NBC  announced. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Dr.  Peter  C.  Goldmark,  chief  television  engineer  of  CBS, 
is  scheduled  to  receive  a  fellowship  from  the  Institute  of  Radio  Engineers  on 
Thursday.  .  .  .  Edwin  H.  Armstrong ,  inventor  of  the  FM  system,  will  present 
the  1942  Edison  Medal  by  the  American  Institute  of  Electrical  Engineering 
tomorrow.  .  .  .  Zero  Mostel,  who  was  in  second  place  as  the  Year's  Most  Out- 
standing New  Star  in  Motion  Picture  Daily'.?  seventh  annual  radio  poll, 
and  Herb  Schriner,  voted  the  Most  Promising  Star  of  Tomorrow  in  the  poll, 
appear  together  for  the  first  time  on  the  Comedy  Caravan  on  Friday  over  CBS. 
.  .  .  Ted  Enns,  national  sales  manager  for  the  Cowles  stations  in  Iowa,  is  on  a 
three  weeks'  trip  to  New  York,  Cincinnati.  Boston  and  Chicago.  .  .  .  Fred 
Waring  and  his  band  will  play  for  the  President's  Birthday  Ball  at  the  May- 
flower Hotel,  Washington,  D.  C.  on  Saturday.  .  .  .  Theodore  Granik,  director 
of  "The  American  Forum  of  the  Air"  on  Mutual,  will  receive  an  honorary  de- 
gree of  Doctor  of  Laws  from  St.  John's  University  on  Feb.  4.  Mutual  will 
carry  the  presentation. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  Don  Cordray,  WNEW  staff  announcer,  plans  to  enter 
the  Army,  while  his  wife  plans  to  join  the  WAACs.  .  .  .  Marie  A.  Higgins 
of  NBC's  traffic  department  has  enlisted  in  the  WAACs.  .  .  .  George 
Dlugos,  formerly  of  WIIC,  New  Haven,  is  now  an  Army  lieutenant,  sta- 
tioned at  Tampa,  Fla.  .  .  .  Edwin  M.  Schneeberg  of  the  radio  copy  de- 
partment at  Compton  Advertising  Agency,  has  joined  the  Army.  .  .  . 
Harvey  Carey,  announcer,  has  left  WBBM,  Chicago,  and  is  attached  to 
the  Army  Air  Forces  at  Atlantic  City. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  B.  T.  Babbitt,  Inc.,  has  renewed  "David  Harum" 
over  52  NBC  stations.  .  .  .  Jackie  Cooper  will  make  his  final  public  appearance 
before  entering  the  Army  on  the  Betty  Lou  and  Timmy  Riggs  show  on  Friday 
at  10  p.  m.  .  .  .  Vice-President  Henry  A.  Wallace  will  speak  on  the  Blue 
"Victory  Hour"  program  tonight.  .  .  .  Bette  Davis  will  appear  with  Walter 
Huston  in  the  "Screen  Guild  Players"  presentation  of  "Dodsworth"  Monday 
over  CBS. 


Await  High  Court  Decision 
On  Review  of  Petrillo  Ban 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

on  the  ground  that  it  was  essentially 
a  labor  dispute  and  not  within  the 
jurisdiction  of  his  court. 

If  the  Supreme  Court  holds  that  the 
issue  actually  is  a  labor  dispute  and 
not  subject  to  court  action,  it  is  like- 
ly that  the  Department  will  drop  its 
effort  to  overturn  the  record  ban. 


Decision  Reserved 
In  2nd  U.  S.  Action 

Chicago,  Jan.  25. — Federal  Judge 
John  P.  Barnes  today  reserved  deci- 
sion on  the  Department  of  Justice's 
second  action  here  to  obtain  an  injunc- 
tion restraining  James  C.  Petrillo, 
president  of  the  American  Federation 
of  Musicians,  from  enforcing  his  ban 
on  the  making  of  records. 

Following  the  hearing,  Judge 
Barnes  gave  Joseph  Padway,  AFM 
counsel,  one  week  in  which  to  file  a 
brief  and  granted  one  week  thereafter 
for  the  filing  of  a  reply  brief  by  As- 
sistant U.  S.  Attorney  General  Thur- 
man  W.  Arnold. 

Arnold  said  that  if  Padway's  mo- 
tion to  dismiss  the  Government's 
present  suit  is  denied,  an  effort  will  be 
made  to  obtain  an  early  trial  of  the 
case  on  its  merits  and  the  request  for 
a  temnorary  injunction  would  be 
dropped.  Arnold  left  for  Washington 
immediately  following  the  hearing. 


Lillian  Hellman  Here 

Lillian  Hellman,  who  has  com- 
nleted  the  screenplay  of  "North  Star" 
for  Samuel  Goldwyn,  is  expected  here 
todav. 


BroadwayBox-office 
Continues  Fast  Pace; 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

stage  show  continued  its  pace  at  the 
Paramount  with  an  estimated  $66,000 
anticipated  for  the  fourth  week  ending 
tonight.  Johnny  Long  and  his  band 
replace  Goodman  tomorrow  with 
Frank  Sinatra  and  the  Radio  Rogues 
remaining  in  the  stage  presentation. 

At  the  Strand  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy"  with  Sammy  Kaye  and  his 
band  on  the  stage  grossed  an  estimat- 
ed $22,700  for  the  first  three  days 
of  its  fifth  week  and  starts  a  sixth 
week  Friday.  Also  continuing  strong 
is  "In  Which  We  Serve,"  which  drew 
a  reported  $33,000  for  the  first  four 
days  of  its  fifth  week  at  the  Capitol. 

"Random  Harvest"  and  the  stage 
presentation  grossed  about  $65,000  in 
the  first  four  days  of  a  sixth  week 
at  the  Radio  City  Music  Hall  and 
enters  a  seventh  on  Thursday.  For 
four  days  of  the  ninth  week,  "Casa- 
blanca" garnered  an  estimated  $15,- 
500  and  starts  a  10th  week  Thursday 
at  the  Hollywood. 

"Margin  for  Error"  opened  Satur- 
day at  the  Globe  and  grossed  an  esti- 
mated $5,800  for  the  weekend. 


Para.,  W.  B. 
Drop  2  Films 
On  No.  Africa 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

ment  for  the  production  had 
been  obtained  but,  it  was  said 
here,    suggestions   were  later*^\ 
made  that  it  be  postponed  due""11' 
to  the  present  uncertain  politi- 
cal situation  in  North  Africa. 
Warners  had  in  preparation  a  fea- 
ture  based  on    the  life  of  General 
Charles    de    Gaulle    but  voluntarily 
postponed  it  on  the  grounds  that  the 
uncertainty  of  the  situation  make  it  a 
dubious  investment  at  this  time. 

A  third  feature,  which  was  to  have 
been  based  on  the  life  of  General  Gi- 
raud,  which,  however,  had  not  reached 
the  stage  of  preparation,  was  aban- 
doned at  the  suggestion  of  the  Office 
of  War  Information,  it  was  learned. 
Although  the  OWI  made  no  official 
objection  to  the  filming,  it  was  said, 
it  did  point  out  to  the  inquiring  pro- 
ducer that  in  view  of  existing  condi- 
tions there  would  be  a  considerable 
element  of  risk  involved  in  such  a  pro- 
duction. 


State  Dep't  Disclaims 
Reports  of  Action 

Washington,  Jan.  25. — State  De- 
partment officials  today  branded  as  un- 
founded reports  that  they  had  re- 
quested Paramount  and  Warner  Bros, 
to  hold  up  pictures  dealing  with  the 
current  situation  in  Africa. 


Local  306  Goes  to 
Court  on  Wage  Cut 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
three  projectionists  a  $28.33  weekly 
wage  instead  of  the  $55  paid  before 
Jan.  1. 

Judge  William  Klapp  held  Karesh 
for  trial  at  Special  Sessions  and  pa- 
roled him  on  his  own  recognizance. 

Nathan  Frankel,  Local  306  attor- 
ney, held  that  the  only  legal  wages 
since  the  stabilization  order  were 
those  previously  paid  or  those  ap- 
proved by  the  War  Labor  Board  and 
that  a  reduction  was  in  violation  of 
the  ruling. 

The  three  union  members  involved, 
William  Kantor,  Tobias  T.  Schwalbee 
and  Joseph  Horowitz,  have  not  accept- 
ed the  lowered  salary  and  are  still 
working  at  the  theatre,  according  to 
a  union  spokesman,  and  there  is  no 
strike. 


Seventh  Richardson 
'BluebookTublished 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

now  begin  the  book,  placing  matters 
of  this  classification  together  and  also 
preparing  the  reader  for  applications 
of  electricity  in  later  chapters  to 
equipment,  regardless  of  classification. 

The  seventh  edition  also  looks  a  bit 
into  the  future  with  four  chapters  on 
television,  introducing  the  projection- 
ist to  equipment  he  may  be  required  to 
handle  after  the  war.  Control  track 
and  stereophonic  sound  is  another  mat- 
ter dealt  with  of  future  implications. 


:~~ION  PICTURE 

&  ■  ■  ^  ■ 


First  in 


53.  NO.  18 


fPf^  r*/\T>r-K,  U.S.A.,  WEDNESDAY,  JANUARY  27,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Coast  Actors 
Reject  Salary 
Escrow  Plan 


Will    Inform  Treasury 
Dep't  of  Opposition 


Hollywood,  Jan.  26. — Screen 
Actors  Guild  members  in  the  salary 
brackets  affected  by  the  $25,000 
Federal  ceiling  rejected  the  propos- 
al for  placing  in  escrow  all  salaries 
above  the  $67,200  maximum  until 
such  time  as  they  might  be  legally 
paid. 

The  action  was  taken  at  a  meeting 
of  the  SAG  members  last  night,  at 
which  James  Cagney,  president,  was 
chairman.  The  meeting  instructed  the 
SAG  board  of  directors  to  inform  the 
Treasury  Department  at  Washington 
that  the  escrow  proposal  is  not  ac- 
ceptable to  the  SAG  members  affected 
by  the  President's  salary  directive. 

The  escrow  proposal  was  advanced 
recently  by  representatives  of  the 
Hollywood  talent  guilds  as  a  possible 
solution  for  both  talent  and  studios 

(Continued  on  page  5) 


Skouras  Is  Installed 
At  L.A.  Variety  Club 


Hollywood,  Jan.  26. — Charles  P. 
Skouras,  president  of  National  The- 
atres, was  installed  as  Chief  Barker 
of  the  Los  Angeles  Variety  Club 
Tent  25  for  the  second  year  at  instal- 
lation exercises  last  night  at  the  Am- 
bassador Hotel,  attended  by  National 
Chief  Barker  John  H.  Harris,  Com- 

(Continued  on  page  5) 


Discuss  China  Film 
Shipment  Increase 

Methods  of  increasing  film 
shipments  to  China  were  dis- 
cussed at  a  meeting  of  for- 
eign managers  with  Office  of 
War  Information  officials  at 
the  Harvard  Club  yesterday. 
Lacy  Kastner  of  the  O WI  and 
Lawrence  Fisher,  OWI  repre- 
sentative at  Chungking,  in- 
formed the  meeting  that 
there  was  little  prospect  of 
sending  more  than  two  fea- 
tures a  month  to  China  due  to 
limited  plane  space.  For 
some  time,  however,  no  films 
have  been  entering  China. 


Alleged  'Squeeze' 
by  Majors  Told 
by  Momand  in  O.C. 


By  T.  L.  BUTTERFIELD 

Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  26. — A.  B. 
Momand's  testimony  in  his  own  behalf 
drew  near  conclusion  today  as  he 
went  into  further  details  of  his  ef- 
forts to  salvage  or  rebuild  his  sinking 
theatre  properties  in  1926-30. 

Relating  experiences  on  numerous 
trips  to  New  York  City  in  an  effort 
to  make  deals  with  major  distributors 
for  his  theatres,  and  how  he  met  re- 
buffs upon  each  occasion  high-lighted 
the  session  of  the  anti-trust  suit  he 
has  directed  against  major  producers, 
distributors  and  the  Griffith  Compa- 
nies, and  which  is  now  in  its  third 
week  before  Federal  District  Judge 
Bower  Broaddus. 

Momand  related  how  he  had  tele- 
phoned E.  V.  Richards,  Saenger  ex- 
ecutive, in  New  Orleans  in  1928  and 
requested  an  interview  relating  to  a 
proposed  deal  he  had  in  mind.  Rich- 
ards told  Momand  he  was  going  to 
(Continued  on  page  5) 


'Prelude  to  War' 
At  Cinema  Lodge 

Col.  Frank  Capra's  film,  "Prelude 
to  War,"  which  was  produced  exclus- 
ively for  the  armed  forces,  will  be 
shown  privately  at  the  "Liberty  Meet- 
ing" of  the  B'nai  B'rith  Cinema  Lodge 
tomorrow  night  in  the  Grand  Ball- 
room of  the  Hotel  Edison.  Special  ap- 
proval for  the  showing  of  the  film 
was  secured  from  the  War  Depart- 
ment, it  was  stated. 

Countess  Marie  Tolstoy,  grand- 
daughter of  Leo  Tolstoy,  will  be  guest 
speaker,  Irving  H.  Greenfield,  presi- 
dent of  the  lodge,  announced. 


N.Y.  Grosses  Lag  As 
Nation  Hears  News 

The  three  major  networks 
reported  last  night  that  mil- 
lions of  people  stayed  at  home 
to  listen  to  the  momentous 
news  that  President  Roosevelt 
and  Prime  Minister  Churchill 
had  conferred  in  Casablanca, 
Africa,  with  top  military  and 
naval  leaders  of  the  United 
Nations. 

Receipts  in  Broadway  mo- 
tion picture  houses  and  legit- 
imate theatres  were  lower 
than  Tuesday  nights  in  the 
past  few  months,  house  man- 
agers reported,  pointing  out 
that  newspaper  and  radio  an- 
nouncements throughout  the 
day  saying  that  an  important 
statement  concerning  the  for- 
eign situation  would  be  made 
at  10  p.  m.  kept  people  at 
home  beside  their  receiving 
sets. 


Roosevelt  on  'Dimes' 
Show  Saturday  Night 

President  Roosevelt  will  speak  on 
the  "America  Salutes  the  President" 
program  on  Saturday  from  11:15  p. 
m.  to  12:15  a.  m.,  climaxing  the  an- 
nual "March  of  Dimes"  drive  for 
funds  by  the  National  Foundation  for 
Infantile  Paralysis.  The  broadcast 
will  be  carried  on  the  four  networks, 
local  stations  WNEW,  WMCA  and 
probably  WHN. 

Frank  Sinatra  and  Bob  Hope  are 
the  latest  additions  to  the  previously 
announced  performers  who  will  appear 
on  the  program. 

An  additional  feature  of  the  Presi- 
(Continued  on  page  5) 


Nation-Wide  Rationing  of 
Fuel  Oil  Likely  by  Spring 


Dance  Band  Remote 
Ban  Lifted  by  AFM 

With  settlement  yesterday  of  the 
American  Federation  of  Musicians' 
dispute  with  WJAS  and  WQV, 
Pittsburgh,  the  ban  on  remote  dance 
band  pickups  on  CBS  and  the  Blue 
was  removed.  A  regular  schedule 
was  resumed  last  night  by  the  Blue 
Network,  while  CBS  postponed  re- 
sumption of  the  regular  programs  un- 
til tonight. 

The  ban  was  ordered  by  James  C. 
Petrillo,  AFM  head. 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  26. — Nation- 
wide fuel  oil  rationing  may  have  to 
be  ordered  before  Spring,  it  was  dis- 
closed today  by  Petroleum  Adminis- 
tration officials. 

Steadily  increasing  military  re- 
quirements already  have  brought  de- 
mand for  oil  close  to  the  nation's  cap- 
acity to  produce,  they  said.  Possibili- 
ties of  shortages  on  the  West  Coast, 
where  the  OPA  will  introduce  fuel 
oil  rationing  Feb.  1,  lay  in  the  uncer- 
tainty as  to  whether  the  tanker  fleet 
on  which  that  area  is  dependent  can 
(Continued  on  page  9) 


Tenn.  Measure 
Aims  to  Close 
Losing  Houses 

Anti-Blind  Checking  Bill 
Introduced  in  Ohio 


A  bill  which  would  require  Ten- 
nessee exhibitors  to  dispose  of  their 
theatres  or  to  close  them  under  cer- 
tain circumstances  in  the  event  they 
were  not  showing  a  profit  has  been 
introduced  in  the  state  legislature, 
according  to  information  received 
at  home  offices  yesterday. 

At  the  same  time  word  was 
received  of  the  introduction  of 
an  anti-blind  checking  bill  in 
the  Ohio  legislature,  similar  to 
measures  introduced  in  other 
states  and  sponsored  by  Allied 
States  regional  units. 
New     Jersey     Allied's  anti-blind 
checking  bill  was  not  introduced  at 
the  brief  session  of  the  state  legisla- 
ture this  week.    The  legislature  has 
adjourned  to  next  Monday,   so  the 
measure  now  cannot  be  introduced  un- 
til next  week. 

The  Tennessee  bill's  sponsorship  is 
unknown.  Claude  Lee,  public  rela- 
tions manager  for  Paramount,  is 
scheduled  to  leave  for  Nashville  to- 
day to  study  the  measure  at  first  hand. 
It  would  prohibit  the  operation  of  the- 
atres at  a  loss  in  an  effort  to  "stifle 
competition,"  but  insofar  as  can  be 
learned  here  it  does  not  define  the 
conditions  which  would  constitute  the 

(Continued  on  page  5) 


Report  Yamins  May 
Join  N.  E.  Interstate 

Boston,  Jan.  26. — Nathan  Yamins, 
Fall  River  exhibitor  may  join  the  New 
England  Interstate  Circuit  in  the  near 
future  according  to  local  reports. 

Should  the  new  association  ma- 
terialize, it  is  believed  that  Yamins 
would  become  a  partner  in  the  inde- 
pendent circuit  headed  by  Harold 
Stoneman.  Edward  A.  Ansin,  former 
president  of  Interstate,  was  a  victim 
of  the  Cocoanut  Grove  disaster  here. 
Yamins  recently  has  been  active  in  the 
operation  of  only  two  or  three  of  his 
Fall  River  theatres. 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "You  Can't  Beat 
the  Law,"  "Man  of  Courage," 
and  "Overland  Stagecoach," 
Page  8.  Key  city  box-office 
reports,  Pages  8  and  9. 


■ 


2 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Wednesday,  January  27,  1943 


Personal  Mention 


U.A:s  'Nine  Men' 
Shown  in  London 

London,  Jan.  26. — "Nine 
Men,"  Ealing  Studios  produc- 
tion for  United  Artists,  which 
was  given  a  press  preview 
here  today,  is  a  virile,  mas- 
culine drama  depicting  the  ad- 
ventures of  a  handful  of  Brit- 
ish soldiers  who  hold  a  Libyan 
outpost  against  vastly  super- 
ior Italian  numbers. 

The  subject  matter  is  un- 
usual, strongly  portrayed, 
light  in  feminine  interest  and 
vaguely  reminiscent  of  "Beau 
Geste."  It  has  splendid  but 
exclusively  native  character 
portrayals,  marked  by  true 
English  idiom  and  dialect.  Its 
direction  by  Harry  Watt,  who 
made  "Target  for  Tonight," 
and  its  technical  qualities  are 
above  average  and  help  to 
make  it  a  prestige  picture  for 
British  audiences.  Its  lack  of 
feminine  appeal,  however, 
limits  its  audience  range. 

— Aubrey  Flanagan 


Five  New  Companies 
Incorporate  in  N.  Y. 

Albany,  Jan.  26. — Thomas  J.  Cur- 
ran,  Secretary  of  State,  has  issued 
papers  of  incorporation  to  five  motion 
picture  concerns.    They  are : 

Maya  Films  Distributing  Corp., 
Manhattan ;  directors,  Gilbert  Joseph- 
son,  Jesse  Gross,  Egon  Klein ;  sub- 
scribers, Abraham  Wynehouse,  Her- 
bert M.  Markham,  Benjamin  Ross. 

Lawbin  Theatre  Co.,  Inc.,  by  Pau- 
line Altman,  Norma  Jean  Sohn  and 
Alice  Lewine,  New  York. 

Robert  Goelet,  Jr.,  &  Co.,  Inc.,  New 
York,  250  shares,  by  Robert  Goelet, 
Jr.,  Ralph  Serram  and  Robert  Gallub. 

G  &  H  Productions,  Inc.,  Manhat- 
tan, 200  shares,  no  stated  par  value,  by 
E.  R.  Pickard,  Gertrude  Rosenberg 
and  Dorothy  Greenberg. 

Chico  Realty  Co.,  Inc.,  Syracuse, 
theatre  business,  by  William  M.  Gard- 
ner, Saul  Novitch  and  Sydney  M. 
Gerber. 

Scouras  Theatre  Holding  Corp., 
Brooklyn,  has  changed  its  corporate 
name  to  Marine  Theatre  Holding 
Corp.,  according  to  papers  filed  by 
Charles  Caches,  36  West  44th  St., 
New  York. 

Two  concerns  dissolved  were  Wil- 
max  Amusement  Corp.,  Rochester, 
originally  filed  by  Lewis  Rosenzweig, 
and  Bishop  Outdoor  Advertising  Co., 
Inc.,  Utica,  originally  filed  by  Hart, 
Senior  and  Nichols,  Utica. 


'Follies9  Big  in  Hub; 
Stays  2  More  Weeks 

Boston,  Jan.  26. — -A  few  scenes  in 
the  "Ziegfeld  Follies"  have  been  cut 
or  eliminated  entirely  by  order  of  City 
Censor  John  Spencer,  but  business  at 
the  box-office  has  been  so  good  that 
the  show  will  remain  at  the  Shubert 
Theatre  an  additional  two  weeks,  mak- 
ing four  in  all. 


TO  SUB-LEASE  very  desirable  three 
room  apartment,  unfurnished,  con- 
veniently located.  Lease  rental  $125 
per  month.  What  do  you  offer  to 
October  1st?  Box  280,  Motion 
Picture  Daily. 


WILLIAM  F.  RODGERS  is  due 
from  Chicago  today. 
• 

Pvt.  Leo  Pillot,  former  New  York 
film  exploitation  man,  is  here  on  fur- 
lough from  the  Salt  Lake  City  air 
base. 

Beverly    Mahon,    owner    of  the 
Sharon  Theatre,  New  Sharon,  la.,  will 
be  inducted  into  the  Army  on  March  1. 
• 

Clifford  Farmer,  assistant  manager 
of  the  Symphony  Theatre,  Chicago,  is 
reported  on  the  road  to  recovery  at 
the  Will  Rogers  Memorial  Hospital, 
Saranac,  N.  Y. 

Ralph  Hayden,  former  booker  at 
Paramount's  Des  Moines  exchange 
has  been  graduated  from  officers' 
training  school  at  Ft.  Benning,  Ga.,  as 
a  second  lieutenant. 

• 

Russell  Ordway  of  the  M  and  P 
Allyn,  Hartford,  leaves  for  the  Army 
soon. 

• 

Pvt.  Edward  H.  Kubasek,  former- 
ly at  the  Warner  Strand,  Hartford,  is 
reported  stationed  at  New  River,  N. 
C,  with  the  Marines. 


Wolff  Conducts  RKO 
Drive  Meet  in  L,A, 

Los  Angeles,  Jan.  26. — Bob  Wolff, 
leader  of  RKO's  Ned  E.  Depinet  sales 
drive,  held  his  first  Coast  meeting  at 
the  exchange  here.  The  drive  is  sched- 
uled to  open  Feb.  5  for  15  weeks. 

J.  H.  Maclntyre,  western  district 
manager,  and  H.  C.  Cohen,  branch 
manager,  and  the  local  sales  staff  at- 
tended the  meeting.  A  reel  prepared 
under  the  direction  of  S.  Barret  Mc- 
Cormick,  director  of  advertising  and 
publicity,  carrying  special  messages 
from  company  officials  and  Si  Fabian, 
Eastern  circuit  head,  as  well  as  clips 
from  films  to  be  released  during  the 
drive,  was  shown. 

Wolff  and  Harry  Gittleson  of  the 
home  office  left  for  San  Francisco  and 
other  cities. 


Infl  Publicity  Unit 
Talks  OWI  Project 

A  project  calling  for  the  coopera- 
tion of  the  International  Film  Rela- 
tions Council,  organization  of  foreign 
department  publicity  managers,  with 
the  Office  of  War  Information  was 
discussed  at  a  meeting  of  the  trade 
organization  here  yesterday. 

Wilbur  Morris  of  the  OWI  attended 
the  meeting.  Details  of  the  project  are 
being  withheld  pending  their  further 
development. 

The  IFRC  yesterday  approved  a 
new  label  for  expediting  newsreel 
shipments  to  foreign  destinations. 


Hub  Showing  for  'Serve' 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  will  be 
shown  as  a  single  feature  at  both 
Loew's  State  and  Loew's  Orpheum 
theatres  in  Boston  beginning  Thursday, 
United  Artists  announced  yesterday. 
This  will  mark  the  third  time  in  the 
history  of  these  Hub  theatres  that  a 
single  feature  has  ben  offered. 


ME.  Walker,  owner  of  the  Gai- 
.  ety  Theatre,  Halifax,  N.  S.,  re- 
cently entertained  enlisted  men  of  the 
Royal  Canadian  Navy  at  his  home. 
• 

Pvt.  Baruch  LeWitt,  formerly 
partner  in  the  Glackin-LeWitt  Thea- 
tres in  New  Britain,  Plainville  and 
Sound  View,  Conn.,  has  been  sta- 
tioned with  the  Army  at  Camp  Hale, 
Pendbw,  Col. 

• 

Hyman  Schwartz,  of  the  Hillcrest, 
Taftville,  Conn.,  has  recovered  from 
an  illness. 

• 

Martin  Hart,  formerly  of  Warner 
Bros.'  Avalon  Theatre,  Chicago,  is 
home  on  furlough. 

• 

Armando  Trucios,  Warner  man- 
ager in  Panama,  is  visiting  here. 
• 

Peter  A.  Nepete,  former  Frisina 
Circuit  manager  in  Southern  Illinois, 
now  a  Lieutenant  in  the  Army,  was 
married  to  Hazel  York  at  Fort  Sill, 
Okla. 

• 

Fred  Emhardt,  formerly  of  War- 
ner's Ardmore,  Philadelphia,  is  now  a 
Lieutenant  at  Camp  Gordon,  Ga. 


Golding  Honored  by 
Albany  Variety  Club 

Albany,  Jan.  26.— Lou  Golding,  Fa- 
bian Theatres  zone  manager  and  re- 
tiring chief  barker  of  the  local  Vari- 
ety Club,  was  given  a  testimonial  din- 
ner attend  by  about  125  club  mem- 
bers at  the  Ten  Eyck  Hotel  here.  He 
was  presented  with  a  wrist  watch. 

Golding  also  presided  at  the  instal- 
lation of  C.  J.  Latta,  Warner  The- 
atres zone  manager,  as  chief  barker 
for  1943.  Herman  Ripps,  M-G-M 
branch  manager,  is  first  assistant  chief 
barker;  Neil  Hellman  of  the  Royal 
and  Paramount,  second  assistant  chief 
barker;  Clayton  Eastman,  Paramount 
branch  manager,  dough  guy,  and  Jo- 
seph Shure,  Fabian  division  booker, 
secretary. 

Latta  pledged  the  tent  to  raise  at 
least  $500  for  this  year's  March  of 
Dimes  campaign. 

Boston  Papers  Cut 
Space  to  Theatres 

Boston,  Jan.  26. — Newspapers  are 
cutting  down  free  space  to  theatres 
here  due  to  zinc  rationing  and  news- 
print shortages,  reports  state.  Home 
deliveries  of  papers  are  few,  because 
of  the  shortage  of  newsboys,  and  all 
Sunday  papers,  except  the  Post,  are 
charging  12  cents  instead  of  10  cents 
per  copy  in  the  suburbs. 


Schwarz  Mourns  Mother 

Ed  Schwarz,  production  manager  at 
the  Columbia  home  office  advertising 
department,  is  mourning  the  loss  of  his 
mother,  who  was  fatally  injured  yes- 
terday when  struck  by  a  truck  near 
her  home  in  Forest  Hills,  L.  I. 

Spencer  Charters  Dies 

Hollywood,  Jan.  26.  —  Spencer 
Charters,  68,  film  and  stage  character 
actor,  died  here.  He  came  to  Holly- 
wood several  years  ago  and  appeared 
in  "Our  Town,"  "High  Sierra,"  "To- 
bacco Road"  and  other  films. 


Newsreel 


Parade 


FIGHTING  in  the  Stalingrad  area 
is  the  featured  news  from  the 
fighting  fronts.  Also  highlighted  in 
midweek  newSreel  releases  are  the 
launching  of  the  new  carrier  "York- 
town,"  Doughboys  boxing  British  tars, 
and  Rickenbacker  visiting  'Detroit ■  jgar 
plants.    Contents  follow.  fer^ 

MOVIETONE    NEWS,    No.    41.— B^rfSsli 

Army  captures  Tripoli.  Russians  smash 
Nazis  at  Stalingrad.  New  carrier  Yorktown 
launched.  Mountain  artillery  practice  in 
the  Rockies.  Mothers  solve  help  problem 
by  carrying  children  papoose  style.  U.  S. 
Army  cements  relations  with  British  in 
boxing  ring. 

NEWS  OF  THE  DAY,  No.  239.— Rus- 
sians ring  Nazis  in  death  trap.  Capt.  Rick- 
enbacker spurs  nation's  war  plant  workers. 
New  Yorktown  joins  the  Navy.  Old  Cleve- 
land central  viaduct  joins  the  scrap  drive. 
American  artillery  units  train  in  the 
Rockies.  Hats  for  dimout  nights.  Junior 
becomes  a  papoose.  Pennsylvania's  news 
Governor,  Gen.  Charles  Martin.  Yankee 
soldiers  outslug  British  Tars. 

PARAMOUNT  NEWS,  No.  44.— Coast 
Guard  patrols  nation's  shoreline  on  horse- 
back. Sister  Kenny  honored  in  Sacramen- 
to. Central  viaduct  of  Cleveland  junked. 
Mothers  in  Arlington,  Va.,  carry  babies 
to  market  piggy-back.  Capt.  Eddie  Rick- 
enbacker urges  war  workers  to  greater  ef- 
fort. British  and  American  servicemen  in 
friendly  bouts.  Closeups  of  hand-to-hand 
combat  in  Stalingrad  streets. 

PATHE  NEWS,  No.  44.— Stalingrad  un- 
der _  siege.  First  Lady  launches  aircraft 
carrier  Yorktown.  Coast  Guard  horse  pa- 
trol on  beaches.  Mothers  carry  babies  pa- 
poose style  in  Arlington,  Va.  Yankee  box- 
ers top  British  tars. 

UNIVERSAL    NEWSREEL,    No.  157.— 

Battle  of  Stalingrad.  U.  S.  soldiers  box 
with  Royal  Navy.  A  second  Yorktown  is 
launched.  Arlington,  Va.,  mothers  go  "In- 
dian." Rickenbacker  visits  Detroit  war 
plants.  Coast  Guard  takes  to  horse  to  pa- 
trol beaches.  Anthracite  miners  go  back  to 
work. 

Sablosky  Firm  Buys 
Philadelphia  Arcadia 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  26. — The  cen- 
ter-city Arcadia,  operated  by  a  group 
of  independent  exhibitors  headed  by 
Abe  Sablosky,  has  been  purchased  by 
the  operating  company  from  the  Girard 
Trust  Co.  for  $235,000.  The  theatre, 
seating  600  and  operating  on  a  second- 
run  policy,  is  assessed  at  $367,700. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


ROBERT  TAYLOR 


CHARLES  LAUGHTON 


BRIAN  DONLEVY 


STAND  BY  FO^s  l: 
BOX-OFFICE 
ACTION! 


Oil        -    tfo/u..  "°   ■   .      Q,r»cl.d  M 


From  Coast-to-Coast  it's  the  host  to  millions  of  palpitating  patrons!  Wham!  First  50  cities  are  224% 
beating  "Somewhere  I'll  Find  You"  and  "For  Me  and  My  Gal".  Fox  Theatre,  'Frisco,  best  M-G-M 
gross  in  4  years !  Fox,  Philadelphia,  best  in  6  years !  Clear  your  decks  for  box-office  action  in  extended 
runs!  Of  course  it's  Metro-Goldmine-Mayer.  Another  Harvest  from  the  "Random  Harvest"  company ! 


Enlist  in  "March  of  Dimes,"  America's  Great  Cause!  Feb.  18—24 


Wednesday,  January  27,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


5 


Tenn.  Measure 
Aims  to  Close 
Losing  Houses 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

stifling  of  competition  nor  does  it  in- 
dicate just  how  an  exhibitor  under 
^.^petitive  pressure  might  justify  and 
J^Oi  an  unprofitable  theatre  opera- 

The  same  bill  would  also  pro- 
hibit block  booking  in  Tennes- 
see, the  making  of  exclusive 
contracts  in  the  state  and  the 
excessive  distribution  of  passes. 
Sponsorship  of  the  law  is  un- 
certain. It  was  introduced  in 
the  upper  house  by  Senator 
Cantrell  and  in  the  lower  cham- 
ber by  Representatives  Woods 
and  Tollett. 

Meanwhile,  a  bill  to  repeal  Florida's 
anti-Ascap  law  is  reported  to  be  in 
preparation  there  for  introduction  at 
the  regular  session  of  the  legislature 
in  April.  It  is  believed  it  will  be 
similar  to  the  measure  for  repeal  of 
the  Tennessee  anti-Ascap  law  which 
was  passed  in  that  state  recently. 

An  anti-block  booking  bill  has  been 
introduced  in  Utah,  according  to  re- 
ports reaching  here. 


N.  Y.  Bill  to  Repeal 
Child  Actor  Law 

Albany,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  26. — As  fore- 
cast by  Motion  Picture  Daily  last 
week,  a  bill  to  repeal  present  "blue 
laws"  prohibiting  motion  picture, 
radio  and  other  theatrical  perform- 
ances by  children  under  16  was  intro- 
duced in  the  Legislature  today. 

The  measure  is  identical  with  last 
year's  amended  bill  which  passed  both 
houses  but  was  vetoed  by  Gov.  Leh- 
man. As  was  the  case  last  year,  the 
bill  is  sponsored  by  Assemblyman 
Harold  B.  Ehrlich  of  Buffalo,  and 
Senator  William  H.  Hampton  of 
Utica. 


20th-Fox  Planning 
Theatre  in  Havana 


Twentieth  Century-Fox  may  acquire 
or  build  a  theatre  in  Havana  as  a  re- 
sult of  the  inability  of  the  company 
to  make  new  season  deals  with  first 
runs  there,  it  was  learned  yesterday. 

As  a  result  of  the  inability  to  agree 
on  terms  for  the  company's  new  prod- 
uct, no  20th-Fox  pictures  have  been 
sold  in  Cuba  since  last  July.  The 
impasse  has  now  reached  the  point 
where  the  company  has  taken  under 
consideration  several  proposals  for 
either  acquiring  or  erecting  theatres 
in  Cuba,  it  is  learned. 

Skouras  Is  Installed 
At  L.A.  Variety  Club 

(.Continued  from  page  1) 
mander  Corydon  Wassell  and  other 
notables. 

Other  officers  elected  are :  Lou 
Anger,  first  assistant  chief  barker ; 
Dave  Bershon,  second  assistant ; 
Charles  Feldman,  wagon  master ; 
Topper,  dough  guy ;  Wayne  Ball, 
property  master ;  Duke  Clark,  Fred 
Stein,  Jack  Berman,  Bernard  Luber 
and  Al  Gaston,  canvass  men. 


Exhibitors  Report 
British  Gross  High 

London,  Jan.  26. — Theatre 
business  in  Britain  is  being 
maintained  at  a  high  level 
despite  the  additional  wartime 
burdens,  it  was  officially  re- 
ported here  today  at  the  an- 
nual meeting  of  the  London 
Branch  of  the  Cinematograph 
Exhibitors  Association.  A  ten- 
dency to  increase  film  prices 
was  noted. 


Alleged  'Squeeze' 
by  Majors  Told 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

New  York  that  day  and  to  meet  him 
there.  Momand  testified  that  at  this 
meeting  he  offered  Richards  a  half 
interest  in  the  Momand  theatre  or- 
ganization as  a  gift  if  Saenger  would 
take  over  the  operations  in  Oklahoma 
as  an  extension  of  their  organization, 
as  he  felt  this  was  the  only  chance  he 
had  for  survival  against  Griffith. 

Richards  told  Momand,  the  latter 
testified,  that  the  idea  was  highly  sat- 
isfactory and  that  he  would  like  to 
make  such  a  deal  but  he  was  power- 
less to  do  so  inasmuch  as  Saenger,  a 
Paramount  subsidiary,  could  not  go 
into  Oklahoma  against  Griffith  because 
that  state  was  Universal  territory. 

On  another  occasion,  Momand  said 
he  had  gone  to  New  York  to  attempt 
to  secure  product  from  Tom  Conners, 
Metro  executive,  and  that  Conners 
told  him  he  was  wasting  his  efforts 
trying  to  buy  major  product  for  that 
season. 


Roosevelt  on  'Dimes' 
Show  Saturday  Nighl 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

dent's  birthday  celebration  will  be 
three  separate  shows  broadcast  from 
London  via  BBC  as  a  salute  from  our 
armed  forces.  The  first  will  be  heard 
on  NBC  at  10:45  a.  m. ;  the  second 
over  CBS  at  4:15  p.  m.  and  the  last 
on  the  Blue  at  10:15  p.  m. 

WNEW  reported  yesterday  that  it 
will  air  seven  continuous  hours  of  en- 
tertainment on  Saturday,  interrupted 
only  by  a  five-minute  news  break  each 
hour,  in  behalf  of  the  drive.  The  pro- 
gram will  start  at  9  p.  m. 

Legion  of  Decency 
Approves  10  Films 

The  National  Legion  of  Decency  in 
its  current  listing  approved  10  fea- 
tures, four  for  general  patronage  and 
six  for  adults.  Two  were  classified 
"objectionable  in  part."  The  films  and 
their  classifications  follow : 

Class  A-l,  Unobjectionable  for  Gen- 
eral Patronage :  "Forever  and  a  Day," 
"Power  of  the  Press,"  "The  Immortal 
Sergeant,"  "Two  Fisted  Justice."  Class 
A -2,  Unobj  ectionable  for  Adults  :  "The 
Crystal  Ball,"  "Dawn  on  the  Great 
Divide,"  "Margin  for  Error,"  "Powers 
Girl,"  "Silent  Witness,"  "They  Got 
Me  Covered." 

Class  B,  Objectionable  in  Part: 
"Rhythm  Parade,"  "Three  Hearts  for 
Julia." 


British  Film  Institute 
Making  Collection; 


By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  Jan.  26. — The  British  Film 
Institute,  academic  and  uplift  body 
financed  via  The  Privy  Council  from 
the  tax  on  Sunday  cinemas,  is  collect- 
ing films  for  preservation  so  fast  it 
does  not  know  where  to  put  them. 

That  is  the  sum  total  of  the  prospect 
painted  by  Sir  William  Brass,  Chair- 
man of  the  Institute,  when  he  spoke  at 
this  year's  annual  general  meeting. 
He  saw  the  time  coming  when  the 
limit  of  capacity  would  be  reached. 
Technical  experts  were  of  the  opinion 
that  the  B.F.I,  would  have  to  build 
bigger  and  better  vaults. 

During  1942  the  Institute  with  its 
Privy  Council-Sunday  cinema  funds 
acquired  some  285  films,  or  a  total 
footage  of  500,000.  The  type  of  film 
it  considers  worth  preserving  is  evi- 
denced in  such  acquisitions  as  "Zero 
de  Conduite,"  "Menilmontant,"  "Uber- 
f ell,"  some  March  of  Time  reels,  Dis- 
ney shorts,  "Grapes  of  Wrath"  and 
Capra's  "Long  Pants."  Forty-five 
features  are  included  in  the  list. 

Other  activities  of  which  the  In- 
stitute speaks  with  some  pride  in- 
cluded campaigns  to  boost  the  motion 
picture  in  schools  and  the  establish- 
ment of  a  lectureship  in  visual  edu- 
cation at  one  of  Britain's  younger 
universities.  An  experimental  film 
film  was  made  by  the  Institute,  "Man's 
Progress  in  Tilling  the  Soil." 

Loew's,  St.  Louis, 
Sets  Bond  Opening 

St.  Louis,  Jan.  26.— A  $400,000  war 
bond  premiere  will  open  the  new 
Loew's  Orpheum  Theatre  here  Thurs- 
day. 

The  theatre,  once  a  vaudeville  and 
legitimate  house,  was  acquired  by 
Loew's,  Inc.,  two  weeks  ago  as  a  first- 
run. 

Rex  Williams,  Loew's  representa- 
tive in  St.  Louis,  said  most  of  the 
2,200  seats  in  the  house  have  been 
sold  for  the  opening.  Bonds  are  the 
only  ticket  of  admission  to  the  pre- 
miere. 

Allen  Sparrow,  division  manager 
for  Loew's,  announced  that  Frank  X. 
Reller,  assistant  manager  at  Loew's 
State,  has  been  promoted  to  manager 
of  Loew's  Orpheum.  Eleanor  Rob- 
erds,  first  woman  student  manager  in 
Loew's  in  this  area,  was  made  assis- 
tant manager. 

$3,500,000  Bonds  in 
Lombard's  Memory 

Indianapolis,  Jan.  26. — -Indiana  sub- 
scribed nearly  $3,500,000  in  war  bonds 
in  the  15-day  bond  drive  conducted  in 
memory  of  Carole  Lombard.  The  sub- 
scription was  announced  at  a  memorial 
dinner  in  the  Claypool  Hotel,  attended 
by  more  than  500  guests. 

A  feature  of  the  program  was  a 
transcription  of  Miss  Lombard's  ap- 
peal made  a  year  ago  when  she  opened 
the  nation's  first  war  bond  drive  in 
Cadle  Tabernacle  here. 


Operators  Buy  Bonds 

Chicago,  Jan.  26. — A  recent  pur- 
chase of  $20,000  of  war  bonds  by  the 
Chicago  Operators  Union  brought  the 
organization's  total  holdings  of  gov- 
ernment securities  to  $80,000,  the 
union  stated. 


Coast  Actors 
Reject  Salary 
Escrow  Plan 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

whose  contracts  called  for  1943  pay- 
ments in  excess  of  the  $67,200  maxi- 
mum gross  allowed  to  be  paid  or  re- 
ceived under  the  salary  ceiling  order. 
It  contemplated  the  holding  of  all 
sums  in  excess  of  the  $67,200  in  es- 
crow until  such  time  as  the  excess 
could  be  paid  without  conflict  with  the 
law. 

The  proposal  was  discussed  with 
Treasury  officials  in  Washington  sev- 
eral weeks  ago  and  while  it  was  not 
in  formal  order  for  submission  to  au- 
thorities for  a  ruling  on  its  acceptabil- 
ity, there  was  apparently  some  doubt 
as  to  the  legal  status  of  the  proposal 
under  the  salary  ceiling  order.  It 
was  conceived  in  the  hope  that  it 
would  avert  the  breaching  of  contracts 
as  a  result  of  the  inability  of  studios 
to  pay,  and  of  talent  to  receive,  sums 
in  amount  of  the  legal  maximum 
called  for  in  current  contracts  or  pro- 
vided for  in  options  to  be  exercised 
during  the  year. 

Under  the  ceiling  order,  the  sums 
in  excess  of  the  maximum  will  remain 
with  the  employing  studio  or  company. 
Several  of  the  talent  guilds  have  in- 
dicated that  they  would  prefer  to  have 
the  excess  sums  absorbed  by  taxation. 

Schine  Will  Appeal 
Clearance  Decision 

Notice  of  appeal  has  been  filed  by 
Schine  Circuit  from  the  award  of 
Harold  B.  Slingerland,  arbitrator  at 
the  Albany  tribunal,  reducing  the 
clearance  of  the  circuit's  Gloversville 
and  Hippodrome  theatres,  Gloversville, 
over  the  Smalley  Theatre,  Johnstown. 
The  case  involved  all  five  consenting 
distributors. 


Specific  Run  Complaint 

A  specific  run  complaint  has  been 
filed  at  the  Boston  arbitration  tribunal 
by  the  Welldon  Theatre,  St.  Albans, 
Vt,  against  Paramount.  The  com- 
plainant charges  that  it  was  sold 
Paramount  product  first  run  for  a 
number  of  years  prior  to  1942,  when 
it  joined  Affiliated  Theatres  Corp.,  a 
buying  combine,  and  that  thereafter 
the  distributor  refused  to  license  it  ex- 
cept on  condition  that  its  pictures  also 
were  licensed  by  the  other  members  of 
the  buying  combine. 

A  similar  complaint  was  filed 
against  Paramount  by  Affiliated  The- 
atres Corp.  on  Dec.  7  on  behalf  of  the 
Welldon,  setting  forth  the  same  cir- 
cumstances. That  complaint  is  sched- 
uled for  a  first  hearing  next  Monday 
at  the  Boston  tribunal.  In  each  case, 
the  Bellevue  and  Empire  theatres,  St. 
Albans,  are  named  as  interested  par- 
ties. 


Arbitration  Clerks  Named 

Harold  B.  Taylor  has  been  named 
clerk  of  the  Kansas  City  arbitration 
tribunal  succeeeding  Joseph  S.  Han- 
ford,  resigned,  and  Don  Berkholder 
has  been  named  to  replace  Richard  A. 
Stith  as  clerk  at  the  Cincinnati  tribu- 
nal, the  American  Arbitration  Associ- 
ation announced  yesterday. 


ON 

TO  GLORY 
AND 

BOX-OFFICE 
GREATNESS . . . 


Join  the  Indusfry's  March  of  Dimes  Drive  . 


.  Feb.  18  to  Feb.  24 


The  First  Great  Epic 

of  the 
African  Campaign! 


HENRY 


MAUREEN 


FONDA  OHARA 


/>;J0HN  BROPHY'S 


LMMOKML 


WITH 


THOMAS  MITCHELL 

ALLYN  JOSLYN  •  REGINALD  GARDINER  •  MELVILLE 
COOPER  •  BRAMWELL  FLETCHER  •  MORTON  LOWRY 

Directed  by  JOHN  ST  AM 

Produced  and  Written  for  (he  Screen  by  LAMAR  TROTTI 


26* 

CENTURY-FOX 
PICTURE 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  January  27,  1943 


Reviews 


"You  Can't  Beat  the  Law" 

{Monogram) 

Hollyzvood,  Jan.  26 

jV/T  ORE  and  better  twists  of  narrative  than  is  usual  for  its  type  give 
this  melodrama  a  measure  of  power  and  interest.  The  tale  told  in 
Albert  Reich's  screenplay  puts  a  playboy  in  prison  on  a  false  conviction, 
turns  him  tough  and  rebellious  during  his  incarceration,  then  estab- 
lishes his  innocence  and  makes  him  a  disciple  of  prison  reform  in  his 
capacty  as  jailer.  Two  prison  breaks,  one  before  his  vindication  and 
one  after,  enliven  the  action,  and  the  whole  of  the  story  establishes  the 
merit  of  prison  reform. 

Edward  Norris  plays  the  principal  role  with  restraint  which  gives 
it  conviction.  Others  in  the  picture  are  Joan  Woodbury,  Jack  LaRue, 
Milburn  Stone,  Robert  Homans,  Charles  Jordan,  Kenneth  Harlan,  Bry- 
ant Washburn,  Selmer  Jackson,  Paul  McVey,  Inna  Gist  and  George 
Kamel. 

Production  is  by  Lindsley  Parsons,  with  Ralph  Like  in  association, 
and  direction  by  Phil  Rosen. 

Running  time,  61  minutes.    "G."*  Roscoe  Williams 


"Man  of  Courage" 

(Producers  Releasing^ 

D  LACKMAIL,  murder  and  love  are  featured  in  "Man  of  Courage," 
which  murder  mystery  fans  will  find  satisfying.  The  plot  con- 
cerns a  wife,  Dorothy  Burgess,  who  is  sent  to  prison  for  the  murder  of 
her  husband,  although  she  is  not  guilty.  Barton  MacLane,  the  governor, 
finds  out  about  the  mistake  and  takes  steps  to  free  the  woman,  and  in 
the  meantime  falls  in  love  with  her.   This  takes  care  of  love  and  murder. 

Then  comes  blackmail,  in  which  none  other  than  the  supposedly  dead 
husband,  played  by  Lyle  Talbot,  is  the  blackmailer.  It  seems  that  a 
tramp's  body  was  falsely  identified  as  his,  and  he  is  taking  advantage 
of  the  situation.  Talbot  is  eventually  arrested  and  MacLane  and  Miss 
Burgess  are  at  last  together. 

In  the  supporting  cast  are  Charlotte  Wynters,  Patsy  Nash,  Forrest 
Taylor,  John  Ince,  Jane  Novak,  Erskine  Johnson,  Claire  Gray,  and 
Frank  Yaconelli.  Lester  Cutler  produced  and  Alexis  Thurn-Taxis  di- 
rected the  film  with  proper  aplomb. 

Running  time,  66  minutes.  "G."* 


"Overland  Stagecoach" 

(Producers  Releasing) 

A  CCOMPANIED  by  a  generous  amount  of  hard,  fast  riding  and 
shooting,  this  '"Lone  Rider"  western  once  again  sees  law  and  order 
brought  to  the  outposts  of  the  West. 

Smokey  Moore  is  the  leader  of  a  railroad  construction  unit  near  a 
small  town,  and  Al  St.  John  is  a  stagecoach  driver.  St.  John  tells  Moore 
that  he  dislikes  the  railroad  and  hopes  that  something  happens  to  break 
up  its  plans  for  expansion.  Consequently,  when  an  explosion  occurs  near 
the  construction  plot,  he  is  blamed  for  it.  That's  where  the  Lone  Rider, 
Bob  Livingston,  comes  in.  He,  plus  Moore  and  St.  John  trace  the  ex- 
plosion to  one  of  the  partners  in  the  stagecoach  line,  and  St.  John  is 
saved.  The  picture  moves  along  briskly  and  St.  John's  humor  goes  over 
very  well. 

Sigmund  Neufeld  produced  the  film  and  Sam  Newfield  directed. 
Running  time,  54  minutes.  "G"* 


Business  Good  in 


Milwaukee;  'Bambi' 
Has  $10,200  Week 


Milwaukee,  Jan.  26. — Griff  Wil- 
liams and  his  orchestra  plus  "The 
Great  Impersonation"  netted  $12,700 
at  the  Riverside  for  the  week's  best 
gross.  Runner-up  was  "Bambi"  and 
"When  Johnny  Comes  Marching 
Home"  for  $10,200  at  the  Warner. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  28-30 : 

"Bambi"  (RKO) 

"When    Johnny    Comes    Marching  Home" 
(Univ.) 

WARNER— (2.400)    (33c-44c-60c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $10,200.     (Average,  $8,600) 
"The  Great  Impersonation"  (Univ.) 

RIVERSIDE — (2,700)     (44c -65c)    7  days. 
Stage:    Griff   Williams   and   his  orchestra. 
Gross:  $12,700.    (Average,  $12,000) 
"The  Black  Swan."  (ZOth-Fox) 
"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.) 

STRAND— (1,400)    (44c-65c)    7   days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $2,300.     (Average,  $2,000) 
"The  Undying  Monster"  (20th-Fox) 
"Dr.  Renault's  Secret"  (20th-Fox) 

PALACE— (2,400)      (44c-65c)      7  days. 
Gross:  $6,500.     (Average,  $6,000) 
"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 
"Sunday  Punch"  (M-G-M) 

WISCONSIN — (3,200)  (44c-6Sc)  7  days. 
Gross:  $8,800.     (Average.  $8,300) 


'Morocco',  $11,500, 
Leads  in  Toronto 


Toronto,  Jan.  26. — "Road  to  Mo- 
rocco" is  setting  a  real  mark  here, 
with  a  holdover  for  a  fourth  week  at 
the  Imperial  Theatre  to  gross  $11,- 
500  although  people  had  to  buck  bliz- 
zards to  get  there.  Features  at  three 
other  theatres  were  in  the  running 
with  second  weeks  to  their  credit. 
"Now,  Voyager,"  doing  $10,500  at 
Shea's  Theatre ;  "Stand  By  for  Ac- 
tion" pulling  $9,500  at  Loew's  Thea- 
tre, and  "White  Cargo"  good  for  |8,- 
500  at  the  Uptown. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  25 : 

"Mrs.     Wiggs    of    the     Cabbage  Patch" 
(Para.) 

"Henry  Aldrich  Gets  Glamor"  (Para.) 

EGLINTON  —  (1,086)  (18c-30c-48c-60c)  6 
days.     Gross:  $4,000.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

IMPERIAL— (3,373)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-9Oc) 
6  days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $11,500.  (Aver- 
age, $10,500) 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S— (2,074)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-72c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,500.  (Average. 
$10,000) 

"Now,  Voyager"  (W.B.) 

SHEA'S— (2,480)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $10,500.  (Average. 
$11,000) 

"Seven  Miles  from  Alcatraz"  (RKO) 
"Here  We  Go  Again"  (RKO) 

TIVOLI— (1,434)     (18c-30c-48c)     6  days. 
Gross:  $4,200.    (Average,  $4,200) 
"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 

UPTOWN— (2,761)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross :  $8,500.  (Average, 
$9,500) 


Lobby  Bond  Booths 
To  Be  Eliminated 

As  a  result  of  a  request  by  city 
officials  that  war  bond  booths  be  elim- 
inated in  theares  having  small  lobby 
areas,  the  New  York  and  New  Jersey 
War  Activities  Committee  will  meet 
today  to  discuss  steps  which  will  make 
it  possible  for  houses  to  comply  with 
regulations,  and  still  sell  bonds. 

Also,  the  group  will  discuss  the  Red 
Cross  request  that  someone  be  sta- 
tioned in  theatre  lobbies  to  give  ap- 
plications to  blood  donors. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification- 


Army  Out-of-Bounds 
Hits  Holyoke  Houses 

Holyoke,  Mass.,  Jan.  26. — This  city 
has  been  declared  "out  of  bounds" 
for  soldiers  from  Westover  Field, 
Army  air  base.  The  ban  has  been  de- 
clared as  a  result  of  street  brawls 
and  asserted  near  riots  in  which  sol- 
diers were  declared  to  be  involved,  on 
two  nights  in  succession.  The  ban 
works  hardships  upon  theatres,  man- 
agers said. 

The  soldiers,  banned  from  Holyoke 
because  of  riots  and  Springfield  be- 
cause of  a  scarlet  fever  epidemic,  are 
allowed  to  go  only  to  Chicopee,  where 
the  two  theatres  are  not  able  to  handle 
the  extra  patronage,  it  was  said.  ' 


19  Measures  in  Ohio 
For  Change  in  Time 

Columbus,  Jan.  26. — The  proposed 
change  from  Eastern  war  time  to  Cen- 
tral time  has  become  a  major  issue  in 
the  Ohio  General  Assembly,  in  which 
a  total  of  19  bills  have  been  introduced 
to  date  to  shift  clocks  back  one  hour. 

Despite  extreme  pressure  being 
brought  to  bear  by  various  groups, 
Lt.-Gov.  Paul  M.  Herbert  has  ex- 
pressed doubt  that  the  State  could 
"properly  or  even  patriotically"  nullify 
the  Congressional  edict,  it  is  learned. 

Meanwhile,  Gov.  Bricker,  through  a 
resolution  offered  in  the  Senate,  has 
been  requested  to  make  a  "definite  rec- 
ommendation." 


$46,000  Net 
For  6Dandy'  at 
3  L.  A.  Houses 


Los  Angeles,  Jan.  26. — "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy,"  with  $46,600  at  three 
theatres,  led  local  grosses,  with  a  com- 
bination of  "Who  Done  It?"  and/^:n 
Town"  at  two  houses  collectiF1/:  a 
strong  $34,600.  "China  Girl"  garnwed 
$38,300  at  three  theatres.  "Cat  Peo- 
ple" and  "Gorilla  Man"  rolled  up  a 
big  $9,500  at  the  Hawaii. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  20 : 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

CARTHAY  CIRCLE  (1,518)  (33c-44c-55c- 
75c)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross :  $8,500.  (Aver- 
age, $7,452) 

"China  Girl"  (20th-Fcx) 

"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (ZOth-Fox) 

CHINESE—  (2,500)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $10,800.    (Average,  $13,500) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 
"Gorilla  Man"  (W.  B.) 

HAWAII  (1,100)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $9,500.    (Average,  $3,288) 
"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 
"Sin  Town"  (Univ.) 

HILLSTREET  (2,700)   (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $19,700.    (Average,  $14,969) 
"China  Girl"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (20th-Fox) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (2,500)  (33c-44c-55c-7Sc) 
7  days.    Gross:  $19,500.    (Average,  $19,523) 
"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 
"Sin  Town"  (Univ.) 

PANTAGES— (3,000)     33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.  Gross:  $14,900.  (Average,  $12,973) 
"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO)  2nd  week. 
"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Hollywood)— (1,407)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $9,400.  (Average, 
$10,118) 

"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO)  2nd  week. 
"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Downtown)— (3,595)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $19,000.  (Aver- 
age, $10,118) 

"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 

"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (ZOth-Fox) 

RITZ— (1,376)     (33c-44c-65c-85c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $8,000.  (Average,  $9,400) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

WARNER    BROS.     (Hollywood)— (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)    7    days.    Gross:  $14,900 
(Average,  $13,291) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (Downtown)  (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)  7  days.  Gross:  $17,200.  (Av- 
erage, $14,356) 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  W.B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (Wiltern)— (2,200)  (33c- 
44c-55c-65c-85c)  7  days.  Gross:  $14,500.  (Av- 
erage. $10,063) 


Ice  Show  Grosses 
$272,700  in  Phila. 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  26.— The  "Ice 
Foil  ies  of  1943"  proved  a  major  box- 
office  attraction  at  the  6,000-seat  Phil- 
adelphia Arena  for  a  month's  engage- 
ment which  started  Christmas  Night 
and  ended  Jan.  23.  Giving  nightly 
performances  and  Saturday  matinees, 
with  tickets  scaled  from  $1.14  to  $2.85, 
the  ice  show  grossed  a  total  of  $272,- 
700,  it  was  reported.  Each  perform- 
ance was  attended  by  near  and  total 
capacity  crowds  and  the  total  attend- 
ance for  the  run  was  given  as  170,- 
800. 

This  marked  the  first  time  that  the 
"Ice  Follies"  has  stayed  more  than 
two  weeks  in  this  city.  The  engage- 
ment was  extended  because  of  trans- 
portation problems  facing  the  show 
and  the  fact  that  Philadelphia  is  en- 
ioying  a  wartime  theatrical  boom. 
Last  year,  the  show  grossed  $120,800 
in  two  weeks,  a  record  to  then,  play- 
ing to  86,000  persons.  In  view  of 
the  good  box-office  enjoyed  by  ice 
shows  here,  the  Arena  has  booked  the 
"Ice-Capades  of  1943"  for  a  two-week 
engagement  starting  Feb.  22. 


Wednesday,  January  27,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


9 


Aranha  to  Receive 
Degree  Over  Radio 

Rochester,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  26.— 
By  radio  to  Rio  de  Janeiro, 
the  University  of  Rochester 
will  award  an  honorary  de- 
gree of  Doctor  of  Laws  to 
Oswaldo  Aranha,  Brazil  for- 
eign minister.  The  ceremon- 
ies, carried  by  WHAM,  will  be 
transmitted  through  a  two- 
way  pickup  to  Rio  de  Janeiro, 
v-Tj^ere  the  degree  will  be  ac- 
jE^pted  by  Aranha  on  Radio 
Nacional.  The  university  first 
used  radio  in  awarding  a  de- 
gree in  1941  to  Prime  Minis- 
ter Churchill. 


Off  the  Antenna 


MEXICO'S  largest  commercial  station,  XEW,  has  been  signed  by  the 
Ministry  of  National  Defense  for  twice-weekly  15-minute  victory 
programs  on  the  war  and  national  defense.  Written  by  Juan  D.  del  Moral, 
film  scenarist  and  dramatist,  the  series  is  directed  by  Major  Jesus  F.  Cas- 
tillo. The  programs  will  be  recorded  for  broadcasts  from  leading  stations 
in  the  provinces,  it  was  announced. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  Richard  Goggin,  producer  of  "Personally  It's  Off  the 
.Record,"  has  left  CBS  to  enter  the  Coast  Guard.  He  is  stationed  at  New 
London,  Conn.  .  .  .  Henry  Morgan  of  WOR's  "Here's  Morgan,"  is  in  the' 
Air  Corps  Reserve  and  will  be  replaced  on  his  6 :45  p.m  five-day  'weekly 
show  by  Bndd  Hulick,  formerly  of  Stoopnagle  and  Bndd. 

•  -  •  • 

More  than  40  per  cent  of  the  visitors  to  CBS  audience  theatres  are 
servicemen,  the  web  announced.  In  1942  soldiers,  sailors  and  marines 
were  given  914,419  broadcast  tickets  through  service  organizations  with 
additional  admissions  provided  to  men  in  uniform  if  seating  space  is  avail- 
able at  broadcast  time. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Fifteen  hours  of  programs,  including  new  broadcast 
features,  have  been  sold  to  three  local  sponsors,  WMCA  announced.  .  .  .  WOR 
will  inaugurate  "The  Navy  Goes  to  Church"  program  on  Sunday  at.  9 :30 
a.m.  with  a  typical  Navy  church  service  from  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard.  .  .  . 
Roy  Rogers,  Republic  star,  will  be  a  guest  on  the  Rudy  Vallee  show  Feb. 
4.  .  .  .  Ed  Gardner  is  scheduled  as  guest  on  the  opening  Sammy  Kaye  pro- 
gram featuring  Red  Barber  tonight  over  CBS.  .  .  .  According  to  the  latest 
personal  interview  check  announced  by  Crossley,  Inc.,  in  New  York,  Boake 
Carter  attracts  more  of  an  audience  than  any  other  daytime  news  commen- 
tator. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Violet  Cavette,  KHJ,  Hollywood,  commercial  traffic, 
'manager,  was  married  recently  to  Scott  Darling,  a  film  writer.  .  .  .  Verne 
Crawford,  formerly  of  WFIL,  Philadelphia,  has  been  appointed  to  the  an- 
nouncing staff  of  KHJ-Don  Lee. 

•  •  • 

Popularity  of  its  classes  in  Spanish  and  Portugese  has  prompted  CBS 
to  schedule  another  Spanish  course  starting  Feb.  1.  The  original  series 
for  members  of  the  staff  was  started  Jan.  19. 


'Life  Begins',  4  Jim' 
Top  Tulsa  Grosses 


Tulsa,  Jan.  26. — "Life  Begins  at 
8:30"  and  "Gentleman  Jim"  took  the 
spotlight  here  to  register  $8,900  and 
$8,300,  respectively.  Show  business 
continued  good,  with,  as  usual,  every 
house  grossing  average  or  better,  de- 
spite two  days  of  bitter  cold  weather. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  21 : 

"Eyes  in  the  Night"  (M-G-M) 

MAJESTIC— (570)      (25c-40c)      7  days. 
Gross:  $2,750.     (Average,  $1,950) 
"Gentleman  Jim"  (W.B.) 

ORPHEUM— (1,400)   (20c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $8,300.     (Average,  $7,000) 
"Lost  Horizon  of  Shangri-La"  (Col.) 
"Stand  By,  AJli  Networks"  (Col.) 

RIALTO— (1,250)  (20c-40c)  3  days.  Gross: 
$1,500.     (Average,  $1,350) 
"Madame  Spy"  (Univ.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  (Para.) 

RIALTO— (1,250)  (20c-40c)  4  days.  Gross: 
$2,100.    (Average,  $1,550) 
"Life  Begins  at  8:30"  (W.B.) 

RITZ— (2,000)  (25c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $8,900.     (Average,  $7,500) 


Business  Average 
In  Cold  St.  Louis 


St.  Louis,  Jan.  26. — Business  was 
just  average  in  St.  Louis  as  the  tem- 
perature went  to  sub-zero  in  the  cold- 
est snap  the  city  has  had  this  winter. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  21 : 

"Whistling  in  the  Dark"  (M-G-M) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

LOEWS  STATE — (3,162)  (30c-40c-50c- 
55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $15,000.  (Average, 
$15,000) 

'Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

AMBASSADOR— (3,154)  (30c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average, 
$11,500) 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

"We  Are  the  Marines"  (20th-Fox) 

FOX — (5,038)      (30c-40c-50c)      7  days. 
Gross:  $15,000.     (Average,  $15,000) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Para.) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

MISSOURI— (3,514)    (30c-40c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:   $7,000.     (Average,  $7,000) 
"Thunder  Birds"  (20th-Fox) 
"The  Navy  Comes  Through"  (W.B.) 

ST.  LOUIS— (4,000)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $4,000.    (Average,  $4,400) 

I A  Opposes  SOPEG 
In  20th-Fox  Election 

Both  the  IATSE  and  the  Screen 
Office  and  .Professional  Employes 
Guild  will  appear  on  the  ballot  in 
elections  among  white  collar  work- 
ers at  the  20th  Century-Fox  New 
York  exchange,  as  a  result  of  a  re- 
vision of  the  NLRB's  original  order 
which  listed  only  the  SOPE,  it  was 
revealed  by  the  IATSE. 


'Information,  Please9 
Jingle  Tiff  to  Court 

A  temporary  injunction  was  sought 
yesterday  by  Dan  Golenpaul,  produc- 
er of  "Information,  Please,"  to  re- 
strain the  American  Tobacco  Co. 
from  repeating  its  teaser  announce- 
ment on  the  two  remaining  programs 
under  its  sponsorship.  Supreme  Court 
Judge  Bernard  L.  Shientag  gave  both 
sides  until  tomorrow  to  submit  papers 
although  he  questioned  the  court's  ju- 
risdiction. 

"The  best  tunes  of  all  move  to  Car- 
negie Hall"  is  the  jingle,  repeated  10 
times  on  last  Friday's  program,  to 
which  Golenpaul  objects.  After  the 
Feb.  S  broadcast,  the  program  will  be 
sponsored  by  the  Heinz  Co. 

WPB  Readies  Tube 
Replacements  Plan 

Washington,  Jan.  26. — A  War 
Production  Board  plan  for  produc- 
tion of  civilian  replacement  tubes  and 
parts  is  nearing  completion  by  Frank 
H.  Mcintosh,  chief  of  the  domestic 
and  foreign  radio  section,  WPB 
Radio  and  Radar  Division,  and  his 
staff,  a  bulletin  of  the  Radio  Manu- 
facturers Association  reveals. 

"Victory"  tubes,  the  RMA  said, 
will  be  authorized  first  with  a  pro- 
posed program  of  about  11,000,000 
tubes  during  the  first  quarter  of  1943. 
A  tentative  list  of  replacement  parts 
also  has  been  completed  by  the  WPB 
parts  standardization  committee,  it 
was  reported. 


Goldwyn  Changes  Title 

"Up  in  Arms"  is  the  new  title  for 
the  film  in  which  Danny  Kaye  will 
make  his  screen  debut,  Samuel  Gold- 
wyn announced.  The  picture  was  for- 
merly called  "With  Flying  Colors." 


Pictures  Entered  For 
Annual  Sound  Award 

Hollywood,  Jan.  26. — Nominations 
for  annual  sound  recording  awards 
announced  by  the  Academy  of  Motion 
Picture  Sciences  revealed  an  unusual 
situation  in  which  a  reissue  of  a  si- 
lent picture  which  last  year  had  a 
sound  track  added  was  made  eligible 
for  the  sound  award.  The  picture  is 
Charles  Chaplin's  "The  Gold  Rush," 
nominated  by  the  RCA  sound  depart- 
ment. 

Other  nominations  are :  "Arabian 
Nights,"  Universal ;  "Bambi,"  Walt 
Disney ;  "Flying  Tigers,"  Republic  ; 
"Friendly  Enemies,"  U.A. ;  "Mrs.  Min- 
iver," M-G-M ;  "One  Upon  a  Honey- 
moon," RKO  ;  "Pride  of  the  Yankees," 
Goldwyn ;  "Road  to  Morocco,"  Para- 
mount; "This  Above  All,"  20th-Fox; 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy,"  Warners, 
and  "You  Were  Never  Lovelier," 
Columbia. 


Nation-Wide  Fuel  Oil 
Rationing  Predicted 

(.Continued  from  page  1) 

be  maintained  in  the  face  of  military 
needs  for  oil  ships. 

Little  chance  of  an  early  relaxation 
of  the  present  ban  on  pleasure  driving 
in  the  East  is  seen,  one  official  saying 
"we  will  not  be  able  to  move  more 
than  our  basic  gasoline  requirements 
because  of  the  necessity  of  building 
fuel  oil  stocks." 


Hellinger  on  Rogers  Film 

Hollywood.  Jan.  26. — Mark  Hel- 
linger, Warner  Bros,  producer,  has 
been  assigned  to  handle  "The  Life  of 
Will  Rogers"  as  his  next  picture.  Sam 
Hellman  is  now  completing  the  screen- 
play. 


Blue  Billings  Rise 
22.74%  in  1st  Year 


An  increase  of  22.74  per  cent  in 
billings  over  1941  was  announced  by 
the  Blue  Network  for  its  first  year 
as  an  independent  organization  with 
gross  client  expenditures  for  1942 
listed  as  $15,782,493.  Gross  time  sales 
in  J941  were  $12,858,169,  it  was  an- 
nounced. 

Sterling  Products,  Inc.,  was  the 
leading  advertiser  with  a  $1,710,654 
expenditure.  The  next  three  were 
American  Home  Products,  Inc.,  $1,- 
453,832 ;  Miles  Laboratories,  Inc.,  $1,- 
277,917,  and  Ford  Motor  Co.,  $1,- 
012,626. 

The  agency  placing  most  business 
on  the  Blue  was  Blackett-Sample- 
Hummert  with  $2,454,298.  Young  & 
Rubicam  followed  with  $1,423,288. 
The  next  four  leading  agencies  were 
given  as  Wade  Advertising  Agency,  J. 
Walter  Thompson  Co.,  Maxon,  Inc., 
and  Roche,  Williams  &  Cunnyngham. 


Holdovers  Score 
In  Oklahoma  City 


Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  26. — Three 
holdovers  here  demonstrated  that  it 
was  one  of  the  best  box-office  weeks 
in  the  last  six  months  as  "Road  to 
Morocco"  was  held  over  for  a  fourth 
week,  "Springtime  in  the  Rockies"  for 
a  second  week,  and  "The  Navy  Comes 
Through"  with  "The  Great  Gilder- 
sleeve"  also  for  a  second  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  21 : 

"Arabian  Nights"  (U.A.) 

CRITERION— (1,500)  (25c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $6,300.    (Average,  $5,500) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 
"Mug  Town"  (Univ.) 

LIBERTY  —  (1,200)     (20c-25c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $3,100.    (Average,  $2,500) 
"Springtime  in  the  Rockies"  (2ftth-Fox) 

MIDWEST— (1,500)    (25c-40c-45c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $7,600.    (Average,  $5,500) 
"The  Navy  Comes  Through"  (RKO) 
"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

STATE— (1,100)  (25c-40c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$6,900.    (Average.  $4,C00) 
"The  Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

TOWER— (1,000)  (20c-25c-40c)  7  days,  3rd 
week.     Gross:  $3,900.     (Average,  $2,000) 


Archibald  to  Leave 
On  MOI  Branch  Trip 

George  Archibald,  head  of  the  films 
division  of  the  British  Ministry  of  In- 
formation offices  here,  will  leave  next 
week  for  visits  to  the  MOI  non-thea- 
trical films  branches  in  Chicago,  San 
Francisco  and  Los  Angeles.  He  will 
be  away  about  three  weeks. 

Archibald's  office  is  anticipating  the 
arrival  within  the  next  few  days  of  a 
new  shipment  of  MOI  short  subjects 
designed  for  commercial  distribution 
here  by  major  companies. 

Mayor's  Game  Ban 
Results  in  Arrests 

In  a  test  of  Mayor  LaGuardia's  ban 
on  chance  games  unless  admission  to 
the  theatre  was  free,  the  manager  and 
four  employes  of  the  Chatham  Square 
Theatre  were  arrested  and  charged  by 
police  with  refusing  three  officers 
permission  to  take  part  in  the  game 
unless  they  paid  the  admission  price, 
police  said  last  night.  On  request  of 
counsel,  Magistrate  Glebocki  ad- 
journed hearing  of  the  case  until  to- 
morrow. 


XL 


^^^^ 


SERVICE 

W£  mOUSTRY 


STANDARD   ACCESSORIES   •   SPECIALTY   ACCESSORIES   •  TRAILEI 

 i  ..   ■  — — ^— — ^ .^^^i^^m. 


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MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


First  in 


53.   NO.  19 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  THURSDAY,  JANUARY  28,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Justice  Dep't 
Says  Decree 
Status  Same 


Will  Take   Up  Change 
When  Decree  Expires 

Washington,  Jan.  27. — Depart- 
ment of  Justice  officials  today 
moved  to  clear  up  misapprehension 
regarding  the  status  of  the  con- 
sent decree,  declaring  that  there 
had  been  no  change  in  the  situa- 
tion and  no  decision  had  been 
reached  or  even  considered  as  to 
what  action  would  be  taken  when 
the  decree  expires  10  months 
hence. 

Robert  L.  Wright,  chief  of 
the  Department's  film  unit,  ex- 
plained that  the  study  of  opera- 
tion under  the  decree  was  con- 
tinuing but  that  no  thought  has 

(Continued  on  page  9) 


G.  B.  Equipments 
In  British  Merger 


London j  Jan.  27. — The  merger  of 
Gaumont  British  Equipments  and  Ka- 
lee,  Ltd.,  large  British  equipment 
manufacturing  and  distributing  organ- 
izations, was  announced  here  today  by 
J.  Arthur  Rank,  G-B  head. 

Rank  stated  in  his  announcement 
that  the  express  intention  of  the 
merged  organization  is  to  capture  the 
theatre  and  technical  equipment  export 
markets.  The  combined  firms  repre- 
sent a  powerful  section  of  the  entire 
equipment  field  and  will  be  under 
Gaumont  direction. 


56,560,000  Heard 
News  of  Casablanca 

An  estimated  audience  of 
56,560,000  adults  heard  Tues- 
day night's  broadcasts  report- 
ing the  historic  conference  of 
President  Roosevelt  and  Prime 
Minister  Churchill  at  Casa- 
blanca, according  to  a  survey 
made  by  C.  E.  Hooper,  Inc., 
and  released  by  CBS.  The 
Hooper  rating  for  the  broad- 
casts, which  emanated  from 
all  parts  of  the  country,  was 
71  and  compared  with  the  all- 
time  high  of  79  for  the  Presi- 
dent's war  message  on  Dec.  9, 
1941. 


Momand  Discusses 
Damage  Request 
In  Anti-Trust  Suit 


By  T.  L.  BUTTERFIELD 

Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  27. — The  re- 
quests for  approximately  $5,000,000 
damages  listed  in  his  original  peti- 
tion were  amplified  and  presented  in 
detail  during  today's  court  session  by 
A.  B.  Momand  as  he  continued  testi- 
mony in  his  own  behalf  for  the  fifth 
consecutive  day. 

Each  theatre  in  each  location  was 
taken  up  in  separate  detail  under  the 
direction  of  George  Ryan,  Momand's 
counsel,  as  figures  on  gross  box-of- 
fice receipts,  operating  expenses,  profit 
and  loss,  and  the  like,  were  detailed 
as  well  as  explained  by  Momand. 

At  the  end  of  today's  session  three 
of  the  locations  remained  to  be  dealt 
with  and  at  the  conclusion  of  this 
procedure  it  is  expected  that  Ryan 
will  turn  Momand  over  to  the  defense 
attorneys  for  cross-examination.  The 
latter  have  intimated  that  it  will  re- 
quire at  least  three  and  possibly  six 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


'Hitler's  Children9 
To  Play  Paramount 

"Hitler's  Children,"  the  Edward 
Golden  production  released  by  RKO 
Radio,  has  been  booked  by  the  Broad- 
way Paramount  Theatre  for  an  ex- 
tended engagement  starting  Feb.  24, 
Ned  E.  Depinet,  RKO  Radio  presi- 
dent, announced  yesterday. 

The  picture  is  the  first  RKO 
release  ever  to  play  the  Paramount 
Theatre. 


G.  B.  Reentry  Into 
Distribution  Seen 

London,  Jan.  27. — Gaumont 
British  Distributors,  which 
technically  controls  G-B 
News,  has  made  an  offer  to 
purchase  all  of  the  Gains- 
borough Pictures  shares  at 
par  and,  it  is  reported,  70  per 
cent  of  the  shareholders  al- 
ready have  tendered  accep- 
tances of  the  offer. 

Speculation  on  the  move 
within  the  trade  centers  on 
whether  the  move  is  a  pre- 
liminary to  the  reentry  of 
G-B  into  the  distribution  field. 


Employment  Agency 
N.Y.  Bill  Introduced 


Albany,  Jan.  27. — Assemblyman 
Thomas  Dwyer  of  Brooklyn  intro- 
duced a  measure  in  the  Assembly  to- 
day providing  for  the  regulation  of 
private  fee-charging  employment  agen- 
cies, except  where  the  agent  confines 
his  activities  to  one  account.  It  is  a 
companion  measure  to  one  introduced 
opening  day  of  the  session  by  Senator 
Elmer  Quinn. 

Assemblyman  George  Manning's 
bill  to  give  motion  picture  operators 
now  in  or  joining  the  armed  forces 
the  right  to  secure  license  renewal  if 
applied  for  within  90  days  following 
honorable  discharge  has  been  returned 
by  the  Assembly  Committee  on  War 
Coordination  to  the  Education  Com- 
mittee with  a  recommendation  that  it 
be  reported  favorably. 


$8,315,399  Bond  Sale 
By  3,051  Houses  in  Nov. 


N.Y.  Exchange  Staffs 
Vote  on  Union  Feb.  5 

About  100  white  collar  workers  at 
the  New  York  exchanges  of  20th 
Century-Fox,  Loews  and  United  Art- 
ists will  be  eligible  to  vote  Feb.  5  in 
elections  which  have  been  ordered  by 
the  NLRB.  The  IATSE  and  the 
Screen  Office  and  Professional  Em- 
ployes Guild  will  be  on  the  ballots. 

The  20th  Century-Fox  elections 
will  be  held  at  10  :30  a.m.,  Loews  at 
11  :30  a.m.  and  United  Artists  at  1 
p.m.  The  date  and  times  were  de- 
cided yesterday  at  a  meeting  of  com- 
pany and  union  representatives  at 
NLRB  offices. 


With  only  3,051  theatres  reporting, 
a  total  of  $8,315,399  in  war  bonds 
and  stamps  was  registered  for  the 
month  of  November,  the  War  Activi- 
ties Committee  announced  yesterday. 
Officials  forecast  an  additional  $5,000,- 
000  would  be  added  when  tabulations 
from  all  theatres  for  that  month  are 
recorded. 

Only  smaller  theatres  which  have 
war  bond  sale  booths  in  the  lobby 
that  interfere  with  exits  to  the  houses 
will  eliminate  the  booths  from  their 
premises,  it  was  decided  at  a  meeting 
of  the  New  York  and  New  Jersey 
War  Activities  Committee  yesterday, 
Samuel  Rinzler,  who  presided,  report- 
ed. Larger  houses  will  fireproof  their 
booths  and  will  continue  to  keep  them 
(Continued  on  page  9) 


Return  to  Full 
Time  Openings 
In  Conn.  Seen 


Fuel  Crisis  Improvement, 
Saving  Forecast 


New  Haven,  Jan.  27. — Indica- 
tions that  the  voluntary  reduction 
of  theatre  operating  hours  by  one- 
seventh  throughout  the  state  to  con- 
serve heating  fuel  may  be  ended 
with  official  approval  soon  are  be- 
coming apparent  even  before  Con- 
necticut theatres  are  accustomed 
to  their  new  schedules. 

The  primary  contributing  fac- 
tor is  improvement  in  the 
states'  fuel  supplies  which  if  it 
continues  at  the  rate  it  has  for 
the  past  week  would  be  suffi- 
cient to  restore  normal  operat- 
ing schedules  in  a  short  time. 
The  second  factor  is  the  dawn- 
ing realization  by  officials  that 
little  actual  saving  of  fuel  is  be- 
ing achieved  by  the  emergen- 
cy action,  which  involves  stores, 
schools  and  other  public  build- 
ings as  well  as  theatres. 

Critics  of  Governor  Baldwin's  clos- 
ing program  point  out  that  most  of 
the  theatres  and  stores  are  in  build- 
ings which  also  house  offices  or  apart- 
ments which  must  be  kept  heated  even 
though  parts  of  the  structures  are 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Boston's  Clearance 
Over  Quincy  Halved 


The  28  days  clearance  of  Boston 
downtown  first  runs  over  the  Strand, 
Quincy,  was  held  to  be  unreasonable 
and  was  reduced  to  14  days  by  Arthur 
B.  Hardy,  arbitrator  at  the  Boston 
tribunal,  in  an  award  made  public  yes- 
terday by  the  American  Arbitration 
Association. 

All  rights  of  Loew's,  RKO  and 
Paramount,  which  have  substantial  in- 
terests in  Boston  first  runs,  were  re- 
served to  them  by  the  arbitrator  un- 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Review  of  "Mysterious 
Rider,"  Page  3.  Key  City  Box- 
Office  Reports,  Pages  3,  6  and 
9.  Hollywood  Production 
News,  Page  2. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  January  28,  1943 


Personal  Mention 


Coast  Flashes 


Coast  Shooting 
39  Pictures  as 
15  Are  Readied 


Hollywood,  Jan.  27. — Thirty-nine 
features  were  before  the  cameras  this 
week,  as  11  started  and  seven  finished. 
Fifteen  were  being  prepared,  and  63 
were  being  edited. 

The  tally  by  studio  : 

Columbia 

In  zvork :  "Attacked  by  Night," 
"Destroyed." 

Started:     "Redhead    from  Man- 
hattan," "Blondie  Buys  a  Horse." 
M-G-M 

Finished :  "Dr.  Gillespie's  Criminal 
Case,"  "Gentle  Annie"  (suspended). 

In  work :  "Girl  Crazy,"  "Faculty 
Row,"  "Swing  Shift  Maisie,"  "Bataan 
Patrol,"  "I  Dood  It,"  "Above  Sus- 
picion," "Private  Miss  Jones." 

Started:  "Right  About  Face,"  "Best 
Foot  Forward." 

Monogram 

Finished :   "No  Escape." 

Paramount 

Finished:  "China." 

In  zvork :  "Henry  Aldrich  Plays 
Cupid,"  "The  Good  Fellows,"  "So 
Proudly  We  Hail,"  "Lady  in  the 
Dark,"  "Five  Graves  to  Cairo." 

Started :  "Riding  High,"  "Alaska 
Highway." 

Producers  Releasing 

Finished:  "Billy  the  Kid,"  No.  4. 
RKO 

In  zvork :  "Petticoat  Larceny,"  "The 
Sky's  the  Limit." 

Started:  "Free  for  All,"  "The  Fal- 
len Sparrow." 

Republic 

Finished :  "The  Purple  V,"  "Car- 
son City  Cyclone." 

In  zvork :  "Tahiti  Honey,"  "King 
of  the  Cowboys." 

Started:  "Shantytown." 

20th  Century-Fox 

Started :   "Stormy  Weather." 
United  Artists 

In  work :  "Lady  of  Burlesque," 
"Stage  Door  Canteen." 

Universal 

Finished:  "Cowboy  in  Manhattan." 

In  work :  "Always  a  Bridesmaid," 
"Destiny,"  "We've  Never  Been 
Licked,"  "Corvettes  in  Action,"  "Cross 
Your  Fingers." 

Started:  "Phantom  of  the  Opera." 
Warners 

In  work :  "Mission  to  Moscow," 
"Old  Acquaintance,"  "Devotion." 


Exhibitors  Send  FDR 
Birthday  Greetings 

Exhibitors  throughout  the  country 
have  accepted  the  suggestion  of  the 
March  of  Dimes  committee  and  are 
sending  brief  birthday  greetings  to 
the  President,  it  was  announced  yes- 
terday. C.  C.  Moskowitz,  co-chair- 
man of  the  campaign,  stated  that  thou- 
sands of  letters  have  already  been 
sent  wishing  the  President  a  happy 
birthday  and  telling  him  that  their 
theatres  are  participating  in  the  drive. 

Each  exhibitor  who  pledges  to  take 
part  in  the  March  of  Dimes  drive  is 
being  sent  a  "citation,"  suitable  for 
framing,  recognizing-  the  cooperation 
of  theatremen  and  their  patrons,  the 
committee  announced. 


T  RVING  BRISKIN,  Columbia  pro- 
•l   ducer,  has  arrived  from  the  Coast. 
• 

C.  J.  Latta  and  Max  Friedman, 
Warner    Circuit   zone   manager  and 
film  buyer,  respectively,  for  the  Al- 
bany territory,  are  in  New  York. 
• 

Arthur  Jeffrey  of  United  Artists 
will  leave  for  Washington  today. 
• 

Edward  Gray,  assistant  manager 
of   the   Hipp   Theatre,  Gloversville, 
N.  Y.,  and  Marion  Maxon,  Hipp 
cashier,  were  married  last  weekend. 
• 

Betty  Glixon,  former  Warner 
Bros,  booking  assistant  in  Chicago 
and  now  an  ensign  in  the  WAVE,  has 
been  transferred  from  Northampton, 
Mass.,  to  San  Francisco. 

• 

Pfc.  Richard  Boyd,  formerly  at 
the  Allyn  Theatre,  Hartford,  is  re- 
ported stationed  at  Portsmouth,  Va., 
with  the  Marines. 


W.B.  Reports  Big 
'Casablanca'  Spurt 

Warner  Bros,  reported  yesterday  a 
heavy  demand  for  bookings  of  "Casa- 
blanca," following  news  of  the  con- 
ference at  Casablanca  between  Presi- 
dent Roosevelt  and  Prime  Minister 
Churchill. 

Business  at  the  Hollywood  on 
Broadway,  where  the  picture  is  play- 
ing, also  improved,  it  was  reported. 

The  Colonial  in  Allentown,  Pa.,  ad- 
vanced its  opening  of  the  picture  to 
last  night,  it  was  said,  and  announced 
the  opening  in  a  half-page  advertise- 
ment in  yesterday  morning's  local 
newspaper. 

'Outlaw9  Premiere 
In  S.  F.  Postponed 

Hollywood,  Jan.  27. — The  world 
premiere  of  Howard  Hughes'  picture 
"The  Outlaw,"  originally  scheduled 
for  the  Geary  Theatre,  San  Francisco, 
Friday  night,  has  been  postponed  one 
week  due  to  difficulties  in  securing 
train  reservations  for  transporting 
members  of  the  Hollywood  press  to 
that  city. 


PRC  Ships  to  Near  East 

Shipments  of  Producers  Releasing 
1942-43  product  to  the  Near  East  and 
Egypt  will  start  immediately  in  ac- 
cordance with  a  distribution  contract 
signed  recently  with  A.  Ali  of  Bom- 
bay, the  company  announced.  Rob- 
erto D.  Socas,  exoort  manager,  repre- 
sented PRC  in  the  deal. 


Gauntlett  Heads  Club 

Seattle,  Jan.  27. — Vic  Gauntlett, 
advertising  and  publicity  director  for 
Hamrick-Evergreen  circuit  here,  has 
been  reelected  president  of  Washing- 
tonians.  Inc.,  a  state-wide  booster  or- 
ganization. 


Fern  Booked  at  Club 

Harry  Fern  of  the  20th  Century- 
Fox  home  office  maintenance  depart- 
ment has  been  given  a  week's  booking 
at  the  Monte  Carlo  night  club  as  a 
vocalist. 


I  E.  FONTAINE,  Paramount  dis- 
•  trict  manager  with  headquarters 
at  Washington,  is  in  New  York. 
• 

W.  A.  Scully,  Universal  sales  head, 
is  here  for  two  weeks  of  conferences. 

Phil  Reisman,  Jr.,  of  Pathe  has 
joined  the  Marines  as  a  combat  cor- 
respondent with  the  rank  of  technical 
sergeant. 

• 

Marion  Chase  of  Warner  Thea- 
tres, New  Haven,  will  be  married  to 
Charles  Russell  of  Hardwick,  Vt, 
on  Feb.  6. 

• 

Norman  J.  Ayers,  Warner  Bros.' 
New    England    district   manager,  is 
visiting  in  Springfield  and  Albany. 
• 

Sgt.  Erwin  Needles,  son  of  Henry 
L.  Needles,  Hartford  division  man- 
ager for  Warner  Theatres,  has  been 
given  an  honorable  discharge  from 
the  Army  and  is  now  in  Hartford. 


Skouras  to  Devote 
Air  Show  to  China 

The  weekly  "This  Is  Our  Cause" 
program,  a  Skouras  Theatres  war  ef- 
fort presentation  over  WINS,  will 
be  dedicated  this  Sunday  to  China. 
The  broadcast,  produced  by  Nick  John 
Matsoukas  and  Harry  Alexander 
Fuchs,  is  dedicated  to  the  people  of 
the  United  Nations  at  home  and 
abroad.  It  is  heard  from  4:30  to  5 
p.m. 

Plans  Completed  for 
Variety  Club  Meeting 

Arrangements  for  the  Variety  Clubs' 
national  convention  were  completed  in 
New  York  this  week  by  Henri  Elman, 
chairman  of  the  board  of  the  new 
Chicago  Variety  Club  Tent,  it  was 
announced.  The  convention  will  be 
held  Feb.  19  through  21  at  the  Black- 
stone  Hotel,  Chicago. 


Fire  Razes  Minn.  House 

Two  Harbors,  Minn.,  Jan.  27.— The 
Harbor  Theatre  here  was  destroyed 
by  fire  with  an  estimated  loss  of  $40,- 
000.  Fire  fighting  was  handicapped 
by  15-below-zero  weather.  The  loss 
included  weekend  receipts  at  the 
house. 


Joins  Warners  in  K.  C. 

Don  M.  Walker,  formerly  city  edi- 
tor of  the  Joplin,  Mo.,  Globe,  has 
been  appointed  to  the  Warner  Bros.' 
field  publicity  staff  with  headquarters 
in  Kansas  City,  Mort  Blumenstock 
announced. 


Preview  for  'Air  Force" 

Warner  Bros,  announced  it  will 
hold  an  invitation  preview  of  "Air 
Force"  Feb.  2  at  the  Hollywood  The- 
atre. The  picture  will  open  at  the 
theatre  the  following  day. 


Paul  Radin  Joins  OWI 

Paul  Radin,  account  executive  of 
Buchanan  &  Co.,  advertising  agency, 
has  resigned  to  join  the  Office  of  War 
Information.  He  formerly  was  with 
United  Artists. 


Hollywood,  Jan.  27 

NOMINATIONS  for  black  and 
white,  and  color  cinematography 
divisions  of  the  Academy  of  Motion 
Picture  Arts  and  Sciences  awards 
were  announced  today.  Black  and 
white  entries  are :  "King's  Row," 
Warners ;  "Magnificent  Ambersons," 
Mercury-RKO ;  "Moontide,"  20th 
Century  -Fox;  "Mrs.  Minirr*<  ' 
M-G-M ;  "Pied  Piper,"  20th  Cent*|> 
Fox;  "Pride  of  the  Yankees,"  Gold- 
wyn-RKO ;  "Take  a  Letter,  Darl- 
ing," Paramount ;  "Talk  of  the  Town," 
Columbia;  "Ten  Gentlemen  from 
West  Point,"  20th  Century-Fox; 
"This  Above  All,"  20th  Century-Fox. 
Color  entries  are:  "Arabian  Nights," 
Wanger-Universal ;  "Black  Swan," 
20th  Century-Fox;  "Captains  of  the 
Clouds,"  Warners ;  "Jungle  Book," 
Korda-UA;  "Reap  the  Wild  Wind," 
Paramount;  "To  the  Shores  of  Tri- 
poli," 20th  Century-Fox.  Directors 
of  photography  will  cast  final  ballots 
after  viewing  the  films  at  a  series 
of  screenings. 

• 

First  attempt  at  job  stabilization  in 
the  industry  has  been  made  by  Walt 
Disney  Studio  which  signed  up  with 
War  Manpower  Commission  volun- 
tarily. Other  cartoon  plants  are  ex- 
pected to  do  likewise.  Conferences 
will  be  held  shortly  to  work  out  a 
plan  on  certificates  of  availability  and 
other  machinery.  Cartoon  producers 
have  tacit  agreement  already  not  to 
pirate  workers. 

• 

Warners  today  announced  plans  un- 
der way  to  open  "Casablanca"  simul- 
taneously in  200  theatres  regardless  of 
holdover  certainties  of  other  product. 

Albert  Coates,  composer-conductor, 
was  given  an  M-G-M  term  contract 
and  will  work  with  Herbert  Stothart 
on  music  for  "Russia,"  Joseph  Paster- 
nak production. 

• 

Raoul  Walsh's  directorial  contract 
was  extended  by  Warners. 

Harold  Hopper,  chief  of  the  photo- 
graphic division  of  WPB,  returned 
last  night  from  Washington. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUTGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN.  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c 


Thursday,  January  28,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


Review 


"The  Mysterious  Rider" 

{Producers  Releasing) 

D  ILLY  THE  KID  gets  into  action  once  again,  in  the  cause  of  justice 
*-*  and  righteoueness.  The  picture  is  conventional  western  to  the  let- 
ter, but  it's  entertaining,  and  Al  St.  John's  humor  contributes  to  the 
film's  lighter  moments. 

Riding  along  with  his  pal,  Fuzzy  Jones  (Al  St.  John),  the  Kid,  played 
again  by  Buster  Crabbe,  comes  upon  a  ghost  town  that  seems  mysterious- 
ly to  have  come  to  life  under  the  leadership  of  a  group  of  unpleasant 
badmen  who  don't  like  strangers.  Even  more  mysterious  are  the  out- 
laws' mining  activities.  When,  on  top  of  this,  two  young  people  show 
up  who  are  sure  that  their  father  had  struck  gold  in  the  town,  Billy  and 
Fuzzy  decide  something  is  very  wrong.  Billy  is  finally  certain  that  these 
men  are  doing  some  illegal  mining,  but  he  can't  prove  it.  He  therefore 
stalls  for  time  until  he  can  get  to  the  marshal  and  make  everything  clear 
to  him.   Al  St.  John  gets  the  evidence  and  proves  the  case. 

Sherman  Scott  directed  the  original  screenplay  by  Steve  Braxton, 
and  Sigmund  Neufeld  produced  the  film. 

Running  time,  55  minutes.  "G"* 


Big  $21,000 
In  Pittsburgh 
to  'Casablanca' 


Pittsburgh,  Jan.  27. — The  cold 
spell  broke  this  week,  and  so,  appar- 
ently, did  the  stay-at-home  tendencies 
i"3jp5sioned  by  the  pleasure-driving 
"Casablanca"  grossed  an  esti- 
mated healthy  $21,000  at  the  Penn.  A 
double  horror  bill  of  "The  Mummy's 
Tomb"  and  "The  Night  Monster" 
brought  in  $7,000  at  the  Fulton. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  26-28: 

"The  Mummy's  Tomb"  (Univ.) 
"The  Night  Monster"  (Univ.) 

FULTON— (1,700)     (30c-40c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $7,000.      (Average,  $7,500) 
"China  Girl"  (Zttth-Fox) 

HARRIS— (2,200)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $5,900.  (Average,  $9,200) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

PENN— (3,400)      (3Oc-40c-55c)      7  days. 
Gross:  $21,000.    (Average,  $17,000) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

RITZ— (1,100)    (30c-40c-55c)    7    days,  3rd 
week.    (Moveover  from  Penn  and  Warner). 
Gross:  $2,000.     (Average,  $2,600) 
"The  Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

SENATOR— (1,750)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
4th  week.  (Moveover  after  two  weeks  at 
Harris).  Gross:  $3,000.  (Average,  $3,400) 
"'Seven  Days'  Leave"  (RKO) 

STANLEY—  (3,800)      (30c-44c-55c-65c)  6 
days.     Stage:     Vaudeville  including  Henry 
Busse's  orchestra,  Stuart  Erwin,  June  Coll- 
yer.    Gross:  $20,000.     (Average,  $20,000) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

WARNER— (2,000)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  (Moveover  from  Penn).  Gross: 
$6,500.     (Average,  $6,500) 


'Hitler's  Children' 
Big  in  Indianapolis 


Indianapolis,  Jan.  27. — Business 
was  good  all  around,  with  "Hitler's 
Children"  and  "The  Great  Gilder- 
sleeve"  leading  the  week  with  an  ex- 
pected $13,300  at  the  Circle.  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy,"  also  strong,  was  head- 
ed for  about  $12,900  at  the  Indiana. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing January  29-31 : 

"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

"The   Great   Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

CIRCLE— (2,800)     (28c-33c-44c)     7  days. 
Gross:   $13,300.      (Average,  $6,500) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

INDIANA — (3,000)    (28c-33c-44c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $12,900.     (Average,  $7,000) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 
"Stand  By,  All  Networks"  (Col.) 

LOEWS— (2,800)     (28c-33c-44c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $10,100.     (Average,  $8,000) 
"Arabian   Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Strictly  in  the  Groove"  (Univ.) 

LYRIC— (2,000)  (28c-33c-44c)  7  days. 
(Moved  from  the  Indiana).  Gross:  $5,100 
(Average,  $4,500) 


'Panama  Hattie'  Does 
Good  $9,200,  Omaha 

Omaha,  Jan.  27. — The  week's  top 
money  went  to  the  Omaha,  where 
"Panama  Hattie"  and  "That  Other 
Woman"  pulled  $9,200.  Weather  was 
clear  and  extremely  cold. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  27-28 : 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"One  Thrilling  Night"  (Mono.) 

BRANDEIS— (1,200)  (30c-35c-44c-50c)  7 
days.      Gross:  $5,100.      (Average,  $4,500) 

Panama  Hattie"  (M-G-M) 
"That  Other  Woman"  (20th-Fox) 

OMAHA— (2,000)     (30c-35c-50c)     7  days 
Gross:  $9,200.     (Average,  $7,500) 
,Jre  War  Against  Mrs.  Hadley"  (M-G-M) 

Calling  Dr.  Gillespie"  (M-G-M) 

ORPHEUM— (3,000)  (30c-35c-50c)  7  days 
Gross:  $8,600.     (Average,  $8,000) 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Boston's  Clearance 
Over  Quincy  Halved 


{Continued  from  page  1) 
der  the  decree  provision  which  permits 
a  distributor  to  sell  to  its  affiliated 
theatres  on  terms  and  conditions  of 
its  own  choice. 

The  complaint  was  directed  against 
all  five  consenting  companies  and  vir- 
tually all  Boston  downtown  first  runs 
intervened  in  the  proceedings.  Among 
the  intervening  theatre  companies 
were :  New  England  Theatres,  Inc. ; 
Rivoli  Theatre ;  Allston  Theatre ; 
Publix  Netoco  Theatres  Corp. ;  Wal- 
tham  Netoco  Theatres,  Inc.,  Keith 
Massachusetts  Corp.,  Keith  Memorial 
Theatre  Corp.,  Middlesex  Amusement 
Co.  and  University  Theatres,  Inc. 

The  AAA  also  announced  that 
notice  of  appeal  has  been  filed  at  the 
Dallas  tribunal  by  the  Capitol,  New 
Braunfels,  Tex.,  from  the  dismissal  by 
Laurence  H.  Fleck,  arbitrator,  of  its 
combined  designated  and  some  run 
complaint  against  the  five  consenting 
companies. 


Schneider's  Father 
Dies;  Rites  Today 

Joseph  Schneider,  father  of  Abe 
Schneider,  Columbia  vice-president 
and  treasurer,  died  at  his  Manhattan 
home  yesterday  following  a  brief  ill- 
ness. Funeral  services  will  be  held  at 
Riverside  Memorial  Chapel  at  1 :30 
p.m.  today. 

In  addition  to  his  son,  the  deceased 
is  survived  by  his  wife  and  four 
daughters,  Mrs.  Anna  Cohen,  Mrs. 
Fan  Brasel,  Mrs.  Molly  Sussman  and 
Mrs.  Lena  Spiegel. 


Momand  Discusses 
Damage  Request 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

days  in  which  to  complete  their  in- 
terrogation. 

Following  this  additional  evidence 
testimony  may  be  presented  by  Mo- 
mand's  attorneys  before  completing 
their  case.  It  is  forecast  that  this 
point  in  the  trial  will  be  reached  about 
Feb.  5. 


Return  to  Full 
Time  Operation 
In  Conn.  Seen 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

closed  or  operating  on  curtailed  sched- 
ules. It  was  also  pointed  out  that 
employes  and  patrons  of  the  closed 
businesses  are  kept  at  home  more  with 
the  result  that  their  own  dwellings 
must  be  kept  warmer  than  ordinarily, 
thus  consuming  additional  fuel. 

Wesley  A.  Sturges,  state  fuel  ad- 
ministrator, concedes  that  Connecti- 
cut s  fuel  supply  problem  has  become 
less  serious.  He  reported  that  there 
is  10  days'  supply  of  fuel  oil  on  hand 
and  three  weeks'  supply  of  coal,  with 
all  indications  pointing  to  a  steady 
liow  of  new  uspplies.  If  these  cir- 
cumstances continue  unchanged,  he 
admitted,  it  may  be  possible  to  ap- 
prove the  return  of  all  businesses  af- 
lected  to  normal  operating  schedules 
soon. 

Meanwhile,  New  Haven's  three 
leading  theatres,  the  Loew-Poli,  Roger 
Sherman  and  Paramount,  have  decided 
to  close  all  day  Tuesdays,  instead  of 
each  closing  on  a  different  day  as  they 
had  planned  originally.  The  Westville 
and  Whitney,  neighborhood  houses, 
also  have  selected  Tuesday  as  closing 
day.  On  Wednesdays,  the  Dixwell, 
Howard,  Lawrence,  Lincoln,  Pequot, 
Rivoli,  Strand  and  Whalley  will  close. 
The  College  will  close  Thursdays  and 
the  Bijou,  Fridays.  In  making  the 
changes,  the  downtown  houses  cut 
their  runs  to  five  or  six  days  in  order 
to  open  with  new  shows  simultane- 
ously on  Wednesdays. 


Hartford  Area  Closings 

Hartford,  Jan.  27. — The  fuel  con- 
servation closing  schedules  for  Tor- 
rington  theatres  are  :  State,  Mondays  ; 
Warner,  Tuesdays,  and  Palace,  Wed- 
nesdays. The  Strand,  Thompsonville, 
will  close  Mondays  ;  Strand,  Winsted  ; 
State  and  Circle,  Manchester,  Tues- 
days, and  Warner  Strand  and  State, 
New  Britain,  Thursdays. 

The  Windsor,  Lockwood  &  Gordon 
circuit  house,  in  Windsor,  is  reported 
closed  because  of  inability  to  obtain 
fuel.  Daily  matinees  have  been  dis- 
continued by  the  Roxy,  New  Britain, 
and  Strand,  Plainville. 


'Rangers'  Dual 
Nets  $29,000; 
Boston  Booms 


Boston,  Jan.  27. — This  was  a  boom 
week  for  a  majority  of  the  first  runs. 
Weather  was  milder  than  usual,  fol- 
lowing extreme  cold.  "Forest  Rang- 
ers" and  "Ice-Capades  Revue,"  plus  a 
"Dr.  I.  Q."  broadcast  from  the  stage 
Monday  night,  produced  an  estimated 
$29,000  week  for  the  Metropolitan.  A 
special  preview  of  "Arabian  Nights" 
at  the  RKO  Memorial,  with  several 
stars  of  the  film  on  the  stage  at  two 
performances,  increased  last  Wednes- 
day's gross  and  boosted  the  take  for 
the  current  show  to  $20,000  for  a 
fourth  week.  Uptown  houses  such  as 
the  Fenway  and  Loew's  State  are 
handicapped  by  the  pleasure  driving 
ban. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  ending 
Jan.  27 : 

"Reunion  in,  France"  (M-G-M) 
"Eyes  of  the  World"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  ORPHEUM— (3,000)  (35c-50c- 
60c)  7  days.  Gross:  $21,000.  (Average, 
$19,500) 

"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 
"Eyes  of  the  World"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (2,900)   (35c-50c-60c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $16,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

RKO  MEMORIAL— (2,907)  (44c-55c-75c)  7 
days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $20,000.  (Average, 
$20,000) 

"Quiet  Please,  Murder"  (RKO) 

RKO  BOSTON— (2,679)  (44c-55c-65c  83c)  7 
days.  Stage:  Lionel  Hampton  and  or- 
chestra, Nicholas  Bros.,  Billy  Holiday, 
Glenn  &  Jenkins,  others.  Gross:  $29,000. 
(Average,  $25,000) 
"Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 
"Ice-Capades  Revue"  (Rep.) 

METROPOLITAN— (4,367)  (30c-40e-55c- 
65c-75c)  7  days.  Stage:  "Dr.  I.  Q.,"  Mon- 
day night  only.  Gross:  $29,000.  (Average. 
$24,000) 

"Gentleman  Jim"  (W.  B.) 
"Affairs  of  Martha"  (M-G-M) 

PARAMOUNT— (1,797)      (33c-44c-60c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $10,000.     (Average,  $8,000) 
"Gentleman  Jim"  (W.  B.) 
"Affairs  of  Martha"  (M-G-M) 

FENWAY— (1,320)    (33c-40c-60c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $5,500.     (Average,  $6,000) 
"Springtime  in  the  Rockies"  (20th-Fox) 
"The  Man  in  the  Trunk"  (2<tth-Fox) 

SCOLLAY— (2,500)    (33c-40c-60c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $4,500.     (Average,  $5,000) 
"Ravaged  Earth"  (Independent) 

MAJESTIC— (1,525)    (40c-S5c-65c)   7  days. 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $6,500. 
"Madame  Spy"  (Univ.) 
"The  Crime  Smasher"  (Mono.) 

TRANSLUX— (900)      (17c-28c-44c-55c)  7 
days.      Gross:  $4,800.      (Average,  $5,000) 
"Cairo"  M-G-M) 
"Flying  Fortress"  (W.  B.) 

ESQUIRE-(941)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$1,200.     (Average,  $2,500) 


Oppose  No-Smoking 
Bill  in  Milwaukee 

_  Milwaukee,  Jan.  27. — Representa- 
tives of  the  Fox  and  Warner  circuits 
asked  less  drastic  regulations  in  a  pro- 
posed ordinance  banning  smoking  in 
theatres  at  a  hearing  before  the  com- 
mon council's  judiciary  committee. 

The  measure  was  supported  by  Fire 
Chief  Peter  Steinkellner,  while  Harry 
F.  Johnston,  assistant  chief  in  charge 
of  the  fire  prevention  bureau,  asserted 
that  the  last  two  theatre  fires  in  Mil- 
waukee were  directly  due  to  smoking. 

Theatre  representatives  asked  why 
theatres  were  being  singled  out  and 
urged  that  smoking  be  permitted  in 
lounge  rooms  under  proper  safe- 
guards. The  committee  referred  the 
ordinance  to  the  city  attorney  for  re- 
vision before  further  action.  Another 
hearing  will  be  held. 


Cos 


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This  ad  was  on 
the  New  York 
movie  pages  when 
the  other  big 
Casablanca  story 
was  on  the  front 
pages  -  -  in  the 
3rd  month  at 
the  Hollywood 
Theatre! 


MARCH  OF  DIMES  —  FEBRUARY  18th  TO  24th 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  January  28,  1943 


6  Commandos' 
Take  Buffalo 
For  $21,000 


Buffalo,  Jan.  27.  —  "Commandos 
Strike  at  Dawn"  neared  the  house  rec- 
ord at  the  Lafayette  with  a  sensational 
seven  days  at  $21,000.  "Life  Begins  at 
Eight-Thirty"  and  a  17th  anniversary 
stage  revue  at  the  Buffalo  brought  a 
big  $26,800.  The  weather  was  cold, 
but  good. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  23 : 

"Life  Begins  at  Eight- Thirty"  (20th-Fox) 

BUFFALO— (3,489)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Stage:  17th  anniversary  revue  with 
Frankie  Masters  Orchestra,  Borrah  Mine- 
vitch's  Harmonica  Rascals,  Sybil  Bowau, 
Johnny  Barnes.  Gross:  $26,800.  (Average. 
515,000) 

"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"The  Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

GEAT  LAKES— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  515,000.     (Average.  $10.800 J 
"The  Black  Swan"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (ZOth-Fox) 

HIPPODROME— (2,100)  (35c-50c)  7  days. 
3rd  week  downtown.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Aver- 
age, 58,500) 

"Seven  Days'  Leave"  (RKO) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 

TWENTIETH  CENTURY— (3.000)  (35c- 
55c)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Av- 
erage, $8,500) 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"Laugh  Your  Blues  Away"  (Col.) 

LAFAYETTE— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  521,000.     (Average,  $8,000) 


'Commandos'  Smash 
In  Seattle  at  $12,400 


Seattle,  Jan.  27.  —  "Commandos 
Strike  at  Dawn"  grossed  a  big  $12,400 
at  the  Liberty,  in  spite  of  the  heaviest 
snowstorm  and  most  severe  cold  in  20 
years,  and  topped  the  town  by  a  wide 
margin.  Business  during  the  week 
was  at  a  terribly  low  ebb  for  48 
hours,  and  most  houses  showed  very 
mediocre  grosses  in  comparison  with 
recent  levels.   The  snow  continued. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  23 : 

"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 

BLUE  MOUSE— (950)   (40c -50c -65c -80c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.   (Mover  from   Fifth  Ave- 
nue).    Gross:  $3,900.     (Average.  $4,500) 
"Gentleman  Jim"  (W.  B.) 
"Highways  by  Night"  (RKO) 

FIFTH  AVENUE— (2.500)  (40c-50c-65c- 
80c)  7  days.  Gross:  S7.600.  (Average. 
59,000) 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

LIBERTY— (1,800)       (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $12,400.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

MUSIC    BOX— (950)     (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.    (Moved  from  Paramount). 
Gross:  $4,000.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"The  Mummy's  Tomb"  (Univ.) 
"Night  Monster"  (Univ.) 

MUSIC    HALL— (2.275)  (40c-50c-65c-80c) 
7  days.     Gross:  $5,100.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Scattergcod  Survives  a  Murder"  (RKO) 

ORPHEUM— (2.450)     (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Stage:  Jay  Clarke,  mentalist.  Gross: 
S7.90O.     (Average.  $9,000) 
"One  Thrilling  Night"  (Mono.) 

PALOMAR— (1.500)      (30c-42c-58c-70c)  7 
days.      Stage:   "Eve-Fulls  of  1943"  revue. 
Gross:  $6,100.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (W.  B.) 
"Wrecking   Crew"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  —  (3,050)  (40c-50c-65c-80c) 
7  days.  3rd  week.  Gross:  $6,200.  (Average. 
59.000) 


Heads  Municipal  Theatre 

St.  Louis,  Jan.  27. — Jacob  M. 
Lashly,  prominent  St.  Louis  attorney, 
has  been  named  president  of  the  St. 
Louis  Municipal  Theatre  Association, 
operator  of  the  outdoor  Municipal 
Theatre.  He  succeeds  the  late  Henry 
W.  Kiel. 


'Casablanca'  Tops 
Cincinnati  Grosses 


Cincinnati,  Jan.  27. — "Casablanca" 
will  gross  an  estimated  $16,000  at  the 
RKO  Albee,  while  "Andy  Hardy's 
Double  Life"  is  headed  for  $13,000  at 
the  RKO  Palace.  "Hitler's  Children" 
is  good  for  $8,000  on  a  moveover 
week  at  the  RKO  Shubert,  and  "Yan- 
kee Doodle  Dandy"  will  give  the 
RKO  Capitol  a  $5,000  fifth  week. 
"The  Powers  Girl"  should  do  $5,500 
at  the  RKO  Grand  on  a  second  down- 
town week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  28-30: 

"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

RKO     ALBEE— (3.300)     (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $16,000.     (Average.  $14,000) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 

RKO  PALACE— (2,700)  (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days.  Gross:  $13,000.  (Average,  $12,000) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

RKO  SHUBERT— (2.150)  (33c-40c-50c)  7 
davs,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,000.  (Average. 
$4,500) 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

RKO  CAPITOL — (2,000)  (33c -40c -50c)  7 
days.  5th  week.  Gross:  55.000.  (Average. 
$5,500) 

"The  Powers  Girl"  (U.  A.) 

RKO  GRAND  —  (1,500)  (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $5,500.  (Average, 
$5,000) 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

RKO  LYRIC— (1,400)  (28c-33c-42c)  7  days, 
3rd  week.    Gross:  $4,300.     (Average,  $4,000) 
"The  Gorilla  Man"  (W.  B.) 
"Law  and  Order"  (PRC) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)   (20c-30c)  4  days. 
Gross:  $1,350.     (Average,  $1,400) 
"Stand  By,  All  Networks"  (Col.) 
"Dr.  Renauld's  Secret"  (ZOth-Fox) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)   (20c-30c)  3  days. 
Gross:  $900.    (Average,  $800) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

KEITH'S— (1,500)  (33c-40c-50c)  7  days,  5th 
week.     Gross:  $5,000.     (Average,  $5,000) 


Sub-Zero  Weather 
Fails  to  Hurt  Minn. 


Minneapolis,  Jan.  27. — Despite  be- 
low-zero weather,  "Nightmare,"  with 
a  stage  show  at  the  Orpheum,  ap- 
peared headed  for  an  $18,000  week, 
with  other  grosses  holding  up  well. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  29 : 

"The  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 

STATE— (2,300)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,500.  (Average. 
$10,000) 

"War  Against  Mrs.  Hadley"  (M-G-M) 

CENTURY— (1.600)    (30c-40c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"Gentleman  Jim"  (W.  B.) 

WORLD— (350)  (30c -40c -50c -60c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $2,600.  (Average,  $2,- 
500) 

"I  Married  an  Angel"  (M-G-M) 

GOPHER— (998)  (30c)  7  days.    Gross:  $3,- 
800.     (Average,  $3,000) 
"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 

ORPHEUM— (2,800)  (33c-44c-55c)  7  days. 
Stage:  Ink  Spots,  Lucky  Millinder's  or- 
chestra, Sister  Rosetta  Tharpe,  Peg- Leg 
Bates.  Gross:  518,000.  (Average,  $8,500) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

LYRIC— (1,200)    (30c-40c-50c)   7  days,  4th 
week.     Gross:  $5,000.     (Average,  $4,000) 
"Junior  Army"  (Col.)  4  days 
"Seven    Miles    From    Alcatraz"    (RKO)  4 

days 

ASTER— (900)  (20c-30c)  7  days  (with 
midweek  change).  Gross:  $3,000.  (Average. 
S2.250) 


Bausch  &  Lomb  Men 
Get  Retirement  Plan 

Rochester,  Jan.  27. — A  retirement 
income  plan  under  which  each  retiring 
employe  will  receive  a  monthly  pay- 
ment amounting  to  30  per  cent  of  the 
monthly  pay  when  combined  with  So- 
cial Security  payments  has  been  an- 
nounced by  Bausch  &  Lomb  Optical 
Co.  here. 


'Nights' Capital's  Big 
Straight  Film  Show; 
$20,000  for  Week 


Washington,  Jan.  27. — A  warm 
weekend  had  crowds  thronging  the 
downtown  section  in  search  of  enter- 
tainment. The  best  straight  film  gross 
is  at  Keith's  where  "Arabian  Nights" 
is  expected  to  end  up  with  a  very  big 
$20,000  for  the  week.  "Andy  Hardy's 
Double  Life"  with  "Best  Foot  For- 
ward" on  the  stage  is  heading  for 
about  $26,500  at  the  Capitol. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  28 : 

"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 

LOEWS      CAPITOL— (3,434)  (28c-39c- 
44c-66c)  7  days.     Stage:  "Best  Foot  For- 
ward,"   with   Joy    Hodges,     Martv  May. 
Gross:  $26,500.     (Average,  $19,000) 
"Stand  By  For  Action"  (M-G-M) 

LOEWS  COLUMBIA— (1,234)  (28c-44c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $6,200.  (Average. 
$5,200) 

"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

EARLE— (2,210)      (30c-39c-44c-66c-77c)  7 
days,    2nd   week    .    Stage   show.  Gross: 
$19,000.     (Average,  $15,500) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

RKO-KEITH'S— (1,800)      (40c-50c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $20,000.    (Average,  $11,200) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 

METROPOLITAN—  (1,600)  (30c-44c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $7,000.  (Average, 
$4,250) 

"Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 

LOEWS  PALACE— (2,242)  (28c-55c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $11,500.  (Average. 
$15,750) 


New  Haven  Grosses 
Good  in  Short  Week 


New  Haven,  Jan.  27.— In  a  week 
cut  short  by  the  new  one-day  closing 
policies  adopted  in  response  to  the 
Governor's  request  to  save  fuel,  down- 
town theatres  still  collected  good 
grosses.  Warmer  weather  and  the 
city-wide  store  holiday  on  Monday 
helped.  However,  downtown  mana- 
gers say  they  note  a  falling  off  in 
evening  shows  because  of  the  pleas- 
ure driving  ban. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  26 : 

"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 
"Stand  By  All  Networks"  (Col.) 

COLLEGE— (1,627)   (40c-50c)  5  days,  2nd 
week.      Gross:  $2,300.      (Average,  $2,900) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 
"Manila  Calling"  (20th-Fox) 

LOEW-POL1— (3,005)     (40c-50c)    5  days. 
Gross:  $7,100.     (Average,  $9,000.1 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"Eyes  of  the  Underworld"  (Univ.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,373)    (40c-50c)   6  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.  (Average,  $5,500) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 
"Truck  Busters"   (W.  B.) 

ROGER  SHERMAN-(2.067)  (40c-50c)  t 
days.    Gross:  $8,200.    (Average.  $6,000) 


Houses  Transferred 
In  Frisco  Territory 

San  Francisco,  Jan.  27.  —  Recent 
theatre  transfers  in  this  territory  in- 
clude the  Strand,  downtown  San 
Francisco  house  of  J.  J.  Franklin,  to 
Roy  Cooper ;  Laurel,  Oakland,  by  Abe 
Karsky  to  Diamond  Theatre  Co. ;  Al- 
lendale and  Hopkins  theatres,  Oak- 
land, by  Goldsmith  Circuit  to  Dia- 
mond Theatre  Co. ;  Eastmont  Thea- 
tre, Oakland,  by  Freda  Stokes  to 
Foothill  Boulevard  Amusement  Co. ; 
Lake  Theatre  at  Tulare,  by  Tulare 
Theatre  Co.  to  Robert  Lippert.  John 
R.  Saul,  local  theatre  broker,  com- 
pleted the  deals. 


Phila.  Business 
Eases  Off  But 
Is  Still  Strong 


Philadelphia,  Jan.  27. — Business 
shaped  up  lighter  than  usual,  a  major 
hotel  fire  Saturday  night  claimed  re- 
sponsible in  part  for  the  falling^^Ain 
weekend  business.  Also,  the  vfc/al 
city  houses  are  beginning  to  feel  the 
impact  on  of  the  ban  on  pleasure  driv- 
ing. Of  the  new  product,  "Nightmare" 
fared  the  best,  pointing  to  an  esti- 
mated $11,500  at  the  Stanton,  while 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  figured  just 
ahead  of  the  house  average  at  the 
Boyd  with  an  estimated  $15,000. 
"Road  to  Morocco"  continued  big  at 
the  Stanley  with  about  $16,200  for  a 
fourth  week,  while  "Casablanca"  was 
expected  to  gross  $27,500  for  a  second 
week  at  the  Mastbaum. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  26-28 : 

"The  War  Against  Mrs.  Hadley"  (M-G-M) 

ALDINE— (900)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Stand  By  For  Action"  (M-G-M) 

ARCADIA— (600)  (35c-46c-57c-68c)  7  days, 
2nd  run.  Gross:  $3,200.  (Average,  $2,- 
800) 

"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

BOYD — (3,000)    (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $15,000.     (Average,  $14,000) 
"Madame  Spy"  (Univ.)  (6  days) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.)   (1  day) 

EARLE— (3,000)  (46c-57c-75c)  Stage:  6 
days  of  vaudeville  including  Glen  Gray's 
orchestra,  Kenny  Sargent,  Pee  Wee  Hunt, 
Four  O'Connell  Sisters,  Three  Sailors,  Max 

6  Gang,  Dave  Barry.  Gross:  $24,200.  (Av- 
erage, $18,000) 

"The  Undying  Monster"  (20th- Fox) 

FAY'S— (2,190)  (29c-35c-46c-57c)  Stage: 
Vaudeville  including  Jimmie  Lunceford's 
orchestra,  Bob  Howard,  Mable  Scott,  Mill- 
er Brothers  &  Lois,  James  Young,  Joe 
Thomas,  James  Crawford.  Gross:  $8,200. 
(Average,  $6,000) 
"The  Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 

FOX— (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $13,500.  (Average. 
$14,000) 

"The  Moon  and  Sixpence"  (U.  A.) 

KARLTON— (1.000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  week,  2nd  run.  Gross: 
$5,200.     (Average,  $3,500) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

KEITH'S— (2,200)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c) 

7  days.  2nd  week,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $6, - 
800.     (Average,  $4,500) 

"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

MASTBAUM  —  (4.700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c- 
68c-75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $27,500. 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

STANLEY   —    (3,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c- 
68c-75c)  7  days,  4th  week.     Gross:  $16,200. 
(Average,  $14,000) 
"NIGHTMARE"  (Univ.) 

STANTON— (1,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $11,500.  (Average. 
$6,500) 


Eastern  Pa.  Allied 
Elects  Governors 

Philadelphia,  Jan.  27. — Leo  Posel. 
E.  B.  Gregory,  Charles  Stiefel,  Harry 
Chertcoff  and  Charles  Moyer  were 
elected  for  a  three-year  term  to  the 
board  of  governors  of  the  Allied  In- 
dependent Theatre  Owners  of  Eastern 
Pennsylvania,  Inc.,  at  the  fifth  annual 
meeting  of  the  association.  Alternate 
governors  elected  for  one  year  are 
George  L.  Ickes,  Melvin  Koff  and 
Norman  Lewis. 

Immediately  after  the  general  meet- 
ing, the  board  of  governors  organized 
for  1943.  Ben  Fertel  was  reelected 
treasurer,  E.  B.  Gregory  secretary, 
Joseph  Conway  chairman  of  the  fi- 
nance committee,  Sidney  E.  Samuel- 
son  business  manager,  Morris  Wax 
national  director,  and  Harry  Chertcoff 
alternate  national  director.  Melvin 
Koff  was  named  chairman  of  the 
membership  committee. 


^  _  HERE'S  THE  FIRST 

,?  tVtfV^  BIG  DRAMA  OF 

<\«*    <ifVL  MIKHAILOVITCH 

Xf&^S*  ■  V^%*«V»  ...  THE  MAN 

^fe^S-  HITLER  WOULD  PAY 

^  «0,00(M)00  TO  TRAP! 


Sere 

CENTURY-FOX 
PICTURE 


Thursday,  January  28,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


9 


Off  the  Antenna 


\  RECORDED  program  with  live  commentaries  by  Burle  Marx,  Brazil- 
ian  conductor,  pianist  and  composer,  is  being  shortwaved  to  Brazil  each 
Monday  at  6  p.m.  by  NBC's  International  Division,  NBC  announced.  The 
program,  "Musical  Treasures  of  the  Americas,"  began  this  week  and  featured 
works  of  contemporary  South  and  North  American  composers.  It  is  trans- 
mitted over  WRCA  and  WCBX.  Marx  is  in  this  country  as  a  cultural 
representative  of  the  Department  of  Press  Information  of  the  Brazilian 
Government. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Lurene  Tuttle  of  the  "Great  Gildersleeve"  cast  is  arrang- 
ing a  program  featuring  an  all-radio,  all-feminine  cast  to  benefit  the  Radio 
Women's  War  Service.  It  will  be  staged  Feb.  17  at  the  RWWS  clubrooms 
in  Hollywood.  .  .  .  Bernard  Barth,  announcer  on  WFIL,  Philadelphia,  vaill 
discuss  "Cleaning  Up  the  Soap  Operas"  at  a  meeting  of  the  Women's  Club 
of  Drexel  Hill,  Pa.,  Feb.  IS.  .  .  .  Jack  Benny  and  Mary  Livingstone  will  be 
guests  of  the  President  and  Mrs.  Roosevelt  on  Saturday  for  the  President's 
Birthday  Party.  .  .  .  WHN's  Barry  Sisters  will  conduct  a  special  "jam 
session"  at  the  President's  Birthday  Ball  at  the  Waldorf-Astoria  on  Satur- 
day. .  .  .  H.  V.  Kaltenborn,  NBC  news  analyst,  will  leave  Friday,  Feb.  19, 
on  a  reportorial  trip  to  Latin  America  and  will  return  to  New  York  for  his 
March  15  broadcast.  During  his  tour  he  zvill  make  periodic  broadcasts  from 
Mexico  City. 

•  •  • 

A  series  of  five-minute  instructions  to  air  raid  wardens  prepared  by 
the  Office  of  War  Information  in  Washington  is  being  presented  twice 
daily  through  Tuesday  by  WEAF.  The  announcements  began  last  night 
at  12:05  a.m. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Mayor  LaGuardia  will  appear  on  Columbia's  "People's 
Platform"  on  Saturday,  Feb.  6.  .  .  .  Sol  Lesser  will  be  interviewed  on  the 
CBS  "Stage  Door  Canteen"  and  by  Bessie  Beatty  over  WOR  today  and  by 
John  B.  Kennedy  on  Sunday.  .  .  .  The  second  "Doctor  Christian"  award  of 
$2,000  for  the  best  script  submitted  suitable  for  that  program  has  been 
announced  by  the  sponsor.  .  .  .  "Alec  Templeton  Time,"  a  new  five-minute 
program  featuring  the  pianist,  will  be  sponsored  on  the  Blue  by  Schenley 
Import  Corp.,  Monday,  Wednesday  and  Friday  starting  March  1.  .  .  .  "Can 
You  Top  This  ?"  moves  to  Wednesday  at  7  :30  p.m.  on  WOR  starting  next 
week.    It  moves  from  Tuesday  at  8  p.m.  and  takes  the  place  of  "Go  Get  It." 


AFM  Board  Slated 
To  Talk  Peace  Plan; 
Tax  Proposal  Made 

Proposals  for  the  settlement  of  the 
American  Federation  of  Musician^' 
recording  ban  are  expected  to  be  im- 
portant points  of  discussion  at  the 
mid-winter  executive  board  meeting  of 
th-j»— FM,  which  opens  here  Monday 
arf^4^ill  probably  continue  for  about 
two  weeks. 

Although  it  is  reported  in  industry 
circles  that  a  plan  for  presentation  to 
broadcasters,  recorders  and  juke-box 
operators  will  be  devised  at  the  ses- 
sion, a  union  spokesman  said  yester- 
day that  it  is  not  known  what  course 
the  board  will  adopt  and  that  the  ban 
is  one  of  many  matters  pertaining  to 
the  music  industry  which  will  be 
studied. 

Also  scheduled  to  be  considered  in 
connection  with  the  ban  is  a  letter 
sent  yesterday  by  Samuel  R.  Rosen- 
baum,  president  of  WFIL,  Philadel- 
phia, to  all  stations.  Rosenbaum,  who 
has  opposed  much  of  the  National  As- 
sociation of  Broadcasters'  procedure 
in  its  actions  against  James  C.  Petril- 
lo,  AFM  president,  and  the  ban,  sug- 
gested a  possible  solution  to  the  prob- 
lem by  a  tax  on  juke-boxes  which 
would  go  into  a  fund  to  be  used  to 
employ  musicians  for  non-commercial 
purposes,  such  as  performances  in 
schools.  He  also  said  that  the  motion 
picture  industry  "must  contribute  a 
fair  proportion  of  the  revenue  neces- 
sary to  provide  adequate  employment 
for  live  musicians." 

Those  attending  the  sessions  will  be 
Petrillo,  Charles  L.  Bagley,  vice-presi- 
dent ;  Leo  F.  Cluesmann.  secretary ; 
Harry  E.  Brenton,  financial  secretary- 
treasurer  ;  Chauncey  A.  Weaver,  John 
W.  Parks,  Oscar  F.  Hill,  A.  Rex 
Riccardi,  Walter  M.  Murdoch,  Joseph 
N.  Weber  and  William  J.  Kerngood. 
executive  committee. 


40  Weeks  Work  Per 
Year  for  Pitt.  Band 

Pittsburgh,  Jan.  27. — Terms  by 
which  the  American  Federation  of 
Musicians'  local  strike  against  WJAS 
and  WQV  were  settled  were  said  to 
include  provisions  for  40  weeks  work 
during;  the  year  for  musicians.  Mickey 
Ross'  orchestra,  it  was  said,  will  con- 
tinue as  the  WJAS  orchestra,  but  will 
no  longer  also  play  for  WQV. 

The  dispute  had  spread  to  cover 
the  networks  when  CBS  and  the  Blue, 
affiliated  with  WJAS  and  WQV.  re- 
spectively, were  banned  remote  dance 
band  pickups.  Regular  schedules  have 
been  resumed  following  the  settlement. 

Mexico  Tariffs  on 
Radios  Are  Reduced 

Washington,  Jan.  27.  —  Tariff 
rates  on  radios  and  combination  radios 
and  phonographs  have  been  reduced 
by  17  per  cent  in  the  new  reciprocal 
trade  treaty  with  Mexico,  according 
to  a  State  Department  announcement. 

Rates  on  tubes  and  radio  parts  have 
also  been  lowered  by  40  and  50  per 
cent  respectively.  Mexico  imoorted 
radio  equipment  valued  at  $1,482,000 
in  1939_and  $1,765,000  in  1940  from 
the  United  States,  the  announcement 
said. 


U.  S.  Decree  Status 
Unchanged:  D.  of  J. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

yet  been  given  to  the  action  to 
be  taken  after  the  decree  lapses. 

He  pointed  out  that  an  effort  was 
made  before  Judge  Henry  W.  God- 
dard  a  year  ago  to  bring  the  suit 
against  the  "Little  Three"  to  trial  on 
limited  issues,  and  when  that  effort 
failed  the  case  was  dropped  to  the 
bottom  of  the  docket.  Under  the  cir- 
cumstances, he  said,  while  the  suit  has 
not  been  abandoned  it  is  not  likely  to 
be  pressed  at  this  time. 

Naturally,  he  said,  if  proceedings 
are  undertaken  against  the  signatory 
companies  next  winter,  the  Little 
Three  will  be  made  parties  to  the 
case. 

8  Million  Bond  Sale 
Reported  for  Nov. 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

in  the  lobbies,  it  was  stated.  Building 
inspectors  had  complained  to  opera- 
tors that  many  booths  blocked  exits 
to  theatres  and  were  fire  hazards, 
according  to  reports. 

The  meeting  also  decided  to  cooper- 
ate with  the  Red  Cross  drive  for  blood 
donors,  and  it  is  expected  that  the 
agency  will  distribute  blood  donor  ap- 
plications in  the  lobbies  of  many  thea- 
tres in  this  area. 


Epidemic  Still  Rages 

Springfield,  Mass.,  Jan.  27. — The 
serious  scarlet  fever  epidemic  here 
continues  unabated,  with  no  relief  in 
sight.  Theatres  are  still  banning  chil- 
dren under  16. 


New  RCA  Company 
To  Handle  Servicing 

RCA  Service  Company,  Inc.,  has 
been  formed  as  a  separate  subsidiary 
to  handle  servicing  and  installations 
for  the  RCA  Victor  Division  of  RCA, 
it  was  announced. 

Edward  C.  Cahill,  manager  of  RCA 
\  ictor's  sound  equipment  activities,  is 
president  of  the  new  company.  He 
will  retain  his  other  responsibilities 
with  RCA  Victor.  W.  L.  Jones  is 
vice-president  and  general  manager  of 
the  new  subsidiary. 


Servicemen  to  Get 
1st  Call  on  Tickets 

Effective  Sunday,  men  in  uniform 
will  have  first  call  for  tickets  to  studio 
broadcasts  for  the  Metropolitan  Opera 
Auditions  of  the  Air  program  aired 
over  the  Blue  at  6 :30  p.m.  Sundays. 
It  is  reported  that  the  distribution 
change  was  made  at  the  suggestion  of 
the  Metropolitan  Opera  Guild. 


Holyoke  Theatre  Opens 

Holyoke,  Mass.,  Jan.  27.  —  The 
renovated  and  redecorated  New  Holy- 
oke Theatre  has  opened  here,  under 
the  management  of  the  A.  and  B.  Dow 
Agency  of  New  York.  Legitimate 
shows  at  popular  prices  is  the  new 
policy. 


Glazer's  First  for  W.B. 

Hollywood.  Jan.  27.  —  Benjamin 
Glazer  will  make  "Night  Shift,"  star- 
ring Ann  Sheridan,  as  his  first  picture 
under  his  new  producing  contract  with 
Warner  Bros.,  it  was  announced. 
Raoul  Walsh  will  direct. 


Chicago  Gross 
Big;  'Lovelier', 
Band,  $55,000 

Chicago,  Jan.  27. — Chicagoans  ap- 
parently became  accustomed  to  the 
cold,  and  zero  weather  didn't  affect 
their  theatre  attendance  following  the 
record  13  below  of  the  previous  week. 
Receipts  soared.  "Arabian  Nights" 
at  the  Palace  was  tops  with  an  esti- 
mated $26,000  for  the  week.  "You 
Were  Never  Lovelier"  with  Phil  Spit- 
alny's  all-girl  orchestra  on  the  stage 
at  the  Chicago  was  expected  to  gross 
a  good  $55,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  ending 
Jan.  28 : 

"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 

"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (2»th-Fox) 

APOLLO^(1,400)  (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,500.  (Average. 
$8,500) 

"You  Were  Never  Lovelier"  (Col.) 

CHICAGO— (4,000)    (36c-55c-75c)    7  days. 
Stage:    Phil   Spitalny's  All-Girl  Orchestra. 
Gross:  $55,000.     (Average,  $48,000) 
"The  Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.)  7  days,  5th 

week  in  loop 
"Omaha    Trail"     (M-G-M)     7    days,  2nd 

GARRICK   —    (1,000)  (36c-55c-65c-75c) 
Gross:  $8,000.    (Average.  $7,000) 
"One  Dangerous  Night"  (Col.) 

ORIENTAL — (3.200)     (27c-31c-50c.6Oc)  7 
days.       Stage:    Stan    Kenton's  Orchestra. 
Gross:  $23,000.      (Average,  $22,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

ROOSEVELT — (1,500)    (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days.  2nd  week  at  popular  prices.  Gross: 
$17,000.     (Average,  $16,000) 
"For  Me  and  My  Gal"   (M-G-M)   6  days, 

4  th  week 
"Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox)  1  day 

STATE- LAKE— (2,700)  (36c-55c-65c-75c) 
Gross:  $21,000.    (Average,  $19,700) 
"Stan:!  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

UNITED  ARTISTS — (1,700)  (36c-55c-65c- 
75c1  7  days.  2nd  week.    Gross:  $16,000.  (Av- 
erage. $15,500) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Sherlock  Holmes  and  the  Secret  Weapon" 

PALACE— (2.500)  (40c-55c-75c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $26.0C0.     (Average,  $17,500) 


Drug  Industries  Led 
In  CBS  Time  in  '42 


Leading  time  buyers  on  the  Blue 
Network  during  1942  were  in  the 
drug  and  toilet  goods  industry,  the 
network  announced,  with  gross  ex- 
penditures of  $6,841,576.  Foods  and 
food  beverages  advertisers  were  sec- 
ond, spending  $2,989,264. 

The  _  network  reported  that  other 
industries  spending  more  than  one 
million  dollars  in  1942  were  confec- 
tionery and  soft  drinks,  $1,583,163 ; 
lubricants,  petroleum  products  and 
fuel,  $1,346,562,  and  automotive,  $1,- 
023,513. 

Following  these,  to  make  up  the 
total  Blue  gross  billings  of  $15,782,- 
493,  were :  cigars,  cigarettes  and 
tobacco ;  stationery  and  publishers ; 
machinery,  farm  equipment  and  me- 
chanical supplies ;  clothing  and  dry 
goods ;  wine  and  beer ;  travel  and 
hotels  ;  paints  ;  miscellaneous  ;  finan- 
cial and  insurance ;  and  political. 

The  Blue  also  announced  that  spot 
sales  were  37  per  cent  higher  in  1942 
than  in  1941.  Individual  station  in- 
creases in  gross  spot  billings  were : 
WJZ,  34.5  per  cent ;  WENR,  Chicago, 
41.5  per  cent;  WMAL,  Washington, 
D.  C,  18.6  per  cent,  and  KGO,  San 
Francisco,  73  per  cent. 


THE  WHITE  HOUSE 

WASHINGTON 


December  12,  1942 


Dear  Mr.  Schenck: 


I  am  delighted  to  learn,  through  Basil  O'Connor, 
of  the  generous  offer  ■which  you  and  your  associates  have 
■made  in  connection  with  the  1943  fund-raising  effort  of  the 
National  Foundation  for  Infantile  Paralysis. 

I  think  you  know  how  much  I  value  the  magnificent 
performance  of  the  motion  picture  theatres  in  the  National 
Foundation's  1942  Campaign,  and  I  hope  that  this  year's 
effort  will  he  equally  as  successful. 

Sincerely  yours, 


COAST  FLASH! 
GREER  GARSON 
IS  MAKING  THE 
APPEAL  TRAILER! 


Hi*.  Nicholas  I'.,  Schenck, 
1540  Broadway, 
New  York  City. 


"HE  REMEMBERED! 
WON'T  YOU?" 


The  gallantry  of  showmen  throughout  the  land  has  again  been  evidenced  in 
the  returns  of  pledge  cards  for  this  year's  fight  against  infantile  paralysis.  If  your 
pledge  is  not  in,  please  send  it  today.  You  will  receive  a  showman's  press  book 
—  and  what  a  trailer!  Few  will  resist  Greer  Garson's  appeal.  Your  patrons 
know  how  splendid  this  work  is.  They  will  give  gladly  so  that  the  little  girl 
on  this  page  and  thousands  of  her  fellow  sufferers  may  walk  again! 

MARCH  OF  DIMES,  FEBRUARY  18th  to  24th 


MAI  L  YOUR 
PLEDGE  TO 

MARCH  OF  DIMES 
AS  T  O  R  HOTEL 
N.  Y.    •    Room  773 


to  the 
Picture 
Industry 


ition 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


Mi  53.  NO.  20 


NEW  YORK,  U.  S.  A.,  FRIDAY,  JANUARY  29,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


UA  Moves  to 
Set  Westerns 
In  First  Runs 


Kelly  Says  Large  Foreign 
Market  Is  Untapped 

A  campaign  to  establish  West- 
erns as  first  run  theatre  attractions 
with  the  object  of  tapping  an  audi- 
ence comparable  in  size  to  that  ad- 
dicted to  "mystery"  fiction  and  pic- 
tures is  to  be  undertaken  in  all  ac- 
tive foreign  markets  by  United 
Artists,  according  to  Arthur  W. 
Kelly,  vice-president  and  head  of 
the  company's  foreign  department. 

The  company  is  convinced  that  an 
untapped  audience  has  been  kept  from 
patronizing  the  Westerns  because  of 
the  type  of  theatre  in  which  they  are 
customarily  offered,  particularly  in  the 
foreign  markets.  A  huge  new  audi- 
ence, ready-made  for  the  great-open- 
spaces  dramas,  would  pour  in  to  see 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


Ampa  to  Formulate 
Activities  Program 


Plans  for  the  resumption  of  Ampa 
luncheon  programs,  the  first  of 
which  will  be  in  recognition  of  the 
industry's  war  activities,  will  be  for- 
mulated at  a  meeting  today  of  the 
program  committee  with  Maurice 
Bergman,  Ampa  president. 

Members  of  the  program  commit- 
tee are :   Vincent  Trotta,  chairman ; 

(Continued  on  page  2) 


10,000  Houses  Seen 
In  'March  of  Dimes' 

Indications  yesterday  were 
that  at  least  10,000  theatres 
throughout  the  country  will 
take  part  in  the  March  of 
Dimes  Campaign,  it  was  an- 
nounced. The  campaign  book 
for  the  drive,  which  will  take 
place  from  Feb.  18  to  24,  has 
been  mailed  to  theatres. 

This  year  the  50  per  cent 
of  collections  to  go  to  local 
infantile  paralysis  charities 
will  be  returned  promptly  to 
the  community  by  state  chair- 
men, instead  of  passing 
through  the  national  offices  in 
New  York,  the  committee  an- 
nounced. 


Col.  to  Discuss 
Sales  Changes 
At  3-Day  Meet 


Altered  distribution  methods 
which  may  be  adopted  by  Colum- 
bia for  next  season  as  a  result  of 
wartime  con- 
ditions will  be 
discussed  at  a 
three  -  day 
meeting  of  the 
c  o  m  p  a  ny's 
home  office 
executives  and 
field  sales  of- 
ficials at  the 
Drake  Hotel, 
Chicago,  start- 
ing Sunday. 

Reduced  raw 
stock  alloca- 
tions, manpow- 
er   and  trans- 
portation   problems    affecting  both 
salesmen  and  film  deliveries  and  other 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


A.  Montague 


Associated  British 
Refunding  Planned 

London,  Jan.  28. — Associated  Brit- 
ish today  declared  an  interim  dividend 
of  TYz  per  cent  on  the  ordinary  shares. 
The  company  announced  its  intention 
of  repayment  of  existing  5  per  cent 
first  mortgage  debentures  at  103^ 
pounds  sterling  with  an  offer  to  con- 
vert into  3,000,000  pounds  sterling  an 
issue  of  new  AY2  per  cent  first  mort- 
gage debentures. 


Capital  Awaits  Films 
Of  Casablanca  Event 

Washington,  Jan.  28.  — 
Newsreels  of  the  Casablanca 
meeting  between  President 
Roosevelt  and  Prime  Minister 
Churchill  have  not  yet 
reached  Washington  and  offi- 
cials said  today  they  had  no 
idea  when  they  would  arrive. 
As  soon  as  the  pictures  reach 
Washington  they  will  be 
processed  by  the  War  Depart- 
ment and  released  with  a 
minimum  of  delay  by  the  Of- 
fice of  War  Information,  it 
was  said. 


Bad  Weather  and 
Air  Newscasts  Hit 
B'way  Grosses 


Driving  snow  of  blizzard  propor- 
tions and  strong  winds  yesterday  had 
a  generally  harmful  effect  on  Broad- 
way theatre  business.  Traffic  was 
crippled,  with  official  warnings  is- 
sued that  driving  was  dangerous  and, 
with  walking  extremely  difficult 
through  the  heavy  snow,  taxis  were 
hardly  obtainable  last  night.  The 
bad  weather  was  to  continue,  accord- 
ing to  forecasts. 

A  drop  in  business  was  also  re- 
ported for  Tuesday  night  when  the 
awaited  announcement  of  President 
Roosevelt's  Casablanca  conference 
was  made. 

Meanwhile,  "China  Girl"  with  Guy 
Lombardo  on  the  stage  opened  strong 
on  its   second   week   Wednesday  at 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Georgia  Shifts  to  Central 
Time;  Justice  Dep  H  May  Act 


Freeman  Appointed 
Assistant  to  Rathvon 

Norman  Freeman,  assistant  secre- 
tary and  assistant  treasurer  of  RKO 
for  the  past  two  years,  has  been 
named  assistant  to  N.  Peter  Rathvon, 
RKO  president,  it  was  announced  yes- 
terday. 

Freeman  was  with  Atlas  Corp.  from 
1933  to  1937  !and  thereafter  until 
joining  RKO  at  the  beginning  of 
1941  was  associated  with  Rathvon 
&  Co.,  Inc.  He  was  identified  with 
RKO  reorganization  work  from  1935 
to  1940. 


Washington,  Jan.  28. — Depart- 
ment of  Justice  officials  were  divided 
tonight  on  the  power  of  the  Govern- 
ment to  take  action  against  Georgia, 
which  today  shifted  from  Eastern  war 
time  to  Central  war  time,  turning  the 
clock  back  one  hour. 

It  was  indicated,  however,  that  if  a 
complaint  was  filed,  the  Department 
would  proceed  against  the  State, 
which  is  the  first  to  revolt  against 
President  Roosevelt's  order  for  year- 
round  daylight  saving.  If  the  State 
gets  away  with  its  tampering  with 
the  clock  it  is  probable  that  a  number 
of  others  may  follow  suit. 

Since  the  bill  passed  by  the  State 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


Congress  Gets 
Bill  to  Repeal 
Salary  Ceiling 

Rep.  Gear  hart,  Cal.,  Says 
It  Would  Aid  Industry 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  28. — A  pro- 
vision for  repeal  of  the  $25,000  net 
salary  ceiling  order  was  introduced 
in  the  House  today  by  Rep.  Bert- 
rand  K.  Gearhart  of  California  as 
part  of  a  bill  to  increase  the  nation- 
al debt  limit. 

"I  had  the  high  earners  of 
the  film  industry  in  mind,"  he 
told  Motion  Picture  Daily.  "The 
salary  limit  is  of  importance  to 
them  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
the  span  of  their  earning  career 
is  short.  It  works  a  tremendous 
hardship  on  people  in  that  pro- 
fession and  also  would  cause 
their  employing  corporations  to 
become  unjustly  enriched. 
The  measure  except  for  the  salary 
rider,  is  identical  with  the  debt-lift- 
ing bill  introduced  last  week  by  Chair- 
man   Doughton    of    the    Ways  and 
Means   committee,   which   will  open 
hearings  on  it  tomorrow. 

Gearhart  said  tonight  that  the  limi- 
tation was  discussed  at  today's  meet- 

(Continued  on  page  2) 

Fires  Strike  at  Four 
Houses,  Warehouse 


Fires  which  destroyed  theatres  in 
Chicago  and  Dayton  and  caused  large 
damage  to  theatres  in  Babylon,  L.  I., 
and  Kansas  City,  and  another  which 
heavily  damaged  the  Balaban  &  Katz 
warehouse  in  Chicago  occurred  this 
week.    Details  follow : 

Chicago,  Jan.  28.— The  300-seat 
Lyric  was  destroyed  and  Balaban  & 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Rickenbacker  Life 
Story  to  Sheehan 

Hollywood,  Jan.  28. — Capt. 
Eddie  Rickenbacker,  through 
Christy  Walsh,  today  issued  a 
formal  statement  at  a  press 
conference  confirming  a  deal 
under  which  the  story  of  his 
life  would  be  screened  by  W. 
R.  Sheehan,  as  exclusively  re- 
ported in  "Heard  Around"  by 
Sam  Shain  in  Motion  Picture 
Daily  on  Jan.  21. 


2 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Friday,  January  29,  1943 


Ampa  to  Formulate 
Activities  Program 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
Oscar    Doob,    David    Lipton,  Leon 
Bamberger,   Paul   Lazarus,   Jr.,  and 
David  O'Malley. 

Preliminary  plans  call  for  a  war 
activities  luncheon  meeting  late  in 
February.  Elmer  Davis,  director  of 
the  Office  of  War  Information ;  Low- 
ell Mellett,  head  of  the  films  division 
of  the  OWI,  and  leaders  in  the  in- 
dustry's organized  war  activities,  will 
be  invited  to  attend. 

Bergman  described  Ampa's  program 
for  the  balance  of  the  season  as 
threefold :  to  offer  fewer  but  more 
significant  luncheon  meeting  programs 
than  in  the  past;  to  increase  Ampa 
membership  and  to  extend  its  relief 
fund  operations. 


Memorial  Services 
Eulogize  Woollcott 

Personalities  of  the  stage,  screen, 
art  and  professional  fields  attended 
memorial  services  at  Columbia  Uni- 
versity yesterday  for  Alexander 
Woollcott,  who  died  Saturday  night 
after  suffering  a  heart  attack  while 
taking  part  in  a  CBS  broadcast. 
Lloyd  Paul  Stryker,  attorney  and 
classmate  of  Woollcott  at  Hamilton 
College,  delivered  the  eulogy. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN       .      GREER  GARSON 
In  James  Hilton's 

"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN   M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue   .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 

IN  PERSON 

PRESENTS 

JOHNNY 

'STAR  SPANGLED 

LONG 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

RHYTHM' 

with  43  STARS 

—Extra- 
Frank  Sinatra 

PARAMOUNT    ■    Times  Square 

EENE  TIERNEY  »  GEORGE  MONTGOMERY  *  LYNN  BAR1 

China  CM 

a.*D~.A~.  '  Guy  LOMBARDO  &  Band 
/ft  reWMC  !  NAN  WYNN  •  Other  Acts 

B  O  N  D  i     ROXY     7-h  Ave.  50th  SI. 


PALACE 


B  WAY  & 
47th  St. 


TYRONE  POWER 

"THE  BLACK  SWAN" 

with  MAUREEN  O'HARA 
—  and  — 

"TRUCK  BUSTERS" 

with  RICHARD  TRAVIS 


LoTwsSTPVE 


ON  SCREEN 
JUDY  GARLAND 
GEO.  MURPHY 
GENE  KELLY 

"FOR  ME  AND 
MY  GAL" 


A 


IN  PERSON 
GEORGIE 
PRICE 
• 

SALICI 
PUPPETS 
• 

BEA  WAIN 


-  Heard  Around  - 

REPORTS  of  an  impending  salary  war — among  Broadway  theatres — be- 
cause A.  J.  Balaban,  of  the  Roxy,  hired  Jimmy  Dorsey  and  his  band  for 
four  weeks  at  $12,500  per  are  pooh-poohed  by  Bob  Weitman,  managing 
director  of  the  Paramount — and  he  should  know — because  it  was  Weitman 
who  conceived  the  band-screen  policy  of  his  theatre,  since  imitated  around 
the  country — and  because  the  Paramount  Theatre  is  booked  solid  with  name 
bands  and  special  stage  attractions  for  one  year.  However,  that  which  most 
likely  will  stir  consternation  in  booking  and  theatre  circles  is  the  fact  that 
Jimmy  Dorsey's  contract  with  the  Roxy  permits  him  to  play  only  32  shows 
as  against  the  standing  minimum  agreement  of  35  shows  now  in  force  between 
the  Broadway  houses  and  the  American  Guild  of  Variety  Artists. 

•  •  • 

Art  Moger  writes  from  Boston — that  Alfred  de  Liagre's  neiv  play,  "Ask 
My  Friend  Sandy,"  with  Roland  Young,  drew  mixed  notices  from  the  critics 
— and  that  general  reaction  to  the  piece  is  that  it  will  not  make  the  big-time 
boards,  although  considerable  rewriting  is  being  attempted — also,  Elliot 
Norton,  writing  in  the  Boston  Post  said,  "'Ask  My  Friend  Sandy'  is  not  a 
good  play." 

•  •  • 

Warners  ad  writers  are  patting  themselves  on  the  back  because  of 
their  perspicacity  (or  just  good  luck)  that  impelled  them  to  release  cer- 
tain "Casablanca"  film  copy  to  newspapers  on  the  same  day  that  it  was 
announced  to  the  world  that  FDR  and  Churchhill  had  met  there — "Yes, 
sir,  was  there  ever  a  picture  more  timely?"  they  ask  .  .  .  and  talking 
about  new  pictures,  Deanna  Durbin's  "The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  is  a 
box-office  crackerjack — and  20th  Century-Fox  Film's  "Chetniks"  oozes 
with  exploitable  action  and  interest. 

•  •  • 

Ed  Sullivan,  N.  Y.  Daily  News  columnist,  and  Bob  Weitman,  managing 
director  of  the  Paramount,  are  now  planning  and  building  that  gigantic  Red 
Cross  show  to  be  presented  at  Madison  Square  Garden  .  .  .  Barney  Balaban, 
president  of  Paramount,  is  chairman  for  the  industry  .  .  .  and  Municipal 
Court  Judge  Ben  Shalleck  will  be  chairman  of  the  executive  committee. 

•  •  • 

How  important  is  seating  capacity — do  you  think?  .  .  .  As  for  instance, 
the  Roxy,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  5,886,  grossed  $110,000  during  Neiv 
Year's  week,  while  the  Paramount,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  only  3,664, 
grossed  $115,000. 

•  •  • 

RKO's  outside  producers  certainly  have  demonstrated  their  worth — 
first,  there  is  Samuel  Goldwyn,  whose  "Ball  of  Fire"  will  gross  around 
$2,000,000,  domestic,  and  whose  "Pride  of  the  Yankees,"  the  general 
release  of  which  has  not  yet  been  begun,  already  has  grossed  about 
$2,100,000  and  probably  will  take  in  close  to  $3,000,000— second,  Edward 
Golden,  who  made  "Hitler's  Children,"  which  RKO's  experts  now  aver 
will  gross  about  $1,500,000.  .Golden's  picture  is  proving  a  tremendous 
financial  asset  because  of  its  cost  .  .  .  and  Golden  himself  is  so  elated 
that  he  tendered  George  J.  Schaefer,  former  RKO  president,  who  started 
him  on  his  deal  with  that  company,  a  one-man  banquet  recently  at  "21." 

•  •  • 

Do  you  know — that  "Pride  of  the  Yankees"  drew  around  $540,000  in  film 
rental  from  RKO  theatres — over  and  above  an  estimated  $250,000  profit  made 
by  the  chain  .  .  .  that  Mary  and  Bill  Scully  are  spending  a  few  days  in 
Nevada,  before  returning  East  .  .  .  that  Murray  Silverstone  will  arrive  from 
California  tomorrow  and  will  hurry  back  within  a  few  days  .  .  .  that  Herschel 
Stuart,  former  general  manager  of  theatres  for  RKO,  and  now  representing 
20th  Century-Fox  in  Hoyt's  Theatres,  Australia,  heads  the  service  entertain- 
ment branch  down  under  for  the  American  USO. 

•  •  • 

What  do  you  think  Spyros  Skouras,  Wendell  Willkic  and  Col.  Darryl 
Zanuck  talked  about  ivhen  they  met  on  Wednesday  and  Thursday  in  Wash- 
ington? .  .  .  and  if  Charles  Koerner  has  his  zvay  at  RKO,  that  company's 
1943-44  production  budget  will  be  raised  to  about  $12,500,000. 

•  •  • 

Can  you  answer  this? — Is  Chris  Dunphy,  now  in  Washington,  think- 
ing of  taking  an  exhibitor-relations  post  at  20th  Century-Fox  Film  Corp.? 

•  •  • 

Don't  forget  .  .  .  the  Motion  Picture  Associates  Party  Feb.  10. 

— Sam  Shain 


RKO  RADIO  PICTURES,  Inc. 

BOSTON  TRADE  SHOWING 

of 

"SQUADRON  LEADER  X" 

Tuesday,  Feb.  2,  at  2:30  P.M. 
RKO  Projection  Room,  122  Arlington  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 


Newsreel 
Parade 


TpiLMS  of  Churchill,  Roosevelt  and 
scenes  connected  with  their  Casa- 
blanca meeting  are  featured  events'  in 
weekend  newsreel  releases.  Pictures 
of  Army  mien  relieving  Marines  at 
Guadalcanal  and  the  story  of  Canada's 
convoy  system  are  also  highlighted. 
Contents  follow: 

MOVIETONE  NEWS,  No.  42.— Pic. ..re 
analysis  of  Roosevelt-Churchill  meeting  in 
Casablanca.  Array  relieves  Marines  on 
Guadalcanal.  Canada's  convoys  bring  vital 
materials  to  United  Nations.  Allies  give 
food  to  Arabs.  U.  S.  troops  on  parade 
in  Morocco.  Film  stars  help  collect  type- 
writers for  Army  and  Navy  in  Holly- 
wood. Lew  Lehr:  Newsette.  American 
Rangers  train  at  school  of  hard  knocks, 
Camp  Forrest,  Tenn. 

NEWS  OF  THE  DAY  No.  249.— Presi- 
dent's flight  to  Africa  stirs  world.  Fight- 
ing Guadalcanal  Marines  relieved  by  fresh 
Army  troops.  Canada's  convoys  elude  Nazi 
U-boat  packs.  North  African  news  flash- 
es: Arabs  get  U.  S.  rations,  Yanks  on 
road  to  Tunis,  Army  school  for  Rangers. 

PARAMOUNT  NEWS,  No.  45.— Latest 
films  of  Casablanca  conference.  French 
Africa's  food  problem.  Films  from  the 
Tunisian  battlefront.  American  troops  at 
Ft.  Lyautey  stage  impressive  show.  Cana- 
dian convoy  to  Russia.  Chiang  Kai-Shek 
assured  most  complete  support  by  U.  S. 
and  Britain.  American  Army  taking  over 
from  Marines  at  Guadalcanal. 

PATHE  NEWS,  No.  45.— Army  takes 
over  for  Marines  at  Guadalcanal.  Battle 
for  Tunisia  rages.  Moroccans  receive  food 
cards.  Funeral  of  Admiral  Darlan.  Rangers 
learn  killer  tactics  at  Camp  Forrest,  Tenn. 

UNIVERSAL    NEWSREEL,    No.  158.— 

Films  of  Casablanca  where  Churchill  and 
Roosevelt  conferred.  Army  takes  over  at 
Guadalcanal.  Ranger  slogan— "Kill  or  Be 
Killed."  Woman  flunks  quiz  question,  gets 
over  100,000  fan  letters.  Canadian  convoys 
defy  U-boat  threat. 


Congress  Gets  Bill 
On  Salary  Ceiling 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
ing  of  the  Ways  and  Means  Commit- 
tee and  that  there  were  indications 
that  a  good  majority  of  the  members 
were  on  his  side.  He  explained  that 
the  repealer  was  added  to  the  debt 
bill  because  there  was  no  doubt  that 
the  President  would  veto  any  measure 
covering  only  salaries  but  might  hesi- 
tate to  turn  down  a  measure  covering 
broader  issues. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c 


\\AAjO 


W-LY  CATS ! 
♦WVE  Y&(i  SEEN 
WSE  FIRST  MATIOM 
WIDE  FIGURES  Otf 

STAR  SPAW6LED 


RHYTHM?" 


First  3  days  30%  over  "Morocco"  in  Denver  .  .  .  Bucked  Frisco's  worst  storm  in  years 
to  top  "Morocco"  at  the  Fox  .  .  ."Morocco"  records  smashed  in  Miami,  Miami  Beach 
and  Providence. ..  Matched  "Morocco's"  Xmas  and  Thanksgiving  weekends  in  Cleve- 
land and  San  Antonio ...  And  that's  just  the  end  of  the  beginning — watch  for  more! 


IT'S  A  REALLY  PARAMOUNT  SH0W 


4 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Friday,  January  29,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


SEPARATED  by  not  more  than  .5  per  cent,  "Big  Sister,"  "Young  Widder 
Brown,"  "Aunt  Jenny,"  "Portia  Faces  Life"  and  "Romance  of  Helen 
Trent"  are  announced  by  C.  E.  Hooper  as  leading  the  January  National  Day- 
time report,  arrived  at  through  the  coincidental  method.  William  L.  Shirer 
was  listed  as  the  top  ranking  weekend  daytime  show  and  the  Prudential 
Family  Hour  second. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Fred  Hoxie  of  the  engineering  department  at  WICC, 
Bridgeport,  is  the  father  of  a  daughter  born  on  Tuesday  at  the  New  Haven 
hospital.  .  .  .  Bernie  Barth  of  the  WFIL,  Philadelphia,  announcing  staff  and 
Kathleen  Doran  of  Sturgis,  S.  D.,  plan  to  be  married  in  June.  .  .  .  Jack 
Myers,  formerly  of  the  Blue  guest  relations  staff,  is  night  assistant  in  the  an- 
nouncing department,  replacing  William  Elwell,  now  program  manager  of 
WKIP,  Poughkcepsie. 

•  •  • 

WSAP,  Portsmouth,  Va.,  is  expected  to  start  operations  on  Monday. 
The  new  station,  affiliated  with  Mutual,  has  postponed  its  opening  several 
times  because  of  technical  difficulties. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  "Lands  of  the  Free,"  NBC  program,  will  move  to  a 
new  time,  Sunday  at  4:30  p.  m.,  on  Feb.  21.    It  is  now  heard  on  Monday  at 

10  :30  p.  m.  .  .  .  Sen.  Albert  D.  Chandler,  chairman  of  the  Senate  Committee 
investigating  military  defenses,  will  appear  on  WHN's  "Congressional  Record 
of  the  Air"  tonight  from  Washington.  .  .  .  Richard  Crooks  will  perform  on 
three  consecutive  "Voice  of  Firestone"  broadcasts  on  NBC  starting  Feb.  8. 
The  programs  will  originate  from  Hollywood.  .  .  .  Teresa  Wright  will  be  a 
guest  on  the  Chase  and  Sanborn  show  Feb.  7.  .  .  .  Previously  heard  from  11  to 

11  :15  a.  m.  Monday  through  Friday,  B.  S.  Bercovici,  WHN  news  comentator, 
now  broadcasts  from  10:45  to  11.  .  .  .  WLW,  Cincinnati,  has  inaugurated 
a  4  a.  m.  daily  "Bulldog  Edition"  of  the  news.  .  .  .  John  Reed  King  will  suc- 
ceed Walter  Compton  as  master  of  ceremonies  for  "Double  or  Nothing"  on 
Mutual  starting  Feb.  5.  Compton  is  leaving  the  program  to  concentrate  on 
his  Washington  news  broadcasts. 


Fires  Strike  at  Four 
Houses,  Warehouse; 
2  Theatres  Ruined 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

Katz's  two-story  warehouse  on  the 
Northwest  side  was  damaged  to  the 
extent  of  an  estimated  $125,000  in  fires 
here  today. 

The  Lyric  fire  occurred  during  the 
night  after  the  last  Wednesday  per- 
formance. The  roof  of  the  theatre 
collapsed  following  an  explosion.  Al- 
bert Trilling,  owner,  estimated  the  loss 
at  $30,000.  No  one  was  reported  in 
the  building  at  the  time  of  the  fire. 

About  30  B  &  K  employes  were  in 
the  warehouse  when  the  fire  there 
broke  out  but  all  escaped  without  in- 
jury. John  Schaefer,  supervisor  of 
sound  equipment,  escaped  through  a 
window.  Sam  Katz,  in  charge  of  pho- 
to supplies,  and  his  assistant  were 
rescued  from  an  upper  window  ledge 
by  William  Picha  and  Harold  Wat- 
son, artists,  who  had  climed  to  the 
roof  through  a  skylight.  Photo  sup- 
plies, sound  equipment,  scenery,  lob- 
by displays,  candy  supplies,  a  valued 
store  of  old-time  stills  and  miscel- 
laneous theatrical  equipment  were  de- 
stroyed. 


Dayton  Strand  Fire 

Dayton,  O.,  Jan.  28.— The  1,500-seat 
Strand  Theatre  here  was  destroyed  by 
fire  yesterday  with  loss  estimated  at 
$100,000.  The  theatre,  which  was 
empty  at  the  time,  is  operated  by  I. 
Libson.  The  building  porter  died 
of  suffocation  after  sounding  the 
alarm.  Three  firemen  were  injured. 
The  fire  started  in  the  kitchen  of  an 
adjoining  restaurant. 


Fire  Closes  Babylon 

The  Babylon  Theatre  at  Babylon, 
L.  I.,  will  be  closed  for  two  weeks  as 
a  result  of  a  fire  on  Wednesday 
which  caused  several  thousand  dollars' 
damage,  the  Prudential  circuit  (Seid- 
er),  announced  yesterday.  There  were 
no  patrons  in  the  theatre  at  the  time. 


K.  C.  House  Damaged 

Kansas  City,  Jan.  28. — -The  Paseo 
Theatre  in  Marlborough,  a  suburb  of 
Kansas  City,  burned  Monday  after- 
noon. There  was  no  show  on  at  the 
time.  Reuben  Finkelstein,  who  oper- 
ates the  house  with  Ben  Friedman, 
said  the  equipment  was  destroyed. 

'Information  Please9 
Denied  Injunction 

Dan  Golenpaul,  producer  of  "In- 
formation, Please,"  was  denied  an 
injunction  yesterday  by  Supreme 
Court  Justice  Bernard  Shientag  to 
restrain  the  American  Tobacco  Co. 
from  repeating  its  jingle  on  his  pro- 
gram and  to  award  damages  for  de- 
tracting from  the  entertainment  value 
of  the  quiz  program. 

Justice  Dep't  May  Act 
As  Ga.  Shifts  Time 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

Legislature  was  signed  only  today  by 
the  Georgia  Governor,  officials  said 
they  had  not  had  an  opportunity  to 
make  a  full  study,  but  it  was  declared 
the  action  would  not  interfere  with 
train  schedules  or  other  interstate  ac- 
tivities. 


Bad  Weather  and 
Air  Newscasts  Hit 
B'way  Grosses 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

the  Roxy,  with  an  estimated  $6,000 
for  the  day.  The  present  show  will 
be  followed  on  Feb.  3  by  "The  Im- 
mortal Sergeant"  and  Connie  Bos- 
well,  the  Blue  Network's  Chamber 
Music  Society  of  Lower  Basin  Street, 
Milton  Cross  and  Herb  Shriner  in  the 
stage  show. 

"Lucky  Jordan"  was  expected  to 
gross  about  $12,000  at  the  Rialto  for 
the  first  week  ending  tonight,  and  will 
be  held  over.  Opening  its  third  week 
Wednesday  at  the  Rivoli,  "Shadow  of 
a  Doubt"  grossed  an  estimated  $2,800 
for  the  day. 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  with 
Sammy  Kaye  and  his  band  on  the 
stage  grossed  an  estimated  $39,000  for 
a  fifth  week  and  started  a  sixth  week 
today. 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  garnered  an 
estimated  $42,000  at  the  Capitol  for 
the  fifth  week  ending  Wednesday. 
"The  Crystal  Ball'  is  the  next  film 
booked  for  the  theatre. 

"Random  Harvest"  and  a  stage 
presentation  drew  about  $100,500  for 
the  fifth  week  at  the  Radio  City  Music 
Hall  and  started  a  sixth  week  yester- 
day. "Casablanca"  grossed  an  esti- 
mated $20,800  for  the  ninth  week  at 
the  Hollywood  and  entered  a  10th 
week  yesterday.  At  the  Globe  "Mar- 
gin for  Error"  was  reportedly  head- 
ing for  $11,000  in  its  first  week. 


RKO  Trade  Shows 

"Flight  For  Freedom"  and  "Jour- 
ney Into  Fear"  will  be  tradeshown 
Feb.  1  and  "Two  Weeks  to  Live" 
will  be  tradeshown  Feb.  2  at  the  New 
York  Exchange,  RKO  announced  yes- 
terday. 


Columbia  to  Discuss 
DistributionChanges 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

wartime  problems  which  are  expected 
to  affect  distribution  methods  in  the 
near  future  are  expected  to  be  among 
the  subjects  discussed  at  the  session. 
In  addition, 

ment    at    t  h  ^  ^^^^^^^^^^ 

Radio  City  Mu-  Ja*k  Cohn 

sic  Hall. 

Home  officials  who  will  leave  here 
tomorrow  to  attend  the  meeting  in- 
clude :  Jack  Cohn,  Abe  Montague, 
Rube  Jackter,  Louis  Astor,  Louis 
Weinberg,  M.  J.  Weisfeldt,  George 
Josephs,  Maurice  Grad  and  H.  C. 
Kaufman.  Others  who  will  attend 
are :  Phil  Dunas,  Sam  Galanty,  Carl 
Shalit,  Jerome  Safron  and  Sam  Mos- 
cow, district  managers ;  B.  C.  Marcus, 
R.  C.  Hill,  J.  B.  Underwood,  H.  J. 
Chapman,  J.  H.  Jacobs,  M.  H.  Evi- 
don,  O.  J.  Ruby,  W.  Guy  Craig  and 
R.  J.  Ingram,  branch  managers. 


Neilson  Dance  Publicist 

Rutgers  Neilson,  RKO  publicity 
manager,  has  been  appointed  public 
relations  committee  chairman  of  the 
Dance  Educators  of  America,  New 
York  chapter  of  the  Dancing  Masters 
of  America,  it  was  announced  by 
RKO. 


UA  Moves  to 
Set  Westerns 
In  First  Runs 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
the   cacti-hurdlers   the   moment  the 
doors  of  first  run  theatres  are  thrown 
open  to  them,  Kelly  believes. 

He  proposes  to  glamorize  the  r 
eras  in  extensive  advertising  ana  ex- 
ploitation campaigns,  tieing  them  up 
with  the  first  run  theatre  which  will 
exhibit  them  in  major  cities.  The 
Pavilion,  London,  is  the  first  such  the- 
atre to  avail  itself  of  the  plan,  it  was 
said,  and  will  give  the  Harry  Sherman 
productions  distributed  by  United 
Artists,  extended  playing  time.  A 
budget  of  $50,000  for  the  exclusively 
Western  advertising  and  exploitation 
campaign  is  planned.  Approximately 
$8,000  of  this  is  to  be  spent  in  Lon- 
don. 

Kelly  estimates  that  the  in- 
creased revenue  from  the  first 
run  showings  will  more  than 
pay  for  the  special  campaign 
expenditures.  He  believes  that 
a  Western  which  now  grosses 
$12,000  to  $15,000  in  Britain  can 
return  a  gross  of  $100,000  under 
the  impetus  of  extended  first 
run  playing  time  backed  by  a 
good  campaign.  Production 
costs  for  the  Hopalong  Cassidy 
films,  Kelly  said,  range  from 
$89,000  to  $110,000. 

Details  of  the  projected  advertising 
campaigns  for  the  Westerns  in  South 
America  have  been  submitted  to  the 
Coordinator  of  Inter-American  Af- 
fairs in  Washington. 

Kelly  believes  that  the  plan,  if  suc- 
cessful, will  open  first  run  time  to 
many  other  Westerns  besides  United 
Artists  and  he  envisions  the  time  when 
the  glamorizing  ad  campaign  for  the 
tumbleweed  thrillers  will  be  a  co- 
operative affair. 


Cross-Examining 
of  Momand  Begins 


Oklahoma  City,  Jan.  28.— A.  B. 
Momand  today  completed  his  direct 
examination  and  C  B.  Cochran,  Grif- 
fith attorney,  began  cross-examination 
of  the  Shawnee  theatre  owner  who  is 
seeking  $5,000,000  under  the  anti-trust 
laws  from  the  major  distributors  and 
various  Griffith  companies  in  Federal 
District  Court  here  before  Judge 
Bower  Broaddus.  The  trial  will  com- 
plete its  third  week  tomorrow. 

Cochran's   initial   questioning  was 
directed  into  inquiry  as  to  discrepan- 
cies in  figures  given  by  Momand  at- 
torneys and  auditors  in  their  answers 
to  his  interrogatories  and  in  those  se- 
cured by  his  own  auditors.    He  was 
also  inquiring  into  the  financial  af- 
fairs of  Momand's  various  companies  ! 
and  into  valuations  of  their  assets  as ! 
compared  with  the  valuations  given 
them  in  the  original  requests  for  dam-1 
ages. 


Iowa  City  Exhibitor  Dies 

Iowa  City,  la.,  Jan.  28. — A.  R. 
Zimmer,  acting  manager  and  a  part- 
ner with  Tom  Brown  in  the  Strand 
Theatre  here,  died  at  his  home  here. 
His  wife  and  two  daughters  survive. 


In  a  great  movie  theatre,  an  audience  of  thousands 
—  carried  out  of  their  everyday  lives — look,  and  listen, 
to  the  drama  pouring  from  a  strip  of  photographic  film 
about  one  inch  wide.  Everything  is  on  this — not  only  the 
living,  moving  scenes  of  the  story,  but  on  the  tiny  "sound 
track"  at  the  left,  the  sound:  whispered  words  of  love 
.  .  .  a  terrified  scream . . .  the  nerve-shattering  roar  of  a 
dive  bomber. . .  an  enchanting  voice  crooning  a  lullaby. 
Film  carries  it  all. 


Most  Hollywood  movies  are  on  film  made  by  l^(<Mtk 


FROM  the  time  when  Thomas  A. 
Edison  and  George  Eastman 
worked  together  on  the  early,  flicker- 
ing movies,  the  improvement  of  mate- 
rials for  professional  motion  pictures 
has  been  one  of  the  chief  fields  of 
Kodak  research.  Kodak  has  been  the 
pacemaker,  and  is  by  far  the  largest 
supplier  of  Hollywood. 

From  "the  flickers"  to  art 

Kodak's  original  production  of 
transparent  roll  film,  the  key  to  motion 
pictures  .  .  .  specialized  negative  and 
positive  films  .  .  .  the  production  of 
high-speed  panchromatic  materials  . . . 
the  modern  color  phase,  now  rapidly 
expanding  .  .  .  these  are  important 
scenes  in  the  advance  from  "the  flick- 
ers" to  today's  work  of  art,  in  which 
Kodak  has  played  a  leading  role.  And 


there  is  another  .  .  .  The  success  of 
"sound"  pictures  hinged  on  making 
the  spoken  words,  or  music,  or  "sound 
effects,"  a  basic  part  of  the  prcture.That 
is  what  you  have  today,  because  . . . 

Sound,  too,  is  pictured 

With  special  fine-grain  emulsions, 
Kodak  "sensitizes"  film  for  sound 
recording.  In  effect,  sound  is  changed 
into  light,  and  this  light  is  recorded 
on  the  film,  simultaneously  with  the 
recording  of  the  scenes.  Lips  move — 
a  voice  speaks.  Yet  the  voice  is  also  a 
"picture" — an  effect  of  light  on  film. 
The  voice  changes  from  a  whisper  to 
an  angry  roar — each  tone  is  a  series  of 


"light"  pictures,  different  in  quality. 

As  you  sit  in  the  theatre,  the  process 
is  reversed  —  the  "light  pictures"  on 
the  sound  track  are  changed  back  into 
sound  . .  .The  "sound"  newsreels  are 
made  in  much  the  same  way. 

Movies  for  everybody 
For  children,  movies  are  education. 
For  normal  men  and  women  they  are 
the  grandest  form  of  entertainment, 
reaching  almost  everyone.  For  those 
distraught  by  worry  or  sorrow,  they 
are  wholesome  escape.  For  our  service 
men  on  ships  or  in  distant  camps,  they 
are  a  little  of  everything  that  is  needed 
to  give  a  man  a  "lift"  .  .  .  Eastman 
Kodak  Company,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 


Serving  human  progress  through  Photography 


This  institutional  advertisement  is  one  of  a  series  covering  a  wide  variety  of  Kodak 
products  and  services.  It  appeared  in  December  popular  magazines  read  by  millions. 


WARNERS 

Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy  (M) 

James  Cagney 

The  Gorilla 
Man  (D) 

John  Loder 
Ruth  Ford 

Casablanca  (D) 
Humphrey 
Bogart 
Ingrid  Bergman 

Truck  Busters 
(D) 

Richard  Travis 
Ruth  Ford 

The  Hard  Way 
(D) 

Ida  Lupino 
Joan  Leslie 
Dennis  Morgan 

UNIVERSAL 

When  Johnny 
Comes 
Marching 
Home  (M) 

Allan  Jones 

Eyes  of  the 
Underworld  (D) 

Richard  Dix 
Wendy  Barrie 

Shadow  of  a 
Doubt  (D) 

Theresa  Wright 
Joseph  Cotten 

Mug  Town  (D) 

Dead  End  Kids 
and 

Little  Tough 
Guys 

How's  About  It 
(M) 

Andrew  Sisters 

Sherlock 
Holmes 
and  the  Secret 
Weapon  (D) 

Basil  Rathbone 

The  Amazing 
Mrs.  Holliday 
(D) 

Deanna  Durbin 
Edmund  O'Brien , 

Hi  Buddy 
(M) 

Dick  Foran 
Harriet  Hilliard 

0 

<i 

S3 

The  Crystal 
Ball  (C) 
The  McGuerins 

From 
Brooklyn  (C) 

The  Powers 
Girl  (M) 

Anne  Shirley 
Carole  Landis 
Dennis  Day 

Young  and 
Willing  (C) 
Calaboose 
(C) 

Lady  of 
Burlesque  (D) 

Barbara 
Stanwyck 

Stage  Door 
Canteen  (M) 

Helen  Hayes 
Katharine 
Hepburn 

Fall  In 
.(C) 

William  Tracy 
Jean  Porter 

20TH-FOX 

China  Girl 
(D)  323 
Geo.  Montgomery 
Gene  Tierney 

We  Are  the 
Marines  (D) 
324 

U.  S.  Marines 

Over  My  Dead 
Body  (C)  325 

Milton  Berle 
Mary  Beth 
Hughes 

Time  to  Kill 
(D)  326 

Lloyd  Nolan 
Mary  Beth 
Hughes 

Immortal 
Sergeant 
(D)  327 

Henry  Fonda 

Chetniks 

(The  lighting 
Guerillas) 
(D)  328 

Phillip  Dorn 

The  Meanest 
Man  in  the 
World  (C)  329 

Jack  Benny 
Priscilla  Lane 

Margin  For 
Error  (C)  330 

Milton  Berle 
Joan  Bennett 

The  Young 
Mr.  Pitt 
(D)  316 

Robert  Donat 
Robert  Morley 

RKO  RADIO 

The  Great 
Gildersleeve 
(C) 

Harold  Peary 
Jane  Darwell 

7  Miles  From 
Alcatraz 

Bonita  Granville 
James  Craig 

Fighting 
Frontier  (O) 

Tim  Holt 
Cliff  Edwards 

They  Got  Me 
Covered  (C) 

Bob  Hope 
Dorothy  Lamour 

Journey  Into 
Fear  (D) 
Hitler's 
Children  (D) 

2  Weeks  to 
Live  (C) 
Lum  V  Abner 
Saludos  Amigos 
(Technicolor) 

Cinderella 
Swings  It  (C) 

( Scattergood ) 
Guy  Kibbee 
Gloria  Warren 

Pride  of  the 
Yankees  (D) 
351 

Gary  Cooper 
Theresa  Wright 

Tarzan  Tri- 
umphs (D)  319 

Johnny 
Weissmuller 
Frances  Gifford 

Forever  and  A 
Day  (D) 

Aherne- 
Cummings 
Lmtghton- Lupino 

REPUBLIC 

Ridin'  Down 
the  Canyon  (O) 

Johnnie 
Doughboy  (C) 

Jane  Withers 

Mountain 
Rhythm  (M) 

Weaver  Bros. 
Elviry 

London 
Blackout 
Murders  (D) 
Boots  and 
Saddles 
(reissue) 
Gene  Autry 

Thundering 
Trails  (O) 

The  Three 
Mesquiteers 

Fighting  Devil 
Dogs  (D) 

Lee  Powell 
Herman  Brix 

Dead  Man's 
Gulch  (O) 

Don  "Red"  Barry 
Lynn  Merrick 

Blocked  Trail 
(O) 

The  Three 
Mesquiteers 

Hit  Parade  of 
1943  (M) 

John  Carroll 
Susan  Hayward 

Idaho  (O) 

Roy  Rogers 
Smiley  Burnette 

PRC 

Man  of 
Courage  (D) 
Barton  MacLane 
Charlotte 
Wynters 

The  Payoff 
(D)  303 

Lee  Tracy 
Tom  Brown 

The  Kid  Rides 
Again 
(O)  358 

Buster  Crabbe 
Al  St.  John 

Dead  Men 
Walk  (D)  311 

George  Zucco 
Mary  Carlisle 

Wild  Horse 
Rustlers 

Bob  Livingston 
Smoky  Moore 

A  Night  for 
Crime  (D) 

Glenda  Farrell 
Lyle  Talbot 

Badmen  of 
Thundergap 
(O)  352 

(Texas  Rangers 
No.  2)  j 

Queen  of 
Broadway  (D) 
Fugitive  of  the 

Plains  (O) 
(Billv  the  Kid) 

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Friday,  January  29,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Copper  Matinees 
In  Nebraska,  Iowa 

Omaha,  Jan.  28  . —  Eighty-three 
theatres  in  this  exchange  territory 
have  scheduled  copper  matinees  thus 
far  for  dates  between  now  and  Feb. 
13.  The  Omaha  Variety  Club  is  spon- 
soring the  drive.  School  children 
cr -^apbuting  two  pounds  of  copper  will 
b."^initted  to  the  theatres  and  pro- 
ceeds from  the  sale  of  the  metal  will 
go  to  the  club's  charity  fund. 


Des  Moines,  Jan.  28. — All  theatres 
of  the  Tri-States  and  Central  States 
circuits  are  pledged  to  give  copper 
matinees  during  the  week  starting 
Feb.  1,  A.  H.  Blank,  area  drive  chair- 
man, announced.  All  exchange  man- 
agers are  cooperating.  Persons  do- 
nating one  pound  or  more  of  the  metal 
will  be  admitted  to  the  matinees. 


The  Screen  Publicists  Guild  has 
contributed  a  poster  design  to  the  War 
Activities  Committee  for  use  in  cop- 
per and  other  metals  salvage  collec- 
tions. 


$25,000  in  Albany 
For  United  Nations 

Albany,  Jan.  28.  —  The  drive  con- 
ducted in  the  Albany  area  for  United 
Nations  Week  resulted  in  more  than 
$25,000,  according  to  Louis  R.  Gold- 
ing,  exchange  chairman,  with  several 
key  points  yet  to  report. 

Golding  paid  tribute  to  the  100  per 
cent  cooperation  of  theatre  managers, 
both  circuit  and  independents,  in  tak- 
ing up  collections  in  their  theatres  and 
in  screening  the  trailers  for  the  ap- 
peal. 


$25,000  For  Nations  Fund 

St.  Louis,  Jan.  28.  —  More  than 
$25,000  has  been  collected  in  the  110 
theatres  here  and  in  St.  Louis  County 
for  the  United  Nations  Fund,  Edward 
B.  Arthur,  chairman,  announced. 

Knoepfle  Again  Head 
Of  Cincinnati  Club 

Cincinnati,  Jan.  28.  —  Rudolph 
Knoepfle,  Republic  salesman,  was  re- 
elected president,  and  Peter  Niland, 
Columbia  salesman,  reelected  secre- 
tary and  treasurer  of  the  local  Cinema 
Club,  organization  of  film  salesman, 
at  the  annual  meeting  held  in  the 
Variety  Club. 


N.  Y.  Game  Ban  Test 
Adjourned  to  Feb.  18 

A  test  of  Mayor  LaGuardia's  ban 
on  chance  games  in  theatres  which 
was  scheduled  to  be  made  in  Bowery 
Court  yesterday  was  adjourned  until 
Feb.  18  by  Magistrate  Joseph  B. 
Glebocki.  The  manager  and  four  em- 
ployes of  the  Chatham  Square  The- 
atre were  recently  arrested  and 
charged  by  police  with  refusing  per- 
mission to  three  officers  to  participate 
in  the  game  unless  they  paid  admis- 
sion. The  ban  requires  that  no  ad- 
mission be  charged  for  playing. 


Mo.  Gets  Race  Bill 

St.  Louis,  Jan.  28. — An  anti-segre- 
gation bill,  requiring  that  all  persons, 
regardless  of  color,  be  given  identical 
privileges  in  public  places,  including 
theatres,  has  been  introduced  in  the 
Missouri  Legislature  by  Representa- 
tive Edwin  F.  Kenswill,  Negro,  of  St. 
Louis. 


Browning  Named  Trustee 

Boston,  Jan.  28. — Martin  J.  Mul- 
lin,  local  Variety  Club  chief  barker, 
has  appointed  Harry  Browning  as 
trustee  for  the  three  years.  Brown- 
ing is  also  assistant  chief  barker  and 
publicity  director  of  the  club. 


$516,375  Bonds  at 
Capital  Ice  Show 

Washington,  Jan.  28.  —  Sam 
Wheeler,  chief  barker  of  the  local 
Variety  Club,  announced  that  the  Va- 
riety Club-WRC  War  Bonds  pre- 
miere of  "Ice-Capades"  sold  $516,375 
in  war  bonds,  setting  a  new  high  in 
bond  sales  for  the  John  H.  Harris 
spectacle.  The  highest  previous  figure 
was  $300,000. 


L.  A.  Unions  Give 
$326,606  to  Drive 

Hollywood,  Jan.  28. — Community 
Chest  campaign  contributions  from 
guilds,  unions  and  occupational  groups 
in  studios  have  totaled  $326,606  from 
16,395  individual  subscribers,  Y. 
Frank  Freeman,  chairman  of  the 
drive,  announced. 

W.B.  Chicago  Houses 
Sell  2  Million  Bonds 

Chicago,  Jan.  28.— Thirty-six  War- 
ner Bros.  Theatres  in  the  Chicago 
zone  have  sold  $2,140,797  worth  of 
bonds  and  stamps  to  date,  it  is  re- 
vealed by  officials  of  the  circuit. 


LIVELY  MERGER  OF  SIMPLE  HUMOR  AND  POPULAR  MUSIC-The  Independent 


JOHNNY   DOUGHBOY  starring  JANE  WITHERS  with  HENRY  WILCOXON  •  PATRICK  BROOKb 

WILLIAM  DEMAREST  ♦  RUTH   DONNELLY  and  members  of  the  20  minus  club  BOBBY  BREEN  •  BABY  SANDY  •  "ALFALFA"  SWITZER  •   "SPANKY"  McFARLAND 
BUTCH  AND  BUDDY  .  CORA  SUE  COLLINS  .  ROBERT  COOGAN  .  Director  JOHN  H.  AUER  .  Screen  play  by  LAWRENCE  KIMBLE  .  Original  story  by  FREDERICK  KOHNER 
A   REPUBLIC   PICTURE  •  III  T   WJ.  S.  W/IR  BOMDi 


All  the  history -shaking  happenings  of  the  American 
invasion  of  North  Africa  .  .  on  the  very  spot  where  last 
week's  epochal  Roosevelt-Churchill  Conference 

was  held! 


The  landing  of  the  assault 
barges!  The  all-out  bombing 
of  strategic  strongholds!  The 
routing  of  the  Axis 
Armistice  Commission  at 
the  points  of  bayonets! 


Headline  names  in 
action!  Rommel 
G  fraud  •  Eisenhower 
Montgomery  •  Clark 
and  a  score 
of  others! 


ASert, 


to  the 
Picture 
Industry 


tion 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


53.  NO.  21 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  MONDAY,  FEBRUARY  1,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


% Saunders  Made 
Assistant  to 
W.  F.  Rodgers 

Flynn,  Moloney,  Aaron 
Also  Advanced 


Edward  M. 
sales  manager 
promoted  to  a 


Saunders,  Western 


E.  ~SI.  Saunders 


of  M-G-M,  has  been 
ssistant  general  sales 
manager  ef- 
fective Feb. 
15,  William  F. 
Rodgers,  vice- 
pres  ident  in 
charge  of  sales 
f  o  r  M-G-M, 
a  n  n  o  u  need 
yesterday. 

John  E. 
Flynn,  central 
sales  manager, 
has  been  made 
Western  sales 
manager  with 
h  e  a  d  q  u  ar- 
ters  in  Chicago,  and  will  supervise 
sales  activities  in  the  Chicago,  Mil- 
waukee, Minneapolis,  Omaha,  Des 
Moines,  Denver,  Salt  Lake  City, 
Los  Angeles,  San  Francisco,  Port- 
land and  Seattle  areas. 

Edward  W.  Aaron,  who  has  been 
assisting  Rodgers,  receives  the  new- 
ly-created post  of  circuit  sales  man- 
ager. 

Rodgers  said  the  changes  were  be- 
ing made  "to  enable  our  executives 
to  keep  in  closer  touch  with  existing 
and  frequently  changing  conditions 
and  with  a  desire  to  more  efficiently 
serve  our  customers." 

The  territory  of  Eastern  sales  man- 
ager Edward  K.  O'Shea  remains  the 
same  with  the  exception  of  the  addi- 
tion of  Memphis,  and  the  transfer 
(Continued  on  page  6) 


Michigan  Approves 
Time  Change  Feb.  15 

Lansing,  Jan.  31. — All  Michi- 
gan communities  are  empow- 
ered to  abandon  Eastern  War 
Time  for  standard  time  at  2 
a.  m.  on  Feb.  15  under  a  meas- 
ure enacted  by  the  legislature 
and  signed  into  law  by  Gov- 
ernor Harry  E.  Kelly  on  Fri- 
day. 

Michigan  is  the  second  state 
to  enact  such  a  law,  Georgia 
having  been  the  first.  The 
Ohio  legislature  has  several 
measures  authorizing  the  time 
change  under  consideration. 


Seeks  to  Toughen 
Ind.  Inspection  Law 

Indianapolis,  Jan.  31. — The 
law  requiring  inspection  of 
theatres,  night  clubs,  dance 
halls,  and  other  places  of 
amusement  would  be  tight- 
ened by  provisions  of  a  bill 
introduced  in  the  Indiana 
House  of  Representatives. 

Proprietors  who  fail  to  com- 
ply with  the  law  would  be 
subject  to  a  fine  of  $500  a  day 
for  each  violation,  and  a  90- 
day  imprisonment  sentence 
could  be  added.  The  present 
fine  is  $25  for  the  first  offense, 
$50  for  the  second,  and  $100 
for  the  third,  but  each  day 
does  not  comprise  a  separate 
offense. 


Manpower  Board 
Declares  12  Studio 
Jobs  Are  Essential 


Washington,  Jan.  31. — Twelve 
"critical"  jobs  in  the  production 
branch  of  the  motion  picture  industry 
were  listed  by  the  War  Manpower 
Commission  Friday  in  an  amendment 
to  Occupational  Bulletin  27  scheduling 
essential  occupations  in  the  communi- 
cations services  for  the  guidance  of 
local  draft  boards  in  classifying  regis- 
trants. 

Defined  as  essential  were  the  posi- 
tions of  animator,  architect  for  pro- 
duction sets,  cameraman,  film  cutter, 
film  editor,  equipment  maintenance 
technician,  illuminating  technician, 
process  and  effect  technician,  produc- 
tion set  technician,  production  super- 
visor, sound  engineer  and  technical 
(script)  writer. 


NEW  TP  $6,000,000 
REFINANCING  SET 


Native  Films  Win 
Venezuela  Lead 
From  Hollywood 


By  STANLEY  ROSS 

Cakacas,  Jan.  31. — Mexican  and 
Argentine  films,  which  catapulted  from 
obscurity  to  a  par  in  popularity  with 
American  pictures  six  months-  ago, 
have  now  eclipsed  Hollywood.  Dis- 
tributors for  American  companies, 
whose  incomes  have  already  been  seri- 
ously affected,  fear  they  will  take  an 
even  worse  beating  in  1943. 

The  Spanish  language  productions 
are  not  only  completely  captivating  the 
interior  markets  and  neighborhood 
houses,  but  are  grossing  more  than 
American  films  in  first-run  houses.  A 
typical  Sunday  this  month  saw  Films 
Mundials  (Mexican),  "Historia  de  un 
Gran  Amor,"  gross  $2,100  at  the  Avila 
theatre  in  four  shows,  two  of  which 
were  SRO,  an  almost  unheard-of  event 
here.  The  Avila,  which  formerly  spe- 
cialized in  American  pictures,  has  just 
been  purchased  by  the  distributor  for 
Films  Mundiales.  Another  first  run 
theatre,  the  Hollywood,  now  devotes 
its  playing  time  exclusively  to  Argen- 
tine and  Mexican  pictures. 

The  Grovas  films,  featuring  Cantin- 
flas — especially  "The  Three  Mus- 
keteers"— have  been  drawing  tremen- 
dous crowds  at  all  points.  Even  the 
foreign  colony  flocks  to  his  showings. 
Another  terrific  hit  has  been  the  Ar- 
gentine picture,  "Elvira  Fernandez," 
starring  Paulina  Singerman.  Films 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


Arbitration  Complaints 
Show  Decline  in  2d  Year 


By  SHERWIN 

There  were  38  fewer  arbitration 
complaints  filed  at  the  31  industry 
tribunals  in  the  second  year  of  the 
system's  operations,  ended  yesterday, 
than  during  the  first  year.  The  in- 
dustry arbitration  system  enters  its 
third  year  today. 

A  total  of  120  cases  was  filed  in  24 
tribunals  during  the  second  year,  com- 
pared with  158  cases  in  30  tribunals 
the  first  year.  Seattle  is  the  only 
tribunal  which  has  received  no  com- 
plaints for  the  two  years.    Six  other 


A.  KANE 

tribunals  received  none  during  the  past 
year.  They  are  Atlanta,  Charlotte, 
Denver,  New  Haven,  Pittsburgh  and 
Portland. 

The  American  Arbitration  Associa- 
tion in  the  current  issue  of  its  publica- 
tion, Arbitration  in  Action,  credits 
the  decrease  in  complaints  last  year 
"to  increased  confidence  in  arbitration 
as  a  way  of  settling  disputes;  but, 
even  more,  it  is  due  to  the  increase  of 
goodwill  within  the  industry  and  to  the 
beneficiencc  which  arbitration  spreads 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


First  National  Bank  of 
Boston  Seen  Handling 
Recapitalization 


By  SAM  SHAIN 

Universal  Picture  Company's  re- 
capitalization and  consolidation 
plans  involving  an  estimated  $6,- 
000,000  in  new  financing,  it  was 
learned  yesterday,  is  likely  to  be 
financed  by  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Boston.  This  financial  in- 
stitution has  figured  in  previous 
financial  transactions  with  the  film 
company.  All  the  details  of  the  re- 
capitalization plan  have  not  yet 
been  completed,  however. 

Net  earnings  of  Universal, 
for  1942,  after  all  taxes  and  de- 
preciation, are  estimated  to  be 
around  $3,000,0000,  which  is 
higher  than  the  company's  earn- 
ings for  1941. 

Part  of  the  recapitalization  plan 
provides  for  the  company  to  call  in  its 
preferred  shares,  besides  allowing  for 
funds  with  which  the  firm's  outstand- 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


New  Plan  To  Speed 
'Dimes'  Collection 


A  new  plan  has  been  evolved  by  the 
March  of  Dimes  committee  for  the 
handling  of  money  collected  in  mo- 
tion picture  houses  from  Feb.  18  to 
24,  the  committee  announced.  Instead 
of  the  money  being  sent  to  New  York 
headquarters  by  each  theatre,  the  an- 
nouncement said,,  collection  checks  this 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


This  Week  Holiday, 
Moss  Rules  in  N.Y. 

Since  New  York  schools 
will  be  closed,  the  week  of 
Feb.  1  will  be  considered  a 
holiday,  License  Commission- 
er Paul  Moss  announced  yes- 
terday. This  ruling  lifts  the 
provision  that  children  must 
be  accompanied  by  adults  in 
theatres  and  puts  the  entire 
week  on  a  Saturday-Sunday 
basis. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  February  1,  1943 


Personal  Mention 


New  Brunswick's 
Labor  Woes  Increase 


House  Graup  Backs 
Penalties  on  Unions 

Washington,  Jan.  31.  —  The 
House  Judiciary  Committee 
approved  legislation  aimed  to 
subject  labor  union  leaders 
to  heavy  fines  and  imprison- 
ment provided  by  the  1934 
anti-racketeering  act  in  cases 
involving  interferences  with 
the  movement  of  interstate 
commrece,  such  as  blockint 
truck  shipments.  RepresentaV 
tive  Hobbs  said  the  legisla- 
tion was  aimed  at  practices 
of  some  labor  unions  which 
block  truck  shipments  be- 
cause union  labor  was  not 
employed. 


Salary  Ceiling 
Repealer  Upsets 
Congress  Schedule 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Jan.  31. — Represen- 
tative Gearhart's  move  to  repeal 
President  Roosevelt's  salary  limitation 
order  has  upset  the  Congressional 
timetable. 

This  became  evident  Friday  when 
after  lengthy  consideration  of  the  debt- 
increase  bill  to  which  the  limitation 
repeal  was  added  as  a  rider  by  the 
California  Congressman  final  action 
on  the  measure  was  postponed  until 
next  Saturday. 

Originally  it  had  been  hoped  that 
the  debt  increase  could  be  approved 
without  delay  and  sent  to  the  House 
for  action  this  week. 

During  the  course  of  the  committee 
session  Gearhart  was  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  argue  the  merits  of  his  rider 
and  was  questioned  extensively  by 
other  members  of  the  committee. 

It  is  probable  that  Chairman 
Doughton  will  take  the  matter  to  the 
White  House  to  get  the  President's 
reaction  to  the  Gearhart  provision. 
If  the  repealer  ever  reaches  the  floor 
of  the  House  it  will  receive  consider- 
able support. 

Emergency  Aid  in 
Buffalo  Discussed 

Buffalo,  Jan.  31.  —  The  Buffalo 
Office  of  Civilian  Protection  at  a  re- 
cent meeting,  set  up  two  sub-commit- 
tees to  study  proposed  regulations  for 
the  protection  of  theatre  patrons,  em- 
ployes and  property  in  emergencies. 
Theatre  owners  have  requested  adop- 
tion of  a  uniform  code. 

Stanley  Kozanowsky  of  the  Rivoli 
Theatre,  a  member  of  the  local  War 
Council,  was  named  chairman  of  a 
sub-committee  to  study  regulations  re- 
lating to  building  and  equipment.  J. 
Frederick  Rogers,  deputy  chief  air 
raid  warden,  was  named  chairman  of 
the  sub-committee  which  will  study 
rules  relating  to  post  warden  organ- 
izations and  blackout  procedures  in 
each  theatre. 

Standard  Time  Law 
Is  Expected  in  Ohio 

Columbus,  Jan.  SI.- — Legislative 
circles  here  expect  that  the  bills  now 
pending  in  the  legislature  to  shift 
Ohio's  clocks  back  one  hour  will  re- 
ceive early  attention  and  that  a  time- 
change  law  will  ultimately  be  enacted. 

Meanwhile,  contradicting  an  earlier 
opinion  of  Lt.-Gov.  Paul  M.  Her- 
bert that  the  proposed  time  change 
was  not  constitutional  in  view  of  the 
act  of  Congress  in  changing  to  East- 
ern war  time,  the  Attorney  General 
of  the  state  has  ruled  that  Ohio  can 
legally  change  to  standard  time. 

Columbia  Executives 
Meeting  in  Chicago 

Chicago,  Jan.  31. — Columbia  home 
office  and  sales  executives  met  here 
today  and  started  discussion  on  the 
reallocation  of  available  prints  for  dis- 
tribution under  the  new,  reduced  raw 
stock  allocations  imposed  by  the  War 
Production  Board,  the  manpower 
shortage  and  gasoline  rationing.  The 
session  will  continue  through  Tuesday. 


I  OSEPH  H.  SEIDELMAN,  Uni- 
J  versal   vice-president   and  foreign 
manager,  left  for  the  Coast  Friday. 
• 

Maurice  Silverstone  has  returned 
from  the  Coast. 

Joel  A.  Levy,  Loew  chief  booker,  is 
In  Rochester. 

William  Fitelson  left  for  the 
Coast  Saturday. 

• 

Leo  J.  McCarthy,  assistant  general 
sales  manager  of  PRC,  left  Holly- 
wood today  for  Denver. 

• 

Lou  Lifton,  Monogram  advertising 
and  publicity  director,  and  Mrs.  Lif- 
ton will  arrive  in  New  York  from  the 
Coast  today. 

• 

Harry  K.  McWilliams  of  Colum- 
bia and  Mrs.  McWilliams  are  par- 
ents of  a  new  son,  born  at  Brooklyn 
Hospital,  Jan.  28. 

• 

Moe  Grassgreen,  20th  Century-Fox 
Boston  branch  manager,  is  convales- 
cing at  Miami  from  injuries  received 
in  the  Cocoanut  Grove  catastrope  in 
early  December. 

• 

Charles  F.  Schwalm,  younger 
son  of  John  A.  Schwalm,  manager 
of  the  Northio  Rialto,  Hamilton,  O., 
has  been  commissioned  an  ensign  in 
he  Navy.  He  reports  at  the  Navy 
Training  School  of  Hartford  Uni- 
versity Feb.  1. 

• 

Lawrence  Kimenker,  formerly  of 
the  Loew's  Poli,  Hartford,  has  been 
made  an  aviation  cadet  in  the  Army 
Air  Force. 


Disney  Battles  NLRB 
Order  to  Rehire  Man 

Hollywood,  Jan.  31. — Walt  Disney 
has  filed  a  139-page  protest  against 
the  intermediate  report  of  the  NLRB 
examiner  which  ordered  Disney  to  re- 
hire Arthur  Babbitt,  his  former  head 
animator,  and  pay  his  salary  since 
discharge  several  years  ago,  it  was 
learned  over  the  weekend.  Guenther 
Lessing,  general  counsel  for  Disney, 
declared  the  fight  against  the  order 
would  be  carried  to  the  Supreme  Court 
if  necessary.  Babbitt's  discharge  was 
one  of  the  causes  of  a  strike  of  car- 
toonists at  Disney's  plant  some  time 
ago. 


Propose  Employment 
Of  Minors  in  Conn. 

Hartford,  Jan.  31. — To  meet  the 
manpower  shortage,  a  proposal  to  per- 
mit the  employment  of  15-year-old 
persons  has  been  made  to  the  Legis- 
lature by  Al  G.  Kamm  of  Hartford. 
Employment  would  be  limited  to  light 
occupations,  including  ticket  taking  at 
theatres,  office  work  and  the  like, 
outside  school  hours. 


Two  New  at  'U' 

Hollywood,  Jan.  31. — Hugh  Wed- 
lock, Jr.,  and  Howard  Snyder  went  to 
Universal  as  a  producer-writer  team. 
Their  first  picture  will  be  'Abbott  and 
Costello  in  Society."  The  pair  were 
recently  at  Warners  as  writers. 


DAVID  ROSE,  Paramount  man- 
aging director  for  Great  Britain, 
will  arrive  from  the  Coast  today  for 
a  brief  home  office  visit  before  return- 
ing to  London. 

• 

Richard  Boyd,  formerly  at  the  Al- 
lyn   Theatre,   Hartford,   is  reported 
stationed  at  the  Marine  Base  at  Ports- 
mouth, Va.,  as  a  private,  first  class. 
• 

Edward  Porado  of  the  Park  Thea- 
tre, Fall  River,  Mass.,  has  joined 
the  Navy. 

• 

Johnnie  Donovan,  formerly  at  the 
Middlesex      Theatre,  Middletown, 
Conn.,   has   been   stationed   in  New 
York  at  a  Navy  Radio  School. 
« 

Abe  Bernstein,  Columbia  New 
England  exploitation  representative, 
has  returned  from  a  vacation  in 
Florida. 

• 

Ben  Kalmenson  returned  here 
over  the  weekend. 

• 

Roy  Haines  returns  today  from 
a  Detroit  trip. 

• 

Moe  Silver,  Warner  Circuit  zone 
manager  for  the  Pitsburgh  territory, 
was  a  weekend  visitor  here. 
• 

Gray  Carpenter,  Chief  Petty  Of- 
ficer, U.S.N.,  son  of  Fleming  Car- 
penter, owner  of  the  Times  Theatre, 
Braddock,  Pa.,  has  been  appointed 
head  of  public  relations  at  the  Naval 
Air  Base  at  Daytona  Beach,  Fla. 
• 

Hall  Walsh,  Warner  Bros,  dis- 
trict manager  with  headquarters  in 
St.  Louis,  has  been  visiting  in  Des 
Moines. 

M-G-M  Adds  Radio 
In  Chicago,  Detroit 

In  addition  to  its  five-minute  night- 
ly Blue  network  show,  M-G-M  has 
contracted  for  two  15-minute  thrice- 
weekly  broadcasts  on  WGN,  Chicago, 
and  WWJ,  Detroit,  which  will  be 
used  for  advance  campaigns  on 
M-G-M  product,  Donahue  &  Co.,  ad- 
vertising agency. 


Depinet  Announces 
Added  Clark  Duties 

Ned  E.  Depinet,  president  of  RKO, 
announces  that  William  H.  Clark, 
assistant  treasurer  of  the  company, 
would  assume  supervision  of  contracts 
other  than  exhibition  contracts.  Clark 
is  to  be  elected  an  assistant  secretary 
of  the  company  in  addition  to  his  other 
duties,  Depinet  stated.  He  formerly 
was  associated  with  Price,  Waterhouse 
&  Co.,  accountants. 


Abbott-Costello  to  Be 
Honored  Wednesday 

Film  industry  leaders  will  attend  a 
luncheon  in  honor  of  Bud  Abbott  and 
Lou  Costello  at  the  Waldorf-Astoria 
Hotel,  Wednesday,  when  Universal 
will  present  a  placque  to  the  team  in 
recognition  of  their  box-office  prowess. 
They  were  voted  the  nation's  number 
one  attraction  by  exhibitors  in  the 
Motion  Picture  Herald-Fame  poll  for 
the  past  year. 


St.  John,  N.  B.,  Jan.  31— Exhibi- 
tors in  this  area  are  faced  with  seri- 
ous employment  problems  other  than 
the  manpower  shortage  and  many  fear 
that  the  situation  eventually  may  af- 
fect operating  schedules. 

The  employment  of  women  and 
girls  is  proving  unsatisfactory,  par- 
ticularly at  those  theatres  which  have 
been  obliged  to  set  up  all-female 
staffs.  These  theatres  find  women  em- 
ployes completely  unable  to  cope  with 
the  spreading  wave  of  vandalism  and 
rowdyism  in  segments  of  the  audi- 
ences, whereas  male  employes  have 
been  able  to  cope  with  it. 

Moreover,  the  shortage  of  help  and 
the  higher  paid  war  jobs  which  are 
periodically  available,  induce  many  to 
leave  not  only  before  their  training 
period  is  completed  but  frequently 
with  only  the  minimum  notice  or  no 
notice  at  all  to  employers.  An  arbi- 
trary attitude  also  is  developed  under 
these  conditions  and  many  house  staffs 
do  only  what  they  care  to  do  without 
regard  for  the  duties  of  their  posts. 


'Russian  People'  to  20th 

Hollywood,  Jan.  31. — The  rights  to 
"The  Russian  People,"  Broadway  play, 
were  officially  acquired  by  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox and  assigned  to  Boris  Morros 
and  S.  P.  Eagle  for  production.  Lewis 
Milestone  will  direct. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN.  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c 


HE  PICTURE  SETTING  A  NEW  ERA 


IN  BOX-OFFICE  ACHIEVEMENT. 


■  H 


THE  PICTURE  TO  WHICH  ALL 
GREAT  GROSSERS  WILL  IN 


THE  FUTURE  BE  COMPARED. 


Now  in  its  6th  week  at  the  CAPITOL,  NEW  YORK  CITY. 
Now  playing  day-and-date  in  FOUR  theatres  in  LOS 
ANGELES  (STATE,  CHINESE,  CARTHAY  and  RITZ).  Now 
soaring  to  record  figures,  at  GREAT  LAKES,  BUFFALO; 
STATE  and  ORPHEUM,  BOSTON;  LOEWS  JERSEY  CITY; 
LOEWS  NEWARK  and  LOEWS  CENTURY,  BALTIMORE ! 


'GONE  WITH  THE  WIND"  and 
*THE  GREAT  DICTATOR"  are  the 
only  pictures  to  play  six  weeks 
at  the  Capitol  in  the  theatre's 
twenty- five  year  history! 


A  ROMANTIC,  SF 


i  MUSICAL  EXTRAVAGANZA  THAT  MAKES  THE  WORLD  A  BRIGHTER  PLACE  TO  LIVE  IN! 


it  ■  # 


Cllen  DREW 
(Kichard  DCNNINU 

far*  COLONNA 

{Barbara  jo  ALLEN 

S  (VERA  VAGUE) 

HAROLD  HUBER 
MARILYN  HARE 
ILL  SHIRLEY 
IERRE  WATKIN 
SI  J  E  N  K  S 
►  A  M  BERNARD 
EORGE  BYRON 

Directed    by    .    .    .    BERNARD  VORHAUS 

Screenplay  by 
BRADFORD    ROPES     •     GERTRUDE  PURCELL 

Original  Story  by 
ROBERT    T.   SHANNON    •    MAURI  GRASHfN 


featuring  the  ICE  CAPADES  Company 
With  the  Internationally  Ft 


VERA 

H  R  U  R<A 


LOIS 


DWORSHAK 


DONNA   ATWOOD    •    "RID"  McCARTH 
PHIL   TAYLOR    •    JOE   JACKSON,  JR. 
JACKSON    &   LYNAM    •    ROBIN  LE 
DENCH   &    STEWART    •    THE  BENOIT 
ERIC    WAITE     •     BABS  SAVAGE 

A  REPUBLIC  PICTURE 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  February  1,  1943 


M-G-M  Sales  Executives  Promoted 


John  E.  Flynn  Edward  W.  Aaron  John  J.  Moloney 


Saunders  Made  Assistant 
To  W.  F.  Rodgers  at  M-G-M 


Balto.  Gross 
Suffers  From 
Bad  Weather 

Baltimore,  Jan.  31.— A  week  that 
ended  with  three  days  of  rain  and 
cold,  and  finally  a  sleet  storm  that 
delayed  traffic  and  closed  stores,  had 
its  affect  on  grosses,  too.  "Andy 
Hardy's  Double  Life"  managed  to 
gather  $17,000  at  the  Century,  while 
"City  Without  Men"  aided  by  a  stage 
show  took  $16,500  at  the  Hippodrome. 
They  were  the  two  major  new  attrac- 
tions here. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  28 : 

"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 

CENTURY — (3,000)  (30c-50c  and  55c  dur- 
ing weekends)  7  days.  Gross:  $17,000.  (Aver- 
age, $12,500) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 

KEITH'S— (2,406)  (15c-28c-33c-44c  and  55c 
during  weekends)  7  days  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$11,000.    (Average,  $10,000) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 

NEW — (1,581)  (15c-28c-35c-55c)  7  days,  5th 
week.    Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Now  Voyager"  (W.B.) 

STANLEY  —  (.1,280)  (15c-28c-39c-44c-55c) 
7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $14,500.  (Average, 
$13,000) 

"City  Without  Men"  (Col.) 

HIPPODROME  —  (2,205)  (28c-39c-44c-55c- 
66c)  7  days.  Stage  show  with  Vaughn  Mon- 
roe and  his  orchestra.  Gross:  $16,500.  (Aver- 
age, $14,000) 

"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

MAY  FAIR— (1,000)     (20c-40c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Johnny  Doughboy"  (Rep.) 

MARYLAND  —  (1,400)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Stage  show  featuring  Romo  Vincent;  De 
Vasconcellos  and  his  Wonder  Horse;  DeVal, 
Merle  &  Lee;  Vic  Hyde;  Farrell,  Ray  and 
the  Mack  Sisters.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Average, 
$9,000) 

'U's  New  $6,000,000 
Refinancing  Plan  Set 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
ing  loans  will  be  liquidated,  including 
certain  British  obligations.  Thus,  Uni- 
versal will  emerge  through  this  trans- 
action, free  of  debt,  except  for  the 
single  loan  now  being  arranged  for. 
Also,  by  this  arrangement,  Universal's 
financial  structure  will  be  considerably 
simplified. 

Academy  Announces 
Finalists  in  Editing 

Hollywood,  Jan.  31. — Nominations 
for  the  Film  Editing  Division  of  the 
annual  awards  of  the  Academy  of  Mo- 
tion Picture  Arts  and  Sciences  were 
announced  Friday.  Selected  by  over 
200  film  editors,  the  final  entries  are : 
"Mrs.  Miniver,"  M-G-M;  "Pride  of 
the  Yankees,"  Goldwyn-RKO  ;  "Talk 
of  the  Town,"  Columbia ;  "This  Above 
All,"  20th  Century-Fox,  and  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy,"  Warners. 

Final  judging  will  be  by  a  commit- 
tee composed  of  five  Society  of  Motion 
Picture  film  editors  and  five  Academy 
film  editor  branch  members. 


Seeks  Blood  Donors 

Boston,  Jan.  31. — The  Theatrical 
Post  of  the  American  Legion  will 
sponsor  a  second  "Blood  Donor's 
Night,"  March  8,  it  was  announced. 
The  Variety  Club  will  cooperate  with 
the  post  in  arranging  the  event,  Harry 
Browning  of  the  Legion  post  an- 
nounced. 


(Continued  from  paye  1) 

of  Dallas  to  the  sales  division  under 
John  J.  Maloney,  who  becomes  cen- 
tral sales  manager. 

Maloney,  who  moves  up  from  Pitts- 
burgh district  manager,  will  super- 
vise sales  in  the  Pittsburgh,  Cleve- 
land, Cincinnati,  Detroit,  Buffalo,  In- 
dianapolis, St.  Louis,  Kansas  City, 
Oklahoma  City  and  Dallas  areas.  He 
will  continue  to  make  his  headquarters 
in  ^Pittsburgh. 

Bishop  to  Dallas 

Burtus  Bishop,  Jr.,  district  manager 
now  in  Kansas  City,  hereafter  will 
make  his  headquarters  in  Dallas,  and 
will  supervise  activities  in  that  area 
as  well  as  Kansas  City  and  Oklahoma 
City.  The  Memphis  territory,  form- 
erly in  Bishop's  district,  now  will  be 
under  the  direction  of  Charles  E. 
Kessnich,  who  makes  his  headquarters 
in  Atlanta. 

To  fill  the  Atlanta  vacancy  created 
by  the  resignation  of  Roy  Avey,  Wil- 
liam B.  Zoellner,  Oklahoma  City  man- 
ager, has  beeii  promoted  to  branch 
manager  in  the  Georgia  situation. 

Jacques  C.  Reville,  Memphis  sales- 
man, succeeds  Zoellner  as  Oklahoma 
Citv  branch  manager. 

George  Hickey,  West  Coast  district 
manager,  hereafter  will  supervise  the 
activities  of  the  Denver  and  Salt  Lake 
City  territories,  in  addition  to  Los 
Angeles,  Portland.  San  Francisco  and 
Seattle.  The  rest  of  the  district  now 
supervised  bv  Byrne,  Omaha  and  De? 
Moines,  will  be  under  the  supervision 
of  Samuel  A.  Shirlev.  Chicago  dis- 
trict manager,  in  addition  to  Chicago, 
Milwaukee  and  Minneapolis. 

Byrne  to  Detroit 

John  P.  Bvrne.  district  manager 
in  the  Inter-Mountain  section  with 
headquarters  in  Denver,  assumes  the 
post  vacated  by  Maloney.  He  will 
make  his  headquarters  in  Detroit,  and 
will  supervise  distribution  in  Detroit, 


/.  Smith  Joins  W.  B. 

Des  Moines,  Jan.  31.  —  Joseph 
Smith  has  joined  the  Warner  office 
here  as  salesman  for  the  northwest 
Iowa  territory.  Smith,  former  Uni- 
versal salesman  in  Des  Moines,  re- 
cently bought  the  Elite  theatre  at  Lau- 
rens, la.,  and  is  seeking  a  manager 
for  the  house. 


Buffalo,    Cleveland    and  Pittsburgh. 

According  to  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac,  Edward  M.  Saund- 
ers, who  will  take  over  as  assistant 
general  sales  manager  of  M-G-M  on 
Feb.  15,  started  in  the  industry  as 
assistant  booker  for  the  Pittsburgh 
Calcium  Light  and  Film  Co.  in  1906. 
He  also  managed  branches  for  Gen- 
eral Film  Co.,  which  took  over  Pitts- 
burgh Calcium  Light  and  Film  Co., 
in  Philadelphia  and  Washington,  and 
opened  the  first  office  in  New  York 
for  Universal  Film  Co.,  supervising 
New  York  and  New  England. 

John  E.  Flynn  is  a  lawyer  and  pub- 
lic accountant  turned  sales  executive. 
He,  too,  was  with  General  Film  Co. 
before  becoming  managing  director  in 
Australia  and  New  Zealand  of  the 
Goldwyn  Distributing  Co.  After  the 
merger  of  the  Goldwyn  Company  with 
Metro,  he  became  successively, 
M-G-M  district  manager  for  the  West 
Coast  and  district  manager  in  the 
mid-west. 

Aaron  Was  Auditor 

Edwin  M.  Aaron's  first  position 
was  with  E.  M.  Saunders  as  cashier 
of  the  N.  Y.  Exchange  of  a  franchise 
not  owned  by  Metro,  but  soon  taken 
over  by  that  company.  When  Metro 
took  over,  he  set  up  accounting  sys- 
tems in  each  sales  office  for  the  com- 
pany as  each  unit  was  absorbed,  and 
was  travelling  auditor  for  years.  He 
has  been  assistant  to  Rodgers  since 
1931. 

John  J.  Maloney  started  in  the  mo- 
tion picture  business  as  a  salesman  for 
Famous  Players  in  Pittsburgh,  but 
moved  over  in  the  same  position  to 
Goldwyn,  later  becoming  manager  of 
the  area  for  that  firm.  When  Metero 
acquired  Goldwyn,  he  became  resident 
manager  for  the  combined  firm,  anr1 
in  1938  was  promoted  to  district  man- 
ager for  Cleveland,  Pittsburgh  and 
Cincinnati. 


This  Is  Army'  Contact 

Washington,  Jan.  31. — The  War 
Department  has  assigned  Lt.  Col. 
Frank  McCabe  of  the  General  Staff 
as  liaison  officer  between  that  office 
and  Warner  Bros,  studio  during  the 
filming  of  Irving  Berlin's  "This  Is  The 
Army."  Col.  McCabe  has  left  for  the 
coast. 


Arbitration 
Complaints  in 
'42  Decline 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

over  all  operations  that  it  safeguards." 

The  article  ass.rts  that  with  ar^;->. 
tration  available  to  disputants  I  i  ) 
parties  are  more  inclined  to  get  Ea^ 
gether  to  discuss  their  grievances  than 
they  were  formerly,  and  in  the  process 
many  grievances  are  disposed  of  even 
without  recourse  to  arbitration. 

"When  the  full  story  of  this  experi- 
ment (arbitration  in  the  film  industry) 
is  written,"  the  article  asserts,  "it  will 
furnish  one  of  the  most  unique  records 
of  organized  arbitration  operating  as 
a  self-governing  system  within  the 
precincts  of  a  great  American  in- 
dustry. It  will  mark  a  bright  trail 
for  the  future,  to  show  what  men  co- 
operating in  the  spirit  of  arbitration 
can  achieve  by  themselves  and  for  their 
nation." 

Awards  by  arbitrators  have  been 
very  nearly  evenly  divided  between  ex- 
hibitor complainants  and  distributor 
respondents  for  the  two  years  of  the 
system's  operation,  as  have  appeal 
board  decisions.  A  total  of  172  awards 
have  been  made  in  the  two  years,  of 
which  exhibitors  have  won  88  and 
distributors  84.  There  have  been  51 
appeal  decisions,  of  which  26  were  in 
favor  of  exhibitors  and  25  in  favor  of 
distrib  'tors. 

Additionally,  however,  64  complaints 
were  withdrawn  after  filing,  presum- 
ably following  settlements  acceptable 
to  the  complainants. 

A  total  of  66  appeals  has  been  filed. 
Approximately  75  per  cent  of  all  com- 
plaints have  been  on  clearance.  Others 
covered  some  run,  specific  run,  with- 
holding prints  or  combinations  of  those 
complaints. 

The  New  York  tribunal  with  46 
complaints  leads  in  number  of  cases 
filed.  Philadelphia  has  22,  Chicago, 
21;  Buffalo  and  Boston,  17  each;  St. 
Louis,  14;  Washington,  13,  and  Los 
Angeles,  12  .  The  other  tribunals 
have  had  10  or  less  cases  in  the  two- 
year  period. 

Court  Grants  Motion 
To  Limit  Gloria  Suit 

Motions  to  strike  out  portions  of  the 
monopoly  complaint,  brought  in  N.  Y. 
Supreme  court  by  the  395  Amuse- 
ment Corp.,  operator  of  the  Gloria 
Theatre,  in  Brooklyn,  which  would  in- 
clude most  or  all  of  the  Randforce 
Circuit  in  the  alleged  conspiracy,  have 
been  granted  by  Justice  Koch. 

The  motions  were  made  by  Cyril 
Landau  of  the  RKO  legal  department, 
counsel  for  distributors.  Justice  Koch 
ruled  that  the  "gist  of  the  action  is  a 
charge  of  conspiracy  to  deprive  the 
Gloria  of  an  opportunity  to  fairly 
compete  with  the  Clinton,"  a  Rand- 
force house,  and  that,  therefore,  the 
plaintiff  was  not  affected  by  operations 
of  other  Randforce  theatres.  The  ac- 
tion should  be  confined  to  the  rela- 
tions between  the  Gloria  and  Clin- 
ton, the  court  held.  Emil  K.  Ellis 
is  attorney  for  the  plaintiff. 

'Air  Force*  Premiere 

"Air  Force"  Warners'  new  film  of 
air  exploits  in  the  Pacific,  will  have 
its  world  premiere  Wednesday  at  the 
Hollywood  Theatre. 


Monday,  February  1,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Off  the  Antenna 


NBC  officials  conducting  the  network's  second  annual  War  Clinic  are 
scheduled  to  meet  today  in  Richmond,  Va.,  with  representatives  of 
affiliated  stations.  The  Clinic  opened  with  a  two-day  session  at  the  Waldorf 
Astoria  Hotel  on  Thursday  and  Friday.  After  a  tour  of  six  cities,  the  final 
meeting  with  be  held  in  Los  Angeles. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Paul  Schubert,  Mutual  news  analyst,  will  be  a  speaker 
at  the  Advertising  Awards  Presentation  banquet  on  Friday  at  the  Waldorf 
Astoria.  .  .  .  Charles  David,  WOV  announcer,  has  joined  the  Air  Corps. 
.  .  .  Alan  Courtney,  m.c.  of  WOV's  "1280  Club,"  starts  on  a  vaudeville 
tour  Friday  and  will  play  at  the  Flatbush  Theatre,  Brooklyn,  and  certain 
Brandt  Theatres  in  the  metropolitan  area. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Russell  Markert,  dance  director  of  the  Rockettes,  and 
three  of  the  Music  Hall  dancers  will  be  guests  on  the  WMCA  "Women  Can 
Take  It  Program"  tonight  at  9:45.  .  .  .  Harry  Wismer  inaugurates  a  five- 
night  weekly  sports  show  on  the  Blue  tonight.  .  .  .  The  Blue  is  introduc- 
ing a  new  program,  "Victory  Gardens,"  today  from  12 :45  to  1  p.m.  .  .  . 
Dorothy  and  Lillian  Gish  will  appear  in  a  dramatization  of  the  life  of  the 
Soong  Sisters  in  the  first  of  a  series  sponsored  by  the  National  Concert  and 
Artists  Corp.  on  Sunday  over  the  Blue.  .  .  .  John  Stanley,  New  England 
news  commentator,  will  be  heard  over  Mutual  on  Sundays,  10:30  to  10:45 
p.m.,  starting  March  7.  Douglas  Shoe  Co.  will  sponsor  the  program  on  11 
stations.  .  .  .  "Jimmy  Fidler  from  Hollywood"  has  been  renewed  for  another 
52  weeks  on  the  Blue  by  Carter  Products.  ...  A  dramatic  program, 
"Weather — The  Invisible  Ally,"  will  be  heard  over  Mutual  on  Thursday  at 
9  p.m.  to  recruit  men  to  volunteer  for  training  as  meteorologists  in  the  Army 
Air  Corps.  The  broadcast  will  originate  from  WGN,  Chicago,  and  is  to  be 
attended  by  more  than  600  Air  Force  officers  and  men. 


Yankee  Network's 
Stock  Holdings  in 
MBS  Are  Increased 


Chicago,  Jan.  31. — The  Yankee  net- 
work's holdings  in  Mutual  Broadcast- 
ing System  were  increased  from  six 
to  13y2  shares  with  the  acceptance  of 
a  stock  purchase  offer  by  General  Tire 

 '  Rubber  Co.,  new  owner  of  the 

-Vpkee  network,  it  was  announced 
yesterday  at  the  conclusion  of  a  three- 
day  meeting  of  Mutual's  board  and 
executive  committee  here. 

It  was  also  announced  that  station 
WIP,  Philadelphia,  had  exercised  its 
option  to  become  a  Mutual  stockholder 
to  the  extent  of  six  shares  as  of  Jan. 
1.  The  board  approved  plans  for  the 
application  of  savings  resulting  from 
reduced  charges  on  long  lines,  effected 
by  the  FCC  and  American  Telephone 
and  Telegraph  Co.  in  recent  negotia- 
tions, to  improved  network  operations 
and  service. 

A  plan  was  approved  for  the  ex- 
pansion of  the  network  under  a  pro- 
gram outlined  by  Miller  McClintock, 
Mutual  president.  The  meeting  was 
the  first  since  his  recent  election  as 
president. 


New  Plan  for 
'Dimes'  Collection 


(Continued  from  page  1 ) 

year  are  to  be  mailed  to  the  State 
Chairman  by  theatres. 

State  Chairman  will  return  to  each 
county  50  per  cent  of  the  money  col- 
lected in  that  county.  This  move  is  de- 
signed to  speed  up  final  accounting  in 
each  state,  and  to  assure  every  local 
chapter  that  its  half  of  the  proceeds 
will  be  forthcoming  promptly.  Every 
theatre  taking  part  in  the  drive  has 
been  provided  with  a  collection  report 
form,  it  was  stated,  and  State  Chair- 
men have  been  supplied  with  receipt 
forms. 

Crosby  Airs  Appeal 
For  Dimes  Campaign 

Bing  Crosby  urged  filmgoers  to 
support  the  motion  picture  industry's 
March  of  Dimes  drive  in  a  talk  on 
the  "America  Salutes  the  President's 
Birthday"  radio  program  Saturday 
night.  Crosby  asked  that  audiences 
contribute  to  the  infantile  paralysis 
fund  again  when  the  drive  is  conduct- 
ed in  theatres  from  Feb.  18  to  24. 

The  hour  broadcast  was  heard  over 
NBC,  CBS,  MBS,  the  Blue  and  At- 
lantic Coast  networks  and  independent 
stations. 

Silverstein  to  Brazil 
To  Represent  Univ. 

Maurice  Silverstein,  former  M-G-M 
supervisor  in  the  Far  East  and  20th 
Century-Fox  home  office  (representative 
for  South  America,  has  been  named 
home  office  representative  for  Univer- 
sal at  Rio  de  Janeiro,  Brazil,  J.  H. 
Seidelman,  Universal  vice-president 
and  foreign  manager,  announced  yes- 
terday. 

C.  C.  Margon,  Universal's  Latin 
American  supervisor,  has  just  re- 
turned from  a  five  months'  trip  to 
Central  and  South  America  during 
which  he  closed  a  new  deal  with  the 
Castro  Circuit,  Rio  de  Janeiro. 


Plans  Move  Ahead 
for  Probe  of  FCC 

Washington,  Jan.  31. — Plans  for 
conducting  of  the  investigation  of  the 
Federal  Communications  Commission 
authorized  by  the  House  Jan.  19,  will 
be  laid  out  early  this  week  at  a  meet- 
ing of  the  special  committee  appointed 
by  Speaker  Rayburn  to  undertake  the 
inquiry. 

Representative  Cox,  sponsor  of  the 
investigation  and  chairman  of  the 
committee,  said  tonight  that  he  hoped 
to  get  his  members  together  by  Wed- 
nesday to  outline  the  preliminary  in- 
vestigation which  will  precede  formal 
hearings,  at  which  membeis  of  the 
FCC  and  the  industry  will  be  called 
to  testify.  Cox  said  he  hoped  to  get 
the  hearings  under  way  by  the  end 
of  February,  but  could  not  hazard  a 
guess  as  to  how  long  they  would  run. 
However,  he  said,  the  probe  will  be 
thorough  and  key  witnesses  will  be 
exhaustively  interrogated. 

RKO  Subsidiary  Buys 
K.  C.  House  Interest 

Kansas  City,  Jan.  31.  —  Half-in- 
terest in  the  Mainstreet  Theatre,  large 
downtown  house  now  closed,  has  been 
transferred  to  the  local  RKO  Thea- 
tres subsidiary.  The  interest,  said  to 
be  $75,000,  was  inherited  by  the  F.  H. 
Thwing  heirs. 

The  other  undivided  half  interest 
was  previously  acquired  by  Fox  Mid- 
west Theatres  for  a  reported  $45,000. 
Fox  Midwest  is  said  to  have  filed  a 
partition  suit,  a  preliminary  move 
which  would  probably  evolve  in  either 
one  of  the  two  parties  acquiring  the 
whole  interest  or  in  other  arrange- 
ments of  ownership. 


Brown  Replaces  Grauer 

John  Brown,  actor,  replaces  Ben 
Grauer  as  announcer  for  "Battle  of  the 
Sexes." 


AFRA— Networks  to 
Open  Negotiations 

Negotiations  between  the  American 
Federation  of  Radio  Artists  and  the 
networks  on  their  commercial  code 
contract  are  expected  to  be  started 
soon.  The  present  contract  runs  until 
Nov.  1,  1943,  with  a  provision  for  ad- 
justment in  wages  in  the  event  of  a 
rise  in  cost  of  living. 

Although  it  is  not  known  what 
AFRA's  requests  will  be  the  Bureau 
of  Labor  Statistics,  Dept.  of  Labor, 
has  announced  a  20.3  per  cent  increase 
in  the  cost  of  living  from  Dec.  15, 
1940,  to  Dec,  1942.  AFRA  and  the 
webs  have  just  completed  consultation 
on  similar  revisions  in  their  basic  sus- 
taining pact  and  have  agreed  on  a  10 
per  cent  raise  in  the  minimum. 

Buffalo  Variety  Club 
Officers  Inducted 

Buffalo,  Jan.  31. — The  crew  of 
Tent  7,  Variety  Club  of  Buffalo,  has 
been  inducted  by  Robert  T.  Murphy, 
national  canvassman,  and  Sydney 
Lehman,  past  chief  barker.  Rabbi 
Joseph  L.  Fink,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Ma- 
honey  and  the  Rev.  Charles  D. 
Broughton  were  -  inducted  as  chap- 
'ains.  Officers  are  Stanley  Koza- 
nowski,  chief  barker ;  Elmer  F.  Lux, 
first  assistant ;  Ralph  W.  Maw,  sec- 
ond assistant ;  Murray  Whiteman, 
property  master ;  Dewey  Michaels, 
lough  guy.  Canvassmen  are  Irving 
Fried,  Max  Yellen,  George  Gammel, 
Jack  Goldstein,  Marvin  Atlas  and 
Sydney  Samson. 


New  York  Incorporation 

Albany,  Jan.  31. — A  new  incorpo- 
ration reported  by  Thomas  J.  Cur- 
ran,  secretary  of  state,  is  389  Amuse- 
ments, Inc.,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  100 
shares,  no  stated  par  value.  Solo- 
mon Kleinman,  Dennis  Batos  and 
Shirley  Kleinman  are  listed  as  direc- 
tors. 


Native  Films  Win 
Venezuela  Lead 
From  Hollywood 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

Mundiales  "Gallina  Clueca"  has  also 
outgrossed  contemporary  American 
showings. 

The  only  place  where  the  American 
pictures  hold  their  own  in  Venezuela 
is  the  big  first-run  theatres  of  Caracas, 
but  the  Spanish  language  shows  are 
gradually  pushing  them  out.  Pictures 
coming  from  Spain,  on  the  other  hand, 
do  not  furnish  any  competition.  The\ 
don't  capture  the  spirit  of  Latin-Amer- 
icans. 

Besides  the  improvement  in  the 
quality  of  Mexican  and  Argentine  pic- 
tures, another  reason  for  the  Ameri- 
can losses  is  the  change  in  the  type 
of  pictures  produced  by  Hollywood. 
The  North  Americans  are  not  sending 
any  more  big  spectacles  like  "Last  Days 
of  Pompeii,"  "Suez,"  "Ben  Hur," 
"Blood  and  Sand"  and  "The  Hunch- 
back of  Notre  Dame." 

Social  pictures  or  American  musi- 
cals are  predestined  to  be  big  flops. 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy,"  shown  in  the 
best  theatre  in  town,  with  good  pro- 
motion and  in  the  year's  biggest  week 
(December  24  to  31)  was  a  washout. 
On  the  other  hand,  "Mrs.  Miniver," 
surprised  exhibitors  here  by  going 
over  with  a  bang.  The  picture  grossed 
$12,900  in  the  first  two  weeks  and  is 
still  running.  "Pride  of  the  Yankees" 
managed  to  make  a  fair  showing  sim- 
ply because  it  was  well  promoted  and 
because  Venezuelan  women  are  Gary 
Cooper  fans.  Bette  Davis'  "Now 
Voyager"  did  very  well,  but  the  public 
didn't  go  for  "Saludos."  Most  of  the 
comments  were  "It  was  too  short." 

Last  year's  big  surprise,  'Fantasia," 
will  shortly  be  released  for  the  third 
time  in  a  first-run  theatre.  The  Dis- 
ney musical,  in  which  RKO  manager 
Mike  Havas  made  promotion  history, 
i  has  already  grossed  nearly  thirty-thou- 
sand dollars  in  Caracas. 

Nova  Scotia  Begins 
Drive  Against  Games 

Halifax,  Jan.  31. — A  drive  to  force 
bingo  halls  to  comply  with  fire  pre- 
vention laws  here  has  been  launched 
by  S.  S.  Wright,  provincial  fir"e  mar- 
shall  of  Nova  Scotia. 

The  chief  complaint  is  against  over- 
crowding and  insufficient  exits.  As 
many  as  1,400  persons  have  been  ad- 
mitted to  medium-sized  game  halls  on 
second  and  third  floors  of  buildings 
here,  it  is  charged.  Special  commit- 
tees have  been  named  to  inspect 
amusement  places  and  make  recom- 
mendations for  safety.  A  provincial 
law  defines  bingo  as  an  illegal  chance 
game  but  prosecutions  must  originate 
with  municipalities.  Many  cities  and 
towns,  however,  approve  the  games 
and  some  are  licensed. 


Will  Honor  Goldhammer 

Minneapolis,  Jan.  31.  —  Leading 
Northwest  exhibitors  have  formed  a 
committee  to  honor  L.  E.  Goldham- 
mer, Prairie  district  manager  for 
RKO  Radio,  on  his  25th  anniversary 
in  the  industry  next  month.  The  ex- 
hibitors will  conduct  a  playdate  drive 
for  Goldhammer  from  Feb.  19  to 
March  26. 


116-STATION  C.  B.  S.  BROADCAST. . .  FEB.  5! 
16- MILLION  AUDIENCE  PRESOLD  FOR  YOU! 


CENTURY-FOX 

ALLYN  JOSLYN  •  REGINALD  GARDINER  •  MELVILLE  COOPER  •  BRAMWELL  FLETCHER  •  MORTON  LOWRY  -  PICTURE  * 

Directed  by  JOHN  STAHL  •    Produced  and  Written  for  the  Screen  by  LAMAR  TROTTI  ' 

Join  the  Industry's  March  of  Dimes  Drive  .  .  .  Feb.  78  fo  Feb.  24 


Alert, 


to  the 
Picture 
Industry 


tiors 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


53.  NO.  22 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  TUESDAY,  FEBRUARY  2.  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Industry  Starts 
PublicRelation 
Program  Soon 

MPPDA  ~Has¥ield  Staff, 
Pamphlets,  Coe  Says 


$250,000  Censor 
Fees  Estimated  by 
Dewey  This  Year 


A  new  program  of  industry  pub- 
lic relations  which  was  approved 
by  the  MPPDA  board  of  directors 
some  time  ago  will  be  placed  in 
operation  this  month,  Charles  Fran- 
cis Coe,  MPPDA  vice-president 
general  counsel,  announced  yester- 
day. 

Pamphlets  presenting  the 
story  of  industry  activities  and 
interests  have  been  prepared  by 
Coe  with  the  aid  of  the  Indus- 
try Service  Bureau,  organiza- 
tion of  industry  advertising  and 
publicity  directors,  and  an  ef- 
fort made  to  bring  these  to  pub- 
lic attention. 

The  first  of  the  pamphlets,  more 
of  which  will  be  prepared  from  time 
to  time,  describe  the  industry's  out- 
standing war  activities,  the  work  of 
(Continued  on  page  5) 


Supreme  Court  to 
Review  RCA  Case 


By  RICHARD  J.  CONNERS 

Albany,  Feb.  1. — In  his  budget 
message  to  the  Legislature  for  the 
fiscal  year  starting  April  1,  Gov. 
Thomas  E.  Dewey  tonight  pointed  out 
that  motion  picture  censor  fee  collec- 
tions to  date  show  a  small  decline  as 
compared  with  last  year,  and  the 
budget  estimates  allow  for  a  further 
substantial  reduction. 

Thus,  the  budget,  which  changes  the 
date  of  the  fisc*al  year  for  New  York 
State  from  July  to  April,  making  the 
present  fiscal  year  only  nine  months 
long,  stated  that  while  revenue  de- 
rived from  censorship  in  previewing 
pictures,  fees  from  seals,  and  the  like, 
netted  8335,488  in  the  fiscal  year  1942, 
it  estimated  that  $250,000  would  be 
realized  in  this  fiscal  year,  and  an 
added  $100,000  for  the  nine  months 
between  July  1,  1942,  and  March  31, 
1943. 

Several  other  taxes  were  estimated 
as  bringing  in  less  revenue  due  to 
the  war,  among  them  levies  on  motor 
vehicles,  gasoline,  alcoholic  beverages, 
pari-mutuels,  stock  transfer,  and  other 
taxes  affected  by  volume  of  business 
during  the  war. 

The  Governor  recommended  that 
(Continued  on  page  5) 


Washington,  Feb.  1. — The  Su- 
preme Court  today  agreed  to  review 
a  decision  of  the  Delaware  Federal 
District  Court  denying  a  petition  of 
the  Department  of  Justice  to  vacate 
the  1932  consent  decree  entered  into  by 
the  Radio  Corporation  of  America  on 
the  ground  that  it  no  longer  serves  the 
public  interest. 

The  government,  in  its  appeal, 
(Continued  on  page  5) 


Newsreels  Release 
Casablanca  Films 

Films  of  the  Casablanca 
meeting  of  President  Roose- 
velt, Prime  Minister  Churchill 
and  Generals  De  Gaulle  and 
Giraud  were  received  in  this 
country  over  the  weekend  and 
will  be  released  by  the  news- 
reels  today  to  downtown 
newsreel  houses.  The  pictures 
were  taken  by  Army,  Navy  and 
Marine  camera  units  and  were 
released  to  the  newsreels  by 
the  Government.  Stills  of  the 
meeting  appeared  in  New 
York  newspapers  yesterday. 


Quigley  Leaves  for 
Visit  in  Hollywood 

Martin  Quigley,  president  of  Quig- 
ley Publishing  Co.,  left  yesterday  for 
Hollywood.  En  route  he  will  stop 
over  at  Chicago,  arriving  on  the  Coast 
on  Thursday.  He  expects  to  stay  in 
California  several  weeks. 


Morgenthau  Lauds 
Theatres'  Tax  Aid 

Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
Morgenthau,  in  a  telegram  to 
the  War  Activities  Committee 
addressed  to  film  exhibitors, 
praised  both  independent  and 
circuit  houses  for  past  as- 
sistance and  urged  early 
showing  of  "The  Spirit  of 
'43,"  Disney  short  aimed  to 
stimulate  income  tax  pay- 
ments. 

National  Screen  Service  re- 
ported yesterday  that  the 
Walt  Disney  short  is  sched- 
uled to  open  in  677  theatres 
throughout  the  country  Feb. 
4,  followed  by  thousands  of 
bookings  that  will  assure 
maximum  playing  time  for  the 
tax  message. 


'China  Girl'  $60,000 
In  2nd  BVay  Week; 
Weather  Cuts  Gross 


Majors  Decline 
$5,000,000  as 
British  Offer 


More  Liberal  Agreement 
Expected  Here 


Bad  weather  hurt  Broadway  theatre 
grosses  during  the  past  week,  but  re- 
ceipts this  week  are  expected  to  rise 
since  school  children  are  on  a  one- 
week  vacation  caused  by  the  fuel  oil 
shortage  in  public  buildings. 

"China  Girl"  with  Guy  Lombardo 
and  his  Royal  Canadians  on  the  stage 
was  expected  to  gross  close  to  $60,- 
000  for  its  second  week  at  the  Roxy: 
"Immortal  Sergeant"  and  a  stage 
show  headed  by  Connie  Boswell  is 
scheduled  to  open  at  the  Roxy  to- 
morrow. "Lucky  Jordan"  grossed  an 
estimated  $6,200  for  Saturday  and 
(Continued  on  page  5) 


By  SHERWIN  A.  KANE 

Major  distributors  have  declined 
a  $5,000,000  quarterly  payment 
tendered  by  the  British  Board  of. 
Trade  and  Treasury  as  a  first  re- 
lease of  the  companies'  blocked 
British  revenue  for  1943,  it  was 
learned  yesterday. 

No  new  monetary  agreement 
has  been  closed  with  Britain  for 
the  ensuing  year.  Negotiations 
of  a  new  agreement  have  been 
under  way  for  some  time,  large- 
ly through  the  State  and  Treas- 
ury departments  in  Washington 
and  the  American  Embassy  in 
London. 

The  $5,000,000  tender  was  equival- 
ent to  payments  made  by  Britain  un- 
der last  year's  agreement  with  the 
distributors.  That  agreement  released 
a  total  of  $20,000,000  of  the  Ameri- 
can companies'  British  revenue  in 
quarterly  payments  of  $5,000,000  each. 
A  first  quarterly  payment  was  due 
last  Saturday  for  the  current  fiscal 
(Continued  on  page  5) 


A.  B.  Momand  111; 
Examination  Waits 


Theatres  in  Three  States 
Denied  Oil  for  Ten  Days 


Bostox,  Feb.  1. — Regional  OPA 
Administrator  Kenneth  B.  Backman 
last  night  ruled  that  amusement  and 
sports  establishments  will  be  unable  to 
obtain  oil  during  a  10-day  emergency 
period,  starting  at  midnight.  The 
order  affects  Massachusetts,  Connecti- 
cut and  Rhode  Island  and  was  seen  as 
a  move  to  assure  full  operation  of 
vital  war  industries  and  a  fair  share 
of  oil  to  all  homes. 

Although  many  small  retail  stores 
and  office  buildings,  and  some  subur- 
ban theatres  may  be  obliged  to  close 
when  their  oil  stock  runs  out  before 
midnight  Feb.  9,  all  Boston  theatres 
and  larger  stores,  as  well  as  many 
first-run  houses,  have  taken  the  pre- 


caution of  heating  by  coal  or  steam 
and  will  not  be  affected. 

The  order,  which  followed  an  ear- 
lier one  issued  in  Washington  cutting 
the.  value  of  fuel  ration  coupons  80f/r, 
also  stipulated  that  no  person  shall 
purchase  or  accept  delivery  of  any  fuel 
oil  other  than  kerosene,  if  he  has 
enough  on  hand  for  seven  days,  nor 
shall  any  dealer  deliver  furnace  or 
heavier  oil  to  such  a  customer.  The 
edict  forbids  more  than  a  16-day  sup- 
ply in  any  consumer's  tank  during  the 
emergency. 

Priorities  established  by  the  order 
give  first  call  on  oil  to  residences 
generally,  and  to  producers  of  the 
most  critical  materials  and  services. 


Oklahoma  City,  Feb.  1. — A.  B. 
Momand,  plaintiff  in  the  $5,000,000 
anti-trust  action  on  trial  in  Federal 
court  here,  was  unable  to  take  the 
stand  to  continue  his  testimony  today 
because  of  illness. 

When  he  returns  to  the  stand  Mo- 
mand will  be  cross  examined  by  de- 
fense attorneys.  L.  C.  Griffith,  head 
of  the  Griffith  Circuit,  which  is  a  de- 
fendant in  the  action,  also  will  be 
cross-examined  this  week.  Indications 
are  that  the  defense  can  complete  its 
cross  examination  of  the  two  by  early 
next  week. 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "Flight  for  Free- 
dom," "Border  Patrol,"  "Be- 
hind Prison  Walls,"  "It  Comes 
Up  Love"  and  "How's  About 
It?",  Pages  2  and  5.  Key  city 
box-office  reports,  Page  6.  Off 
the  Antenna,  Page  6. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  February  2,  1943 


Ampa  Bids  McNutt  to 
Luncheon  March  10 


Paul  V.  McNutt,  chairman  of  the 
War  Manpower  Commission,  as  well 
as  Elmer  Davis  and  Lowell  Mellett  of 
the  Office  of  War  Information,  have 
been  invited  to  attend  Ampa's  testi- 
monial luncheon  in  recognition  of  the 
industry's  war  activities,  the  organi- 
zation announced  yesterday.  Date  of 
the  luncheon  has  been  tentatively  set 
for  March  10. 


High  Court  Refuses 
Case  Involving  RKO 

Washington,  Feb.  1. — The  Su- 
preme Court  today  refused  to  review 
a  decision  of  the  New  York  State 
Supreme  Court  dismissing  an  injunc- 
tion suit  brought  against  RKO  by 
Caron  Corp.  to  halt  alleged  misuse 
of  the  latter's  trademarks. 


Nord  Presents  Play 

"God  Strikes  Back,"  a  play  written, 
produced  and  directed  by  Paul  Nord, 
will  be  presented  at  the  Barbizon 
Plaza  Theatre  at  matinee  and  eve- 
ning performances  on  Feb.  26,  27  and 
28,  Nord  said  yesterday. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN      .      GREER  GARSON 
In  James  Hilton's 

"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN  M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue   .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 

IN  PERSON 

PRESENTS 

JOHNNY 

•STAR  SPANGLED 

LONG 

RHYTHM' 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

with  43  STARS 

—Extra- 
Frank  Sinatra 

PARAMOUNT         Times  Square 

GEHE  TIERNEf  •  GEORGE  MONTGOMERY  •  LYNN  BARI 

ChinaGirl 

1  Gu*  LOMBARDO  &  Band 
/ft  retAMb  i  NAN  WYNN  •  Other  Acts 

BUT     BONDS  ROXY 


7iN  A«.  50IS  St 


PALACE 


B  WAY  & 

47th  St 


TYRONE  POWER 

"THE  BLACK  SWAN" 

with  MAUREEN  O'HARA 
—  and  — 

"TRUCK  BUSTERS" 

with  RICHARD  TRAVIS 


l'o"w"s  STRTE 


ON  SCREEN 
JUDY  GARLAND 
GEO.  MURPHY 
GENE  KELLY 

"FOR  ME  AND 
MY  GAL" 


A 


•N  PERSON 
GEORGIE 

PRICE 
•  • 

SAUCI 
PUPPETS 

BEA  WAIN 


Reviews 


"Flight  For  Freedom'' 

(RKO) 

\\  7TTH  the  marquee  strength  of  Rosalind  Russell  and  Fred  Mac- 
*  '  Murray  and  a  story  of  courage,  adventure  and  romance  skill- 
fully filmed,  exhibitors  have  an  attraction  of  box-office  potentialities 
in  "Flight  for  Freedom." 

Closely  akin  to  the  career  of  Amelia  Earhart,  the  film  tells  the  story 
of  Tonie  Carter,  played  by  Miss  Russell.  Tonie's  broken  heart  after 
a  brief  love  affair  with  MacMurray,  as  Randy  Britton,  a  famed  aviator, 
sets  her  off  on  a  brilliant  career  as  she  breaks  his  flight  records. 

Herbert  Marshall  contributes  one  of  his  characteristically  suave, 
kindly  roles  as  Paul  Turner,  Tonie's  teacher  and  friend.  With  all  three 
successful  and  Tonie  set  to  marry  Turner,  she  is  sent  on  a  mission  for 
the  Navy.  Her  job  is  to  get  lost  so  that  the  Navy  can  photograph  Jap 
islands  in  the  Pacific.  It  is  a  surprise  to  her  when  Randy  is  sent  along 
as  navigator.  When  she  learns  that  the  Japs  know  of  their  plans,  she 
flies  into  the  sky  alone  and  crashes  her  plane  into  the  ocean. 

It  is  a  tale  of  valor  and  love,  and  the  screenplay  by  Oliver  H.  P. 
Garrett  and  S.  K.  Lauren  never  loses  the  thread  which  keeps  the  plot 
intact.  The  film  is  within  the  bounds  of  sentimentality  and  is  the  bettter 
for  it.  Lothar  Mendes  ably  directed,  with  David  Hempstead  as  pro- 
ducer. Edward  Ciannelli  and  Walter  Kingsford  are  effective  in  small 
roles. 

Running  time,  99  minutes.  "G."* 


"Border  Patrol" 

(United  Artists-Sherman) 

Hollyzvood,  Feb.  1 

HP  HIS  is  Harry  Sherman's  43rd  Hopalong  Cassidy  Western  and  well 
*■  above  the  standard  set  by  the  producer  in  his  long  and  successful 
presentation  of  the  characters  originated  by  Clarence  E.  Mulford. 

On  a  strictly  entertainment  basis  the  film  is  better  than  most  of  its 
predecessors  by  reason  of  a  script,  by  Michael  Wilson,  which  departs 
the  furrow  of  the  pattern  Western  and  places  the  heroic  trio  in  jeopardy, 
under  circumstances  that  seem  to  defy  overcoming. 

Additionally,  the  picture  demonstrates,  as  of  a  date  far  in  the  past,  the 
efficacy  of  that  which  we  refer  to  in  these  times  as  the  nation's  good 
neighbor  policy. 

The  narrative  casts  the  trio — William  Boyd,  Andy  Clyde  and  Jay 
Kirby — as  Texas  Rangers  who  set  out  to  trace,  for  the  Mexican  Border 
Patrol,  a  number  of  Mexican  citizens  who  have  come  North  to  work  in 
a  silver  mine  and  have  disappeared.  They  find  them  held  captive  and 
forced  to  work  by  an  American  brigand  with  legal  trimmings  who  has 
set  himself  up  as  superior  to  the  laws  of  both  nations.  He  captures  the 
trio,  gives  them  a  trial  with  himself  as  judge,  and  sentences  them  to 
death,  but  they  escape,  rescue  the  enslaved  Mexicans  and  apprehend  the 
desperado  and  his  aides. 

Others  in  the  cast  are  Russell  Simpson,  Claudia  Drake,  George 
Reeves,  Duncan  Rinaldo,  Pierce  Lyden,  Bob  Mitchum  and  Cliff  Parkin- 
son. 

Lewis  J.  Rachmil  served  Harry  Sherman  as  associate  producer  and 
Lesley  Selander  directed. 

Running  time,  67  minutes.    "G."*  Roscoe  Williams 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Disney  Plans  Film 

Walt  Disney  arrived  in  New  York 
yesterday  from  the  Coast  and  an- 
nounced plans  for  a  picture  designed  to 
explode  the  Hitlerian  theory  of  racial 
superiority.  He  is  accompanied  by 
Joseph  Grant  and  Dick  Huemer,  staff 
writers. 


M-G-M  to  Tradeshow  2 

"Cabin  in  the  Sky"  and  "A  Stranger 
in  Town"  will  be  tradeshown  Feb.  9 
in  most  exchange  centers,  M-G-M  an- 
nounced. In  Denver,  Salt  Lake  City, 
San  Francisco,  Portland,  Los  Angeles 
and  Seattle,  the  films  will  be  screened 
Feb.  11,  it  was  said. 


LeBaron  Pact 

Hollywood,  Feb.  1. — 20th  Century- 
Fox  today  extended  for  two  years  the 
producer  contract  of  William  LeBaron. 
His  first  picture  under  the  pact  will 
be  "Mexico  City." 


Swensen  Resigns 
From  Hays  Office 

Joel  Swensen,  member  of  the 
MPPDA  public  relations  staff  for  the 
past  seven  years,  has  resigned.  Swen- 
sen's  work  will  be  absorbed  by  other 
members  of  the  staff,  Arthur  De  Bra, 
head  of  the  research  department  of 
MPPDA,  said. 


Kann  Assumes  Duties 

Hollywood,  Feb.  1.— Red  Kann, 
vice-president  of  Quigley  Publica- 
tions, arrived  here  over  the  weekend 
and  assumed  his  new  duties  today. 

New  N.  H.  20th-Fox  Club 

New  Haven,  Feb.  1.  — A  Family 
Club  has  been  organized  at  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox here,  with  Robert  Hoffman, 
president;  Earl  Wright,  vice-presi- 
dent; Grace  Riccitelli,  secretary;  and 
Anne  Donner,  treasurer. 


Personal 
Mention 


H 


OWARD  DIETZ  has  returned 
from  California. 


Charlotte  Hanft  of  Paramount's 
short  subjects  department  has  joined 
the  WAACs. 

Louis  Lifton,  Monogram  adve1 
ing  and  publicity  director,  is  in  town 
from  the  Coast. 

• 

F.  J.  A.  McCarthy,  Universal  di- 
vision manager,  left  for  Dallas  yester- 
day. 

• 

Arthur  Greenelatt,  Producers 
Releasing  vice-president  in  charge  of 
sales,  has  left  for  the  Coast. 

• 

Joseph  DiLorenzo,  partner  in  the 
Daly  Theatre  Corp.,  Hartford,  leaves 
today  for  Ft.  Devins,  Mass. 

• 

L.  Ward  Farrar,  formerly  manager 
at  Loew's  in  Indianapolis,  and  Or- 
ville  Crouch,  his  assistant  manager, 
have  been  made  warrant  officers  in  the 
air  service  command  at  Patterson 
Field,  O. 

• 

Charles  Lazarus,  formerly  booker 
at  the  M-G-M  New  Haven  office,  is 
the  father  of  a  second  boy,  Edward 
Alan,  born  in  Cambridge,  Mass. 
• 

Edward  Segal,  booker  at  Warner's 
Boston  exchange,  is  the  father  of  a 
boy. 

• 

Col.  Nathan  Levinson,  head  of 
sound  engineering  for  Warner  Bros., 
observes  his  40th  year  as  an  engineer 
this  week. 

• 

Jack  Biben,  manager  of  William 
Goldman's  Theatre,  Philadelphia,  be- 
came the  father  of  a  son  born  last 
week  at  the  Jewish  Hospital. 


Michalson,  Ullman  Tour 

Harry  Michalson,  RKO's  short  sub- 
ject sales  manager,  and  Frederic  Ull- 
man, Jr.,  president  of  RKO  Pathe, 
have  started  on  a  tour  of  RKO's 
Southern  exchanges,  it  was  announced. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company. 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl. 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c 


Climbing 
the  LA  D  Der  of 

Fame 


6\f 

pi 


a 


And  now  the  hottest  Ladd 
in  pictures  hits  the  top 
rung  of  male  appeal  in  his 
first  starring  vehicle  .  .  . 


. . .  And  Right  Off  The  Bat  He  Tops 
N.  Y.  Rialto's  All -Time  Record 
By  20  Per  Cent! 


V.' 


THE  SECOND  FAVORITE 
j  MALE  STAR  IN  PICTURES" 

with  HELEN  WALKER  •  Mabel  Paige 
Sheldon  Leonard  •  Marie  McDonald 

Directed  by  FRANK  TUTTLE 
Who  Made  "This  Gun  For  Hire" 
Streen  Play  by  Darrell  Ware  and  Karl  Tunberg 


made 

"THE  PALM  BEACH  STORY" 
"REAP  THE  WILD  WIND/' 


'STAR  SPANGLED  RHYTHJ 
"HAPPY-GO-LUCKY"  •  and  Cecil  B.  DeMille's 
Released  at  Popular  Prices  for  Easter 


Tuesday,  February  2,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


5 


Industry  Starts 
PublicRelation 
Program  Soon 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

the  Hollywood  Victory  Committee ; 
statistics  on  the  use  of  the  motion  pic- 
triia.  during  war  time ;  the  roles  of 
f  Rational  and  training  films ;  per- 
trrrrnt  industry  information  for  the 
press  and  the  relation  of  motion  pic- 
tures to  libraries  and  books,  among 
other  subjects. 

A  field  contact  staff  consisting  of 
Gordon  White,  Duke  Hickey  and 
Mark  Larkin,  will  endeavor  to  place 
the  pamphlets  with  the  press,  review- 
ers, the  clergy,  women's  clubs,  civic 
organizations  and  numerous  other 
public'  associations.  The  pamphlets 
also  will  be  available  to  theatres  at 
cost  for  distribution  to  their  patrons. 
Coe  defined  the  principal  function  of 
the  field  staff  as  one  which  will  "fill 
the  theatres  and  keep  them  filled." 
Study  Institutional  Drive 

The  MPPDA  vice-president  will 
address  the  Advertising  Club  of  Bos- 
ton, Feb.  16,  using  in  his  talk  much 
of  the  material  developed  to  date  for 
the  public  relations  program.  Depend- 
ing upon  the  reception  and  results 
of  the  talk  in  Boston,  Coe  may  make 
similar  addresses  elsewhere  as  a  part 
of  the  program.  At  present,  however, 
he  has  no  other  talks  scheduled.  The 
program  does  not  eliminate  the  pos- 
sibility of  an  institutional  advertising 
campaign  by  the  industry,  it  was  said. 
Such  a  campaign  still  is  under  study 
by  a  committee. 

"We  will  endeavor  to  demonstrate," 
Coe  said  of  the  public  relations  pro- 
gram, "that  films  are  the  most  im- 
portant educational  medium  in  war- 
time, and  that  the  government  should 
see  to  it  that  the  theatres  do  not  close. 
If  they  were  to  close,  many  of  the 
governments'  own  aims  would  be  de- 
feated. The  screen  is  the  eyes  and 
ears  of  the  public  today." 

A  report  on  the  current  status  of 
the  negotiations  covering  the  new  ex- 
change agreement  is  expected  to  be 
given  to  company  heads  at  a  meeting 
of  the  MPPDA  board  of  directors 
today. 


Supreme  Court  to 
Review  RCA  Case 

(Continued  from  page  1 ) 

charged  that  the  court  erred  in  hold- 
ing that  the  decree  could  not  be  va- 
cated without  evidence  or  agreement 
by  the  parties  involved. 

The  consent  decree  was  the  subject 
of  intensive  investigation  by  the  State 
Interstate  Commerce  Committee  two 
years  ago,  when  it  was  charged  that 
influence  had  been  involved  in  its  ac- 
ceptance by  the  court.  Testimony  at 
that  time  disclosed  that  officials  of 
the  company  had  approached  two 
United  States  Senators  to  intervene  in 
its  behalf,  three  Washington  real  es- 
tate men  acting  as  intermediaries. 


Mandel  Adds  Three 

Al  Zimbalist,  Ira  Morais  and  Ruth 
Newman  have  been  added  to  RKO 
Theatres'  publicity  department,  Harry 
Mandel,  director  of  advertising  and 
publicity  for  the  circuit,  announced 
yesterday.  Zimbalist  formerly  was 
with  Warner  Theatres  advertising  de- 
partment in  Philadelphia. 


Reviews 


"It  Comes  Up  Love" 


(Universal) 

Hollywood,  Feb.  1 

T^\ESIGNED  and  played  in  the  manner  of  the  early  Deanna  Durbin 
pictures,  without  in  any  sense  repeating  or  duplicating  them,  this 
vehicle  for  Gloria  Jean  and  a  cast  of  able  associates  provides  more  en- 
tertainment in  its  65  minutes  than  most  films  of  its  kind  furnish  in  90. 

Miss  Jean's  associates  include  Donald  O'Connor,  here  given  plenty 
of  opportunity  to  display  his  talent,  Ian  Hunter,  Louise  Allbritton,  who 
justifies  Universal's  confidence  in  her  ability,  Frieda  Inescort,  Mary 
Lou  Harrington,  Raymond  Roe,  Charles  Coleman,  Leon  Belasco  and 
Beatrice  Roberts. 

Ken  Goldsmith  produced  the  film  with  taste  and  judgment,  Charles 
Lamont  turning  in  a  neat  job  of  directing  from  the  screenplay  by 
Dorothy  Bennett  and  Charles  Kenyon,  a  polished  script  stocked  with 
balanced  dialogue  ably  spoken. 

The  narrative  concerns  two  primly-reared  daughters  of  a  New  Yorker 
who  join  him  in  that  city  with  a  view  toward  bringing  him  into  align- 
ment with  the  traditions  of  his  aristocratic  background.  He  is  a  busi- 
ness man  upon  whom  his  secretary  and  a  socialite  have  competitive 
matrimonial  designs,  the  young  people  in  the  story  finally  taking  a  hand 
in  bringing  about  the  correct  ending. 

Miss  Jean,  who  achieves  with  skill  a  transition  from  primness  to 
modern  manner,  sings  four  songs,  two  classics  and  a  Spanish  number, 
in  the  course  of  the  film. 

Running  time,  64*4  minutes.    "G."*  Roscoe  Williams 


"Behind  Prison  Walls" 

(Producers  Releasing) 

Hollywood,  Feb.  1 

HP  HIS  is  a  well  done  satire  on  big  business  and  socialistic  theories, 
*■  and  aims  to  entertain  all  types  of  audiences.  The  story  concerns  a 
steel  magnate  and  his  son  who  go  to  prison  because  of  the  testimony 
of  the  youth,  a  believer  in  a  type  of  Socialism.  Pardoned  after  serving 
some  time,  the  lad  is  put  in  charge  of  the  company  by  his  father  who 
seeks  to.  drive  the  stock  down  because  one  member  of  the  board  of 
directors  is  plotting  to  steal  his  interests.  The  father  believes  that  the 
"hare-brained"  schemes  of  the  son  will  drive  the  price  down.  They 
do,  but  the  stock  rises  when  the  son  evolves  a  plan  to  aid  little  businesses. 
As  it  turns  out  the  father,  a  tycoon  of  the  old  school,  is  given  credit 
by  the  son  for  the  scheme  and  the  elder  man  changes  his  views. 

Alan  Baxter,  as  the  son,  Gertrude  Michael  as  a  secretary,  Tully 
Marshall  as  the  father  and  Edwin  Maxwell  as  the  officer  attempting 
to  steal  the  company,  head  the  cast. 

Credit  for  the  excellent  handling  of  the  topic  goes  to  Van  Norcross, 
who  adapted  the  original  story  by  W.  A.  Ullman,  Jr. ;  Steve  Sekely, 
who  directed;  associate  producer  Andre  Dumonceaux  and  producer 
Arthur  Ripley.  A  departure  for  PRC  in  subject  matter  and  treatment, 
the  picture  rates  added  attention. 

Running  time,  64  minutes.    "G."*  Vance  King 


"How's  About  It?" 

(Universal) 

Hollywood,  Feb.  1 

HP  HE  Andrews  Sisters  sing  five  songs  to  the  accompaniment  of  Buddy 
A  Rich's  orchestra  and  share  with  Shemp  Howard  and  Mary  Wickes 
the  clowning  assignment  in  this  item,  but  it's  Grace  McDonald  in  the 
romantic  spot  opposite  Robert  Paige  who  carries  the  narrative  and 
turns  in  a  performance  which  flatters  the  script  and  the  budget.  The 
film  fills  an  hour  pleasantly. 

Others  in  the  cast  are  Walter  Catlett,  Buddy  Rice,  David  Bruce, 
Bobby  Scheerer  and  Dorothy  Babb. 

The  screenplay  by  Mel  Ronson,  from  an  original  by  Jack  Goodman 
and  Albert  Rice,  opens  with  a  music  publisher  notified  of  a  suit  for 
plagiarism  brought  in  behalf  of  a  young  woman  employed  in  a  wired- 
music  sending  station.  Into  the  proceedings  come  three  elevator  oper- 
ators with  singing  ambitions  and  the  affairs  of  all  are  blended  in  the 
working  out  of  a  romantic  conclusion  for  the  litigants  of  the  first  part. 

The  five  musical  numbers  are  from  a  variety  of  sources  and  include 
the  Navy  version  of  "Beer  Barrel  Polka"  as  a  concluding  production 
number. 

Ken  Goldsmith  produced  and  Erie  C.  Kenton  directed. 

Running  time,  61  minutes.    "G."*  Roscoe  Williams 


*"G"  denotes  genera!  classification. 


'China  Girl'  $60,000 
In  2nd  BVay  Week; 
Weather  Cuts  Gross 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

Sunday  at  the  Rialto  as  it  began  a 
second  week. 

At  the  Rivoli,  "Shadow  of  a  Doubt" 
grossed  an  estimated  $19,000  for  the 
first  five  days  of  a  third  week  and 
starts  a  fourth  week  tomorrow.  For 
Friday  through  Sunday  of  a  sixth 
week  at  the  Strand,  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy"  with  Sammy  Kaye's  orches- 
tra on  the  stage  earned  an  estimated 
$19,000  and  will  be  followed  Friday 
by  "Casablanca."  The  latter  film  for 
Thursday  through  Sunday  in  a  10th 
week  at  the  Hollywood  garnered  an 
estimated  $15,000.  "Air  Force"  will 
have  its  premiere  tonight  at  the  Hol- 
lywood. 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  was  ex- 
pected to  gross  about  $60,000  for  the 
fifth  week  ending  tonight  at  the  Para- 
mount and  will  continue.  Johnny  Long 
and  his  band  are  on  the  stage. 

'Harvest'  to  8th  Week 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  grossed  a 
reported  $23,000  for  four  days  of  a 
sixth  week  at  the  Capitol.  "Random 
Harvest"  and  the  stage  presentation 
drew  an  estimated  $59,000  for  four 
days  of  its  seventh  week  starting 
Thursday  at  the  Radio  City  Music 
Hall  and  will  hold  for  an  eighth  week. 
It  is  the  only  film  except  "Mrs.  Min- 
iver" to  play  more  than  six  weeks  at 
the  theatre. 

"Margin  for  Error"  garnered  an  es- 
timated $4,400  for  Saturday  and  Sun- 
day at  the  Globe.  For  a  third  week  at 
the  Astor,  Tennessee  Johnson  drew 
an  estimated  $11,200  and  enters  a 
fourth  week  today. 


Companies  Decline 
British  Fund  Offer 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

year.  Declining  of  the  $5,000,000  tend- 
er by  the  companies  is  believed  to  in- 
dicate that  a  more  liberal  release 
agreement  than  last  year's  is  expected 
to  materialize  from  the  current  nego- 
tiations. 

After  being  paid  $20,000,000  under 
last  year's  monetery  agreement,  the 
companies  received  an  additional  $50,- 
000,000  representing  the  accumulated 
frozen  balances  in  Britain  since  the 
start  of  the  war.  However,  approxi- 
mately 60  days  revenue  prior  to  the 
end  of  the  last  agreement  was  retained 
in  London  pending  an  auditing  of  the 
companies'  frozen  balances.  This 
sum,  not  yet  released,  is  estimated  at 
$8,000,000,  and  its  payment  is  expected 
in  the  near  future. 

Most  of  the  major  distributors  are 
on  record  as  favoring  the  full  release 
of  all  their  British  revenue  during 
the  current  year. 


$250,000  Censor  Fees 
Estimated  by  Dewey 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
taxpayers  again  retain  for  the  next 
fiscal  year  the  reduction  of  25  per 
cent  in  income  tax  payments  graated 
last  year.  He  estimated  an  operating 
surplus  of  nearly  10  millions  for  this 
fiscal  year,  with  an  accumulated  sur- 
plus of  more  than  50  millions  by 
March  31.  1944. 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  February  2,  1943 


'Doodle'  Nets 
$49,000  in 
L.  A.  2d  Week 


Los  Angeles,  Feb.  1. — The  rains 
came,  and  business  was  only  fair  at 
most  of  the  first  runs.  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy"  in  a  second  week  gar- 
nered the  heaviest  gross  with  $49,000 
at  three  Warner  houses.  "Stand  By 
For  Action"  dualled  with  "The  Mc- 
Guerins  From  Brooklyn"  collected  a 
total  of  $37,000  at  three  theatres. 
"The  Avengers"  together  with  a 
second  week  of  "The  Glass  Key" 
grossed  $25,800  at  two  houses.  Com- 
paratively, the  best  business  was  at 
the  Hawaii,  where  "Cat  People"  and 
"Gorilla  Man"  gathered  in  $9,600  for 
a  second  week,  almost  triple  the  house 
average. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Jan.  27 : 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

CARTHAY  CIRCLE— (1,518)  (33c-44c-55c- 
75c)    7    days,    4th    week.       Gross:  $7,300. 
(Average.  $7,452) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.  A.) 

CHINESE  —   (2,500)    (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $11,000.    (Average,  $13,500) 
"Cat  People"  (RICO) 
"Gorilla  Man"  (W.  B.) 

HAWAII  —  (1,100)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,600.  (Average, 
$3,288) 

"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.)  2nd  week 
"Army  Surgeon"  (RKO) 

HILLSTR.EET  —  (2.70C)  (33c-44c-55c-75c) 
7  days.     Gross:  $10,500.     (Average.  $14,969) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S  STATE  —  (2.5CO)  (33c-44c-55c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $17,500.  (Average, 
$19,523) 

"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.)  2nd  week 
"Army  Surgeon"  (RKO) 

PANTAGES  —  (3,000)  (33c-44c-55c-7Sc)  7 
days.     Gross:  $8,300.     (Average,  $12,973) 
"The  Avengers"  (Para.) 
"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.)  2nd  week 

PARAMOUNT  (Hollywood)— (1.407)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $8,300.  (Aver- 
age, $10,118) 

"The  Avengers"  (Para.) 

"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.)  2nd  week 

PARAMOUNT  (Downtown)— (3.595)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $17,500.  (Aver- 
age, $16,780) 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 

"The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.  A.) 

RITZ  —  (1,376)   (33c-44c-65c-85c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $8,500.    (Average,  $9,400) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (Hollywood)  —  (3.4C0) 
(33c -44c -65c -85c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$12,100.     (Average,  $13,291) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (Downtown)  —  (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)  7  days.  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$14,200.    (Average,  $14,356) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  ( Wiltern)— (2,200)  (33c- 
44c-55c-65c-85c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$12,700.     (Average,  $10,063) 


Gillham  Announces 
Special  'Bell'  Unit 

Robert  M.  Gillham,  director  of  ad- 
vertising and  publicity  for  Paramount, 
now  on  the  Coast,  announced  that  the 
company  will  establish  a  separate  pub- 
licity unit  to  handle  "For  Whom  the 
Bell  Tolls,"  which  is  to  be  roadshown 
prior  to  its  general  release. 

Gillham  will  direct  a  special  adver- 
tising and  publicity  force  for  the  pic- 
ture that  will  be  quartered  separately 
from  the  regular  home  office  advertis- 
ing and  publicity  staff. 


Reelected  Bank  President 

Wildwood,  N.  J.,  Feb.  1.  —  William 
C.  Hunt,  head  of  the  Hunt  Theatre 
Circuit  in  the  Southern  New  Jersey 
and  Philadelphia  territory,  has  been 
reelected  president  of  the  Wildwood 
Trust  Co. 


Off  the  Antenna 

CHAIXS  of  relay  stations  on  mountain  tops  to  connect  the  country  in  a 
system  of  frequency-modulated  broadcasting  were  forecast  by  Dr.  E.  F. 
W.  Alexanderson  of  the  General  Electric  Co.  in  a  talk  on  G.  E.'s  "Science 
Forum"  over  WGY,  Schenectady.  He  added  that  "such  relay  chains  may  be 
combined  with  television,  which  will  come  into  its  own  when  it  can  acquire 
a  large  enough  audience.  Television  in  color  will  then  follow,  when  circum 
stances  permit." 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  George  Sudcrman,  news  analyst  formerly  with  KSAL, 
Salina,  Kan.,  has  replaced  Bruce  Grant,  noiv  in  the  army,  on  the  news  staff  of 
KSO,  Des  Moines.  .  .  .  Billy  Mills,  leader  of  the  orchestra  on  the  Fibber  Mc- 
Gee  and  Molly  program,  has  been  ordered  to  rest  in  the  desert  because  of  a 
serious  ear  infection.  No  replacement  has  been  announced.  .  .  .  Herbert 
Chason,  WHN  advertising  and  sales  promotion  manager,  and  Phoebe  Wein- 
stcin  of  Harrison,  N.  Y .,  have  announced  their  engagement.  .  .  .  Merle  S. 
Jones  and  Wandcll  Campbell,  general  manager  and  sales  manager,  respectively, 
of  KMOX,  St.  Louis,  have  returned  from  Chicago. 

•  •  • 

WBZ  War  Bond  Day  will  be  observed  at  a  special  matinee  of  the  "Ice 
Follies"  at  the  Boston  Garden  on  Wenesday,  Feb.  17.  Persons  buying 
war  bonds  in  denominations  of  $25  to  8500  after  Feb.  1  will  receive  a  pair 
of  tickets  for  reserved  seats  at  the  matinee. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  A  weekly  series  of  quiz  broadcasts  will  be  heard  over 
WNBC  from  the  stage  of  Loew's  Palace,  Hartford,  Mondays  at  9  p.  m.  .  .  . 
Carl  Sandburg  will  appear  on  the  Lincoln  memorial  broadcast  of  the  Hour  of 
Charm  Sunday  night  over  NBC.  ...  A  special  adaptation  of  "The  Perfect 
Tribute"  will  be  heard  on  "Cavalcade  of  America,"  also  on  NBC,  on  Feb.  8, 
in  commemoration  of  Lincoln's  birthday.  .  .  .  Fredric  March  and  Florence 
Eldridge  will  be  featured  on  NBC's  Red  Cross  show,  "That  They  Might 
Live,"  Sunday  at  12 :30  p.  m.  .  .  .  Dorothy  Maynor  is  scheduled  to  be  a 
guest  on  Mutual's  "Cresta  Blanca  Carnival,"  Feb.  10. 


$20,000  Seen  for 
'Serve'  in  Baltimore 
In  Strong  Recovery 


Baltimore,  Feb.  1. — With  weather 
again  normal,  strong  attractions  and 
filmgoers  becoming  accustomed  to  the 
ban  on  pleasure  driving,  box-offices 
are  recovering  from  their  latest  let- 
down. Best  business  of  the  week  is 
being  done  by  "In  Which  We  Serve," 
which  is  expected  to  gross  $20,000  at 
the  Century.  "The  Palm  Beach 
Story"  is  headed  for  an  estimated  $14,- 
500  after  a  poor  start  because  of  the 
weather. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  4 : 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

CENTURY— (3,000)    (40c-50c:    55c  week- 
nds)  7  days.     Gross:  $20,000.  (Average. 
$12,000) 

"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

KEITH'S  —  (2.406)  (15c-28c-33c-44c;  55c 
weekends)  2  days.  Gross:  $14,500.  (Aver- 
age, $10,000; 

"The  Black  Swan"   (20th -Fox) 

NEW— (1,581)  (15c-28c-35c-55c)  7  days,  6th 
week.    Gross:  $7,500.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.  B.) 

STANLEY— (3,280)  (15c-28c-39c-44c-55c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $13,000.  (Average, 
$13,000) 

"Cat  People"  (RKO) 

HIPPODROME  —  (2,205)  (28c -39c -44c -55c- 
66c)  7  days.  Stage:  Earl  Carroll's  Vanities 
of  1943.  Gross:  $17,000.  (Average,  $14,000) 
"Secrets  of  a  Co-Ed"  (PRC) 

MARYLAND  —  (1,300)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Stage:  Hal  LeRoy,  Cross  &  Dunn,  Sharkey 
the  Seal,  Maxellos,  Nash  and  Evans.  Gross: 

000.  (Average,  $7,000) 
"Silver  Queen"  (U.  A.) 

MAYFAIR  —  (1,000)  (20c-40c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $5,500.     (Average,  $6,000) 


G.B.,  G.F.D.  Directors 
Changes  Expected 

London,  Feb.  1.  —  Announcements 
concerning  changes  in  both  the  Gau- 
mont  British  and  General  Film  Dis- 
tributors directorates  are  scheduled  to 
be  made  here  within  the  next  few 
days. 


'Commandos'  Leads 
K.C.  for  Big  $18,000 


jvansas  City,  Feb.  1. — "Comman- 
dos Strike  at  Dawn"  plus  "A  Night 
to  Remember"  garnered  $18,000  at  the 
Midland  for  the  week's  best  gross. 
"Cat  People"  and  "Seven  Miles  From 
Alcatraz"  reportedly  broke  the  single- 
day  gross  and  attendance  record  at 
the  Orpheum  and  finished  the  week 
with  a  strong  $15,000.  The  tempera- 
ture dropped  over  the  weekend  to 
zero  Monday,  but  rose  quickly. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Jan.  27-28: 

"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 

ESQUIRE-(800)  (35c-50c)  8  days.  Gross: 
$5,000.     (Average,  8  days,  $3,500) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 

MIDLAND  —   (3,600)    (35c-50c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $18,000.     (Average.  $10,000) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.  B.) 

NEWMAN — (1,900)   (3Sc-50c)  7  days.  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $11,000.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 
"Seven  Miles  from  Alcatraz"  (RKO) 

ORPHEUM  —  (1,900)    (35c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $15,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Mar.ila  Calh'ng"  (20th-Fox) 

TOWER— (2,200)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Stage 
Ted    Lewis    and    Revue.       Gross:  $15,000 
(Average,  $6,500) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Uuiv.) 

UPTOWN  —  (2,000)  (35c-50)  8  days 
Gross:  $4,500.    (Average,  8  days,  $5,000) 


'Serve'  Draws 
Big  in  Boston; 
'Rhythm'Heav} 


Boston,  Feb.  1. — Despite  a  blizzard 
on  the  opening  day  of  new  shows, 
grosses  at  most  theatres  here  were 
very  big.  Strong  product  and^T  ol 
vacations  showed  results  at  th^^  x- 
office.  "In  Which  We  Serve"  was 
headed  for  an  estimated  $30,000  on 
the  week  at  Loew's  Orpheum,  with  a 
strong  $20,000  expected  for  the  pic- 
ture at  Loew's  State.  "Star  Span- 
gled Rhythm"  is  tremendous  with  an 
estimated  $32,000  at  Loew's  Metro- 
politan, where  the  "Dr.  I.  Q."  radio 
show  continued  on  the  stage  Monday 
nights  only. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  3  : 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S  ORPHEUM— (3.000)  (35c-50c-60c) 
7  days.  Gross:  $30,000.  (Average,  $19,500) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (2,900)   (35c-50c-60c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $20,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (2»th-Fox) 

RKO  BOSTON— (2.679)  (44c-55c-65c-85c)  7 
days.  Stage  show:  Jimmy  Dorsey  and  his 
orchestra;  Bob  Eberly.  Kitty  Kallen,  Pops 
and  Louie,  other  acts.  Gross:  $32,000. 
(Average,  $25,000) 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

RKO  MEMORIAL  THEATRE  —  (2,907) 
(44c-55c-75c)    7    days.    5th    week.  Gross: 
$14,000.     (Average.  $20,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Truck  Busters"   (W.  B.) 

METROPOLITAN  —  (4.367)  (30c-40c-55c- 
65c)  7  days.     Stage:  Monday  nights  only, 
"Dr.   I.    Q."      Gross:   $32,000.  (Average, 
$24,000) 
Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 
Ice-Capades  Revue"  (Rep.) 
PARAMOUNT  —   (1,797)    (33c-44c-60c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 
Ice-Capades  Revue"  (Rep.) 
FENWAY— (1,320)    (33c-40c-60c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $4,800.     (Average.  $6,000) 
"Gentlemen  Jim"   (W.  B.) 
•You  Can't  Escape  Forever"  (W.  B.) 

SCOLLAY— (2,500)    (33c-40c-60c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $5,500.      (Average,  $5,000) 
"Underground  Agent"  (Col.) 
"Smith  of  Minnesota"  (Col.) 

TRANSLUX  —  (90C)    (17c-28c-44c-55c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $5,200.     (Average,  $5,000) 
"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.  A.) 
"Sherlock  Holmes  and  the  Voice  of  Terror" 
(RKO) 

ESOUIRE — (941)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$1,200.     (Average,  $2,500) 
Ravaged  Earth"  (Independent) 

MAJESTIC— (1.525)  (45c-S5c-65c)  7  days, 
Gross:  $2,400.     (Average.  $6,000) 


Allied  Puts  Caravan 
Plan  Before  PCCITO 

Los  Angeles,  Feb.  L— At  a  meet- 
ing scheduled  for  Feb.  8  at  the  Elks 
Club  here,  an  Allied  States  Caravan 
committee,  composed  of  M.  A.  Rosen- 
berg of  Pitsburgh,  president;  S.  E. 
Samuelson  of  Philadelphia,  W.  L. 
Ainsworth  of  Milwaukee,  H.  A.  Cole 
of  Dallas  and  Abram  F.  Myers,  Wash- 
ington, will  explain  the  Allied  Cara- 
van plan  to  independent  exhibitors  of 
Southern  California  and  Arizonia,  who 
have  been  invited  to  attend  the  meet- 
ing. 


Set  'Outlaw*  Dates 
After  S.  F.  Premiere 

San  Fbancisco,  Feb.  1. — No  book- 
ings for  Howard  Hughes'  "The  Out- 
law," other  than  its  world  premiere 
engagement  at  the  Geary  here,  have 
been  set,  it  is  learned.  The  producer 
will  be  guided  in  future  handling  of 
the  picture  bv  its  premiere  experi- 
ence, it  is  said. 

Due  to  transportation  difficulties, 
the  premiere  was  set  back  to  Feb.  5 
so  that  accommodations  for  bringing 
the  Hollywood  press  representatives 
here  could  be  obtained. 


Heads  Pa.  County  WAC 

Gettysburg,  Pa.,  Feb.  1.  —  Syd 
Poppay,  manager  of  Warners'  Majes- 
tic here  has  been  named  chairman  of 
the  Adams  County  War  Activities 
Committee. 


Vo*  W  1  1 


Alert, 


tion 


Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


DO  NOT  REM OVE 


First  in 


and 

Impartial 


;7>vL  53.  NO.  23 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  WEDNESDAY,  FEBRUARY  3.  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Theatre  Staffs 
Face  Draft  in 
New  WMC  Rule 


Actors    to    Be  Drafted 
Shortly,  Says  McNutt 

By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Feb.  2. — Aside 
from  the  fact  that  a  number  of  the 
jobs  classified  as  nonessential  by  the 
War  Manpower  Commission  in  its 
"work  or  fight"  order  today,  de- 
signed to  get  all  able-bodied  men 
under  38  into  the  Army  or  essen- 
tial industry,  are  to  be  found  in  the 
motion  picture  business,  the  in- 
dustry largely  is  unaffected  by  the 
order. 

Actors  are  expected  to  be  called 
later  depending  on  whether  their 
contributions  to  public  morale  will 
offset  their  war  need. 

Activities  for  which  physically  fit 
men  will  not  be  deferred,  Chairman 
Paul  McNutt  stated,  include  theatrical 
studios  and  schools,  signs  and  adver- 
tising displays  and  interior  decorating 
service.  Regardless  of  the  activity  in 
which  they  may  be  found,  ushers, 
doormen,    elevator    operators,  other 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Company  Heads  Will 
AttendCoastMeeting 


A  number  of  major  company  presi- 
dents signified  their  intention  at  a 
meeting  of  the  MPPDA  board  of 
directors  yesterday  of  attending  the 
semi-annual  meeting  to  be  held  in 
Hollywood,  Feb.  IS,  of  the  industry 
lawyers'  Committee  of  Six. 

General  industry  problems  and  war- 
time activities  will  be  reviewed  and 
considered  further  at  the  meeting,  it 
was  said.    Members  of  the  committee 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Discuss  Raw  Stock 
Export  Cuts  Today 

John  W.  Hicks,  Joseph  A.  McCon- 
ville  and  Carl  E.  Milliken  will  meet 
with  Harold  Hopper  in  Washington 
today  to  discuss  raw  stock  supply 
problems  of  the  foreign  market. 

While  most  of  the  prints  for  the 
foreign  markets  are  made  abroad,  the 
raw  stock  supplies  with  which  they 
are  made  are  obtained  from  the 
United  States.  The  current  reductions 
of  raw  stock  allocations  are  destined 

{Continued  on  page  2) 


Farrow  Succeeds  to 
Woolf  Posts  in  G.  B. 

London,  Feb.  2. — Leslie  Far- 
row, member  of  the  board  of 
Odeon  Theatres  and  Gaumont 
British,  has  been  appointed 
deputy  chairman  and  joint 
managing  director  of  Gau- 
mont British  Picture  Corp. 
He  replaces  the  late  C.  M. 
Woolf.  Mark  Ostrer  continues 
as  the  other  joint  managing 
director  of  the  company. 

Farrow  distinguished  him- 
self as  city  solicitor  here,  a 
post  which  he  continues  to 
hold. 


Shorter  Browne, 
Bioff  Jail  Terms 
Believed  Possible 


The  possibility  that  the  prison  terms 
imposed  against  George  A.  Browne, 
former  president  of  the  IATSE,  and 
William  Bioff,  his  former  personal 
representative,  will  terminate  -  rnuch 
sooner  than  expected  was  indicated 
Saturday  when  Federal  Judge  John 
C.  Knox  extended  the  term  of  the 
court  "for  all  purposes." 

In  the  case  of  Browne,  serving  an 
eight-year  sentence  for  extorting  al- 
most $1,000,000  from  major  film  com- 
panies, the  court  extended  the  term 
until  Nov.  12,  1949,  while  in  Bioff 's 
case  it  was  extended  until  Nov.  12, 
1951.  Bioff  is  serving  10  years  for  a 
similar  offense. 

Although  the  office  of  Acting  U.  S. 
Attorney  Howard  C.  Corcoran  would 
make  no  comment  with  respect  to  the 
extensions,  it  has  been  the  practice  of 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


All  of  Salt  Lake  City 
First  Run  Clearance 
Is  Further  Reduced 


Clearances  of  Salt  Lake  City  first 
runs  over  neighborhood  and  suburban 
houses,  which  had  been  reduced  from 
seven  to  22  days  by  the  arbitrator  at 
the  Utah  tribunal,  were  further  re- 
duced by  the  appeal  board  in  a  deci- 
sion made  public  here  yesterday. 

The  complaint,  brought  by  the 
Bountiful  Theatre,  named  all  five  con- 
senting companies  and  the  Salt  Lake 
City  first  runs.  Paramount  was  dis- 
missed from  the  action  because  of  its 
ownership  interest  in  the  first  run 
houses.  The  Murray  and  Southeast 
theatres  intervened  in  the  proceedings 
to  join  in  the  Bountiful's  petition  for 
reduced  clearances.  While  the  appeal 
board  held  that  the  latter  two  were 
not  properly  involved  in  the  action 
as  their  business  could  not  be  af- 
fected by  an  award  in  favor  of  the 
non-competing  Bountiful,  it  held  that 
to  exclude  them  from  the  proceedings 
at  this  late  date  would  necessitate  the 
filing  of  a  new  action  with  its  at- 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


Griffiths  Appointed  to 
Direct  Assoc.  British 

London,  Feb.  2. — D.  E.  Griffiths, 
general  sales  manager  for  Paramount 
here,  has  been  appointed  managing  di- 
rector of  Associated  British  Film  Dis- 
tributors. 

The  appointment  is  linked  here  with 
reports  of  an  impending  change  in  dis- 
tribution of  Ealing  Studios  product, 
heretofore  handled  by  United  Artists. 
It  is  believed  that  Ealing  shortly  may 
release  through  ABFD. 


'Air  Force" 


[  WARNERS  ] 

MILLIONS  of  Americans  who  read,  immediately  after  Pearl 
Harbor,  of  the  arrival  there  of  a  number  of  Flying  Fortresses  in 
the  midst  of  the  Jap  attack,  and  others  who  heard  of  the  incident 
subsequently,  undoubtedly  have  been  hungry  for  the  details  of  that  in- 
cident, of  what  the  Fortresses  did  and  what  became  of  them.  Here,  in  a 
distinguished  motion  picture  narrative,  is  the  answer  to  much  of  that 
wondering,  and  in  the  answers  it  supplies  is  one  of  the  exhibitor's 
strongest  selling  points  for  the  picture. 

The  picture  is  long,  and  gripping  all  the  way.  It  is  a  tribute  to  the 
men  in  the  air  force;  an  inspiration  to  all  Americans,  and  a  thing  to 
breed  confidence  among  America's  Allies.  While  it  is  replete  with 
drama  sharpened  by  a  background  of  actuality,  the  drama  of  Pear' 
Harbor  in  flames,  of  the  hopeless  plight  of  the  small  Wake  Island  garri- 
son and  the  outnumbered  and  poorly  equipped  defenders  of  the  Philip- 
pines, it  brings  a  message  of  confidence  and  an  assurance  of  success  in 
the  ultimate  outcome  of  the  war  in  the  Pacific.    Moreover,  no  inconsider- 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Rodgers  Urges 
Joint  Action  on 
War  Problems 


All-Industry  Trade  Body 
Needed,  He  says 


By  SHERWIN  A.  KANE 

Wartime  dislocations  of  produc- 
tion and  distribution  which  inevit- 
ably affect  exhibition  demonstrate 
the  need  of  an 
organization 
representative 
of  all  branches 
of  the  indus- 
try, William  F. 
R  o  d  g  e  r  s, 
Loew's  vice- 
president  in 
charge  of  dis- 
t  r  i  b  u  t  i  o  n, 
stated  at  a 
meeting  with 
trade  press  rep- 
resentatives 
yesterday. 

Rodgers  said 
that  he  already  has  urged  the  War 
Production  Board  to  invite  exhibitor 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


W.  F.  Kotlgeis 


O'Connor,  Sanford 
Aid  Catholic  Drive 


John  J.  O'Connor,  vice-president  of 
Universal,  and  Bert  Sanford  of  Altec 
Service  Corp.  have  been  appointed 
chairman  and  vice-chairman,  respec- 
tively, of  the  motion  pictures  group 
of  the  Archbishop's  Committee  of  the 
Laity  in  the  24th  annual  appeal  of  the 
Catholic  Charities  of  the  Archdiocese 
of  New  York,  it  was  announced  yes- 
terday by  John  A.  Coleman,  executive 
chairman  of  the  special  gifts  com- 
mittee. 

The  1943  appeal  will  open  April  4 
in  the  376  parishes  of  the  Arch- 
diocese, it  was  announced.  The  Arch- 
bishop's Committee,  of  which  former 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Heard  Around"  by  Sam 
Shain,  Page  2.  Key  city  box- 
office  grosses,  Pages  6  and 
7.  Reviews  of  "Squadron 
Leader  X"  and  "Hi,  Ya, 
Chum,"  Page  6. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  February  3,  1943 


Personal 
Mention 


T 


OM  J.  CONNORS  is  expected 
back  Monday  from  the  Coast. 


Douglas  Rothacker  is  recovering 
at  his  home  from  a  recent  illness. 
• 

Richard  Condon  leaves  for  Holly- 
wood Saturday. 

Hal  Horne  returns  Friday  from 
California. 

• 

Carl  Leserman  and  Bert  Stearn 
are  enroute  here  from  the  Coast. 
• 

Samuel  Rosen,  Monogram  branch 
manager  in  Philadelphia,  has  been  in- 
stalled as  president  of  Congregation 
Israel,  Camden,  N.  J. 

• 

Frank    Loftus,    manager    of  the 
American  Theatre,   Pittston,   Pa.,  is 
recuperating  from  an  operation. 
• 

W.  V.  Toney,  head  of  the  mainte- 
nance department  of  Tri- States  Thea- 
tres, Des  Moines,  has  accepted  a  com- 
mission as  lieutenant  in  the  anti-air- 
craft artillery  at  Camp  Wallace,  Tex. 
• 

Peter  Colli,  Warner  Bros,  super- 
visor for  Central  America  and  Peru, 
has  returned  to  Havana  after  a  visit 
here,  and  Armando  Trucios,  man- 
ager for  Panama,  has  returned  to  his 
post. 

• 

William  Saal  arrived  in  Houston 
yesterday  from  Hollywood. 

• 

Ensign  Stephen  L.  Freeland, 
formerly  of  the  20th  Century-Fox  pub- 
licit}'-  department,  visited  here  recent- 

ly. 


Lab  Union  Asks  for 
Wage  Rise  Approval 

Application  was  made  yesterday  to 
the  War  Labor  Board  for  5  and  10  per 
cent  increases  for  about  615  employes 
of  De  Luxe  Laboratories,  Labora- 
tory Technicians  Local  702,  IATSE, 
announced.  Under  the  union's  con- 
tract with  De  Luxe,  the  increases  are 
automatic,  starting  March  10,  it  was 
said.  Local  702  has  also  applied  to 
the  Board  on  a  contract  for  RKO 
laboratory  workers. 

The  union  also  expects  to  submit  a 
request  for  automatic  increases  in  con- 
tracts with  Consolidated  ;  Paramount, 
'Long  Island;  and  H.  E.  R.  labora- 
ties.  He  also  said  that  negotiations 
on  new  contracts  are  expected  to  be- 
gin next  week  with  Pathe,  Warners' 
Ace  and  Paramount  News  laboratories 
and  several  other  units. 


24%  Pay-As-You-Go 
Income  Tax  Asked 

Washington,  Feb.  2. — The  Treas- 
ury Department  today  urged  Con- 
gress to  enact  tax  legislation  to  pro- 
vide a  19  per  cent  withholding  tax 
after  deductions  for  millions  of 
America's  income  tax  payers,  but  op- 
posed the  Ruml  plan  to  skip  one  year 
of  tax  liability  to  make  income  tax 
payments  fully  current.  Added  to  the 
current  5  per  cent  Victory  Tax,  the 
total  Federal  withholding  tax  would 
then  be  24  per  cent  after  deductions. 


^   Heard  Around  - 


ALL  exhibitors  should  be  interested  ...  in  the  controversy  over  the 
efforts  of  the  billposters'  union  of  New  York  City  to  obtain  jurisdiction 
over  theatre  lobby  displays.  The  union's  claims,  which  are  now  before  the 
National  Labor  Relations  Board,  may  have  far-reaching  aspects,  in  view  of 
the  fact  that  out  of  the  country's  17,000  theatres  only  250  theatres  at  present 
employ  billposters.  This  dispute  arose  following  a  decision  by  RKO  and 
Loew's  to  discontinue  billposting  for  their  neighborhood  theatres  in  New  York 
City.  To  protect  its  members  and  at  the  same  time  to  create  more  work, 
the  billposters  entered  a  claim  for  jurisdiction  on  the  hanging  of  lobby  cards 
and  posters  ...  the  hanging  and  posting  of  which  has  customarily  been  the 
duty  of  staff  members  of  the  theatres. 


A  cash  binder  of  $250,000  .  .  .  has  gone  with  that  film  deal  on  the  Eddie 
Rickenbacker  story  .  .  .  and  20th  Century  Fox  is  talking  a  three-picture  deal 
with  Winfield  R.  Sheehan,  but  don't  be  Surprised  should  the  producer  decide 
to  stand  on  his  luck  with  only  one  .  .  .  the  Rkkenbacker  picture  .  .  .  20th 
Century-Fox  Film  Corp.,  by  the  way,  in  the  opinion  of  Wall  Street  experts, 
should  show  net  earnings  of  over  $9,000,000,  for  1942. 


Barney  Balaban's  big  show  for  the  American  Red  Cross,  at  Madison 
Square  Garden,  will  be  held  on  April  5.  Oscar  Doob  will  head  the  pub- 
licity committee,  and  Russell  Downing,  of  the  Radio  City  Music  Hall; 
Walter  Cokell,  of  Paramount;  and  H.  J.  Cleary,  of  Loew's,  will  serve  as 
treasurers.  Jimmy  Petrillo,  AF.  of  M.  chieftain,  and  Dick  Walsh,  I.A.T.S.E. 
head,  will  help  raise  funds. 

•     •  • 

And,  speaking  about  drives  ...  of  all  the  campaigns  which  have  been 
sponsored  by  the  motion  picture  industry  probably  none  has  had  such  direct 
and  wholehearted  approval  from  the  White  House  as  has  the  1943  March  of 
Dimes  campaign  which  begins  Feb.  8.  In  fact  the  request  that  the  drive  be 
held  at  this  time,  on  the  heels  of  the  United  Nations  campaign,  came  direct 
from  the  President  ...  in  that  letter  to  Nicholas  M.  Schenck,  chairman, 
"not  to  deprive  the  crippled  sufferers  of  that  $1,450,000  or  more"  which  the 
industry  raised  last  year  .  .  .  and  probably  will  again  this  year. 


Three  motion  picture  companies  spent  more  than  $100,000  for  advertis- 
ing in  magazines  during  1942,  according  to  a  survey  published  in  the  Feb. 
1  issue  of  Advertising  Age  .  .  .  M-G-M  led  the  list  with  $560,035  and  an 
added  expenditure  of  $68,580,  for  farm  papers,  making  that  company  the 
only  one  listed  among  leading  advertisers  in  farm  papers  as  well  .  .  . 
Warner  Bros,  spent  $247,651,  followed  closely  by  20th  Century-Fox  which 
spent  $243,419  .  .  .  None  of  the  companies  spent  $100,000  for  radio  adver- 
tising, the  survey  showed,  although  Loew's,  Inc.,  expended  $38,755  and 
Paramount,  $14,288  for  radio  time  on  the  Blue  Network. 

•  •  • 

Gradwell  L.  Sears,  Arthur  W.  Kelly  and  Edward  C.  Raftery  arc  in  Cali- 
fornia for  p-urposes  of  discussing  with  United  Artists  stockholders  a  possible 
production  financing  plan  for  the  company  involving  about  $4,500,000.  .  .  . 
Charles  Buckley  and  Charles  Skouras,  National  Theatres  heads,  are  in  New 
York  .  .  .  Joe  Bernhard  writes  friends  that  he  is  very  happy  in  U7ashington. 
.  .  .  Spyros  Skouras,  president  of  20th  Century-Fox,  is  thinking  of  going  to 
Havana  on  business.  .  .  .  William  Ornstein  shortly  joins  the  M-G-M  home 
office  publicity  dept. 

•  •  • 

Spike  that  rumor  (with  apologies  to  the  World-Telegram) — that  cer- 
tain industry  leaders  were  in  Washington,  last  Wednesday,  to  discuss 
the  raw  stock  situation  .  .  .  the  truth  is— that  these  gentlemen,  who  had 
gone  to  the  Capital,  comprised  an  industry  committee,  to  take  up  with 
U.  S.  Treasury  officials  the  question  of  frozen  film  funds  in  England. 

•  •  • 

Last  week  ...  the  N.  Y.  Daily  News  carried  an  editorial  urging  the 
public  to  purchase  fewer  copies  of  the  paper  and  asked  advertisers  to  cut  their 
space  by  10  per  cent  ...  to  save  paper  ...  all  of  which  sounded  big  hearted 
until  advertisers  received  notices  that  contracts  are  cancelled  and  new  agree- 
ments must  be  made  .  .  .  at  a  10  per  cent  increase  in  rate  .  .  .  which  is  how 
the  N.  Y.  Daily  News  will  get  the  same  amount  of  money  for  10  per  cent  less 
space  ...  so,  perhaps  when  space  is  hard  to  get,  it  is  worth  more! 

•  •  • 

Editorial  in  miniature  .  .  .  this  war  is  doing  one  good  thing  for  our 
industry.  Our  business  is  proving  that  those  in  it  can  work  together  if  they 
try  .  .  .  and  if  they  feel  that  they  have  a  common  basis  on  which  to  unite. 
On  behalf  of  the  war  effort,  producers,  distributors,  exhibitors  and  labor  are 
functioning  as  one  team  in  achieving  the  fullest  possible  results  in  the  various 
zvar  drives.  Altogether,  it  sums  up  as  a  grand  public  relations  accomplish- 
ment, and  which  credit  for  the  fine  work  and  the  harmony  zvhich  reigns  can 
be  given  Francis  Harmon,  co-ordinator. 

•  •  • 

Mike  Todd,  producer  of  "Something  for  the  Boys,"  Broadway's  newest 
hit  play,  is  in  California,  talking  things  over  with  20th  Century-Fox  .  .  . 
and  a  good  guess  is  that  this  film  company  will  get  that  piece  for  films. 

— Sam  Shain 


Andrews  Sisters 
TeamsMayUseOwn 
Names,  Judge  Says 


Justice  Bernard  L.  Shientag  in  New 
York  County  Supreme  Court  yester- 
day granted  the  motion  of  "The  An- 
drews Sisters,"  La  Verne,  Maxene 
and  Patty,  Universal  stars,  to^f'  ^iss 
a  slander  conspiracy  actioH^' „ied 
against  them  in  "The  Andrews  Sis- 
ters," Vivian  and  Lillian,  a  dancing 
act. 

At  the  same  time,  the  court  denied 
the  Universal  team,  who  are  singers, 
an  injunction  restraining  the  dancing 
sisters  from  using  the  name,  "The 
Andrews  Sisters." 

In  dismissing  the  conspiracy  com- 
plaint, the  court  held  that  "an  allega- 
tion of  conspiracy  does  not  constitute 
a  cause  of  action  unless  there  is  suffi- 
cient proof  to  substantiate  such  a 
claim." 

Named  as  party  defendants  in  the 
conspiracy  complaint  were  Lou  Levy 
and  the  General  Amusement  Corp., 
agents  for  the  singing  act. 

In  answers  filed  to  both  complaints, 
birth  certificates  were  annexed  indi- 
cating that  a  Vivian  Andrews,  daugh- 
ter of  William  E.  and  Lillian  An- 
drews, was  born  in  the  Bronx  on 
Jan.  31,  1917,  and  that  a  Maxine  An- 
drews, daughter  of  Peter  and  Olga 
Andrews,  was  born  on  Jan.  3,  1916, 
in  Minneapolis. 


Discuss  Raw  Stock 
Export  Cuts  Today 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

to  be  extended  soon  to  foreign  im- 
porters of  the  American  product,  it  is 
reported,  as  a  consequence  of  which 
fewer  prints  will  be  available  in  all 
foreign  markets  in  the  near  future. 

It  is  believed  that  the  conferences 
with  Hopper  today  will  explore  the 
extent  of  the  cuts  to  be  made  in  raw 
stock  exports  and  the  time  for  mak- 
ing them  effective.  In  addition,  it  is 
to  be  expected  that  future  exports  of 
raw  stock  to  neutrals,  such  as  those 
made  recently  to  Spain  and  Argentina, 
may  be  curtailed  as  supplies  to  Allied 
nations  become  more  strained. 


■  MOTION  PICTURE 

■  DAI  LY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN.  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by   Quigley  Publishing  Company 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center 
New  York  City.    Telephone,  Circle  7-3100 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar 
tin  Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,   Secretary;    Sam   Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred    L.    Finestone,    Managing  Editor 
James    A.     Cron,    Advertising  Manager 
Chicago     Bureau,     624     South  Michigan 
Avenue,     Oscar     Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood    Bureau,     Postal    Union  Lifd 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Long 
don  Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan 
Editor;    cable    address    "Quigpubco,  ton 
don."    All    contents   copyrighted    1943  b> 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Oth 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her 
aid.  Better  Theatres,  International  Moti 
Picture   Almanac   and   Fame.  Entered 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  th 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  th 
act  of  March  3,  1879.    Subscription  rate 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for 
eign;  single  copies  10c. 


i  Wednesday,  February  3,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


''Air  Force" 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

able  part  of  the  attraction  it  holds  for  the  public  is  its  ability  to  satisify 
curiosity  concerning  the  technical  as  well  as  the  routine  functions  and 
operations  of  the  Flying  Fortresses,  of  the  air  force  and  of  aerial  war- 
fare. 

"^J  OT  only  does  "Air  Force"  answer  the  questions  in  countless  minds 
concerning  the  mission  and  the  arrival  at  Honolulu  of  the  unarmed 
Fortresses  but  the  camera  follows  the  further  adventures  of  one  of  the 
nine  bombers  in  the  group  from  Honolulu  to  Wake,  to  the  Philippines 
and,  while  en  route  to  Australia,  into  a  devastating  attack  on  a  Jap 
task  force  in  the  Coral  Sea  area. 

It  is  a  splendid  addition  to  the  screen's  best  factual  war  films,  one 
that  Jack  L.  Warner,  Hal  B.  Wallis,  producer,  and  Howard  Hawks, 
director,  may  be  justly  proud  of,  and  which  the  exhibitor,  as  well,  may 
offer  his  patrons  with  pride.  And  the  latter's  rewards  for  so  doing 
appear  destined  to  exceed  his  pride  however,  genuine  it  may  be. 

The  drama  centers  on  the  crew  of  the  "Mary  Ann,"  the  Fortress 
which  continues  southeastward  from  Honolulu.  In  the  crew  are  John 
Ridgely,  Gig  Young,  Arthur  Kennedy,  Charles  Drake,  Harry  Carey, 
George  Tobias,  Ward  Wood,  Ray  Montgomery,  John  Garfield  and 
James  Brown.  Although  many  of  these  and  others  of  the  cast  are  com- 
parative newcomers  all  performances  are  impressively  realistic  and  con- 
vincing. Others  in  the  cast  include  Stanley  Ridges,  Ann  Doran,  Faye 
Emerson,  Dorothy  Peterson,  Willard  Robertson,  Moroni  Olsen,  Edward 
S.  Brophy,  Richard  Lane,  Bill  Crago,  Addison  Richards  and  James 
Flavin. 

THE  Dudley  Nichols  screen  play  is  credited  with  having  been  based 
on  the  log  books  of  the  Fortresses.  Romantic  interest  is  only  a 
minor  phase  of  the  story,  completely  overshadowed  by  the  pride  and 
affection  of  the  members  of  the  crew  in  their  Mary  Ann.  Dramatic 
events  and  the  names  associated  with  them,  Pearl  Harbor,  Wake,  Manila 
and  the  Coral  Sea,  rather  than  individual  players,  are  the  exploitable  fea- 
tures of  the  picture. 

James  Wong  Howe's  photography  and  aerial  photography  by  Elmer 
Dyer  and  Charles  Marshall  are  outstanding.  Special  effects  are  good 
and  technical  work  rates  with  the  best  of  its  kind. 

Running  time,  124  minutes.   "G."*  Sherwin  A.  Kane 


All  of  Salt  Lake  City 
First  Run  Clearance 
Is  Further  Reduced 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

tendant  additional  costs  in  time  and 
money. 

Ruling  for  Interveners 

;=^jSrting  that  that  would  be  con- 

;  tr&'^yo  the  aims  of  arbitration,  the 
appeal  board  treated  the  two  inter- 

:  venors  as  separate  complainants  and 
vruled  in  their  favor,  as  well. 

Ii  In  doing  so,  however,  the  board 
emphasized  that  its  action  in  this  case 

j  "must  not  be  considered  as  an  ap- 

i  proval  of  the  course  followed  by  the 
arbitrator"  at  Salt  Lake  City  who 
had  failed  to  dismiss  the  two  inter- 
veners from  the  proceedings  originally 

j  on  the  grounds  that  their  business 
could  not  be  affected  by  an  award 

(  pertaining  to  the  Bountiful. 

The  clearance  of  the  Centre,  Utah, 

,  Studio,  Paramount  and  Rialto  over 
the  Bountiful  was  set  at  21  days  and 
that  of  the  Capitol  and  Victory  over 
the  Bountiful  at  14  days,  with  the 
Capitol's  clearance  to  be  increased  to 
21  days  in  the  event  of  an  admission 
price  increase  by  it.  Clearance  of 
the  seven  first  runs  over  the  Murray 
was  set  at  a  maximum  of  28  days, 
and  over  the  Southeast  at  35  days. 
Clearance  on  moveovers  from  the 
Centre  or  Utah  to  the  Studio,  where 
the  latter  maintains  the  same  admis- 
sion price  as  the  other  two  and  no 
time  intervenes  between  the  engage- 
ments, is  to  be  reckoned  from  the  clos- 
ing of  the  run  at  the  Studio. 

Beacon  Case  Appealed 

Meanwhile,  an  award  in  the  clear- 
ance case  of  Dutchess  Amusement 
Enterprises,  operator  of  the  Beacon, 
Beacon,  N.  Y.,  has  been  appealed  by 
Netco  Theatres,  operator  of  the  Ritz 
and  Broadway,  Newburgh,  intervenors 
in  the  case. 


O'Connor,  Sanford 
Aid  Catholic  Drive 

(Continued  from  page  1 ) 

Gov.  Alfred  E.  Smith  is  general 
chairman,  solicits  contributions  from 
professional  and  business  leaders 
through  the  special  gifts  committee. 
The  latter  committee  last  year  col- 
lected more  than  $336,000  in  addition 
to  $792,000  raised  by  parish  workers 
it  was  stated. 

New  York  Catholic  Charities  co- 
ordinates the  work  of  182  hospitals, 
child  caring  homes,  day  nurseries  and 
family  relief  and  other  agencies  in 
the  10  counties  of  the  Archdiocese. 

Theatre  Staffs  Face 
Draft  in  New  Rules 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

than  freight  in  production  activities, 
errand  boys,  messenger  and  office 
boys,  ground  keepers,  lavatory  attend- 
ants, and  night  club  managers  and  em- 
ployes will  not  be  deferred,  the  order 
stated. 

Regardless  of  dependents,  McNutt 
added,  men  in  these  positions  will  not 
be  deferred  after  April  1  from  military 
service.  Jobs  in  the  production  branch 
of  the  industry  which  are  considered 
essential  were  listed  by  the  War  Man- 
power Commission  last  month,  and 
include  many  technical  studio  trades. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Shorter  Terms  for 
Browne,  Biof  f  Seen 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

Federal  judges  to  extend  court  terms 
for  various  reasons,  such  as  reducing 
sentences,  in  cases  where  convicted 
defendants  are  "cooperative"  toward 
the  government. 

The  investigation  by  Federal 
authorities  which  resulted  in  the  filing 
of  the  "racketeering  act"  indictments 
against  Browne  and  Bioff  is  still  un- 
der way.  Browne  and  Bioff  are  still 
in  the  Manhattan  Federal  House  of 
Detention,  months  after  their  convic- 
tions, although  the  usual  stay  in_  the 
detention  house,  after  convictions,  is 
about  two  weeks. 

It  is  known  that  Browne  and  Bioff, 
since  their  sentencing,  have  been  will- 
ing to  discuss  with  Federal  authorities 
various  matters  relating  to  the  film 
industry,  and  actually  have  attended 
many  conferences  held  in  the  Federal 
Court  House. 

Meanwhile,  the  trial  of  Louis  Kauf- 
man, business  manager  of  the  Newark, 
N.  J.,  local  of  the  IATSE,  under  a 
similar  extortion  indictment,  is  pend- 
ing in  Federal  Court.  Kaufman  was 
indicted  with  Nick  Circella,  alias  Nick 
Dean,  of  Chicago,  who  was  sentenced 
to  eight  years  imprisonment  when  he 
pleaded  guilty  recently. 

Browne  and  Bioff,  although  not 
named  as  defendants  in  the  Kaufman- 
Circella  indictment,  are  named  as  co- 
conspirators and  may  be  government 
witnesses  at  Kaufman's  trial. 


Company  Heads  Will 
AttendCoastMeeting 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

of  six  are  J.  Robert  Rubin,  Joseph 
Hazen  and  Austin  Keough  from  New 
York,  and  Mendel  Silberberg,  Mau- 
rice Benjamin  and  Herbert  Freston 
from  Hollywood.  The  committee  was 
formed  a  year  ago  and  last  year  held 
two  general  meetings,  both  in  New 
York. 

Among  the  industry  leaders  who 
have  indicated  they  will  attend  the 
meeting  are :  Barney  Balaban,  Spyros 
Skouras,  Will  H.  Hays,  Nate  J. 
Blumberg,  Harry  M.  Warner  and 
Harry  Cohn.  A  number  of  others 
also  will  attend  if  business  affairs 
permit,  it  was  said. 

The  MPPDA  board  approved  a  re- 
quest of  the  industry  War  Activities 
Committee  for  a  supplemental  appro- 
priation of  $5,000  for  operations. 


E.  Mantell,  Bronx 
House  Owner,  Dies 

Edmund  Mantell,  63,  associated  in 
the  operation  of  the  Art,  Tiffany  and 
other  houses  in  the  Bronx,  died  yes- 
terday afternoon  following  a  heart 
attack.  Services  will  be  held  at  2  p.  m. 
today  at  Park  West  Memorial  Chapel, 
79th  St.  and  Columbus  Ave. 

Survivors  include  the  widow,  Anna ; 
two  sons,  Sidney  and  Bert,  and  a 
daughter,  Cynthia. 


Rodgers  Urges 
Joint  Action  on 
War  Problems 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

representatives  to  attend  meetings  at 
which  raw  stock  allocations  are  dis- 
cussed in  order  that  theatre  owners 
may  learn  at  first  hand  of  the  urgency 
of  restrictions  being  placed  on  produc- 
ers and  distributors.  The  only  explan- 
ation of  their  not  being  invited  which 
has  been  given  him,  he  said,  is  that 
WPB  officials  regard  it  as  "imprac- 
tical," the  board's  established  proce- 
dure being  to  apply  its  restrictions  at 
the  source. 

"But  exhibitors  and  distributors  will 
have  to  sit  down  together  soon  to  dis- 
cuss the  many  joint  problems  now 
confronting  them,"  Rodgers  said. 

He  declared  in  this  connection  that 
a  product  shortage  is  inevitable,  if  not 
this  season,  then  next  season. 

"Raw  stock  curtailment,"  he  said, 
"has  gone  beyond  the  point  where  the 
difference  can  be  made  up  by  re- 
ducing the  number  of  prints." 

Rodgers  also  warned  that  the 
problem  of  print  supply  itself 
remains  unsolved.  He  said  he 
knows  of  no  formula  that  can 
be  applied  to  reallocate  the 
fewer  available  prints  among  a 
distributor's  accounts  without 
grave  dislocations  resulting. 
This,  he  said,  is  another  of  the 
urgent  problems  requiring  joint 
discussion  by  distributors  and 
exhibitors. 

Rodgers  reported  at  length  on  new 
product  which  together  with  ranking 
members  of  his  sales  staff,  he  viewed 
recently  at  the  M-G-M  studio,  ex- 
plaining that  he  wants  the  key  men 
in  his  organization  to  see  the  com- 
pany's pictures  well  in  advance  "be- 
cause our  customers  have  a  right  to 
know  whether  they  have  good  pictures 
coming." 

"The  day  is  past,"  he  said,  "when 
you  can  say  a  bad  one  on  the  way  is 
a  good  one." 

Discusses  New  Product 

The  M-G-M  sales  head  described 
"The  Human  Comedy,"  William  Sa- 
royan  story  with  Mickey  Rooney,  as 
"the  best  picture  ever  to  come  out 
of  our  studio." 

"It  will  be  sold  individually,"  he  said, 
"not  to  get  better  terms  but  because 
it  deserves  individual  treatment" 

He  said  the  next  block  will  number 
between  nine  and  twelve,  namely :  "Du 
Barry  Was  a  Lady,"  "The  Youngest 
Profession,"  "Slightly  Dangerous," 
"Presenting  Lily  Mars,"  "Cabin  in 
the  Sky,"  "Assignment  in  Brittany" 
and  "Air  Wardens." 

Fourth  Block  Uncertain 

Whether  or  not  M-G-M  will  release 
another  block  of  pictures  this  season 
following  its  third  block  will  depend 
entirely  upon  the  rate  at  which  those 
in  release  are  absorbed  by  the  market, 
Rodgers  said.  In  other  words,  ex- 
tended holdovers  and  even  print  short- 
ages may  determine  whether  the  com- 
pany will  release  a  fourth  block  during 
the  1942-'43  season.  The  company  has 
released  22  to  date  and  the  third 
block  will  bring  the  total  to  3i  to  34 
for  the  season. 

He  said  that  the  cancellation  right 
granted  by  M-G-M  has  not  been 
abused  and  will  be  continued. 


3  solid  months  at  the  N.  Y. 
Hollywood — then  moves  over 
to  the  Strand  for  more! 
Every  date  a  smashing  holdover! 


6 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Wednesday,  February  3,  1943 


Reviews 


"Squadron  Leader  X" 

(RKO) 

TN  a  reversal  of  the  usual  procedure,  "Squadron  Leader  X"  is  a  Nazi 
aviator  loose  in  England,  and  this  British-made  film  takes  every  op- 
portunity to  unmask  a  Hitlerite  "hero"  and  to  compare  the  uncivilized 
Gestapo  with  Scotland  Yard.  Added  to  the  exploitation  values  of  the 
story,  and  the  interest-holding  plot,  the  film  has  Ann  Dvorak,  familiar  to 
American  audiences,  paired  with  Eric  Portman  in  the  leading  roles. 

There  is  no  lag  in  continuity  or  realism  in  the  Emeric  Pressburger 
story,  which  concerns  the  adventures  of  Portman  as  Erich  Kohler,  a 
Nazi  aviator  made  an  ace  through  propaganda.  In  the  guise  of  an  RAF 
flier,  he  is  sent  to  spread  hate  for  the  British  among  the  Belgians.  In- 
stead, he  is  befriended  by  the  pro-Ally  Belgians  and  in  his  RAF  com- 
mander's uniform  is  smuggled  "back"  to  England.  There  he  finds  Miss 
Dvorak,  as  Barbara  Fenwick,  who  had  been  his  friend  while  he  lived 
in  Britain,  and  blackmails  her  into  aiding  him  escape.  After  terrorizing 
Barbara  and  an  elderly  couple  in  true  Nazi  fashion,  he  is  set  upon  by 
his  own  Gestapo.  He  feels  he  has  escaped  when  he  pirates  an  RAF 
plane  and  aims  for  Germany,  but  planes  of  the  Luftwaffe  interfere  and 
he  crashes  in  flames,  a  victim  of  his  Nazi  comrades. 

Lance  Comfort  directed  with  an  eye  for  naturalness  and  effectiveness. 
Victory  Hanbury  was  the  producer.  Walter  Fitzgerald  and  Barry 
Jones  are  excellent  in  supporting  roles,  and  Martin  Miller,  Beatrice  Var- 
ley  and  Henry  Oscar  do  well  in  smaller  parts.  Wolfgang  Wilhelm  wrote 
the  screenplay.  Background  music  was  provided  by  the  London  Sym- 
phony Orchestra. 

Running  time,  99  minutes.  "G."* 


"Hi  'Fa,  Chum" 

{Universal) 

Hp  HIS  is  a  Ritz  Bros,  comedy  that  should  keep  the  customers  laughing 
-*•  plenty.  The  gags  come  fast  from  the  Ritzes  and  others  in  the  cast. 
It's  a  picture  that  will  please  more  than  the  Ritz  Bros,  fans,  and  they 
should  get  plenty  of  new  fans  with  this  one. 

The  story  in  brief  is  this :  The  Ritzes,  Jane  Frazee  and  June  Clyde 
set  out  for  Hollywood  in  a  Model  T  Ford  after  leaving  their  dancing 
jobs.  The  car  breaks  down  in  a  small  California  town,  and  the  Ritz  boys 
try  to  get  a  meal  without  paying  for  it  at  a  restaurant.  Things  happen 
fast  at  the  restaurant  and  before  the  Ritzes  know  it  they've  been  hired 
as  chefs  for  the  spot  by  the  local  war  workers.  Frazee  and  Clyde  come 
in  as  restaurant  help. 

Richard  Davies  and  Robert  Paige  are  the  leaders  of  the  war  workers. 
The  restaurant  does  a  good  business  until  another  restaurant  operated 
by  Edmund  MacDonald  and  his  pals  starts  operating.  Clyde  leaves  for 
the  MacDonald  spot.  The  Ritz  Bros.,  Paige,  and  Frazee  finally  straight- 
en out  the  mess.  Clyde  comes  back  to  their  spot,  and  everybody  is 
happy.  In  the  final  scene,  Paige  releases  some  "laughing  gas"  which 
makes  the  MacDonald  gang  start  laughing.  This  final  scene  is  hilari- 
ous and  is  the  highspot  of  this  fast-moving  comedy. 

Running  time,  61  minutes.  "G."* 


'Harvest'  Picks 


Up  $40,000  in 
Chicago  Boom 


Chicago,  Feb.  2.— Mammoth  week- 
end crowds  in  Chicago's  Loop 
brought  a  box-office  bonaza,  with 
holdouts  the  rule  nearly  all  day  Sun- 
day. Twin  first  runs  of  "Random 
Harvest"  at  the  Apollo  and  United 
Artists  are  expected  to  finish  the 
week  with  an  estimated  $40,000,  be- 
ing practically  at  capacity  most  of 
the  time.  "Arabian  Nights"  followed 
a  record  opening  week  at  the  Palace 
with  $26,000  expected. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  4: 

"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox)  1  day,  3rd  week 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (20th-Fox)  1  day, 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M)  6  days 

APOLLO— (1,400)  (36c-55c-65c-75c).  Gross: 
$18,000.    (Average,  $8,500) 
"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.) 

CHICAGO— (4,000)    (36c-55c-75c)    7  days. 
Stage:   Griff  Williams  Orchestra.  Gross: 
550,000.    (Average,  $48,000) 
"Flying  Fortress"  (W.  B.) 
"Manila  Calling"  (2»th-Fox) 

GARRICK — (1,000)      (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"London  Blackout  Murders"  (Rep.) 

ORIENTAL  —  (3,200)  (27c-31c-50c-59c) 
7    days.     Stage:    Chico   Marx  Orchestra. 
Gross:  $24,000.    (Average,  $22,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

ROOSEVELT— (1,500)    (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days,  3rd  week  at  popular  prices.  Gross: 
$15,000.    (Average,  $16,000) 
"Black  Swan"  (20th- Fox) 

STATE  -  LAKE— (2,700)  (36c-  55c  -  65c  -  75c) 
7  days.  Gross:  $22,000.  (Average  $19,700) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"   (M-G-M)   1  day, 

3rd  week 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M)  6  days 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,700)  (36c-55c-65c- 
75c).    Gross:  $22,000.    (Average,  $15,500) 


'Sergeant'  Sets  New 
K.C.  House  Records 


Kansas  City,  Feb.  2. — "Immortal 
Sergeant"  was  the  week's  bell  ringer 
here,  with  an  anticipated  gross  of 
about  $18,000  at  two  houses.  The  at- 
traction reportedly  broke  single-day 
house  records  at  the  Uptown  on  Sun- 
day and  reached  or  exceeded  the  re- 
cord at  the  downtown  Esquire.  All 
films  did  well  including  holdovers. 
The  weather  was  mild  and  sunny. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  2-4 : 

"Immortal  Sergeant"  (ZOth-Fox) 

ESQUIRE— (800)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$8,750.     (Average,  $3,500) 
"The  Crystal  Ball"  (U.A.) 
"City  Without  Men"  (Col.) 

MIDLAND— (3,600)     (35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $10,000) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.B. 

NEWMAN— (1,900)   (30c-50c)  7  days,  3rd 
week.    Gross:  $8,500.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 
"Seven  Miles  from  Alcatraz"  (RKO) 

ORPHEUM— (1,900)  (35c-50c)  6  days,  2nd 
week.  Gross:  $7,000.  (Average,  6  days, 
$6,000) 

"The  Daring  Young  Man"  (Col.) 

TOWER— (2,200)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Stage: 
Rosila  Royce,  others.  Gross:  $10,000.  (Av- 
erage, $7,500) 

"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th-Fox) 

UPTOWN— (2,000)  (35c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:    $10,000.     (Average,  $5,000) 


Harry  Braun  in  Navy 

Harry  Braun,  director  of  sound 
operation  at  the  Radio  City  Music 
Hall,  has  been  made  a  Lieutenant  in 
the  Navy,  and  leaves  for  duty  in 
Washington,  it  was  announced.  Vin- 
cent J.  Gilcher  will  succeed  Braun. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Col.  Managers  to 
Discuss  Problems 


Chicago,  Feb.  2. — Columbia's  East- 
ern branch  managers  will  meet  with 
home  office  officials  in  New  York  at 
a  date  to  be  set  in  the  near  future 
to  discuss  emergency  problems  affect- 
ing next  season's  distribution  opera- 
tions, Abe  Montague,  vice-president 
and  general  manager,  stated  here  to- 
day at  the  close  of  the  company's 
three-day  meeting  for  Midwestern 
managers. 

The  meetings  are  designed  to  de- 
velop plans  for  coping  with  reduced 
print  supplies,  manpower  shortages, 
gasoline  rationing  and  other  wartime 
problems  affecting  distribution. 

Columbia  will  attempt  a  new  dis- 
tributing system  to  assure  subsequent 
runs  better  coverage,  Montague  an- 
nounced. 


'Something  For  Boys' 
Sued  by  Air  Show 

Alleging  copyright  infringement,  the 
producers  of  the  radio  program,  "The 
Court  of  Missing  Heirs,"  yesterday 
filed  suit  in  Federal  Court  to  enjoin 
the  owners,  producer,  authors,  and 
stars  of  the  musical  comedy  hit, 
"Something  for  the  Boys."  The 
plaintiffs,  James  F.  Waters  and  Alfred 
Schebel,  also  ask  an  accounting  of 
profits  and  damages. 

Named  as  defendants  are  20th 
Century-Fox  Film  Corp.  and  Michael 
Todd,  as  owners ;  Michael  Todd,  as 
producer;  Herbert  and  Dorothy 
Fields,  as  authors,  and  Ethel  Mer- 
man, Allen  Jenkins,  Jed  Prouty  and 
Paula  Laurence,  as  stars. 
_  The  complaint  alleges  that  the  mu- 
sical is  based  upon  and  purports  to 
portray  the  investigation  and  discov- 
ery of  missing  heirs  by  "The  Court  of 
Missing  Heirs." 


San  Francisco 


Gives 'Rhythm' 
Big  $24,000 


San    Francisco,    Feb.    2. — "Star 
Spangled  Rhythm"  was  the  leading 
grosser  here,  taking  $24,000  in  a  big 
week  at  the  Fox.    "Cat  People" 
a  vaudeville  show  at  the  Golden  ' 
produced  a  healthy  $23,500. 

Estimated   receipts    for    the  week 
ending  Jan.  26-28: 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 

GOLDEN  GATE-K2,850)    (44c-55c-65c)  7 
days.     Stage:   Vaudeville.     Gross:  $23,500. 
(Average,  $19,500) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Behind  the  8  Ball"  (Univ.) 

ORPHEUM^-(2,440)  (20c-35c-5Oc-65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $13,000.  (Average, 
$10,500) 

"Flying  Fortress"  (W.  B.) 
"Eyes  in  the  Night"  (M-G-M) 

PARAM MOUNT— (2,740)  (20c-35c-50c-65c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $13,500.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"I  Live  on  Danger"  (Para.) 

WARFIELD— (2,680)  (2Oc-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

FOX— (5,000)     (20c-35c-50c-65c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $24,000.    (Average,  $18,000) 
"China  Girl"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (ZOth-Fox) 

ST.  FRANCIS— (1,400)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week  (Moved  over  from  Fox). 
Gross:  $6,000.     (Average,  $6,500) 
"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.  A.) 
"American  Empire"  (U.  A.) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,200)  (20c-35c-50c- 
65c)    7   days,    2nd    week.     Gross:  $9,500. 
(Average,  $8,000) 
"The  Living  Corpse"  (Foreign) 

CLAY— (400)  (15c-35c-45c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$1,100.    (Average,  $1,000) 


'Pride'  Bats  Out  Big 
$16,500  in  Toronto 


Toronto,  Feb.  2. — "The  Pride  of 
the  Yankees"  was  expected  to  finish 
the  week's  innings  with  a  very  big 
$16,500  at  the  Imperial,  while  the 
score  for  the  third  week  of  "Now, 
Voyager"  at  Shea's  looked  like  $11,- 
000,  the  figure  being  equal  to  the 
second  week's.  Loew's  double  bill 
headed  by  "Reunion  in  France"  was 
also  strong  with  $13,000  in  sight. 
"Pittsburgh"  and  a  second  feature  at 
the  Uptown  was  good  for  an  estimated 
$9,500. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  4 : 

"Time  to  Kill''  (20th-Fox) 
"The  Goose  Steps  Out"  (British) 

EGLINTON— (1,086)     (18c-30c-48c-60c)  6 
days.     Gross:  $3,800.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"The  Pride  of  the  Yankees"  (RKO) 

IMPERIAL— (3,373)  (16c-30c-42c-60c-90c) 
6  days.    Gross:  $16,500.    (Average,  $10,500) 
"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 
"Dr.  Gillespie's  New  Assistant"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S— (2,074)     (18c-30c-42c-60c-78c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $13,000.     (Average,  $10,000) 
"Now,  Voyager"  (W.  B.) 

SHEA'S*— (2,480)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average. 
$11,000) 

"The  Great  Impersonation"  (Univ.) 
"Orchestra  Wives"  (20th-Fox) 

TIVOLI— (1,434)     (18c-30c-48c)     6  days. 
("Orchestra    Wives"   moveover).  Gross: 
$4,500.     (Average,  $4,200) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.) 

UPTOWN— (2,761)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $9,500.    (Average,  $9,500) 


Prisoner  in  Africa 

Rochester,  Feb.  2. — Sergt.  Daniel 
Cole,  formerly  at  Eastman  Kodak  Co. 
here,  is  being  held  a  prisoner  of  the 
.enemy  in  Africa,  it  is  reported. 


Wednesday,  February  3,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


7 


Off  the  Antenna 


AN  international  exchange  series  of  13  programs  will  be  launched  from 
London  on  Sunday  by  CBS  and  the  BBC.  Titled  "Transatlantic  Call: 
People  to  People,"  the  programs  will  alternate  each  Sunday  at  noon  between 
Hollywood  and  London,  with  Ronald  Colman  as  narrator  and  Bob  Trout,  CBS 
correspondent,  taking  over  the  narrating  job  in  Britain.  Norman  Corwin  will 
write,  produce  and  direct  the  American  programs,  while  Geoffrey  Bridson 
will  produce  and  direct  the  British  programs  under  the  guidance  of  Laurence 
Gilliam,  program  supervisor  of  the  series  for  the  BBC,  now  in  New  York. 

•  •  • 

Purely1  Personal:  Edgar  Kobak,  executive  vice-president  of  the  Blue,  h-as 
been  elected  a  trustee  of  the  Engineers  Club  of  New  York.  .  .  .  Milton  Chase, 
WSAI,  Cincinnati  newscaster ,  is  continuing  his  work  despite  a  broken  leg 
suffered  when  he  slipped  on  the  ice.  .  .  .  Kenneth  R.  Cooke,  chief  engineer  of 
WGBI,  Scranton,  Pa.,  and  Catherine  Gallagher  were  married  in  Scranton. 
.  .  .  Fred  Hoxsie  of  the  WICC ,  New  Haven,  engineering  department,  is  the 
father  of  a  girl  bom  at  New  Haven  Hospital.  .  .  .  Jeanne  Doyle,  daughter  of 
J.  E.  Doyle,  W ABC  publicity  director,  joined  the  SPARS  on  her  20th  birth- 
day. .  .  .  James  Leonard,  WLW,  Cincinnati,  announcer,  h-as  flown  to  Wash- 
ington to  be  with  his  mother  who  is  ill.  .  .  .  Hugh  Feltis  of  Blue  station 
relations  is  the  father  of  a  second  daughter,  Barbara  Lea,  born  at  Doctor's 
Hospital. 

•  •  • 

WOR  announced  that  its  sales  in  the  final  week  of  January  sent  the 
business  volume  for  the  quarter  ending  Jan.  31,  1943,  up  20  per  cent  over 
the  corresponding  period  last  year.  Four  new  accounts  and  four  renewals 
were  signed  during  that  week,  the  station  said. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  "This  Is  The  Army"  will  have  its  radio  premiere  on 
Washington's  Birthday,  Feb.  22,  on  the  "Lux  Radio  Theatre"  over  CBS.  .  .  . 
The  "1943  Parade  of  Stars"  will  be  presented  over  WEAF  and  other  NBC 
stations  from  Friday  through  Feb.  19  twice  weekly  and  will  include  vignettes 
of  the  best  web  broadcasts.  .  .  .  Paulette  Goddard,  Dorothy  Lamour  and 
Veronica  Lake  are  scheduled  to  appear  on  Bob  Hope's  program  Tuesday.  .  .  . 
The  annual  "Make  Believe  Ballroom"  birthday  party  has  been  cancelled  for 
this  year,  according  to  WNEW,  since  Martin  Block,  its  conductor,  concen- 
trated his  efforts  on  the  President's  Birthday  Ball.  .  .  .  Eighty  Brazilian  radio 
stations  will  carry  Mutual's  "Double  or  Nothing"  on  Friday,  when  the  pro- 
gram will  be  dedicated  to  that  country  and  Rio's  carnival.  .  .  .  Ronald  Col- 
man will  be  the  first  guest  star  on  the  Lockheed- Vega  CBS  broadcast  on 
Monday  following   Orson   Welles'   withdrawal   from   the  show. 


'Casablanca'  News 


Helps  Pittsb'gh  Run; 
'Shadow'  Also  Good 


Pittsburgh,  Feb.  2. — With  the 
Casablanca  headlines  booming  box- 
office  potency  of  the  picture  of  the 
same  name,  it  went  even  beyond  orig- 
— ^.estimates  at  the  Perm  (grossing  a 
\^6rted  $24,000  instead  of  the  esti- 
mator $21,000)  and  was  held  for  a 
second  week  which  brought  in  an 
estimated  $16,000.  "Shadow  of  a 
Doubt"  got  off  to  a  good  $10,200  start 
at  the  Fulton,  but  otherwise  down- 
town business  was  just  fair. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  2-4: 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

FULTON— (1,700)    (30c-40c-5Sc)    7  days. 
Gross:  $10,200.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"The  War  Against  Mrs.  Hadley"  (M-G-M) 

HARRIS— (2,200)     (30c-40c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $7,200.    (Average,  $9,200) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

PENN— (3,400)   (30c-40c-55c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.     Gross:  $16,000.     (Average,  $17,000) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

RITZ— (1,100)    (30c-40c-55c)    7    days,  3rd 
week   (moveover  from  Perm  via  Warner). 
Gross:  $2,500.     (Average,  $2,600) 
"The  Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

SENATOR— (1,750)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
5th  week  (moveover  after  two  weeks  at 
Harris).  Gross:  $2,500.  (Average,  $3,400) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 

STANLEY  —   (3,200)  (30c-44c-55c-65c) 
Stage:    6    days    of    vaudeville,  including 
Jimmy  Lunceford's  band.      Gross:  $19,000. 
(Average,  $20,000) 
"Silver  Queen"  (U.  A.) 
"Dr.  Gillespie's  New  Assistant"  (M-G-M) 

WARNER— (2,000)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $4,000.    (Average,  $6,500) 


'Flame'  Strong  with 
$16,500,  Cincinnati 


Cincinnati,  Feb.  2. — "Keeper  of 
the  Flame"  should  do  about  $16,500 
at  the  RKO  Albee,  while  'Hitler's 
Children"  will  pull  an  estimated  $6,- 
000  on  its  third  moveover  week  at  the 
RKO  Shubert.  "Casablanca"  is  good 
for  an  expected  $8,000  second  down- 
town week  at  the  RKO  Grand,  and 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  will  end 
up  with  about  $7,000  at  Keith's,  after 
a  big  first  week  at  the  RKO  Palace. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  3-6: 

"Keeper  of  the  Flame"  (M-G-M) 

RKO  ALBEE— (3,300)  (33c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $16,500.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 

RKO    PALACE— (2,700)    (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $12,000.     (Average,  $14,000) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

RKO  SHUBERT— (2,150)  (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $6,000.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

RKO  CAPITOL— (2.000)  (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  6th  week.  Gross:  $4,500.  (Average, 
$5,500) 

"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

RKO  GRAND— (1,500)  (33c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,000.  (Average. 
$5,000) 

"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

RKO  LYRIC— (1,400)  (28c-33c-42c)  7  days. 
6th  week.    Gross:  $3,500.    (Average,  $4,000) 
"Seven  Miles  from  Alcatraz"  (RKO) 
"Boss  of  Big  Town"  (PRC) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)  (20c-30c)  4  days. 
Gross:  $1,300.     (Average,  $1,400) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (20th-Fox) 
"Lucky  Legs"  (Col.) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)   (20c-30c)  3  days. 
Gross:  $900.    (Average,  $800) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 

KEITH'S— K1.50O)  (33c-40c-50c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $7,000.  (Average,  $5,- 
000) 


'Lucky  Legs,'  'Ball' 
$9,000  in  Indpl's 

Indianapolis,  Feb.  2. — "Over  My 
Dead  Body,"  supported  by  Charlie 
Barnet  and  his  orchestra,  appeared 
headed  for  a  $14,000  week  at  the 
Circle  to  top  box-office  receipts.  At 
the  Indiana,  "The  Palm  Beach  Story" 
and  "Wrecking  Crew"  was  doing  an 
average  $10,000  business.  Loew's, 
with  "Lucky  Legs"  and  "The  Crystal 
Ball,"  was  leading  to  a  healthy  $9,000 
gross. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  2-4 : 

"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (20th-Fox) 

CIRCLE— (2,800)     (33c-44c-55c)     7  days. 
Charlie  Barnet  and  orchestra.    Gross:  $14.- 
000.    (Average,  $15,000  for  film-stage) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

INDIANA--(3,000)    (28c-33c-44c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $10,000.     (Average,  $10,000) 
"Lucky  Legs"  (Col.) 
"The  Crystal  Ball"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S — (2,800)     (28c-33c-44c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $9,000.     (Average,  $8,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.) 

LYRIC— (2,000)  (28c-33c-44c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $4,000.     (Average,  $4,500) 

Dietrich  Tax  Claim 
Under  Advisement 

Los  Angeles,  Feb.  2.  —  Federal 
Judge  Campbell  Beaumont  today  has 
under  advisement  Marlene  Dietrich's 
suit  against  the  Treasury  Department 
for  return  of  $60,000  income  taxes 
which  she  paid  under  protest  for 
1936-7.  The  actress  charged  that  earn- 
ings during  that  period  were  com- 
munity property  of  herself  and  her 
husband,  Rudolph  Seiber,  although  the 
government  contends  that  Seiber  was 
in  Europe  at  the  time. 


'Cargo'  and  'Cairo' 
Omaha  Top,  $8,700 

Omaha,  Feb.  2. — "White  Cargo" 
and  "Cairo"  were  a  strong  double  bill 
at  the  Omaha,  taking  an  expected 
$8,700.  "Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn" 
and  "One  Thrilling  Night"  completed 
two  good  weeks  at  the  Brandeis. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  3-4 : 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"One  ThrUlinig  Night"  (Mono.) 

BRANDEIS^(1,200)  (30c-35c-44c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross :  $4,700.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 
"Cairo"  (M-G-M) 

OMAHA— (2,000)     (30c-35c-50c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $8,700.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"Invisible  Agent"  (Univ.) 

ORPHEUM— (3,000)  (40c-55c)  7  days. 
Stage:  Four  Ink  Spots,  Lucky  Millinder 
orchestra.  Gross:  $16,200.  (Average,  $14,- 
500) 

Propose  Ind.  Levy 
To  Aid  Orchestra 

Indianapolis,  Feb.  2. — A  city  tax 
levy  to  raise  approximately  $50,000 
yearly  to  support  the  Indianapolis 
Symphony  Orchestra  is  proposed  in 
a  bill  introduced  in  the  Indiana  House 
of  Representatives.  The  measure 
would  require  the  orchestra  to  provide 
concerts  for  public  schools  and  low- 
cost  concerts  for  the  city. 


Hartford  New  Seattle 
Mg'r  for  20th-Fox 

Anthony  W.  Hartford  has  been 
promoted  from  salesman  to  manager 
of  the  20th  Century-Fox  Seattle 
branch  succeeding  Herndon  Edmond, 
who  has  been  transferred  to  the  home 
office  distribution  department,  it  was 
announced. 


'Harvest'Reaps 
$28,500  for 
Phila.  Leader 


Philadelphia,  Feb.  2. — In  face  of 
snow  and  slush  that  crippled  trans- 
portation, downtown  houses  fared 
well  over  the  weekend,  rolling  up  im- 
pressive grosses.  "Random  Harvest" 
reported  the  heaviest  business,  head- 
ing for  $28,500  at  the  Boyd  with  an 
additional  $5,500  already  in  for  the 
twin  Sunday  showing  at  the  Earle. 
"China  Girl"  also  got  away  big  at 
the  Fox  with  $23,000  in  sight.  Among 
the  holdovers,  "Casablanca"  holds 
strong  at  the  Mastbaum  with  $24,000 
reckoned  for  a  third  week  and  "Road 
To  Morocco"  leading  to  $12,800  for  a 
fifth  week  at  the  Stanley. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  2-5  : 

"Bambi"  (RKO) 

ALDINE — (900)      (35c-41c-46c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $13,000.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Life  Begins  at  Eight- Thirty"  (20th-Fox) 

ARCADIA — (600)  (35c-46c-57c-68c)  7  days, 
2nd  run.  Gross:  $3,500.  (Average,  $2,- 
800) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

BOYD— (3,000)    (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $28,500.     (Average,  $14,000) 
"A  Night  To  Remember"  (Col.)  (6  days) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M)  (1  day) 

EARLE — (3,000)  (46c-57c-75c)  stage:  6 
days  of  vaudeville  including  Jan  Savitt's  or- 
chestra, Joe  Martin,  Betty  Bonney,  Nicho- 
las Brothers,  Rufe  Davis.  Gross:  $27,000 
(Average,  $18,000) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

FAY'S— (2,190)  (29c-35c-46c-57c)  Stage:  7 
days  of  vaudeville  including  Doc  Wheeler 
and  the  Sunset  Royal  Orchestra,  Orlando 
Robeson,  John  Mason  &  Co.  Gross:  $6,000. 
("Average,  $6,000) 
"China  Girl"  (2»th-Fox) 

FOX—  (3,000)     (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $23,000.     (Average,  $14,000) 
"The  Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 

KARLTON — (1,000)  (35c-41c.46c_57c.68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $3,500.  (Aver- 
age, $3,500) 

"The  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 

KEITH'S— (2,200)  (35c  -41c  -46c  -  57c  -68c  -75c) 
7  days.  2nd  run.  Gross:  $5,800.  (Average. 
$4,500) 

"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

MASTBAUM— (4,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  3rd  week.     Gross:  $24,000. 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

STANLEY—  (3,700)  (3Sc-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)   7  days,   fifth   week.      Gross:  $12,800. 
(Average,  $14,0CO) 
"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 

STANTON— (1,700)  (35c-41c-46c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $6,800.  (Average, 
$6,500) 

Scully  in  Next  Week; 
Division  Men  Travel 

William  A.  Scully,  Universal  vice- 
president  and  general  sales  manager, 
is  expected  here  from  the  Coast  early 
next  week. 

E.  T.  Gomersall,  Universal  western 
division  manager  has  left  for  Detroit 
and  Chicago.  Fred  Myers,  Eastern 
division  head,  has  left  for  Pittsburgh, 
Buffalo  and  Cleveland. 


Stars  to  Take  Part 
In  Red  Cross  Rallies 

Hollywood,  Feb.  2.— Film 
stars  will  aid  in  the  $125,- 
000,000  American  Red  Cross 
fund  drive  by  appearing  at 
large  rallies  in  about  60  cities 
throughout  the  country,  the 
Hollywood  Victory  Committee 
announced.  The  program  calls 
for  sending  four  units  of  play- 
ers on  tour  from  Feb.  24  to 
March  7. 


First  the  Loew  Circuit  all  over  the  country  re- 
ported sizzling  business.  Now  Robb  &  Rowley 
wire  "All  musical  records  topped  at  the 
CENTRE,  CORPUS  CHRISTI,  TEXAS  and  the 
CAPITOL,  LITTLE  ROCK,  ARKANSAS!" 

( It  tops  records  because  its  tops.., with  the  screen  s 
most  beautiful  girls  — with  Dennis  Day,  singing 
star  of  Jack  Benny's  radio  program  — with  Benny 
Goodman  s  music.  All  this,  PLUS  a  grand,  youthfid 
clever  story  as  smooth  as  The  Powers  Girl  herself! ) 


Alert, 


tion 


Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


FILE  COPY 

r  REMOVE 


First  in 


Accu 
and 

Impartial 


*^J53.  NO. 


24 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  THURSDAY,  FEBRUARY  4,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


SAG  to  Seek 
Wage  Rise  for 


Hollywood  Welcomes  Kann 
To  Coast  with  Luncheon 


Gov't  Restricts 
Raw  Stock  for 
Factual  Films 


Film  Extras 


To  Reopen  Negotiations 
on  Living  Cost  Basis 

^  Hollywood,  Feb.  3. — Negotia- 
tions between  the  Screen  Actors 
Guild  and  producers  for  an  increase 
in  the  scale  of  wages  paid  extras 
will  be  resumed  Monday  on  the 
premise  that  the  increased  cost  of 
living  warrants  reopening  of  the 
issue  which  was  placed  in  abeyance 
on  the  receipt  of  the  wage  stabiliza- 
tion directive  last  Fall,  it  was  an- 
nounced today. 

The  annual  report  of  Central 
Casting  Bureau  last  week 
showed  that  the  average  daily 
wage  paid  extras  in  1942  was 
$11.78,  compared  with  $11.50  a 
day  in  1941. 

The     average     weekly  paycheck 
among  wage  earners  in  the  film  in- 
(Continued  on  page  5) 


Gary  Case  Closed 
Without  Testimony 


Chicago,  Feb.  3. — Acting  on  his  be- 
lief that  arbitration  should  provide  "a 
speedy,  just  and  economical  determina- 
tion" of  a  dispute,  Benjamin  Wham, 
arbitrator  at  the  local  tribunal,  closed 
the  clearance  case  of  the  Gary  Thea- 
tre Co.  today  without  taking  testi- 
mony- He  told  participants  in  the  case 
that  he  would  make  an  award  on  the 
basis  of  statements  by  counsel,  admis- 
sions of  parties  and  answers  to  ques- 
tions put  by  himself. 

Wham's  questions  were  directed  pri- 

(Continued  on  page  5) 


Nazis  Shut  Theatres 
To  Mourn  Stalingrad 

A  German  broadcast,  re- 
corded by  CBS  in  New  York 
yesterday,  said  that  all  mo- 
tion picture  houses,  theatres, 
vaudeville  houses  and  similar 
entertainment  places  are  to 
be  closed  immediately  until 
Sunday  at  the  order  of  Joseph 
Goebbels,  German  Minister 
for  Peoples'  Enlightenment 
and  Propaganda.  The  broad- 
cast said  that  the  closing  was 
in  mourning  for  the  loss  of 
Stalingrad. 


Pay  Rises  Approved 
For  RKO  Exchanges 


War  Labor  Board  approval  has 
been  granted  for  wage  increases  up 
to  IS  per  cent  to  about  350  front  of- 
fice workers  in  RKO  exchanges 
throughout  the  country,  the  IATSE 
announced  yesterday. 

Some  of  the  increases  are  retro- 
active to  Sept.  9,  when  the  IATSE 
and  RKO  signed  a  contract  on  a  na- 
tional basis  providing  for  a  flat  15 
per  cent  increase  for  front  office 
employes  who  had  been  without  pay 
rises  since  Jan.  1,  1941,  and  up  to 
that  amount  for  others.  The  retro- 
active clause  depends  on  the  time  of 
formation  of  the  local  union. 


Nattily  attired  in  flaming  crimson 
robes,  trimmed  with  the  finest  imita- 
tion ermine,  Bud  Abbott  and  Lou 
Costello  were  crowned,  or  nearly 
crowned,  No.  1  box-office  champions 
by  Mayor  LaGuardia  at  a  luncheon 
tendered  the  comedy  team  by  Univer- 
sal at  the  Waldorf-Astoria  yesterday. 

Costello,  insisting  that  Mayor  La- 
Guardia had  made  a  funnier  speech 
than  his,  declined  the  crown  and  en- 
deavored to  present  it  to  the  mayor. 

The  luncheon,  attended  by  several 
hundred  members  of  the  industry  and 
press  representatives,  was  given  in 
recognition  of  the  Abbott-Costello 
designation  as  1942  box-office  cham- 


Hollywood,  Feb.  3.  —  Maurice 
(Red)  Kann,  now  rounding  out  the 
first  week  as  vice-president  of  Quig- 
ley  Publications  in  charge  of  Holly- 
wood operations,  was  guest  of  honor 
at  a  luncheon  here  today  at  the  Bev- 
erly Wilshire  Hotel. 

The  Industry  Service  Bureau  was 
host  and  present  were  some  of  Holly- 
wood's most  important  executives. 
The  luncheon  was  designed  to  wel- 
come  Kann  formally  to  Hollywood. 

Only  two  speeches  were  made. 
Perry  Lieber,  RKO  studio  publicity 
director  and  chairman  of  the  Industry 
Service  Bureau,  delivered  the  intro- 
duction, which  Kann  acknowledged. 

Lieber  described  Kann  as  an  "in- 
dustry institution,"  predicted  his  suc- 
(Continued  on  page  5) 

CoL  Plans  Revision 
Of  Print  Allocations 

Chicago,  Feb.  3. — Initial  plans  for 
reallocation  of  available  prints  to 
avoid  placing  all  of  the  burden  o 
the  shortages  on  smaller  theatres  arc 
being  worked  out  by  Columbia's  sales 
force  jointly  and  will  be  perfected 
after  further  suggestions  have  been 
received  from  other  members  of  the 
sales  staff  at  meetings  to  be  held  in 
the  near  future,  Abe  Montague. 
Columbia  vice-president  and  general 
sales  manager,  said  at  the  conclusion 
of  the  company's  three-day  sales 
meeting  here  today. 

Montague  indicated  that  the  com- 
pany will  set  up  a  new  system  of  prim 

(Continued  on  page  5) 


pions  by  the  exhibitors  of  America  in 
the  annual  Motion  Picture  Herald- 
Fame  poll.  Tributes  were  paid  the 
comedians  by  the  mayor,  J.  Cheever 
Cowdin,  Universal  board  chairman, 
and  Charles  D.  Prutzman,  Universal 
vice-president  and  general  counsel,  not 
only  for  their  box-office  potency  but 
for  their  work  in  entertaining  service 
men  and  in  selling  more  than  $100,- 
000,000  of  war  bonds,  as  well. 

Laughter,  said  Mayor  LaGuardia,  i- 
one  of  the  wartime  requisites  of  Amer- 
icans, whether  at  home  or  on  the 
fighting  fronts,  and  one  of  America'^ 
most  prolific  sources  of  mirth  supply 
(Continued  on  page  5) 


Specific  Authorization  for 
35mm.  Film  Needed 


Washington,  Feb.  3. — Film  pro- 
ducers were  warned  today  by  the 
War  Production  Board  that  they 
must  not  use  35mm.  film  for  fac- 
tual motion  pictures  unless  speci- 
fically authorized  under  the  provi- 
sions of  the  film  limitation  order 
L-178. 

"Any  belief  that  film  in  in- 
ventory or  approved  for  trans- 
fer for  making  factual  pictures 
prior  to  Jan.  1  can  be  used  now 
without  authorization  is  a  seri- 
ous   misinterpretation    of  the 
order,"  it  was  declared  by  Har- 
old C.  Hopper,  chief  of  the  mo- 
tion picture  branch. 
'Any  exposure  of  35mm.  film  for 
a  factual  picture  without  our  specific 
authorization,  even  if  the  film  was  in 
inventory  before  Jan.  1  or  had  been 
approved  for  transfer  before  that  date, 
is  a  violation  of  the  law." 

Hopper  pointed  out  that  under  the 
order  the  Director  General  for  Op- 
erations who  is  to  issue  the  author- 
izations for  factual  pictures  is  not  to 
allot  more  than  44,300,000  feet  of 
35mm.  film  for  that  purpose  during 
the  six  months  ending  with  June. 


Mayor  LaGuardia  Bestows 
Crown  on  Abbott  Costello 


By  SHERWIN  A.  KANE 


Raw  Stock  Export 
Weighed  in  Capital 


Washington,  Feb.  3. — John  W. 
Hicks,  Paramount  vice-president  and 
foreign  department  head,  and  Joseph 
A.  McConville,  Columbia  vice-presi- 
dent and  foreign  manager,  conferred 
here  today  with  Harold  Hopper,  head 
of  the  motion  picture  division  of  the 
War  Production  Board,  on  the  gen- 
eral raw  stock  supply  situation  for 
the  export  markets. 

Although    WPB     spokesmen  de- 

(Continued  on  page  5) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "The  McGuerins 
From  Brooklyn,"  "Under- 
ground Agent"  and  "Two 
Weeks  to  Live,"  Page  4.  Key 
city  box-office  reports,  Pages 
4  and  5.  Off  the  Antenna, 
Page  5. 


I A  Says  It  Has  No 
Manpower  Problem 

With  many  projectionists 
and  stagehands  over  the 
selective  service  age  and  the 
employment  of  women  in  film 
laboratories,  no  "manpower 
problem"  exists  in  the  ranks 
of  the  IATSE,  an  official  of 
the  union  said  yesterday.  The 
union  has  been  able  to  supply 
sufficient  employes  in  these 
categories  despite  the  ap- 
proximately 3,200  IATSE 
members  in  the  service,  it 
was  said. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  February  4,  1943 


Personal  Mention 


Newsreel 


Shorts  Are  Judged 
In  Academy  Awards 

Hollywood,  Feb.  3. — Ent.  ies  in 
the  short  subjects  division  of  the 
Academy  awards  were  judged  today 
by  the  awards  rules  committee  and 
the  Academy  board  of  governors.  One 
film  is  to  be  selected  for  award  in 
each  classification.  The  nominations 
follow :  One-reel :  "Speaking  of  Ani- 
mals and  Their  Families,"  Para- 
mount ;  "Marines  in  the  Making," 
M-G-M;  "United  States  Marine 
Band,"  Warners;  "Desert  Wonder- 
land," 20th  Century-Fox. 

Two-reel  subjects:  "Private  Smith 
of  the  U.S.A."  RKO;  "Don't  Talk," 
M-G-M ;  "Beyond  the  Line  of  Duty," 
Warners. 

Cartoons:  "All  Out  for  V," 
Terrytoons-20th  Century-Fox ;  "Juke 
Box  Jamboree,"  Lantz-Universal ; 
"Tulips  Shall  Grow,"  George  Pal- 
Paramount;  "Pigs  in  a  Polka,"  Leon 
Schlesinger- Warners  ;  "Der  Fuehrer's 
Face,"  Walt  Disney-RKO ;  "The 
Blitz  Wolf,"  M-G-M. 

MPPDA  Officials 
At  Coast  Meetings 

Hollywood,  Feb.  3. — George  Borth- 
wick,  MPPDA  treasurer,  is  here  from 
New  York  for  10  days  of  conferences 
with  Producers  Association  officials. 
Lester  Thompson,  chairman  of  the 
MPPDA  Advertising  Advisory  Coun- 
cil, also  has  arrived  for  conferences 
during  the  next  two  weeks  with 
Joseph  I.  Breen  and  Production  Code 
Administration  officials,  studio  pub- 
licity directors  and  Simon  Levy,  Hol- 
lywood representative  of  the  Adver- 
tising Advisory  Council. 

Plan  Memorials  for 
Boston  Fire  Victims 

Boston,  Feb.  3. — In  tribute  to  mem- 
bers of  the  Variety  Club  of  New  Eng- 
land who  lost  their  lives  in  the  Cocoa- 
nut  Grove  fire,  Chief  Barker  Martin 
J.  Mullin  has  appointed  a  committee 
to  devise  ways  and  means  of  erect- 
ing memorials.  Serving  on  the  com- 
mittee are:  Edward  Callahan,  Joseph 
Levenson,  Maurice  Wolf,  Stanley 
Sumner  and  Arthur  Lockwood. 

Billy  Rose  Wins  in 
Suit  Against  Lyman 

N.  Y.  State  Supreme  Court  Justice 
Sidney  Bernstein  yesterday  ruled  that 
Billy  Rose  was  justified  in  dismissing 
Abe  Lyman  and  his  band,  after  two 
weeks'  notice,  from  Rose's  "Barbary 
Coast"  attraction  at  the  N.  Y.  World's 
Fair. 


Unions  Meet 

Hollywood,  Feb.  3. — A  conference 
of  A.  F.  of  L.  studio  union  leader? 
was  held  tonight  to  hear  a  report  from 
H.  K.  Sorrells  on  a  recent  appeal 
made  with  other  Hollywood  union 
leaders  to  the  A.  F.  of  L.  Interna- 
tional Executive  Board  to  establish  a 
central  labor  council. 


Sid  Rose  III  in  Chicago 

Sid  Rose,  United  Artists  Chicago 
branch  manager,  is  confined  to  the 
Wesley  Memorial  Hospital  there  after 
suffering  a  heart  attack  some  days  ago, 
the  company  announced.  Rud  Lohr- 
enz,  district  manager,  is  handling  the 
Chicago  office  during  Rose's  illness, 


HENRY  L.  NEEDLES,  Hartford 
division  manager  for  Warner 
Theatres,  and  Mrs.  Needles,  have 
been  vacationing  in  Miami. 

• 

Walt  Disney  leaves  for  Boston 
today. 

• 

Ira  Beck,  formerly  of  Loew's 
Rochester,  in  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  is 
now  an  instructor  at  an  air  base  in 
Alabama. 

Lucille  Tyler  of  the  Comerford 
Circuit  home  office,  Scranton,  Pa.,  and 
Master  Sgt.  Harry  Baker,  were 
married  in  St.  Stanislaus  Church, 
Scranton. 

• 

Russell  Ordway  of  the  M  and  P 
Allyn,  Hartford,  leaves  for  the  Army 
this  week. 

• 

Cpl.  Irving  Kahn,  formerly  20th 
Century-Fox   radio   promotion  man- 
ager, was  a  New  York  visitor. 
• 

Kerk  Burbank  is  the  father  of  a 
son,  born  to  Mrs.  Burbank  at  Hark- 
ness  Pavilion  Tuesday. 


Connors  Chairman  of 
Dimes  ExchangeUnit 

Tom  J.  Connors  has  replaced  Abe 
Montague  as  chairman  of  the  exchange 
division  of  the  industry's  March  of 
Dimes  campaign,  it  was  announced  by 
the  committee,  which  also  revealed 
that  exchange  managers  and  salesmen 
are  taking  an  active  part  in  the  drive. 

Heads  of  all  distributing  companies 
and  sales  managers  are  actively  co- 
operating, it  was  stated.  Salesmen  are 
assisting  in  obtaining  pledges  from 
exhibitors.  Collections  will  be  made 
among  exchange  employes. 

Joseph  Hornstein  has  been  named 
chairman  of  the  supply  dealers  com- 
mittee through  which  exhibitors  will 
be  contacted.  Leonard  Goldenson,  as 
home  office  chairman,  is  organizing  the 
collection  at  home  offices. 


Albany  Club  Aids  Drive 

Albany,  Feb.  3. — The  local  Variety 
Club  has  contributed  $500  to  the  In- 
fantile Paralysis  Fund,  it  was  an- 
nounced. Neil  Hellman,  exhibitor, 
was  chairman  of  the  fund  drive. 


Fox  Wisconsin  Week 

Milwaukee,  Feb.  3. — H.  J.  Fitz- 
gerald, Fox  Wisconsin  general  man- 
ager, announced  that  audience  collec- 
tions for  the  March  of  Dimes  will  be 
taken  in  the  circuit's  theatres  during 
the  week  starting  Feb.  18. 

Curfew  Change  in 
Holyoke  Aids  Gross 

Holyoke,  Mass.,  Feb.  3.  —  Wes- 
tover  Field  has  relaxed  its  9  :30  p.  m. 
curfe'w  for  soldiers  in  this  city,  mili- 
tary officials  changing  the  time  to 
midnight,  which  will  permit  soldiers 
to  attend  theatres  and  arrive  back  at 
quarters  before  deadline.  Theatremen 
here  had  complained  to  Army  author- 
ities that  the  rule,  which  had  been 
put  into  effect  following  trouble  in- 
volving soldiers  in  this  citv,  had  hurt 
box-office  receipts,  and  their  plea  was 
heeded. 


CAPT.  EDWARD  FITZGERALD, 
former  Paramount  booker  in  New 
Haven,  is  now  in  Hawaii. 

James  Pappas,  formerly  at  Loew's 
Poli,  Hartford,  is  stationed  at  Bain- 
bridge,  Md.,  with  the  Navy. 

• 

Jack  McFadden,  son  of  J.  J.  Mc- 
Fadden,  RKO  Philadelphia  salesman, 
has  joined  the  Navy. 

• 

Corp.  and  Mrs.  John  Gaughan  are 
the  parents  of  a  son,  born  recently. 
Gaughan  formerly  was  with  the  Capi- 
tol Theatre,  Scranton. 

• 

James  F.  Schrader,  Motion  Pic- 
ture Daily  Buffalo  correspondent, 
and  Mrs.  Schrader,  are  the  parents 
of  a  boy  born  Feb.  1.  It  is  their 
third  son. 

• 

Sylvan  Katz,  20th  Century-Fox 
booker  in  Philadelphia,  has  recovered 
from  an  illness. 

• 

Pvt.  Mason  L.  Garbett,  of  the 
Army  air  corps,  son  of  E.  M.  Gar- 
bett of  the  Garbett  Theatres,  Des 
Moines,  has  been  visiting  his  parents. 

Local  306  Withdraws 
Complaint  on  Wages 

Charges  brought  against  an  exhibi- 
tor by  three  Operators  Local  306 
members  for  reducing  their  wages  was 
withdrawn  in  Special  Sessions.  The 
motion  to  dismiss  was  made  when 
Harry  Karesh,  general  manager  of 
Realty  Amusement  Co.,  Inc.,  operator 
of  the  Parkwest  Theatre,  Manhattan, 
agreed  to  pay  the  full  wages  sought. 

Karesh  was  originally  charged  in 
Magistrates  Court  with  offering  the 
men  $28.33  instead  of  the  $55  paid  be- 
fore Jan.  1.  Magistrate  William  Klapp 
advised  the  projectionists  to  accept 
part  of  the  wages  without  prejudice 
pending  yesterday's  hearing.  A  total 
of  $344,  the  balance,  was  paid  by 
Karesh. 


Decision  Reversed 
In  Ballet  Suit  Appeal 

The  U.  S.  Circuit  Court  of  Appeals 
yesterday  reversed  the  decision  of  Fed- 
eral Judge  Samuel  Mandelbaum  in 
which  the  later  dismissed  on  technical 
grounds  the  $100,000  damage  suit  of 
the  Original  Ballet  Russe,  Inc., 
against  the  Ballet  Theatre,  Inc.,  Ger- 
man Sevastianov,  Hurok  Attractions, 
Inc.,  and  Solomon  Hurok. 


N.  Y.  Theatre  Drive 
For  Donors,  WAVES 

New  York  City  theatres,  starting 
Monday,  will  station  Red  Cross  nurses 
in  their  lobbies  to  solicit  plasma  do- 
nors for  the  Red  Cross  Blood  Bank, 
and  will  also  institute  a  recruiting 
campaign  for  the  WAVES  and 
SPARS,  the  War  Activities  Commit- 
tee announced. 


Ornstein  Rejoins  M-G-M 

William  Ornstein  yesterday  rejoined 
the  M-G-M  home  office  publicity  de- 
partment after  an  absence  of  15  years. 
He  formerly  was  with  trade  papers. 


Parade 


HT  HE  second  historic  meeting  of 
■*■  Prime  Minister  Churchill  and 
President  Roosevelt  in  Casablanca 
takes  the  spotlight  in  midweek  news- 
reels.  FDR's  visits  to  Liberia  and 
Brazil  are  also  featured.  The  ^■.'in- 
tents follow:  ft' c 

MOVIETONE  NEWS,  No.  44.— Roose- 
velt's  trip  to  Africa,  his  meeting  with 
Churchill  in  Casablanca  and  films  connected 
with  the  conference.  Roosevelt's  visit  to 
the  Republic  of  Liberia.  Meeting  with 
President  Vargas  of  Brazil.  The  Washing- 
ton and  New  York  birthday  balls  in  cele- 
bration of  the   President's  birthday. 

NEWS  OF  THE  DAY,  No.  241.— Great 
Nazi  defeat  in  Russia's  snows.  President's 
son  in  North  Africa  gets  medal  from  Gen. 
Doolittle.  Baby  girl  born  to  Crown  Prin- 
cess of  Holland  in  exile  in  Canada.  Big 
coast  guns  in  action  in  East.  Jeeps  go 
amphibian  in  North  Carolina.  Yanks  in 
shadow  of  the  pyramids  in  North  Africa. 
Sultan  in  pageant  in  French  Morocco. 

PARAMOUNT     NEWS,     No.     47.— The 

Roosevelt -Churchill  meeting  in  Casablanca. 
President  reviews  troops  in  Liberia.  Con- 
ference with  Brazilian  President  Vargas. 
War  strategy  planned  at  North  African 
meeting.  Giraud  and  DeGaulle  shake  hands. 
Troops  on  review  in  Rabat. 

PATHE  NEWS,  No.  47.— Casablanca,  4,- 
0CO  miles  from  Washington.  President  and 
Prime  Minister  meet  to  discuss  war  strate- 
gy. FDR  reviews  troops  in  Liberia.  Presi- 
dents of  the  United  States  and  Brazil  con- 
fer. 

UNIVERSAL   NEWSREEL,   No.  lMk.— 

Films  of  "unconditional  surrender"  confer- 
ence. Pictures  of  British  and  American 
delegations.  French  unity  sealed.  Review 
of  American  North  African  troops.  Presi- 
dent's visit  to  Liberia.  Conference  with 
President  Vargas  of  Brazil.  Birthday  par- 
ties for  FDR  throughout  the  nation. 

Stars  to  Entertain 
Photographers  Ball 

Abbott  and  Costello,  Milton  Berle, 
Jack  Benny,  Rochester,  James  J. 
Walker,  Martha  Scott  and  Ethel  Mer- 
man are  among  those  listed  to  appear 
at  the  Press  Photographers'  Associa- 
tion's 14th  annual  dance  and  enter- 
tainment at  the  Waldorf-Astoria 
tomorrow  evening,  it  was  announced. 


Rep.  Registers  2  Titles 

Hollywood,  Feb.  3. — Republic  to- 
day registered  "Ankara"  and  "Istan- 
bul" as  titles  and  assigned  writers  to 
prepare  scripts. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


I'LL  CATCH  UP  WITH  THAT  GAL  YET! 

JUL 


When  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's  "Mrs.  Miniver"  ran  so  long  at  the  Radio  City  Music 
Hall,  everybody  thought  that  its  amazing  record  would  stand  for  all  time...  But 
now  look  what's  happening !  "Random  Harvest"  is  right  on  "Mrs.  Miniver's"  heels ! 

RONALD  COLMAN  •  GREER  GARSON 
"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

Directed  by  Mervyn  LeRoy  •  Produced  by  Sidney  Franklin  with  Philip  Dorn  •  Susan  Peters  •  Henry  Travcrs 
Reginald  Owen  •  Bramwell  Fletcher  ■  Screen  Play  by  Claudine  West,  George  Froesche!  and  Arthur  Wimperis 
Based  upon  the  novel  by  James  Hilton  •  A  Mervyn  LeRoy  Production  •  A  Metro- Goldwyn- Mayer  Picture 

6th  WEEK!  RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

 Buy  United  States  War  Bonds  and  Stamps  for  Victory !  ^  


6th  Week! 


As  it  races  into  its  seventh  week,  "Random  Harvest"  has  smashed  all  the 
long-run  records  in  Music  Hall  history— except  one.  All  New  York  is  wonder- 
ing whether  it  will  beat  "Mrs.  Miniver's"  record  too . .  -Just  three  weeks  to  go. 

RONALD  COLMAN    •    GREER  GARSON 
"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

Directed  by  Mervyn  LeRoy  ■  Produced  by  Sidney  Franklin  •  with  Philip  Dorn  -  Susan  Peters  •  Henry  T  ravers 
Reginald  Owen  ■  Bramwell  Fletcher  •  Screen  Play  by  Claudine  West,  George  Froeschel  and  Arthur  Wimperis 
Based  upon  the  novel  by  James  Hilton    •  A  Mervyo  LeRoy  Production    •    A  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer  Picture 

7th  WEEK!   RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

Buy  United  States  War  Bonds  and  Stamps  for  Victory  ! 


7th  Week! 


'7  was  easy!  Now  watch  me  do  8 ! 


It  merely  looks  easy!  Actually,  only  one  other  picture  in  the  entire  history  of  the 
Music  Hall  has  run  as  long  as  M-G-M's  "Random  Harvest".  That  was  M-G-M's 
"Mrs.  Miniver"  which  set  a  10-week  record. ..Look  out  Mrs.'M. — "Random  Harvest" 
has  a  record-smashing  gleam  in  its  eye! 

RONALD  COLMAN    •    GREER  GARSON 
"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

Directed  by  Mervyn  LeRoy  •  Produced  by  Sidney  Franklin  •  with  Philip  Dorn  •  Susan  Peters  -  Henry  Travers 
Reginald  Owen  •  Bramwell  Fletcher  *  Screen  Play  by  Claudine  West,  George  Froeschel  and  Arthur  Wimperis 
Based  upon  the  novel  by  James  Hilton    •  A  Mervyn  LeRoy  Production    •    A  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer  Picture 

8th  WEEK!   RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

Buy  United  States  War  Bonds  and  Stamps  for  Victory  ! 


8th  Week! 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

RONALD  COLMAN  •  GREER  GARSON 
"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

Directed  by  Mervyn  LeRoy  •  Produced  by  Sidney  Franklin  witb  Pbilip  Dorn  •  Susan  Peters  •  Henry  Travers 
Reginald  Owen  •  Bramwell  Fletcher  •  Screen  Play  by  Claudine  West,  George  Froeschel  and  Arthur  Wimperis 
Based  upon  the  novel  by  James  Hilton  •  A  Mervyn  LeRoy  Production  •  A  Metro*  Goldwyn -Mayer  Picture 

MARCH  OF  DIMES  — FEB.  18  —  24 


^onest  Leo,  I'm 
not  a  bit  tired/* 


"YOU'RE  THE 
MINIVER 


OF  1943! 


it 


Press-time!  "Random  Harvest"  phenomenal  in  Philly,  biggest 
non- holiday  M-G-M  gross  in  2  years  at  Boyd  Theatre.  Riverside, 
CaL,  first  small  town  engagement  is  219%!  Los  Angeles  gives  it 
12  weeks  with  simultaneous  four  theatre  run  plus  move -overs! 


4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  February  4,  1943 


TalmBeach,$21,400 
In  Big  Seattle  Week 


Seattle,  Feb.  3.— "The  Palm  Beach 
Story"  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  and  Music 
Hall,  dualled  with  "The  Glass  Key," 
played  to  near  capacity  and  was 
expected  to  roll  up  a  big  $21,400  total 
for  the  two  houses.  "Commandos 
Strike  at  Dawn"  continued  well  in  a 
third  week  at  the  Liberty,  with  an 
indicated  gross  of  about  $10,500. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  5 : 

"The  Navy  Comes  Through"  (RKO) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (ZOth-Fox) 

BLUE  MOUSE— (950)  (40c-SOc-65c-80c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.    (Moved  from  Paramount.) 
Gross:  $4,600.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.) 

FIFTH  AVENUE — (2,500)  (40c-50c-65c- 
80c)    7    days.     Gross:    $12,300.  (Average, 

$9.000)  ~ 

"The  Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn,  (Col.) 

"Laugh  Your  Blues  Away"  (Col.) 

LIBERTY  —  (1,800)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.    Gross:  $10,500.  (Average, 

$7,500 

"Genlteman  Jim"  (W.  B.) 

MUSIC    BOX— (950)    (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.     (Moved  from  Fifth  Ave- 
nue.)    Gross:  $4,300.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.) 

MUSIC  HALL— (2,275)  (40c -50c -65c -80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $9,100.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 
"We  Are  the  Marines"  (ZOth-Fox) 

ORPHEUM — (2,450)     (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.     Stage:   Jay   Clarke,   mentahst,  3rd 
week.    Gross:  $9,200.     (Average,  $9,000) 
"Mountain  Rhythm"  (Rep.) 

PALOMAR— (1,500)  (30c-42c-58c-70c)  7 
days.  Stage:  "Bombshell  of  1943"  revue 
featuring  Raynor  Lehr.  Gross:  $8,100. 
(Average,  $7,500) 

"The  Moon  and  Sixpence"  (U.  A.) 
"My  Heart  Belongs  to  Daddy"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT— (3,050)  (40c-50c-65c-80c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $8,900.    (Average,  $9,000. 


'Commandos'  Good 
In  New  Haven  Run 

New  Haven,  Feb.  3. — Business 
held  up  despite  the  one-day  closings 
due  to  the  fuel  shortage.  "Comman- 
dos Strike  at  Dawn"  and  "A  Night 
to  Remember"  at  the  Loew-Poli  drew 
a  good  $10,000  in  six  days,  and  the 
program  moved  to  the  College  for  a 
week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  2 : 

"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life''  (M-G-M) 
"Manila  Calling"  (20th-Fox) 

COLLEGE— (1,627)   (40c-50c)  6  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $3,500.    (Average,  $2,900) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 

LOEW-POLI— (3,005)    (40c-50c),    6  days. 
Gross:  $10,000.     (Average,  $9,000) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"Eyes  of  the  Underworld"  (Univ.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,373)    (40c-50c)   4  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $3,500.    (Average,  $5,500) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.  B.) 

ROGER  SHERMAN— (2,067)  (40c-50c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $6,400.  (Average, 
$6,000) 


Legion  of  Decency 
Approves  8  Films 

The  National  Legion  of  Decency  in 
its  current  listing  approved  eight  fea- 
tures, seven  for  general  patronage  and 
one  for  adults.  The  films  and  their 
classifications : 

Class  A-l,  Unobjectionable  for 
General  Patronage :  "Crime  Smasher," 
"Kid  Dynamite,"  'King  of  the  Stal- 
lions, "No  Place  For  a  Lady,"  "Truck 
Busters,"  "War  Dogs,"  "Western 
Mail."  Class  A-2,  Unobjectionable 
for  Adults:  "You  Can't  Beat  the 
Law." 

"My  Son,  the  Hero"  was  placed  in 
Class  B — Objectionable  in  part. 


Reviews 


"The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn" 

{Hal  Roach-United  Artists) 

WILLIAM  BENDIX,  star  of  "Wake  Island,"  heads  the  cast  of 
"The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn,"  a  delightful  and  fast-moving 
comedy  with  a  story  which  should  not  only  please  the  customers  but 
also,  from  a  box-office  standpoint,  the  exhibitors. 

Although  only  46  minutes  long,  the  picture  has  plenty  with  which 
to  entertain  the  audience. 

It's  the  story  of  two  operators  of  a  big  Brooklyn  taxi  company  who 
have  love  trouble.  Grace  Bradley,  wife  of  Bendix,  walks  into  the  taxi 
company's  office  and  is  angered  when  she  finds  Marjorie  Woodworth, 
a  secretary,  playing  pool  with  her  husband  and  Joe  Sawyer,  who  oper- 
ate the  taxi  company.  To  further  complicate  matters,  Sawyer's  girl 
friend,  Arline  Judge,  happens  to  phone  him  and  secretary  Woodworth 
answers  the  phone  unexpectedly.  From  then  on  it's  a  case  of  who 
loves  who.  From  Brooklyn,  Miss  Bradley  leaves  for  the  Max  Baer 
health  farm.  Bendix,  Sawyer,  Marjorie  Woodworth  and  Arline  Judge 
follow  in  an  effort  to  clear  up  matters.  After  numerous  hilarious  situa- 
tions, Grace  Bradley  goes  back  with  her  husband,  Bendix,  and  Miss 
Woodworth  and  Sawyer  fall  in  love. 

Fred  Guiol  produced  and  Kurt  Neumann  directed  the  picture. 
Running  time,  46  minutes.  "G"* 


Underground  Agent 

{Columbia) 

A  UDIENCES  should  enjoy  this  picture,  a  fair  spy  drama,  which  pre- 
sents  one  of  the  major  problems  menacing  America's  progress 
toward  victory. 

Spies  are  tapping  ■  the  phone  wires  of  war  plants  to  learn  military 
secrets,  and  Bruce  Bennet  and  Frank  Albertson,  phone  company  em- 
ployes, are  put  to  work  tracking  down  the  spies.  Eventually,  the  spies 
are  rounded  up.  There  is  some  romantic  interest  involved,  with  Bennet 
and  Albertson  in  love  with  the  same  girl.  Bennet  wins  the  girl,  also 
a  phone  company  employe.  The  workings  of  the  telephone  system  and 
the  methods  used  to  eliminate  the  wire  tapping  are  shown  in  an  inter- 
esting manner. 

The  supporting  cast  includes  Leslie  Brooks,  Addison  Richards  and 
others.    Sam  White  produced  and  Michael  Gordon  directed. 
Running  time,  68  minutes.  "G"* 


ft 


"Two  Weeks  to  Live 

{RKO) 

A  LL  sorts  of  complications  attendant  on  the  visit  of  two  old  men  from 
the  country  to  the  big  city  happen  to  Chester  Lauck  and  Norris 
Goff,  as  Lum  and  Abner,  respectively,  in  "Two  Weeks  to  Live."  The 
films  is  long  and  jumbled  and  taxes  the  imagination.  Followers  of  the 
slow-moving  comedy  team  will  probably  enjoy  the  several  unbelievable 
situations  in  which  they  become  involved  when  the  pair  visit  Chicago  to 
collect  Abner's  inheritance  of  a  railroad,  which  turns  out  to  be  defunct. 

Before  they  leave  home,  they  have  their  neighbors  invest  their  life 
savings  in  buying  rights  of  way  for  the  railroad.  Soon  after  the  pair 
learn  of  their  disaster,  Abner  slips  on  a  flight  of  stairs  and  the  doctor's 
diagnosis  of  his  perfect  health  becomes  mixed  up  with  that  of  a  fatally  ill 
man  who  has  only  two  weeks  to  live.  That  is  when  more  trouble  de- 
velops and  the  various  adventures  and  a  happy  ending  follow. 

Franklin  Pangborn,  Kay  Linaker  and  Irving  Bacon  head  the  support- 
ing players.  The  original  screenplay  was  by  Michael  L.  Simons  and 
Roswell  Rogers.    Malcolm  St.  Clair  directed  and  Ben  Hersh  produced. 

Running  time,  76  minutes.  "G."* 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Nations  Week  Book 
Distributed  by  WAC 

"Uniting  the  United  States  for  the 
United  Nations,"  an  eight-page  book- 
let, in  which  are  reproduced  some  of 
the  free  pages  of  advertising  con- 
tributed by  the  trade  press,  paid  ads 
in  Washington  and  New  York  news- 
papers sponsored  by  theatres,  as  well 
as  many  other  features,  is  being-  sent 
to  government  officials,  educators, 
WAC  personnel,  and  representatives 
of  the  United  Nations,  the  War  Ac- 
tivities Committee  announced. 


NCAC  Names  Hahlo 

Sylvia  Hahlo,  theatrical  agent,  is 
head  of  the  new  legitimate  stage  book- 
ing division  of  the  National  Concert 
and  Artists  Corp.,  Daniel  S.  Tuthill, 
NCAC  vice-president  and  director  of 
the  popular  division,  announced. 


Bette  Davis'  Next 

Hollywood,  Feb.  3. —  Bette  Davis' 
next  for  Warners  will  be  "Mr.  Skef- 
fington,"  to  be  produced  by  Julius  J. 
and  Philip  G.  Epstein. 


'Serve'  Takes 
$49,000  at  4 
Houses  in  L.  A. 


(U.A.) 

(33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
(Average,  $13,500) 


Los  Angeles,  Feb.  3. — This  was  a 
banner  week.  "In  Which  We  Serve" 
rolled  up  the  heavy  total  of 
four  houses,  while  "Star 
Rhythm"  collected  a  very  bi 
at  two  Paramount  theatres.  Also  in 
the  high  brackets  was  "Casablanca" 
which  came  through  with  $46,300  at 
three  Warner  theatres,  and  "Comman- 
dos Strike  at  Dawn"  with  "A  Night 
to  Remember,"  which  drew  $39,200 
at  two  houses. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  3 : 

'In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

CARTHAY  CIRCLE— (1,518)  (33c-44c- 
55c-75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Average 
7  days,  $7,500) 
"In  Which  We  Serve" 

CHINESE— (2,500) 
days.     Gross:  $12,000. 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 
"Gorilla  Man"  W.B.) 

HAWAII— (1,100)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days, 
3rd  week.    Gross:  $8,200.    (Average,  $3,288) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 

HILLSTREET— (2,700)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $21,000.    (Average,  $15,000) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

LOEWS  STATE^(2,500)  (33c-44c-55c-75c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $18,500.    (Average,  $19,500) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 

PANTAGES—  (3,000)     (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $18,200.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"Star   Spangled   Rhythm"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Hollywood)— (1,407)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $16,000.  (Aver- 
age, $10,100) 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Downtown)— (3,595)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days.     Gross:  $31,000. 
erage,  $16,800) 

"In,  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

RITZ— (U76)    (33c-44c-55c-85c)  7 
Gross:  $9,500.    (Average,  $9,400) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

WARNER    BROS.     (Hollywood)— (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)    7    days.     Gross:  $16,200. 
(Average,  $13,300) 
"Casablanca"  W.B.) 

WARNER     BROS.     (Downtown)— (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)    7    days.     Gross:  $15,700. 
(Average,  $14,400) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

WARNER    BROS.     (Wiltern)  —  (2,200) 
(33c-44c-55c-65c-85c)    7   days.  Gross: 
400.    (Average,  $10,000) 


(Av- 


days. 


'Casablanca'  Strong 
In  MVkee,  $10,300 


Milwaukee,  Feb.  3. — "Casablanca' 
at  the  Warner  did  good  business  with 
about  $10,300  indicated  for  the  week 
on  a  bill  with  "The  McGuerins  fron 
Brooklyn."  "Commandos  Strike  at 
Dawn"  and  "A  Night  to  Remember' 
was  expected  to  garner  an  estimated 
$8,200  at  the  Fox  Palace. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  4-6 : 

"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

"The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.  A.) 

WARNER— (2,400)    (33c-44c-60c)  7 
Gross:  $10,300.    (Average,  $8,600) 
"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 

RIVERSIDE— (2,700)     (44c-65c)  7 
Stage:  Pied  Pipers,  Jack  Durant. 
« 1,000.    (Average,  $12,000) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dayn"  (Col.) 
"A  Night  To  Remember"  (Col.) 

PALACE— (2,400)  (44c-65c)  7  days.  Gross 
$8,200.     (Average,  $6,000) 
"White  Cargo"  M-G-M) 
"Seven  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M) 

STRAND— (1,400)  (44c-65c)  7  days,  con 
tinued  run.  Gross:  $2,500.  (Average,  $2, 
000) 

"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M)  2nd  week 
"Apache  Trail"  (M-G-M) 

WISCONSIN— (3,200)  (44c-65c)  7  days 
Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $8,300) 


days 


days 
Gross 


Thursday,  February  4,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


5 


Off  the  Antenna 


SPONSORED  network  programs  in  January  had  their  largest  audiences 
since  the  start  of  the  war,  according  to  the  Jan.  30  Hooper  National  Pro- 
gram Ratings  Report.  The  current  average  rating  is  12.6,  topped  in  the 
eight-year  Hooper  record  only  by  the  period  in  early  1940  during  the  Russo- 
Finnish  war  and  Hitler's  invasion  of  the  low  countries,  it  was  stated.  This 
was  previous  to  the  rise  of  sponsored  web  newscasting. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Roy  Rogers,  Republic's  cowboy  star,  will  be  a  guest  to- 
night on  the  Rudy  Vallee  program  on  NBC.  Rogers  will  then  begin  a  four 
weeks'  tour  of  Army  camps  in  the  Southwest.  .  .  .  J .  B.  Priestley,  British  au- 
thor and  lecturer,  will  appear  on  WNEW  in  a  series  of  news  programs 
starting  Sunday  at  4  p.  m.  via  shortwave  pickup  provided  by  BBC  from 
London.  .  .  .  A  series  of  13  broadcasts  will  be  sponsored  by  the  Rivoli  Theatre 
over  WINS  starting  Sunday  at  noon,  the  theatre  announced. 

•  mm 

WOLS,  Florence,  S.  C,  has  become  affiliated  with  the  Blue,  making  a 
total  of  149  Blue  affiliates,  it  was  announced.  The  station  is  owned  by 
the  Florence  Broadcasting  Co.  and  operates  full  time  with  250  watts  on 
a  frequency  of  1,230  kilocycles. 

•  •  • 

The  national  board  of  consultants  for  the  CBS  "School  of  the  Air  of 
the  Americas"  will  meet  tomorrow  for  its  first  session  of  the  year,  the  network 
announced.  A  discussion  of  the  year's  radio  plans  will  be  held  between 
Lyman  Bryson,  CBS  director  of  education;  Leon  Levine,  the  program's  broad- 
cast director,  and  leading  educators. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  Joseph  H.  Salsburg,  announcer  for  WARM,  Scranton,  has 
been  commissioned  an  ensign  in  the  Navy.  .  .  .  Norman  Barasch,  Blue  page 
who  has  also  done  some  script  writing,  has  joined  the  Army  Air  Force. 


Hollywood  Welcomes  Kann 
To  Coast  with  Luncheon 


U.S.  Moves  to  Halt 
Threat  of  Time  Shift 
Stampede  by  States 


Washington,  Feb.  3. — War  Pro- 
duction Board  officials  today  sought 
to  head  off  a  threatened  stampede  of 
states  to  follow  the  lead  of  Georgia 
in^=^ndoning  war  time. 

'T^?rman  Donald  M.  Nelson  made 
public  a  letter  written  to  Senator  Fer- 
guson of  Michigan,  opposing  any  ac- 
s.  tion  by_  the  state  legislature  turning 
the  clocks  back  or  any  amendment 
of  the  Federal  law  which  would  per- 
mit the  change.  However,  he  said,  if 
the  Interstate  Commerce  Commission 
found  that  Michigan  logically  was  in 
the  Central  Time  zone,  he  would  not 
object  if  it  ordered  a  shift. 

Nelson  disclosed  that  a  similar  move 
was  on  foot  in  Ohio,  and  explained 
that  the  board's  position  is  based  on 
fears  that  abandonment  of  War  Time 
would  result  in  confusion  and  bring 
about  an  increase  in  power  require- 
ments. 

Georgia  last  week  turned  its  clocks 
back  an  hour  by  state  statute. 


Raw  Stock  Export 
Weighed  in  Capital 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

clined  to  discuss  the  meeting  it  was 
learned  that  it  concerned  primarily 
the  gathering  of  data  on  raw  stock 
footage  requirements  for  the  foreign 
market  prints.  This  data,  it  is  re- 
ported, will  be  studied  for  possible 
economies  and  will  serve  as  the  basis 
for  reallocation  of  raw  stock  ex- 
ports if  and  when  they  become  neces- 
sary. 

Prints  for  most  of  the  major  for- 
eign markets,  including  Britain  and 
Australia,  are  made  abroad  but  the 
raw  stock  supplies  for  such  prints 
are  imported  from  America.  With 
the  current  critical  situation  prevail- 
ing in  raw  stock  here,  it  is  believed 
likely  that  some  exports  will  be  cur- 
tained in  the  near  future.  First  to 
feel  the  effects  of  the  curtailment,  it 
is  believed,  will  be  such  neutrals  as 
Argentina  and  Spain,  who  were 
granted  liberal  raw  stock  allotments 
recently. 

Col.  Plans  Revision 
Of  Print  Allocations 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

distribution  points  throughout  the 
country  which  will  assure  the  smaller 
houses  of  an  even  break  on  print  al- 
locations with  the  metropolitan  houses. 
In  addition,  key  city  first  run  bookings 
in  cities  such  as  New  York,  Chicago 
and  Philadelphia  will  be  so  spotted 
as  to  avoid  a  heavy,  simultaneous  de- 
mand for  prints  by  the  numerous  sub- 
sequent runs. 

Responsibility  for  the  working  of 
the  system  will  rest  with  the  district 
managers,  it  was  said. 

Special  instructions  were  given 
sales  respresentatives  on  the  hand- 
ling and  promotion  of  Victory  shorts. 
Jack  Cohn,  Columbia  executive  vice- 
president,  was  unable  to  attend  the 
meeting. 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

cess  here  and  officially  commended 
Martin  Quigley  for  initiating  the 
move.  He  cited  the  high  standing  en- 
joyed by  the  Quigley  Publications. 
He  said: 

Congratulates  Quigley 

"Red  Kann  is  just  as  much  an  in- 
stitution in  this  business  as  double 
billing  and  westerns  and  he  has  been 
around  longer  than  either.  Red  doesn't 
take  a  lot  of  room  but  he  isn't  bard 
to  spot  in  a  crowd.  We  are  glad  you 
are  going  to  spend  all  your  time  in 
Hollywood.  You'll  find  a  lot  of  other 
Brooklyn  people  here.  You'll  find  a 
lot  of  other  vice-presidents,  too.  But 
don't  let  that  bother  you,  you're 
among  friends.  We  feel  Martin  Quig- 
ley and  Quigley  Publications  are  to 
be  congratulated  on  acquiring  a  new 
vice-president  who  knows  as  much 
about  the  business  as  you  do." 

Replying  Kann  said  in  part :  "Quig- 
ley saw  very  definite  and  mutual 
values  in  an  arrangement  which  would 
set  up  in  Hollywood  on  a  permanent 
basis  a  representation  founded  upon 
long  and  intimate  journalistic  experi- 
ence in  the  industry — -someone  who 
knows  from  first  hand  the  problems 
and  pulse  of  exhibition  and  distribu- 
tion and  who  could  convey  a  rea- 
soned and  seasoned  running  account  of 
activities,  developments  and  drifts  of 
production  to  the  marketing  ends  of 
the  industry.  In  turn,  and  by  draw- 
ing upon  experience  in  those  two  divi- 
sions perhaps  prove  of  value  to  Holly- 
wood. He  thought  I  was  the  man  for 
this  job.  I  agreed  and  so  here  I  am." 

Kann  added  he  hoped  it  was  correct 
to  assume  the  presence  of  those  at- 
tending indicated  cooperation  to  this 
end  would  be  forthcoming.  Lieber  re- 
plied affirmatively. 

Executives  Present 

Present  were  Will  H.  Hays,  Nate 
Blumberg,  Cliff  Work,  William  Goetz, 
Charles  Koerner,  Henry  Ginsberg, 
Harry  Rapf,  E.  H.  Goldstein,  Howard 


Strickling,  Harry  Brand,  Whitney 
Bolton,  John  Joseph,  Arch  Reeve, 
William  Hebert,  Sam  Abarbanel. 

Also  Herbert  Freston  and  Maurice 
Benjamin,  the  two  Coast  members  of 
the  lawyers'  "Committee  of  Six"  and 
Fred  Beetson,  Leslie  Thompson, 
George  Borthwick,  visiting  MPpDA 
executives  from  New  York.  Louis  B. 
Mayer,  Y.  Frank  Freeman  and  Wal- 
ter Wanger  were  to  attend  but  were 
prevented  by  last-minute  business  de- 
velopments. 


Gary  Case  Closed 
Without  Testimony 


(.Continued  from  page  1 ) 

manly  at  various  motions  made  by 
counsel.  He  also  requested  state- 
ments clarifying  the  issues.  On  clos- 
ing the  case,  Wham  indicated  that  he 
would  rule  against  the  complainant. 
Counsel  for  Gary  stated  that  in  that 
event  an  appeal  would  be  taken. 

The  case,  filed  last  June  1,  named 
all  five  consenting  companies  and 
sought  a  reduction  of  the  clearance 
granted  the  Tivoli,  Lido  and  Lake 
theatres  of  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  and  the 
Palace,  Chesterton,  Ind.,  over  Gary's 
Palace  at  Gary,  Ind.  The  complaint 
subsequently  was  amended  to  include 
the  Tivoli,  Avalon,  Southtown,  Cap- 
itol and  Chicago  theatres  in  Chicago. 
Hearings  were  postponed  ejght  times 
after  dates  had  been  set.  A  score  of 
theatres  in  Chicago  and  nearby  towns 
intervened  and  the  district's  top  rank- 
ing theatrical  attorneys  were  retained 
for  the  case. 


Seattle  House  Damaged 

Seattle,  Feb.  3. — The  Green  Par- 
rot Theatre  here  was  badly  damaged 
by  an  explosion  and  fire  in  an  adjoin- 
ing cafe. 


Comedy  Team 
Given  Crown 
At  Luncheon 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

is  the  comedy  duo,  Abbott  and  Cos- 
tello. 

Prutzman  called  their  rise  to  the 
weights   of   their   profession   "a  real 

Vmerican  success  story,"  a  success 
.hat  has  made  them  "not  the  repre- 

entatives  of  one  company  but  of  the 

ntire  motion,  picture  industry." 

Cowdin  found  in  them  and  their  war 
activities  "an  outstanding  example  of 

eal  Americanism."  He  said  their 
service  entertainment  appearances 
lumber  970  shows. 

Among  those  at  the  luncheon  in 
iddition  to  those  named  were :  John  J. 
O'Connor,  Samuel  J.  Machnovitch, 
Adolph  Schimel,  Colvin  Brown,  Sam 
Shain,  Terry  Ramsaje,  David  Levy, 
Charles  Moses,  Maurice  Bergman,  S. 
Barret  McCormick,  Max  A.  Cohen, 
Robert  Weitman,  John  Krimsky,  Da- 
vid Lipton,  Anthony  Petti,  Tom 
Meade,  Charles  F.  Coe,  Walter  Trum- 
bull, Gus  Eyssell,  Budd  Rogers,  Jo- 
seph Seider,  Chris  Dunphy,  Si  Fa- 
bian, Jack  Alicoate,  Charles  Kirby, 
Russell  Downing,  Andrew  Sharick, 
Jay  Emanuel,  Alfred  Finestone,  Ches- 
ter Bahn,  William  German,  W.  J. 
Heineman,  Bernard  Kreisler  and  Com- 
missioner M.  P.  Davidson. 


'Black  Swan'  Again 
Leads  in  Cleveland 


Cleveland,  Feb.  3. — "The  Black 
Swan,"  held  at  Warners'  Hippodrome 
for  a  second  week,  again  was  tops 
here,  and  is  estimated  to  finish  the 
week  with  $16,000.  "Journey  for 
Margaret"  at  Loew's  Stillman  was  ex- 
pected to  gross  $9,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  4-5 : 

"China  Girl"  (2ftth-Fo«) 

ALLEN — (3,000)     (35c-40c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:   $4,500.     (Average,  $6,000) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 

WARNERS'     HIPPODROME  —  (3,800) 
(35c-40c-50c)    7    days,    2nd    week.  Gross: 
$16,000.     (Average,  $13,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

WARNERS  LAKE— (900)  (35c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  Sth  week.  Gross:  $1,900.  (Average, 
$2,000) 

"Quite  Please,  Murder"  (2flth-Fox) 

RKO     PALACE  —  (3,100)     (40c -50c -65c). 
Stage:   Woody  Herman   and  orchestra.  7 
days.    Gross:  $22,000.    (Average,  $20,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (3,500)  (35c-40c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $15,000.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STILLMAN— (1,900)  (35c-40c- 
50c)  7  days.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Average,  $7,000) 

SAG  to  Seek  Wage 
Raise  for  Extras 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

dustry  last  year  was  $59.92,  ac- 
cording to  the  most  recent  issue  of 
the  California  Labor  Statistics  Bulle- 
tin, representing  a  considerable  rise 
over  the  average  for  1941  which 
amounted  to  $49.05,  the  bulletin  stated. 

Hours  of  work  per  week  averaged 
40.3  last  year  compared  with  35.4 
hours  a  week  in  1941,  with  average 
yearly  earnings  rising  from  $1,385 
in  1941  to  $1,485  in  1942,  the  bulletin 
reported. 


PICTURE 


ITS  SO  BIG  IT  HAD  TO  BE  • 


PRODUCED  BY 


PRODUCTION 

...AS  THE  MEN  WHO  LOVED  "MARY  ANN"— THE  FLYING  FORTRESS:  JOHN  GARFIELD  -GIG  YOUNG  -HARRY 
CAREY.- GEO.  TOBIAS -ARTHUR  KENNEDY  •  JAS.  BROWN -JOHN   R I  DGELY  •  SCREE  N  PLAY:  DUDLEY  NICHOLS 


"FILM  PACKED  WITH  ENTERTAINMENT  FOR  AUDIENCES  OF  ALL  AGES.  RATING:  EXCELLENT!" 


"A  HIT  OF 
MAJOR 
IMPORTANCE" 
. . .  Hollywood  Reporter 

"Ice  Revue  Cinch  Profit 
Maker  for  All  Bookings." 


. .  .Weekly  Variety 


Produced  by  LINDSLEY  PARSONS        Supervised  by  WILLIAM  D.  SHAPIRO 

Directed  by  LESLIE  GOODWINS     Musical  Numbers  Staged  by  Dave  Gould     Original  Screenplay  by  Jerry  Cady 


Fx* 
O 

IhT'S  FOR  ANY  AND 


J 


CO 

trj 
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sz; 


•-3 

en 


ALL  THEATRES,  AT  ANY  AND  ALL  TIMES,  AND  ALL  GOOD."... MOTION  PICTURE  DAILY  S 


r ILL  uuri 


to  the^tion 

Picture 

Industry 


»•    P.   PRODUCERS  & 

rrkN  PICTURE 

DISTRIBUTORS  OF  AM.      I  Mr 
28  WEST  44TH  ST.? 
NEW  YORK. 

U'   Y'  (3  COPIE 


ILY 


First  in 

FUm-aiu 

[Radio 

Accurate 

> 

and 

Impartial 

OVB 


53.  NO.  25 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  FRIDAY,  FEBRUARY  5,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Univ.  Reports 
Year  Earnings 
Of  $2,968,231 


Compares  with  $2,673,249 
For  Year  Before 


Consolidated  net  profit  of  Universal 
Pictures  Co.,  Inc.,  and  subisidiaries 
amounted  to  $2,968,231  for  the  fiscal 
year,  ended 
Oct.  31,  1942, 
compared  with 
profit  of  $2,- 
673,249  for  the 
preceding  year, 
J.  Cheever 
Cowdin,  chair- 
man of  the 
board,  reported 
yesterday. 

The  com- 
pany's net  in- 
come for  the 
year  before 
Federal  income 
and  excess  prof- 
its taxes  was 
$7,255,531,  com- 
pared with  $4,396,499  in  the  preced- 
ing year.    Taxes  for  the  last  fiscal 

{Continued  on  page  7) 


J.  Cheever  Cowdin 


Board  Discusses 
'  'LP  Recapitalization 


I  A  recapitalization  plan  for  Universal 
'involving  new  bank  loans  reported  to 
aggregate  $6,000,000  was  further  con- 
sidered by  the  company's  board  of 
directors  at  a  meeting  yesterday. 
1  J.  Cheever  Cowdin,  chairman  of  the 
'board,  reported  that  the  financing 
'agreement  is  in  process  of  a  consum- 
mation with  the  company's  banks,  one 
of  which  is  the  First  National  of  Bos- 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


2%  Tax  on  Tickets 
Introduced  in  Neb. 

Omaha,  Feb.  4. — A  bill  pro- 
posing a  two  per  cent  sales 
tax  on  most  transactions,  in- 
cluding tickets  of  admission, 
has  been  introduced  in  the 
Nebraska  legislature.  Tickets 
of  admission  to  fairs,  educa- 
tional or  religious  activities 
would  be  exempt.  The  pro- 
posed tax  would  raise  about 
$7,000,000  for  school  purposes, 
according  to  Senator  Sorrell, 
sponsor. 


Loew's  Year  Profit 
$12,132,606,  Equal 
To  $7.02  a  Share 


Net  profit  for  Loew's,  Inc.,  for  the 
fiscal  year  ended  Aug.  31,  1942, 
amounted  to  $12,132,606,  compared 
with  the  company'  unaudited  estimate 
of  $2,133,294,  reported  on  Jan.  12,  the 
company's  annual  report  made  public 
yesterday  disclosed.  Operating  reve- 
nues amounted  to  $134,580,860, 

The  profit  is  equivalent  to  $7.02  per 
share  on  the  outstanding  common 
stock,  after  deducting  preferred  divi- 
dends, compared  with  net  profit 
equivalent  to  $6.15  per  share  on  the 
common  for  the  preceding  fiscal  year. 

The  company's  operating  and  gen- 
eral expenses  amounted  to  $98,851,- 
301 ;  depreciation,  rent  and  real  es- 
tate and  other  taxes  amounted  to  $14,- 
523,409,  and  Federal  income  and  ex- 
cess profits  taxes  totaled  $6,932,512 
Other  deductions  aggregated  $2,212,- 
276.  Current  and  working  assets  ag- 
gregated $79,124,812,  and  current  lia- 
bilities $20,181,132,  leaving  working 
capital  of  $58,043,680.  Cash  on  hand 
amounted  to  $20,056,730,  exclusive  of 
$3,089,500  cash  reserved  for  purchase 
of  war  savings  bonds,  and  $1,692,876 
of  U.  S.  Government  securities  at  cost. 
Total  assets  amounted  to  $167,629,747. 


Report  Release  of 
2  British  Studios 

London,  Feb.  4. — Two  of  the  larg- 
est British  studios  now  reserved  for 
other  purposes  may  be  released  either 
entirely  or  in  part  for  British  pro- 
duction, it  is  reported  in  trade  circles. 
These  sources  say  that  the  move  is  not 
improbable  as  a  result  of  persuasive 
approaches  to  the  Government  author- 
ities. It  is  also  believed  that  Two 
Cities,  currently  the  most  active  pro- 
duction organization,  may  have  a  vir- 
tual monopoly  on  the  available  studio 
space. 


Ohio  House  Votes 
To  Change  Time 

Columbus,  O.,  Feb.  4.— By  a 
vote  of  106  to  26,  the  House 
voted  today  to  shift  Ohio's 
clocks  back  one  hour.  The  bill 
now  goes  back  to  the  Senate 
for  concurrence  on  an  emer- 
gency clause.  Governor  Brick- 
er  is  expected  to  sign  the  bill 
next  week,  and  it  is  expected 
to  become  effective  Feb.  14. 
Interstate  transportation  and 
Government  agencies  will 
continue  on  Eastern  War 
Time. 


Clearance  Under 
Franchise  Argued 


The  right  of  parties  to  long  term 
film  franchises  to  establish  clearance 
terms  for  the  life  of  the  agreements 
was  argued  before  the  industry  ar- 
bitration appeal  board  yesterday  by 
attorneys  in  the  combined  clearance 
cases  of  Julius  Joelsen  Theatres 
against  RKO,  20th  Century-Fox  and 
Vitagraph.  The  case  was  the  second 
instance  of  oral  argument  being  con- 
ducted before  the  board. 

The  J-J  Theatres'  case  was  dis- 
missed by  Morris  Moskowitz,  arbitra- 
tor, last  October.  It  was  appealed  by 
the  plaintiff,  which  sought  clearance 
relief  for  its  Avalon,  Oxford,  Jerome 
and  Kkigsbridge  theatres  from  the 
Skouras'  Valentine.  John  Caskey,  at- 
torney for  20th-Fox,  contended  that 
the  distributor  should  be  dismissed 
from  the  case  because  of  the  existence 
of  a  franchise  covering  the  Valentine 
which  runs  to  1948. 

Arguments  to  affirm  the  arbitrator's 
dismissal  were  made  on  behalf  of  War- 
ners by  Howard  Levinson,  for  RKO 
by  Cyril  Landau  and  for  the  Valen- 
tine by  Arthur  Schwartz.  Counsel 
for  defendants  contended  that  to  re- 
duce the  present  seven-day  clearance 
(.Continued  on  page  7) 


Ickes  Favors  Driving  Ban 
Extended  to  Entire  Nation 


Washington,  Feb.  4. — Petroleum 
Administrator  Ickes  today  said  he  was 
in  favor  of  extending  the  ban  on 
pleasure  driving  now  in  effect  in  the 
Eastern  states  to  the  whole  country 
wherever  it  would  result  in  accumula- 
tion of  oil  supplies  needed  for  essential 
purposes. 

He  said  the  only  sections  exempted 
from  the  ban  should  be  places  right  in 
the  oil  field  country  and  places  lack- 


ing adequate  alternative  transporta- 
tion. Ickes  disagreed  with  earlier  pub- 
lished reports  that  the  supply  outlook 
offered  some  hope  for  relaxation  of  the 
ban  in  the  East  by  the  end  of  March. 

He  pointed  out  that  he  was  more 
concerned  with  keeping  the  people 
warm  next  winter,  and  that  this  could 
be  done  only  by  restricting  non-es- 
sential use  so  that  oil  stocks  could 
be  accumulated  in  the  Summer. 


Congress  Ire 
At  Manpower 
Order  Grows 


Edict  Faces  Change;  Aim 
At  Industry  Workers 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Feb.  4. — A  Con- 
gressional storm  against  the  "work 
or  fight"  order  issued  by  the  War 
Manpower  Commission,  steadily 
growing  in  intensity,  appeared  like- 
ly tonight  to  force  alteration  of  a 
policy  which  might  seriously  affect 
the  motion  picture  industry. 

While  the  original  list  of  non- 
essential jobs  contained  some 
found  in  film  production  and 
exhibition,    in    common  with 
many    other    industries,  later 
lists  to  be  issued  reportedly 
will  cover  the  amusement  field 
specifically,  it  was  learned  here. 
Particularly    criticized    in  official 
quarters  is  that  provision  of  the  order 
that  married  men  with  dependents  will 
lose  their  deferred  status  in  the  draft 
if  they  continue  to  work  in  any  of  the 
jobs  classified  by  the  WMC  as  non- 
essential, a  list  which  will  be  steadily 
lengthened. 

Members  of  Congress  charge  that 
the  order  is  discriminatory  in  that  it 
affects  men  with  dependents  only  in 
certain  activities  and  discounts  the 
loyalty  of  men  who  have  remained  in 
their  normal  job  when  they  could  have 
made  more  in  defense  work. 


Arbitrator  Decides 
Against  SPG  Raise 


Screen  Publicist  Guild  members  of 
the  Paramount  advertising  and  pub- 
licity staff  are  not  entitled  to  the  cost- 
of-living  bonus  paid  by  Paramount  to 
certain  of  its  home  office  employes 
from  time  to  time  throughout  the  year, 
Milton  Diamond,  arbitrator  of  the  dis- 
pute between  the  SPG  and  the  com- 
pany, ruled  yesterday. 

In  the  hearings  before  the  arbitra- 
tor, Paramount  contended  that  the 
cost-of-living  bonus  was  not  paid  to 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Heard  Around"  by  Sam 
Shain,  Page  2.  Hollywood  pro- 
duction news,  Page  10.  Mexico 
City  notes,  Page  10. 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Friday,  February  5,  1943  j 


Monogram  Honors 
Lifton  at  Luncheon 


Lou  Lifton,  advertising  and  pub- 
licity director  of  Monogram,  was 
honored  by  the  company's  New  York 
office  at  a  luncheon  at  the  Warwick 
Hotel  yesterday,  following  his  arrival 
from  Hollywood  to  conduct  the  cam- 
paign on  "Silver  Skates."  Steve 
Broidy,  sales  manager  ;  Harry  Thomas, 
Eastern  sales  manager,  and  Made- 
leine White,  Eastern  publicity  man- 
ager for  Monogram,  were  hosts  at  the 
affair,  which  was  attended  by  a  large 
delegation  of  trade  press  representa- 
tives. 

Paramount  Declares 
Dividend  of  SO  Cents 

A  regular  quarterly  dividend  of  30 
cents  per  share  on  Paramount's  com- 
mon stock  and  $1.50  per  share  on  the 
first  preferred  was  declared  by  the 
company's  board  of  directors  _  at  a 
meeting  yesterday.  Both  dividends 
are  payable  April  1  to  holders  of  re- 
cord on  March  18. 


Hackel  Film  for  Rep. 

Hollywood,  Feb.  4. — Republic  has 
closed  a  distribution  deal  for  release 
of  "Small  Town  Big-Shot"  to  be  pro- 
duced by   A.  W.  Hackel. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN       .      GREER  GARSON 
In  James  Hilton's 

"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN  M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue   .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 
PRESENTS 

'STAR  SPANGLED 
RHYTHM' 

with  43  STARS 
PARAMOUNT 


IN  PERSON 

JOHNNY 
LONG 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

—Extra- 
Frank  Sinatra 

Times  Square 


HENRY  FONDA  •  MAUREEN  O'HARA  in 

Plus  In  Person  |  C  O  N  N  E  E  BOS  WELL 
On  Our  Stage  I  PAUL  LAVALLE  &  Orch. 

BUY  A  WAR  D  AW  7th  Ave-  &  50th  St' 
BONDatthe  nUAl    Continuous  Perfs. 


PALACE 


B'WAY  & 
47th  St. 


MONTY  WOOLLEY  -  IDA  LUPINO 

"Life  Begins  at  Eight-Thirty" 

—  and  — 

"TARZAN  TRIUMPHS" 

JOHNNY  WEISSM  U  LLER 


'JOURNEY  F< 
MARGARET" 


^  Heard  Around  ^Personal 

Mention 


TALK  about  the  appointment  of  new  industry  representatives  in  Washington 
who  would  be  qualified  to  act  for  the  industry,  thereby  relieving  company 
presidents  of  the  necessity  of  devoting  much  time  to  travel  between  New  York 
and  the  Capital  appears  to  stem  from  a  plan  which  originated  within  the 
Motion  Picture  Producers  and  Distributors  Association  several  months  ago. 
The  original  plan,  which  has  since  been  approved  by  the  Hays  board,  and 
provision  made  for  it  in  the  organization's  new  budget,  contemplated  only  the 
appointment  of  one  or  two  assistants  to  Jack  Bryson — should  Capital  develop- 
ments require  them. 

•  •  • 

Carl  Lesserman  brings  back  word  from  Hollywood  that  everybody  out 
there  is  mostly  concerned  with  the  $25,000  salary  ceiling — which  brings  to 
mind  that  Kyle  Crichton,  in  next  week's  issue  of  Collier's  will  describe  the 
sad  plight  of  Hollywood's  stars  because  of  the  pay  limitation — he  will  tell  how 
Hollywood  has — (a)  no  gas — (b)  no  hired  help — (a)  no  money — (d)  an 
awful  ache  in  the  head — because  the  $25,000  ceiling  depresses  them;  gas 
rationing  murders  them;  they  sell  their  homes;  thy  cook  thir  own  meals — 
all  of  which  does  not  amuse  them  ! 

•  •  • 

Bradford  Swan  in  the  Providence  (R.  I.)  Journal  tells  how  motion  pic- 
tures are  essential — with  random  excerpts  from  a  soldier's  letter — Sgt. 
E.  F.  Place — from  North  Africa  .  .  .  "Movies  are  something  that  are  al- 
most part  of  us — if  it  is  anything  that  will  keep  the  boys  in  good  spirits 
it  is  their  letters  from  home  and  their  movies — to  see  an  American  movie 
is  just  like  being  home  for  a  while — when  you  look  at  a  familiar  actor  or 
actress  on  the  screen  it's  just  like  walking  from  the  dining  room  into 
the  parlor  of  your  own  home,  or  sitting  down  to  your  own  dinner  table; 
it  really  does  something  for  you." 

•  •  • 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  will  gross  about  $1,600,000,  domestic  .  .  . 
RKO  Theatres'  earnings  for  1942  will  be  around  $4,000,000 — which  means 
that  RKO  will  show  a  profit  on  the  year — and  1943  should  be  great. 

•  •  • 

The  big,  black  cigar  appears  no  longer  to  be  a  symbol  of  the  motion  picture 
mogul — it's  the  pipe,  now — whether  because  of  the  war  or  taxes — and  over 
at  Loew's,  where  for  years  the  outstanding  ring-blozving  pipe  smoker  was 
Oscar  Doob — you  now  encounter  a  battery  of  smoke-bubbles  balancers — such 
as  Marvin  Schenck,  Mart  Spring,  Joe  Vogcl  and  Charlie  Moskonnts. 
Genial  Dick  Patterson,  RKO's  chairman,  is  that  firm's  leading  pipe  zvielder. 

•  •  • 

"That  was  a  swell  routine — a  great  act,"  said  Al  Finestone  to  Mayor 
LaGuardia,  at  the  Waldorf,  following  that  Universal  luncheon  to  Bud 
Abbott  and  Lou  Costello — to  which  His  Honor  replied:  "You  bet — I  liked 
working  with  Abbott  and  Costello  in  their  vaudeville  act.  Some  comedians 
resent  being  ribbed  but  those  boys  took  it  like  good  sports." 


You've  heard  that  frequent  comment  that  the  public  does  not  want  to  see 
war  films — and  that  women  won't  go  to  see  them  .  .  .  yet  "Wake  Island,"  "In 
Which  We  Serve"  and  "Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  are  breaking  records — 
and  as  far  as  "In  Which  We  Serve"  is  concerned,  65  per  cent  of  the  cus- 
tomers at  the  Capitol,  on  Broadway,  have  been  women. 

•  •  • 

Speaking  of  "In  Which  We  Serve" — that  picture  is  hanging  up  an  all-time 
staying  record  at  the  Capitol,  just  behind  "Gone  With  the  Wind"  and  "The 
Great  Dictator"  .  .  .  in  six  weeks  this  picture  earned  United  Artists  a  film 
rental  of  about  $150,000,  on  70-30  terms  .  .  .  and  "Random  Harvest,"  at  the 
Radio  City  Music  Hall  will  give  M-G-M  a  film  rental  of  $221,000  for  the  first 
seven  weeks. 

•  •  • 

Once  a  member  of  the  Loew  family — always  a  member — is  known  to  be 
Nicholas  M.  Schenck's  viewpoint  about  those  who  are  associated  with 
him  in  the  management  of  that  company— which,  best  explains  how 
Laudy  Lawrence  happens  again  to  be  associated  there — assisting  Mort 
Spring,  foreign  chief. 

•  •  • 

Floyd  Odium  will  leave  for  his  Indio  ranch  next  Friday  .  .  .  also  on  that 
day  Barney  Balaban  and  Murray  Silverstone  are  expecting  to  leave  for  Cali- 
fornia— each  on  his  own  business  ...  it  is  expected  that  while  in  Hollywood, 
Balaban  will  confer  with  Y.  Frank  Freeman  on  many  matters,  including  "For 
Whom  the  Bell  Tolls"  at  which  time  it  may  be  determined  also  whether  Free- 
man will  come  East  soon  or  whether  some  of  the  home  office  boys  will  go  West 
.  .  .  Ted  O'Shea  leaves  for  Florida  today  .  .  .  Jules  Stein  is  in  town. 

•  •  • 

..Si  Fabian,  Harry  Brandt  and  Oscar  Doob  will  shortly  make  a  tour  of 
principal  cities  on  behalf  of  the  "March  of  Dimes"  campaign  .  .  .  Ralph 
Maw,  Lou  Goldstein  and  Herman  Ripps  leave  New  York  today. 

•  •  • 

Sam  Glazer,  sales  manager  of  Columbia  Pictures,  Toronto,  can't  help 
being  air  minded— his  son,  Flight  Lt.  Al  E.,  of  the  RAF  turned  in  such  an 
excellent  job  over  Germany  and  at  Malta  that  he  has  earned  the  Dis- 
tinguished Flying  Cross— and  daughter,  Sylvia,  has  married  an  airman, 
G.  M.  Cummings,  in  training  at  the  R.C.A.F.  school,  St.  Thomas,  Ont. 

— Sam  Shain. 


\/T  ARTIN  QUIGLEY,  president 
1V1  of  Quigley  Publications,  arrived 
in  Hollywood  yesterday. 

Ned  E.  Depixet,  president  of  RKO, 
is  expected  in  Hollywood  today. 


Tyree  Dillard,  Jr.,  of  L/^is  f 
legal  staff,  a  lieutenant  in  the  \  A 


Reserve,  reports  to  Ft.  Schuylei^N.i 
Y.,  Feb.  15. 

• 

Hermax  Robbixs,  National  Screen! 
Service  president,  leaves  for  the  Coast 
today.  William  Brexxer,  vice-presi-! 
dent,  has  arrived  on  the  Coast 
• 

Col.  Jason  Joy  has  returned  to 
California  from  Washington. 

• 

H.  M.  Bessey,  secretary-treasurer 
of  Altec  Service,  has  returned  from 
a  trip  through  Pennsylvania. 

• 

W.  H.  Gregorie,  formerly  at  the 
Warner  Strand,  Hartford,  has  been 
stationed  at  the  U.  S.  Naval  Training 
Station  in  Newport,  R.  I. 

• 

Robert  Jacksox  of  the  Buffalo  M- 
G-M  exchange  has  left  for  the  Army. 
• 

Miss  J.  Kerr,  formerly  secretary  to 
Col.  Johx  A.  Cooper,  chairman  of  the 
Canadian  Motion  Picture  Distributors 
Association,  Toronto,  is  an  officer  in 
the  WAAC,  stationed  in  Alaska. 
• 

Sgt.  Paul  Kessler,  former  mana- 
ger of  the  Suffolk  Theatre,  Holyoke. 
Mass.,  was  on  furlough  in  Holyoke. 
• 

Hexry  Ferris,  formerly  manager 
of  the  Garden  Theatre,  Springfield. 
Mass.,  has  been  promoted  to  sergeant 
in  the  Marine  Corps. 

• 

Thomas  Vaughax  of  Loew's  Poli, 
Hartford,  has  been  inducted  in  the 
Army. 

• 

Dudley  Fexx,  manager  of  the 
Stuart,  Lakeville,  Conn.,  is  now  in  the 
Army. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


day 


DEANNA  DURBIN  as  a  bachelor  bride  who  bursts 
from  a  shuttered  past  — into  a  wide  open  future  on 
the  Gold  Coast  of  San  Francisco. 


She  survives  a  torpedoing  by  Japs —  She  pulls  at  your  heart  strings! 

and  saves  the  kids. 


I 


In  war-torn  China,  she  becomes  a 
mother  of  nine — in  one  day. 


She  sings  a  Chinese  Lullaby. 


Out  of  war-torn  China — and  the  ashes  of  her  hidden 
past  ...  to  live  the  flaming  lie  that  shocked  the 
Gold  Coast  of  San  Francisco! 


She  crashes  a  mansion  and  mashes  a  butler 


UNIVERSAL  PICTURES 


JOIN  THE  INDUSTRY'S 
"MARCH  OF  DIMES" 
Feb.  18-24 

Sign  your  pledge  at  once! 


DUBBIN 


with  EDMOND  O'BRIEN 
BARRY  FITZGERALD 
ARTHUR  TREACHER 

HARRY  DAVENPORT  GRANT  MITCHELL 
FRIEDA  INESCORT    ELISABETH  RISDON 

* 

Screen  Play  by  Frank  Ryan  •  John  Jacoby  •  Adaptation  by 
Boris  Ingster  •  Leo  Townsend  •  From  an  Original  Story 
by  Sonya  Levien .  Associate  Producer,  FRANK  SHAW 

Produced  and  Directed  by 

BRUCE  MANNING 


Friday,  February  5,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


7 


Arbitrator  Decides 
Against  SPG  Raise 
at  Paramount 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

all  Paramount  employes,  that  con- 
tract employes  all  were  excluded  from 
the  bonus  payments  on  the  grounds 
that  contract  terms  cover  all  contin- 
gencies, and  that,  therefore,  the  com- 
pass's action  in  excluding  its  em- 
1  f  who  are  SPG  members  was  not 
d»~  criminatory. 

i  Paramount's  contention,  which  was 
Upheld  by  the  arbitrator,  was  that 
when  the  company  entered  into  a  con- 
tract with  the  SPG  which  provided 
wage  increases  for  its  members,  they 
assumed  the  same  status  as  other 
contract  employes  with  respect  to  the 
cost-of-living  bonus. 

The  SPG-Paramount  contract  pro- 
vides for  arbitration  of  disputes  un- 
der the  contract  and  there  is  no  speci- 
fic provision  in  the  pact  for  an  appeal 
from  an  arbitrator's  award. 


New  Para.-SOPEG  Conciliation 

James  Fitzpatrick  has  been  chosen 
to  replace  Clyde  Mills  in  conciliation 
proceedings  between  Paramount  and 
the  Screen  Office  and  Professional 
Employes  Guild,  it  was  announced. 
Mills  was  reassigned  to  another  case 
by  the  U.  S.  Conciliation  Service. 
Fitzpatrick  is  expected  to  call  a  meet- 
ing early  next  week  on  the  contract 
dispute  concerning  classification  of 
labor  and  union  shop  for  Paramount 
home  office  and  music  subsidiaries' 
white  collar  employes. 

Phila.  Theatres  Win 
Cuts  in  Assessment 

Philadelphia,  Feb.  4. — Reductions 
in  real  estate  assessment  was  allowed 
for  virtually  all  of  the  large  center- 
city  film  houses  for  1943,  the  depres- 
sion-born decline  in  Philadelphia  real 
estate  values  continue  in  spite  of  the 
war  boom  here. 

Among  the  first-run  Warner  cir- 
cuit houses,  the  taxable  valuations 
were  reduced  for  the  Mastbaum  from 
$1,239,700  in  1942  to  $1,218,300  for 
1943;  the  Fox,  from  $1,451,000  to 
$1,416,700;  Stanley,  from  $677,000  to 
$597,000;  Aldine,  from  $549,000  to 
$501,300;  Boyd,  from  $546,100  to 
$527,200;  Karlton,  from  $980,600  to 
$938,300.  The  Keith's  continued  at 
its  1942  assessment  of  $528,100. 

William  Goldman's  Erlanger  was 
reduced  from  $567,800  to  $545,100; 
and  the  Academy  of  Music,  concert 
hall,  reduced  from  $1,025,000  to  $978,- 
000. 


Phillett  NamedMono. 
Manager  in  Calgary 

Toronto,  Feb.  4. — Max  Phillett  has 
succeeded  Percy  C.  Taylor  as  man- 
ager of  the  Calgary  branch,  it  is  an- 
nounced by  Harry  Kaufman,  general 
manager  of  Monogram  Pictures  of 
Canada,  Ltd. 

It  was  also  announced  that  Louis 
Rosefield,  formerly  with  Empire  Uni- 
versal Films,  has  been  appointed  sales- 
man out  of  the  Toronto  Monogram 
office,  succeeding  William  Smith  who 
has  gone  to  Esquire  Films,  and  that 
James  I.  Foy  has  resigned  from  the 
head  office  staff  of  Canadian  Mono- 
gram. 


British  Raw  Stock 
Statement  Expected 

London,  Feb.  4. — A  govern- 
ment announcement  directing 
the  use  of  raw  stock  in  Brit- 
ain is  expected  next  week. 
The  announcement  is  being 
awaited  with  interest  by  the 
industry  in  view  of  recent  in- 
ter-industry discussions  and 
conferences  with  Board  of 
Trade  officials  concerning  the 
possible  curtailment  and 
economies  in  raw  stock,  much 
of  which  is  obtained  from  the 
United  States.  The  raw  stock 
demands  of  the  military  serv- 
ices here  have  been  heavy. 


Cross-Examination 
Of  Momand  Goes  On 


Oklahoma  City,  Feb.  4. — Cross- 
examination  of  A.  B.  Momand  con- 
tinued here  today  in  the  Federal  court 
trial  of  Momand's  $4,950,000  anti- 
trust suit  against  the  major  distribu- 
tors, the  Griffith  Circuit  and  others. 

Counsel  for  Griffith  occupied  most 
of  the  day  in  cross-examining  Mo- 
mand, principally  on  individual 
amounts  of  damage  alleged  to  have 
been  suffered  by  various  units  of  Mo- 
mand's theatre  operations.  The  ex- 
amination disclosed  a  number  of  dis- 
crepancies between  the  apparent  dam- 
age which  might  have  accrued  to  in- 
dividual operations  and  the  sums  al- 
leged in  the  bill  of  complaint. 

Indications  are  that  the  cross-ex- 
aminations will  continue  another  week 
or  10  days.  E.  F.  McLennen,  counsel 
for  distributors,  will  next  take  up  the 
examination  of  Momand  and  will  be 
followed  by  other  defense  attorneys. 
It  is  believed  that  all  testimony  will 
not  be  in  before  Feb.  15.  If  the  trial 
proceeds  according  to  schedule,  de- 
fense attorneys  will  be  ready  to  make 
their  motions  for  dismissal  about 
Feb.  16. 


Max  Cohen  Elected 
New  ITOA  Director 

Max  A.  Cohen,  president  of  Cinema 
Circuit,  was  elected  to  the  board  of 
directors  of  the  ITOA  at  a  meeting  of 
the  group  yesterday.  Harry  Brandt, 
president,  reported  at  the  meeting  that 
ITOA  has  requested  the  War  Man- 
power Commission  to  classify  theatre 
managers  and  assistant  managers  as 
essential,  pointing  out  their  services 
in  conducting  drives,  showing  govern- 
ment reels  and  their  liaison  work  be- 
tween theatres  and  the  government. 
The  ITOA  has  joined  Theatre  Au- 
thority, it  was  reported. 


Schulberg  and  Col. 
Decide  to  Separate 

Hollywood,  Feb.  4. — B.  P.  Schul- 
berg today  announced  severance  of 
his  association  as  a  Columbia  pro- 
ducer because  he  "could  not  loyally 
nor  conscientiously  subscribe  to  the 
new  producing  regime  recently  insti- 
tuted." The  studio  also  issued  a  state- 
ment saying  that  his  contract,  which 
expires  Feb.  13,  will  not  be  renewed. 
Sidney  Buchman  recently  was  made 
executive  producer  under  Harry 
Cohn,  president  and  studio  chief. 


Tri- States  Sued  by 
Goldberg  in  Omaha 


Omaha,  Feb.  4. — Tri-States  Thea- 
tres Corp.  of  Des  Moines  has  been 
named  defendant  in  a  suit  filed  in 
District  Court  by  R.  D.  Goldberg 
Theatres,  headed  by  Ralph  D.  Gold- 
berg, asking  $540,000  damages.  The 
complaint  claims  that  Tri-States  has 
an  "unlawful  monopoly"  on  first  runs 
in  downtown  Omaha.  It  claims  that 
through  agreement  with  major  dis- 
tributors Tri-States  has  made  it  im- 
possible for  the  Town  Theatre,  local 
Goldberg  house,  to  obtain  any  pic- 
ture until  at  least  60  days  after  it 
has  played  one  of  the  Tri-States 
houses.  Only  exceptions  are  westerns 
and  poor  quality  features,  the  suit 
says. 

The  Town's  income  has  been  de- 
creased, the  suit  adds,  and  asks  that 
Tri-States  be  ousted  from  the  theatre 
business  in  Nebraska.  Tri-States  of- 
ficers named  defendants  are :  A.  H. 
Blank,  president ;  Ralph  Branton,  gen- 
eral manager,  and  Joseph  Kinsky, 
Omaha  district  manager. 

Agents'  Fee  Change 
Proposed  at  Albany 

Albany,  Feb.  4. — A  bill  changing 
the  fees  paid  by  applicants  for  the- 
atrical engagements  to  employment 
agencies  has  been  introduced  by  Sen. 
William  Condon  of  Westchester, 
chairman  of  the  labor  and  industries 
committee. 

It  provides  that  the  present  gross 
fee  of  5  per  cent  of  salaries  should 
be  stricken  out.  Instead,  the  gross 
fee  would  not  exceed  the  maximum 
fees  approved  by  the  local  licensing 
agency. 

Sen.  Kirnan  has  introduced  a  bill 
to  extend  unemployment  insurance 
benefit  provisions  to  employers  of  one 
or  more  persons,  instead  of  four  or 
more.  Such  legislation  has  been  op- 
posed by  small  town  exhibitors. 

Meanwhile,  legislators  report  re- 
ceiving no  protests  from  exhibitors  on 
pending  chance  game  legalization  bills, 
which  exclude  theatres.  Fraternal  and 
veterans  groups  are  supporting  the 
bills. 

Board  Discusses 
U'  Recapitalization 

(.Continued  from  page  1) 

ton.  The  plan  is  said  to  involve  re- 
tirement of  the  outstanding  8  per  cent 
first  preferred  stock  and  consolidation 
of  Universal  Corp.  and  Universal  Pic- 
tures Co.  There  is  a  probability  that 
some  of  the  outstanding  debentures 
also  may  be  retired. 

That  the  plan  was  under  contempla- 
tion was  first  revealed  by  Motion 
Picture  Daily,  Feb.  1. 

Clearance  Under 
Franchise  Argued 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
or  to  change  it  in  any  respect  would 
upset  the  entire  subsequent  clearance 
system  throughout  the  city.  Elimina- 
tion of  all  clearance  would  be  prefer- 
able even  to  a  two  or  three-day  re- 
duction, attorneys  said. 


Bateman  to  Return 

Hollywood,  Feb.  4. — Francis  Bate- 
man, new  Republic  western  division 
manager,  returns  here  tomorrow  fol- 
lowing a  four  week  area  tour. 


Univ.  Reports 
Year  Earnings 
Of  $2,968,231 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

year  amounted  to  $5,254,664,  an  in- 
crease of  $2,624,238,  or  nearly  100  per 
cent  over  the  preceding  year.  Cowdin's 
report  points  out  that  taxes  were 
equivalent  to  $21.02  for  every  share 
Of  the  company's  outstanding  stock 
and  to  $1.77  for  each  dollar  of  net 
profit  earned. 

Net  profit  of  Universal  Corp.,  the 
parent  company,  amounted  to  $2,806,- 
952  for  the  year,  compared  with  $2,- 
341,202  in  the  preceding  year,  it  was 
announced. 

The  report  revealed  that  Uni- 
versale domestic  revenues  for 
the  year  amounted  to  $25,101,- 
506,  which  was  greater  than  the 
company's  revenues  from  world- 
wide operations  three  years  ago. 
More  domestic  sales  contracts 
were  closed  during  the  year 
than  in  any  other  previous  year. 
Foreign  business,  likewise,  con- 
tinued to  increase,  amounting 
to  $14,075,981  last  year,  com- 
pared with  $11,275,028  in  the 
preceding  year. 

Net  current  assets  at  the  end  of 
the  last  fiscal  year  amounted  to  $14,- 
039,156,  compared  with  $11,69,580  at 
the  end  of  the  preceding  fiscal  year. 
Inventories  for  the  year  amounted  to 
$13,865,221,  a  gain  of  more  than  $3,- 
500,000,  and  total  borrowings  were 
$5,514,000,  an  increase  of  $380,000.  On 
Nov.  6  of  the  current  fiscal  year,  how- 
ever, $1,300,000  was  repaid  to  banks. 

First  preferred  stock  outstanding  at 
the  year  end  was  reduced  to  8,866 
shares  through  purchases  for  sinking 
fund  purchases,  and  subsequently  was 
further  reduced  to  8,652  shares. 

Unit  Cost  Increased 

Cowdin's  report  stated  that  the 
company's  unit  production  cost  has 
increased  due  to  higher  costs  of  labor 
and  materials.  It  states  that  despite 
the  scarcity  of  materials  and  the  sharp 
curtailment  of  raw  stock,  the  company 
believes  it  "can  operate  without  too 
serious  a  contraction"  of  its  produc- 
tion program  if  not  confronted  with 
further  cuts. 

The  report,  touching  upon  the  Fed- 
eral $25,000  net  salary  ceiling  points 
out  that  its  application  to  the  film 
industry  affects  not  only  manage- 
ment, as  in  other  industries,  but  the 
source  of  product  "manufacture"  as 
well.  Calling  attention  to  the  fact 
that  production  principals  have  an  av- 
erage professional  life  of  six  years, 
Cowdin  states  that  a  disturbance  of 
their  earning  ability  carries  with  it 
"all  the  possibilities  of  seriously  up- 
setting the  industry"  at  a  time  when 
it  is  most  valuable  to  morale. 

Lt .  Col.  Bate  to  Be 
Buried  Saturday 

Funeral  services  for  Lt.  Col.  Henry 
Clay  Bate,  52,  U.  S.  A.  R.,  a  veteran 
of  the  first  World  War  and  chief 
monologue  writer  for  Universal  News- 
reels,  will  be  held  tomorrow  at  9  :30 
A.  M.  in  the  Devlin  Funeral  Home, 
404  W.  51st  St.  He  died  Wednesday 
in  the  Veterans  Administration  Hos- 
pital, Bronx,  after  a  long  illness. 


BY  FOR 


HARDYJ 
OOUBti 


I  Get  a  load  of  that 

Second  Group  from 

Metro  -  GOLDMI N  E  -  Mayer 

The  Friendly  Company! 


«o<e*  rVe<-  Iv>M' 


MARCH  OF  DIMES 
FEB.  18-24 


10 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  February  5,  1943 


Studios  Hold 
Pace  with  40 
Films  Shooting 


Hollywood,  Feb.  4.  —  Forty  pic- 
tures were  before  the  cameras  this 
week  as  four  finished  and  five  started. 
Twenty-three  were  being  prepared, 
and  61  are  in  the  cutting  rooms. 

The  tally  by  studio  : 

Columbia 

Finished :  "Destroyer." 

In  work :  "Attack  by  Night,"  "Red- 
head from  Manhattan,"  "Blondie 
Buys  a  Horse." 

Started:  "Sahara." 

M-G-M 

In  work :  "Girl  Crazy,"  "Faculty 
Row,"  "Swing  Shift  Maisie,"  "Ba- 
taan  Patrol,"  "I  Dood  It,"  "Above 
Suspicion,"  "Private  Miss  Jones," 
"Right  About  Face,"  "Best  Foot  For- 
ward." 

Monogram 

Finished :  "No  Escape." 
Stojrted;  "Clancy  Street  Boys." 

Paramount 
Finished :    "Henry    Aldrich  Plays 
Cupid." 

In  work :  "Five  Graves  to  Cairo," 
"The  Good  Fellows,"  "So  Proudly  We 
Hail,"  "Lady  in  the  Dark,"  "Riding 
High,"  "Alaska  Highway." 

Producers  Releasing 

Started:  "Girls  in  Chains.' 

RKO 

In  zcork :  "The  Sky's  the  Limit," 
"Petticoat  Larceny,"  "Free  for  All," 
"The  Fallen  Sparrow." 

Started:  "The  Falcon  Strikes 
Back." 

Republic 

Finished :  "Tahiti  Honey." 
In  work :  "King  of  the  Cowboys," 
"Shanty  town." 

20th  Century-Fox 
In  work  :  "Stormy  Weather." 
Started :  "Bomber's  Moon." 

United  Artists 
In    Zi'ork :    "Lady    of  Burlesque," 
"Stage  Door  Canteen." 

Universal 
Finished :  "Always  a  Bridesmaid." 
In  work :   "Cross   Your  Fingers," 
"Destiny,"     "We've     Never  Been 
Licked,"     "Corvettes     in  Action," 
"Phantom  of  the  Opera." 

Warners 

In  work :  "Mission  to  Moscow," 
"Old  Acquaintance,"  "Devotion." 


Phila.  Variety  Club 
Names  Committees 

Philadelphia,  Feb.  4.  —  Chief 
Barker  Samuel  Gross  of  the  Philadel- 
phia Variety  Club  announced  the  fol- 
lowing committees  for  1943  :  Member- 
ship :  Jay  Emanuel,  chairman ;  Earle 
W.  Sweigert,  David  Supowitz,  Wil- 
liam A.  MacAvoy,  Jr.,  Harry  E. 
Wreiner.  Welfare :  Ben  Amsterdam, 
chairman ;  Alfred  J.  Davis,  Oscar 
Neufeld.  Charity :  James  P.  Clark, 
chairman ;  Frank  L.  McNamee,  Ed- 
gar Moss,  Charles  Goldfine,  Jack 
Beresin.  Motion  pictures :  Ted 
Schlanger,  chairman ;  Jay  Emanuel, 
John  Turner.  House :  George  Sobel, 
chairman ;  William  A.  MacAvoy,  Jr., 
Frederick  C.  Schaeffer,  Oscar  Neu- 
feld, Murray  Diamond,  David  Supo- 
witz, Elmer  Hollander. 


Notes  from  Mexico  City 


By  LUIS  BECERRA  CELIS 

Mexico  City,  Feb.  4 

OPTIMISM  for  1943  characterized  reports  rendered  at  the  banquet  here 
celebrating  the  first  anniversary  of  the  Banco  Cinematografica,  the  bank 
the  business  and  the  government  established  to  properly  finance  film  produc- 
tion. It  was  declared  that  never  before  has  there  been  such  unity  and  cordiality 
in  the  industry,  a  condition  that  is  en 


abling  Mexican  films  to  meet  foreign 
competition  and  to  find  a  better  ac- 
ceptance abroad,  especially  in  the 
United  States  and  most  Latin  Ameri- 
can countries.  The  reports  remarked 
that  better  service  from  the  banks  and 
more  attention  from  investors  has 
been  a  big  help  for  the  industry. 

Producers  attending  the  banquet 
said  1943  promises  to  be  an  even  bet- 
ter business  year  than  1942,  the  best 
of  the  12  since  Mexico  began  the 
modernization  of  her  film  industry. 
The  producers  predicted  that  1943 
production  will  total  about  60  fea- 
tures, of  which  six  are  already  being 
made.  Some  producers  said  that  this 
year's  figure  will  probably  be  higher, 
but  they  did  not  venture  any  figures. 

Those  attending  the  banquet,  chair- 
man of  which  was  Lie.  Carlos  Car- 
diero  Galvan,  president  of  the  bank, 
included :  Jesus  Grovas,  former  head 
of  the  company  of  his  name  which  is 
the  biggest  producer  in  Mexico ;  Mau- 
ricio  de  la  Serna,  Fernando  de  Fuen- 
tes  and  Santiago  Reachi,  leading  pro- 
ducers ;  Emilio  Thalman,  manager 
and  Atanasio  Sarabia,  assistant  man- 
ager of  the  National  Bank  of  Mexi- 
co, headquarters  of  which  are  in 
Paris,  and  which  has  been  prominent 
in  financing  the  film  industry ;  En- 
rique Sarro,  assistant  manager  of  the 
Nacional  Financiera,  a  government 
financing  bank,  and  Georges  Pinzon, 
president  of  the  Free  French  Com- 
mittee of  Mexico. 

• 

Tomas  Milmo,  long  prominent  in 
the  Mexican  picture  industry  is  the 
new  manager  of  the  Cine  Teatro  Ala- 
meda, leading  first  run  theatre  here. 
He  succeeds  Mauricio  de  la  Serna, 
who  resigned  to  become  chief  of  pro- 
duction for  Jesus  Grovas  &  Co..  Car- 
los Amador  Martinez  is  the  Alameda's 
new  assistant  manager. 

• 

Exhibitors  here  have  been  sharply 
warned  by  the  municipal  amusements 
inspection  department  that  if  they  con- 
tinue to  accommodate  standees  they 
will  be  severely  punished,  in  the  form 
of  heavy  fines  and  possible  cancella- 
tion of  licenses.  The  department  ex- 
plained that  many  theatres  here,  par- 
ticularly the  subsequent  runs,  fre- 
quently are  overcrowded.  It  has 
ordered  its  inspectors  to  see  to  it  that 
all  theatres  quit  selling  tickets  when 
all  seats  are  filled.  The  department 
has  received  many  complaints  against 
this  standee  practice.  It  is  seeking  to 
prevent  any  catastrophe  due  to  this 
cause. 

• 

Exhibitors  of  Monterrey,  capi- 
tal of  Nuevo  Leon  state  and  a 
leading  northeastern  business 
center,  have  joined  other  public 
entertainment  caterers  there  in 
asking  the  courts  for  an  injunc- 
tion to  restrain  the  civic  gov- 
ernment from  enforcing  a  new 
tax  scale  that  amounts  to  a 
21%  levy  on  their  gross.  The 
petitions  declare  that  this  tax 
is  confiscatory  and  that  it  is 
probable  that  no  amusement  en- 
terprise in  Monterrey  will  be 
able  to  survive  it. 


In  defending  this  increased 
taxation,  the  civic  government 
told  the  courts  that  it  considers 
amusements  as  luxuries  and 
considers  that  they  must  bear 
a  heavy  share  of  taxation.  The 
exhibitors  and  other  amuse- 
ment operators  countered  this 
argument  with  the  contention 
that  amusements  are  a  must  in 
war  time.  The  outcome  of  this 
case  is  being  watched  by  all  ex- 
hibitors as  it  is  expected  to  set 
a  precedent  in  theatre  and  other 
taxation  disputes. 

• 

Plans  are  being  completed  by  the 
Rodriguez  family  which  is  represent- 
ed in  all  branches  of  the  picture  in- 
dustry to  establish  a  studio  here.  Is- 
mael  and  Jose  are  sponsoring  the 
plans.  They  have  produced  several 
record  box  office  films.  They  expect 
to  have  their  studio  in  operation  in  the 
early  Fall. 

• 

After  a  leave  of  absence  to  produce 
and  direct  a  picture,  Felipe  Gregorio 
Castillo  has  resumed  his  position  as 
chief  of  the  federal  film  censoring 
department. 

• 

Production  is  being  arranged  by 
Soria  and  Santander,  leading  produc- 
ers, of  a  musical  romance  based  upon 
"Adios  Mariquita  Linda"  ("Good 
Bye,  Pretty  Little  Molly"),  one  of 
Mexico's  most  popular  songs.  They 
have  been  successful  with  their  latest 
film,  "La  Virgen  Morena"  ("The  Bru- 
nette Virgin")  concerning  Our  Lady 
of  Guadalupe,  Mexico's  patron  saint. 

Soria  (Gabriel)  learned  production 
in  Hollywood  and  has  the  distinction 
of  having  won  five  consecutive  gold 
medals  for  his  work  in  Mexico. 
• 

Fernando  Mendez,  an  experi- 
enced producer,  is  making,  as  an 
experiment,  Mexico's  first  chap- 
ter picture.  It  bears  the  start- 
ling title  "Las  Calaveras  del 
Terror"  ("Skulls  of  Terror"). 
Release  of  the  first  chapter  is 
expected  in  February. 

• 

Lawyers  of  the  Ministry  of 
the  Interior,  the  principal  gov- 
ernment department,  are  study- 
ing a  law  for  the  protection  of 
the  cinematographic  industry 
which  when  it  is  approved  by 
President  Manuel  Avila  Ca- 
macho  will  be  submitted  to  the 
new  congress  that  is  to  convene 
on  September  1st. 

The  law,  it  is  learned,  is  com- 
posed of  a  series  of  legal  dis- 
positions that  are  intended, 
sponsors  of  the  measure  say, 
to  protect  the  national  film  in- 
dustry from  any  unfair  competi- 
tion from  foreign  companies 
and  the  provision  of  various 
forms  of  official  aid,  including 
exemption  from  certain  federal 
taxes,  until  the  business  is  well 
on  its  economic  feet. 

Editing  of  the  draft  of  this  law 
is  under  the  personal  charge  of 
Minister  Miguel  Aleman  who 
has  been  in  Hollywood. 


Children  On  Way  to 
Shows  Turned  Back 

Chicopee,  Mass.,  Feb.  4. — 
Local  police  took  the  unusual 
precaution  of  patrolling  the 
town  line  between  here  and 
Springfield,  turning  back  all 
children  who  attempted  to  go 
to  theatres  in  this  city.  The 
scarlet  fever  epidemic  which 
has  been  raging  in  Springfield 
since  September  continues 
without  letup,  and  health  au- 
thorities requested  police  to 
protect  school  children  here. 


Para.  Refutes  Libel 
Claim  in  Song  Suit 


Paramount  Pictures,  Inc.,  and  Fa- 
mous Music  Corp.  will  claim  on  the 
trial  of  a  copyright  infringement  suit 
involving  the  song,  "Kiss  the  Boys 
Good-bye,"  used  in  the  film  of  the 
same  name,  that  the  song  is  similar 
in  many  respects  to  some  fifteen  or 
more  published  songs,  including 
"Beautiful  Ohio,"  and  the  "Scat 
Song." 

The  defendants  will  also  claim,  ac- 
cording to  papers  filed  in  Federal  Court 
yesterday,  that  the  plaintiff's  song, 
"Huet  'Nacht  Hab'  Ich  Getraumt 
Von  Dir,"  is  similar  in  many  respects 
to  "Kiss  the  Boys  Good-bye,"  as  well 
as  the  other  published  songs. 

The  suit  was  brought  by  Emmerich 
Kalman  on  May  25,  1942,  and  alleges 
infringement  of  his  song. 


$400,000  Bonds  Sold 
At  St.  Louis  Opening 

St.  Louis,  Feb.  4. — More  than  2,000 
persons  bought  nearly  $400,000  in  war 
bonds  and  stamps  at  the  opening  of 
Loew's  Orpheum  here,  it  was  an- 
nounced. Highlight  of  the  program 
was  the  presentation  to  Rex  Williams 
of  Loew's  of  a  scroll  in  recognition 
of  that  company's  sale  of  almost 
$1,000,000  in  war  bonds  since  Sept.  1 
here. 


Calais.  Me,  Feb.  4.— About  $12,000 
in  bonds  and  stamps  have  been  sold 
at  the  lobby  booth  in  the  State  Thea- 
tre here  during  the  past  six  months, 
Edward  Haskins,  manager,  reported. 


Exhibitor  Leads  Drive 

Benton,  111,  Feb.  4.— J.  E.  De- 
Silva,  manager  of  the  Fox  Capitol 
Theatre  here,  led  a  war  bond  drive 
in  this  town  of  8,000  inhabitants  that 
resulted  in  a  sale  of  $362,850  in  bonds 
and  stamps,  it  was  announced  today. 


Loew  Seats  to  Camp 

New  Haven,  Feb.  4. — Seats  dis- 
carded by  the  College  Theatre  have 
been  contributed  to  the  auditorium  of 
Dow  Field,  Bangor,  Me,  by  the  Loew- 
Poli  circuit,  Harry  Shaw,  division 
manager,  announced.  Sgt.  Elliott 
Kronish,  formerly  with  the  Loew  divi- 
sion office,  came  from  the  camp  with 
five  Army  trucks  to  transport  the 
seats. 


Harold  Lloyd  to  Col. 

Hollywood,  Feb.  4. — Harold  Lloyd 
has  been  signed  by  Columbia  to  pro- 
duce one  picture.  The  former  comedy 
star's  last  two  productions  were  at 
RKO. 


1 


AND  THE  tOP  HOUSE  IN  EVERY 
CITY  AND  TOWN... AS  SOON  AS 
WE  CAN  GET  PRINTS  TO  HANDLE 
THE  AVALANCHE  OF  BOOKINGS! 


"AN  EXPLOSIVE  PICTURE,  COMPOUNDED  OF  THt  THUNDER 
AND  LIGHTNING  Of  TRUTH.  ..IT  IS  A  GREAT  ONE,  TO  BE 
|  SEEN  SEVERAL  TIMES,  TAKEN  TO  MIND  AND  HEART,  AM 
REMEMBERED  WELL."-  Cfcfcooo  Herald- American 


i 


the  (j/tedmT 

MASS  SELLING  CAMPAIGN 
IN  THE  HISTORY  OF  THE 

INDUSTRY! 


MORE  GREAT  RADIO  PROMOTIONS  ON  THE  WAY  IN 

ALL  IMPORTANT  LISTENING  AREAS  coast  to  coast  and  border 

to  border! . . .  Blankets  of  intensive  showmanship  parallelling  that  spectacular 
and  sensational  50-City  World  Premiere  staged  under  the  sponsorship  of  Radio 
Station  WLW,  Cincinnati  .  .  .  the  amazing  promotion  that  helped  skyrocket 
grosses  in  every  one  of  the  theatres  anywhere  from  150%  to  300%  of  the 
average  for  TOP  GROSSING  pictures  of  the  past . . .  paving  the  way  for  a  per- 
fect record  of  HOLDOVERS,  and  setting  the  stage  for  unheard-of  business  for 
every  theatre  in  the  territory!  — Now  it's  headed  YOUR  way  on  a  tidal-wave 
of  box-office  publicity  that's  sweeping  everything  before  it! 


ST-  LOUIS 


TIM  HOLT  •  BONITA  GRANVILLE  *  KENT 
SMITH*  OTTO  KRUGER  •H.B.WARNER  and 

LLOYD  C0RRI6AN  •  ERFORD  GAGE  ■  HANS  CONRIED 
GAVIN  MUIR  •  NANCY  GATES 

Produced  by  Edward  A.  Golden  •  Directed  by  Edward  Dmytryk  •  Based  on  the  book 
"Education  for  Death.'-  by  GRECOR  ZIEMER  •  Screen  Play  by  Emmet  lavery 


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Friday,  February  5,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


15 


'Ball'  Nets  $19,000, 
'Serve'  Big  $18,000; 
Buffalo  Grosses  Up 


Buffalo,  Feb.  4. — "The  Crystal 
Ball"  at  the  Buffalo  and  "In  Which 
We  Serve"  at  the  Great  Lakes  led  the 
week's  business  here  with  expected 
grosses  $19,000  and  $18,000,  respec- 
tively, both  high.  The  second  week 
"Casablanca"  and  "Wrecking 
Tew"  brought  a  strong  $10,000  at  the 
Hippodrome,  while  "Pittsburgh"  and 
"Strictly  in  the  Groove"  garnered  a 
good  $9,000  at  the  Lafayette. 

It's  strange  to  see  the  theatre  dis- 
trict devoid  of  parked  automobiles  as 
the  pleasure-driving  ban  continues 
in  force  and  stranger  to  see  the  show- 
going  crowds  alighting  from  street 
cars  and  buses  in  droves  during  eve- 
ning show  hours. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  6 : 

"The  Crystal  Ball"  (U.  A.) 
"Mrs.    Wissrs    Of    The    Cabbage  Patch" 
(Para.) 

BUFFALO — (3,489)  (35c-S5c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $19,000.    (Average,  $15,000) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

GREAT     LAKES—  (3,000)     (35c-5Sc).  7 
days.    Gross:  $18,000.     (Average,  $10,800) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 
"Wrecking:  Crew"  (Para.) 

HIPPODROME — (2,100)  (35c-50c)  7  days, 
2nd  week  downtown.'  Gross:  $10,000.  (Aver- 
age, $8,500) 

"Silver    Skates"  (Memo.) 
"Busses  Roar"  (W.  B.) 

TWENTIETH  CENTURY—  (3,000)  (35c- 
55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $8,000.  (Average  $8,- 
500) 

"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 

"Strictly  In  The  Groove"  (Univ.) 

LAFAYETTE— (3,000  (35c-5Sc)  7  days. 
Gross:   $9,000.     (Average,  $8,000) 


New  Pay  Scale  For 
20th-Fox  Readers 

A  new  scale  for  readers  in  the  20th 
Century-Fox  story  department  has 
been  approved  by  the  War  Labor 
Board,  the  Screen  Office  and  Profes- 
sional Employes  Guild  announced  yes- 
terday, and  increases  are  retroactive 
to  the  first  week  of  October.  The 
new  scale  is  $52.40  to  $60  in  place 
of  the  former  $35  to  $50  scale,  the 
union  said. 


Fromkess  Names  Mooney 

Hollywood,  Feb.  4. — Leon  From- 
kess, Producers  Releasing  vice-presi- 
dent in  charge  of  production,  has  an- 
nounced the  appointment  of  Martin 
Mooney  as  his  assistant  and  story 
editor. 


Higher  Material 
Rating  for  Stations 

Washington,  Feb.  4. — Broad- 
casters needing  materials  for 
maintenance,  repair  or  oper- 
ating supplies  were  today 
given  higher  preference  rat- 
ings by  the  War  Production 
Board  in  a  move  to  insure 
against  the  closing  of  any  sta- 
tion because  of  inability  to 
get  needed  parts.  Heretofore 
broadcasters  had  a  rating  of 
A-l-J  for  such  supplies,  but 
they  now  will  have  an  Aa-2X 
standing,  the  highest  given  to 
any  industry  for  repair  and 
maintenance  equipment. 


Off  the  Antenna 

TELEVISION  programs  in  theatres  and  homes  are  foreseen  in  the 
postwar  period  by  David  Sarnoff,  president  of  RCA,  who  yesterday 
addressed  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  the  State  of  New  York.  He  said 
that  there  will  probably  be  intercity  networks  of  television  stations, 
eventually  becoming  nationwide.  Great  technical  developments  in  the 
field  will  be  apparent  in  peacetime  because  of  war  research,  Sarnoff 
stated. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Harry  James,  Motion  Picture  Daily  seventh  annual 
radio  poll  award  winner  for  Best  Swing  Dance  Band,  was  placed  first  in  the 
semi-annual  band  popularity  poll  conducted  by  Martin  Block  on  the  WNEW 
"Make  Blieve  Ballroom"  .  .  .  A  "Double  or  Nothing"  party  was  given  for 
John  Reed  King,  new  master  of  ceremonies  for  the  program,  by  WOR  and 
Mutual  yesterday  at  Gallagher's.  .  .  .  Gilbert  Canfield,  formerly  staff  announcer 
with  WHYN ,  Holyoke,  is  now  a  full  time  announcer  on  WSPR,  Springfield, 
Mass.  .  .  .  Henry  V.  Seay  is  now  sales  manager  of  WOL,  Washington.  .  .  . 
Dr.  Max  Jordan  has  been  named  NBC  director  of  religious  broadcasts. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Prentiss  M.  Brown,  OPA  administrator,  will  speak 
on  the  first  of  a  series,  "Washington  Reports  on  Rationing,"  to  be  spon- 
sored starting  Feb.  14  by  the  Council  on  Candy  as  Food  in  cooperation 
with  the  National  Confectioners  Association  over  44  NBC  stations.  .  .  . 
Upton  Close  has  been  renewed  over  Mutual  by  the  Lumberman's  Mutual 
Casual  Company  for  13  weeks,  effective  Feb.  21.  .  .  .  Latest  reports  on 
the  consequences  of  Ralph  Edward's  "Truth  or  Consequences"  broad- 
cast on  Jan.  23  indicate  that  Mrs.  Dennis  Mullane  has  received  more 
than  $3,560  to  buy  bonds  for  her  son  in  service  and  that  the  cost  to 
Edwards  was  about  $1,200.  .  .  .  After  three  guest  appearances  on  the 
show  Monty  Woolley  will  co-star  with  Al  Jolson  on  his  CBS  program. 


Williams  New  MOT 
Publicity  Director 

P.  A.  Williams  has  been  appointed 
promotion  and  publicity  manager  of 
March  of  Time,  succeeding  Albert  E. 
Sindlinger,  it  was  announced  yester- 
day by  Louis  de  Rochemont,  pro- 
ducer. Williams  has  been  with  March 
of  Time  for  five  years,  the  last  two 
as  assistant  to  the  director  of  promo- 
tion and  publicity. 


Release  Newsreels 
Of  African  Meeting 

Newsreels  of  the  historic  Casa- 
blanca conferences  between  President 
Roosevelt  and  Prime  Minister  Church- 
ill reached  theatre  screens  in  New 
York  and  most  key  cities  last  night. 
All  five  newsreels  devoted  weekend 
issues  exclusively  to  the  meeting.  Pic- 
tures were  credited  to  Army  Air 
Forces,  Signal  Corps  and  U.  S.  Navy 
photographers. 


CBS  Transfers  Daly 
To  London  Division 

John  Daly,  CBS  news  analyst  and 
narrator,  has  been  transferred  to  the 
network's  London  division,  Paul 
White,  CBS  director  of  public  affairs, 
announced.  Douglas  Edwards  will  as- 
sume Daly's  duties  in  New  York. 

White  also  announced  that  Winston 
Burdett,  Cairo  correspondent,  will 
return  to  New  York  for  a  vacation, 
with  Farnsworth  Fowle,  now  at  An- 
kara, Turkey,  substituting  for  him. 
William  J.  Dunn,  chief  of  the  CBS 
Far  Eastern  news  correspondents,  is 
coming  to  New  York  from  Australia. 
George  Moorard,  Red  Cross  press 
representative,  will  substitute  for  him. 


Mary  Martin  Set  in 
Broadway  Musical 

Paramount  announced  it  has  granted 
Mary  Martin  a  leave  of  absence  to 
appear  in  "Dancing  in  the  Streets," 
Broadway  musical  which  Vinton 
Freedley  will  produce  with  music  by 
Vernon  Duke  and  Howard  Dietz. 
This  will  be  her  first  Broadway  show 
since  "Leave  It  To  Me,"  four  years 
ago.   

LaMarr  Salary  Case 

Los  Angeles,  Feb.  4.  —  Whether 
Hedy  Lamarr's  suit  seeking  abroga- 
tion of  her  Loew's  contract  because 
the  studio  has  not  given  her  a  stipu- 
lated salary  increase  would  be  tried  in 
Superior  or  Federal  Court  was  the  is- 
sue at  stake  in  arguments  made  today 
before  Federal  Judge  Harry  Holleer. 
The  court  took  the  case  under  advise- 
ment. 


Lt.  Will  Pepper  Cited 

London,  Feb.  4. — Flight  Lieut.  Will 
Pepper  of  the  Royal  Air  Force,  for- 
merly general  manager  of  the  Warner 
Theatre  here,  has  been  mentioned  in 
dispatches  for  distinguished  services. 


Hold  Preview  for 
'Hitler's  Children9 

A  preview  of  "Hitler's  Children," 
Edward  A.  Golden  production  for 
RKO,  will  be  held  at  the  Waldorf- 
Astoria  Tuesday  evening.,  RKO 
announced,  with  Bonita  Granville 
and  H.  B.  Warner,  stars  of  the 
picture,  present.  Gregor  Ziemer,  au- 
thor of  "Education  for  Death,"  book 
from  which  the  film  was  adapted,  will 
also  attend,  and  an  informal  reception 
will  follow,  it  was  stated. 


WPB  Places  Film 
Scrap  on  Allocation 

Washington,  Feb.  4. — The  War 
Production  Board  today  placed  wash 
film  scrap  and  other  nitrocellulose 
scrap  under  allocation,  effective  Feb. 
10.  The  order  was  issued  to  eliminate 
confusion  under  an  allocation  order 
which  covered  dissolved  film  scrap  but 
not  washed  but  undissolved  scrao. 


Repub.  Buys  Para.  Story 

Los  Angeles,  Feb.  4. — Republic 
has  purchased  the  F.  Hugh  Herbert 
screenplay,  "Dancing  Debs,"  from 
Paramount,  it  was  announced.  Mary 
Lee  will  star  in  the  production,  orig- 
inally intended  for  Susanna  Foster  at 
Paramount.  Harry  Grey  will  produce 
the  film. 


OPA  Reiterates  Fuel 
Oil  Refusal  in  Conn.; 
Theatres  Cut  Shows 


Hartford,  Feb.  4. — Fuel  oil  deliv- 
eries to  theatres  and  other  places  of 
amusement  are  banned  until  Feb.  9 
without  reservation,  Chester  Bowles, 
OPA  director  for  Connecticut,  reiter- 
ated in  answer  to  numerous  inquiries. 

He  said  he  had  received  hundreds 
of  calls  from  bewildered  oil  users  of 
all  classification  asking  about  their 
eligibility  for  oil  during  the  declared 
10-day  emergency.  Deliveries  to 
places  used  exclusively  for  entertain- 
ment, sports,  fraternal  clubs,  and  the 
like,  are  banned  for  the  period, 
Bowles  said. 

Deliveries  to  buildings  used  in  part 
for  any  of  these  activities  are  pro- 
hibited unless  means  have  been  taken 
to  cut  off  heat  to  that  part  of  the 
building,  he  said. 


Drop  Matinees  in  Phila. 

Philadelphia,  Feb.  4. — Warners' 
Yorktown  is  the  first  circuit  house 
here  to  drop  matinees  because  of  the 
fuel  oil  situation.  However,  Saturday 
and  Sunday  matinees  are  being  con- 
tinued. A  large  number  of  indepen- 
dent houses  have  been  eliminating 
matinees  because  of  the  heating  prob- 
lems since  late  December. 


Liberty  Cuts  Operations 

Springfield,  Mass.,  Feb.  4. — Lib- 
erty Theatre  Corp.  announced  that 
four  of  its  neighborhood  theatres  here, 
the  Liberty,  Strand,  Jefferson  and 
Phillips,  would  adopt  a  policy  of  only 
one  show  a  night.  The  theatres  have 
been  on  a  one-and-a-half  show  basis, 
but  under  the  new  policy  the  evening 
hours  will  be  from  7  :30  to  10:30. 


Ia.  Theatre  Cuts  Show 

Bloomfield,  Ia.,  Feb.  4. — H  E 
Rehfield,  owner  of  the  Iowa  Theatre 
here,  has  discontinued  the  second  show 
from  Monday  through  Friday.  Shor- 
tage of  fuel  oil  and  lack  of  attendance 
at  the  second  show  were  given  as  the 
reasons. 


USO  Praises  Work 
Of  Theatre  Industry 

A  resolution  of  thanks  to  the  entire 
theatrical  industry  for  its  support  of 
the  USO  was  adopted  unanimously  by 
more  than  1,000  persons  at  the  second 
anniversary  luncheon  of  the  USO  yes- 
terday at  the  Hotel  Astor.  Apprecia- 
tion was  also  voiced  for  the  work  of 
Abe  Lastfogel,  president  of  USO 
Camp  Shows. 


MPPDA  Men  Given 
Relations  Positions 

Mark  Larkin  will  cover  New  Eng- 
land ;  Gordon  White,  the  South,  and 
Duke  Hickey,  the  Northwest,  as  pub- 
lic relations  representatives  of  the 
MPPDA  who  will  do  field  contact 
work  under  a  new  program  of  indus- 
try public  relations,  it  was  announced 
yesterday  following  a  meeting  with 
the  Industry  Service  Bureau. 


Brooklyn  Incorporation 

Albany,  Feb.  4. — Brooklyn  Deluxe 
Theatre,  Inc.,  of  Brooklyn  has  been 
incorporated  with  100  authorized 
shares  of  capital  stock,  according  to 
Thomas  J.  Curran,  secretary  of  state. 


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FILE  COPY 




First  in 


NO.  26 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  MONDAY,  FEBRUARY  8,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Davis,  Hopper 
In  Raw  Stock 
Sessions  Here 


OWI  Chief  to  Join  in 
Talks,  First  Time 


Washington,  Feb.  7. — Elmer 
Davis,  chief  of  the  Office  of  War 
Information  is  expected  to  join  Har- 
old Hopper,  head  of  the  motion  pic- 
ture section  of  the  War  Produc- 
tion Board  in  discussions  on  the 
raw  stock  situation  with  motion  pic- 
ture company  heads  in  New  York 
tomorrow. 

Davis'  participation  in  these  con- 
ferences would  indicate,  according  to 
observers,  the  purpose  of  obtaining 
greater  co-ordination  in  the  use  oi 
raw  stock  between  the  armed  forces 
and  the  motion  picture  industry. 

This  will  be  the  first  time,  that  the 
OWI  chief  will  have  taken  part  in 
such  conferences. 


Expect  British  to 
Have  Raw  Stock  Cut 


By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  Feb.  7. — Officials  of  the 
Kinematograph  Renters  Society 
and  Cinematograph  Exhibitors  As- 
sociation have  been  summoned  to 
a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trade 
this  week,  reportedly  to  hear  Gov- 
ernment demands  for  raw  stock 
economies  and  possible  curtailment. 

The  Government  proposals  are  ex- 
pected to  be  a  virtual  ultimatum  to  ef- 
fect substantial  economies.  It  is  be- 
lieved in  trade  circles  that  the  Board 
of  Trade  could'  demand  that  raw  stock 
consumption  be  reduced  by  a  fixed  per- 
centage and  the  industry  left  to  work 
out  its  own  formula  for  effecting  the 
prescribed  saving  in  footage. 

Newsreels  currently  are  the  largest 
consumers  of  raw  stock  in  Britain. 


Academy  Reveals  Annual 
Nominations  for  Awards 


Hollywood,  Feb.  7. — Nominations 
for  the  annual  awards  of  the  Academy 
of  Motion  Picture  Arts  and  Sciences 
were  announced  here  today.  The  se- 
lections were  made  from  among  456 
feature  pictures  exhibited  publicly  for 
profit  in  Los  Angeles  between  Jan.  12 
and  Dec.  31,  1942.  The  winners  will 
be  announced  at  the  annual  Academy 
dinner  March  4  at  the  Ambassador 
Hotel.  Walter  Wanger,  president  of 
the  Academy,  announced  the  nomina- 
tions as  follows : 

Outstanding  motion  picture :  "The 
Invaders,"  (British)  Ortus-Columbia ; 
"Kings  Row,"  Warners ;  "The  Mag- 
nificent Ambersons,"  Mercury-RKO  ; 
"Mrs.  Miniver,"  M-G-M ;  "The  Pied 
Piper,"  20th  Century- Fox;  "The 
Pride  of  the  Yankees,"  Goldwyn- 
RKO;  "Random  Harvest,"  M-G-M; 
"Talk    of    the    Town,"    Columbia ; 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Van  Dyke,  Director 
Of  Many  Films,  Dies 

Hollywood,  Feb.  7. — Major  W.  S. 
Van  Dyke,  II,  M-G-M  director  for 
many  years,  died  at  his  Brentwood 
home  on  Friday  following  a  lingering 
illness.  He  was  S3  years  old. 

Van  Dyke  was  commissioned  a  ma- 
jor in  the  Marine  Corps  Reserve  and 
was  assigned  to  active  duty  last  year. 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Conn.  Bill  Would 
Tax  Grosses  10% 

New  Haven,  Feb.  7.— A  bill 
to  impose  a  10  per  cent  tax  on 
theatre  grosses  in  Connecti- 
cut has  been  introduced  in 
the  Legislature  by  Senator 
Brock  of  New  Haven.  Allied 
Theatre  Owners  of  Connecti- 
cut has  called  a  meeting  for 
Feb.  16  here  to  discus  the  bill 
and  appoint  a  legislative  com- 
mittee. Dr.  J.  B.  Fishman  will 
preside. 


Industry  Men  For 
CatholicD  riveGr  oup 
Named  by  O'Connor 


The  complete  personnel  of  the  mo- 
tion pictures  division  of  the  Arch- 
bishop's Committee  of  the  Laity  for 
the  24th  annual  appeal  of  the  Catho- 
lic Charities  of  the  Archdiocese  of 
New  York  was  announced  by  John  J. 
O'Connor,  chairman  of  the  industry 
division,  over  the  weekend.  Bert  San- 
ford  is  vice-chairman. 

The  following  will  serve  in  the  mo- 
tion pictures  division :  Jack  Alicoate, 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "The  Amazing 
Mrs.  Holliday,"  and  "Frontier 
Marshall  in  Prairie  Pals," 
Page  2.  "The  Outlaw"  and 
"The  Fighting  Devil  Dogs." 
Page  6.  "Secrets  of  the  Un- 
derground," "The  Avenging 
Rider,"  and  "The  Lone  Rider 
in  Outlaws  of  Boulder  Pass," 
Page  7. 


FDR  Praises  'Dimes'  State  Heads; 

Key  Men  to  Visit  Cities  for  Drive 

State  chairmen  of  the  March  of  Dimes  campaign  which  starts  in 
theatres  Feb.  18  have  each  received  a  personal  telegram  from 
President  Roosevelt  extending  congratulations  and  gratitude  for 
their  work  in  the  campaign,  the  WAC  announced.  Key  executives 
of  the  drive  left  yesterday  for  conferences  in  key  cities  with  local 
committees  on  the  handling  of  the  campaign  to  aid  infantile 
paralysis  victims.   Nicholas  M.  Schenck  is  chairman  of  the  drive. 

S.  H.  Fabian,  chairman  of  the  theatres  division  of  the  War  Activi- 
ties Committee;  Edward  Alperson,  Harry  Brandt,  co-chairman  of 
the  drive,  and  Oscar  A.  Doob,  campaign  director,  have  left  for  the 
field.  Alperson  and  Fabian  will  visit  Chicago,  Cleveland,  Cincinnati 
and  St.  Louis,  while  Brandt  and  Doob  will  hold  meetings  in 
Indianapolis,  Memphis,  Jacksonville  and  Richmond. 

Deliveries  of  the  appeal  trailer  featuring  a  speech  by  Greer 
Garson  were  being  made  to  exhibitors  over  the  weekend  by  National 
Screen  Service,  it  was  announced.  Five  thousand  more  copies  of 
the  campaign  book  have  been  printed  and  sent  to  the  additional 
exhibitors  who  have  sent  in  pledges  to  take  part  in  the  drive,  the 
WAC  reported.  Wires  stating  that  many  theatres  have  set  a  quota 
of  50  per  cent  above  their  collections  in  last  year's  campaign  have 
been  received  in  the  New  York  headquarters,  it  was  stated. 


A,  H.  Giannini 
Dies  on  Coast; 
Was  U.  A.  Head 


Banker  Was  on  Board  of 
Columbia  Pictures 


By  RED  KANN 

Los  Angeles,  Feb.  7. — Dr. 
Amadeo  H.  Giannini,  banker  and 
former  president  of  United  Artists, 
died  at  noon 
here  today  fol- 
lowing-  two 
brief  heart  at- 
tacks. He  was 
69. 

Dr.  Giannini 
was  attending  a 
luncheon  at  the 
home  of  Frank 
Powell,  Los 
Angeles  busi- 
ness man,  to  the 
dean  and  heads 
of  the  schools 
comprising 
Loyola  Univer- 
sity and  the 
University's  board  of  regents  prior  to 
commencement  exercises.  He  was  to 
have  read  the  citation  at  the  exer- 
cises conferring  a  posthumous  doc- 
torate on  Admiral  Daniel  Callahan, 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


Dr.  A.  H.  Giannini 


Scophony  Television 
Co.  Is  Formed  Here 


Formation  of  the  Scophony  Corp. 
of  America  for  the  development  and 
exploitation  of  the  British  Scophony 
system  of  television  in  this  country 
was  announced  over  the  weekend  by 
Arthur  Levey,  president  of  the  corpo- 
ration. Levey  is  a  founder  and  di- 
rector of  Scophony,  Ltd.,  of  London. 

Television  Productions,  Inc.,  a  sub- 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Rank  New  Chairman 
Of  British  Producers 

London,  Feb.  7. — J.  Arthur  Rank, 
a  leading  figure  in  the  British  film  in- 
dustry, was  elected  chairman  of  the 
British  Producers  Association  on  Fri- 
day. He  succeeds  the  late  C.  M. 
Woolf. 

Rank  is  an  official  of  General  Film 
Distributors,  is  head  of  Pinewood 
studios  and  interested  in  other  compa- 
nies, including  Odeon  Theatres  and 
Gaumont  British  Picture  Corp. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  February  8,  1943 


Reviews 


"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday" 

( Universal) 

OMBINING  the  talents  of  Deanna  Durbin  with  a  touching  story  of 
^  nine  refugee  children,  "The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  has  great  box- 
office  power.  Plus  the  marquee  attraction  of  the  star  there  is  the  uni- 
versal appeal  of  youngsters  bombed  out  of  their  homes  in  China  by  ruth- 
less Jap  fliers. 

Miss  Durbin  justifies  her  reputation  as  a  beautiful  singer  and  capable 
actress.  She  sings  lullabies  in  Chinese,  two  ballads  and  an  operative  aria 
to  please  all  tastes  and  give  sympathetic  handling  to  her  role  as  foster 
mother  to  the  refugee  children.  Edmond  O'Brien  is  excellent  as  the 
leading  man  and  Barry  Fitzgerald  provides  a  grand  characterization  as 
Miss  Durbin's  genial  guardian  angel. 

Credit  for  able  production  and  direction  goes  to  Bruce  Manning.  The 
screenplay,  which  handles  flashbacks  and  natural  sequences  smoothly 
with  only  occasional  lapses  into  slowness,  was  by  Frank  Ryan  and  John 
Jacoby. 

Miss  Durbin  as  Ruth  Kirke,  an  American  teacher  in  China,  stows 
away  with  nine  refugee  children  on  a  ship  owned  by  Harry  Davenport, 
who  plays  Commodore  Holliday.  When  the  boat  is  torpedoed,  the  Com- 
modore and  one  of  the  youngsters  is  lost,  but  Ruth  and  the  others  land 
in  the  United  States  with  Fitzgerald,  the  Commodore's  servant  com- 
panion. Ruth  has  to  pretend  she  is  the  Commodore's  widow  in  order  to 
get  aid  from  his  family  to  whom  she  tells  his  promise  to  adopt  the 
children.  The  Commodore  had  really  promised  her  to  get  the  children 
of  various  nationalities  into  the  country  without  passports. 

The  masquerade  continues  while  Ruth  and  the  Commodore's  grandson 
fall  in  love.  Then  the  supposed  drowned  man  returns  with  the  missing 
baby.  He  protects  Ruth,  plans  to  adopt  the  children,  and  the  young 
couple  set  a  date. 

Arthur  Treacher  is  there  as  the  snooty  butler  who  is  won  over  by 
the  younger  elements.  Able  support  is  also  given  by  Esther  Dale, 
Frieda  Inescort,  Elisabeth  Risdon,  Grant  Mitchell,  J.  Frank  Hamilton 
and  the  nine  youthful  players. 

Technically  the  film  is  handled  skillfully.  It  was  adapted  by  Boris 
Ingster  and  Leo  Townsend  from  an  original  story  by  Sonya  Levien. 

Running  time,  96  minutes.  "G"* 


"Frontier  Marshal  in  Prairie  Pals" 

(Producers  Releasing) 

WESTERN  fans  will  find  good  entertainment  in  this  newest  of  the 
"Frontier  Marshal"  series.    There's  considerable  riding,  fighting 
and  shooting,  and  the  plot  develops  rapidly. 

Lee  Powell,  the  Frontier  Marshal;  Art  Davis  and  Bill  Boyd  are  the 
three  who  fight  for  justice.  Davis  and  Boyd  join  a  gang  of  outlaws  in 
order  to  find  out  about  the  outlaw's  plans.  Powell,  who  is  searching 
for  a  scientist  from  the  East,  who  has  disappeared,  comes  to  the  western 
town  where  the  outlaws  are  located.  It  happens  that  the  outlaws  are 
keeping  the  scientist  prisoner  because  of  his  formula  through  which 
gold  can  be  made  from  minerals  found  on  ranches  in  the  vicinity. 

Real  action  begins  when  the  outlaws  attempt  to  drive  the  ranchers 
off  their  property  because  of  the  value  of  the  minerals.  Davis,  Boyd 
and  Powell  join  forces  and  finally  capture  the  outlaws.  The  scientist 
is  freed. 

Sigmund  Neufeld  produced  the  picture,  and  Peter  Stewart  directed. 
Running  time,  60  minutes.  "G"* 


Personal 
Mention 

WILLIAM  A.  SCULLY,  Univer- 
sal vice-president  and  general 
sales  manager,  returns  today  from  the 
Coast. 

Herman  Robbins  left  for  California 
on  Friday. 

• 

William  Fitelson  left  the  Coast 
for  New  York  Saturday. 

Robert  Gillham  left  the  Coast  Fri- 
day, to  return  East. 

• 

James  E.  Coston,  Warner  Circuit 
zone  manager  in  Chicago,  was  a  New 
York  visitor  over  the  weekend. 
• 

Lieut.  Col.  Arthur  H.  Goldstein 
visited  here  Friday  following  his 
graduation  from  the  Command  and 
General  Staff  School,  Ft.  Leaven- 
worth, Kan.  He  formerly  was  man- 
ager of  the  Majestic  Theatre,  West 
Springfield,  Mass. 

Si  Seadler  left  Friday  for  Cali- 
fornia. 

H.  P.  Hagen  of  Warner  Bros,  is 
expected  from  Albany  today. 

• 

Henry  Brash  has  returned  from 
the  Coast. 

• 

Alex  Evelove,  Warner  Bros,  studio 
publicity  manager,  left  for  the  Coast 
over  the  weekend. 

• 

Florine  Jacobs,  secretary  to  Harry 
F.  Shaw,  Loew-Poli  division  mana- 
ger, New  Haven,  has  resigned  and 
will  soon  join  her  husband,  Lt.  Aaron 
Jacobs,  in  Richmond,  Va. 

• 

Ken  Freeman,  formerly  of  the 
Capitol  Theatre,  Springfield,  Mass.,  is 
now  a  corporal  in  the  Army  signal 
corps,  stationed  somewhere  in  the 
Pacific. 

• 

Lt.  Julian  Rifkin,  former  chief 
booker  of  the  Liberty  Theatre  Corp., 
Springfield,  Mass.,  and  son  of  Herman 
Rifkin,  president  of  the  company  and 
vice-president  of  Monogram  Pictures, 
has  been  promoted  to  first  lieutenant 
and  transferred  to  Los  Angeles. 
• 

Syd  Lehman,  United  Artists 
branch  manager  in  Buffalo,  has  re- 
turned from  Syracuse. 

• 

Fred  Kingston,  formerly  at  the 
Warner  Strand,  Hartford,  is  reported 
stationed  at  San  Diego,  Cal.,  with  the 
Marine  Air  Corps. 

• 

Richard  Smith  of  the  Capitol  The- 
atre, Danville,  Pa.,  is  a  cadet  officer 
at  the  Bainbridge,  Ga.,  air  base. 
• 

Francis  X.  Kelly,  20th  Century- 
Fox  booker  in  Philadelphia,  is  con- 
valescing following  a  serious  illness. 
• 

Pvt.  William    Lcckwood    of  the 
Capitol  Theatre,  Milton,  Pa.,  is  sta- 
tioned at  Argentia,  Newfoundland. 
• 

Byron  L.  Shoffner,  formerly  of 
the  Warner,  West  Chester,  Pa.,  is  at- 
tending radio  school  at  the  Naval 
Training  Station.  Newport,  R.  I. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


PRC  Closes  Panama  Deal 

Producers  Releasing  Corp.  an- 
nounced that  it  has  closed  with  Aso- 
ciacion  de  Teatros  de  Panama  for 
distribution  of  its  1942-43  product 
in  Panama.  Roberto  D.  Socas,  PRC 
export  manager,  negotiated  for  the 
company. 


Foy  Leaves  Chicago 

Chicago,  Feb.  7. — Bryan  Foy,  20th 
Century-Fox  producer,  has  returned 
to  the  Coast  after  making  scenes  on 
location  here  for  the  forthcoming  pic- 
ture on  the  life  of  the  gangster,  Roger 
Touhy. 


'Air  Force'  Given  Award 

The  1943  merit  award  of  the  First 
Aero  Squadron  Club  "for  outstanding 
service  to  aviation"  has  been  pre- 
sented to  the  Warner  Bros.'  produc- 
tion, "Air  Force,"  the  company  an- 
nounced. The  Club  is  an  organiza- 
tion of  fliers  of  the  first  world  war. 


Victory  Book  Poster 

A  poster  on  the  Victory  Book  Cam- 
paign has  been  prepared  by  the  War 
Activities  Committee  and  will  be  sent 
to  all  theatres  by  the  Office  of  War 
Information,  the  WAC  announced.  It 
measures  22x28. 


'Outlaw'  Premiere 
in  San  Francisco 


San  Francisco,  Feb.  7. — Howard 
Hughes  gave  his  two  year  old  much 
discussed  and  steadily  publicized  "The 
Outlaw"  its  world  premiere  here  Fri- 
day night  with  citizens  packing  the 
Geary  Theatre  at  $2.50  the  reservation 
as  result  of  a  local  advertising  cam- 
paign conducted  by  Russell  Birdwell 
with  emphasis  on  the  sex  theme.  Forty 
Hollywood  critics  transported  to  th^^ 
scene  of  the  unveiling  by  the  Hughe?** 
organization  despite  rigid  war  time 
travel  restrictions,  attended  the  pre- 
miere and  were  guests  of  Hughes 
afterward  at  the  Bal  Tabarin  Night 
Club. 

On  Friday  night  the  Geary,  a  stage 
theatre  leased  by  Hughes  for  the  road- 
show engagement  was  sold  out  through 
next  midweek  at  $1.10  top.  Birdwell 
said  no  other  roadshow  or  showings 
of  the  picture  have  been  set  although 
dates  in  Chicago,  Denver  and  Salt 
Lake  City  are  under  consideration. 

Bolton  New  Studio 
Publicity  Head  at  WB 

Hollywood,  Feb.  7. — Warners  an- 
nounced that  Whitney  Bolton  will  be 
studio  publicity  director,  a  post  which 
had  been  vacant  since  the  resignation 
of  Robert  S.  Taplinger.  Alex  Eve- 
love,  studio  publicity  manager,  remains 
in  that  capacity.  He  had  been  head- 
ing the  department.  At  same  time 
announcement  was  made  of  the  crea- 
tion for  radio  unit  of  the  department 
handling  national  local  contacts  under 
the  direction  of  Harry  Maizlish, 
KFWB  manager,  who  retains  the 
Warner  broadcast  post.  Bolton  orig- 
inally was  liaison  of  East-West  pub- 
licity bureaus. 


Loeufs  Net  Estimate 
Totaled  $12,133,294 

Due  to  a  typographical  error  in  Fri- 
day's Motion  Picture  Daily,  Loew's 
unaudited  estimated  earnings  for  the 
1942  fiscal  year  were  reported  as 
$2,133,294,  instead  of  $12,133,294.  The 
estimated  figure  issued  on  Jan.  12  com- 
pares with  the  final  audited  figure  of 
$12,132,606,  which  was  made  public 
last  Friday. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; sinsrle  copies  10c. 


Monday,  February  8,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


Arbitrator  Calls  for 
'Long  Range  View' 
To  Benefit  Industry 


Academy  Reveals  Annual 
Nominations  for  Awards 


Arbitrators  should  take  a  long  range 
view  of  what  is  good  for  the  indus- 
try and  what  best  serves  the  public 
interest,  rather  than  confine  themselves 
to  the  conflicting  claims  of  contesting 
^rties,  Julius  Henry  Cohen,  arbitra- 
Pr  at  the  New  York  tribunal,  held  in 
an  opinion  filed  Friday  in  the  clear- 
ance complaint  of  the  Savoy,  Bloom- 
field,  N.  J.,  against  the  five  consent- 
ing companies. 

So  saying,  the  arbitrator  reduced  the 
14  days'  clearance  of  the  Royal  over 
the  Savoy  to  seven  days  and  eliminat- 
ed the  14  days'  clearance  of  the  Broad- 
moor over  the  Savoy. 

Calls  for  "What  Is  Good" 

Taking  as  his  text  for  "the  long 
range  view  of  what  is  good  for  the 
industry  and  the  public"  a  statement 
submitted  in  the  brief  for  Vitagraph 
and  Rapf  &  Rudin,  operator  of  the 
Royal  and  Broadmoor,  the  arbitrator 
turns  it  against  them  by  basing  his 
award  in  favor  of  the  plaintiff  on  that 
brief.  The  long  range  view  cited  is 
"the  maintenance  of  the  existing  sys- 
tem of  distribution  which  in  the  ag- 
gregate returns  to  the  distributors  the 
necessary  amount  of  revenue"  to  in- 
sure continued  production  and  mar- 
keting of  pictures  to  the  public  at 
variable  admission  charges. 

The  arbitrator  expresses  the 
hope  that  the  industry  will 
establish  "some  impartial  de- 
partment" to  hear  and  adjust 
clearance  and  other  complaints 
in  accordance  with  the  long 
range  view.  He  states  that  to 
leave  such  complaints  to  inter- 
ested parties  such  as  district 
circuit  managers,  independent 
operators  and  others  and  expect 
them  to  "act  fairly  and  reason- 
ably is  to  put  too  great  a  strain 
upon  human  nature." 

In  addition  to  his  29-page  opinion, 
the  arbitrator  composed  a  memoran- 
dum entitled  "Notes  and  Suggestions 
by  the  Arbitrator  for  Consideration 
of  Those  Charged  with  Reviewing  the 
Experiment  Under  the  Consent  De- 
cree," and  directed  that  copies  of  it 
be  sent  to  the  Department  of  Justice, 
Judge  Henry  W.  Goddard,  members 
of  the  appeal  board  and  others. 

Denies  Motion 

Although  receiving  evidence  that 
Warners  has  a  20  per  cent  participa- 
tion in  the  grosses  of  the  Rapf  &  Ru- 
din houses  involved  in  the  complaint, 
the  arbitrator  denied  Vitagraph's  mo- 
tion to  dismiss  that  company  from  the 
proceedings  under  the  provisions  of 
Section  17  of  the  decree.  The  section 
provides  that  a  distributor  may  license 
any  theatre  in  which  it  has  a  substan- 
tial interest  on  terms  and  conditions 
of  its  own  choosing. 


A.  C.  Projectionist  Dies 

Atlantic  City,  Feb.  7. — Funeral 
services  were  held  for  Harry  F.  Les- 
ter, 47,  projectionist  at  Warners' 
Stanley  here  for  the  past  18  years. 
His  wife  and  a  daughter  survive. 

Rev.  Changes  Serial  Title 

The  title  of  Republic's  forthcoming- 
chapter-play,  "Samba  in  Darkest 
Africa,"  has  been  changed  to  "Secret 
Service  in  Darkest  Africa." 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

"Wake  Island,"  Paramount ;  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy,"  Warners. 

Best  performance  by  actor :  James 
Cagney  in  "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  ; 
Ronald  Colman,  "Random  Harvest"  ; 
Gary  Cooper,  "The  Pride  of  the  Yan- 
kees" ;  Walter  Pidgeon,  "Mrs.  Min- 
iver" ;  Monty  Woolley,  "The  Pied 
Piper". 

Best  performance  by  an  actress : 
Bette  Davis  in  "Now  Voyager" ; 
Greer  Garson,  "Mrs.  Miniver"  ;  Kath- 
arine Hepburn, "Woman  of  the  Year"  ; 
Rosalind  Russell,  "My  Sister  Eileen"  ; 
Teresa  Wright,  "The  Pride  of  the 
Yankees." 

Support  Nominations 

Best  performance  by  an  actor  in  a 
supporting  role :  William  Bendix  in 
"Wake  Island"  ;  Van  Heflin,  "Johnny 
Eager"  ;  Walter  Huston,  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy" ;  Frank  Morgan, 
"Tortilla  Flat"  ;  Henry  Travers,  "Mrs. 
Miniver." 

Best  performance  by  an  actress  in 
a  supporting  role :  Gladys  Cooper  in 
"Now  Voyager" ;  Agnes  Moorehead, 
"The  Magnificent  Ambersons"  ;  Susan 
Peters,  "Random  Harvest" ;  Dame 
May  Whitty,  "Mrs.  Miniver"  ;  Teresa 
Wright,  "Mrs.  Miniver." 

Best  achievement  in  directing :  Sam 
Wood,  "Kings  Row" ;  William  Wyler, 
"Mrs.  Miniver"  ;  Mervyn  Leroy, 
"Random  Harvest" ;  John  Farrow, 
"Wake  Island" ;  Michael  Curtiz, 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy." 

Best  written  screen  play :  Rodney 
Ackland  and  Emeric  Pressburger 
"The  Invaders" ;  Arthur  Wimperis, 
George  Froeschel,  James  Hilton  an'1 
Claudine  West,  "Mrs.  Miniver" ;  Jo 
Swerling  and  Herman  J.  Mankiewicz 
"The  Pride  of  the  Yankees"  ;  Claudine 
West,  Georee  Froeschel  and  Arthur 
Wimperis.  "Random  Harvest"  :  Irwin 
Shaw  and  Sidney  Buchman,  "Talk  of 
the  Town." 

Screenplay  Selections 

Best  original  screenplay :  Michael 
Powell  and  Emeric  Pressburger,  "One 
of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing" ;  Frank- 
Butler  and  Don  Hartman,  "Road  to 
Morocco"  ;  W.  R.  Burnett  and  Frank 
Butler,  "Wake  Island" ;  George 
Oppenheimer,  "The  War  Against  Mrs. 
Hadley" ;  Ring  Lardner,  Jr.,  and 
Michael  Kanin,  "Woman  of  the  Year." 

Best  original  motion  picture  story : 
Irving  Berlin,  "Holiday  Inn"  ;  Emeric 
Pressburger,  "The  Invaders" ;  Paul 
Gallico,  "The  Pride  of  the  Yankees"  ■ 
Sidney  Harmon,  "Talk  of  the  Town"  ■ 
Robert  Buckner,  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy." 

Special  effects :  "The  Black  Swan," 
"Desperate  Journev,"  "Flying  Tigers," 
"Invisible  Agent."  "Tungle  Book." 
"Mrs.  Miniver,"  "The  Navv  Comes 
Through."  "One  of  Our  Aircraft  D 
Missing."  "The  Pride  of  the  Yankees," 
"Reap  the  Wild  Wind." 

Teresa  W right's  nomination  as  best 
actress  and  best  supporting  player  was 
the  first  time  that  an  actress  had  been 
named  for  both  "Oscars." 


Errol  Flynn  Not  Guilty 

Los  Angeles,  Feb.  7. — Errol  Flynn, 
film  actor,  was  found  not  guilty  by  a 
iury  in  Superior  Court  here  yesterday 
of  criminal  charges  brought  by  Bette 
Hansen  and  Peggy  Satterlee. 


Van  Dyke,  Director 
Of  Many  Films,  Dies 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
Completing  his  assignment  he  returned 
to  the  studio  several  months  ago.  He 
is  survived  by  his  wife,  the  former 
Ruth  Mannix,  and  three  children,  Bar- 
bara, seven ;  W.  S.,  Ill,  six,  and  Win- 
ston Stuart,  three. 

A  Christian  Science  funeral  will  be 
held  tomorrow  with  burial  in  Forest 
Lawn  Park. 

Virtually  his  entire  life  was  spent  in 
the  theatre  and  motion  picture  work. 
He  made  his  first  stage  appearance  at 
the  age  of  five  and  for  25  years  there- 
after was  in  stock,  vaudeville  and  road 
shows. 

His  career  included  directorial  work 
for  Pathe  and  the  old  Fox  and  Metro 
companies  as  well  as  M-G-M.  He 
was  assistant  to  D.  W.  Griffith  on 
"Intolerance."  Some  of  his  better 
known  directorial  work  included  Tar- 
zan,  Thin  Man,  Andy  Hardy  and  Dr. 
Kildare  pictures. 

Among  his  numerous  other  direc- 
tional contributions  were :  "White 
Shadows  in  the  South  Seas,"  "Trader 
Horn,"  "Naughty  Marietta,"  "Rose 
Marie,"  "San  Francisco,"  "Marie  An- 
toinette," "Sweethearts,"  "Cairo,"  and 
"Journey  for  Margaret,"  his  last.  He 
served  in  the  Army  in  World  War  1. 


Catholic  Drive  Group 
Named  by  O'Connor 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
Martin  F.  Bennett,  Major  Edward 
Bowes,  Steve  Broidy,  Harry  Buckley, 
Pat  Casey,  Tom  J.  Connors,  H.  M. 
Doherty,  Gus  Eyssell,  Si  Fabian,  E. 
C.  Grainger,  J.  R.  Grainger,  Al  H6- 
vell,  John  Kane,  Austin  C.  Keough, 
Joseph  A.  McConville,  Charles  B.  Mc- 
Donald, Joseph  P.  McLoughlin,  Joseph 
E.  McMahon,  James  A.  Mulvey,  John 
Murphy;  Senator  William  J.  Murray, 
Leon  Netter,  John  Nolan,  Dennis  F. 
O'Brien,  John  O'Connell.  Thomas  F. 
O'Connor,  Charles  L.  O'Reilly,  P.  A. 
Powers,  Martin  Quigley,  Charles  Rea- 
gan, Phil  Reisman,  Herman  Robbins 
William  F.  Rodgers,  George  J.  Schae- 
fer,  William  A.  Scully,  George  Skou- 
ras,  Snyros  Skouras,  Frank  C.  Walker 
and  William  White. 


Will  Enforce  No  Smoking 

Princeton,  N.  J.,  Feb.  7. — Strict 
enforcement  of  the  State  law  which 
bans  smoking  in  theatres  is  promised 
in  a  statement  issued  here  bv  Fire 
Commissioner  Joseph  R.  Dennen 
Large  signs  will  be  erected  in  the  lob- 
bies of  all  the  film  houses  and  an- 
nouncements will  be  made  from  the 
staee  between  performances  to  warn 
violators,  it  was  announced. 


'Covered'  Circuit  Deals 

Samuel  Goldwyn's  "Thev  Got  Me 
Covered,"  starring  Bob  Hope  and 
Dorothy  Lamour,  has  been  set  to  play 
the  Warner  and  Fox  West  Coast  cir- 
cuits, Robert  Mochrie,  RKO  general 
sales  manager,  announced. 


Scophony  Television 
Co.  Is  Formed  Here 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

sidiary  of  Paramount  Pictures,  and 
General  Precision  Equipment  Corp., 
formerly  General  Theatres  Equipment 
Corp.,  are  associated  with  Scophony, 
Ltd.,  in  the  American  company,  the 
announcement  said. 

[Motion  Picture  Daily  dis- 
closed on  Dec.  30  that  Paramount 
and  General  Precision  Equipment 
had  obtained  an  interest  in  Sco- 
phony. Paramount  also  has  been 
interested  in  DuMont  Radio  & 
Television  Corp.] 

Levey  in  his  announcement  stated 
that  the  American  company  plans  to 
make  the  Scophony  "supersonic"  sys- 
tem available  for  large  screen  televi- 
sion projection  in  theatres  and  else- 
where. It  was  not  disclosed  what 
plans  the  company  has  for  making 
such  equipment  available  during  the 
war.  The  system  is  adaptable  to  color, 
according  to  Levey. 

Hines,  Raibourn  on  Board 

The  company's  board  of  directors, 
it  was  stated,  initially  includes  the  fol- 
lowing :  Earle  G.  Hines,  president, 
General  Precision  Equipment  Corp. ; 
Paul  Raibourn,  president,  Television 
Productions,  Inc. ;  Joseph  E.  Swan, 
banker,  partner  in  E.  F.  Hutton  & 
Co. ;  Franklin  Field,  director  of  the 
Piper  Aircraft  Co.  and  Chief  Opera- 
tions Advisor,  Outpost  Division  of  the 
OWI,  and  Levey. 

Officers,  in  addition  to  Levey,  are : 
J.  E.  Swan,  vice-president;  Franklin 
Field,  treasurer ;  R.  B.  LaRue,  secre- 
tary ;  Bernard  Goodwin,  assistant  sec- 
retary. 

Levey  revealed  that  apart  from  Sco- 
phony Corp.  of  America,  he  controls 
American  Scophony  Telecasting  Corp., 
which  he  organized  in  1940,  and  that 
this  company  has  applications  pending 
with  the  Federal  Communications 
Commission  for  television  stations  in 
Chicago  and  Los  Angeles. 

Models  in  New  York 

Working  models  of  the  television 
equipment,  including  the  projector  giv- 
ing an  18-foot  picture,  are  in  New 
York,  Levey  said.  S.  H.  Dodington, 
chief  of  British  Scophony's  electrical 
department,  is  also  here. 

Scophony  television  projection  was 
used  in  two  London  theatres  before 
the  war  and  was  demonstrated  at  the 
Rialto  Theatre  here  in  June,  1941. 
The  British  company  has  been  manu- 
facturing aircraft  location  and  other 
devices  since  the  war. 


Louis  Weitzenkorn 
Is  Fatally  Burned 

Wilkes-Barre,  Feb.  7. — Louis  K. 
Weitzenkorn,  50,  editor  of  the  old 
New  York  Graphic  and  playwright, 
suffered  accidental  death  from  burns 
and  suffocation  in  the  kitchen  of  his 
home  here  this  morning,  officials  said. 
It  is  believed  his  clothes  caught  fire 
while  he  heated  some  coffee.  He  was 
the  author  of  a  number  of  plays,  best 
known  of  which  was  "Five  Star 
Final,"  which  was  also  made  as  a 
picture.  He  was  a  writer  in  Holly- 
wood. 


They're  doing  triple  normal  b 

J  J 

HUMPHREY  INGRID  PAUL 

BOGART  •  BERGMAN  •  HENREID  ."CASABLANCA"  with  CLAUDE  RAINS  •  CONRAD  VEIDT  •  SYDNEY  Gff 

~_  /ulAPCH   OF  DIM?^  —  FFRP1IAPV  18lh  TT>  OAth 


iness  with  Warners' 


ET   •    PETER  LORRE   •    A  HAL  B  WALI  IS  PRODUCTION    •    r,-  MIPUAFI    PIIDTI7         Screen  Play  by  Julius  J.  &  Philip  G.  Epstein  and  Howard  Koch  •  From 

r  '  "  LU™C        H  IIHL  U.  VVrtLLIO  rr\UUUL»IIUIN    •    D.rected  by  MIlHAtL  GURTIZ    •    a  Play  by  Murray  Burnett  and  Joan  Alison  .  Music  by  Max  Steiner 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  February  8,  1943 


Stage  Hands  Given 
5%  Raise  in  Chicago 

Chicago,  Feb.  7. — A  two-year 
contract  with  a  five  per  cent 
raise  the  first  year  and  three 
per  cent  additional  the  second 
year  has  been  awarded  to 
IATSE  Local  2,  the  Chicago 
stagehands'  union.  As  in  the 
case  of  the  operators'  union, 
the  increase  is  retroactive  to 
Sept.  1,  when  the  old  contract 
expired,  and  is  subject  to  the 
approval  of  the  War  Labor 
Board,  it  was  stated. 


Reviews 


SOPEG  Wins  Vote 
At  Three  Exchanges 


The  Screen  Office  and  Profession- 
al Employes  Guild,  CIO,  defeated  the 
IATSE  by  a  wide  margin  in  elections 
Friday  among  front  office  exchange 
workers  at  the  New  York  exchanges 
of  20th  Century-Fox,  Loew's  and 
United  Artists. 

The  balloting  followed  a  series  of 
hotly  contested  hearings  before  the 
NLRB,  with  the  IATSE  arguing  for 
representation  of  the  white  collar 
workers  on  a  national  basis.  SOPEG 
asked  for  the  local  unit. 

At  20th  Century-Fox,  SOPEG  re- 
ceived 17  votes  and  the  IATSE  10, 
with  the  18th  vote  challenged  by  the 
IATSE.  Thirty-one  ballots  were 
cast  for  SOPEG  at  Loew's  with  19 
for  the  IATSE  and  one  for  neither 
union.  At  United  Artists,  SOPEG 
obtained  seven  votes  and  the  IATSE 
three,  with  one  vote  for  no  union. 


S.  F.  Theatres  Plan 
Drives  Cooperation 

San  Francisco,  Feb.  7. — Plans  for 
further  theatre  cooperation  in  collec- 
tion drives  tied  in  with  the  war  effort 
were  discussed  by  local  theatremen  at 
a  luncheon  session  here,  held  to  hear 
reports  on  the  results  of  the  United 
Nations  and  March  of  Dimes  drives 
in  local  theatres.  Both  campaigns  were 
pronounced  successes. 

Attending  the  luncheon  were  D.  J. 
McNerney,  chairman  of  the  United 
Nations  drive  in  the  San  Francisco 
area,  and  co-owner  of  the  Orpheum 
and  United  Artists  Theatres ;  B.  V. 
Sturdivant,  Fox  West  Coast  northern 
California  division  manager ;  Joseph 
Blumenfeld  and  C.  L.  Laws  of  Blu- 
menfeld  Theatres ;  George  Mann  and 
William  David  of  Redwood  Theatres  ; 
Robert  McNeill,  Gene  Emmick  and 
Mike  Naify  of  the  Golden  State  and 
T  &  D  Jr.  circuits ;  Jimmy  and 
George  Nasser  of  Nasser  Brothers 
circuit ;  Sam  Levin  of  San  Francisco 
Theatres,  and  John  Peters  and  Rotus 
Harvey,  representing  the  Independent 
Exhibitors  of  Northern  California. 


$366,824  Spent  by 
Para,  in  Magazines 

A  compilation  of  figures  compiled 
by  Advertising  Age  on  expenditures 
in  excess  of  $100,000  during  1942  for 
general  magazine  advertising  published 
recently  in  Motion  Picture  Daily 
failed  to  note  that  Paramount  spent 
$366,824  and  was  second  only  to 
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer  in  expenditures 
for  this  media. 


"The  Outlaw" 

(Howard  Hughes) 

San  Francisco,  Feb.  7 

REVERSING  with  all  the  vigour  of  a  pioneer  the  William  S.  Hart, 
Tom  Mix,  Gene  Autry  and  Hopalong  Cassidy  tradition  that  romance 
in  a  Western  must  be  decorous  and  noble,  Howard  Hughes  has  featured 
sex  above  six-shooters  in  this  treatment  of  the  saga  of  Billy  the  Kid 
and  the  result  is  something  new  if  not  better  in  the  annuals  of  horse 
opera.  The  producer  of  "Hell's  Angels,"  "Scarface,"  "The  Front  Page" 
and  other  pictures  which  made  cinema  history  a  while  back  has  elected 
to  roadshow  this  attraction  independently  and  it  is  in  the  scheme  of 
things  therefore  that  an  indication  of  its  usefulness  as  a  picture  for 
purposes  of  the  established  exhibitor  will  be  had  well  in  advance  of  its 
general  marketing. 

The  kind  of  billing  and  exploitation  for  the  picture  reminds  the  public 
that  "the  last  time  Howard  Hughes  said  he  had  someone  to  show  you  he 
gave  you  two  new  stars — Jean  Harlow  and  Paul  Muni.  Now  he  makes  the 
same  promise  and  presents,  Jane  Russell  and  Jack  Beutel."  It  may  be 
said  of  Miss  Russell,  whose  publicity  photographs  have  featured  contours, 
that  the  comparison  with  the  late  Miss  Harlow  is  anatomically  justified. 
Of  Beutel,  it  is  to  be  reported  that  his  lack  of  experience  proves  an  asset 
rather  than  liability  by  reason  of  the  way  the  script  is  written,  and  his 
performance  suggests  that  in  this  time  of  scarcity  in  the  field  of  leading- 
men  he  figures  to  be  attractive  to  studios. 

Leading  the  support  and  monopolizing  the  foreground  of  interest  are 
Walter  Huston,  as  a  desperado  with  an  unexplained  fondness  for  Billy 
the  Kid,  and  Thomas  Mitchell  as  a  sheriff  who  tries  without  success  to 
bring  about  the  apprehension  of  the  pair  of  them.  These  veteran  troupers 
give  the  film  its  claim  to  interest  as  concerns  display  of  talent. 

As  produced  and  directed  by  Hughes,  from  a  script  by  Jules  Furth- 
man,  this  account  of  the  life  and  loves  of  Billy  the  Kid  has  virtually  no 
resemblance  to  the  account  supplied  by  M-G-M  in  its  film  of  that  title 
and  little  to  any  other.  It  depicts  Billy  as  a  young  killer  with  uncanny 
command  of  his  guns  and  unlimited  powder  over  women.  His  first  meet- 
ing with  the  girl  in  the  case,  played  by  Miss  Russell,  is  in  a  dark  barn 
where  she  attempts  to  kill  him  and  winds  up,  after  some  struggling  in 
the  hay,  subjugated  by  him  out  of  camera  view-  with  a  dialogue  line 
which  suggests  the  struggling  is  over.  Some  time  later  she  is  ordered 
to  take  care  of  him  in  her  cabin,  after  he  is  wounded,  and  when  chills 
develop  she  begins  to  divest  herself  of  garments  in  preparation  for 
keeping  him  warm,  and  the  scene  ends,  after  a  dialogue  line  indicating 
she  will  marry  him  next  day,  in  a  long  closeup  of  the  top  of  the  cabin 
door  while  the  music  score  screams  the  significance.  Later  on  he  and 
Houston,  whose  girl  she  was  before  Billy  appeared,  get  into  an  argument 
about  possession  of  a  horse  and  when  choice  of  horse  or  girl  becomes  an 
issue,  each  insists  upon  giving  the  other  the  girl  and  keeping  the  horse. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  narrative,  which  has  to  do  with  shootings 
and  such,  the  finish  of  the  story  sends  Billy  the  Kid,  who  is  commonly 
supposed  to  have  been  killed  by  gunfire,  riding  happily  out  of  the  picture 
with  the  girl  into  the  sunset  without  changing  his  ways  or  atoning  in  any 
way  for  a  life  and  creed  of  crime  and  killing. 

For  about  the  first  hour  of  the  picture,  which  takes  two,  the  film  stays 
more  or  less  in  the  channel  of  Western  melodrama  and  promises  to 
build.  After  that  it  takes  on  at  times  the  character  of  a  satire  on 
Westerns  intentionally  or  otherwise,  and  the  Geary  audience  laughed 
more  intermittently  during  this  portion  of  the  offering. 

As  exploited  in  its  premiere  engagement,  with  emphasis  on  the  sex 
side,  the  film  stacks  up  as  novelty  in  the  field  of  sensationalism  and  a 
better  piece  of  production,  technically,  than  is  commonly  found  in  this 
byway  of  show  business.    That  way  or  otherwise,  it  is  not  for  children. 
Running  time,  121  minutes.  "A"*  William  R.  Weaver 


A"  denotes  adult  classification. 


'The  Fighting  Devil  Dogs' 


(Republic) 

DATRONS  will  find  excitement  and  entertainment  in  this  feature  ver- 
*  sion  of  a  former  serial.  The  story  concerns  the  efforts  of  Lee  Powell 
and  Herman  Brix  to  overcome  a  mysterious  man  known  as  "The 
Lightning,"  who  has  devised  a  torpedo  with  which  he  threatens  the 
safety  of  the  United  States.  There  are  a  number  of  chases  in  which 
"The  Lightning"  successfully  eludes  his  pursuers,  but  finally  Powell  and 
Brix  manage  to  destroy  the  plans  which  he  had  set  up.  Eleanor  Stewart 
provides  the  feminine  interest. 

In  the  supporting  cast  are  Montagu  Love,  Hugh  Sothern,  Perry  Ivins, 
Sam  Flint  and  others.  William  Witney  and  John  English  directed. 

Running  time,  69  minutes.  "G"* 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Lastfogel  Scotches 
Gross  Exaggeration 

Abe  Lastfogel,  president  of 
USO-Camp  Shows,  Inc.,  stamp- 
ed as  a  "press  agent's  dream" 
the  report  published  in  a  New 
York  newspaper  Friday  that 
Martha  Ray  and  Kay  Francis 
were  interned  in  Africa.  He 
pointed  out  that  Miss  Francis 
had  returned  to  New  York 
Monday  and  that  Miss  Ray 
will  be  back  soon.  They  were 
with  a  USO-Camp  Shows  unit 
which  entertained  troops  in 
England  and  Africa. 


Ruling  on  Insurance 
Aids  N.Y.  Exhibitors 


Albany,  Feb.  7. — Exhibitors  and 
other  employers  subject  to  the  New 
York  State  Unemployment  Insurance 
Law  who  did  not  employ  four  or  more 
workers  on  any  15  or  more  calendar 
days  in  1942  may  apply  for  exemption 
from  the  law,  provided  they  do  so  by 
March  31,  Milton  O.  Loysen,  execu- 
tive director  of  the  Division  of  Place- 
ment and  Unemployment  Insurance, 
announced. 

Applications  are  provided  by  divi- 
sion for  this  purpose.  The  director 
stressed  that  if  an  employer  applies 
after  March  31  he  is  automatically 
subject  to  the  law  throughout  1943. 

This  ruling  will  benefit  small  ex- 
hibitors throughout  the  state,  particu- 
larly in  small  towns  and  rural  sec- 
tions. 


A.  J.  O'Keefe  Wins 
'Uy  Sales  Contest 

First  prize  in  the  recently  concluded 
three-month  Universal  district  sales 
contest  went  to  A.  J.  O'Keefe,  Los 
Angeles  district  manager,  it  was  an- 
nounced. 

Branch  managers  who  recorded 
good  sales  standings  since  October 
were  :  Frank  Mantzke,  of  Milwaukee ; 
Harry  Hynes  of  St.  Louis ;  Leroy 
Brauer  of  Charlotte ;  Lon  Hoss  of 
San  Francisco ;  Max  Cohen  of  Wash- 
ington ;  Jack  Banna  of  Cincinnati,  and 
Pete  Dana  of  Pittsburgh. 


Theatre  Wins  New 
Type  Damage  Suit 

New  Haven,  Feb.  7. — A  new  type 
of  damage  suit  has  been  decided  in 
favor  of  Poli  New  England  Theatres, 
Inc.,  in  Superior  Court  here.  The 
plaintiff,  Louis  A.  Kamens,  sued  for 
$3,000,  alleging  that  she  had  been 
burned  by  a  chemical  fluid  which  had 
been  applied  to  a  seat  she  occupied  at 
the  Palace  Theatre,  Meriden.  The 
court  found  the  theatre  could  not  an- 
ticipate that  danger  would  result  from 
use  of  the  preparation  and  therefore 
was  not  negligent. 


Rickenbacker  In  Film 

Capt.  Eddie  Rickenbacker  made  a 
special  film  Saturday  for  the  Ameri- 
can Red  Cross  at  the  Fox  Movietone 
Studios  under  the  direction  of  Frank 
Borzage  and  supervision  of  Sol  Les- 
ser, it  was  announced. 


Monday,  February  8,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


New  Haven  1st  Runs 
Good  in  Short  Week 


New  Haven,  Feb.  7. — Business  at 
downtown  theatres  here  paradoxically 
is  reported  as  good  since  the  required 
one-day  theatre  closing  went  into  ef- 
fect in  Connecticut  due  to  the  fuel 
shortage. 

Although  the  week  ending  Feb.  2 
was  shortened  to  six  days  by  the  clos- 

,«order,  and  in  the  case  of  the  Par- 
c_  5cunt  to  four  days  in  order  to  change 
the  opening  day,  downtown  grosses 
were  everywhere  above  average,  and 
in  some  instances  as  much  as  20  per 
cent  above  average,  managers  reported. 
All  but  one  of  the  first  runs  featured 
holdovers. 

At  neighborhood  and  rural  houses, 
however,  business  continued  seriously 
affected. 


Reviews 


Cuts  Two  Days  a  Week 

Clinton,  Conn.,  Feb.  7. — The 
498-seat  Clinton,  operated  by  Lee  Mal- 
carni,  has  closed  Wednesdays  and 
Thursdays  because  of  oil  shortage. 
Malcarni  said  it  is  impossible  to  con- 
vert the  theatre's  heating  system. 


Mexican  Critics  Vote 
'Miniver'  Best  Film 

"Mrs.  Miniver,"  M-G-M  production, 
has  been  chosen  "the  best  picture  oi 
1942,"  in  the  annual  poll  of  newspaper 
critics  in  Mexico,  M-G-M  announced 
Friday  it  had  been  advised  by  Carlos 
Niebla,  managing  director  for  the 
company  in  Mexico. 


Argentina  Selects  'Valley' 

Buenos  Aires,  Feb.  7. — Two  of  the 
four  units  of  film  societies  and  civic 
associations  voting  in  Argentina's  poll 
on  outstanding  film  achievements  for 
1942  selected  "How  Green  Was  My 
Valley,"  20th  Century-Fox  film,  as  the 
outstanding  foreign  film  shown  in 
the  country  last  year,  while  one  other 
chose  "Mrs.  Miniver"  as  the  best  for- 
eign film.  "The  Gaucho  War"  was 
voted  the  best  Argentine-made  feature 


Urges  Publicizing 
Treasury  Subject 

Exhibitors  can  render  a  real  service 
to  the  Treasury  and  the  public  by  call- 
ing attention  to  the  Disney  film,  "The 
Spirit  of  '43,"  when  playing  it  in  their 
theatres,  Savington  Crampton,  Treas- 
ury official,  said  here.  Crampton  said 
advertising  the  short  so  that  its  mes- 
sage of  early  tax  payments  is  empha- 
sized would  help  clear  up  misunder- 
standings regarding  the  possible  adop- 
tion of  the  new  tax  proposals.  The 
War  Activities  Committee  has  asked 
exhibitors  to  publicize  the  film. 


'Secrets  of  the  Underground' 


(Republic) 

SUSPENSE,  three  murders,  one  disappearance  and  a  hint  of  contem- 
porary importance  provide  melodrama  and  excitement  in  "Secrets  of 
the  Underground."    The  film  holds  audience  interest  throughout. 

Two  toughs  and  a  Nazi-admiring  Frenchman  form  a  ferocious  and 
murderous  gang  bent  on  printing  counterfeit  defense  stamps.  The  dis- 
trict attorney,  acted  by  John  Hubbard,  solves  the  mystery  and  wins  his 
reporter  girl  friend,  Virginia  Grey,  who  contributes  much  of  the  evi- 
dence. 

After  seeing  bodies  fall  out  of  trunks,  innocent  people  murdered  in 
cold  blood  and  French  refugees  forced  to  dishonorable  deeds  in  order  to 
save  their  loved  ones  still  in  France,  audiences  will  probably  be  expect- 
ing some  appalling  Nazi  espionage  plot  to  come  to  light.  They  may  have 
difficulty  in  reconciling  these  acts  of  horror  with  nothing  more  flagrant 
than  counterfeiting,  but  the  rapid  and  continuous  action  gives  little  time 
for  such  doubts. 

The  denouement  occurs  in  the  hideout,  a  barn,  where  the  district 
attorney  comes  to  get  his  murderer,  and  where  Miss  Grey  and  a  French 
refugee  girl  are  being  held  captive.  There's  a  rousing  fist  fight  among 
the  men  on  both  sides,  and  a  women's  auxiliary  group  rushes  in  to  dem- 
onstrate its  abilities  in  the  fields  of  jiu-jitsu  and  general  rough  house. 

Others  in  the  cast  are  Lloyd  Corrigan,  Robin  Raymond,  Miles  Mander, 
Olin  Howlin,  Ben  Welden,  Maria  Shelton,  Neil  Hamilton,  Ken  Christy 
and  Dick  Rich.    The  acting  is  mostly  fair. 

William  Morgan  directed  and  Leonard  Fields  was  associate  producer. 

Running  time,  69  minutes.  "G."* 


Industry's  Work  in 
War  in  W  AC  Book 

"Movies  at  War,"  a  32-page  book 
giving  a  comprehensive  summary  of 
the  motion  picture  industry's  coopera- 
tion in  the  war  effort  to  date,  is  being 
released  by  the  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee, the  committee  announced. 
"Films  Fight  for  Freedom,"  "Hats 
Off  to  Moviegoers,"  "Stars  Over 
America,"  "With  the  Colors,"  "Tech- 
nicians Take  a  Bow,"  "Looking 
Ahead"  and  "Winning  the  Peace"  are 
chapter  titles  indicative  of  the  con- 
tents. 


"The  Avenging  Rider" 

(RKO) 

HP  HIS  is  the  usual  formula  plot  of  the  innocent  hero  who  can  exonerate 
*■  himself  of  murder  and  robbery  only  by  finding  the  real  culprits,  but 
"The  Avenging  Rider"  manages  to  be  a  good  western  with  plenty  of 
thrills,  plus  the  marquee  attraction  of  Tim  Holt. 

The  story  by  Harry  O.  Hoyt  and  Morton  Grant  moves  along  swiftly 
and  the  direction  by  Sam  Nelson  avoids  exaggeration  or  lag  in  action. 
Good  horsemanship  and  gun  battles  are  provided  in  abundance  for  the 
western  fans. 

Holt  as  Brit  Marshall  and  Cliff  Edwards  as  Ike  have  the  job  of 
avenging  the  murder  of  Brit's  partner  and  the  theft  of  his  gold,  but  be- 
fore they  round  up  the  killers,  they  themselves  are  arrested  for  the 
crimes.  Jail  breaks,  fist  fights,  gunplay  and  exciting  horsemanship  lead 
to  justice,  and  Holt  is  set  for  another  adventure. 

Holt  is  a  handsome,  convincing  hero  and  Edwards  provides  comedy 
and  a  song.  Ann  Summers  takes  care  of  the  romantic  interest.  Bert 
Gilroy  was  the  producer. 

Running  time,  55  minutes.  "G"* 


'The  Lone  Rider  in  Outlaws  of  Boulder  Pass' 

(Producers  Releasing) 

C*  OLLOWERS  of  the  "Lone  Rider"  will  find  entertainment  in  the 
Western  style  and  considerable  humor  in  this  newest  of  the  series. 
Replete  with  gun  battles,  a  pretty  girl  and  tough  outlaws,  the  film  is  in 
the  usual  vein  of  action  picture  material. 

Smokey  Moore  sets  out  to  see  his  sister  and  father  at  their  ranch, 
the  Bar  X,  which  he  has  not  visited  in  many  years.  He  is  shot  at  by 
bandits  while  on  his  way  to  the  ranch,  and  when  he  joins  forces  with 
George  Houston  (The  Lone  Rider)  and  Al  St.  John,  it  is  discovered 
that  Moore's  father  was  killed  years  ago  by  bandits,  and  that  the  leader 
of  the  outlaw  group  has  been  claiming  to  be  Moore,  senior,  in  order  to 
control  the  ranch. 

Pitched  battles  and  considerable  galloping  about  find  the  trio,  Houston, 
St.  John  and  Moore,  the  victors,  and  Smokey  is  reunited  with  his  sister. 

Sigmund  Neufeld  produced  the  film,  and  Sam  Newfeld  directed. 

Running  time,  60  minutes.  "G."* 


A.  H.  Giannini 
Dies  on  Coast; 
Was  U.  A.  Head 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

friend  of  President  Roosevelt  and 
South  Pacific  naval  hero,  and  ap- 
peared to  be  in  good  health. 

When  the  first  attack  occurred, 
those  present,  including  Martin  Quig- 
ley,  gave  him  first  aid  while  physicians 
were  called.  He  appeared  to  revive 
but  suffered  a  second  and  fatal  attack. 

The  first  flash  of  Dr.  Giannini's 
death  was  circulated  to  top  industry 
executives  by  Motion  Picture  Daily 
via  a  battery  of  telephones.  News  of 
his  death  shocked  the  industry. 

Survivors  include  the  widow,  the 
former  Leontine  Denker,  a  member  of 
a  pioneer  and  prominent  Los  Angeles 
family,  and  a  son,  Bernard.  His 
brother,  A.  P.  Giannini,  head  of  the 
Bank  of  America  in  San  Francisco, 
was  reached  by  telephone  at  San 
Mateo. 

Was  a  Physician 

Dr.  Giannini  was  born  in  San  Jose, 
Calif.,  in  1874.  He  received  his  medi- 
cal degree  from  the  University  of 
Southern  California  in  1896,  and  dis- 
tinguished himself  in  medical  circles. 
In  1908  he  joined  his  brother  in  the 
Bank  of  Italy  and  moved  to  New 
York  in  1919  to  take  the  presidency 
of  the  Bowery  and  East  River  Na- 
tional Bank.  Returning  to  California 
in  1931,  he  became  chairman  of  the 
general  executive  committee  of  the 
Bank  of  America,  National  Associa- 
tion. 

Dr.  Giannini's  interests  soon  broad- 
ened to  the  film  industry,  and  he  be- 
came financier  as  well  as  adviser  to 
many  in  the  industry.  He  followed  Al 
Lichtman  as  president  of  United 
Artists,  serving  in  that  capacity  from 
1936  to  1938.  He  was  a  director  and 
trustee  of  Columbia  Pictures  at  the 
time  of  his  death. 

Active  in  Civic  Affairs 

In  recent  years  he  had  not  been 
very  active  in  the  motion  picture  and 
banking  fields,  but  became  even  more 
active  in  civic  affairs.  He  had  long 
been  prominent  in  Los  Angeles  com- 
munity chest  campaigns.  He  was  Cali- 
fornia state  chairman  of  the  USO  and 
a  member  of  the  USO  national  execu- 
tive board. 

Loyola  University  conferred  the 
honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Litera- 
ture on  Dr.  Giannini  in  1939. 

Particularly  shocked  by  Dr.  Gian- 
nini's death  was  Harry  Cohn,  presi- 
dent of  Columbia.  Giannini  had  re- 
cently returned  from  New  York  where 
he  attended  Columbia's  annual  meet- 
ing. 

Typical  of  the  regrets  was  that 
voiced  by  Y.  Frank  Freeman,  presi- 
dent of  the  Association  of  Motion 
Picture  Producers,  who  said :  "Shock- 
ing news.  This  city  has  lost  one  of  its 
first  citizens." 


Perakos  Reportedlnjured 

Hartford,  Feb.  7. — Lt.  John  Perak- 
os. formerly  manager  of  the  Eastwood 
Theatre,  East  Hartford,  was  reported 
wounded  in  action  in  New  Guinea, 
according  to  word  received  here.  He 
is  a  son  of  Peter  Perakos,  partner  in 
the  Perakos  &  Quittner  theatres  in 
Connecticut. 


"Sparkles  with  fun!  Sure  to  make  a  hit  at 
the  box-office!"  —Hollywood  Reporter 

"Has  plenty  on  the  ball  to  win  strong  aud- 
ience response  everywhere!"  -Film  Daily 


"A  unique  plot  with  a  strong  romantic 
flavor  keeps  the  action  rolling!"  -Variety 

"Smart  comedy  has  lots  of  appeal!" 

-The  Exhibitor 


Yes,  Paulette  and  Ray  are  doing  a  great  wartime  job  of  lifting  the 
public's  spirits  with  the  hit  that  Daily  Variety  calls ''fast  moving 
comedy  that  spells  complete  relaxation  for  theatregoers!" 

Gross  for  gross,  it  has  topped  all  United  Artists  pictures  in  the  last  year  at 


STATE,  PROVIDENCE 
LOEWS,  RICHMOND 
STATE,  ST.  LOUIS 
VALENTINE,  TOLEDO 
LOEWS,  SYRACUSE 


LOEWS,  READING 
LOEWS,  HARRISBURG 
LOEWS,  LOUISVILLE 


LOEWS,  ROCHESTER 
LOEWS,  INDIANAPOLIS 
MIDLAND,  KANSAS  CITY 


ALDINE,  WILMINGTON     VENDOME,  NASHVILLE 


LOEWS,  AKRON 
STATE,  NEW  ORLEANS 


LOEWS  GRAND,  ATLANTA 


doost 


CAPITOL  THEATRE,  New  York  City 


Fight  the.  war  on  Infantile  Paralysis! 

Pledge  your  heart  and  your  theatre 
MARC.H  OF  IMMF.S  HRIVF.  F^h.  lft.  24 


10 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  February  8,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


TRIBUTES  to  Lincoln  are  planned  by  the  various  networks  on  the  anni- 
versary of  his  birthday.  Wendell  Willkie  is  scheduled  to  speak  on  CBS 
in  a  Lincoln-Day  address  on  Thursday  at  10 :30  p.  m.  On  the  following 
day,  at  4:15  p.  m.,  the  web  will  broadcast  part  of  the  annual  pilgrimage  to 
Lincoln's  grave  at  Springfield,  111.  NBC  will  carry  a  speech  by  Rep.  Joseph 
W.  Martin  at  the  Lincoln  Day  banquet  at  the  William  Penn  Hotel,  Pitts- 
burgh, and  has  planned  for  Spanish  programs  to  be  sent  to  Latin  America 
on  both  Lincoln's  and  Washington's  birthday.  Mutual  will  air  a  talk  by 
Governor  Thomas  E.  Dewey  at  a  Lincoln  dinner  Friday. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  Ed  Byron,  co-author  and  director  of  NBC's  "Mr.  District 
Attorney,"  is  a  captain  in  the  Radio  Field  Service  and  the  Army  and  is  sta- 
tioned temporarily  in  Washington.  .  .  .  Wendell  A.  Davis,  WBZ-WBZA, 
Boston  and  Springfield,  sportscaster,  has  reported  for  service  with  the  Navy. 
He  is  at  the  Midshipman's  Training  School,  South  Bend,  Ind. 

•  •  • 

A  strike  by  electrical  union  workers  threatens  XERC  in  Mexico,  it 
is  reported.  The  trouble  is  said  to  have  arisen  because  of  the  dismisal 
of  workers  in  a  disagreement.  The  union  demands  reinstatement  of  its 
members  and  discharge  of  workers  employed  in  their  stead. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Budd  Hulick  and  Arlene  Francis  will  return  to  the  air 
with  "What's  My  Name"  on  Sunday,  Feb.  21,  at  10:30  p.  m.  over  NBC.  .  .  . 
The  Beech-Nut  Packing  Co.  is  expanding  its  WEAF  news  periods  from  five 
to  15  minutes,  effective  Feb.  15.  .  .  .  Danny  Dee,  originally  heard  on  WMCA 
in  1926,  has  returned  to  the  station  as  director  of  "Yawn  Patrol,"  early  morn- 
ing Monday  through  Friday  program. 

•  •  • 

Social  Notes:  The  press  has  been  invited  to  dine  vuith  Miller  McClintock, 
Mutual' s  new  president,  at  Gallagher's  Steak  House  on  Wednesday  eve- 
ning. .  .  .  Morton  Dozvney  has  sent  invitations  to  his  first  broadcast  for 
Coca-Cola  on  the  Blue  at  3  o'clock  today,  with  a  cocktail  party  following 
at  Toots  Shor's. 


Short  Subject  Reviews 


WMC  Draft  Rules 
Hit  Big  Orchestras 


Managers  of  New  York's  symphony 
orchestras,  it  is  reported,  believe  that 
the  War  Manpower  Commission's  rul- 
ing requiring  men  under  38  in  3-A 
draft  classification  to  find  war  indus- 
try jobs  will  have  a  serious  affect  on 
their  organizations.  The  Philhar- 
monic, it  is  estimated,  would  lose  from 
15  to  20  men,  the  Metropolitan  Opera 
would  be  without  about  15  out  of  85, 
and  about  one-third  of  the  NBC  Sym- 
phony Orchestra  would  be  affected. 

Operator  License 
Bill  Moves  Ahead 

Albany,  Feb.  7.  • —  The  Manning 
bill  extending  projectionists'  licenses 
after  the  war  without  examination  or 
other  qualification  if  they  will  apply 
within  three  months  after  honorable 
discharge  from  the  armed  forces  is 
the  first  film  legislation  to  reach  the 
floor  of  the  Assembly. 

The  bill,  reported  out  by  the  com- 
mittee on  public  education,  has  been 
advanced  from  second  to  third  read- 
ing. The  measure  would  include 
operators  inducted  by  July  1,  1943. 
Early  action  on  the  bill  is  expected. 

Resale  of  Tickets 
Law  Is  Introduced 

A  bill  amending  laws  of  1922  and 
1940  relating  to  limiting  the  resale  of 
tickets  of  admission  to  theatres  and 
places  of  amusement,  which  would 
prohibit  resale  offices  within  900  yards 
of  the  premises,  has  been  introduced 
in  Albany. 


To  Sponsor  Fire  Bill 

Hartford,  Feb.  7. — John  Moehring, 
secretary  of  the  Connecticut  State 
Firemen's  Association,  reported  that 
his  group  will  sponsor  a  bill  in  tb'- 
State  Legislature  "to  prohibit  use  o 
inflammable  decorations  in  taverns, 
restaurants  and  other  public  gathering 
places." 


Installed  in  Wilkes-Barre 

Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  Feb.  7.— Of- 
ficers of  Local  325,  IATSE,  installed 
recently  are :  Raymond  Conrad,  presi- 
dent ;  Mark  Thomas,  vice-president ; 
Joseph  Malloy,  financial  secretary- 
treasurer  ;  Theaodore  R.  Hayden,  re- 
cording secretary ;  William  Piatt, 
business  agent. 


Book  Based  on  Film 

"Action  in  the  North  Atlantic,"  the 
Warner  Bros,  merchant  marine  film 
starring  Humphrey  Bogart,  has  been 
acquired  for  book  publication  by  E.  P. 
Dutton,  it  was  announced.  The  story 
was  written  by  Guy  Gilpatric  at  the 
request  of  J.  L.  Warner. 


Medal  to  Former  Usher 

Avoca,  Pa.,  Feb.  7. — The  Distin- 
guished Flying  Cross  was  presented 
to  Sgt.  Owen  H.  Golden,  former  usher 
at  the  Palace  Theatre  here,  bv  Gen. 
Douglas  MacArthur  in  Australia,  his 
parents  announced. 


Ohio  Minimum  Wage  Bill 

Columbus,  Feb.  7. — Minimum  wages 
of  40  cents  an  hour  and  a  maximum 
work  week  of  40  hours,  with  time  and 
one-half  for  overtime,  are  provided 
in  a  bill  introduced  in  the  Ohio  Gen- 
eral Assembly. 


"The  Spirit  of  '43" 

(Walt  Disneg-WAC) 

{National  Screen  Service) 

THE  two  personalities  of  Donald 
Duck  —  Scotty  and  Zootie  —  urge 
him,  on  the  one  hand,  to  save  his 
money  and,  on  the  other,  to  spend 
t.  It's  his  thrifty,  income  -  tax 
paying  self  as  opposed  to  that  part  of 
him  which  would  hie  to  the  "Idle 
Hour"  club  and  spend  money  reck- 
lessly. Scotty  finally  wins,  and  Don- 
ald, convinced  that  a  spendthrift  aids 
the  Axis,  takes  his  money  to  the  pay 
window.  The  Technicolor  film  ends 
with  a  scene  showing  armaments  be- 
ing made  with  income  tax  money. 
This  entertaining  short  was  made  by 
Walt  Disney  at  the  request  of  the 
U.  S.  Treasury  to  stimulate  early  in- 
come tax  payments,  and  is  a  /'must" 
for  exhibitors.    Running  time,  6  mins. 

"Paratroops" 

(OWI-M-G-M) 

FACTUAL,  terse,  and  extremely 
interesting,  "Paratroops"  briefly 
cummaries  the  high  points  in  the  high- 
ly specialied  training  of  a  fighting 
parachutist.  Special  emphasis  is  giv- 
en to  the  group  of  men  who  receive 
additional  training  in  the  specific  field 
of  ski  parachute  soldiering.  These 
men  are  trained  to  live  in  the  snow — 
cook  their  meals,  sleep,  care  for  their 
equipment  and  their  safety — all  in  the 
snow-covered  sub-zero  areas  where 
"iodern  warfare  is  often  fought.  Run- 
ning time,  9  mins.   Release,  Jan.  21. 


"Troop  Train*' 

( O  W I -Columbia) 

TODAY,  when  the  civilian  trav- 
eler is  often  shunted  onto  a  side 
track  while  a  troop  train  ■  takes  the 
right  of  way,   people   often  wonder 


just  what  is  going  on  aboard  these 
trains  which  take  precedence  over 
everything  in  their  path.  This  film 
answers  the  questions  of  how  troop 
movements  by  rail  are  controlled  from 
Washington,  the  central  point,  and  of 
what  happens  aboard  these  trains.  A 
particularly  impressive  sight  is  that  of 
motorized  units  being  loaded  onto  the 
freight  cars.  The  film  is  informative 
and  interesting  throughout.  Running 
time,  10  mins.    Release,  Feb.  11. 


"The  Invasion  of 
North  Africa" 

(World  In  Action) 

(  United  Artists) 

WHILE  some  of  the  scenes  seem 
very  matter-of-fact,  although 
they  were  taken  during  combat,  others 
are  grim  and  desperate,  and  the  reality 
of  modern  warfare  is  etched  in  all  its 
horror.  These  films  of  the  United 
Nations  Armies  in  the  field  are  as- 
suring and  interesting  to  watch. 
American  troops  are  shown  in  convoy 
to  Casablanca,  and  then  fighting  with 
the  French  troops  which  opposed  thei'- 
landing.  There  is  a  scene  showing 
night  fighting,  and  the  city  after  the 
attack.  Also  pictured  is  the  fight  of 
the  Eighth  Army  in  which  Rommel's 
Afrika  Korps  was  driven  back  across 
the  desert,  after  having  been  on  the 
verge  of  victory.  The  film  is  devoted 
mainly  to  Allied  operations.  Running 
time,  20  mins. 


Sherman  Signs  Rogers 

Hollywood.  Feb.  7. — Harry  Sher- 
man signed  Jimmy  Rogers,  son  of  the 
late  humorist,  to  an  exclusive  term 
contract,  calling  for  him  to  appear 
with  Bill  Boyd  in  the  Hopalong  Cas- 
sidy  series. 


Davis  OWI  Chief  on 
Air  To  Discuss  War 

Elmer  Davis,  director  of  the  Office 
of  War  Information,  will  be  heard 
over  CBS,  NBC  and  the  Blue  in  a 
series  of  broadcasts  concerning  the 
war  on  Fridays  from  10  :45  to  11  p.  m., 
it  was  announced.  His  talks  will  be 
recorded  by  Mutual  and  rebroadcast 
at  4  p.  m.  on  the  Saturday  follow-'  v 
each  program.  It  is  reported  that  f  ) 
tual  was  the  only  network  which  corkd 
not  clear  its  schedule  at  10:45  p.  m. 
Fridays. 

The  starting  date  has  not  be  an- 
nounced. 

Balto.  Variety  Club 
Names  Committees 

Baltimore,  Feb.  7. — New  commit- 
tees of  'the  local  Variety  Club  have 
been  appointed  for  the  ensuing  year. 
Committee  chairmen  are :  Sam  Saltz, 
membership ;  J.  Louis  Rome,  welfare 
and  charity ;  Nat  Rosen,  entertain- 
ment ;  Barry  Goldman,  publicity ;  Wil- 
liam K.  Saxton,  advertising  and 
finance ;  I.  M.  Rappaport,  ways  and 
means,  and  Rodney  Collier,  house. 

It  was  decided  to  hold  a  dinner  and 
dance  for  members  and  their  wives  on 
Feb.  16.  Chief  Barker  Lauritz  Gar- 
man  is  in  charge. 

91  Films  Approved 
In  Chicago  in  Jan, 

Chicago,  Feb.  7. — The  Chicago 
film  censor  board  announced  that  dur- 
ing January  it  inspected  92  features. 
One  film,  "Native  Land,"  was  re- 
jected but  later  was  licensed  by  the 
Chief  of  Police  after  an  appeal  by 
the  distributor.  The  censors  made  20 
deletions,  and  three  pictures,  "Ec- 
stacy,"  a  reissue ;  "One  Night  Only" 
and  "Dead  Men  Walk"  were  desig- 
nated for  adults  only. 


Lima  Bans  Chance  Game 

Lima,  O.,  Feb.  7.— Chance  games 
have  been  banned  by  a  recent  police 
order  here,  regardless  of  the  type 
of  game  or  where  conducted,  because, 
according  to  Police  Chief  James  C. 
Goodwin,  "participation  in  these 
games  into  the  late  hours  by  war 
workers  has  an  adverse  effect  on  pro- 
duction." 


Puck  Returns  to  CBS 

Lawrence  Puck  will  return  to  CBS 
on  Feb.  15  as  the  network's  talent 
scout,  Douglas  Coulter,  director  of 
broadcasts,  announced.  He  joined  CBS 
in  1939  as  a  member  of  Columbia  Ar- 
tists and  went  with  Music  Corpora- 
tion of  America  when  it  bought  the 
company  in  1941. 


Conn.  Exhibitors  Praised 

New  Haven,  Feb.  7. — State  Police 
Inspector  Earl  Morin  has  praised 
Connecticut  exhibitors  for  their  100 
per  cent  installation  of  automatic 
emergency  lighting  units,  which,  he 
believes,  will  avert  panic  because  of 
power  failure  from  any  cause. 


Heads  West  field  Union 

Westfield,  Mass.,  Feb  ?  —  F^r 
the  ninth  consecutive  year,  Benjamin 
G.  Hull,  business  agent  of  the  motion 
picture  operators  union,  has  been  re- 
elected president  of  the  Westfield  Cen- 
tral Labor  Union. 


EIGHT 

OUT  OF  TEN 


OF  the  Ten  Best  Pictures,  selected  in  the 
Film  Daily's  critics  poll  for  1942,  eight 
were  made  on  Eastman  Negative  Films. 
This  gratifying  result  provides  striking 
evidence  of  the  strong  preference  for 
these  high-quality  films.  Eastman  Kodak 
Company,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

J.  E.  BRULATOUR,  INC.,  Distributors 
Fort  Lee  Chicago  Hollywood 


PLUS-X  SUPER-XX 

for  general  studio  use  when  little  light  is  available 

BACKGROUND -X 

for  backgrounds  and  general  exterior  work 


EASTMAN  NEGATIVE  FILMS 


STILL  OUT 

IN  FRONT! 


lot  in  this  space 
lately,  about  the  necessity  for  saving 
film;  on  conserving  restricted  materials; 
about  the  rapid  turn-over  in  war-time 
help,  and  many  printed  pleas  aimed  at 
keeping  everybody  Victory-minded. 

As  patriotic  Americans,  it  is  a  genuine 
pleasure  and  a  privilege  to  dedicate 
our  white  space  and  printer's  ink  to  the 
cause  that  is  nearest  all  our  hearts,  and 
we  intend  to  do  more  of  it. 


But  may  we  digress  a  bit  now,  and 
only  just  enough  to  tell  our  clientele  that 
we  are  still  warmly  devoted  to  the  idea 
of  serving  them  with  the  best  box-office 
aids  possible- STANDARD  ACCESSORIES  - 
SPECIALTY  ACCESSORIES  and  TRAILERS. 

We  pledge  ourselves  also,  to  main- 
tain—as far  as  war  conditions  will  per- 
mit—the same  high  standard  of  service 
that  this  company  has  striven  for  ever 
since  its  inception. 


MARCH  of] 
DIMES 


xfteea  service 

PRIZE  BRBY  OF  THE  IIWUSTRY 


Alert, 


to  the  lotion 
Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


r ill  vuf^rr: 


mm.  53. 


NO.  27 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  TUESDAY,  FEBRUARY  9,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Trade  Heads 
Will  Confer  on 
War  Problems 


Chief  Topic  at  Lawyers' 
Session  on  Coast 


War  time  problems  of  the  indus- 
try will  loom  large  on  the  agenda 
of  company  presidents  and  studio 
heads  at  the  Hollywood  meeting 
next  Monday  called  by  the  industry 
lawyers'  "Committee  of  Six,"  it 
was  indicated  yesterday  following  a 
canvass  of  discussion  topics  at  a 
meeting  here  of  the  MPPDA  board 
of  directors. 

George  J.  Schaefer  and  Francis 
S.  Harmon  of  the  industry  War 
Activities  Committee  attended 
the  board  meeting  and  sug- 
gested a  number  of  subjects 
which  they  regarded  as  deserv- 
ing of  a  place  on  the  agenda  of 
the  Coast  meeting.  All  company 
presidents  will  attend  the  ses- 
sions in  Hollywood,  which  are 
expected  to  continue  for  several 
days. 

Will  H.  Hays,  H.  M.  Warner,  Nate 
J.  Blumberg,  Harry  Cohn  and  Edward 

{Continued  on  page  4) 


Mass.  Bill  Provides 
Four-Day  Operation 


Boston,  Feb.  8. — A  bill  which  would 
limit  oil-heated  theatres  and  other 
places  of  amusement  to  an  operating 
schedule  of  four  nights  a  week 
throughout  Massachusetts  has  been  in- 
troduced in  the  legislature  by  Sen. 
Maurice  W.  Goldman  of  Boston. 

Entertainment  industry  spokesmen 
have  raised  strong  objections  to  the 
bill.  They  contend  that  it  is  discrim- 
inatory and  that  any  possible  benefits 
from  it  would  be  more  than  offset 
by  the  loss  of  morale  value  of  enter- 
tainment to  service  men  and  war 
workers. 


Danziger  Resigns 
20th-Fox  Ad  Post 

The  resignation  of  William  Dan- 
ziger from  the  20th  Century-Fox  ad- 
vertising and  publicity  department, 
which  he  joined  on  Jan.  4,  was  an- 
nounced yesterday  by  Hal  Horne,  di- 
rector of  the  department.  It  was  also 
announced  that  William  French,  for- 
merly at  the  studio  publicity  depart- 
ment, has  been  transferred  to  the  home 
office  publicity  department. 


Dr.  A.  H.  Giannini 

Hollywood,  Feb.  8 

THE  career  of  Dr.  A.  H.  Giannini  in  the  motion  picture  industry 
was  one  of  institutional  character.  He  enjoyed  a  position  which 
was  unique  in  its  influence  and  in  its  extent.  Although  not  distinctly 
of  the  industry  of  motion  pictures,  his  personality  and  power  were 
exerted  in  a  manner  seldom  if  ever  paralleled. 

Officially,  Dr.  Giannini  was  banker  and  adviser  to  many  companies 
and  many  individuals  in  the  motion  picture  business.  Actually,  he 
was  not  only  banker  and  adviser  to  these  companies  and  individuals, 
but  was  moreover  a  loyal  and  dependable  friend  to  these  and  to  the 
industry  at  large. 

He  was  through  many  years  a  great  defender  of  the  good  name  of 
the  motion  picture.  Few  men  in  the  history  of  the  industry  have 
with  so  great  an  effect  explained  the  industry  and  the  motion  picture 
to  the  public.  While  always  an  eloquent  apologist  for  the  industry, 
he  never  failed  the  genuine  test  of  friendship  in  expressing  construc- 
tive criticism  when  he  found  grounds  for  so  doing. 

In  his  contacts  with  the  industry  he  contributed  a  high  order  of 
character  and  intelligence.  Possessed  of  a  keen  artistic  sense  he,  as 
a  banker,  was  able  on  innumerable  occasions  to  contribute  both  to 
the  artistic  as  well  as  the  financial  success  of  motion  picture  under- 
takings. He  cultivated  an  enduring  affection  for  this  business  and 
its  people,  and  his  passing  is  a  great  personal  loss  to  the  many 
persons  in  every  stratum  and  department  to  whom  he  had  given  an 
unselfish  friendship. 

The  affectionate  regard  in  which  he  was  so  widely  held  remains 
today  as  an  eloquent  and  enduring  memorial. 

— Martin  Quigley 


6  Months  Profit  of 
Monogram  $44,470 

Net  profit  of  $44,470  was  reported 
by  Monogram  Pictures  Corp.  yester- 
day for  the  six  months  ended  Dec.  26, 
1942.  The  result  is  a  marked  im- 
provement over  the  company's  earn- 
ings for  comparable  periods  during 
the  past  four  years. 

Profit  before  Federal  taxes  and 
employes'  bonus,  in  the  amount  of 
$64,638,  was  $109,108. 


Symphonies  Exempt 
From  Manpower  Rule 

Mrs.  Anna  M.  Rosenberg,  regional 
director  of  the  War  Manpower  Com- 
mission, said  yesterday  that  members 
of  symphony  orchestras  are  not  af- 
fected by  the  recent  "work  or  fight" 
order,  which  puts  an  end,  temporarily 
at  least,  to  fears  that  the  recent  order 
would  mean  the  end  of  the  nation's 
great    symphony  orchestras. 


Pay  Ceiling  Repeal  Rider 
May  Get  House  Approval 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

W ashington,  Feb.  8. — Supporters 
of  Representative  Gearhart's  bill  to 
repeal  President  Roosevelt's  salary 
limitation  order  believe  they  have  a 
majority  of  the  House  Ways  and 
Means  Committee  membership  lined 
up  behind  them  and  are  prepared  to 
demand  a  vote  when  the  committee 
meets  again  next  Saturday. 

All  Republican  members  of  the 
committee  are  working  for  repeal  and 
three  Democratic  members  are  be- 
lieved to  support  it,  giving  a  one-vote 
majority  for  Gearhart's  amendment 
to  the  debt-increase  bill  to  which  it  is 
attached  as  a  rider. 

So  strong  is  the  demand  for  repeal 
that  Gearhart  has  rejected  a  proposal 
of  Representative  Disney  of  Okla- 
homa for  repeal  through  House  action 


on  salary  limits,  offered  in  an  effort  to 
ease  the  Administration's  predicted  de- 
feat. 

"Outright  repeal  or  nothing,"  Gear- 
hart  said  today,  is  the  only  basis  on 
which  his  group  will  deal. 

Administration  supporters  on  the 
committee  are  attempting  to  develop 
a  compromise  for  submission  at  the 
next  meeting,  ordered  last  Saturday 
by  Chairman  Doughton  after  a 
lengthy  discussion  indicated  that  the 
rider  could  not  be  defeated  if  brought 
to  an  immediate  vote. 

One  of  the  substitute  proposals 
which  is  winning  favor  in  the  House 
would  provide  for  the  freezing  of 
upper  bracket  salaries  at  their  levels 
on  Dec.   7,   1941,   for  the  duration. 


Davis,  Mellett 
Discuss  Film 
SituationHere 


Informal  Meeting  Is  Held 
With  Industry  Heads 

A  general  discussion  of  numer- 
ous industry-government  relation- 
ships, which  was  described  as  clear- 
ing up  a  number  of  minor  irritants 
and  misunderstandings  on  both  sides, 
was  held  here  last  night  by  com- 
pany heads  with  Elmer  Davis,  head 
of  the  Office  of  War  Information, 
and  Lowell  Mellett,  chief  of  the 
motion  picture  division  of  the 
OWL 

The  occasion  of  the  discussion  was 
a  dinner  given  for  Davis  by  Mellett 
with  the  company  heads,  George  J. 
Schaefer  and  Francis  Harmon  of  the 
industry  War  Activities  Committee, 
and  Charles  F.  Coe  of  the  MPPDA, 
at  the  University  Club. 

While  participants  described  the 
meeting  as  an  informal  get-together 
designed  primarily  to  help  the  Gov- 
ernment and  industry  officials -to- ex- 
change views  and  get  to  know  one 
another  better,  the  meeting  neverthe- 
less ranged  over  a  wide  variety  of 
subjects. 

Reported  to  have  been  discussed  at 
some  length  are  OWI's  views  on  pro- 
duction subjects  concerned  with  cur- 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


A.  H.  Giannini  Rites 
Tomorrow  on  Coast; 


Los  Angeles,  Feb.  8. — Requiem 
mass  for  Dr.  A.  H.  Giannini,  former 
president  of  United  Artists  and  chair- 
man of  the  Bank  of  America,  National 
Association,  who  died  here  yesterday 
of  a  heart  attack,  will  be  celebrated 
Wednesday  at  the  Church  of  the  Good 
Shepherd,  Beverly  Hills,  with  private 
entombment  rites  following  at  Calvary 
Cemetery,  it  was  announced  today. 
The  remains  will  lie  in  state  at  the 
O'Connor  Chapel  tomorrow  morning 
and  a  Rosary  will  be  said  at  his  late 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Heard  Around,"  by  Sam 
Shain,  Page  2.  Review  of 
"Something  to  Shout  About," 
Page  4.  Key  city  box-office 
reports,  Page  6. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  February  9,  1943 


Goldenson  Appoints 
'Dimes'  Drive  Unit 


A  committee  of  home  office  repre- 
sentatives for  the  theatres'  March  of 
Dimes  campaign  has  been  named  by 
Leonard  Goldenson,  home  office  chair- 
man for  the  drive. 

Members  of  the  committee  are : 
John  Farmer,  RKO  ;  Max  Blackmail, 
Warner  Theatres ;  George  Dembow, 
National  Screen  Service ;  Samuel 
Machnovitch,  Universal ;  Dan  Micha- 
love,  20th  Century-Fox ;  Harry  Buck- 
ley, United  Artists ;  J.  P.  McLough- 
lin,  Paramount;  Walter  L.  Titus,  Re- 
public ;  R.  W.  Altschuler,  Consolidat- 
ed Film ;  Paul  Behrke,  Skouras  thea- 
tres ;  Max  Seligman,  Columbia ;  Eu- 
gene Picker,  Loew's ;  Martin  New- 
man, Century  Circuit ;  Samuel  Rosen, 
Fabian  Theatres,  and  Sim  Rinzler, 
Randforce. 


K-A-0  Votes  $1.75 
Preferred  Dividend 

A  quarterly  dividend  of  $1.75  per 
share  has  been  declared  by  'Keith- 
Albee-Orpheum  Corp.,  out  of  operat- 
ing surplus,  on  the  seven  per  cent 
cumulative  convertible  preferred 
stock  of  the  company.  The  dividend 
is  payable  April  1  to  holders  of  rec- 
ord on  March  15. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN      .     GREER  GAR80N 
In  James  Hilton's 

" RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN  M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue   .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 

IN  PERSON 

PRESENTS 

JOHNNY 

•STAR  SPANGLED 

LONG 

RHYTHM' 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

with  43  STARS 

—Extra- 
Frank  Sinatra 

PARAMOUNT    -    Times  Square 

HENRY  FONDA  •  MAUREEN  O'HARA  in 

Plus  In  Person  |  C O N N  E E  BOSWELL 
On  Our  Stage  I  PAUL  LAVALLE  &  Orch. 

BUY  A  WAR  DfWV  7th  Ave-  &  50th  st 
BONDatthe  HI/A  I    Continuous  Perfs. 


PALACE 


B  WAY  & 
47th  St. 


JOHNNY  WEISSMULLER 
Frances  Gifford        «        Johnny  Sheffield 

"TARZAN  TRIUMPHS" 

—  and  — 

Monty  Woolley         «  Ida  Lupino 

"Life  Begins  at  8:30" 


Loew  s  STATE 


ON  SCREEN 

"JOURNEY  FOR 
MARGARET" 

ANN  SOTHERN 
ROBT.  YOUNG 
MARGARET  O'BRIEN 


IN  PERSON 

DAVE 
APOLLON 

YACHT 
CLUB  BOYS 
—  PLUS  — 
BLOCK  & 
SULLY 


^   Heard  Around  - 

WE  are  among  the  many — who  were  privileged  to  call  Dr.  A.  H. 
Giannini — friend.  And,  how  well  do  we  remember  the  many  occasions 
— here  and  on  the  Coast — spent  with  him.  We  met  him  first — without  intro- 
duction— more  than  a  decade  ago,  calling  on  him  for  a  story — in  that  little 
upstairs  office,  in  the  old  Times  Square  branch  of  the  Bank  of  America. 
That  office  was  one  of  the  tiniest  we  ever  saw — with  room  for  only  one 
visitor  at  a  time  comfortably,  but  the  door  was  never  shut.  He  was  as  frank 
and  warm  in  his  talk  with  us,  that  first  time,  as  if  we  had  known  him  all  our 
days.    That  was  the  kind  of  fellow  "Doc"  was. 

In  New  York,  quite  often,  he  would  invite  us  to  go  riding  with  him  on  an 
afternoon— usually  it  was  in  the  car  of  Nicholas  M.  Schenck,  his  great 
friend — and  he  would  impart  business  lore  to  us. 

No  man  had  greater  regard  for  those  engaged  in  show  business  than  Dr. 
Giannini. 

"Doc"  was  one  of  those  old-time  bankers,  too  rare  then  and  now,  known 
as  character  bankers — when  others  traded  promotionally,  Giannini  dealt  on 
the  human  basis.  He  recognized  both  character  and  ability  in  our  industry 
and  gave  it  standing.  He  was  the  frank  and  sympathetic  counsellor  of  many, 
big  and  small,  and  asked  no  special  reward— he  gave  censure  and  praise  just 
as  his  judgment  ran. 

•  •  • 

"Random  Harvest" — inclusive  of  New  Year's  week — has  garnered  $739,- 
000  in  seven  weeks  at  the  Radio  City  Music  Hall.  In  the  same  length  of 
run  "Mrs.  Miniver"  collected  $720,000  ...  A.  J.  Balaban  of  the  Roxy  Thea- 
tre is  on  his  way  to  San  Francisco  to  meet  his  daughter. 

•  •  • 

Carter  Barron  writes  .  .  .  that  Washington  may  be  mad  but  not  madden- 
ing— that  all  show  people  there  are  all-out  in  their  war  effort — ivith  special 
praise  for  the  performers — from  films,  radio,  legitimate  theatre  and  opera — 
ivho  helped  make  the  job  of  the  President's  Birthday  Ball  Committee  a 
notable  success — all  of  which  has  only  heightened  the  esteem  in  which  Capital 
folks  hold  shoiv  business. 

•  •  • 

Filmdom's  leaders  are  gravely  concerned  .  .  .  over  the  raw  stock  situa- 
tion— the  requirements  of  the  armed  forces  are  so  great  as  practically 
to  preclude  the  industry  from  obtaining  anything  like  a  sufficient  supply 
of  celluloid  for  next  year — that  unless  means  are  found  for  providing 
producers  with  their  necessary  raw  stock — there  is  serious  danger  of  a 
drastic  production  curtailment — and  it  is  hoped  that  Elmer  Davis,  Lowell 
Mellett  and  Harold  Hopper  can  find  the  way  to  alleviate  that  possibility 
— but  the  rub  is  that  manufacture  of  raw  stock  cannot  be  increased — 
because  of  lack  of  equipment — and  the  armed  forces  are  said  to  have 
requisitioned  all  of  the  raw  stock  Eastman,  Dupont  and  Agfa  can  make 
— more  than  all  the  film  companies  combined  require. 

•  •  • 

Boston's  show  critics  .  .  .  raved  about  Billie  Burke's  performance  in 
"This  Rock,"  Eddie  Dowling's  new  play,  written  by  Walter  Livingston — 
Dana  in  the  Daily  Record  wrote — "Miss  Burke's  performance  is  enchanting." 
.  .  .  Gertrude  Lanza,  publicity  director  of  the  Yankee  Network,  is  still 
chuckling  over  that  press  release  in  which  her  new  duties  were  announced  and 
wherein  she  was  listed  as  a  gorgeous  blonde — which  she  is  .  .  .  and  the  boys 
and  girls  on  film  row  are  talking  about  Harry  Brandt  acquiring  Shubert's 
Majestic,  for  pictures. 

•  •  • 

Willard  McKay,  counsel  for  the  Schine  Theatre  interests  .  .  .  reports  more 
than  the  usual  difficulty  in  disposing  af  rural  houses  of  that  circuit  under  its 
standstill  agreement  with  the  government.  Says  McKay — since  the  ban  on 
pleasure  driving — there  are  fewer  buyers  than  ever  of  country  theatres — 
people  no  longer  can  ride  to  such  houses,  and  with  shoe  rationing — they 
won't  even  be  able  to  walk  to  them  soon, 

•  •  • 

Ardis  Smith,  drama  and  film  critic  of  the  Buffalo  Evening  News  ...  is 
at  work  on  a  series  of  two-reel  documentaries  for  RKO  Pathe — dealing 
with  the  war  effort — he  is  on  leave  from  his  newspaper  but  there  are 
hints  he  will  stay  on  in  New  York  .  .  .  Bert  Lytell,  Lee  Shubert  and  Abe 
Lastfogel  will  be  among  those  on  the  legitimate  theatre  committee — and 
the  motion  picture  exhibitors'  committee  will  include  Leonard  Golden- 
son, Gus  Eyssell,  Joe  Vogel,  George  Skouras,  Ed  Alperson,  Fred 
■Schwartz,  Sam  Rinzler  and  Harry  Kalmine — for  the  Red  Cross  show  at 
Madison  Square  Garden,  April  5. 

•  •  • 

Some  young  officer  of  the  Royal  Canadian  Air  Force  ...  is  to  become 
the  "sweater  boy"  of  the  skyways  when  the  candidates  for  commissions  grad- 
uate, Feb.  19 — from  No.  1  Air  Observers  School,  Malton,  Ontario— and  the 
garment  will  be  a  gift  from  no  less  a  person  than  Ann  Sheridan. 


We'll  be  seeing  you  tomorrow 

luncheon  at  the  Astor. 


at  the  Motion  Picture  Associates 
— Sam  Shain 


To  Manage  W.  B.  House 

Jacksonville,  Feb.  8. — Richard  G. 
Moffett,  veteran  amusements  editor  of 
the  Florida  hTimes-Union  here,  has 
been  appointed  manager  of  the  St. 
Johns  Theatre,  local  Warner  first 
run. 


Eiseman  to  Cleveland 

Cleveland,  Feb.  8.— Clarence  Eise- 
man has  been  appointed  special  repre- 
sentative for  Vitagraph,  with  head- 
quarters here.  He  was  formerly 
metropolitan  branch  manager  for 
United  Artists  in  New  York, 


Personal 
Mention 


Li    Chicago  Thursday. 

Fred   Jordan   will   leave  for 
Coast  Friday. 

Hank   Linet  left  for  Pitts, 
last  night. 

C.  J.  Latta,  Warner  Circuit  zone 
manager  in  the  Albany  territory,  and 
Nat  Fellman  of  the  Cleveland  zone, 
are  in  New  York. 

• 

Norman  H.  Moray  returned  yes- 
terday from  a  Southern  trip. 
• 

Fred  Shanberger,  Jr.,  publicist  for 
Keith's,  Baltimore,  is  a  New  York 
visitor. 

• 

Jack  Skirball  left  for  Washington 
last  night. 

Mort  Blumenstock  and  Gilbert 
Golden  are  in  Philadelphia. 

• 

Herb  Ellisberg,  Chicago  Theatre 
owner,  is  vacationing  at  Miami  Beach. 
• 

Leon  Zaller,  owner  of  the  Roxy, 
Baltimore,  is  vacationing  in  Florida. 
• 

Douglas  Fleming,  assistant  adver- 
tising and  publicity  man  for  Warner 
Bros,  houses  in  Cleveland,  entered 
the  U.  S.  Naval  Aviation  Corps  last 
week. 

• 

Moses  Lebovitz  of  the  Grand 
Amusement  Co.,  Chattanooga,  is  in 
New  York  for  a  visit. 

• 

Sam  Smith,  president  of  the  Kine 
matograph  Renters  Society,  British 
distribution  association,  left  for  Lon 
don  over  the  weekend  following  a 
month's  visit  here. 

• 

Clem  Pope,  RKO  division  manager 
of  Northern  Ohio  theatres,  was  in 
jured  recently  in  an  auto  accident,  and 
has  just  been  released  from  the  hos 
pital. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 

President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company. 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Ouigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sara  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl. 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon-, 
don."  All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Ouigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Ouigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her-, 
aid,  Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


4 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Tuesday,  February  9,  1943 


Review 

"Something  to  Shout  About" 

(Columbia) 

Hollywood,  Feb.  8 

COLUMBIA'S  "Something  to  Shout  About"  is  something  to  enjoy. 
It  is  a  picture  designed  to  please  all  types  of  audiences,  a  motion  pic- 
ture presentation  of  entertainment  ranging  from  Lichine  ballet  to  Hazel 
Scott  "boogie-woogie"  piano  playing,  from  popular  ballad  to  dog  act,  and 
with  all  stops  pulled  out  on  most  of  the  other  audience-holding  essentials. 
The  film  is  a  conglomeration  of  various  musical  comedy  and  vaudeville 
numbers  welded  together  with  finesse  by  producer-director  Gregory 
Ratoff. 

The  stars  are  Don  Ameche  as  a  Broadway  press  agent;  Janet  Blair 
as  a  small  town  music  teacher  who  wants  her  songs  published,  and  Jack 
Oakie,  former  vaudevillian  who  runs  a  crowded  actors'  boarding  house 
with  but  few  paying  guests.  Supporting  them  are  William  Gaxton,  as  a 
once-wealthy  producer;  Cobina  Wright,  Jr.,  as  a  divorcee  whose  alimony 
settlement  gives  her  enough  money  to  back  a  musical  comedy  starring 
herself.  Also  in  the  cast  are  Veda  Ann  Borg,  Lily  Norwood,  Jaye  Mar- 
tin and  James  "Chuckles"  Walker. 

The  plot  hinges  on  the  efforts  of  the  divorcee,  a  former  show  girl  with- 
out talent,  to  star  herself  in  a  musical  revue.  After  the  show  is  in  re- 
hearsal, the  producer  has  her  and  his  press  agent  falsely  imprisoned  by 
a  country  sheriff,  in  order  to  enable  the  production  to  go  on  with  the 
pretty  song  writer  in  the  lead.  The  divorcee  gets  out  of  jail,  threatens 
to  withdraw  her  money  unless  she  is  starred.  Out  of  town  openings 
"flop,"  and  the  star  disappears.  So  the  press  agent,  using  the  producer's 
name,  puts  on  a  big  time  vaudeville  revue  on  Broadway,  which  becomes 
a  hit. 

The  specialties,  all  of  which  are  outstanding,  include  a  ballet  number 
by  David  Lichine  and  Miss  Blair ;  a  rhumba  number  by  Miss  Blair ;  sev- 
eral offerings  by  the  talented  Miss  Scott;  Teddy  Wilson  and  His  Band, 
and  "The  Bricklayers,"  an  outstanding  dog  act. 

In  addition  to  all  this,  there  are  six  songs  by  Cole  Porter.  One  of 
them,  "You'd  Be  So  Nice  to  Come  Home  To,"  is  already  a  hit,  and  two 
of  them,  "Hasta  Luego,"  and  "I  Always  Knew,"  becoming  very  popular. 
Others  are  "Something  to  Shout  About,"  "Lotos  Bloom,"  and  "Through 
Thick  and  Thin." 

Four  writers  are  credited,  Lou  Breslow  and  Edward  Eliscu  for  the 
screenplay;  George  Owen  for  the  adaptation,  and  Fred  Schiller  for  the 
original  story. 

Running  time,  90  minutes.  "G."* 

Vance  King 


A.  H.  Giannini  Rites 
Tomorrow  on  Coast; 
Trade  Mourns  Death 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 
residence  tomorrow  night.  Pallbear- 
ers will  be  announced  tomorrow. 

Dr.  Giannini's  death  shocked  the  in- 
dustry in  New  York  yesterday.  Com- 
pany executives,  all  of  whom  knew 
him  well,  voiced  their  regrets,  as  fol- 
lows : 

Adolph  Zukor:  "In  the  passing  of 
Dr.  Giannini  the  motion  picture  in- 
dustry has  lost  a  veteran  and  true 
friend.  From  his  earliest  days  in  the 
banking  business  he  aided  the  strug- 
gling young  motion  picture  industry. 
He  continued  that  friendship  and  sup- 
port of  the  industry  to  the  day  of  his 
death.  Without  his  assistance,  the 
progress  and  development  of  the  film 
world  might  have  been  retarded  many 
years.  Many  of  us  will  miss  him  as  a 
business  associate ;  all  of  us  will  miss 
him  as  a  friend." 

Nicholas  M.  Schenck :  "The  motion 
picture  industry  throughout  the  world 
has  lost  a  friend,  counsellor,  and  a 
pioneer  in  the  passing  of  Dr.  Gian- 
nini. He  was  one  of  the  finest  men 
I  ever  knew." 

S.  Skouras  Mourns  Loss 

Spyros  Skouras :  "Dr.  A.  H.  Gian- 
nini was  a  far  seeing  member  of  the 
motion  picture  industry,  and  more  than 
any  other  man  he  believed  in  the  fu- 
ture of  the  screen  and  was  the  first 
banker  to  consider  motion  pictures 
sound  business  investment.  His  pass- 
ing is  an  irreparable  loss  to  the  in- 
dustry and  a  shock  to  every  film 
executive.  I  counted  him  among  my 
closest  friends." 

Tom  J.  Connors :  "I  was  grieved 
and  shocked  to  learn  of  the  loss  of  Dr. 
Giannini,  a  man  who  was  my  friend 
for  many  years.  The  industry  has  lost 
one  of  its  real  pioneers  in  the  man 
who  helped  develop  it  and  was  the 
intimate  friend  of  most  of  its  impor- 
tant personalities." 

Cohn  Says,  'A  Truly  Great  Man' 

Jack  Cohn :  "The  passing  of  Dr. 
Giannini  comes  as  a  great  personal 
loss  to  me  for  I  have  known  him 
longer  than  anyone  else  in  the  mo- 
tion picture  business  today.  He  was 
the  greatest  champion  motion  pictures 
has  ever  had,  and  could  truly  be 
called  'father  of  the  motion  picture 
industry.'  He  worked  ceaselessly  for 
its  betterment.  He  aimed  consistently 
for  its  growth.  He  always  strove  for 
its  progress.  He  was  truly  a  great 
man ;  imbued  with  a  remarkable  de- 
gree of  understanding,  loyalty  and 
tolerance — the  one  man  to  whom  we 
could  always  bring  our  problems  and 
be  assured  that  they  would  be  wisely 
solved.  He  fought  for  the  industry 
up  to  the  last.  It  is,  indeed,  with  a 
great  sense  of  sadness  that  I  mourn 
the  passing  of  a  great  friend,  a  close 
and  constant  pal  and  one  of  the  finest 
figures  motion  pictures  has  ever 
possessed." 

i  Charles  Skouras:  "We  lost  a  great 
friend.  The  industry  lost  a  very  good 
friend.  He  was  responsible  for  a  lot 
of  producers  receiving  financing  for 
their  pictures.  He  was  the  most  out- 
standing man  in  the  motion  picture 
business." 


*  "G"  denotes  general  classification. 

Company  Chiefs  To 
WeighWarProblems 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

C.  Raftery,  all  are  in  Hollywood  now 
and  will  remain  for  the  meeting. 
Others  leaving  here  for  the  Coast  at 
the  end  of  the  week  are  Barney  Bala- 
ban,  N.  Peter  Rathvon,  Nicholas  M. 
Schenck  and  Spyros  Skouras. 

Also,  J.  Robert  Rubin,  Austin  Ke- 
ough  and  ■  Joseph  Hazen,  Eastern 
members  of  the  "Committee  of  Six," 
and  Schaefer  and  Harmon  will  leave 
at  the  weekend.  Charles  Francis  Coe, 
vice-president  and  general  counsel  of 
the  MPPDA,  may  go  to  Hollywood 
immediately  after  addressing  the  Ad- 
vertising Club  of  Boston  next  Tues- 
day. 


Rites  for  Louis  Purcell 

Hollywood,  Feb.  8. — Funeral  serv- 
ices for  Louis  J.  Purcell,  41,  general 
auditor  at  the  20th  Century-Fox  stu- 
dios for  the  last  six  years,  who  died 
yesterday,  will  be  held  Thursday  at  St. 
Augustine's  Church,  Culver  City.  He 
is  survived  by  his  widow  and  three 
sons. 


Willkie,  Warner  Bros. 
Cited  by  Race  Group 

Wendell  Willkie,  Duke  Ellington, 
Warner  Bros,  and  Dr.  George  Wash- 
ington Carver  received  places  on  the 
1942  Honor  Roll  of  Race  Relations, 
a  nationwide  poll  conducted  each  year 
by  the  Schomburg  Collection  of  Ne- 
gro Literature  of  the  New  York  Pub- 
lic Library,  it  was  announced. 

Willkie,  chairman  of  the  board  of 
20th  Century-Fox,  was  cited  because 
he  "has  frankly  spoken  out  for  the 
rights  of  Negroes  and  the  common 
man  the  world  over."  Warner  Bros, 
was  cited  for  "In  This  Our  Life," 
an  "exceptional  film  in  that  it  pre- 
sented the  Negro  in  a  realistic  and 
dignified  role." 


Assembly  Approves 
License  Renewals 

Albany,  Feb.  8.— The  Assembly 
tonight  passed  its  first  motion  picture 
legislation  of  the  session,  approving 
135-0,  a  measure  by  Assemblyman 
George  Manning  which  would  per- 
mit motion  picture  operators  serving 
in  the  armed  forces  to  renew  their 
licenses  after  the  war  without  an  ex- 
amination. 


'Force',  'Sergeant' 
Lead  on  Broadway 


Rain  Saturday  had  no  effect  on 
Broadway  theatre  grosses  which  were 
strong  throughout  the  week.  "Im- 
mortal Sergeant"  at  the  Roxy  with 
Herb  Shriner  and  Connie  Boswell  on 
the  stage  grossed  about  $66,500  in 
five  days.  "Air  Force"  was  estimated 
to  have  grossed  $27,000  in  five,/  r> 
at  the  Hollywood,  while  "Casablas^t," 
after  10  days  at  the  Hollywood  com- 
bined with  Sammy  Kaye  and  his  band 
on  the  stage  at  the  Strand  to  gross  an 
estimated  $28,900  in  three  days.  "Ran- 
dom Harvest,"  plus  the  stage  presen- 
tation, at  the  Radio  City  Music  Hall 
begins  a  ninth  week  Thursday  after 
an  estimated  take  of  $64,000  in  four 
days  of  the  eighth  week. 

For  a  fourth  week  ending  tonight  at 
the  Rivoli,  "Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  was 
expected  to  earn  about  $24,000  and 
will  be  held.  "Tennessee  Johnson"  re- 
mains at  the  Astor  a  fifth  week  start- 
ing tomorrow,  with  about  $9,500 
grossed  in  six  days  of  its  fourth  week. 
Lucky  Jordan  was  estimated  to  have 
grossed  $4,500  for  Saturday  and  Sun- 
day at  the  Rialto  as  it  entered  a  sec- 
ond week. 

Heading  for  $58,000  in  a  sixth  week 
ending  tonight  at  the  Paramount, 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  with  Johnny 
Long  and  his  band  on  the  stage  will 
remain  for  eight  weeks,  the  longest 
run  any  film  has  had  at  the  house. 
"Hitler's  Children"  with  Xavier  Cu- 
gat  and  Henny  Youngman  as  the 
stage  attractions  will  open  Feb.  24. 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  garnered  an 
estimated  $22,900  for  four  days  of  a 
seventh  week  at  the  Capitol  and  will 
hold  for  an  eighth  week  starting 
Thursday. 

"Saludos  Amigos"  will  open  at  the 
Globe  Friday.  "Margin  for  Error" 
will  play  six  days  of  a  third  week  at 
the  house,  after  earning  an  estimated 
$4,000  for  Saturday  and  Sunday. 


Davis,  Mellett  Meet 
With  Industry  Heads 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

rent  international  diplomacy,  the. 
OWI's  recent  suggestions  for  scan- 
ning scripts  and  problems  stemming 
from  the  heavy  drain  on  raw  stock 
supplies  by  service  branches  and  ex- 
ports of  prints  and  raw  stock  to 
United  Nations  and  neutrals. 

It  was  emphasized,  however,  that 
the  discussions  were  informal  and  ex- 
ploratory in  nature,  having  a  general 
aim  of  reaching  a  better  understand- 
ing of  the  problems  of  both  sides. 


British  Statement 
Expected  Tomorrow 

London,  Feb.  8. — The  raw  stock- 
situation  here  and  the  government's 
intentions  for  coping  with  threatened 
shortages  are  scheduled  to  be  made 
public  on  Wednesday. 

The  situation  was  outlined  to  trade 
press  representatives  by  the  Board  of 
Trade  today  but  permission  to  make 
public  the  information  immediately 
was  withheld  pending  meetings  of 
other  trade  bodies  with  the  Board 
tomorrow. 


T 


7 


JOHNNY 
OUGHBOY 

MEMBERS  OF  THE  20  MINUS  CLUB 

BOBBY  BREEN 
BABY  SANDY 
"ALFALFA"  SWITZER 
"SPANKY"  McFARLAND 
BUTCH  AND  BUDDY 
CORA  SUE  COLLINS 
ROBERT  COOGAN 


Associate  Producer-Director— JOHN  H.  AUER 
Screen  Ploy  by  Lawrence  Kimble 
Original  story  by  Frederick  Kohner 


buv  u.s.  uiRR  snuincs  bohds 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  February  9,  1943 


(35c -5Cc- 
(Average, 


Hub  Grosses 
Strong,  'Serve' 
Draws  $36,000 


Boston,  Feb.  8. — Despite  weather 
of  winter  proportions,  new  shows  in 
Boston  fared  exceptionally  well.  "In 
Which  \Ve  Serve"  in  its  second  weeK 
at  Loew's  Orpheum  and  Loew's  State 
will  gross  an  estimated  combined  total 
of  $30,000.  "Star  Spangled  Rhythm' 
at  the  Metropolitan,  also  in  its  second 
week,  is  zooming  to  a  $30,000  weekly 
gross.  Only  new  openings  included : 
'  Arabian  Nights,"  at  the  RKO  Me- 
morial ;  "Saludos  Amigos"  and 
Squadron  Leader  X"  at  the  Majestic; 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  and  stage 
show  at  the  RKO  Boston,  and 
"Lucky  Jordan"  at  the  M  and  P 
Paramount  and  Fenway.  The  latter 
theatres  are  on  the  road  to  maximum 
grosses  this  week,  the  Paramount  with 
an  estimated  $10,000  and  the  Fenway 
with  $8,500. 

Estimated    receipts    for   the  week 
ending  February  10 : 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

LOEW'S    ORPHEUM— (3,000) 
60c)    7    days.     Gross:  $22,000. 
$19,500) 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

LOEW'S  STATE — (2,900)    (35c-50c-60c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $14,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.) 

RKO  KEITH  BOSTON— (2,679)  (44c-55c- 
65c-85c)  7  days.  Stage  show:  Sally  Rand, 
Henry  Busse  and  his  orchestra,  Stuart 
Erwin  and  June  Collier.  Dolly  Dawn  and 
other  RKO  acts.  Gross:  $30,000.  (Average. 
$25,000) 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Strictly  in  the  Groove"  (Univ.) 

RKO  MEMORIAL  THEATRE— (2,907) 
(44c-55c-75c)  5  days.  Special  series  of  stage 
presentations  in  honor  of  the  theatre's  15th 
Anniversary,  including  "United  Nations' 
?\ight,"  Art  Moger  and  his  "Kartoon 
Komic  Kwiz,"  "Navy  Night,"  and  others. 
Gross:  $24,000.  (Average,  $20,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Truck  Busters"  (Warners) 

METROPOLITAN— (4,367)  (30c-40c-55c- 
65c)    7   days.     Second   big   week.    S  tage: 
"Dr.  I.Q."  Monday  nights  only-  Gross:  $30,- 
000.    (Average,  $24,000) 
"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 
"Army  Surgeon"  (W.B.) 

PARAMOUNT— (1,797)      (33c-44c-60c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $10,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Lucky  Jorc"an"  (Para.) 
"Army  Surgeon"  (W.B.) 

FENWAY — (1,320)  (33c-40c-60c) 
Gross:  $8,503.     (Average,  $6,000) 
"Forest   Rangers"  (Para.) 
"Ice-Capades  Revue"  (Rep.) 

SCOLLAY- (2.500)  (33c-40c-60c) 
Gross:  $5,800.     (Average,  $5,000) 
"Angels  Over  Broadway"  (Col.) 
"You  Can't  Beat  the  Law"  (Mono.) 

TRANSLUX— (900)      (17c-28c-44c-55c)  \ 
days.    Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $5,000) 
"Saludos  Amigos"  (RKO) 
"Squadron  Leader  X"  (RKO) 

MAJESTIC— (1,525)  (28c-40c-65c)  7  davs 
Gross:  $9,000. 

"When    Johnny    Comes    Marching  Home' 

(Univ.) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 

ESQUIRE  (Uptown)— (941)  (35c-50c)  ', 
days.    Gross:  $1,400.    (Average.  $2,500) 


7  days. 


dav 


Philco  Gets  3  Million 
Loan  for  War  Work 

A  $30,000,000  three-year-V  loan  has 
been  arranged  by  Philco  Corp.  as 
added  working  capital  to  finance  pro- 
duction of  electronic  equipment  for 
the  Army  and  Navy,  the  company 
announced. 


Cited  for  Radio  Work 

Rochester,  Feb.  8. — Dr.  Lee  A 
DuBridge,  on  leave  from  the  Univer- 
sity of  Rochester  faculty  to  do  re- 
search work  at  Cambridge  for  the  gov- 
ernment, has  been  awarded  a  fellow- 
ship by  the  Institute  of  Radio  Engi- 
neers. 


Off  the  Antenna 

OPENED  officially  yesterday,  the  new  and  expanded  offices  of  Mutual  at 
1440  Broadway  have  soundproof  reception  and  conference  rooms.  Execu- 
tive offices  have  been  fitted  out  in  modern  decor  and  remodeling  of  other  de- 
partment offices  are  expected  to  be  completed  shortly.  A  "housewarming" 
for  the  staff  was  given  on  Friday  by  Miller  McClintock,  network  president. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Joseph  F.  Novy  has  returned  as  assistant  chief  engineer 
of  Columbia's  central  division  at  WBBM,  Chicago,  after  an  eight  months' 
leave  of  absence  to  help  organise  a  Signal  Corps  Radio  School  for  the  Sixth 
Service  Command.  .  .  .  Parks  Johnson  cancelled  his  appearance  on  last  night's 
Vox  Pop  show  to  hurry  to  Gainesznlle,  Ga.,  to  his  father,  the  Rev.  Luke 
Johnson,  who  is  seriously  ill.  There  was  no  substitute  on  the  shoitr.  .  .  .  Bill 
Scherer,  CBS  technician  who  commutes  from  Boonton,  N.  J.,  relates  that  dur- 
ing the  recent  snow  storm  he  skied  seven  miles  from  his  home  to  the  railroad 
in  order  to  get  into  New  York  to  engineer  the  "Pause  That  Refreshes  On  the 
Air"  ■  program. 

•  •  • 

The  debut  of  "Songs  by  Morton  Downey"  on  the  Blue  yesterday  at  3 
p.  m.  was  the  occasion  for  a  party  to  the  press  at  Toots  Shor's  following 
the  broadcast.  The  daytime  program  is  sponsored  on  117  Blue  stations 
by  as  many  Coca-Cola  bottlers  in  cooperation  with  the  Coca-Cola  Com- 
pany at  Atlanta.  CBS  also  had  a  gathering  for  the  press  yesterday  eve- 
ning at  the  Berkshire  Hotel  in  honor  of  Monty  Wooley's  partnership  with 
Al  Jolson  in  the  latter's  show. 

•  •  • 

'  Program  Notes:  Fred  Allen  will  be  the  first  guest  of  "Information 
Please"  on  Monday,  when  the  experts  switch  to  Heinz  as  a  sponsor  and  to 
Mondays  at  10  :30  p.  m.  on  NBC.  ...  A  program  to  alleviate  the  shortage  of 
doctors  for  civilians  will  begin  on  WMCA  Monday,  Feb.  22,  at  9  :30  a.  m. 
It  will  be  called  "The  Medicine  Chest"  and  will  feature  Dr.  Frederic  Damrau. 

.  .  WIBG,  Philadelphia,  this  week  introduces  the  "Hollywood  Fashion  Re- 
porter," to  be  aired  Monday,  Wednesday  and  Friday  at  5  :30  p.  m.  .  .  .  Vox 
Pop  is  first  among  half-hour  audience-participation  shows  according  to  the 
latest  Crossley  survey.  .  .  .  WJZ  has  begun  publication  of  "Nancy  Craig's 
Digest"  to  supplement  Miss  Craig's  program.  The  leaflets  are  mailed  on  re- 
quest plus  a  small  fee. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  John  Jacobs,  announcer  at  KM  OX,  St.  Louis,  has  re- 
ported for  U.  S.  Maritime  Service  training  at  Boston.  .  .  .  Jerry  McGee, 
former  NBC  sound  effects  man  in  San  Francisco,  arrived  back  in  the  city  as 
a  singer  in  the  "This  Is  the  Army"  cast. 

•  •  • 

Martin  Block  has  been  granted  a  two  weeks'  leave  of  absence  by 
WNEW  and  the  sponsors  of  the  Lucky  Strike  Hit  Parade  and  Kay  Kyser 
programs  to  entertain  Navy  flying  cadets  at  12  Navy  Air  Training  Stations 
in  the  east  and  south. 


'Casablanca,'  'Serve' 
Strong  at  Cleveland 


Cleveland,  Feb.  8. — A  blizzard  that 
glazed  the  streets  over  the  weekend 
had  no  effect  on  business  done  by 
"Casablanca"  at  the  Hippodrome  or 
the  State's  "In  Which  We  Serve." 
The  former  did  near-capacity  business 
during  the  first  two  days,  promising 
to  hit  a  powerful  $26,000.  Noel  Cow- 
ard film  is  strong  enough  to  roll  up 
$19,500.  "Pittsburgh,"  well  fortified 
by  "Best  Foot  Forward"  on  stage,  is 
feeling  the  competition,  but  steadily 
forged  up  to  a  prospective  $23,000. 
All  move-overs  also  prospering,  par- 
ticularly "Black  Swan." 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  11-12: 

"Black  Swan"  (ZOth-Fox) 

ALLEN— (3,000)  (35c-40c-45c-55c)  7  days, 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $9,500.  (Average,  $6,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

WARNERS'    HIPP— (3,800)  (35c-40c-45c- 
55c)  7  days.    Gross:  $26,000,  with  a  holdover 
obviously  indicated.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"China   Girl"  (20th-Fox) 

WARNERS'    LAKE— (800)  (35c-40c-45c- 
55c)  7  days.  2nd  week.    Gross:  $2,500.  (Av- 
erage, $2,000) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 

RKO  PALACE— (3,700)  (45c-50c-55c-65c- 
75c-85c).  "Best  Foot  Forward"  unit  on 
the  stage.  7  days.  Gross:  $23,000.  (Aver- 
age, $17,000) 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (3,450)  (35c-40c-45c- 
55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $19.00.  (Average,  $14,- 
000) 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

LOEW'S  STILLMAN— (2.700)  (3c-40c- 
45c-55c)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $12,- 
000.     (Average,  $6,500) 


Balto.  Grosses  Big; 
4Casablanca'$20,000 


Baltimore,  Feb.  8. — Capacity  week- 
end business  gave  a  substantial  start 
to  local  theatres  this  week.  Clearing- 
weather  also  helped  swell  the  audi- 
ences. "Casablanca"  dre'w  $20,000  "at 
the  Stanley  while  "Commandos  Strike 
at  Dawn"  plus  a  stage  show  attracted 
$19,000  at  the  Hippodrome. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  11 : 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

CENTURY-(3,0OO)      (40c -50c     and  55c 
weekends)  7  days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $13,- 
500.     (Average,  $12,000) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

KEITH'S — (2,406)  (15c-28c-33c-44c  and  55c 
weekends)  7  days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $15,- 
000.     (Average,  $10,000) 
"China  Girl"  (ZOth-Fox) 

NEW-(1,581)     (15c-28c-35c-55c)    7  days 
Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

STANLEY — (3,280)      (28c-39c-44c-5Sc)  7 
days.     Gross:   $20,000.     (Average,  $13,000) 
"The  Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col  ) 

HIPPODROME-(2,205)  (28c-39c-44c-55c- 
66c)  7  days.  Stage:  Buddy  Clark,  Oxford 
Boys,  Johnny  Burke,  Harry  King  and  Ar- 
Una,  The  Chnstianis.  Gross:  $19,000.  (Av- 
erage, $14,000) 

BeIonSS  to  Daddy"  (Para.) 

MARYLAND— (1,300)  (35c  55b)  7  days 
Stage:  Harry  Savoy,  the  DTvons,  Cy 
Reeves  the  Antelaks.  Gross:  $8,500  (Av- 
erage,  $7,000) 

"Silver  Queen"  (U.A.) 

MAYFAIR-(1,000)  (20c-40c)  7  days  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  $6  000) 


AFM  Board  Meet 
Fails  to  Decide  on 
Ending  of  Disc  Ban 


As  the  mid-winter  meeting  of  the 
American  Federation  of  Musicians' 
executive  board  entered  its  second 
week  here  yesterday,  there  was  no 
proposal  forthcoming  on  revoking  the 
recordings  ban.  A  union  spoke?/~  j 
said  that  no  announcement  wouliv^.' 
made  at  least  until  the  end  of  the 
week. 

Stations  have  received  a  letter  irom 
John  G.  Gillin,  Jr.,  manager  of  WOW, 
Omaha,  Neb.,  arguing  against  the  re- 
cent plan  of  Samuel  Rosenbaum,  pres- 
ident of  WFIL,  Philadelphia,  urged  as 
a  solution  to  the  ban.  His  plan  would 
tax  the  commercial  use  of  recordings. 

Meantime,  in  Washington,  Senator 
D.  Worth  Clark  of  Idaho  said  that 
the  Senate  committee  investigation 
would  not  be  reopened  in  the  imme- 
diate future,  pending  the  outcome  of 
informal  discussions  under  way  in 
New  York  between  representatives  of 
the  union  and  the  recording  companies. 

James  C.  Petrillo,  AFM  president, 
is  expected  to  report  on  the  progress 
of  the  discussions  shortly,  indicating 
whether  or  not  a  quick  settlement  is 
in  sight,  it  was  reported  from  Wash- 
ington. 


Gov't  Files  Brief 
Backing  Injunction 

Chicago,  Feb.  8. — A  supplemental 
brief  claiming  that  the  existence 
of  four  or  five  hundred  radio 
stations  depends  on  the  outcome  of 
the  AFM  recordings  case  was  filed 
in  Federal  Court  here  today  by  Daniel 
B.  Britt,  Special  Assistant  to  the  At- 
torney General.  Britt's  brief  was  in 
answer  to  one  filed  on  Feb.  1  by  at- 
torneys of  the  American  Federation 
of  Musicians  supporting  their  motion 
to  dismiss  the  case  on  the  grounds 
that  Petrillo's  ban  on  the  making  of 
recordings  by  the  AFM  is  a  labor 
dispute  in  which  the  Federal  Court 
lacks  jurisdiction,  and  that  no  new 
points  have  been  brought  up  since  the 
dismissal  of  the  previous  court  action. 

The  prosecution's  motion  for  a  tem- 
porary injunction  was  continued  in- 
definitely pending  Judge  John  P. 
Barnes'  decision  on  the  union's  motion 
for  dismissal. 


Show  Programs  Hit 
By  Paper  Shortage 

The  playbill,  which  furnishes  pro1 
grams  to  every  legitimate  theatre  on 
Broadway,  carried  a  notice  in  all  is- 
sues published  yesterday  requesting 
theatre1*  patrons  to  share  programs, 
since  Playbill,  in  common  with  other 
publications,  has  been  restricted  in  its 
use  of  paper  by'*?  governmental  regu- 
lation. 

Beginning  with  yesterday's  perform- 
ance, ushers  in  legitimate  theatres  are 
now  distributing  only  one  program  to 
every  two  customers.  •  * 


Mrs.  G.  J.  Harris  Dead 

Hartford,  Feb.  8. — Funeral  services 
for  Mrs.  Gertrude  J.  Harris,  90, 
mother  of  the  Harris  Brothers,  own- 
ers and  operators  of  the  State,  Hart- 
ford, were  held  here  last  week  at 
Hartford  Memorial  Chapel.  Burial 
was  in  Emanuel  Cemetery  in  Wethers- 
field.  Mrs.  Harris  is  survived  by  four 
sons,  four  grandchildren,  and  one 
great-grandchild. 


We  mourn 
the  loss  of 

r.  A.  H.  GIANNINI 

a  true  friend 
to  all  the  industry 
and  a  member  of  our 
Board  of  Directors 


COLUMBIA  PICTURES 
CORPORATION 


CARBONS 


RECOMMENDED     TRIM  AND 

RANGE 

OF    ARC     CURRENT    FOR  LAMPS 

USING     COPPER  COATED, 

HIGH     INTENSITY,     PROJECTOR  CARBONS 

Type  of  Arc             Arc  Current  —  Amperes 

New  Victory  Carbons  —  Size  and  Type 

"1  Kw"  High  Intensity,  A.C. 

52-66 

7  mm  x  9  inch  H.I.,  A.C.  Carbons  in  both  holders 

"1  Kw"  High  Intensity,  D.C. 

40-42 

7  mm  x  12  inch  or  14  inch  "Suprex"  Positive 
6  mm  x  9  inch  "Orotip"  C  Negative 

Simplified  High  Intensity,  D.C. 
with  adjustable  feed  ratio 

42-45 

7  mm  x  12  inch  or  14  inch  "Suprex"  Positive 
6  mm  x  9  inch  "Orotip"  C  Negative 

Simplified  High  Intensity,  D.C. 
with  fixed  feed  ratio 

42-45 

7  mm  x  12  inch  or  14  inch  "Suprex"  Positive 
7  mm  x  9  inch  "Orotip"  C  Negative 

Simplified  High  Intensity,  D.C. 

56-65 

8  mm  x  12  inch  or  14  inch  "Suprex"  Positive 
7  mm  x  9  inch  "Orotip"  C  Negative 

You  can  obtain  maximum  efficiency  and  economy  from 
your  Victory  Carbons  by  observing  the  following  simple 
rules. 

USE  CARBON  TRIM  RECOMMENDED  FOR  YOUR  PROJECTION  EQUIPMENT. 

The  Victory  Carbon  trims  indicated  in  the  above  table 
were  established  by  comprehensive  laboratory  and  field 
tests  to  ascertain  the  best  results  obtainable  in  all  types 
of  equipment 

OPERATE  CARBONS  AT  SPECIFIED  ARC  CURRENT. 

Better  projection  and  greater  economy  are  obtained 
when  recommended  arc  currents  are  maintained.  The 
maximum  allowable  arc  current  is  stamped  on  each 
Victory  Carbon  at  the  left  of  the  trade-mark. 

CHECK  FEED  RATIO  CAREFULLY. 

Changes  of  arc  current  alter  the  ratio  of  burning  rate  be- 


tween positive  and  negative  carbons.  On  lamps  equipped 
with  adjustable  feed  and  formerly  operated  above  45 
amperes  arc  current,  this  ratio  should  be  adjusted  to 
meet  the  new  current  conditions. 

A  bulletin  describing  operation  of  the  new  Victory  High 
Intensity  Carbons  is  available  for  distribution  and  will 
be  sent  promptly  upon  request. 


SAVE 


T   H  E 


COPPER 


Most  of  the  coppei  used  for  plating  copper  coated 
projector  carbons  drops  to  the  floor  of  the  lamp  house 
when  the  carbons  are  burned.  Continue  to  save  these 
copper  drippings  and  turn  them  over  to  your  supply 
dealer  as  designated  by  our  government. 


FCg^/ICTORY 
BUY 

WAR 

feONDS 


NATIONAL  CARBON  COMPANY,  INC 

Unit  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation 

QH3 


Carbon  Sales  Division,  Cleveland,  Ohio 

GENERAL  OFFICES 
3o  East  42nd  Street,  New  York,  N.  Y. 

BRANCH  SALES  OFFICES 
New  York,  Pittsburgh,  Chicago,  St.  Louis ,  Sin  Franci«o 


wOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 





— 


^t.  53.  NO.  28 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  WEDNESDAY,  FEBRUARY  10.  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Natl  Theatres 
Negotiates  for 
MexicanGroup 

Deal  Under  Discussion 
For  Nine  Theatres 


Los  Angeles,  Feb.  9. — National 
Theatres  (Skouras)  is  negotiating 
for  the  acquisition  of  a  group  of 
nine  theatres  in  and  around  Mexico 
City.  The  transactions  have  not 
yet  been  closed,  however.  Dan 
Michalove,  home  office  executive, 
has  been  working  on  the  deal. 
Charles  Skouras,  president  of  Na- 
tional Theatres,  is  now  in  New 
York. 

Twentieth  Century-Fox  is  principal 
owner  of  National  Theatres,  owning 
58  per  cent  of  the  stock  of  the  com- 
pany, while  Chase  National  Bank 
owns  the  remaining  42  per  cent. 

National  Theatres  operates  more 
than  500  theatres  in  the  United  States, 
concentrated  on  the  West  Coast  and  in 
the  Midwest.  The  company  also  has 
a  controlling  interest  in  the  Hoyt's 
group  of  approximately  90  theatres  in 
Australia. 


Funeral  Rites  for 
A.H.  Giannini  Today 

Los  Angeles,  Feb.  9. — Friends  in 
the  film,  banking,  business  and  medi- 
cal worlds  will  pay  final  tribute  to 
Dr.  A.  H.  Giannini  tomorrow  at  a 
requiem  mass  in  the  Church  of  the 
Good  Shepherd,  Beverly  Hills.  Pri- 
vate entombments  rites  for  the  former 
president  of  United  Artists  and  chair- 
man of  the  Bank  of  America,  National 
Association,  who  died  Sunday  follow- 
ing two  heart  attacks  at  the  age  of 
69,  will  follow  at  Calvary  Cemetery. 

Active  pallbearers  will  be :  Joseph 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


20th-Fox  Pact  Due 
For  CEA  Discussion 

London,  Feb.  9. — Dissatisfaction  by 
exhibitors  in  regard  to  the  operation 
of  the  20th  Century-Fox  agreement  on 
rentals  is  reported.  The  matter  was 
expected  to  be  taken  up,  among 
others,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Cinemato- 
graph Exhibitors  Association  general 
council  tomorrow. 

The  meeting  is  also  expected  to 
consider  the  demands  of  labor  for  a 
cost-of-living  bonus  and  possibly  es- 
tablish the  council's  position  in  the 
matter. 


Sachson  Appointed 
Warners'  Assistant 
Gen'l  Sales  Manager 


Arthur  -Sachson,  member  of  the 
Warner  -home  office  sales  department 
for  the  past  18  years,  was  named  as- 
sistant general 
sales  manager 
of  the  company 
yesterday  b  y 
Ben  Kalmen- 
s  o  n  ,  general 
sales  manager, 
in  a  realign- 
ment of  the 
executive  sales 
staff  that 
brought  promo- 
t  i  o  n  s  to  five 
other  execu- 
tives. 

Roy     Haines,        Arthur  Sachson 
Eastern  divi- 
sion manager,  was  placed  in  charge 
of  the  Western  division,  a  post  which 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Odium  Reveals  Atlas 
Film  Stock  Holdings 


Atlas  Corp.  now  owns  approxi- 
mately 44  per  cent  of  the  preferred 
stock  of  RKO  and  about  46  per  cent 
of  the  common  stock,  Floyd  B.  Od- 
ium, president  of  Atlas,  stated  in  his 
annual  report  to  stockholders  yester- 
day. 

The  report  revealed  that  the  Atlas 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


FDR  SETS  MINIMUM 
48-HOUR  WAR  WEEK 

32  Areas  Affected  by  Surprise  Order;  Neither 
Hollywood  or  New  York  City  Listed  As 
Yet  in  Sweeping  Change  for  Workers 

Washington,  Feb.  9. — A  general  48-hour  work  week  was  ordered 
by  President  Roosevelt  yesterday  as  part  of  the  full  manpower  mobili- 
zation to  carry  out  the  1943  war  plan.  Manpower  Commission  Chair- 
man Paul  V.  McNutt  was  empow- 


25%  Raw  Stock 
Cut  for  British 
Industry  Seen 


By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  Feb.  9. — The  British 
Government,  through  the  Board  of 
Trade,  will  insist  on  an  immediate 
reduction  in  raw  stock  consump- 
tion, probably  of  25  per  cent,  it  was 
learned  today. 

This  decision  inevitably  fol- 
lows raw  stock  conservation 
moves  in  the  United  States.  The 
Board  of  Trade  will  now  con- 
sult all  trade  organizations 
with  the  objective  of  persuad- 
ing the  industry  to  work  out  its 
own  formula. 

[That  an  official  request  for  a 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


House  Will  Hold  Hearings 
On  WincheWs  Navy  Status 


Washington,  Feb.  9. — Public  hear- 
ings by  the  House  Naval  Affairs 
Committee  will  be  held  next  week  to 
investigate  the  status  of  Walter  Win- 
chell,  Naval  Lieutenant  Commander, 
newspaper  columnist  and  radio  com- 
mentator, Rep.  Carl  Vinson,  chairman 
of  the  group,  announced  on  the  floor  of 
the  House  today.  The  first  witness 
will  be  Secretary  of  the  Navy  Frank 
Knox,  Vinson  said. 


A  Blue  Network  policy  of  prohibit- 
ing the  discussion  of  controversial  is- 
sues on  commercially  sponsored  pro- 
grams, long  in  effect  but  never  rigid- 
ly enforced,  was  made  effective  as  to 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Expect  600  Today  at 
AssociatesLuncheon 


Approximately  600  persons  are  ex- 
pected to  attend  the  Motion  Picture 
Associates  luncheon  and  installation  of 
officers  at  the  Hotel  Astor  today  at 
12:30  p.m. 

William  F.  Rodgers,  Loew's  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  distribution, 
who  is  responsible  for  the  marked  in- 
crease in  MPA  membership  during 
the  past  year,  will  be  the  Chief  speak- 
er. Former  Mayor  James  J.  Walker 
will  be  toastmaster, 


ered  to  formulate  general  policies 
in  execution  of  the  order  and  as 
his  first  step  limited  the  application 
of  the  President's  order  to  32  cities 
where  there  is  a  labor  shortage,  but 
neither  Los  Angeles  nor  New  York 
City  were  listed.  All  employment 
in  these  32  areas  would  be  affected. 

"For  the  duration  of  the  war,"  the 
order  said,  "no  factory,  plant  or  other 
place  of  employment  shall  be  deemed 
to  be  making  the  most  effective  utili- 
zation of  its  manpower  if  the  mini- 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Expect  Senate  Unit 
To  Probe  OWI  Films 


Washington,  Feb.  9. — Motion  pic- 
ture and  publication  activities  of  the 
Office  of  War  Information  were  seen 
today  as  slated  for  investigation  when 
OWI  officials  appear  before  the  Sen- 
ate Appropriations  Committee  to  de- 
fend their  budget  for  the  coming  fis- 
cal year. 

The  inquiry  will  be  based  on  a 
resolution  introduced  yesterday  by 
Senator  Rufus  C.  Holman  of  Oregon, 
who  declared  that  a  series  of  films 
on  _  "Why  We  Fight,"  the  first  of 
which  was  "a  prelude  to  war,"  and 
an  OWI  publication,  "Victory,"  are 
designed  to  further  President  Roose- 
velt's ambition  for  a  fourth  term. 
_  His  resolution  calls  for  a  determina- 
tion of  the  authority  for  such  activi- 
ties, their  cost,  the  persons  to  whom 
such  propaganda  is  disseminated  and 
the  underlying  purpose. 

Holman  also  referred  to  another 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "Cabin  in  the 
Sky,"  "A  Stranger  in  Town" 
and  "Fighting  Frontier,"  Page 
7.  Key  city  box-office  reports, 
Pages  3  and  6.  Hollywood 
production  notes,  Page  3. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  February  10,  1943 


Bell  Leaving  M-G-M 
To  Join  Airline  Firm 


Personal  Mention  Newsreel 


Ray  Bell  has  resigned  from  the 
M-G-M  publicity  department,  effective 
at  the  end  of  this  week,  to  become 
director  of  advertising  and  public  re- 
lations for  Pennsylvania-Central  Air- 
lines, it  was  announced  yesterday.  He 
will  make  his  headquarters  at  the 
PCA  offices  in  Washington. 

It  was  reported  that  William  Mc- 
Cormick,  a  member  of  the  Warner 
Bros,  publicity  staff  and  former 
Washington  newspaperman,  will  suc- 
ceed Bell. 

Bell  has  been  with  the  M-G-M 
home  office  publicity  department  for 
the  last  two  and  a  half  years.  Pre- 
viously for  more  than  seven  years 
he  handled  Loew's  circuit  advertising 
and  publicity  in  Washington. 

ITOA  Protests  N.  Y. 
Chance  Games  Bill 

Albany,  Feb.  9.— The  ITOA  has 
formally  protested  against  pending 
bills  seeking  legislation  of  chance 
games  in  New  York  State,  in  a  let- 
ter to  chairmen  of  the  Code  Commit- 
tees in  both  houses  of  the  legislature, 
it  was  learned  here  today. 

An  alternate  bill  to  the  present  one 
for  the  purpose  of  repealing  existing 
"blue  laws"  barring  performances  by 
children  under  16  will  be  introduced 
by  Assemblyman  Harold  B.  Ehrlich, 
it  was  stated,  due  to  the  objections  of 
New  York  City  authorities  to  the 
present  bill. 


'Hitler's  Children' 
Stars  at  Reception 

Bonita  Granville,  H.  B.  Warner, 
Kent  Smith,  stars  of  "Hitler's  Chil- 
dren," and  Gregor  Ziemer,  author  of 
"Education  for  Death,"  book  on  which 
the  film  is  based,  were  given  a  re- 
ception at  the  Waldorf-Astoria  last 
night  following  a  press  preview  of  the 
picture  in  the  grand  ballroom.  Host 
at  the  affair  was  RKO,  which  is  dis- 
tributing the  Edward  A.  Golden  pro- 
duction. 


JAMES  R.  GRAINGER,  Republic 
president,    has    returned   to  New 
York  from  the  Coast. 

• 

Max   Milder,   Warners  managing 
director  for  Britain,  is  en  route  to 
London  after  a  month's  visit  here. 
• 

Pvt.  Elwood  Russell,  son  of  Rob- 
ert Russell,  Loew-Poli  New  Haven 
manager,  has  been  awarded  Infantry 
and  Signal  Corps  medals  for  marks- 
manship at  Ft.  Monmouth,  N.  J. 
• 

Pvt.  Lester  A.  Markoski,  former- 
ly at  the  Proven  Pictures  Theatre, 
Hartford,  has  been  at  Farmingdale, 
L.  I.,  with  the  Army  Air  Force. 
• 

Pvt.  Ralph  Caranza,  formerly  at 
the  Warner  Strand,  New  Britain, 
Conn.,  is  reported  at  Ft.  Devens, 
Mass.,  with  the  Army. 

• 

Frank  Jones,  manager  of  the  Par- 
sons Theatre,  Parsons,  Pa.,  has  been 
inducted  into  the  Army. 

e 

Neal  Courtney  of  the  Warner 
Regal,  Hartford,  has  been  inducted 
into  the  Army. 

• 

Thomas  Garbett,  son  of  E.  Gar- 
bett, owner  of  the  Avalon  Theatre, 
Des  Moines,  is  now  a  corporal,  sta- 
tioned in  Africa. 

• 

Robert  Bergin,  assistant  manager 
at  Loew's  Elm  St.,  Worcester,  Mass., 
has  joined  the  Army  Air  Forces. 
• 

Charles  Segall,  operator  of  the 
Apollo,  Philadelphia,  is  vacationing  in 
Florida. 

• 

George  Masterson  of  the  M  and 
P  Capitol,  Worcester,  Mass.,  has 
joined  the  Marines. 


Preferred  Dividend 
Declared  by  W.  B. 

Warner  Bros,  board  of  directors 
yesterday  declared  a  regular  quarter- 
ly dividend  of  96%  cents  per  share 
on  the  preferred  stock  of  the  com- 
pany, payable  March  1  to  holders  of 
record  on  Feb.  19. 


DAVID  ROSE,  Paramount  man- 
aging director  for  Britain,  is 
scheduled  to  leave  for  London  in  a 
day  or  two. 

• 

Michael  Havas,  RKO  manager  in 
Venezuela,  is  in  New  York. 

• 

Morris  Frantz  of  M-G-M's  for- 
eign department,  and  Mrs.  Frantz 
became  the  parents  of  a  baby_  girl  re- 
cently.   It  is  their  second  child. 
• 

William  C.  Gehring,  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox Western  sales  manager,  is 
expected  back  Monday  from  a  trip 
through  the  West. 

• 

Joseph  Moskowitz  is  due  from  the 
Coast  next  Monday. 

• 

A.  W.  Smith.  Jr.,  is  expected  to  re- 
turn tomorrow  from  Pittsburgh. 
• 

Joseph  Mullen,  20th  Century-Fox 
branch  manager  in  Mexico  City,  is 
visiting  here. 

• 

M.  Clay  Adams,  formerly  of  RKO- 
Pathe,  will  take  special  Navy  train- 
ing at  Dartmouth  College  before  be- 
ing commissioned  a  lieutenant  in  the 
Navy  Reserve. 

• 

Raymond  Davis  of  the  Warner 
Capitol,  Willimantic,  Conn.,  has  been 
inducted  into  the  Army. 

• 

Pvt.  Edward  Kubasek,  formerly 
assistant  manager  at  the  Warner 
Strand,  Hartford,  has  been  stationed 
at  Camp  Lejeune,  New  River,  N.  C, 
with  the  Marines. 

• 

Walter  Donahue,  Columbia  book- 
er in  Philadelphia,  and  Florence 
Quigley,  of  the  exchange  staff,  have 
been  married  for  more  than  a  year,  it 
was  disclosed. 


Parade 


Musicians  Essential 
So  Far,  WMC  Rules 

Washington,  Feb.  9. — War 
Manpower  Commission  offi- 
cials said  today  that  musi- 
cians are  not  among  the 
trades  and  professions  which 
have  been  held  non-essential, 
but  warned  that  they  might 
be  in  the  future,  as  the  list 
is  extended. 

In  answer  to  questions, 
they  said  that  the  recent  an- 
nouncement of  jobs  in  which 
men  of  draft  age  would  lose 
their  3-A  status  did  not  in- 
clude musicians,  but  pointed 
out  that  such  work  has  never 
been  classified  as  essential  to 
the  war  program. 


Projectionists  Delay 
Openings  in  Seattle 

Seattle,  Wash.,  Feb.  9. — Noon 
openings  of  Hamrick-Evergreen's 
Fifth  Avenue,  Paramount,  Orpheum, 
Music  Hall,  Blue  Mouse  and  Music 
Box  theatres  were  delayed  here  yes- 
terday until  2  P.M.,  when  projection- 
ists failed  to  appear  for  work.  The 
circuit  at  present  is  negotiating  with 
the  union  for  a  new  contract  which  in- 
cludes two  week  vacations  with  pay 
for  projectionists.  James  McNabb, 
union  secretary,  stated  that  he  had  no 
information  about  the  walkout  when 
individual  managers  telephoned  for  re- 
lief operators,  but  regular  operators 
returned  to  work  shortly  after.  Mean- 
time, the  theatres  had  refunded  money 
to  early  patrons. 


E.  M.  Fay  Host  at 
Seamen's  Canteen 

Edward  M.  Fay  of  Fay's  Theatre, 
Providence,  will  be  host  at  the  Mer- 
chant Seamen's  Canteen  here  Tuesday 
nights  when  entertainment  is  provided 
from  7:30  to  10  p.  m.,  it  was  an- 
nounced by  Abe  Feinberg,  who  is 
handling  programs  for  the  canteen. 


Rogers  Sets  'Navy  Hotel* 

Charles  R.  Rogers  will  place 
"Navv  Hotel,"  a  story  of  the  WAVES 
and  SPARS,  into  production  shortly 
for.  U,  A.  release,  it  was  announced. 


Goldstein  Head  of 
20th-Fox  Publicity 

Jack  Goldstein  has  been  appointed 
publicity  manager  for  20th  Century- 
Fox,  succeeding  Richard  Condon,  who 
has  been  assigned  special  exploitation 
duties  at  the  Coast  studio,  it  was  an- 
nounced by  Hal  Home,  advertising 
and  publicity  director. 


ANEW  United  States  battleship  on 
■fl  its  trial  run,  pictures  from  the 
Buna  front  in  New  Guinea  and  a 
warning  to  all  Americans  that  income 
tax  reports  must  be  filed  by  March 
15  are  the  highlights  of  the  midwp 
newsreels.  The  contents  follow: 

MOVIETONE    NEWS,     No.  46.— New 

American  battleship  on  shakedown  cruise. 
U.  S.  tanks  on  Buna  front.  57  school 
children  dead  in  Nazi  bombing-  of  London 
school.  British  Columbia's  greatest  herring 
haul  in  16  years.  Senator  George  advises 
that  first  quarter  payments  on  income 
taxes  are  due.  WAVES  and  SPARS  sworn 
in  at  New  York  City  Hall.  Mewsettes: 
Lew  Lehr.  Earl  Mitchell  takes  Wanamak- 
er  Mile  at  Millrose  Games,  Madison  Square 
Garden. 

NEWS  OF  THE  DAY,  No.  244.— Yanks 
blast  Japs  in  Buna  mop-up.  First  pictures 
of  newest  U.  S.  battle  wagon  in  action. 
Congress  warns  tax  payments  due  March 
15.  Nazis  bomb  British  school  building. 
Biggest  herring  run  in  16  years  in  British 
Columbia.  Motherless  baby  Kangaroo  comes 
to  Bronx  zoo.  WAVES  and  SPARS  join 
up  at  New  York  City  Hall. 

PARAMOUNT    NEWS,    No.  49.-15,000 

attend  Millrose  Games  at  Madison  Square 
Garden.  British  Columbia  fishermen  bring 
in  record  herring  haul.  Army  medical  units 
in  realistic  drills  in  New  Hampshire  winter. 
418  WAVES  and  SPARS  take  oath  in  in- 
duction ceremony.  First  pictures  of  Jap 
defeat  at  Buna.  Navy  puts  newest  battle- 
ship through  its  paces  in  test. 

PATHE  NEWS,  No.  49.— New  U.  S.  bat- 
tleship on  trial  cruise.  First  tax  payment 
due  March  15.  Yanks  and  Aussies  take 
Buna.  Nazis  bomb  London  school.  General 
Eisenhower's  Christmas  dinner.  Record 
herring  haul  in  British  Columbia.  ASPCA 
demonstrates  first  aid  for  blitzed  pets  in 
event  of  New  York  air  raid.  36th  annual 
Millrose  Games  at  Madison  Square  Garden. 

UNIVERSAL   NEWSREEL,    No.   162  — 

Battleship  completes  shakedown.  From  the 
front  lines  at  Buna.  "No  tax  change  im- 
minent": Senator  George.  Doughboys  view 
ruins  of  Nazi-bombed  English  school.  Army 
dogs  trained  to  rush  medical  assistance  to 
wounded.  •  British  Columbia's  herring  haul. 
WAVES  and  SPARS  sworn  in  at  City 
Hall.  Earl  Mitchell  takes  Wanamaker  Mile 
in  36th  annual  Millrose  Games. 


Earl  McGill  Named 
Head  of  Radio  Guild 

The  Radio  Directors  Guild  has 
elected  the  following  officers :  Earl 
McGill,  CBS,  president;  Jerry  De 
vine,  free  lance  director,  vice-presi 
dent;  John  Macdonell,  United  Na- 
tions Information  Office,  secretary ; 
Robert  Louis  Shayon,  CBS,  treasurer 


Roy  Rogers  in  Houston 

Houston,  Tex.,  Feb.  9. — Roy  Rog 
ers  and  the  Sons  of  the  Pioneers  are 
here  on  a  tour  of  Army  camps.  They 
were  greeted  by  Gene  Autry  and  large 
crowds,  and  a  number  of  appearances 
were  arranged  for  the  Republic  cow 
boy  star.  The  Interstate  Circuit  is 
cooperating  in  the  visit. 


'Human  Comedy*  atAstor 

"The  Human  Comedy,"  M-G-M's 
film  version  of  the  William  Saroyan 
novel  of  that  title,  will  have  its  world 
premiere  at  the  Astor  Theatre  on 
March  2,  M-G-M  announced. 


20th-Fox  Foreign  Shifts 

William  Morgan  formerly  20th 
Century-Fox  manager  in  Trinidad, 
has  been  assigned  to  Barcelona,  Spain, 
the  company  announced.  Stanley  Day, 
formerly  of  the  Trinidad  branch,  has 
been  appointed  manager  for  Venezuela. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 

President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Ouigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl. 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


Wednesday,  February  10,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


Sachson  Appointed 
Warners'  Assistant 
Gen'l  Sales  Manager 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
has  been  vacant  since  the  start  of  the 
■Kalmenson  regime.  He  will  make  his 
headquarters  at  the  home  office.  Jules 
Lapidus,  New  York  metropolitan  dis- 
■^t,  manager,  was  made  Eastern  sales 
■=§5ager,  replacing  Haines. 
"THtarry  Seed,  Central  district  man- 
ager, with  supervision  over  Pitts- 
burgh, Detroit,  Cleveland  and  Cin- 
cinnati, was  given  the  New  York  me- 
tropolitan post,  succeeding  Lapidus. 
Charles  Rich,  Cleveland  branch  man- 
ager, was  promoted  to  the  Central  dis- 
trict managership  vacated  by  Seed. 

Leo  Blank,  former  district  manager 
of  the  Chicago  territory,  who  retired 
some  time  age  due  to  ill  health,  was 
appointed  Cleveland  branch  manager, 
marking  his  return  to  active  duty 
after  recovering  his  health.  All  of 
the  appointments  are  effective  imme- 
diately, Kalmenson  announced. 


Momand  Case  Near 
Point  of  Decision 


Oklahoma  City,  Feb.  9. — Three 
possibilities  in  the  A.  B.  Momand 
$5,000,00  anti-trust  action  loomed  to- 
day as  Federal  District  Judge  Bower 
Broadbus  took  time  out  during  the 
plaintiff's  cross-examination  to  in- 
form Momand  attorney  George  Ryan 
of  the  state  of  his  mind  at  the  present 
time. 

The  judge  stated  he  could  not  see 
how  either  Pathe  or  Columbia  had 
damaged  Momand  on  the  basis  of  evi- 
dence presented  to  date.  Eight  of  the 
fifteen  claims  for  damages  may  be 
ruled  out  next  week.  At  least  two  of 
the  defendants  may  be  released.  The 
total  damages  requested  may  be  re- 
duced to  around  $3,500,000. 

Judge  Inquires  About  Time 

Asking  for  estimates  on  the  balance 
of  time  required  for  completion  of  At- 
torney E.  L.  McClennan's  cross-ex- 
amination, presentation  of  Ryan's  ad- 
ditional evidence  and  the  latter's  ar- 
gument, Judge  Broaddus  calculated 
he  would  be  able  to  speak  definitely 
on  these  points  early  next  week,  and 
remove  them  from  the  case,  "if  I  find 
at  that  time  a  generic  conspiracy  has 
been  proven." 

Defense  attorneys  plan  a  motion  to 
dismiss  then.  If  this  is  sustained  and 
certain  defendants  and  requests  for 
damages  ruled  out,  as  Judge  Broaddus 
intimates,  but  others  held  responsible, 
presentation  of  the  defense's  case  will 
then  begin. 

Probe  of  Winchell 
Status  by  House 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
Walter  Winchell  and  Drew  Pearson 
on  their  programs  last  Sunday  night, 
it  was  revealed  yesterday.  Mark 
Woods,  president  of  the  Blue,  person- 
ally edited  Drew  Pearson's  comments 
while  Phillips  Carlin,  program  man- 
ager of  the  network,  made  the  trip  to 
Miami  to  personally  supervise  Win- 
chell's  program,  in  keeping  with  the 
policy  "that  all  broadcasts  should  be 
in  good  taste,  and  to  halt  the  com- 
mentators from  departing  from  their 
prepared  scripts,"  Woods  stated. 


'Covered',  'Journey' 
Top  Buffalo  Gross 


Buffalo,  Feb.  9.— -"They  Got  Me 
Covered"  was  headed  for  a  probable 
$20,000  at  the  Twentieth  Century 
while  "Nightmare"  appeared  headed 
for  $13,500  at  the  Lafayette.  Both 
had  companion  features.  "In  Which 
We  Serve"  is  estimated  to  garner 
about  $15,000  in  a  second  week  at 
the  Great  Lakes,  and  "Journey  for 
Margaret"  and  a  stage  show  at  the 
Buffalo  is  expected  to  gross  about 
$19,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  13 : 

"Journey  for  Margaret"  M-G-M) 

BUFFALO— (3,489)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Stage:  Tommy  Tucker  and  his  orchestra, 
with  Amy  Arnell,  Kerwin  Somerville,  Don- 
ald Brown,  Little  Butchie  Wellman  and 
The  Voices  Three;  also  Rufe  Davis  and 
Paul  Remos  and  his  Toy  Boys.  Gross: 
$19,000.  (Average,  $15,000) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

GREAT  LAKES— (3,000)  (35c-5Sc)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $15,000.  (Average,  $10,- 
800) 

"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

HIPPODROMEW(2,100)  (35c-55c)  7  days, 
3rd  week  downtown.  Gross:  $8,300.  (Av- 
erage, $8,500) 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 
"Highways  By  Night"  (RKO) 

TWENTIETH  CENTURY — (3,000)  (35c- 
55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $20,000.  (Average, 
$8,500) 

"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 
"Get  Hep  to  Love"  (Univ.) 

LAFAYETTE— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $13,500.    (Average,  $8,000) 


48  Hour  Work  Week 
Is  Ordered  by  FDR 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
mum  work  week  is  less  than  48  hours 
per  week." 

While  the  order  is  to  take  effect 
immediately  in  the  areas  named,  em- 
ployers will  receive  time  to  attain  a 
48-hour  work  week  over  a  period  of 
several  weeks.  The  order  made  no 
change  in  the  Federal  law  calling  for 
overtime  pay  for  work  in  excess  of 
40  hours  by  persons  whose  labors  af- 
fect interstate  commerce,  and  for 
union  agreements  calling  for  overtime 
pay. 

Funeral  Services 
for  Giannini  Today 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

M.  Schenck,  Harry  Cohn,  Charles 
Skouras,  J.  P.  Normanly,  Judge  Tim- 
othy Fitzpatrick,  Frank  Powell,  A.  J. 
Bayer,  James  Johnston,  Edward  Mc- 
Laughlin. Honorary  pallbearers 
named  include :  H.  M.  and  Jack  War- 
ner, Louis  B.  Mayer,  Winfield  Shee- 
han,  Walt  and  Roy  Disney,  E.  J. 
Mannix,  Pat  Casey,  Watterson  Roth- 
acker,  Arthur  Kelly,  Robert  North, 
Edward  Small,  Thomas  Walker,  Sol 
Lesser,  Joseph  Scott,  Martin  Quigley 
and  Red  Kann. 


Boverman  Is  Busy 

Sam  Boverman,  member  of  the 
Paramount  home  office  legal  depart- 
ment, has  a  pretty  full  schedule  for 
the  week.  Married  on  Jan.  28,  he 
returned  from  his  honeymoon  Mon- 
day, was  inducted  Tuesday,  will  be 
given  a  farewell  luncheon  by  home 
office  associates  at  the  Lincoln  Hotel 
tomorrow,  and  will  report  to  Camp 
Dix  on  Monday. 


Odium  Reveals  Atlas 
Film  Stock  Holdings; 
44%  RKO  Preferred 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
portfolio  also  includes  18,978  shares 
of    Walt    Disney    Productions  pre- 
ferred, valued  at  $123,357,  which  is 
about  25  per  cent  oi  that  entire  issue. 

The  Atlas  RKO  preferred  stock 
noldings  were  increased  during  1942 
by  5,330  shares  to  a  total  of  56,401) 
shares  valued  at  $3,017,400,  and  com- 
mon holdings  were  increased  by  58,- 
600  shares  to  a  total  of  1,324,«53 
shares,  valued  at  $4,636,985.  Atlas 
also  lists  327,811  RKO  option  war- 
rants valued  at  $61,464. 

The  company's  portfolio  also  in- 
cludes 3,500  shares  of  20th  Century- 
Fox  preferred,  valued  at  $91,000  ;  30,- 
000  shares  of  Paramount  common, 
valued  at  $502,500;  10,000  shares  of 
20th-Fox  common,  valued  at  $141,250, 
and  149,207  shares  of  Hearst  Consoli- 
dated Publications  preferred,  valued 
at  $895,242. 

Notes  RKO  Improvement 
Noting  continued  improvement  in 
RKO  affairs,  Odium's  report  said  in 
part:  "The  problems  which  previous- 
ly concerned  its  production  branch  for 
so  long  seems  to  have  been  satisfac- 
torily cleared  up  by  the  Fall  of  1942. 
With  increased  moving  picture  attend- 
ance quite  general,  the  theatre  branch 
of  the  business  is  doing  exceptionally 
well." 

The  indicated  asset  value  of  Atlas 
common  stock  at  the  end  of  1942  was 
shown  at  $12,56  in  the  report,  com- 
pared with  a  valuation  of  $11.01  per 
share  on  June  30,  1942,  and  $11.42  at 
Dec.  31,  1941.  The  increase  in  asset 
value  during  1942  was  after  deduc- 
tion of  dividends  totaling  $2,298,201, 
the  report  stated. 

Atlas  had  cash  on  hand  of  $5,197,- 
727  and  $500,000  principal  amount 
of  Government  securities  at  the  end 
of  the  year.  Total  assets  amounted  to 
$48,913,474  and  portfolio  holdings 
priced  at  the  market  amounted  to 
$25,773,934. 

K.C.  Gross  Strong; 
'Rangers,'  $13,000 

Kansas  City,  Feb.  9. — "The  For- 
est Rangers"  at  the  Newman  with  an 
estimated  gross  of  more  than  $13,000 
is  expected  to  top  first  runs  here  by 
a  close  margin.  "In  Which  We 
Serve"  is  running  at  a  $13,000  rate  at 
the  Midland,  and  "Glass  Key"  with 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor,"  is  heading 
for  about  $13,000  at  the  Orpheum. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  10-11: 

"Immortal  Sergeant"  (ZOth-Fox) 

ESQUIRE — (800)  (35c-50c)  6  days,  2nd 
week.  Gross:  $4,000.  (Average,  6  days, 
$3,000) 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

MIDLAND— (3,600)      (35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $13,000.    (Average,  $10,000) 
"The  Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 

NEWMAN— (1,900)     (35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $13,C00.     (Average,  $9,000) 
"Glass  Key"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  (Para.) 

ORPHEUM— 1,900)     (35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $13,500.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Mountain  Rhythm"  (Rep.) 
"Heart  of  the  Golden  West"  Rep.) 

TOWER— (2,200)    (35c)    7    days.  Stage 
show.    Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $6,750) 
"Immortal    Sergeant"  (Zttth-Fox) 

UPTOWN—  (2.000)  (35c-50c)  6  days,  2nd 
week.  Gross:  $4,000.  (Average,  6  days, 
$4,250) 


25%  Raw  Stock 
Cut  for  British 
Industry  Seen 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

raw  stock  cut  was  anticipated 
was  first  revealed  in  Motion 
Picture  Daily  last  Monday.] 

Although  no  specific  plan  has  been 
decided  upon  by  the  Board  of  Trade 
it  seems  obvious  to  trade  observers 
that  the  only  solution  is  a  cut  in 
screen  time  and  the  conferences  will 
aim  to  this  end.  While  the  Board  is 
said  to  be  extremely  considerate  and 
as  endeavoring  to  preserve  its  role 
as  a  protector  of  the  industry,  ob- 
servers anticipate  that  an  official 
order-in-council  is  inevitable. 

It  is  apparent,  observers  say,  that 
the  Board  of  Trade  is  concerned  with 
the  position  of  the  newsreels,  which 
while  using  30  per  cent  of  the  present 
raw  stock  total,  command  only  less 
than  five  per  cent  of  the  screen  time. 
It  is  considered  possible  that  raw 
stock  may  be  rationed  to  distributors 
by  an  allocation  system  and  that 
laboratories  and  distributors  may  be 
compelled  to  disclose  their  stocks  on 
hand. 

No  Specific  Plan 

Although  the  Board  of  Trade  ad- 
mits that  it  has  no  specific  plan,  these 
developments  are  forecast  as  authori- 
tative and  likely  to  occur. 

Official  conferences  on  the  matter 
are  scheduled  to  be  held  next  week  be- 
tween the  Government  and  various 
industry  interests,  including  the  Brit- 
ish Film  Producers  Association,  the 
Kinematograph  Renters  Society,  Cine- 
matograph Exhibitors  Association,  the 
newsreels,  laboratories  and  labor. 


Expect  Senate  Unit 
To  Probe  OWI  Films 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

film,  "Spy  Ship,"  which  he  alleged 
"fosters  disunity." 

Members  of  the  Senate  today  said 
informally  that  the  propaganda  activi- 
ties of  the  OWI  have  been  the  subject 
of  criticism  from  persons  who  have 
seen  material  not  distributed  in  the 
United  States  but  designed  for  re- 
lease in  foreign  countries. 

The  OWI  budget,  not  yet  disclosed, 
is  reported  as  runniag  between  $25,- 
000,000  and  $35,000,000. 


Defeat  House  Conversion 

Chicopee,  Mass.,  Feb.  9.  —  The 
Board  of  Alderman  defeated  a  pro- 
posal whereby  the  old  Wenick  Theatre 
would  be  converted  to  a  USO  center 
because  the  city  would  have  to  bear 
conversion  costs  totaling  $15,000.  An 
abandoned  schoolhouse  will  be  used 
instead,  it  was  stated. 


Curb  Child  Attendance 

Middletown,  O.,  Feb.  9. — The  city 
commission  has  authorized  preparation 
of  an  ordinance  to  prohibit  theatres 
from  selling  tickets  after  9  p.m.  to 
anyone  under  15  years  of  age  unless 
accompanied  by  an  adult. 


CHINESfiCEMGRAM: 


ii 


If  loud  braying  counted  for 
anything- 


ii 


The  ass  would  be  King  of 
the  jungle!" 


Dr.  Lee-o's  American 
translation : 


PICTURES,  NOT 

CONVERSATION 
FROM  M-G-MI 

Completed  and  in  production  at  the  great  M-G-M  Studios  in  Culver  City  are  the  finest 
shows  this  industry  has  ever  seen.  With  confidence  in  the  future,  with  an  enthusiastic  willing- 
ness to  go  full  speed  ahead  you  can  depend  on  the  Friendly  Company  now  and  in  months  to 
come.  With  our  first  two  groups  giving  a  fine  account  of  themselves  at  box-offices  nationwide, 
with  "Random  Harvest"  outgrossing  "Miniver,"  look  ahead  with  us  and  remember:  "Not  for 
just  a  day,  not  for  just  a  season,  but  Always !" 


Metro-GO  LDMI N  E-M«yer 

PICTURES  IN  PRODUCTION 


''PRESENTING  LILY  MARS" 

Judy  Garland,  Van  Heflin,  Bob  Crosby  &  Band 

"DU   BARRY  WAS  A  LADY"  (Technicolor) 

Red  Skelton,  Lucille  Ball,  Gene  Kelly,  Tommy  Dorsey  &  Band 

"ASSIGNMENT  IN  BRITTANY" 

Pierre  Aumont,  Susan  Peters 

"CABIN  IN  THE  SKY" 

Ethel  Waters,  'Rochester,'  Lena  Home,  Duke  Ellington  &  Band 

"THE  HUMAN  COMEDY" 

Mickey  Rooney  in  Saroyan's  Book-oj-the-Month  Club  masterpiece 

"SLIGHTLY  DANGEROUS" 

Lana  Turner,  Robert  Young 

"THE  YOUNGEST  PROFESSION" 

The  Season's  Surprise  with  top  M-G-M  names  as  Guest  Stars 

"LASSIE  COME  HOME"  (Technicolor) 

Roddy  McDowall,  Donald  Crisp 

"DESTINATION  TOKYO" 

Franchot  Tone,  Ruth  Hussey,  Gene  Kelly 

"AIR  RAID  WARDENS" 

Laurel  and  Hardy 

"SALUTE  TO  THE  MARINES" 

Wallace  Beery 

"BATAAN'S  LAST  STAND" 

Robert  Taylor,  George  Murphy,  Thomas  Mitchell,  Lloyd  Nolan 

"BEST  FOOT  FORWARD" 

Lucille  Ball,  William  Gaxton,  Virginia  Weidler,  Harry  James  &  Band 

"ABOVE  SUSPICION" 

Joan  Crawford,  Fred  MacMurray 

"DR.  GILLESPIE'S  CRIMINAL  CASE" 

Lionel  Barrymore,  Van  Johnson,  Donna  Reed 

"GIRL  CRAZY" 

Mickey  Rooney,  Judy  Garland,  Tommy  Dorsey  &  Band 

"PRIVATE  MISS  JONES"  (Technicolor) 

Kathryn  Grayson,  Gene  Kelly,  Mary  Astor,  John  Boles,  Jose  Iturbi 

"SWING  SHIFT  MAISIE" 

Ann  Sothern,  James  Craig 

"FACULTY  ROW" 

Susan  Peters,  Herbert  Marshall,  Mary  Astor 

"I    DOOD   IT"  MARCH  OF 

Red  Skelton,  Eleanor  Powell,  Jimmy  Dorsey  &  Band  DIMES" 

FEB.  18-24 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  February  10,  1943 


'Commandos', 
'Harvest'  Best 


Phila.  Draws 


Philadelphia,  Feb.  9.  —  With 
weather  conditions  more  favorable  and 
the  OPA  renewing  its  drive  against 
pleasure  driving  over  the  weekend, 
business  at  the  downtown  houses  start- 
ed off  very  big  this  week.  Of  the  new 
pictures,  "Commandos  Strike  At 
Dawn"  brought  the  Stanley  the  heav- 
iest business  with  $26,500  expected  for 
the  week,  in  addition  to  the  |4,800 
grossed  on  Sunday  at  the  Earle  on  the 
twin-booking.  "Journey  For  Mar- 
garet" also  got  under  way  big  at  the 
Aldine  with  $13,000  in  sight  for  the 
opening  week.  Among  the  holdovers, 
"Random  Harvest"  continues  to  lead 
the  field  with  $28,500  expected  for  its 
second  week  at  the  Boyd,  while  the 
Mastbaum  looks  for  a  big  $21,500  for 
the  fourth  week  of  "Casablanca". 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  9-12: 

"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

ALDINEr-(900)  (3Sc-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $13,000.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 

ARCADIA— (600)  (35c-46c-57c-68c)  7  days, 
2nd  run.    Gross:  $3,800.    (Average,  $2,800) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

BOYD— (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $28,500.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (20th-Fox)  (16  days) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (CoL)  (1  day) 

EARLE— (3,000)  (46c-57c-75c)  Stage:  6 
days  of  vaudeville  with  Vaughn  Monroe's 
orchestra,  Ziggy  Talent,  Murphy  Sisters, 
Marilyn  Duke,  The  Four  V's,  Paul  Winch- 
ell  and  Johnny  Mack.  Gross:  $27,500. 
(Average,  $18,000) 
"Monogram"  (Mono.) 

FAY'S — (2,190)  (29c-35c-46c-57c).  Stage: 
Vaudeville  including  Louis  Armstrong's  or- 
chestra, Luis  Russell,  Sonny  Woods,  Joe 
Garland,  Velma  Middleton  and  the  Two 
Zephyrs.  Gross:  $10,800.  (Average,  $6,000) 
"China  Girt"  (20th-Fox) 

FOX— (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $14,800.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Henry  Aidrich,  Editor"  (Para.) 

KARLTON  —  (1,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $2,200.  (Average. 
$3,500) 

"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

KEITH'S-(2,200)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c) 
7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $6,500.  (Average. 
$4,500) 

"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

MASTBAUM— (4,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  4th  week.    Gross:  $21,500 
"Commandos  Strike  At  Dawn"  (CoL) 

STANLEY  —  (3,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $26,500.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"One  of  Our  Aircraft  is  Missing"  (U.  A.) 

STANTON— (1,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $8,800.    (Average,  '$6,500) 


Jersey  Clearance 

Case  Is  Adjusted 

The  clearance  complaint  of  the 
Strand,  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  against  the 
five  consenting  companies,  which  was 
filed  at  the  New  York  tribunal  in 
November,  1941,  was  withdrawn 
without  prejudice  this  week,  the  Amer- 
ican Arbitration  Association  an- 
nounced yesterday. 

The  withdrawal  followed  an  adjust- 
ment, -  terms  of  which  were  not  dis- 
closed. The  complaint  involved  New- 
ark first  runs'  clearance  over  the 
Strand.  Interveners  included  Skouras 
Theatres,  Warner  Circuit,  RKO 
Proctor  and  Essex  Amusement  Corp. 


Noyes'  Poem  for  Film 

Alfred  Noyes,  English  poet,  has 
been  engaged  by  PRC  to  write  and 
narrate  a  poem  for  the  company's  pro- 
duction, "Corregidor."  It  will  be 
Noyes  first  work  for  motion  pictures. 


Ohio  Body  Approves 
State  Time  Change 

Columbus,  Feb.  9.  —  The 
senate  late  today  voted  23  to  9 
concurrence  to  the  emergency 
clause  Ohio  time  change  bill. 
Gov.  Bricker  said  he  would 
sign  it  early  next  week.  Radio 
and  railroad  interests  re- 
quested a  week's  time  to 
change  their  schedules.  Cen- 
tral Standard  Time  becomes 
effective  Feb.  21.  Gov.  Bricker 
is  expected  to  petition  the  In- 
terstate Commerce  Commis- 
sion to  order  Federal  time 
schedules  to  conform  to  new 
time  to  avoid  confusion. 


'U'  Plagiarism  Suit 
Dismissed  in  Court 


A  plagiarism  suit  against  Univer- 
sal and  others  by  Dorothy  West  and 
Madge  Cristie,  involving  the  film  "My 
Man  Godfrey,"  has  been  dismissed  by 
Federal  Judge  John  C.  Knox. 

The  action  against  Warner  Bros., 
George  S.  Kaufman  and  Moss  Hart, 
involving  the  film,  "The  Man  Who 
Came  to  Dinner,"  has  been  set  for 
trial  in  Federal  Court  Feb.  17  by 
Judge  Edward  A.  Conger.  Vincent 
McConnor,  plaintiff,  claims  the  film 
plot  was  pirated  by  Kaufman  and 
Hart  from  his  play,  "The  Murder  Is- 
sue." 

A  $50,000  damage  action  of  Elean- 
or Harris,  California  writer,  against 
20th  Century-Fox,  which  originally 
was  dismissed  in  Federal  Court,  is  be- 
ing prepared  for  presentation  to  the 
U.  S.  Circuit  Court  of  Appeals,  papers 
filed  in  Federal  Court  indicate. 

Legion  of  Decency 
Classifies  12  Films 

The  National  Legion  of  Decency  re- 
viewed and  classified  11  features  dur- 
ing the  past  week  and  re-reviewed  and 
reclassified  one.  The  classifications 
for  the  week  are  as  follows : 

Class  A-l,  unobjectionable  for  gen- 
eral patronage :  "The  Amazing  Mrs. 
Holliday,"  "Fugitive  of  the  Plains," 
"How's  About  It?,"  "Johnny  Dough- 
boy," "Lost  Canyon,"  "Riders  of  the 
Northwest  Mounted,"  "Thundering 
Trails,"  and  "Two  Weeks  to  Live." 
Class  A -2 ;  unobjectionable  for  adults: 
"Behind  Prison  Walls"  and  "Rhythm 
of  the  Islands."  Class  B,  objection- 
able in  part:  "Young  and  Willing." 
"The  Immortal  Sergeant,"  previously 
classified  A-l,  was  reclassified  as  B 
after  a  second  viewing. 

Fred  Fisher  Leaves 
Estate  to  His  Wife 

Fred  Fisher,  song  writer  and  music 
publisher,  who  died  Jan.  14,  left  his 
entire  estate  to  his  widow,  Mrs.  Anna 
Fisher,  according  to  probate  papers 
filed  in  Surrogates  Court.  The  es- 
tate, it  is  indicated  by  the  papers, 
amounts  to  $11,638  gross,  with  debts 
totaling  $3,901. 


MBS  Jan.  Gross 

Totaled  $992,104 

Mutual  announced  that  its  billing  in 
January,  1943,  totaled  $992,104,  a  de- 
crease of  three  per  cent  from  the  Jan- 
uary, 1942,  billings,  which  totaled 
$1,024,512. 


One  BVay  Opening 
InWeek;  15  Matinees 
Are  Set  for  Friday 

"The  Moon  Vine,"  a  comedy  by 
Patricia  Coleman  with  a  cast  includ- 
ing Haila  Stoddard,  Philip  Bourneuf, 
Arthur  Franz,  Will  Geer,  Vera  Allen, 
Grace  Copping,  Agnes  Scot  Yost, 
Kate  McComb  and  Mary  Lou  Taylor, 
is  this  week's  sole  opening.  The  play 
is  housed  at  the  Morosco  Theatre. 

Fifteen  special  matinees  will  be 
given  on  Friday,  Lincoln's  Birthday. 
The  productions  involved  are :  "The 
Three  Sisters,"  performance  for  the 
benefit  of  the  State  Relief  Fund,  "An- 
gel Street,"  "Arsenic  and  Old  Lace," 
"Counselor-at-Law,"  "Counterattack," 
"Janie,"  "Junior  Miss,"  "Rosalinda," 
"Show  Time,"  "Sons  o'  Fun,"  "Star 
and  Garter,"  "The  Doughgirls,"  "The 
Patriots,"  and  "The  Moon  Vine." 

Hayes  Play  March  3 

"Harriet,"  Helen  Hayes'  new  play, 
has  been  moved  up  to  March  3  at  the 
Henry  Miller  Theatre.  Gilbert  Miller 
is  producing  the  play  by  Florence 
Ryerson  and  Colin  Clements.  Re- 
hearsals started  yesterday  for  "Kiss 
and  Don't  Tell,"  the  George  Abbott 
production  scheduled  for  next  month. 
The  comedy  is  based  on  a  series  of 
magazine  stories  and  a  radio  serial  by 
F.  Hugh  Herbert.  Jessie  Royce  Lan- 
dis  is  starred,  and  Henry  Barnard, 
who  has  a  walk-on  role  in  "Janie," 
will  play  the  juvenile  lead. 

The  Theatre  Guild  is  producing  a 
musical  version  of  "Green  Grow  the 
Lilacs,"  the  Lynn  Riggs  play  which 
the  Guild  originally  produced  in  1931. 
Rouben  Mamoulian,  stage  and  screen 
director,  will  direct  the  production. 
Oscar  Hammerstein  2d  wrote  the  book 
and  lyrics,  and  Richards  Rodgers  com- 
posed the  music. 

Chetniks  in  Operetta 

Gen.  Mikhailovitch  and  his  Chet- 
niks are  the  basis  of  the  new  Sigmund 
Romberg  operetta,  "Dombaritza."  The 
production  is  scheduled  for  early  next 
season.  Mr.  Romberg  has  completed 
the  score  and  intends  to  arrange  for 
the  writing  of  the  book.  Dombaritza 
is  a  Yugoslavian  instrument  similar 
to  the  Russian  balalaika. 

Peter  Birch,  dancer  in  the  Fokine 
Ballet,  will  be  one  of  the  featured 
actors  in  the  forthcoming  Vinton 
Freedley  musical,  "Dancing  in  the 
Streets,"  which  will  soon  start  re- 
hearsals. This  is  Birch's  first  appear- 
ance in  musical  comedy. 

PCCITO  Affiliates 
With  Allied  Caravan 

Hollywood,  Feb.  9.— Over  1200 
West  Coast  independent  theatres  act- 
ing through  the  PCCITO  affiliated 
themselves  with  and  became  part  of 
the  Allied  caravan  plan,  according 
to  a  statement  issued  tody  by  Col.  H. 
A.  Cole,  acting  chairman  of  the  Al- 
lied caravan  committee. 


AFRA  Renews  Pacts 

The  American  Federation  of  Radio 
Artists  has  ratified  renewal  contracts 
with  WAAT,  Jersey  City ;  WHN  and 
WMCA,  New  York,  and  KQW,  San 
Jose,  Calif.,  Mrs.  Emily  Holt,  execu- 
tive secretary  announced. 


'Casablanca'  in 
Chicago  Looks 
Like  $54,000 

Chicago,  Feb.  9. — With  a  10-hour 
holdout  line  on  Sunday,  "Casablanca" 
at  the  Chicago  appears  to  be  headed 
for  a  smash  $54,000.  Larry  A<£':  ;.s 
featured  on  the  stage.  The  §&■'  .id 
week  of  "Random  Harvest",  still  play- 
ing to  near  capacity  crowds  at  the 
United  Artists  and  Apollo,  is  expected 
to  probably  exceed  the  record  of  "Mrs. 
Miniver,"  with  an  estimated  total  of 
$35,000.  At  the  Palace,  "Arabian 
Nights"  in  its  third  week,  looks  like 
a  swell  $20,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  ending 
Feb.  11: 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

APOLLO— (1,400)  (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $15,000.  (Average,  $8,500) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

CHICAGO— (4,000)  (36c-55c-75c)  7  days. 
Stage:  Larry  Adler.  Gross:  $54,000.  (Aver- 
age, $48,000) 

"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.) 
"Mrs.  Wisrffs  of  the  Cabbage  Patch" 
(Para.)  2nd  weak  in  loop 

GARRICK— (1,000)     (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days.   Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"The  Pay-Off"  (PRC) 

ORIENTAL  —  (3,200)    (27c-31c-50c-59c)  7 
days.    Stage:   Ina   Ray  Hutton  Orchestra. 
Gross:  $22,000.    (Average,  $22,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

ROOSEVELT— (1,500)    (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days,  4th  week  at  popular  prices.  Gross: 
$12,000.    (Average,  $16,000) 
"Black  Swan"  (2ffth-Fox) 

STATE- LAKE— (2,700)  (36c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $18,000.  (Average, 
$19,700) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,700)  (36c -55c -65c- 
75c)  7  days.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $20,000. 
(Average,  $15,500) 


'Rockies'  Very  Big 
In  Toronto,  $17,500 


Toronto,  Feb.  9. — "Springtime  in 
the  Rockies"  led  the  town  at  Shea's 
with  a  big  $17,500  expected  against 
downtown  holdovers,  while  the  Up- 
town moved  into  the  limelight  with 
$15,000  in  sight  on  "Shadow  of  a 
Doubt"  after  getting  favorable  news- 
paper reviews.  A  development  of  the 
week  was  the  new  policy  at  the  Tivoli 
and  Eglinton  with  both  getting  simul- 
taneous first-runs  of  "Across  the  Pa- 
cific", dropping  duals  in  each  instance. 
The  theatres  are  three  miles  apart  and 
the  idea  is  to  take  local  premieres  to 
the  patrons  now  restricted  in  travel  by 
gasoline  shortage,  rutted  streets  and 
uncertain  streetcar  service.  The  Tiv- 
oli was  expected  to  gross  $7,500  and 
the  Eglinton  $6,500,  both  good  weeks. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  11 : 

"Across  the  Pacific"  (W.  B.) 

EGLINGTON— (1,086)    (18c-30c-48c-60c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $6,500.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"The  Pride  of  the  Yankees"  (RKO) 

IMPERIAL^(3,373)  (18c -30c -42c -60c -90c)  6 
days.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $10,000.  (Average, 
$10,500) 

"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 

"Dr.  Gillespie's  New  Assistant"  (M-G-M) 

LOEWS— (2,074)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-78c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Average, 
$10,000). 

"Springtime  in  the  Rockies"  (20th-Fox) 

SHEA'S  —  (2,480)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $17,500.    (Average,  $11,000) 
"Across  the  Pacific"  (W.  B.) 

TTVOLI  —  (1,434)   (18c-30c-48c)  6  days. 
Gross:  $7,500.    (Average,  $4,200) 
"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

UPTOWN— (2,761)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $15,000.    (Average,  $9,500) 


Wednesday,  February  iO,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Reviews 


"Cabin  in  the  Sky' 

IM-G-M) 

<«/^  ABIN  IN  THE  SKY"  is  a  substantial  framework  on  which  is 
^  hung  a  generous  helping  of  all  the  entertainment  feats  which  the 
Negro  does  so  well,  popular  songs,  "hot"  orchestrations,  dancing  and 
spirituals.  In  this  production,  with  its  all-colored  cast,  some  of  the  top 
talent  of  the  race  sees  to  it  that  all  of  those  performances  are  done  as 
wt3j|ff  not  somewhat  better,  than  they  have  been  done  before. 

TTT*this  group  are  Ethel  Waters,  Eddie  "Rochester"  Anderson,  Lena 
Home,  Duke  Ellington  and  His  Orchestra,  the  Hall  Johnson  Choir, 
v'  Bubbles,"  Louis  Armstrong  and  Oscar  Polk.  They  are  merry  acces- 
sories in  the  story  of  the  struggle  of  Light,  personified  by  Kenneth 
Spencer,  and  Darkness,  by  Rex  Ingram,  for  the  salvation  of  Little  Joe, 
played  by  "Rochester."  At  the  moment  of  his  reformation,  Little  Joe 
is  lured  from  the  church  to  a  dice  game  from  which  he  emerges  with  a 
bullet  wound.  In  a  coma,  he  views  the  struggle  of  Good  and  Evil  for  his 
soul.  Good  holds  sway  while  he  is  industrious  and  devoted  to  his  wife, 
played  by  Miss  Waters,  but  loses  the  upper  hand  when  a  combination  of 
a  winning  lottery  ticket,  idleness  and  temptation,  in  the  form  of  Miss 
Home,  assail  him  simultaneously.  Miss  Waters  rescues  him  at  the 
eleventh  hour  and,  emerging  from  his  coma,  it  is  apparent  that  Little 
Joe  has  learned  well  the  lessons  of  his  dream. 

The  production  is  based  on  the  musical  play  of  the  same  title.  Vincent 
Minnelli  directed  it  with  good  taste  and  the  production,  in  charge  of 
Arthur  Freed,  with  Albert  Lewis  as  associate,  foregoes  lavishness  for 
sound,  authentic  entertainment  values.  Most  impressive  of  the  song  num- 
bers are  "Happiness  Is  a  Thing  Called  Joe,"  "Life's  Full  o'  Conse- 
quences," "Li'l  Black  Sheep,"  "Cabin  in  the  Sky"  and  "Takin'  a  Chance 
on  Love." 

There  are,  of  course,  plenty  of  name  values  herein  for  exploitation 
purposes.  Sold  as  straight  musical  entertainment  it  should  fulfill  its  pur- 
pose in  all  types  of  theatres  and  for  all  types  of  audiences. 

Running  time,  98  minutes.    "G."*  Sherwin  A.  Kane 


A 


"A  Stranger  in  Town" 

(M-G-M) 

STORY  with  a  message  that  politicians  can  be  beat  at  their  own 
game,  this  film  will  entertain  audiences  everywhere.  This  timely 
drama,  dealing  with  corruption  in  civic  affairs,  is  enacted  by  an  able  cast 
headed  by  Frank  Morgan  and  Richard  Carlson. 

The  plot  revolves  round  a  mayoralty  election  in  a  small  town  where 
U.  S.  Supreme  Court  Justice  Grant,  played  by  Morgan,  has  come  for  a 
vacation.  Richard  Carlson  portrays  a  young  lawyer  who  opposes  the 
'firmly  entrenched  political  machine  of  the  town,  led  by  the  Mayor,  who 
is  portrayed  by  Robert  Barrat.  The  judge  also  becomes  interested  in 
driving  these  men  out  of  office  when  the  game  warden  endeavors  to  exact 
an  unlawful  fee  from .  him  for  duck  hunting. 

The  picture  moves  at  a  fast  pace,  with  action  mostly  at  high  pitch.  A 
scene  in  which  Carlson,  as  the  young  candidate,  refuses  to  take  an  evic- 
tion order  from  his  campaign  headquarters  lying  down,  resulting  in  a 
free-for-all  fight  on  the  main  street,  is  a  highlight  of  the  picture. 

Jean  Rogers,  as  secretary  to  the  judge ;  Chill  Wills,  campaign  manager 
for  Carlson,  and  Porter  Hall,  as  a  magistrate  controlled  by  the  political 
machine,  are  capable  in  supporting  roles. 

Roy  Rowland  directed  and  Robert  Sisk  produced.  An  excellent  and 
dignified  musical  score  by  Nathaniel  Shilkret  and  Daniel  Amfitheatrof 
underlies  much  of  the  action. 

Running  time,  67  minutes.  "G"* 

"Fighting  Frontier" 

(RKO) 

nrHIS  Tim  Holt  western  was  made  before  the  young  star  entered  the 
'  service.  "Fighting  Frontier"  follows  a  familiar  pattern,  putting 
Holt  in  the  embarrassing  spot  of  masquerading  as  a  bandit  in  order 
to  catch  his  man.  It's  the  happy  pairing  of  noble  plot  and  Holt's  mar- 
quee draw  which  should  attract  audiences. 

With  no  apparent  effort  to  leave  the  beaten  path,  the  story  by  Bernard 
McConville  has  Holt  and  his  side-kick,  Cliff  Edwards,  working  with 
a  gang  of  gold  thieves.  Holt,  a  special  Government  agent,  has  chosen 
this  course  as  the  only  method  by  which  to  unmask  the  leader  of  the 
gang.  After  almost  getting  his  own  neck  in  the  noose  for  the  crimes, 
the  hero  gets  his  man  and  makes  peace  with  his  girl,  played  by  Ann 
Summers.  The  screenplay  by  J.  Benton  Cheney  and  Norton  S.  Parker 
keeps  the  action  going  at  a  good  pace.  The  clean-cut  production  was  by 
Bert  Gilroy.    Lambert  Hillyer  directed. 

Running  time,  57  minutes.  "G"* 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


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AS/nt  Wh 

(MjWV 


THE  DEADLINE  IS  N EAR. '  WE  CANrSHIP 
TRAILERS  UNLESS  VOUTZLL  OS  NOW.' 
(AND  THI  TRAILER  IS  A  »*ONEY!)  ~c3T 

COLLECTION*  FEB.18-24  FOR. 

MARCH  OF  DIMES 


WILL  m  COME  THRU  ?  ITS  UPTO  YOU.' 

MAIL  OR  WIRE  PLEDGE  TODAY.' 

Address -Morch  of  Dimes,  173  Hotel  Astor,  N.Y,C 


ST.  LOUIS,  DAVENPORT, 
ROCK  ISLAND,  DES  MOINES, 
MILWAUKEE,  MIAMI  BEACH! 


Al*. 


Picture 
Industry 


.'ION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


MLL  V/UrY 
QT  BEMIOl 


First  in 


Accu 
and 

Impartial 


53.  NO.  29 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  THURSDAY,  FEBRUARY  11,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Rodgers  Urges 
'United  Front9 
For  Theatres 


Asks  Nafl  Organization, 
Eastern  Relief  Fund 


By  ALFRED  FINESTONE 

Creation  of  a  national  theatre 
organization  "that  will  include  all 
motion  picture  theatre  interests  and 
be  representa- 
tive of  all  the-  r 
a  t  r  e  m  e  n's 
view  s,"  i  n 
furtherance  of  i: 
industry  unity  "i 
was  urged  by  I 
W  i  1 1  i  am  F.  I 
Rodgers,  vice- 
p  r  e  sident  of 
L  o  e  w  '  s  in  | 
charge  of  dis- 
tribution, at  § 
the  installation 
luncheon  o  f 
the  Motion 
Picture  Asso- 
ciates yesterday  at  the  Hotel  Astor. 
Such  an  organization  is  needed  to 

(Continued  on  page  5) 


W.  F.  Rodgers 


Univ.  Plans  to  Drop 
1st  Preferred  Stock 


Elimination  of  Universal's  first  pre- 
ferred stock  and  retirement  of  a  large 
part  of  its  second  preferred  and  de- 
bentures under  the  company's  pro- 
posed $6,000,000  recapitalization  plan 
is  expected  to  be  ready  for  submission 
to  the  company's  stockholders  at  their 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


British  Exhibitors 
Hit  U.  A.,  M-G-M 

London,  Feb.  10.— The  film 
rentals  committee  of  the 
Cinematograph  Exhibitors 
Association  today  was  in- 
structed to  handle  exhibitor 
complaints  that  United  Art- 
ists and  M-G-M  have  not 
agreed  to  make  one-day  book- 
ings. It  was  reported  to  the 
C.E.A.  that  the  Gaumont  cir- 
cuit has  declined  to  make 
four-day  and  seven-day  book- 
ings requested  by  the  com- 
panies in  certain  districts. 


Arnold  Is  Slated  for 
Appeals  Court  Post 

Washington,  Feb.  10.— Slat- 
ed for  appointment  as  an  as- 
sociate justice  of  the  District 
of  Columbia  Court  of  Appeals 
to  succeed  Wiley  Rutledge, 
whose  advancement  to  the 
United  States  Supreme  Court 
was  confirmed  by  the  Senate 
Monday,  Assistant  Attorney 
General  Thurman  Arnold  is 
still  at  his  desk  in  the  anti- 
trust division  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Justice. 

A  Department  spokesman 
said  today  that  Arnold  prob- 
ably would  not  quit  until  his 
appointment  had  gone 
through. 


British  Exhibitors 
Propose  21/2-Hour 
Limit  on  Programs 


London,  Feb.  10. — In  a  move  which, 
if  consummated,  will  tend  to  reduce 
double  featuring  in  Britain,  the  Cine- 
matograph Exhibitors  Association  to- 
day proposed  voluntary  action  to  limit 
film  programs  to  a  maximum  of  two 
and  one-half  hours  as  a  means  of 
conserving  raw  stock. 

The  proposal  will  be  made  to  the 
Board  of  Trade  when  C.E.A.  repre- 
sentatives meet  with  it  next  Tuesday 
to  discuss  industry  measures  to  con- 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


SEE  48-HOUR  WEEK 
NO  FILM  PROBLEM 


Adoption  of  Roosevelt's  Order  by  Industry 
Depends  on  How  It  Can  Fit  Operations; 
Local  Decision  for  Change  at  Studios 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Feb.  10. — President  Roosevelt's  order  for  universal 
adoption  of  the  48-hour  week  was  seen  by  administration  officials  today 
as  presenting  no  great  problem  to  the  motion  picture  industry. 

Whether    a    48-hour  week 
would  be  ordered  in  the  film  in- 
dustry, a  War  Manpower  Com- 
mission  spokesman  explained, 
would  depend  on  whether  such 
a  schedule  could  be  fitted  into 
the  pattern  of  the  industry,  the 
labor  situation  and  other  factors. 
Many    of    those   affected    by  the 
order  will  not  necessarily  get  time 
and  a  half  pay  for  the  extra  work, 
it  was  indicated,  when  the  War  Man- 
power Commission  stated  it  will  not 
require   extra   payment   to  workers 
not  entitled  to  it  by  law  or  union 
agreement. 

Just  how  the  President's  order  will 
affect  the  Hollywood  studios  will  be 
determined  by  the  WMC  regional  of- 
fice, he  said. 

Both  motion  picture  and  radio  in- 
dustries,  officials   pointed  out,  have 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


'Divorcement' 
Bill  Again  Up 
In  No.  Dakota 


Fargo,  N.  D.,  Feb.  10.— A  bill  pro- 
viding for  the  divorcement  of  affiliat- 
ed theatres  from  producer  or  distribu- 
tor interests  has  been  introduced  in 
the  state  legislature  here. 

The  measure,  believed  to  have  ben 
sponsored  by  North  Dakota  indepen- 
dent exhibitors,  is  virtually  identical 
to  that  enacted  by  the  state  legislature 
in  1939.  The  law  then  was  attacked 
on  the  grounds  that  it  was  unconsti- 
tutional. After  it  had  been  upheld  by 
a  Federal  court  and  while  an  appeal 
was  pending,  the  law  was  repealed. 


War  Problems  to  Highlight 
Executives 9  Meet  on  Coast 


Film  Stocks  Reach 
New  High  in  Gains 


Virtually  all  motion  picture  stocks 
reached  new  highs  in  yesterday's  trad- 
ing on  the  New  York  Stock  Ex- 
change following  continued  reports  of 
healthy  earnings,  increases  in  theatre 
attendance  and  other  favorable  fac- 
tors. 

Paramount  common  led  the  gains 
with  1/4  to  close  at  18j£  for  a  new 
high,  while  the  company's  convertible 
first  preferred  jumped  7$/%  points  to  a 
new  high  of  128,  and  the  first  pre- 
ferred which  has  been  called  was  up 
97A  to  a  new  high  of  132.  On  a  gain 
of  one-half  point  Loew's  common  set 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


The  agenda  of  the  Hollywood  meet- 
ings of  the  industry's  top  executives 
which  will  start  Monday  and  is  ex- 
pected to  continue  through  the  week 
is  concerned  primarily  with  problems 
of  wartime  operations,  it  was  dis- 
closed yesterday. 

Among  the  subjects  up  for  discus- 
sion by  heads  of  major  companies,  the 
industry  lawyers'  committee  of  six  and 
top-ranking  studio  executives  are : 
effects  of  War  Manpower  Commission 
orders  on  industry  operations ;  the  for- 
eign and  domestic  raw  stock  supply 
situation ;  problems  resulting  from  the 
Federal  salary  ceiling  order,  and  the 
planning  and  coordination  of  training 
film  production  for  the  military  ser- 
vices and  government  purposes. 

The  Eastern  executives  will  leave 
here  tomorrow  and  will  arrive  on  the 
Coast  Monday. 


Final  Services  Held 
for  A.  H.  Giannini 

Los  Angeles,  Feb.  10. — Funeral 
services  for  Dr.  A.  H.  Giannini,  for- 
mer president  of  United  Artists  and 
chairman  of  the  Bank  of  America, 
National  Association,  who  died  fol- 
lowing two  heart  attacks  Sunday, 
were  held  here  yesterday  with  several 
hundred  friends  and  associates  in  at- 
tendance. The  Reverend  Edward  J. 
Whelan,  S.F.,  president  of  Loyola 
University,  delivered  the  eulogy  and 
Archbishop  John  J.  Cantwell  presided 
at  the  services  held  in  the  Church  of 
the  Good  Shepherd,  Beverlv  Hills. 
Private  entombment  rites  at  Calvary 
Cemetery  followed. 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Heard  Around,"  by  Sam 
Shain,  Page  2.  Review  of 
"Young  and  Willing,"  Page  4. 
Hollywood  production  notes, 
Page  7.  Key  city  box-office 
reports,  Page  4.  Notes  from 
Mexico  City,  Page  5. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  February  11,  1943 


'Dimes'  Drive  Gains 
Mid-West  Support 


Oscar  A.  Doob  and  Harry  Brandt 
addressed  a  meeting  of  Tennessee, 
Mississippi  and  Arkansas  exhibitors 
and  distributor  representatives  at  a 
March  of  Dimes  meeting  in  the  Hotel 
Peabody,  Memphis,  yesterday,  the  na- 
tional War  Activities  Committee  re- 
ported. Meetings  have  also  been  held 
since  Monday  in  Chicago  and  Indian- 
apolis resulting  in  pledges  of  "all-out" 
effort  for  the  1943  drive  throughout 
the  Midwest,  with  a  goal  of  30  per 
cent  above  Jast  year's  collections  be- 
ing set. 

Larger  representation  among  South- 
ern theatres  in  the  drive  is  assured 
this  year  by  the  acceptance  of  state 
chairmanships  by  Karl  Hoblitzelle  and 
Robert  O'Donnell  for  Texas,  Bob 
Wilby  for  Georgia  and  the  Carolinas, 
and  E.  V.  Richards  for  Louisiana  and 
Mississippi,  it  was  announced. 

The  publicity  committee  of  the  New 
York  exchange  area  organized  its 
campaign  at  a  meeting  called  yester- 
day by  Harry  Mandell  and  Edward 
Dowden.  At  this  session,  theatre  man- 
agers were  urged  to  concentrate  their 
efforts  on  auditorium  collections. 
Large  displavs  will  be  erected  in  each 
house  to  aid  the  campaign. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN      .      GREER  GARSON 
In  James  Hilton's 

"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN   M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue   .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 
PRESENTS 

'STAR  SPANGLED 
RHYTHM' 

with  43  STARS 
PARAMOUNT 


IN  PERSON 

JOHNNY 
LONG 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

—Extra- 
Frank  Sinatra 

Times  Square 


HENRY  FONDA  •  MAUREEN  O'HARA  i 

*  IMMORTAL  , 
SERGEANT 


Plus  In  Person 
On  Our  Stage 


CONN  EE  BOSWELL 
PAUL  LAVALLE  &  Orch. 


BUY  A  WAR  n  f|W  7th  Ave.  &  50th  St. 
BONO  at  the  HUAI    Continuous  Perts. 


PALACE 


B  WAY  & 
47th  St. 


JOHNNY  WEISSMULLER 
Frances  Gifiord        »        Johnny  Sheffield 

"TARZAN  TRIUMPHS" 

—  and  — 

Monty  Woolley         «  Ida  Lupino 

"Life  Begins  at  8:30" 


Loe-Vs  ITHf  I 

ON  SCREEN 
First  N.  Y.  Showing 

MICKEY  ROONEY 
"ANDY  HARDY'S 
DOUBLE  LIFE" 


J 


IN  PERSON 
Ed  Sullivan 
and  New 
Broadway 
On  Parade 
Re 


-   Heard  Around  - 

SAM  RINZLER  was  in  great  fettle  yesterday  ...  at  the  luncheon  and 
installation  of  officers  of  the  Motion  Picture  Associates — his  best  quip 
being  made  toward  the  close  of  his  humorous  address — when  he  said  that 
since  hundreds  of  exhibitors  are  now  members  of  the  organization,  Max  A. 
Cohen  or  Harry  Brandt,  at  any  moment,  will  be  campaigning  for  the  presi- 
dency .  .  .  the  luncheon  meeting  was  attended  by  a  capacity  audience — as  a 
matter  of  fact,  probably  one  hundred  or  more  who  came  to  hear  Bill  Rodgers 
were  turned  away — the  hotel  would  not  permit  additional  guests  because 
neither  the  help  nor  food  was  available  .  .  .and  we  predict  that  as  a  result  of 
yesterday's  session,  one  of  the  finest,  most  dignified  and  yet  simple  meetings 
held  by  an  industry  body,  that  the  organization  will  garner  numerous  new 
members — dues  are  only  $12  yearly. 

•  •  • 

It  is  "The  Cock  Eyed  World"  .  .  .  which  holds  the  world's  record  for  a 
single  week's  gross — zvith  $165,555.73,  at  the  Roxy  Theatre,  for  the  week 
ending  Aug.  16,  1929 — incidentally,  this  was  the  second  week  of  the  picture's 
run — the  first  week's  gross  ztras  $165,260.13 — and  for  its  four-week  run,  the 
gross  zvas  $622,558.52— the  theatre's  profit  was  $290,085.83. 

•  •  • 

In  Albany  .  .  .  the  word  is  that  a  certain  legislative  representative  of 
a  major  circuit  has  written  to  an  important  legislator  urging  the  latter 
to  support  impending  measures  to  legalize  chance  games  in  New  York 
.  .  .  and  the  drive  to  make  chance  games  lawful  recreation  appears  to 
have  become  stronger — as  various  church  groups  and  veterans'  organ- 
izations are  lending  their  influence  to  the  cause — by  urging  their  mem- 
bers to  write  directly  to  legislators. 

•  •  • 

After  25  years  or  more  ...  of  having  supported  every  kind  of  welfare 
movement,  cooperated  in  almost  every  national  or  community  drive — the 
Canadian  film  industry  is  finally  going  out  to  do  something  for  its  own — 
which  is  the  reason  behind  the  Movie  Ball  to  be  held  March  23  at  the  Royal 
York  Hotel,  Toronto — proceeds  will  go  to  a  benevolent  fund  of  the  Canadian 
Picture  Pioneers. 

•  •  • 

Motion  picture  theatre  owners  .  .  .  need  have  nafear  of  competition  from 
night  baseball  this  year — conditions  in  the  national  pastime  being  what  they 
are — also,  some  of  the  big  league  fans  zve  know  think  the  major  and  minor 
leagues  pulled  one  of  their  biggest  boners  in  failing  to  release  their  usual 
short  subject  on  the  diamond  sport,  this  year. 

•  •  • 

Those  in  the  industry  who  have  a  part  in  the  war — and  it  is  estimated 
that  more  than  200,000  are  so  engaged — will  be  proud  to  learn  of  the 
trade's  accomplishments  since  Pearl  Harbor — through  "Movies  at  War" 
a  32-page  booklet  issued  by  the  War  Activities  Committee — and  which 
gives  proof  that  total  war  is  fought  with  cameras  as  well  as  cannon. 

•  •  • 

In  Cincinnati  .  .  .  just  before  the  premiere  of  "Hitler's  Children" — Lt.  Gov- 
ernor Paul  M.  Herbert,  of  Ohio,  was  donning  formal  attire  preparing  to 
attend  the  show — when  he  discovered  that  two  left  shoes  were  packed  in  his 
grip — it  was  7  p.m. — shoe  stores  were  closed — tan  shoes  just  wouldn't  do — 
when  an  RKO  official  came  along — compared  his  shoes  with  the  Lt.  Gover- 
nor's— found  they  were  of  the  same  size — and  the  Lt.  Governor  was  able  to 
go  to  the  opening. 

•  •  • 

Milton  Miller  writes  .  .  .  that  on  the  morning  of  the  death  of  Louis  Weit- 
senkom,  playzvright,  in  Wilkes-Barre,  a  local  newspaper  carried  a  story  about 
the  author  of  "Five  Star  Final"  and  zvhat  an  avid  coffee  drinker  he  was — 
and  about  five  hours  later,  the  same  paper — the  "Sunday  Independent" — had 
a  second  story  zvith  the  sad  nezvs  how  Weitsenkorn  died  from  burns  resulting 
from  a  fire  caused  while  the  playzvright  was  preparing  his  coffee. 

•  •  • 

Gregory  Dickson  soon  rejoins  20th  Century-Fox  publicity  department 
.  .  and  Gradwell  Sears  is  discussing  management  matters  with  the  TJ.  A. 
stockholders  on  the  Coast. 

— Sam  Shain 


Chancellor  Mangan 
Reelected  Regent 

Albany,  Feb.  10. — Chancellor  Thom- 
as J.  Mangan  of  Binghamton  was  re- 
elected to  the  state  board  of  regents 
for  a  12-year  term  at  a  joint  session 
of  the  legislature  today.  He  had  been 
nominated  without  opposition  in  both 
houses  to  succeed  himself. 

As  chancellor,  he  selects  the  motion 
picture  committee  which  decides  ap- 
peals from  rulings  of  the  state  motion 
picture  division  rejecting  films  for  ex- 
hibition in  the  state. 


Margolies  Carries  On 

Albert  Margolies  will  continue  to 
handle  the  "Stage  Door  Canteen"  pub- 
licity campaign  in  the  East,  Sol  Les- 
ser, producer  of  the  film,  announced. 


O'Brien  Named  by 

Catholic  Actors 

Gene  Buck,  president  pro  tern  of  the 
Catholic  Actors  Guild,  yesterday  ap- 
pointed Pat  O'Brien  as  first  vice-pres- 
ident of  the  organization  in  a  realign- 
ment of  officers  made  necessary  by 
the  death  of  former  president  George 
M.  Cohan. 


Robert  Taylor  Serves 

Hollywood,  Feb.  10. — Robert  Tay- 
lor was  sworn  into  the  Naval  Air 
Corps  today.  He  recently  finished 
"Bataan's  Last  Stand,"  probably  his: 
final  film  for  the  duration.  He.  has 
been  commissioned  a  lieutenant,  j.  g. 


Personal 
Mention 


\yjAJOR  HAL  ROACH  arrived 
tVl  from  overseas  yesterday  by 
plane  and  left  New  York  immediately 
for  Washington. 


Arthur  Kelly-  Is  en  route^to 
York  from  Hollywood. 


Jules    Lapidus,    newly  appointed 
Eastern  sales  manager  for  Warners, 
will  visit  in  Pittsburgh  this  weekend. 
• 

Harry  Goldberg,  Warner  Theatres 
advertising  and  publicity  director,  was 
in  Philadelphia  yesterday. 

• 

John  Turner,  Warner  circuit  film 
buyer  in  the  Philadelphia  zone,  has 
returned  from  a  honeymoon. 

• 

Bill  Thomas  is  expected  here  from 
California  next  week. 

• 

Corp.  Paul  W.  Amadeo,  formerly 
at  E.  M.  Loew's  Theatre,  Hartford, 
is  reported  stationed  overseas  with 
the  Army. 

Reuben  Shapiro,  former  Philadel- 
phia exhibitor,  who  for  the  past  few 
years  has  been  operating  hotels  in  Mi- 
ami Beach,  Fla.,  has  returned  to  Phil- 
adelphia. 

Herbert  Andreas,  formerly  of  the 
Warner,  West  Chester,  Pa.,  is  now 
with  the  Army  Air  Force,  stationed 
in  New  Guinea. 

• 

Louis  Berg,,  20th  Century-Fox  pub- 
licity writer, :  recently  injured  in  an 
automobile  accident,  is  being  treated 
at  the  Hospital  for  Joint  Diseases. 
• 

Neal  Courtney  of  the  Warner  Re- 
gal, Hartford,  was  inducted  into  the 
Army. 

• 

Robert  Montgomery  of  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox returns  from  Chicago  to- 
morrow. 

• 

Maurice  Gable,  Warner  circuit 
district  manager  in  Philadelphia,  is 
leaving  for  a  Florida  vacation. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 

President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Ouigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl. 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
lon."  All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Ouigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Ouigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Th^'res,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  13,  1938,  at  the 
nost  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c.   


when  "Jhe  President 
was  on  the  air 


WHERE  WERE  YOU,  SIR? 

.../met yea  tfiawri? 


Really,  it's  nobody's  business  where 
you  were,  or  what  you  were  doing. 
That's  the  land  of  liberty  WE  live  in. 
Over  here  we  can  take  our  speeches  or 
leave  them.  And  the  fact  that  100  million 
of  us  CHOSE  to  hear  the  President — and  the 
knowledge  that  we  cheered  his  words  be- 
cause we  WANTED  to  cheer  his  words,  adds 
up  to  another  healthy  sign  of  a  united 
American  determination  to  do  the  job  a 
speedy  victory  calls  for. 

*  ★  *  * 
bid  One  of  the  listeners  to  the  President's 
'State  of  the  Nation'  address  a  month 
ago  was  Jack  L.  Warner,  Executive 
Producer  of  Warner  Bros.  Pictures.  We 
reproduce  Mr.  Warner's  memorandum  to  his 
organization,  then  engaged  in  putting  final 
touches  to  the  motion  picture,  'Air  Force'. 

Jack  L.Warner  to  Staff:  January  7.  Burbank.  cai. 

"Today  President  Roosevelt  said  (We  fight 
to  retain  a  great  past  —  and  tve  fight  to  gain 
a  greater  future? 

"This,  in  clear  terms,  tells  the  nation  why 
we  are  at  war.  And  I  feel  it  also  asks  of  those 
not  at  the  front  what  they  are  doing  about  it. 
In  making  Warner  Bros.  Pictures  this  is  what 
the  12,000  of  us  are  doing: 


"We  are  dedicated  to  making  each 
precious  hour  spared  for  a  motion 
picture  count  to  the  fullest  in  its 
contribution  to  American  morale.  'Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy'  is  one  of  our  current  exam- 
ples. So  is  'Casablanca'. 

"And  now  we  have  'Air  Force'. 
"We've  poured  everything  into  making 
this  story.  But  the  element  of  greatness  in  it 
is  the  greatness  given  to  it  not  by  us  who 
filmed  it,  but  by  those  living  it  — the  fighting 
American  Air  Force. 

"I  believe  the  public  will  find  'Air  Force' 
as  fine  and  as  moving  a  picture  as  ever  our 
studio  has  put  forth.  It  is  because  this  picture 
is  the  unconquerable  spirit  of  our  people;  and 
because  this  is  a  story  that  says,  in  the  words 
of  our  President,  Hhe  state  of  this  nation  is 
good  —  the  heart  of  this  nation  is  sound  —  the 
spirit  of  this  nation  is  strong  — the  faith  of 
this  nation  is  eternal? 

"Sincerely,  and  with  thanks  to  all  at  our 
studio  who  made  this  production  possible  — 
Hal  B.  Wallis,  Howard  Hawks,  the  cast,  the 
writers,  and  the  thousands  of  others." 


iirrorce 


S  NOW  AT  THE  HOLLYWOOD 


THEATRE    •  B*  WAY  AT  5  I  ST  •  PERFORMANCES  ARE  CONTINUOUS 


A  MESSAGE,  AS  IT  APPEARED  IN  CONSIDERABLY  LARGER  SPACE  IN  ALL  NEW  YORK 
NEWSPAPERS  ON  THE  PROUD  DAY  WHEN  'AIR  FORCE1  BEGAN  ITS  FIRST  ENGAGEMENT 


4 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Thursday,  February  11,  1943 


Frisco  Likes 
'  Casablanca,' 
'  Commandos' 


Review 


"Young  and  Willing" 

(United  Artists) 

'"P  HREE  young  couples  with  stage  ambitions  run  an  obstacle  race  in 
*■  a  furnished  apartment  in  New  York  to  achieve  a  measure  of  suc- 
cess in  reverse.  On  that  foundation  rests  this  light  and  unpretentious 
comedy,  which  succeeds  in  being  mildly  amusing. 

The  obstacles  in  the  course  of  the  six  young  persons'  striving  for  pro- 
fessional recognition  are,  primarily,  hunger,  a  landlady  who  expects  the 
rent  to  be  paid  and  a  stubborn  producer  who  occupies  the  apartment  be- 
neath them.  The  ambitious  juveniles  are  played  by  William  Holden, 
Eddie  Bracken,  Susan  Hayward,  Martha  O'Driscoll,  Barbara  Britton 
and  James  Brown.  Robert  Benchley  is  the  producer  who,  finally,  sees 
possibilities  for  burlesque  of  a  murder  drama,  in  the  talents  of  the  six. 
Mabel  Paige  is  the  landlady. 

The  picture  is  based  on  the  stage  play,  "Out  of  the  Frying  Pan,"  and 
is  another  in  the  group  of  films  purchased  from  Paramount  by  United 
Artists.   It  was  produced  and  directed  by  Edward  H.  Griffith. 

Running  time,  82  minutes.  "G."* 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


San  Francisco,  Feb.  10. — "Casa- 
blanca" and  "The  Hidden  Hand" 
proved  a  smash  combination  at  the 
Fox,  collecting  about  $22,000  despite 
tricky  Weather.  Close  behind  was 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  which,  with 
a  good  stage  show,  drew  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  $20,000  in  a  second  week 
at  the  Golden  Gate.  The  Orpheum's 
bill  of  "Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn" 
and  "McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  was 
off  to  a  good  start  with  an  estimated 
§15,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  9-11 : 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

GOLDEN  GATE— (2,850)   (44c-S5c-65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.    Stage:  vaudeville.  Gross: 
$20,000.     (Average,  $19,500) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.A.) 

ORPHEUM— (2,440)  (20c -35c -50c -65c)  7 
days.  Gross:  $15,500.  (Average,  $10,500) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

PARAMOUNT — (2,740)  (2Oc-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $14,000.  (Average, 
$13,000) 

"Lige  Begins  at  Eight-Thirty''  (2<tth-Fox) 
"The  War  Against  Mrs.  Hadley"  (M-G-M) 

WAR  FIELD — (2,680)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $13,500.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 
"Hidden  Hand"  (W.B.) 

FOX— (5,000)     (20c-35c-50c-65c)    7  days. 
Gross:    $22,000.     (Average,  $18,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

ST.  FRANCIS— (1,400)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.     (Moved  over  from  Fox). 
Gross:  $6,800.     (Average,  $6,500) 
"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.A.) 
"American  Empire"  (UA.) 

UNITED  ARTISTS—  (1,200)  (20c-35c-50c- 
65c)  7  days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $7,700.  (Av- 
erage, $1,000) 

"I  Spied  for  France"  (Foreign) 
"Storm  in  a  Teacup"  (Foreign) 

CLAY— (400)  (I5c-35c-45c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $1,100.     (Average,  $1,000) 


New  Haven  Grosses 
Fair  in  6-Day  Week 

New  Haven,  Feb.  10. — Business 
in  the  aggregate  was  only  slightly 
above  average  at  local  first  runs,  with 
weekends  big  but  midweek  evening 
business  falling  off.  Strongest  com- 
parative draw  was  an  estimated  $4,000 
for  the  second  week  of  "Commandos 
Strike  at  Dawn"  with  "A  Night  to 
Remember"  at  the  College,  over  aver- 
age by  $1,100. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  9 : 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 

COLLEGE— (1,627)   (40c-50c)  6  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $4,000.     (Average,  $2,900) 
"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW-POLI— (3,005)    (40c-50c)    6  days. 
Gross:  $8,500.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 
"Get  Hep  to  Love"  (Univ.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,373)   (40c-50c)   6  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  .$5,500) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.B.) 

ROGER  SHERMAN— (2,067)  (40c-50c)  6 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $6,000.  (Average, 
$6,000) 


Eastman  Co.  Votes 
Quarterly  Dividends 

Rochester,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  10. — Quar- 
terly dividends  of  per  cent  on  the 
preferred  stock  and  $1.25  on  the  com- 
mon were  declared  today  by  East- 
man Kodak  Co.  directors.  The  divi- 
dends are  the  same  as  those  paid  in 
the  last  two  quarters. 


'Serve'  Grosses  Big 
$20,000,  Pittsburgh 


Pittsburgh,  Feb.  10. — "In  Which 
We  Serve"  is  expected  to  gross  $20,- 
000  at  the  Penn  and  "Casablanca" 
continued  big  at  the  Warner  with  the 
third  week  expected  to  wind  up  with 
about  $10,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  10-12: 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

FULTON— (1,700)    (30c-40c-55c)    6  days, 
2nd  week.   Gross:  $6,000.   (Average,  $7,500) 
"Chetmks"  (20th-Fox) 
"We  Are  the  Marines"  (20th-Fox) 

HARRIS—  (2,200)     (30c-40c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $10,000.    (Average,  $9,200) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

PENN—  (3,400)      (30c-40c-55c)      7  days. 
Gross:   $20,000.    (Average,  $17,000) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 

RITZ— (1,100)    (30c-40c-55c)    7   days,  2nd 
week  (moveover  from  Stanley).    Gross:  $2,- 
600.   (Average,  $2,500) 
"Mug  Town"  (Univ.) 
"Strictly  in  the  Groove"  (Univ.) 

SENATOR— (1,750)    (30c-40c-55c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $2,800.   (Average,  $2,400) 
"Three   Hearts   for  Julia"  (M-G-M) 

STANLEY—  (3,800)    (30c-44c-55c-65c).  On 
stage:  6  days  of  vaudeville,  including  Shep 
Fields  orchestra,  Wesson  Bros.,  Shyrettos. 
Gross:  $20,000.  (Average,  $20,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER— (2,000)  (30c -40c- 55c)  7  days, 
3rd  week  (moveover  after  two  weeks  at 
Penn.)  Gross:  $10,000.  (Average,  $6,500) 


'Nightmare,'  Marx, 
$13,100,  Milwaukee 

Milwaukee,  Feb.  10. — Chico  Marx 
and  his  orchestra  on  the  stage  with 
"Nightmare"  looked  like  $13,100  at 
the  Riverside  for  high  take  in  a  week 
of  two  holdovers. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  11-13 : 

"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

"The  McGuerins  From  Brooklyn"  (U.  A.) 

WARNER— (2,400)    (33c-44c-60c),   7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $7,000.  Average,  ($8,600). 
"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 

(RIVERSIDE—  (2,700)    (44c-65c)    7  days. 
Stage:    Chico    Marx    and    his  orchestra. 
Gross:    $13,100.    (Average,  $12,000). 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 

PALACE — (2,400)    (44c-65c)    7   days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 
"Eyes  in  the  Night"  (M-G-M) 

STRAND— (1,400)  (44c-65c)  7  days.  Con- 
tinued run.  Gross:  $2,000.  (Average,  $2,- 
000) 

"Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (20th-Fox) 
"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

WISCONSIN— (3,200)  (44c-65c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $9,400.   (Average,  $8,300) 


'Casablanca9  on  Dual 
At  $13,000  in  Seattle 

Seattle,  Feb.  10. — "Casablanca"  on 
a  dual  with  "Hi,  Buddy,"  appeared 
headed  for  $13,000  at  the  Orpheum  to 
top  the  town.  The  fourth  week  of 
"The  Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn" 
at  the  Liberty  continued  big.  The 
weather  was  mild  and  clear. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  11 : 

"The  Navy  Comes  Through"  (RKO) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (ZOth-Fox) 

BLUE  MOUSE— (950)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  (Moved  from  Paramount). 
Gross:   $4,100.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 
"Eyes  in  the  Night"  (M-G-M) 

FIFTH   AVENUE-(2,500)  (40c-50c-65c- 
80c)  7  days.  Gross:  $9,200.  (Average,  $9,000) 
"The  Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"Laugh  Your  Blues  Away"  (Col.) 

LIBERTY— (1,800)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $8,900.  (Average, 
$7,500) 

"Gentleman  Jim"  (W.  B.) 

MUSIC    BOX— (950)    (r40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.   (Moved  from  Fifth  Ave- 
nue).  Gross:  $4,250.   (Average,  $4,500) 
"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
"The  Glass  Key"  (Para.) 

MUSIC  HALL— (2,275)  (40c-50c-65c-80c) 
7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,100.  (Average, 
$7,500) 

"Casablanca"   (W.  B.) 
"Hi,   Buddy"  (Univ.) 

ORPHEUM— (2,450)     (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $13,000.  (Average,  $9,000) 
"Johnny  Doughboy"  (Rep.) 

PALOMAR— (1,500)  (30c-42c-58c-70c)  7 
days.  Stage:  Major  Bowes'  6th  Anniver- 
sary Revue.     Gross:  $8,900.   (Average,  $7,- 

"The  Moon  and  Sixpence"  (U.  A.) 
"My  Heart  Belongs  to  Daddy"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT-(3,050)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,200.  (Average, 
$9,000) 


Isadore  Zevin  Trial 
Slated  for  Feb.  23 

The  trial  of  Isadore  Zevin,  former 
secretary  of  George  E.  Browne,  form- 
er president  of  the  IATSE,  was  set 
yesterday  by  Federal  Judge  Vincent 
L.  Leibell,  for  Feb.  23.  Zevin  is 
charged  with  perjury  before  a  Federal 
grand  jury  and  before  a  special  agent 
of  the  Treasury  Department. 

The  alleged  perjury  was  committed, 
the  indictment  recites,  during  the 
government's  investigation  of  the 
whereabouts  of  the  $2,000,000  assess- 
ment fund  collected,  at  the  rate  of  two 
per  cent  of  their  salaries,  from  mem- 
bers of  the  IATSE. 

Assistant  U.  S.  Attorney  Boris 
Kostelanetz,  who  aided  the  prosecution 
of  Browne  and  William  Bioff  on  ex- 
tortion charges,  will  represent  the 
government  at  Zevin's  trial. 


Three  Companies 
Closed  Tomorrow 

Colnmbia,  RKO  and  20th 
Century-Fox  will  be  closed  all 
day  tomorrow,  Lincoln's 
Birthday.  M-G-M,  Paramount, 
United  Artists,  Universal, 
Warner  and  Producers  Re- 
leasing will  remain  open  until 
1  p.  m.,  Monogram  until  12 
p.  m.,  and  Republic  will  be 
open  all  day,  it  was  stated,  f 


Indpl's  Week  Fair; 
'Serve'  Leads  Films 


Indianapolis,  Feb.  10. — "My  Heart 
Belongs  to  Daddy"  with  "George 
White's  Scandals"  on  the  stage  head- 
ed for  an  estimated  $15,000  at  the 
Circle.  "In  Which  We  Serve"  at 
Loew's  looked  like  $11,000,  while  at 
the  Indiana,  "Pitsburgh"  with  "When 
Johny  Comes  Marching  Home"  was 
doing  a  $9,000  business. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  9-11 : 

"My  Heart  Belongs  to  Daddy"  (Para.) 

CIRCLE— (2,800)     (33c-44c-55c)     7  days. 
Stage:    George  White's   Scandals.  Gross: 
$15,000.    (Average,  $15,000  for  film-stage) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 

"When   Johnny   Comes   Marching  Home" 
(Univ.) 

INDIANA — (3,000)    (28c-33c-44c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

LOEW'S—  (2,800)     (28c-33c-44c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $11,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.) 

LYRIC— (2,000)  (28c-33c-44c)  7  days,  3rd 
week.    Gross:  $3,500.     (Average,  $4,500) 

Disney  Settles  Suit 
In  Federal  Court 

An  out-of-court  settlement,  for  an 
undisclosed  amount,  terminated  the 
two-day  Federal  Court  trial  here  of 
the  breach  of  contract  suit  against 
Walt  Disney  Enterprises,  Walt  Dis- 
ney Productions  and  the  Brier  Manu- 
facturing Co.  by  Leo  F.  Phillips  Co., 
Inc.  The  plaintiff  asked  for  an  ac- 
counting of  profits  and  treble  damages 
alleging  conspiracy,  claiming  that  the 
two  Disney  organizations  breached  a 
contract  with  Phillips  in  which  the 
latter  firm  would  have  exclusive  rights 
to  reproduce  Disney  characters  in 
merchandise  articles. 


Suit  Against  Harry 
Sherman  Transferred 

The  $150,000  breach  of  contract 
suit  instituted  in  N.  Y.  County  Su- 
preme Court  early  this  year  by  David 
Blum  against  Harry  Sherman,  motion 
picture  director,  was  yesterday  re- 
moved to  U.  S.  District  Court  on  mo- 
tion of  Sherman's  attorneys. 

Blum  alleges  that  under  a  contract 
entered  into  on  May  27,  1926,  to  run 
for  five  years,  he  was  to  receive  one- 
third  of  the  proceeds  of  any  film  deals 
negotiated  by  Sherman. 


Hamilton  Exhibitor  Dies 

Hamilton,  O.,  Feb.  10. — Edward 
Kuhlman,  69,  previously  operating  the 
Lyric  and  Grand  theatres  here,  died 
today  at  Mercy  Hospital  after  a  long 
illness.    His  wife  survives. 


Thursday,  February  11,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


5 


FTC  Completing 
Study  of  Rebates 
Given  Advertisers 


Washington,  Feb.  10. — An  exhaus- 
tive study  of  rebates  and  discount 
granted  to  advertisers  by  the  broad- 
casting networks  is  nearing  completion 
i'-_J|e  Federal  Trade  Commission,  it 
\^_Sisclosed. 

±estimony  at  hearings  before  a 
House  appropriations  subcommittee 
.drafting  the  Commission's  appropria- 
tion bill  for  the  coming  fiscal  year 
revealed  that  the  broadcasting  stations 
held  the  investigation  up  for  a  con- 
siderable period  on  the  ground  that 
the  Commission  had  no  jurisdiction. 

Their  opposition  was  based  on  a 
contention  that  the  Robinson- Patman 
Act  deals  with  discrimination  in  the 
sale  of  commodities  and  that  broad- 
casting was  not  a  commodity,  but  the 
Commission  got  around  that  objection 
by  making  it  under  its  general  author- 
ity to  go  into  any  unfair  methods  of 
competition  or  unfair  or  deceptive  acts 
or  practice  in  commerce. 
Once  embarked  on  the  investigation, 
the  subcommittee  was  told  by  Wil- 
liam T.  Kelley,  chief  FTC  counsel, 
the  Commission  made  a  "very  thor- 
ough investigation  not  only  on  this 
but  on  other  complaints  and  dealing 
with  the  whole  subject  and  the  whole 
industry." 

Theatre  Drive  Nets 
41,000  Lbs.  Copper 

Collections  of  copper  salvage  from 
theatres  aggregate  41,000  pounds  to 
date,  according  to  the  War  Activities 
Committee's  latest  compilation. 

The  figure  does  not  represent  the 
total  copper  salvage  by  the  industry, 
it  was  pointed  out,  due  to  the  fact  that 
a  number  of  exhibitors  did  not  dis- 
pose of  their  copper  to  the  officially 
designated  collection  agencies  and, 
therefore,  no  record  of  such  salvage 
is  available. 


Notes  from  Mexico  City 


FWC  Prepares  Manual 

A  14-page  manual  called  "SOS 
Copper  Drive"  giving  instructions  and 
outlining  plans  for  the  circuit's  effort 
to  collect  copper,  brass  and  bronze 
has  been  prepared  by  Fox  West  Coast 
Theatres,  WAC  announced. 

Philadelphia  Copper  Matinees 

Philadelphia,  Feb.  10.  —  Copper 
matinees  held  at  40  Warner  houses 
in  this  zone  produced  more  than  four 
tons  in  the  Government's  metal  drive, 
Ted  Schlanger,  zone  manager,  report- 
ed. About  25,000  children  attended  the 
special  matinees,  he  said. 


St.  Louis  Matinees  Feb.  22 

St.  Louis,  Feb.  10. — Plans  have 
been  made  by  the  WAC  here  for  cop- 
per matinees  at  110  theatres  in  this 
area  Feb.  22. 


By  LUIS  BECERRA  CELIS 

Mexico  City,  Feb.  10 

»T|  ISTORIA  de  un  Gran  Amor"  ("Story  of  a  Great  Love"),  produced  by 
11  Filmex,  was  voted  by  the  Cinematographic  Journalists  Union,  which  has 
functioned  for  some  years  as  the  judge  of  the  bests  of  the  year  in  Mexican 
pictures,  as  the  outstanding  Mexican  picture  of  1942  and  was  awarded  the 
special  trophy  that  President  Manuel  j 


Cincinnati  Matinees  Set 

Cincinnati,  Feb.  10.  —  Approxi- 
mately 100  suburban  theatres  in  this 
area  will  participate  in  a  Washing- 
ton's birthday  matinee  for  the  collec- 
tion of  copper,  brass  and  scrap  metal. 
Bonds  and  stamps  will  be  awarded  for 
the  largest  contributions. 


Returns  to  Industry 

Cleveland,  Feb.  10. — Arthur  Erlich 
has  been  appointed  first  booker  for 
the  Vitagraph  exchange  here. 


Avila  Camacho  donated.  The  organi 
zation  staged  a  fiesta  for  the  an- 
nouncements and  presentations  at  El 
Patio,  a  leading  local  night  club. 
James  Fitzpatrick  and  Dolores  del 
Rio,  as  well  as  leaders  of  the  Mexican 
film  business,  attended. 

"Alexandra,"  based  on  the  Mexi- 
can waltz  of  that  name,  produced  by 
Films  Mundiales,  the  company  that 
won  the  1941  prize,  lost  to  "Historia" 
by  a  lone  vote. 

"Mrs.  Miniver"  was  acclaimed  the 
best  foreign  picture  exhibited  in  Mexi- 
co last  year. 

Close  Race  for  Best  Actor 

There  was  a  neck-and-neck  race  for 
honors  for  the  best  actor  of  1942, 
with  Arturo  de  Cordoba,  who  worked 
in  Hollywood  for  RKO,  winning  by  a 
single  vote  over  Julian  Soler.  By  a 
one-vote  margin  over  Sara  Garcia,  the 
character  actress  who  is  one  of  the 
two  biggest  box  office  Mexican  play- 
ers, Mapy  Cortes,  the  Argentinian 
who  has  also  worked  in  Hollywood, 
won  the  trophy  donated  by  Minister 
of  the  Interior  Lie.  Manuel  Aleman 
for  the  best  1942  actress.  She  won 
on  the  strength  of  her  work  in  "Yo 
Baile  con  Don  Porfirio"  ("I  Danced 
with  Din  Porfirio"),  lace  petticoat  ro- 
mance of  the  1910  era  in  Mexico  pro- 
duced by  Mauricio  de  la  Serna,  pro- 
duction chief  for  Grovas  &  Co.  Miss 
Cortes  is  the  first  foreign  player  to 
win  a  capital  Mexican  "Oscar." 

The  trophy  for  the  best  screen 
comedian,  contributed  by  Gen.  Maxi- 
mino  Avila  Camacho,  Secretary  of 
Communications  and  Public  Works, 
went  to  Mario  Moreno,  who  as  "Can- 
tinflas"  is  the  ranking  tramp  comedi- 
an of  Mexico. 

Two  '41  'Bests'  Renamed 

The  award  of  the  industry's  bank, 
the  Banco  Cinematografica,  for  the 
best  character  actor,  went  to  Domingo 
Soler,  elder  brother  of  Julian.  Two 
of  the  1941  bests  winners,  Director 
Julio  Bracho  and  Cameraman  Gabriel 
Figueroa,  were  the  bests  again  in 
1942,  the  former  capturing  the  trophy 
of  Mayor  Javier  Rojo  Gomez  of  this 
city,  the  latter  the  prize  contributed  by 
the  Ministry  of  National  Defense. 

Other  prize  winners  were  Jose  Luis 
Jimenez,  as  the  most  sensational  find 
of  the  year,  for  his  work  in  "La  Vir- 
gen  Morena"  ("The  Brunette  Vir- 
gin"), story  of  Our  Lady  of  Guada- 
lupe, Mexico's  patron  saint ;  Susana 
Guizar,  juvenile  actress;  Narciso 
Bousquets,  who  is  only  13,  boy  actor ; 
Antonio  Esparaz,  sound ;  F.  Gomez 
Muriel,  editing ;  Manuel  Fontanals, 
scenic  effects ;  Chano  Urusta,  adapta- 
tion, and  Pedro  Galindo,  writer  of  the 
outstanding  film  song,  "Soy  Puro 
Mexicano"  ("I'm  a  Real  Mexican"). 
• 

Dolores  del  Rio  is  working  here  on 
"Flor  Silvestre"  ("Wild  Flower"), 
her  first  production  in  Mexico,  which 
is  being  made  by  Augustin  J.  Fink, 
president  of  Films  Mundiales. 
• 

The  federal  board  of  concilia- 
tion and  arbitration  has  started  a  spe- 


cial section  for  the  exclusive  handling 
of  all  conflicts  in  the  picture  industry, 
now  that  this  business  has  been  fed- 
eralized to  the  extent  of  being  placed 
on  a  par  with  railroads,  mining,  oil 
and  some  other  enterprises,  with  re- 
gard to  taxation  and  handling  work 
disputes.  Municipal  conciliation 
boards  can  no  longer  deal  with  picture 
labor  conflicts.  The  new  section  of 
the  federal  board  will  have  much  to 
do,  it  appears,  though  labor  is  running 
comparatively  smoothly  in  the  indus- 
try. The  section  has  already  started 
the  difficult  chore  of  heading  off 
strikes  aimed  at  all  the  exhibitors  of 
Tampico  and  Ciudad  Victoria,  and 
against  one  of  the  three  circuits  in 
Guadalajara,  Mexico's  second  largest 
city. 

• 

Exhibitors  here  have  at  last 
been  able  to  induce  the  munici- 
pal government  to  modify  what 
they  call  an  unequitable  method 
of  applying  civic  taxes,  that  of 
the  theory  that  each  theatre 
sells  out  at  every  performance, 
a  levy  based  upon  the  number 
of  seats  the  theatres  have  and 
which,  on  this  basis,  ran  as  high 
as  35%  of  gross.  Lie.  Manuel 
Yanez,  the  municipal  treasurer, 
in  ordering  the  discarding  of 
this  system  and  the  implanting 
of  one  that  calls  for  the  pay- 
ment of  the  tax  only  on  the 
number  of  tickets  actually  sold, 
has  hired  60  more  inspectors 
and  six  more  supervisors  to 
ward  over  the  box  offices  of  all 
cinemas  here.  These  officials 
are  required  to  remain  in  the 
theatres  daily  from  4  to  11  p.  m., 
time  of  the  usual  daily  shows, 
and  in  addition,  from  10  a.  m. 
until  2  p.  m.,  Sundays,  the  dura- 
tion of  the  matinees,  always 
morning  shows  in  Mexico. 

Lie.  Yanez  remarked  that  he 
hopes  that  this  new  taxing  plan, 
with  its  obvious  benefit  for  ex- 
hibitors, will  induce  them  to 
lower  their  admittance  prices  in 
accordance  with  the  nature  of 
their  programs,  and  by  so  doing 
be  able  to  enjoy  a  full,  or  al- 
most full,  house  at  every  per- 
formance. Along  with  this  tax 
system  goes  a  warning  that  ex- 
hibitors will  be  severely  penal- 
ized if  they  sell  more  tickets 
than  they  have  seats  and  permit 
standees. 

• 

The  National  University  of  Mexico 
announces  that  it  is  to  make  greater 
use  of  radio  for  educational  purposes 
with  the  installation  of  better  equip- 
ment, programs,  players  and  announc- 
ers at  its  station  XEUN  here.  The 
University,  which  has  been  running 
continuously  since  1553,  is  the  oldest 
in  North  America,  only  a  year  young- 
er than  the  oldest,  the  University  of 
Peru,  in  Lima. 

• 

Frequent  holidays  that  Mexico  is 
enjoying  are  proving  a  good  business 
stimulus  for  the  theatres.  Many  of 
these  holidays  fall  on  Friday,  which 
means  a  long  weekend  business  layoff. 


Rodgers  Urges 
'United  Front' 
For  Theatres 


{Continued  from  page  1 ) 

accomplish  the  maximum  in  industry 
unity,  he  said.    The  time  will  come 
when  the  benefits  of  a  "united  front" 
will  be  realized,  and  when  all  theatre 
interests  are  welded  together,  "then 
there  will  be  on  the  horizon  an  op- 
portunity for  expansion  in  this  busi- 
ness that  will  surpass  the  dreams  of 
even  the  most  optimistic."  he  declared. 
Rodgers,  who  was  the  princi- 
pal speaker,  also  recommended 
that  the  scope  of  the  Motion 
Picture   Associates   be  broad- 
ened to  an  all-industry  support- 
ed charitable  endeavor  in  the 
New  York  area  and  that  it  be 
patterned  along  the  lines  of  the 
Motion  Picture  Relief  Fund  in 
California. 

About  700  industry  persons  attended 
the  luncheon.  Former  Mayor  James 
J.  Walker  was  toastmaster. 

Jack  Ellis,  president  of  the  As- 
sociates, told  the  gathering  that  the 
membership  had  reached  a  record  of 
more  than  500,  as  a  result  of  a  cam- 
paign in  which  Rodgers  had  taken  a 
leading  part.  Ellis  said  that  Rodgers' 
efforts  had  been  largely  responsible 
for  more  than  300  members. 

500  Members  Now 

Rodgers  advocated  the  estab- 
lishment of  an  organization  in 
the  metropolitan  area  with  the 
Associates  as  a  nucleus,  and  a 
membership  of  at  least  1,000, 
that  would  be  "the  greatest 
charitable  organization  ever 
known"  in  the  industry.  To 
this  end  he  recommended  that 
the  Associates  appoint  a  com- 
mittee of  two  to  visit  Cali- 
fornia and  consult  with  officials 
of  the  Motion  Picture  Relief 
Fund  to  learn  first-hand  of  its 
methods  of  raising  and  admin- 
istering funds. 

Ellis  gave  a  resume  of  the  history 
of  the  Associates,  from  its  formation 
in  1919  as  a  social  organization  of 
salesmen.  It  later  turned  to 
charitable  work  and  broadened  its 
membership  to  include  exhibitors.  He 
said  that  Don  Jacocks  had  swelled 
the  membership  rolls  just  before  the 
meeting  by  bring  in  20  applications. 

Babe  Ruth  Joins 

Samuel  Rinzler  also  urged  support 
for  the  Associates.  Babe  Ruth  was 
a  guest  at  the  luncheon,  and  it  was 
announced  that  he  had  become  a  mem- 
ber. 

Walker  installed  the  officers.  They 
are :  Jack  Ellis,  president ;  Morris 
Sanders,  vice-president ;  Matthew 
Cahan,  second  vice-president ;  Saul 
Trauner,  treasurer ;  Charles  Penser, 
financial  secretary ;  Moe  Fraum,  re- 
cording secretary ;  Harry  Furst,  ser- 
geant-at-arms ;  Seymour  Schussel  and 
Jerome  Wilson,  trustees. 

Seated  on  the  dais,  in  addition  to  the 
officers  and  speakers  were :  Gus  Eys- 
sell,  W.  A.  Scully,  Jack  Cohn,  Samuel 
(Steve)  Broidy,  Abe  Montague, 
Charles  Francis  Coe,  David  Levy, 
Max  A.  Cohen,  Jules  Levey,  Edward 
A.  Golden,  Sam  Shain,  Jack  Ali- 
coate,  Charles  Lewis,  Harry  Lowen- 
stein,  Joseph  Lee. 


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LET'S  HAVE 
FUN 
Margaret  Lindsay 
Bert  Gordon 

C — 55  mins. 

AFTER 
MIDNIGHT 
WITH  BOSTON 
BLACKIE 
Cheater  Morris 
D 

qt 

is  ^ 
2 

March 
12 

J;  ON 

1  ~ 

March 
26 

Thursday,  February  11,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Mayor  Cancels  Fire 
Talks  in  N.Y.  Houses 

Mayor  La  Guardia  has 
abrogated  the  order  requiring 
a  fireman  or  theatre  manager 
to  address  audiences  in  film 
and  legitimate  houses  having 
stage  shows  on  how  to  con- 
duct themselves  in  the  event 
of  fire.  The  order  requiring 
-  _^ie  talk  was  issued  by  Fire 
!~i>mmissioner  Patrick  Walsh 
Tollowing  the  disastrous 
Cocoanut  Grove  fire  in  Bos- 
ton. 

Film  theatres  with  continu- 
ous showings  were  required 
to  run  a  trailer  on  the  sub- 
ject, but  the  practice  was  dis- 
continued some  time  ago.  A 
Fire  Department  spokesman 
said  the  Mayor  had  revoked 
the  order  because  he  "did  not 
want  it  overdone." 


Coast  Victory  Group 
Active  During  Jan. 


Hollywood,  Feb.  10.  —  The  Holly- 
wood Victory  Committee  topped  all 
monthly  records  during  January  by 
providing  350  personalities  to  make 
758  individual  appearances  for  the 
armed  forces  and  various  Govern- 
ment agencies,  the  Committee  revealed 
in  a  report. 

The  report  showed  that  players  par- 
ticipated in  47  USO  special  camp 
shows,  15  coast-to-coast  broadcasts,  46 
short  wave  transcriptions,  personal 
appearances  for  the  Treasury  and 
charities  in  11  cities  and  entertained 
in  52  large  military  establishments. 


Harris  Will  Discuss 
Variety  Clubs  Work 

Chicago,  Feb.  10. — Delegates  from 
26  Tents  will  hear  John  H.  Harris, 
national  Chief  Barker  of  the  Variety- 
Clubs  of  America,  outline  the  many 
war  activities  in  which  the  group  is 
participating  at  the  national  conven- 
tion to  be  held  at  the  Blackstone 
Hotel  here  Feb.  19  to  21,  it  was 
announced. 

Reports  of  various  local  commit- 
tees are  expected  to  reveal  that  more 

i funds  were  raised  and  more  charitable 
work  done  during  the  past  year  than 
ever  before,  despite  the  added  burden 
of  the  war  effort,  it  was  disclosed. 


Pearlman  Appointed 
W.  B.  Calgary  Mg'r 

Samuel  Pearlman,  former  booker 
in  Warner  Bros.  Montreal  exchange, 
has  been  promoted  to  branch  manager 
in  Calgary,  Ben  Kalmenson,  general 
;ales  manager,  announced.  He  suc- 
ceeds Harry  Kohn,  who  resigned  to 
inter  the  armed  service. 


Patterson  Urged  for 
Minister  to  Canada 

Washington,  Feb.  10. — Richard  C. 

'  -"atterson,  chairman  of  RKO,  it  is  re- 
>orted,  is  b"ing  urged  for  appointment 
s  U.  S.  Minister  to  Canada.  Patter- 

•  on  formerly  was  Assistant  Secretary 
if  Commerce. 


Notes  from  Hollywood 


Hollywood,  Feb.  10 

A  FTER  conferences  with  United  Artists  executives  now  here, 
Arnold  Pressburger  has  changed  the  title  of  "Unconquered," 
which  Fritz  Lang  produced  and  directed  for  him,  to  "We  Killed  Hit- 
ler's Hangman."  Consequently  Monogram  released  its  right  to  the 
story  title  "I  Killed  Hitler,"  which  is 
an  original  story  prepared  for  it. 


Monogram  has  signed  Wallace  Fox 
to  direct  "Ghost  Rider,"  first  of  the 
new  series  of  westerns  starring 
Johnny  Mack  Brown  with  Ray- 
mond Hatton.  Scott  R.  Dunlap 
will  produce  the  group.  .  .  .  Virginia 
Bliss  has  been  promoted  to  the  post 
of  fashion  editor  in  Paramount's  pub- 
licity department.  .  .  .  Katina  Paxi- 
nou  gets  her  second  film  role  with 
"Hostages,"  Paramount.  Francis 
Lederer  has  dropped  out  of  the  cast, 
headed  by  Luise  Rainer  and  Arturo 
de  Cordova.       #  # 

Pine-Thomas  are  planning  a  musi- 
cal film  with  a  Russian  background. 
.  .  .  Charles  Lamont  has  been  as- 
signed to  direct  Universal's  "Benny 
Goes  to  Town,"  which  will  have 
Gloria  Jean,  Donald  O'Connor, 
Peggy  Ryan  in  the  top  roles.  .  .  . 
Mabel  Page  has  been  borrowed  from 
Paramount  for  Republic's  "Prodigal 
Mother,"  Ben  Ames  Williams  origi- 
nal. .  .  .  The  next  Republic  serial  will 
be  "Secret  Service  in  Darkest  Afri- 
ca." .  .  .  That  studio  has  bought  a 
Saturday  Evening  Post  story,  "A  Guy 
Could  Change,"  as  a  John  Wayne 
vehicle.  .  .  .  One  of  the  reasons  for 
the  shortage  of  film  raw  stock  is  the 
amount  of  film  required  to  furnish 
United  Nations  with  prints  of  Ameri- 
can pictures,  according  to  Ray 
Klune,  one  of  the  industry's  contacts 
with  the  WPB,  who  quotes  an  un- 
named governmental  official.  .  .  . 
M-G-M  has  bought  "Valley  of  Deci- 
sion," new  novel  of  American  life  by 
Marcia  Davenport,  as  a  vehicle  for 
Greer  Garson. 

•  • 

"Saratoga  Trunk"  starts  next 
week  with  Ingrid  Bergman  play- 
ing opposite  Gary  Cooper  at 
Warners,  according  to  the  stu- 
dio. Sam  Wood  will  direct  the 
Technicolor  version  of  Edna 
Ferber's  novel.  .  .  .  Alexander 
Stern  Productions  has  signed 
Mabel  Todd  for  the  top  comedy 
role  in  "The  Ghost  and  the 
Guest,"  P.  R,  C.  Carl  Esmond 
has  been  given  a  term  contract 
by  Paramount  and  will  go  into 
"The  Story  of  Dr.  Wassell."  .  .  . 
PRC  has  bought  "Oh,  Babe-ee," 
original  by  Robert  Gordon  and 
George  D.  Green,  which  Leon 
Fromkess  has  given  to  Arthur 
Ripley  to  produce.  .  .  .  Columbia 
has  extended  the  contract  of 
Michael  Duane.  .  .  .  Margo  re- 
turns to  the  screen  to  play  op- 
posite Dennis  O'Keefe  in  RKO's 
"The  Leopard  Man."  .  .  .  Singer 
Frank  Sinatra  has  been  given  a 
contract  by  RKO  and  will  get  a 
role  in  "Higher  and  Higher," 
which  Tim  Whelan  will  produce. 
.  .  .  Paul  Price,  assistant  to 
Chairman  Kenneth  Thomson  of 
the  Hollywood  Victory  Commit- 
tee, has  left  for  Washington  to 
discuss  details  of  cooperating 
in  the  forthcoming  Red  Cross 
national  drive.  .  .  .  John  Ridgely 
and  Charles  Drake,  who  turn  in 
impressive  performances  in 
"Air  Force,"  go  into  the  Ann 
Sheridan  vehicle,  "Night  Shift," 


Isadore  Goldsmith  as  his  first 
American  film  productioa  assignment 
will  make  "Woman  at  War,"  at  Co- 
lumbia. Dale  Van  Every  and  Vir- 
ginia Van  Upp  are  doing  the  screen- 
play. .  .  .  Columbia  is  planning  a  se- 
quel te  "Reveille  with  Beverly,"  with 
another  group  of  name  bands.  .  .  . 
Johnny  "Scat"  Davis  and  his  band 
have  been  signed  to  appear  in  "Sa- 
rong Girl,"  Ann  Corio  vehicle  at 
Monogram.  .  .  .  Humphrey  Bogart, 
Walter  Huston  and  John  Garfield 
head  the  cast  of  "Treasure  of  Sierra 
Madre,"  which  Henry  Blanke  will 
produce.  Robert  Rossen  is  writing 
the  script,  which  deals  with  the  search 
for  a  lost  silver  mine  in  Mexico.  .  .  . 
Monogram  has  purchased  "Ground 
Crew,"  original  by  Hugh  Barnett. 
.  .  .  Samuel  Goldwyn  is  toying  with 
the  idea  of  remaking  "Dark  Angel," 
having  signed  magazine  writer  Elick 
Moll  to  do  a  revision  of  the  story, 
this  time  making  the  hero  a  Marine 
who  returns  blinded  from  combat 
wounds  on  Guadalcanal.  .  .  .  Neila 
Hart,  20  year  old  actress,  has  been 
signed  by  Columbia.  .  .  .  Skinnay 
Ennis  and  his  orchestra  and  Fran- 
ces Langford  go  into  "Trombone 
from  Heaven,"  Universal.  .  .  .  Wal- 
lace MacDonald  will  produce  "The 
Clock  Strikes  Twelve,"  for  Columbia. 
.  .  .  Lena  Horne  goes  into  "RigTTt 
\bout  Face,"  Kav  Kyser  film  at 
M-G-M. 

•  • 

Rejected  by  the  Army  and 
Navy,  because  of  the  effects  of 
an  injury  incurred  during  his 
childhood,  Jimmy  Lydon  is  still 
at  Paramount.  His  next  picture 
will  be  "Henry  Aldrich  Takes 
Over."  He  has  three  brothers 
in  the  Armed  Forces.  .  .  .  Lor- 
raine and  Rogan,  dance  team, 
have  been  signed  by  Paramount 
for  two  more  pictures.  .  .  .  Eric 
von  Stroheim,  now  playing 
Field  Marshal  Rommel  in  "Five 
Graves  to  Cairo,"  next  will  play 
a  Gestapo  chief  in  Paramount's 
"Hostages."  .  .  .  "Crazy  House" 
will  be  the  next  Olsen  and 
Johnson  picture  at  Universal. 
Robert  Lees  and  Fred  Rinaldo 
are  doing  the  script.  .  .  .  "The 
Naughty  Nineties"  is  Abbott 
and  Costello's  next  there.  .  .  . 
With  the  signing  of  Noah  Beery, 
Jr.,  to  a  term  deal,  Universal 
now  has  59  players  under  con- 
tract, 42  of  them  on  exclusive 
deals  and  17  on  pacts  calling 
for  one  or  more  pictures  an- 
nually. 

•  • 

Lester  Cutler  has  bought  "The 
Four  Freedoms,"  original  by  Alexis 
Thurn-Taxis,  with  no  release  date 
set.  .  .  .  Elmer  Clifton  is  set  to  di- 
rect "Days  of  Old  Cheyenne"  at  Re- 
public. .  .  .  Bonita  Granville  has 
been  given  a  new  term  deal  at  RKO. 
.  .  .  Republic  is  seeking  Gracie 
Fields  for  "Thumbs  Up,"  story  of 
British  factory  women,  which 
Joseph  Santley  will  direct.  .  .  .  Jane 
Arden  Thompson  has  been  made  as- 
sistant to  Huntley  Gordon,  manager 
of  the  radio  department  of  the  Motion 
Picture  Relief  Fund. 


39  Films  Now 
Shooting;  18 
In  Preparation 


Hollywood,  Feb.  10. — Thirty-nine 
pictures  were  before  the  cameras  this 
week  as  nine  finished  and  eight 
started.  Eighteen  were  being  pre- 
pared, and  59  are  being  edited. 

The  tally  by  studio : 
Columbia 

In  work :  "Redhead  from  Manhat- 
tan," "Blondie  Buys  a  Horse,"  "At- 
tack by  Night,"  "Sahara." 

M-G-M 

Finished :  "Swing  Shift  Maisie," 
"Above  Suspicion,"  "Private  Miss 
Jones." 

In  work :  "Right  About  Face," 
"Best  Foot  Forward,"  "Girl  Crazy," 
"Faculty  Row,"  "Bataan  Patrol,"  "I 
Dood  It." 

Monogram 

In  work :  "Clancy  Street  Boys." 
Started:  "Ghosts  in  the  Night." 

Paramount 
Finished:  "The  Good  Fellows." 
In  work:  "Riding  High,"  "Alaska 
Highway,"  "Five  Graves  to  Cairo," 
"So  Proudly  We  Hail,"  "Lady  in  the 
Dark." 
Started:  "Let's  Face  It." 

Producers  Releasing 
In  work :  "Girls  in  Chains." 
Started :  "The  Ghost  and  the  Guest." 
RKO 

Finished:  "Petticoat  Larceny." 

In  work :  "Free  for  All,"  "The  Fal- 
len Sparrow,"  "The  Sky's  the  Limit," 
"The  Falcon  Strikes  Back." 

Republic 

Finished :  "Shantytown." 

In  work :  "King  of  the  Cowboys." 

Started:  "Santa  Fe  Scouts,"  "The 
Man  Trap." 

20th  Century-Fox 

In  work :  "Stormy  Weather," 
"Bomber's  Moon." 

Started :  "Heaven  Can  Wait," 
"Jane  Eyre." 

United  Artists 

Finished:  "Lady  of  Burlesque." 

In  work  :  "Stage  Door  Canteen." 
Universal 

Finished:  "Sons  of  Dracula"  (for- 
merly "Destiny"),  "We've  Never  Been 
Licked." 

In  zvork:  "Phantom  of  the  Opera," 
"Cross  Your  Fingers,"  "Corvettes  in 
Action." 

Started:  "Trombone  from  Heaven." 
Warners 

In  work :  "Mission  to  Moscow," 
"Old  Acquaintance,"  "Devotion." 


Report  Mrs.  Carroll 
Stays  as  Pa.  Censor 

Philadelphia,  Feb.  10. — Mrs.  Edna 
R.  Carroll  will  continue  as  chairman 
of  the  Pennsylvania  State  Board  of 
Motion  Picture  Censors  for  another 
term  of  four  years,  according  to  au- 
thoritative sources.  It  is  said  that 
newly-inducted  Governor  Martin  has 
already  approved  the  reaopointment  of 
Mrs.  Carroll  and  the  full  staff  of  the 
censor  board,  but  that  official  an- 
nouncement has  been  held  up  for  un- 
disclosed reasons. 


Stage  Show  in  Oakland 

Oakland.  Cal..  Feb.  10— The  Or- 
pheum  Theatre,  first  run  house  of  the 
Fox-West  Coast  circuit,  has  inaugu- 
rated a  stage  show  policy  in  con- 
junction with  feature  films. 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  February  11,  1943 


Supreme  Court 
Hears  Webs 
On  FCC  Rules 

Washington,  Feb.  10. — The 
Supreme  Court  today  heard  argu- 
ment on  the  NBC-CBS  challenge 
of  the  validity  of  the  Federal  Com- 
munications Commission's  network 
regulations  outlawing  exclusive  af- 
filiation contracts,,  with  counsel  for 
the  chains  contending  that  the  rules 
deny  stations  freedom  of  speech. 

The  regulations  were  charged  to 
have  been  based  on  a  provision  in  the 
law  which  had  to  do  entirely  with 
technical  matters  and  which,  it  was 
contended,  never  had  previously  been 
construed  otherwise. 

The  FCC  order  "represents  a  frolic 
and  a  detour,  as  it  were,  into  the  field 
of  business  practices,  competition,  and 
the  meaning  of  the  anti-trust  laws," 
the  court  was  told  by  John  T.  Cahill, 
appearing  for  XBC. 

Cahill  declared  that  if  the  nets  lose 
their  option  time,  only  the  best  sta- 
tions in  each  area  will  carry  national 
advertising,  existing  chains  will  have 
neither  the  incentive  nor  funds  to  pro- 
duce the  present  schedule  of  sustain- 
ing programs,  and  the  revenues  of 
smaller  stations  will  be  so  curtailed 
that  they  will  be  unable  to  afford 
even  the  cost  of  wire  lines  to  get  out- 
side programs. 

See  48-Hour  Week 
No  Film  Problem 

{Continued  from  page  1) 

already  felt  the  effects  of  labor 
shortages  resulting  from  the  leaving 
of  skilled  technicians  to  enter  the 
armed  services  or  go  into  industries 
engaged  in  war  production,  and  have 
for  some  time  been  forced  to  conduct 
their  operations  with  depleted  forces. 

Leaders  in  the  two  industries  have 
been  concerned  over  the  situation  less 
from  the  angle  of  the  labor  cost  in- 
volved than  from  that  of  a  possible 
interruption  of  operations  due  to  the 
shortage  of  manpower. 

Leeway  Provided 

It  was  pointed  out,  however,  that 
even  though  the  President  called  for 
a  48-hour  week,  the  War  Manpower 
Commission,  in  administering  the 
order  was  authorized  to  establish  a 
minimum  work  week  either  greater 
or  less  than  48  hours,  if  such  action 
is  deemed  necessary  for  any  industry 
or  establishment  where  a  different 
work  week  would  more  effectively 
contribute  to  the  war  effort. 

It  was  pointed  out  that  film  produc- 
tion can  not  be  handled  in  the  same 
way  as  the  manufacture  of  munitions 
and  shoes  and  that  the  WMC  is  em- 
powered to  prescribe  a  work  week  of 
more  or  less  than  48  hours  in  any 
case  where  a  variance  would  better 
serve  the  war  program. 


Veteran  Comedian  Dies 

James  T.  Powers,  81,  comedian  and 
light  opera  singer  of  another  genera- 
tion, died  here  yesterday.  His  most 
famous  role  was  that  of  Bob  Acres 
in  "The  Rivals." 


Stations  Warned 
On  Personnel,  Air 
Raid  Data  by  OOC 

Washington,  Feb.  10. — Broad- 
casters were  warned  today  by  the 
Office  of  Censorship  not  to  employ 
their  facilities  during  practice  air 
raids  and  blackouts  in  such  a  way 
that  listeners  would  grow  to  depend 
on  the  radio  for  assistance  in  the 
event  of  an  actual  air  raid. 

The  caution  was  incorporated  in  a 
revision  of  the  code  of  war  time  prac- 
tices, in  which  it  was  pointed  out  that 
during  an  actual  raid,  stations  in  the 
affected  area  will  be  off  the  air  by 
order  of  the  area  defense  command. 

A  number  of  changes  were  made  in 
the  code,  the  most  important  being 
the  incorporation  of  new  principles  to 
guide  managers  of  foreign-language 
stations  and  the  addition  of  a  new  sec- 
tion which  outlines  the  responsibility 
of  the  OOC  in  surveying  the  foreign- 
language  personnel  on  domestic  sta- 
tions. 


Film  Stocks  Reach 
New  High  in  Gains 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

a  new  high  of  47.  Also  on  a  one-half 
point  gain  Warners'  common  reached 
a  new  high  of  9^4.  RKO  was  up 
one-quarter  point  to  a  new  high  of 
5.  Universal  Pictures  preferred"  closed 
at  a  new  high  of  175^  on  a  2l/%  point 
gain. 

Twentieth  Century-Fox  preferred 
set  a  new  high  of  28^4  with  a  gain  of 
The  company's  common  gained 
%  to  close  at  15^,  just  under  the 
high.  Columbia  common  was  up  Y2 
to  11,  and  the  preferred  up  V%  to  32^. 
Consolidated  Film  common  and  pre- 
ferred were  up  fractionally  to  new 
highs. 

CBS  Announces  Net 
$4,100,000  Earnings 

The  Columbia  Broadcasting  System 
has  announced  an  indicated  consoli- 
dated net  earning  for  the  past  vear  of 
$4,  100.000.  equivalent  to  $2.39  per 
share  as  compared  with  consolidated 
net  earnings  of  $4,804,700,  equivalent 
to  $2.80  per  share  for  the  fiscal  year 
ended  Jan.  3,  1942. 

The  1942  earnings  are  estimated 
after  providing  $4,350,000  for  esti- 
mated Federal  income  and  excess 
profits  taxes,  Frank  A.  White  treas- 
urer of  the  network,  stated. 


Mittell  Estate  Left 
To  Two  Children 

The  entire  estate  of  Phillip  Mittell. 
violinist  and  music  teacher,  formallv 
valued  at  "less  than  $10,000."  was  left 
to  a  son,  Taia  S.  Mittell  of  Yonkers 
and  a  dauehter.  Mrs.  S.  M.  Weber  of 
Xew  York,  according  to  probate  pa- 
pers filed  in  Surrogates  court  yester- 
day. 


New  Credit  Union  Heads 

Xat  Brower  has  been  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  20th  Century-Fox  Em- 
ployes Credit  Union,  it  was  announced. 
Molly  Grill  was  elected  vice-president ; 
Mary  Kaem,  treasurer ;  Murray  Chi- 
kofsky,  secretary'. 


WLB  Cuts  Actors' 
Pay  Rise  to  $7.50 

The  War  Labor  Board  yes- 
terday granted  an  increase  of 
S7.50  in  minimum  salaries  for 
actors,  ruling  against  the  $10 
increase  agreed  upon  by  Ac- 
tors Equity  and  the  League 
of  New  York  Theatres.  The 
ruling  gave  no  explanation 
for  the  reduction.  Actors 
Equity,  which  announced  the 
decision,  said  there  could  be 
no  appeal.  The  increase,  mak- 
ing minimum  salaries  $57.50 
weekly,  is  effective  next  Mon- 
day. 


Six-Point  Program 
For  MB  S  Announced 


Miller  McClintock,  president  of  the 
Mutual  Broadcasting  System,  at  a 
dinner  tendered  to  the  press  last  night 
announced  a  six-point  program  for  the 
web  designed  to  '"make  Mutual  second 
to  none  in  serving  the  advertiser  and 
the  listener." 

The  six  points  are:  (1)  The  larg- 
est budget  in  network  history;  (2) 
regular  program  clinics;  (3)  in- 
creased network  service  to  affiliated 
stations  ;  (4)  an  enlarged  research  de- 
partment;  (5)  new  policies  to  make 
Mutual  "the  friendly  network,"  and 
(6)  equal  sales  emphasis  on  the  ma- 
jor markets  and  "the  small  towns." 

He  stated  that  a  meeting  of  key 
station  program  directors  will  be  held 
this  month  in  New  York  to  further 
examine  network  programming  and 
set  up  program  ideas.  McClintock 
was  introduced  by  Theodore  C.  Strei- 
bert.  vice-president  of  Mutual  and 
WOR. 

AlcClintock,  one  of  the  nation's 
leading  advertising  consultants,  told 
the  press  that  the  science  of  advertis- 
ing must  be  applied  to  network  broad- 
casting. 

Exhibitors  in  Britain 
Propose  Show  Limit 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

serve  raw  stock  in  line  with  the  indi- 
cated 25  per  cent  reduction  of  film 
which  the  Board  of  Trade  is  expected 
to  order.  The  exhibitor  delegation 
for  the  meeting  will  consist  of  C.E.A. 
officers  and  three  circuit  representa- 
tives. 

Average  programs  in  double  feature 
houses  now  run  about  three  hours. 
Under  the  new  limitation  it  would  be 
impossible  to  run  a  second  feature  if 
the  first  ran  90  minutes  or  more,  ex- 
clusive of  government  subjects  and  a 
newsreel. 


Sound  Masters  Officials 

Laurence  M.  Corcoran  has  been  ap- 
pointed vice-president  of  Sound  Mas- 
ters, Inc.,  producers  of  industrial  mo- 
tion pictures,  it  was  announced.  Cor- 
coran formerly  owned  and  operated  a 
circuit  of  small  town  theatres  in  Vir- 
ginia and  West  Virginia.  Frank  R. 
Donovan  has  been  appointed  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  production. 


New  Denver  Salesmen 

Denver,  Feb.  10. — Thomas  McMa- 
hon,  office  manager  at  the  local  RKO 
exchange,  has  been  promoted  to  sales- 
man, Al  Kolitz,  branch  manager, 
announced. 


FCC  Criticized 
For  War  Work 
But  Gets  Funds 

Washington,  Feb.  10. — War  ac- 
tivities of  the  Federal  Communica- 
tions Commission  were  f\- 
cized  by  the  House  approprijfr^f  s 
committee,  but  funds  for  their  con- 
tinuance were  not  denied  because 
the}T  had  been  requested  as  a  na- 
tional defense  measure. 

Specifically,  the  committee  called 
attention  to  a  $27,840  appropriation 
for  a  hemisphere  communications  unit 
and  $206,160  for  a  war  problems  di- 
vision, expressing  skepticism  of  the 
value  of  the  work  and  recommending 
that  the  Commission  "carefully  con- 
sider the  desirability  of  discontinuina 
them." 

At  hearings  before  a  subcommittee 
last  month,  FCC  Chairman  James  L. 
Fly  explained  that  the  hemisphere 
communications  unit  is  to  work  in  the 
field  of  inter-American  communica- 
tions toward  the  integration  of  facili- 
ties in  the  interest  of  hemisphere  de- 
fense and  economic  needs.  The  prob- 
lems division,  he  said,  was  established 
a  year  ago  to  handle  new  problems 
arising  out  of  the  war  emergency,  in- 
cluding surveillance  over  the  programs 
and  personnel  of  foreign  language 
broadcasting  stations. 

Maj.  Murray  Resigns 
Canadian  Web  Post 

Ottawa,  Feb.  10.— Major  W.  E. 
Gladstone  Murray,  Canadian  Broad- 
casting Company  general  manager 
from  1936  to  November  1942,  and 
since  then  director  general  of  broad- 
casting for  Canada,  has  resigned  to 
become  a  public  relations  counsel  in 
the  general  field  of  industry,  it  was 
announced. 

Announcement  was  also  made  fol- 
lowing a  two-day  meeting  of  the  board 
of  CBC  that  the  network  will  grant 
free  time  on  the  air  during  provincial 
elections  to  all  the  various  parties  to 
present  their  views  to  the  electors.  Be- 
fore this,  free  time  has  been  given 
only  for  Dominion  elections. 

Univ.  Plans  to  Drop 
1st  Preferred  Stock 

(.Continued  from  page  1) 

annual  meeting  at  Wilmington,  Del., 
March  15. 

The  plan  also  contemplates  the 
merger  of  Universal  Corp.,  parent 
company,  and  Universal  Pictures.  The 
bank  loans  for  the  plan  have  not  been 
finalized  yet  and  in  the  event  the  plan 
is  not  ready  for  submission  at  the 
March  IS  meeting  a  special  session 
of  the  stockholders  will  be  called  later 
to  act  on  the  plan. 

All  Universal  directors  are  sched- 
uled to  be  reelected  at  the  annual 
meeting. 


Ryan  Moves  to  KFI 

San  Francisco,  Feb.  10. — William 
B.  Ryan,  manasrer  of  KGO  and  the 
Blue  network  here,  has  been  named 
manager  of  KFI  and  KECA  in  Los 
Angeles,  operated  by  Earle  C.  An- 
thony, effective  Feb.  IS. 


Alert, 


tiers 


Picture 
Indust 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


LE  COR 

REMOVE 
First  in 


53. 


0.  30 


iNEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,   MONDAY,  FEBRUARY   15,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


British  Gov't 
Orders  Ration 
For  Raw  Stock 


Edict  Starts  Tomorrow  to 
Prevent  Overbuying 

By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  Feb.  14. — Rationing  of 
raw  stock  for  the  British  industry 
will  begin  tomorrow  under  an  order 
of  the  Board  of  Trade  which  was 
announced  Friday  without  advance 
notice  and  came  as  a  surprise  to 
the  trade. 

Announcing  this  decision,  the 
Board  of  Trade  declared  it  was 
necessary  because  the  distribu- 
tors were  already  seeking  to 
build  up  supplies  of  raw  stock 
in  anticipation  of  a  rationing 
order  and,  despite  Government 
pleas  for  economy,  were  placing 
excessive  orders  for  positive 
prints. 

All  prints  except  newsreels  made 
beginning  tomorrow  will  be  deducted 
from  raw  stock  allocations  which  will 
be  decided  eventually. 

As  previously  disclosed,  the  forth- 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


$1,198,567  Estate 
Left  by  M.  A.  Shea 

Maurice  A.  Shea,  president  and  op- 
erator of  Shea-Chain,  Inc.,  who  died 
Oct.  19,  1940,  at  the  age  of  60,  left  an 
estate  of  $1,198,567  gross  and  $1,068,- 
003  net,  according  to  a  tax  appraisal 
filed  with  the  New  York  State  Tax 
Department  late  last  week  by  O'Brien, 
Driscoll  and  Raftery,  attorneys. 

He  bequeathed  his  widow,  Mrs. 
Margaret  L.  Shea,  of  Wolfeboro,  N. 
H.,  $36,113,  plus  an  equal  share  in 
the  residuary  estate  with  three  sons 
and  a  daughter.  They  are  Mrs.  Dor- 
othy Tuckerman,  Thomas  H.  Shea, 
and  Maurice  A.  Shea,  all  of  New 
York  City,  and  William  H.  Shea,  of 
Manchester,  N.  H. 


Extras'  Wage  Raise 
Goes  to  Arbitration 

Hollywood,  Feb.  14.  —  The 
question  of  wage  increases  for 
extras  which  has  been  in 
negotiation  by  Screen  Actors 
Guild  and  producers'  repre- 
sentatives is  to  be  submitted 
to  arbitration,  it  was  decided 
late  last  week  as  a  result  of 
the  inability  of  the  negotiators 
to  reach  an  agreement. 


Red  Cross  Theatre 
Drive  Heads  Named 
By  Barney  Balaban 


Barney  Balaban,  national  chairman 
of  the  Red  Cross  War  Fund  Week 
to  be  held  in  theatres  from  April  1 
through  April 
6,  announced 
appointment  of 
the  executive 
staff  which  will 
assist  him  in  di- 
recting theatre 
collections  for 
the  cause.  Bal- 
aban also  an- 
nounced cam- 
paign co-chair- 
men. 

The  drive 
will  be  conduct- 
ed in  theatres 
pledged  to  the 
War  Activities 
Committee  some  time  after  the  com- 
pletion of  the  current  Infantile 
Paralysis  Fund  drive. 

Balaban  announced  that  Claude  F 
Lee  has  been  named  assistant  to  the 
chairman ;  Walter  Vincent,  treasurer 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Barney  Balaban 


S.  Bronston  to  Make 
15  Pictures  for  UA 

Hollywood,  Feb.  14.  —  Samuel 
Bronston  Pictures  yesterday  announced 
a  commitment  to  supply  United  Ar- 
tists with  IS  pictures  for  the  next  five 
years  starting  in  mid-Summer  with 
"The  Life  of  Jack  London",  it  was 
announced  here.  The  statement  lists 
Lazard  Freres,  Guaranty  Trust  Co.  of 
N.  Y.,  the  Security  First  National 
Bank  of  L.  A.,  N.  Rohrlich  and  Henry 
Herzbrun  as  interested  in  the  financ- 
ing of  the  new  firm. 


House  Group  Upsets 
Salary  Limit  Order 

Washington,  Feb.  14.  — The 
first  step  toward  outright 
repeal  of  President  Roose- 
velt's salary-limit  order  was 
taken  yesterday  when  the 
House  Ways  and  Means  Com- 
mittee voted  to  approve  the 
Disney  plan  to  freeze  salaries 
in  excess  of  $25,000  at  their 
Dec.  7,  1941  level  and  to  limit 
the  increase  in  lower  salaries 
to  not  more  than  $25,000  after 
taxes. 

Congressman  Disney's  plan 
was  submitted  for  outright  re- 
peal of  the  order  provided  in 
a  measure  introduced  by  Rep. 
Gearhart.  President  Roosevelt 
intervened  with  a  request  that 
the  salary  matter  not  be  in- 
cluded in  the  bill  to  increase 
the  public  debt  limit. 


Upset  in  N.  H. 
Releases  Seen 
In  Pending  Bill 


Boston,  Feb.  14. — A  bill  which 
would  completely  upset  clearance 
and  release  schedules  in  New 
Hampshire  by  requiring  that  pic- 
tures be  made  "available"  to  all 
subsequent  runs  not  later  than  30 
days  after  their  first  showing  in  the 
state  has  been  introduced  in  the 
legislature  at  Concord. 

As  an  alternative  to  the  30-day 
availability,  the  bill  would  require  that 
all  pictures  be  made  available  to  New 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Plans  for  Navy  Newsreel 
For  Own  Use  in  Making 


2  New  Partners  for 
Schwartz  &  Frolich 

Irving  Moross  and  Herbert  P.  Ja- 
coby,  both  of  whom  have  been  as- 
sociated with  the  industry  law  firm 
of  Schwartz  &  Frohlich  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  have  been  made  mem- 
bers of  the  firm,  it  was  announced 
over  the  weekend. 

Moross  has  been  in  charge  of  legal 
work  at  Columbia  for  some  time  and 
will  continue  in  that  capacity.  The 
firm  of  Schwartz  &  Frohlich  is  gen- 
eral counsel  to  Columbia. 


i  A  navy  newsreel,  designed  to  carry 
technical,  tactical  and  restricted  mate- 
rial of  special  interest' to  the  fleet,  is 
in  the  planning  stage  in  the  photo- 
graphic section  of  the  Bureau  of  Aero- 
nautics, according  to  the  current  is- 
sue of  Motion  Picture  Herald.-  The 
reel,  .will  parallel  the  one  prepared,  by 
.the  Army's  Signal  Corp,  and  is.  to  be 
Jshowh  only  to  Navy  personnel  ashore 
and  afloat,  not  to  the  general  .public. 
Lt.  Earl  Allvine,  former  Fox.  Movie-, 
tone  editor,  is  expected  to  handle  editr 
ing  of  the  newsreel.  "■  . .'  ,. 
Although  arrangements  have  not 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


Trade  Chiefs 
Start  Sessions 
OnCoastToday 

War  Problems  Main  Topic 
Of  Industry  Meetings 

Hollywood,  Feb.  14. — Top  in- 
dustry executives  arrived  here  over 
the  weekend  from  .  .New  York  to 
attend  the  second  annual  meeting 
of  the  industry  coordinating  com- 
mittee which  will  open  here  tomor- 
row and  continue  through  the.  week. 
Additional  arrivals  are  expected 
here,  tomorrow  morning.  ■  -.- 

Among  the  early  arrivals  were 
Nicholas  M.  Schenck,  president 
of  Loew's;  Barney  Balaban, 
president  of  Paramount;  Ned  E. , 
Depinet,  president  of  RKO  Radio" 
Pictures,  and  Joseph  Hazen, 
vice-president  of  Warners  and  a 
member  of  the  coordinating 
committee,  also  known  as  the 
industry  lawyers'  "Committee  of 
Six." 

Expected  to  arrive  tomorrow  are 
Spyros  Skouras,  president'  of  20th 
Century-FOx,  who  will  be  accompa- 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Meet  on  Settlement 
Of  Disc  Ban  Today 


Representatives  of  eight  transcrip- 
tion and  recording  companies  are  ex- 
pected to  meet  here  this  afternoon  with 
James  C.  Petrillo,  president  of  the 
American  Federation  of  Musicians, 
and  the  union's  executive  board  to  dis- 
cuss'an  AFM  proposal  for  settlement 
of  the  recordings  ban. 

Noticeably  absent .  from  the  list  of 
those  invited  .by  the  union  on  Friday 
to  attend  today's  meeting  were  broad- 
casters- and  the  National  Association 
of  Broadcasters.  ■  In  a  press  interview; 
Petrillo  said  that  he;  had  no  fight : with 
the  radio  industry  and,  therefore^  ex- 
cluded them  from  the .  settlement  con- 
ference. "   "  .  3 

Accompanying  the  invitations  were 
i  (Continued ..on  page  8)   .  ■ 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "Hi,  Buddy," 
"Laugh  Your  Blues  Away"  and 
"Lucky  Legs,"  Page  7.  Short 
Subject  Reviews,  Page  6.  Key 
city  box-office  reports,  Page  6. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  February  15,  1943 


Child  Fund  Tribute 
To  Hub  Fire  Victims 

Boston,  Feb.  14.— A  "Child 
Welfare  Memorial  Fund"  in 
honor  of  the  Cocoanut  Grove 
disaster  victims  has  been 
established  by  Variety  Club 
Tent  23  here  with  contribu- 
tions totaling  $5,000  already 
received,  Chief  Barker  Martin 
J.  Mullin  announced.  The 
memorial  committee  is  headed 
by  Joseph  Levenson.  E.  Har- 
old Stoneman,  treasurer  of 
the  club,  is  receiving  contribu- 
tions. 


/.  W.  Considine,  Sr., 
Dies  on  Coast  at  80 

Hollywood,  Feb.  14.  —  John  W. 
Considine,  Sr.,  father  of  the  M-G-M 
producer  and  founder  of  the  Sullivan- 
Considine  Circuit,  died  at  Good  Sa- 
maritan Hospital  here  Thursday  night 
at  the  age  of  80.  Funeral  services  will 
be  held  tomorrow  at  the  Church  of 
the  Good  Shepherd,  Beverly  Hills.  He 
had  been  associated  with  Alexander 
Pantages,  Joseph  M.  Schenck  and 
others  prominent  in  the  industry.  In 
addition  to  his  wife  and  son,  he  is  sur- 
vived by  two  daughters. 


20th-Fox  Declares 
Quarterly  Dividends 

Twentieth  Century-Fox  board  of  di- 
rectors on  Thursday  declared  a  divi- 
dend of  37y2  cents  a  share  on  the  pre- 
ferred stock  and  25  cents  a  share  on 
the  common  stock  for  the  first  1943 
quarter,  it  was  announced.  The  divi- 
dends are  payable  March  31  to  stock- 
holders of  record  March  15. 


Personal 


JACK  WARNER,  vice-president  in 
charge  of  production  at  Warner 
Bros.,  is  at  his  Coast  home  suffering 
from  influenza. 

• 

Joseph  Friedman,  Columbia  man- 
aging director  for  England,  has  left 
for  his  post  after  a  visit  here. 
• 

Lou  Kaufman,  Warner  Theatres 
assistant  film  buyer,  was  in  Ohio  late 
last  week. 

• 

Edmund  Goulding  has  left  for  the 
Coast. 

• 

Lt.  Sperie  Perakos,  formerly  of 
the  Strand  Theatre,  Thompsonville, 
Conn.,  has  been  reported  stationed  in 
California  with  the  Army. 

• 

Corp.  Alex  Harwin,  formerly 
manager  of  the  Mt.  Ephraim,  Mt. 
Ephraim,  N.  J.,  and  son  of  the  owner 
of  the  house,  is  with  the  Army  Air 
Forces  in  Porto  Rico. 

• 

Corp.  D.  Benjamin  Kresch,  form- 
er Warner  attorney  in  Philadelphia, 
has  left  Stout  Field,  Indianapolis,  to 
attend  the  Army  Air  Force  Adminis- 
trative Officers  School  at  Miami 
Beach,  Fla. 

Second  Lt.  James  K.  Trinz  of  the 
Chicago  theatre  family,  recently  com- 
missioned in  the  infantry,  is  now  sta- 
tioned at  Camp  Blanding,  Fla. 

Schwartz  Reelected 
By  Cleveland  Ass'n 

Cleveland,  Feb.  14.  —  Ernest 
Schwartz  has  been  re-elected  president 
of  the  Cleveland  Motion  Picture  Ex- 
hibitors Association  for  the  12th  year. 
Other  1942-43  officers  are  Albert  Ptak, 
vice-president ;  James  Scoville,  treas- 
urer, and  George  W.  Erdmann,  who 
achieved  a  record  by  being  reelected 
secretary  for  the  17th  time. 

Appointed  to  the  board  of  directors 
were  Schwartz,  Ptak,  Hyman  Barden, 
John  Kalafat,  Harry  Greenberger, 
Myer  Fine  and  L.  G.  Baldwin. 

Erdmann  announced  that  the  inde- 
pendent theatres  in  Northern  Ohio 
collected  more  than  $100,000  in  the 
United  Nations  Drive  so  far. 


Blumenstock  Will  Set 
'Air  Force'  Openings 

Mort  Blumenstock,  in  charge  of 
Warner  Bros,  advertising  and  pub- 
licity in  the  East,  plans  to  go  to 
Washington  and  Tampa  soon  to  direct 
exploitation  and  publicity  for  open- 
ings of  "Air  Force."  The  Washington 
opening  will  be  either  March  5  or  11 
at  the  Earle  and  Ambassador  for  si- 
multaneous runs. 

Openings  are  set  for  March  11  at 
the  State,  Tampa;  Miller,  Wichita, 
and  Orpheum,  Seattle,  with  coast-to- 
coast  radio  hookups  as  part  of  the  pro- 
gram, it  was  said. 


Aid  HVC  Red  Cross  Tour 

Hollywood,  Feb.  14. — The  Indus- 
try Service  Bureau  here  has  arranged 
to  provide  publicity  representatives  to 
accompany  five  Hollywood  Victory 
Committee  units  which  will  tour  the 
nation  in  the  Red  Cross  campaign 
Feb-  24  to  March  7,  it  was  announced. 


Mention 


DAVID  ROSE,  Paramount  man- 
aging director  in  Britain,  and 
John  Ojerholm,  manager  of  the 
Paramount  laboratory  in  England,  are 
en  route  to  London  after  extended 
visits  here. 

• 

Lester  Thompson,  head  of  the  in- 
dustry Advertising  Advisory  Council, 
will  return  from  the  Coast  tomorrow. 
• 

Cadet  James  O'Shea,  son  of  E.  K. 
O'Shea,  will  graduate  tomorrow  from 
the  Naval  Cadet  School  at  Marianna, 
Florida. 

• 

Stanley  Jacques,  RKO  branch 
manager  in  Cincinnati,  was  a  New- 
York  visitor  last  week. 

• 

Sidney  Kappner,  operator  of  the 
Upsal,  Philadelphia,  has  joined  the 
Anti-Aircraft  Division  of  the  Army 
Air  Force  Reserve. 

• 

John  Cycum,  formerly  at  the 
Capitol,  Middletown,  Conn.,  has  been 
stationed  with  the  Coast  Guard  in 
New  York. 

• 

F.  W.  Naulteus,  manager  of  the 
Arrow   Theatre,   Cherokee,   la.,  has 
been  inducted  into  the  Army. 
• 

Lloyd  Bridgham,  manager  of  the 
Broadway  Theatre,  Dover,  N.  H.,  has 
been  made  a  member  of  the  publicity 
and  public  relations  committee  of  the 
Dover  Kiwanis  Club. 

I A  Forms  Exchange 
Union  in  Kansas  City 

Kansas  City,  Feb.  14. — Local  F-23, 
Film  Exchange  Employes,  union  of 
front  office  workers,  has  been  char- 
tered here  through  Felix  Snow,  IAT 
SE  sixth  vice-president.  Officers  are 
L.  F.  Durland,  president ;  Vernon 
Smith,  vice-president ;  M.  E.  An- 
derson, business  representative ;  Wood- 
row  Walker,  financial  secretary ;  Ann 
O'Toole,  recording  secretary ;  Al 
Chaffee,  guide ;  William  Schwartz, 
sergeant-at-arms.  The  executive 
board  includes,  in  addition  to  the 
president  and  vice-president,  J.  H. 
States,  Charles  Decker  and  Noreen 
O'Connor. 

Two  Incorporations 
Approved  at  Albany 

Albany,  Feb.  14. — Secretary  of 
State  Thomas  J.  Curran  has  issued 
papers  of  incorporation  to  two  motion 
picture  companies.    They  are  : 

Jay  C.  Fonda,  Inc.,  New  York,  with 
authorized  capital  stock  of  $10,000  to 
make  motion  picture  apparatus  of  all 
kinds,  directors  being  Jay  C.  Fonda, 
Edward  Lemberger,  Bronx,  and  Regi- 
nald H.  Schenck,  Englewood,  N.  J. 
Schenck  filed  the  papers. 

Climax  Theatres  Corp.,  200  shares, 
no  stated  par  value,  by  Gustav  A. 
Mezger,  Roslyn  Heights,  who  filed 
the  papers ;  John  F.  Laurence,  Port 
Washington,  and  B.  E.  Mezger,  Ros- 
lyn Heights. 

Final  RKO  Drive  Meeting 

Robert  Wolff,  captain  of  the  RKO 
sales  drive,  conducted  a  meeting  at  the 
New  York  exchange  on  Friday  as  the 
last  of  the  current  series  of  exchange 
meetings  which  he  has  been  conduct- 
ing around  the  country.  Home  office 
executives  were  present. 


Nelson  Rockefeller 
To  Confer  On  Coast 


Hollywood,  Feb.  14. — A  series  of 
informal  conferences  with  members  of 
the  film  industry  will  be  held  in  Los 
Angeles  late  this  week  by  Nelson 
Rockefeller,  Coordinator  of  Inter- 
American  Affairs. 

Rockefeller  plans  to  leave  Wash- 
ington for  the  Coast  on  Tuesdayiica<l 
Wednesday,  accompanied  by  Assi^ 
Coordinator  Percy  Douglas.  Francis 
Al  stock,  chief  of  the  motion  picture 
division,  also  will  attend  the  Holly- 
wood meetings. 

Present  plans  call  for  them  to  visit 
only  one  day  in  Los  Angeles,  from 
where  the  Coordinator  will  go  to  San 
Francisco  for  conferences  on  economic 
matters,  returning  to  Washington  im- 
mediately thereafter. 

Expect  500  to  Hear 
Coefs  Hub  Address 

Boston,  Feb.  14. — More  than  500 
reservations  have  been  made  for  the 
luncheon  of  the  Advertising  Club  of 
Boston  which  will  be  held  here  to- 
morrow with  Charles  F.  Coe,  vice- 
president  and  general  counsel  of 
MPPDA,  as  principal  speaker. 

A  large  delegation  of  Boston  ex- 
changemen,  exhibitors,  Advertising 
Club  and  Variety  Club  members  are 
expected  to  be  on  hand.  Coe's  topic 
will  be  the  war  role  and  accomplish- 
ments of  the  industry.  Accompanying 
him  from  New  York  will  be  Arthur 
De  Bra  and  David  Palfreyman  of  the 
MPPDA  and  Mark  Larkin,  Gordon 
White  and  Duke  Hickey,  comprising 
the  industry's  new  public  relations 
field  staff. 

Variety  Club's  10th 
Year  in  Cleveland 

Cleveland,  Feb.  14. — The  10th  an- 
niversary of  the  local  Variety  Club 
was  observed  here  Saturday  night  at 
the  installation  dinner-dance  in  honor 
of  new  officers. 

Charles  Rich,  Warner  branch  man- 
ager here,  is  new  chiet  barker ;  Ber- 
nard Kranze  of  RKO,  vice-president ; 
Edward  Bergman,  secretary,  with  I.  J. 
Schwartz,  20th  Century-Fox  manager, 
re-elected  treasurer. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAI  LY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company. 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center. 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Ouigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau.  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl. 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Ouigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10cL 


We   wish  to... 

PUBLICLY  THANK 

MR.  RICK  RICKETSON 

Intermountain  Chairman  of 
Motion  Picture  War  Activities 

MR.  SAMUEL  GOLDWYN 

World  Famous  Producer 

MR.  E.  L.  ALPERSON 

Vice-President  of  RKO 

for  their  wonderful  cooperation 
during  our  recent  War  Bond 
drive. 

Without  their  aid,  we  could  not 
have  staged  the  Premiere  show- 
ing of  "They  Sot  Me  Covered" 
at  the  Orpheum  Theatre  in  Den- 
ver, nor  could  we  have  reached 
the  gratifying  total  of  $2,715,250 
in  War  Bond  sales. 

DENVER  LODGE 

No.  171 

B'NAI  B'RITH 


Blue  Monday  For 

Some  Folks— But  It's 
Just  One  Long 

Weekend  For  Me! 


Weekdays  aren't  weak  days 
anymore  —  not  when  you're  play- 
ing Paramount's  miracle  money 
show!  Watch  how  those  Mon- 
days and  Tuesdays  stand  up  after 
the  most  phenomenal  weekends. 
Watch  how  it  tops  "Morocco"  in 
date  after  date.  Watch  how  it's 
hol-l-l-l-ding  everywhere.  Watch— 


40 


6th  Top- Grossing  Sensation  In  A  Row 

From  PARAMOUNT 

7-"Happy  Go  Lucky."  8-Cecil  B.  DeMille's  "Reap  the  Wild 
Wind" First  Time  at  Popular  Prices.  9-" China."  10-" Dixie." 


OF  EM  ALL 

$mes  to  you  from  RKO  RADIO! 


Howyour  fans  will  thrill  to  Zandra... 
bewitching  beauty  of  the  wildlands 
...trapped  by  brutal  beast- men... 
as  Tarzan's  most  amazing  adven- 
ture throbs  across  the  screen!  The 
show  that  packs  a  big,  new  Tarzan 
wallop  for  folks  of  every  age  I 


EDGAR  RICE  BURROUGHS' 

TARZAN  TRIUMPHS 

starring 

JOHNNY  WEISSMULLER 

FRANCES  GIFFORD 
JOHNNY  (BOY)  SHEFFIELD 

DIRECTED  BY  WILLIAM  THIEIE 

Screen  Play  by  Roy  Chanslor  and  Carroll  Young  •  From  a  Story  by  Carroll  Young 
Based  Upon  the  Characters  Created  by  Edgar  Rice  Burroughs 

Join  the  industry's  March  of  Dimes  Drive  . . .  Feb.  18  to  Feb.  24 


Produced  by 

SOL  LESSER 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  February  15,  1943 


•  Short  Subject  Reviews  • 


'Casablanca'  in 


Terrific  Gross, 
$77,800,  L.  A. 


Los  Angeles,  Feb.  14.— Business 
was  good  at  most  first  runs  here  and 
at  some  houses  was  tremendous. 
"Casablanca"  rolled  up  a  terrific  $77,- 
800  at  three  Warner  theatres,  and, 
comparatively,  "Star  Spangled  Rhy- 
thm" was  the  next  best  draw  with 
$37,000  at  two  Paramount  houses. 
"The  Immortal  Sergeant"  was  good  at 
$48,100  at  four  theatres.  "Commandos 
Strike  at  Dawn"  and  "A  Night  to 
Remember"  continued  strong  in  a  sec- 
ond week. 

"Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  10 : 

"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th-Fox) 

CARTHAY  CIRCLE-(1,518)  (33c-44c- 
55c-75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $7,000.  (Average, 
$7,400) 

"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th- Fox) 

CHINESE— (2,500)      (33c-44c-S5c-75c)  7 
days.     Gross:   $12,500.     (Average,  $13,500) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 
"Gorilla  Man"  W.B.) 

HAWAII— (1,100)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days. 
4th  week.    Gross:  $5,500.    (Average,  $3,200) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 

HILLSTREET — (2,700)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $15,700.  (Average, 
$14,900) 

"Immortal  Sergeant"  (ZOth-Fox) 

LOEWS  STATE— (2,500)  (33c-44c-55c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $20,000.  (Average, 
$19,500) 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (CoL) 

VANTAGES— (3,000)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $13,500.  (Average, 
$12,000) 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Hollywood)— (1,407)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $13,000. 
(Average,  $10,100) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Downtown)— (3,595)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $24,- 
000.    (Average,  $16,700) 
"Immortal  Sergeant"  (aith-Fox) 

RITZ— (1,376)     (33c-44c-55c-85c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $8,600.    (Average,  $9,400) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

WARNER      PROS.   (Hollywood)— (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$25,800.     (Average,  $13,200) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

WARNER    BROS.     (Downtown)— (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$28,600.    (Average,  $14,300) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

WARNER  BROS  .(Wiltern)— (2,200)  (33c- 
44c-55c-65c-85c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$23,400.    (Average,  $10,000) 


Omaha  on  Upswing; 
'Meanest  Man'  Tops 


Omaha,  Feb.  14. — First-run  busi- 
ness here  took  an  exceptional  up- 
swing and  suburbans  also  reported  a 
general  increase  in  grosses.  "Mean- 
est Man  in  the  World"  and  "Henry 
Aldrich,  Editor"  grossed  a  high  $9,- 
300  for  the  week.  The  weather  was 
clear  and  unseasonably  warm. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  10-1 1  : 

"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 
"Johnny  Doughboy"  (Rep.) 

BRANDEIS— (1,200)      (30c-35-44c-50c)  7 
clays.    Gross:  $5,100.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"When   Johnny   Comes   Marrching  Home" 

(Univ.) 
"Fall  In"  (U.A.) 

OMAHA— (2,000)     (30c-35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $8,800.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (20th-Fox) 
"Henry  Aldrich,  Editor"  (Para.) 

ORPHEUM— (3,000)  (40c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:   $9,300.     (Average,  $8,000) 


"Cow-Cow  Boogie" 

{Universal) 

HERE  is  a  really  amusing  Techni- 
color animated  cartoon.  The 
ranch  foreman  looks  about  him  and 
finds  the  cowhands  asleep,  and  the 
cows  lounging  about  with  no  more 
energy  than  is  required  for  them  to 
knit  or  play  gin  rummy.  The  wiley 
foreman  knows  that  this  is  due  to  the 
drowsing  effect  which  continual  sing- 
ing of  "Home  on  the  Range"  has  on 
the  boys  and  cows  alike.  So  when 
a  colored  boy  with  a  new  boogie- 
woogie  cow  song  comes  along,  the 
foreman  lassos  him  and  sets  him  to 
work.  His  music  has  an  enervating 
effect,  and  the  cowboys  are  soon 
astride  their  horses,  and  the  cows  are 
flocking  in  to  be  shipped  to  the  market 
for  Army  beef.  Running  time,  7  mins. 
Release,  Jan.  4. 


"Ladies  Day  in  Sports" 

(Columbia) 

Women  have  substituted  for  men 
in  practically  all  fields  of  endeavor, 
and  here  they  take  over  some  sports 
which  have  been  considered  strictly 
masculine  activities.  Women  jockeys 
at  the  race  track,  women  football 
players,  polo  players  and  bowling  ex- 
perts show  what  the  fair  sex  can  do 
in  sports  requiring  real  physical 
strength.  There  is  also  an  ice  hockey 
game  played  by  the  ladies,  which  is 
quite  exciting.  Running  time,  10 
mins.    Release,  Jan.  22. 


"Blitz  on  the  Fritz" 

(Columbia) 

Harry  Langdon,  as  a  rather  mousy 
man,  starts  collecting  salvage  for  the 
war  effort,  while  his  wife  and  her 
friends  have  a  first  aid  class  in  his 
home.  He  chases  a  rubber  tire  he  has 
collected  through  an  apartment  house 
window  and  into  the  middle  of  a  group 
of  German  saboteurs.  When  he  leaves 
the  apartment,  no  one  will  believe  that 
he  has  discovered  spies,  so  he  starts 
throwing  things  at  men  on  the  street, 
hoping  that  he  can  collect  an  infuri- 
ated mob  and  lead  them  to  the  apart- 
ment. He  succeeds,  and  his  irate  pur- 
suers capture  the  spies  for  him.  Har- 
ry is  a  hero !  The  proceedings  stretch 
the  imagination  somewhat,  but  there 
are  really  funny  moments  of  pure 
slapstick.  Running  time,  18^  mins. 
Release,  Jan.  22. 


"Mother  of  Presidents" 

(Universal) 

Virginia,  the  state  which  produced 
Washington,  Jefferson,  Madison, 
Monroe  and  Wilson,  is  visited  pic- 
torially.  The  scenes  of  the  University 
of  Virginia  and  the  dwellings  of  the 
famous  men  who  came  from  the  state 
are  unusually  interesting,  since  those 
homes  have  been  preserved  and  much 
of  their  original  furnishings  remain. 
Jefferson  himself  designed  the  beau- 
tiful University  buildings.  Running 
time,  10  mins.    Release,  Feb.  15. 


Will  Release  French  Film 

"Our  Lady  of  Paris,"  a  French  film, 
has  been  synchronized  and  edited  for 
release  here  by  Hirliman  Florida  Pro- 
ductions, Inc.,  the  company  announced. 
Father  Robert  W.  Gardner  of  Mary- 
knoll,  N.  Y.,  has  written  the  screen- 
play. 


"Boomtown,  D.  C" 

(This  Is  America,  No.  4) 

(RKO) 

FILLED  with  great  possibilities  for 
a  real  behind-the-scenes  story  of 
overcrowded,  busy,  hard  working 
Washington  in  these  nerve  straining 
war  days,  the  film  is  only  fairly  in- 
teresting in  showing  crowded  living 
conditions,  dullness,  and  lack  of  social 
life  in  the  lives  of  the  office  girls  and 
enlisted  men  who  work  in  Washing- 
ton's war  offices  and  guard  Washing- 
ton's buildings  and  population.  The 
subject  carries  a  thread  of  story  in 
concentrating  on  the  lives  of  two  peo- 
ple— a  girl  war  office  worker,  and  a 
private  in  the  special  White  House 
Guard.  Running  time,  19  mins.  Re- 
lease, Feb.  12. 


"Community  Sing" 

(No.  6,  Series  7) 

(Columbia) 

"Old  MacDonald  Had  a  Farm"  ap- 
pears in  revised  form  with  the  new 
title  "MacDonald  Had  a  Son,"  and 
concerns  the  worthy  farmer's  son  in 
the  Army.  "Margie,"  "Sleepy-Time 
Gay"  and  "Carry  Me  Back  to  the 
Lone  Prairie,"  all  old  favorites,  round 
out  the  program  by  providing  familiar 
songs  that  are  easy  to  sing.  The 
grand  finale  is  that  very  modern  song, 
"Nothing'll  Stop  the  Army  Air 
Corp."  the  kids  will  love  that  one. 
Running  time,  9%  mins.  Release, 
Jan.  1. 

"Wolf  in  Thief's 
Clothing" 

(Columbia) 

Andy  Clyde  and  Emmet  Lynn  are 
two  creaking-with-age  Romeos,  each 
of  whom  is  intent  on  capturing  the 
hand  of  the  widow  Brown.  In  the 
course  of  the  courtships,  they  batter 
each  other  a  good  deal  and  go  through 
all  the  conventional  slap-stick  routines 
which  are  quite  funny.  Andy  wins  the 
widow  by  bringing  her  a  white-walled 
tire,  more  precious  than  gold.  Run- 
ning time,  18  mins.    Release,  Feb.  12. 

"The  Screwball" 

(Universal) 

Woody  Woodpecker,  in  bright 
Technicolor,  enrages  a  cop,  almost 
cripples  a  baseball  fan,  annoys  every- 
one and  ruins  the  game  between  the 
"Drips"  and  the  "Droops."  For  those 
who  like  Woody's  raucous  laughter 
and  uninhibited  antics,  this  is  an 
amusing  few  minutes  of  cartoon  en- 
tertainment. Running  time,  7  mins. 
Release,  Feb.  2. 


"Let  Huey  Do  It" 

(Person-Oddities  ) 

(Universal) 

The  featured  attraction  in  this  new- 
est number  of  the  Person-Oddities 
series  is  F.  B.  Huey,  the  one-man  in- 
surance company,  who  is  everything 
from  president  and  board  of  directors, 
to  janitor.  He  is  also  a  super  sales- 
man. A  winery  in  a  million  dollar 
castle  on  an  island  in  Lake  Erie,  an 
amazing  collection  of  antique  clocks, 
a  Humming  Bird  sanctuary  and  a 
2-year-old  miss  who  is  an  excellent 
swimmer,  round  out  the  bill.  One  other 
outstanding  feature  is  the  group  of 
miniature  mining  towns  built  by  a 
California  farmer.  Running  time,  9 
mins.    Release,  Jan.  25. 


"Mr.  Smug" 

(Victory  Short) 

(Columbia) 

MR.  SMUG  is  finding  it  increas- 
ingly difficult  to  promote  compla- 
cency in  the  United  States.  People 
are  no  longer  willing  to  listen  to  his 
advice  that  a  game  of  golf  is  more  im- 
portant than  collecting  scrap,  th^  ^ ' 
new  hat  is  more  important  than  a  W 
bond.  Common  sense  is  taking  over. 
The  film's  approach  is  somewhat 
naive,  with  Mr.  Smug  and  Common 
Sense  each  whispering  conflicting 
views  into  the  ears  of  confused  Amer- 
icans, but  the  propaganda  is  effective. 
Running  time,  11  mins.  Release,  Jan. 
28. 


"Cholly  Polly" 

(Phantasy  Cartoon) 

(Columbia) 

Cholly  is  a  parrot  who  attempts  to 
stir  up  trouble  between  the  cat  and 
dog,  by  applying  the  suggestions  he 
finds  in  "Mein  Kampf."  It  takes  him 
a  long  time  to  get  the  cat  and  dog 
angry  with  each  other,  and  even  then 
they  wind  up  by  discovering  the  par- 
rot's wiles  and  venting  their  ire  on 
him.  The  cartoon  is  moderately  enter- 
taining. Running  time,  6V2  mins.  Re- 
lease, Dec.  31. 

"Winter  Sports 
Jamboree" 

(Universal) 

Beautiful  photography  enhances  the 
charm  of  the  winter  background  and 
gives  the  skiing  scenes  a  fairy- 
land quality.  There  are  also  skating, 
dog-sledding  and  ski-jumping  shots, 
which  are  always  thrilling,  no  matter 
how  often  they  have  been  seen  before. 
In  addition  to  the  civilian  activities, 
there  is  a  portion  of  the  film  devoted 
to  ski-troops  training  high  in  the  snow- 
capped mountains  where  tourists  form- 
erly came  for  their  winter  vacations. 
Running  time,  9  mins.  Release,  Jan. 
18. 

Proposes  'Rotating' 
Panel  of  Arbitrators 

A  "rotating"  panel  of  arbitrators, 
each  serving  in  turn  and  receiving 
compensation  'comparable  with  that 
paid  members  of  the  appeal  board,  is 
proposed  for  industry  arbitration  com- 
plaints by  Julius  Henry  Cohen,  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  the  American  Ar- 
bitration Association,  in  a  personal 
memorandum  prepared  recently. 

The  object  of  the  plan,  he  says,  is  to 
speed  up  the  arbitration  process  by 
eliminating  the  necessity  for  instruct- 
ing inexperienced  arbitrators  in  the 
intricacies  of  the  industry  while  pro- 
viding a  panel  of  arbitrators  familiar 
with  all  awards  and  appeal  board  de- 
cisions on  file. 

The  memorandum  was  prepared, 
Cohen  states,  "for  consideration  of 
those  charged  with  reviewing  the  (ar- 
bitration) experiment  under  the  con- 
sent decree."  Copies  of  it  were  sent 
to  Federal  Judge  Henry  Goddard  and 
the  Department  of  Justice. 


To  Lecture  on  Films 

Vladimir  M.  Lissim,  RKO  Radio 
foreign  division  manager,  will  deliver 
a  series  of  lectures  on  the  film  indus- 
try at  the  Institute  of  Comparative 
Law,  starting  Feb.  25,  at  the  New 
School  for  Social  Researh. 


Monday,  February  15,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Cox  or  Clark  Seen 
Succeeding  Arnold 

Washington,  Feb.  14. — Men- 
tioned as  possible  appointees 
to  head  the  anti-trust  divi- 
sion of  the  Department  of 
Justice  to  replace  Thurman 
W.  Arnold  are  Hugh  Cox, 
former  assistant  to  the  At- 
torney General  in  the  anti- 
trust division,  and  Thomas  C. 
.,ylark,  Arnold's  assistant.  Cox 
ts  now  on  a  special  assign- 
ment with  the  Board  of  Eco- 
nomic Welfare. 

Arnold  was  nominated  by 
President  Roosevelt  last 
Thursday  to  be  an  associate 
justice  of  the  District  of  Col- 
umbia Court  of  Appeals,  suc- 
ceeding Justice  Wiley  Rut- 
ledge,  now  a  member  of  the 
Supreme  Court. 


Fire  Regulation  Bill 
Pending  in  Indiana 

Indianapolis,  Feb.  14. — Indiana 
exhibitors  would  be  required  to  ob- 
tain annual  licenses  from  the  state 
fire  marshal  under  provisions  of  a  bill 
pending  in  the  General  Assembly.  The 
license  would  cost  $5  for  houses  up  to 
150  seats  and  $10  for  those  with  ca- 
pacity over  150. 

'No  Smoking*  In  Milwaukee 

Milwaukee,  Feb.  14. — An  ordi- 
nance banning  smoking  in  theatres  ex- 
cept in  areas  approved  by  the  build- 
ing inspector  has  been  passed  by  the 
common  council.  The  ordinance  or- 
ders operators  to  screen  an  announce- 
ment of  the  no-smoking  rule. 

Six  Feet  Per  Person  In  N.  S. 

Halifax,  N.  S.,  Feb.  14. — The 
provincial  fire  marshal  has  allowed  six 
square  feet  of  space  for  each  person 
in  theatres,  it  is  reported  here.  No  the 
atres  in  this  province  have  been  closed 
because  of  lack  of  adequate  fire  pro 
tection,  but  some  minor  changes  havt 
been  made  to  comply  with  the  rigid 
regulations,  it  was  stated. 

Check  Omaha  Theatres 

Omaha,  Feb.  14. — Calling  for  the 
end  of  hazardous  conditions  in  places 
of  amusement,  especially  suburban 
theatres,  Fire  Chief  O'Connor  has 
instructed  fire  department  inspectors 
to  concentrate  on  these  establishments 
"and  see  they  conform  with  all  fire 
and  safety  regulations."  He  declared 
that  many  theatres  allowed  crowding 
of  aisles  and  blocking  of  exits. 


Iowa  Law  Introduced 

Des  Moines,  Feb.  14.— Sen.  G.  R. 
Hill  of  Clarion  has  introduced  in  the 
Iowa  Senate  a  bill  to  establish  a  code 
of  fire  prevention  and  building  laws 
for  motion  picture  theatres.  The  bill 
would  give  the  State  fire  marshall 
powers  of  enforcement. 


Wisconsin  Manager  Dies 

Whitewater,  Wis..  Feb.  14. — Fred 
C.  Hinds,  49,  manager  of  the  Strand 
Theatre  here  since  1930,  died  here. 
He  was  also  manager  of  the  Fort  and 
Uptown  Theatres  in  Fort  Atkinson. 


Manager's  Wife  Dies 

Kenosha,  Wis.,  Feb.  14. — Mrs. 
Grace  Adele  Exton,  41,  wife  of  J. 
William  Exton,  manager  of  the  Roose- 
velt Theatre,  died  here. 


Reviews 


'Hi,  Buddy' 


{Universal ) 

C  ONGS  galore  feature  this  film  with  Harriet  Hilliard,  Dick  Foran 
^  and  Robert  Paige  in  the  leading  roles.  "'Hi,  Buddy"  is  a  modest 
production  with  the  songs  and  singing  stars  for  drawing  power. 

There's  a  wide  variety  of  musical  entertainment,  starting  with  a 
children's  show  and  concluding  with  a  song  and  dance  performance  by 
servicemen.  A  group  of  husky  soldiers  even  stage  a  Floradora  sextet 
number.  Paige  carries  the  heaviest  load  of  the  vocals  with  a  very  pleas- 
ing voice.  Miss  Hilliard  takes  care  of  most  of  the  others  with  her  usual 
ability. 

Among  the  18  songs  in  the  film,  there  are  such  well-known  numbers 
as  "Star  Dust,"  "Camp  Town  Races,"  "Old  Folks  at  Home"  and  the  Air 
Corps  song.  The  title  song  is  "Hi,  Buddy  Hi,"  by  Milton  Rosen  and  Ev- 
erett Carter. 

Bobs  Watson  is  appealing  as  president  of  the  "Hi,  Buddy  Club"  in 
which  Foran,  Paige  and  Marjorie  Lord  are  greatly  interested.  Paige,  a 
fireman,  embarks  on  a  radio  career  with  Miss  Hilliard  in  order  to  pro- 
vide funds  to  continue  the  club  for  young  boys  on  New  York's  East 
Side.  Through  the  trickery  of  the  songstress  and  her  manager,  Gus 
Schilling,  he  is  almost  estranged  from  the  group.  He  discovers  the 
underhand  work  in  time  to  redeem  himself,  but  not  before  Foran  gets  his 
soldier,  sailor,  marine  and  air  corps  buddies  together  to  stage  a  benefit 
for  the  kids.  Then,  Paige  rejects  his  new  found  fame  to  enlist  in  the 
Army. 

Paul  Malvern  was  associate  producer  and  Harold  Young  director. 
Charles  Previn  was  music  director. 
Running  time,  68  minutes.  "G."* 


"Laugh  Your  Blues  Away" 

(Columbia) 

HP  HIS  is  an  enjoyable  comedy  concerned  with  a  family  which  decides 
*■  to  pretend  it's  wealthy,  so  that  the  son  can  marry  a  rich  girl.  The 
picture  is  suitable  for  adults  and  children  alike,  and  moves  at  a  fast  pace. 

Isobel  Elsom,  mother  in  a  not-too-well-to-do  family,  decides  to  hire 
actors  to  portray  senators,  judges,  counts,  princes  and  other  aristocratic 
friends  and  relatives  so  that  she  can  impress  some  visiting  Texans  who 
are  really  rich,  and  enable  her  son,  acted  by  Douglas  Drake,  to  propose 
to  Phyllis  Kennedy,  who  plays  the  girl  from  Texas. 

Bert  Gordon  and  Jinx  Falkenberg  are  hired  to  appear  as  rich  Rus- 
sians. They  ruin  Miss  Elsom's  plans,  however,  when  Drake  falls  in  love 
with  Miss  Falkenberg,  and  Gordon  runs  after  Miss  Kennedy.  At  the 
last  minute,  her  true  love  comes  in  from  Texas  to  propose  to  Miss  Ken- 
nedy, leaving  Drake  free  to  marry  Miss  Falkenberg. 

Among  the  songs  in  the  film  are  "Gin  Rhumba,"  "Dark  Eyes,"  "Down 
in  the  Heart  of  Smetna"  and  "He's  My  Guy." 

In  the  supporting  cast  are  Roger  Clark,  George  Lessey,  Vivien  Oak- 
land, Dick  Elliott,  Frank  Sully,  Robert  Greig  and  Nora  Lou.  Charles 
Barton  directed  the  picture  and  Jack  Fier  produced. 

Running  time,  73  minutes.  "G."* 


"Lucky  Legs" 

(Columbia ) 

C  HAPELY  Jinx  Falkenberg  is  the  main  attraction  in  this  comedy, 
^  which  is  only  fairly  amusing. 

An  over-age  playboy  dies  and  leaves  a  million  dollars  to  Miss  Falken- 
berg. It  comes  in  very  handy,  because  the  show  in  which  she,  Leslie 
Brooks  and  Kay  Harris  are  appearing  is  about  to  fold.  However,  the 
benefactor's  two  elderly  sisters,  accompanied  by  their  lawyer,  Russell 
Hayden,  appear- on  the  scene  to  contest  the  will.  There  are  also  some 
racketeers  who  are  interested  in  the  money. 

With  their  suddent  wealth  to  make  it  feasible,  the  impecunious  show- 
girls are  displayed  in  beautiful  clothes  against  a  background  of  penthouse 
and  other  riches.  Finally  love  and  patriotism  win  out.  Miss  Falkenberg 
and  Hayden  get  married,  and  she  decides  to  keep  only  $25,000  to  back  a 
new  show,  and  to  give  the  remainder  of  the  money  to  the  government. 

Wallace  MacDonald  produced  and  Charles  Barton  directed  the  origi- 
nal screenplay  by  Stanley  Rubin  and  Jack  Hartfield. 

Running  time,  64  minutes.  "G."* 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


U.S.  Army  Hospitals 
Get  Earlier  Pictures 

Washington,  Feb.  14. — Para- 
mount, 20th  Century-Fox, 
Universal  and  RKO  are  mak- 
ing available  16mm.  prints  of 
their  pictures  for  showing  in 
U.  S.  Army  hospital  wards 
from  30  to  60  days  after  na- 
tional release  dates,  the 
American  Red  Cross  an- 
nounced here.  The  Red  Cross 
expects  that  its  film  "circuit" 
will  be  expanded  to  cover 
more  than  350  hospitals  this 
year. 


'Dimes'  Envoys  See 
SuccessfulCampaign 
Throughout  Nation 

Winding  up  a  series  of  meetings  in 
conjunction  with  the  March  of  Dimes 
campaign  which  takes  place  in  theatres 
throughout  the  country  Feb.  18  to 
24,  Edward  L.  Alperson,  Si  Fabian, 
Oscar  A.  Doob  and  Harry  Brandt,  re- 
turning here,  reported  that  enthusiasm 
among  participants  in  this  year's  drive 
to  aid  victims  of  infantile  paralysis  is 
greater  than  in  any  previous  year. 

National  Chairman  Nicholas  M. 
Schenck  announced  that  he  plans  to 
issue  a  complete  state-by-state  report 
of  collections  as  soon  after  the  cam- 
paign ends  as  possible,  giving  credit  to 
individual  chairmen  and  managers  for 
their  part  in  the  drive. 

Alperson  and  Fabian  conducted 
meetings  with  independent  exhibitors, 
circuit  operators,  distribution  officials 
and  representatives  of  the  National 
Foundation  for  Infantile  Paralysis  in 
Detroit,  Cleveland,  Cincinnati  and  St. 
Louis,  while  Doob  and  Brandt,  with 
Warren  Cross  of  the  National  Foun- 
dation, conducted  sessions  in  Chicago, 
Indianapolis,  Memphis  and  Jackson- 
ville. 

Tom  J.  Connors,  chairman  of  the 
committee  of  film  salesmen,  branch 
managers,  bookers  and  exchange  em- 
ployees, stated  that  his  group  would  aid 
individual  theatre  managers  in  making 
their  reports. 

Home  office  forces,  under  the  chair- 
manship of  Leonard  Goldenson.  will 
carry  on  collections  among  the  theatre 
and  distribution  companies. 


600  Expected  for 
Variety  Clubs  Meet 

Chicago,  Feb.  14. — The  local  com- 
mittee for  the  national  Variety  Clubs 
convention  here  Feb.  19  to  21  is  mak- 
ing plans  for  an  attendance  of  between 
600  and  700,  it  was  announced. 

Henri  Elman,  convention  manager, 
has  provided  hotel  accommodations  for 
that  number  of  delegates  and  guests, 
and  the  annual  banquet  on  Feb.  20  has 
been  shifted  from  the  Blackstone  to 
the  Drake  Hotel. 

Sister  Elizabeth  Kenny,  who  receiv- 
ed the  Variety  Clubs'  annual  Humani- 
tarian Award  for  her  method  of  treat- 
ing infantile  paralysis  is  expected 
to  be  a  speaker  at  the  banquet. 

Taylor  Rushes  'Russia' 

Hollywood,  Feb.  14. — On  the  basis 
of  information  that  the  Navy  will  al- 
low Robert  Taylor  enough  time  to  fin- 
ish the  film,  M-G-M  is  rushing  "Rus- 
sia", in  which  the  actor  is  starred,  to- 
ward completion,  it  was  announced. 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Off  the  Antenna 


CWCILITIES  for  the  repair  of  transmitting  vacuum  tubes  have  been  an- 
*■  nounced  to  chief  engineers  of  all  CBS  affiliates  in  a  letter  from  E.  K. 
Cohan,  network  director  of  engineering.  Cohan  stated  that  the  CBS-sponsored 
enlargement  of  the  Freeland  &  Olschner,  Inc.,  tube  repairing  plant  in  New 
Orleans  has  made  this  possible.  He  advised  that  the  repair  service  is  also 
available  to  CBS  competitors. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Howard  J.  London,  radio  division  director,  National 
Foundation  for  Infantile  Paralysis,  and  Mrs.  London  are  parents  of  a  daugh- 
ter, their  second  child.  .  .  .  John  C.  Schramm,  Blue  producer-director,  has  been 
named  a  lecturer  on  speech  at  Queens  College,  Flushing,  L.  I.  ...  .  Maurice 
Joachim,  WHN  producer,  is  recovering  from  pneumonia  at  Fifth  Avenue 
Hospital.  .  .  .  H.  A.  Woodman,  NBC  traffic  manager,  will  visit  in  Chicago 
and  Denver  on  his  way  to  the  West  Coast. 

•  •  • 

NBC  will  honor  10  journalists  from  Uruguay  and  Peru  now  touring 
the  United  States  at  a  reception  in  Radio  City  on  Tuesday,  Feb.  23. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  Wendy  Davis,  formerly  sports  announcer  for  WBZ- 
WBZA,  Boston  and  Springfield,  is  in  the  Navy.  .  .  .  Harold  L.  Goodwin  of 
WHAI,  Greenfield,  Mass.,  is  with  the  Marines  in  the  South  Pacific.  .  .  . 
George  Martin,  newscaster  for  KHJ-Don  Lee,  Los  Angeles,  has  received  an 
ensign's  commission  in  the  Naval  Reserve.  Parker  Gayman,  Don  Lee  news- 
caster, has  been  similarly  commissioned.  .  .  .  George  M.  Benson,  Blue 
Eastern  sales  manager,  reports  for  duty  as  lieutenant,  j.  g.,  in  the  Naval 
Reserve  this  month. 

•  •  ■  • 

Program  Notes:  When  "Information  Please"  broadcasts  tonight  at  10:30 
over  NBC  with  a  new  sponsor,  the  rooster  call  will  once  more  introduce  the 
program  after  a  lapse  of  two  years.  .  .  .  Russell  Markert  of  the  Radio  City 
Music  Hall  will  appear  on  "Bill  Stern's  Sports  News"  tomorrow  night.  .  .  . 
A  series  on  presidential  press  conferences  and  interviews  with  leading  figures 
will  start  over  WMCA  tomorrow  at  9:15  p.  m.  .  .  .  The  debut  of  the  Blue's 
"Free  World  Theatre,"  set  for  yesterday,  has  been  postponed  until  Sunday  at 
6:05  p.  m.  because  of  the  illness  of  Arch  Oboler,  director. 


8 

Trade  Chiefs 
Start  Sessions 
OnCoastToday 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

nied  by  Lharles  Skouras-,  president  of 
National  Theatres,  and  .Larry  Kent, 
bkouras  s  assistant;  Austin  i^eough, 
vice-president  of  Paramount,  also  a 
member  of  the  coordinating  committee, 
and  Francis  Harmon  of  tne  industry 
War  Activities  Committee. 

Indications  are  that  J.  Robert  Rubin, 
the  third  member  of  the  Eastern 
branch  of  the  coordinating  committee, 
and  George  J.  Schaefer,  chairman  of 
the  WAC,  will  be  unable  to  attend 
the  meeting.  Charles  F.  Coe,  vice- 
president  and  general  counsel  of 
MP  PDA,  is  expected  here  later  in  the 
week. 

Among  those  already  on  the  ground 
were:  Will  H.  Hays,  H.  M.  Warner, 
Nate  J.  Blumberg,  Harry  Cohn,  Ed- 
ward C.  Raftery  and  the  West  Coast 
members  of  the  coordinating  commit- 
tee, Mendel  Silberberg,  HerDert  Fres- 
ton  and  Maurice  Benjamin.  Top-rank- 
ing studio  executives  also  will  attend 
the  sessions. 

The  session  is  expected  to  study 
the  latest  developments  in  wartime 
regulations  and  operations  and  make 
plans  for  a  long-range  program  of 
wartime  activities,  The  raw  stock  sup- 
ply situation  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
most  important  issues  which  will  come 
before  the  meetings. 

N.  H.  Release  Upset 
Seen  in  Pending  Bill 

(.Continued  from  page  1) 

Hampshire  theatres  within  60  days 
after  national  release  date. 

Apart  from  the  complete  demorali- 
zation of  established  clearance  and  re- 
lease schedules  in  New  Hampshire 
which  would  result  if  the  measure  was 
to  be  enacted,  it  would  also  multiply 
the  increasing  difficulties  under  raw 
stock  shortages  of  supplying  anything 
like  the  required  number  of  prints 
in  the  entire  Boston  distribution  area. 

Sponsorship  of  the  measure  is  un- 
certain, but  distributors  recall  that 
Lucien  Descoteaux,  Manchester,  N. 
H.,  exhibitor,  was  complainant  in  a 
clearance  case  against  the  five  con- 
senting companies  in  1941,  and  won  a 
reduction  of  the  prevailing  60-day  first 
run  clearance  to  30  days,  an  award 
which  subsequently  was  reversed  and 
the  complaint  dismissed  by  the  appeal 
board.  Banks  interested  in  Manches- 
ter theatre  properties  are  believed  to 
be  interested  in  the  legislation. 

Navy  Newsreel  Plan 
For  Own  Use  On  Way 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

been  completed,  the  five  newsreel  com- 
panies have  been  requested  to  furnish 
the  Navy  weekly  lavender  prints.  The 
requests  were  made  by  direction  of 
the  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Aeronau- 
tics and  carried  the  signature  of  Com- 
mander Thorne  Donnelly,  USNR. 

This  action,  will  add  another  high 
priority  consumer  of  raw  stock  to  the 
long  list  of  government  film  agencies. 

According  to  the  Motion  Picture 
Herald,  78.2  per  cent  of  1942  news- 
reel  footage  dealt  with  war,  and  edi- 
tors claim  that  most  of  the  filming  was 
done  by  their  own  camermen. 


England  Orders 
Raw  Stock  Ration 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

coming  order  is  expected  to  call  for 
a  cut  of  25  per  cent  in  the  industry's 
overfall  raw  stock  consumption. 

Whether  the  percentage  reduction  in 
raw  stock  expected  to  be  ordered  soon 
by  the  Government  should  apply  to  all 
distributors  collectively  or  be  adjusted 
according  to  individual  output  is  one 
of  the  points  to  be  decided  between  the 
industry  and  the  Board  of  Trade. 

Meanwhile,  the  Board  of  Trade  last 
Thursday  began  consultations  with  the 
industry  regarding  matters  to  be  de- 
cided when  it  met  with  officials  of 
the  newsreels  and  the  Kinematograph 
Renters  Society  (distributors)  for  an 
examination  of  the  situation  and  an 
exchange  of  views. 

The  distributors  were  told  that  they 
must  disclose  all  undeveloped  film 
footage  on  hand  and  any  prints  de- 
ductible from  the  statutory  ration. 

Both  groups  decided  that  the  Board 
of  Trade  proposals  will  be  considered 
further  by  their  respective  organiza- 
tions, with  further  joint  meetings  to 
be  held  later. 

NBC  Makes  Shifts 
In  Spot  Sales  Dep't 

Changes  in  NBC's  national  spot 
sales  department  were  announced  by 
James  V.  McConnell,  manager.  Wil- 
liam O.  Tilenius,  assistant  manager, 
will  have  the  added  assignment  of 
supervising  Eastern  spot  sales  and 
local  WEAF  sales.  William  C.  Roux, 
formerly  in  charge  of  spot  sales  pro- 
motion, will  be  assistant  manager  in 
charge  of  sales  development  and  pro- 
motion. 

Richard  H.  Close,  supervisor  of 
spot  and  local  sales  traffic  in  New 
York,  will  be  sales  service  manager. 


Urges  All  Theatres 
Cut  Soldier's  Scale 


Exhibitors  who  are  not  already  doing 
so  are  urged,  in  a  current  MPT  OA 
bulletin  over  the  signature  of  Ed  Kuy- 
kendall,  president,  to  give  "careful  con- 
sideration" to  making  available  to 
service  men  either  free  admissions  or 
reduced  rate  tickets. 

"It's  the  chance  of  a  lifetime  to 
make  friends  and  build  individual  good 
will,"  the  bulletin  asserts.  "The  11 
million  men  in  uniform  in  1943  will 
run  this  country  when  the  war  is  over, 
make  no  mistake  about  that,"  it  re- 
minds exhibitors. 

Most  of  the  seven-page  bulletin  is 
devoted  to  a  discussion  of  the  need  for 
improved  exhibitor  organizations  to 
meet  wartime  emergencies  and  legisla- 
tive and  taxation  measures.  It  urges 
exhibitors  not  now  members  of  or- 
ganizations to  join  up  and  help  present 
a  united  front  for  exhibitor  interests 
before  legislative  bodies  and  govern- 
ment war  boards,  but  cautions  that 
such  a  trade  association  "must  not  be 
used  to  buy  film,  manage  theatres  or 
to  secure  special  favors  from  the  dis- 
tributors for  any  insiders." 


Red  Cross  Campaign 
Committee  Named 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
Tom  J.  Connors,  distribution  chair- 
man ;  Oscar  A.  Doob,  publicitv  chair- 
man, and  that  Robert  M.  Weitman 
and  Ed  Sullivan  will  direct  special 
war  fund  shows  for  the  drive. 

Co-chairmen  for  the  collection 
Balaban  announced,  are :  Nicholas  M 
Schenck,  Nate  Blumberg,  Martin 
Ouigley,  N.  Peter  Rathvon.  Albert 
Warner,  Jack  Cohn.  Charles  Skouras. 
Samuel  Rinzler,  Ed  Kuykendall,  M. 
A.  Rosenberg  and  James  Cagney. 


Monday,  February  15,  1943 

Meet  Today 
On  Settlement 
Of  Disc  Ban 

(Continued  from  page  1 ) 

the  AFM's  proposals  to  settle  the  dis- 
pute. In  effect,  the  union  asks  for  the 
establishment  of  a  fund  created  bA1^  ■ 
payment  "of  a  fixed  fee  to  be  agV. 
upon,  for  each  reproduction  of  records, 
transcriptions,  mechanical  devices  and 
library  service,  the  master  of  which 
was  made  by  members  of  the  AFM". 

This  fund,  the  settlement  continued, 
would  be  used  by  the  Federation  to 
reduce  unemployment  brought  about 
mainly  by  the  use  of  the  listed  de- 
vices. It  would  also,  it  was  pointed 
out,  foster  and  maintain  musical  talent 
and  culture  and  music  appreciation  and 
furnish  free,  live  music  to  the  public. 

For  recordings,  the  AFM  pro- 
posed, the  manufacturer  will  pay 
a  fixed  fee  to  the  union  for  each 
side  of  music  recordings  made 
by  its  members  with  the  fee  to 
be  decided  by  negotiation.  Under 
the  proposal,  AFM  members  will 
make  commercial  or  sustaining 
transcriptions  without  addi- 
tional fee  to  the  union  provided 
the  transcriptions  are  played 
one  time  only.  For  transcriptions 
used  on  rental  basis,  the  Feder- 
ation would  receive  a  percentage 
of  the  rental  charge.  A  per- 
centage would  also  be  paid  for 
wired  music  and  a  fixed  fee  an- 
nually for  each  juke  box. 

Companies  invited  to  the  meeting 
are  Minoco  Studios,  RCA  Victor, 
Decca,  Columbia  Recordings,  Muzak, 
World  Broadcasting  Co.,  Empire 
Broadcasting  Co.  and  the  National  As- 
sociation of  Coin  Operated  Phono- 
graph Manufacturers. 

The  NAB,  which  has  conducted  an 
active  campaign  against  Petrillo  and 
the  ban,  had  no  comment  to  mke  on  its 
exclusion. 


WLW  Sets  Up  War 
Correspondent  Staff 

Cincinnati,  Feb.  14.  —  Station 
WLW  will  set  up  its  own  staff  of 
correspondents  in  every  important 
theatre  of  the  war,  James  D.  Shouse, 
vice-president  of  Crosley  Corp.,  an- 
nounced. They  will  cable  background 
material  of  particular  interest  to  lis- 
teners in  this  area,  he  said. 

Edgar  Stern-Raurth  will  report 
from  London  and  James  Wellard  from 
Algiers,  and  assignments  are  now  be- 
ing arranged  for  Australia  and  other 
points,  Shouse  said.  WLW  is  owned 
by  Crosley  Corp.  and  affiliated  with 
the  Blue  Network. 


Pittsburgh  Dinner 
To  Honor  Moloney 

Pittsburgh,  Feb.  14. — John  J.  Ma- 
loney,  newly-appointed  central  division 
sales  manager  for  M-G-M,  will  be 
given  a  testimonial  dinner  March  1  at 
the  William  Penn  Hotel  by  Variety 
Club  Tent- No.  1  of  Pittsburgh,  it  was 
announced.  Maloney,  the  dean  of  film 
men  in  this  city,  has  spent  his  entire 
25-year  motion  picture  business  career 
in  Pittsburgh. 


Alert, 


to  the 
Picture 
Industry 


tlon 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


53.   NO.  31 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  TUESDAY,  FEBRUARY  16,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Salary  Ceiling 
Repeal  Likely 
To  Pass  House 


Proponents  Expect  Bill  to 
Come  Up  in  Week 

By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Feb.  15. — Pro- 
ponents of  salary-control  repeal  to- 
day expressed  confidence  that  the 
Disney  bill  approved  by  the  Ways 
and  Means  Committee  Saturday 
will  have  no  difficulty  in  passing 
the  House. 

They  pointed  out  that  if 
every  member  of  the  House  was 
present  when  the  bill  came  up, 
the  five  Democratic  votes  by 
which  it  is  said  to  have  been  ac- 
cepted by  the  committee  would 
add  enough  to  a  solid  Re- 
publican vote  to  put  the  meas- 
ure over. 

It  is  seldom,  however,  that  all  mem- 
bers are  present  and  administration 
leaders,  smarting  under  setbacks  giv- 
en them  last  week  in  the  Treasury 
and  independent  officers  bills,  contend- 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


$1,500,000  Quota 
For  Red  Cross  Here 


Greater  New  York's  entertainment 
industry  has  been  asked  to  provide 
$1,500,000  of  the  $12,920,700  which  has 
been  set  as  New  York's  quota  in  the 
nationwide  drive  for  the  $125,000,000 
Red  Cross  War  Fund,  Colby  M. 
Chester,  general  chairman  of  the  local 

(.Continued  on  page  8) 


Ohio  Houses  Raise 
Admission  Prices 

All  downtown  Cincinnati 
theatres  have  increased  their 
matinee  and  evening  admis- 
sion prices,  it  was  reported 
yesterday,  on  an  average  of  10 
per  cent.  The  RKO  Palace  in 
Cleveland  also  was  reported 
to  have  raised  its  prices  10 
per  cent  for  both  matinees 
and  evenings,  while  the  Plym- 
outh Theatre  in  Plymouth,  O., 
has  advanced  its  evening 
prices.  Generally,  evening 
scales  were  raised  from  50  to 
55  cents  by  the  larger  situa- 
tions. 


Sub-Zero  Weather 
Kills  BVay  Gross; 
'Sergeant',  $70,000 


Sub-zero  weather,  which  started 
Sunday  night  and  reached  a  record 
breaking  low  of  8  degrees  below  zero 
at  9  :30  a.m.  yesterday,  caused  a  sharp 
drop  in  Broadway  box-office  receipts 
after  an  otherwise  excellent  holiday 
weekend,  theatre  managers  reported. 

Expected  to  gross  an  estimated  $53,- 
000  for  its  seventh  week  ending  to- 
night-at  the  Paramount,  "Star  Spangled 
Rhythm"  with  Johnny  Long  and  his 
band  leading-  the  stage  show  is  the 
first  film  in  the  history  of  the  theatre 
to  remain  for  an  eighth  week. 

"Immortal  Sergeant"  was  expected 
to  gross  close  to  $70,000  for  its  sec- 
ond week  ending  tonight  at  the  Roxy. 
The  film  with  Connie  Boswell  head- 
ing the  stage  show  will  be  held  for 
a  third  week,  to  be  followed  by  "The 
Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  and  the 
NBC  "Truth  or  Consequences"  show 
and  Carol  Bruce  on  the  stage.  "Sa- 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


Senators  to  Probe 
Training  Film  Pacts 


Washington,  Feb.  15— Charges 
that  Army  and  Navy  commissions 
have  been  given  to  members  of  the 
motion  picture  industry  "without  jus- 
tification" and  that  persons  in  the  in- 
dustry have  influenced  the  granting  of 
contracts  to  their  companies  for  the 
production  of  training  films  will  be 
aired    tomorrow    before    the  special 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


TRADE  CONCLAVE 
TAKES  UP  SEVEN 
MAJOR  PROBLEMS 

Industry  Heads  Meet  Thursday  With  Guild 
Officials  in  Effort  to  Establish  Labor  Pool 
And  Study  Application  of  48  Hour  Week 


By  WILLIAM  R.  WEAVER 

Hollywood,  Feb.  15. — Seven  major  industry  problems  are  on 


the 


agenda  of  company  head  conferences  starting  tomorrow  at  the  Beverly- 
Wilshire  Hotel.    They  include :  discussions  of  the  wage  stabilization 

orders ;  relations  of  the  industry 
with  Government  agencies  interest- 
ed in  picture  content;  manpower 
problems  created  by  the  military 
service,  the  Manpower  Act,  and  the 
48  hour  week;  training  films  and 
further  cooperation  with  the  armed 
forces ;  over-all  public  relations ; 
production  problems  due  to  gas  ra- 
tioning and  set  cost  ceilings,  and 
the  possible  future  raw  stock  limi- 
tations. Conferences  and  meetings 
are  slated  to  continue  througout 
the  week. 

Major  talent  guild  officials  today 
were  invited  to  confer  with  film  com- 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


Supreme  Court 
Affirms  AFM 
Suit  Dismissal 


Washington,  Feb.  15. — On  the 
basis  of  previous  decisions  in  labor 
cases,  the  Supreme  Court  today  af- 
firmed the  action  of  the  Federal 
District  Court  in  Chicago  in  dis- 
missing the  injunction  suit  brought 
by  the  Department  of  Justice 
against  the  American  Federation  of 
Musicians. 

As  a  result,  the  department 
is  expected  to  abandon  its  ef- 
forts to  restrain  James  C. 
Petrillo,  president  of  the  AFM, 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


N.  Y.  C.  To  Hold  First  Air  Raid  Drill 

Under  New  Army  Rules  Thursday 

New  York's  first  air  raid  drill  under  the  new  Army  alarm  system 
is  scheduled  for  Thursday  at  9  p.  m.  and  is  expected  to  last  about 
a  half  hour.  The  Army  rules  will  go  in  effect  on  Wednesday  in 
16  eastern  seaboard  states  and  the  District  of  Columbia. 

The  all-clear  signal,  selected  by  the  municipalities,  will  be  an- 
nounced over  the  air,  Mayor  LaGuardia  said  in  his  Sunday  radio 
address  over  WNYC.  Building  lights  must  be  blacked  out  on  the 
sounding  of  the  first  alarm,  the  blue  signal,  which  will  be  a  two- 
minute  steady  siren  note.  The  second  alarm,  a  red  signal,  a  warb- 
ling siren,  will  sound  for  two  minutes  when  all  lights  must  be 
blacked  out,  vehicles  must  discharge  passengers  and  all  seek  shel- 
ter. Before  the  all-clear,  there  will  be  another  blue  signal  in- 
dicating that  raiders  may  return,  but  that  normal  travel  may  be 
resumed.  All-clear  announcements  will  be  made  on  the  radio  ac- 
companied by  the  whistles  of  air  raid  wardens  and  policemen,  who 
will  be  notified  by  cruising  police  cars. 

The  Mayor  stated  that  he  would  continue  these  drills  until  "all 
the  people  of  the  city  will  have  become  familiarized  and  know  ex- 
actly what  to  do."  He  also  said  that  in  all  probability  radio  sta- 
tions will  go  off  the  air  during  the  signal  test. 


10,000  Pledges  for 
'43  'Dimes'  Drive 


More  than  10,000  theatre  pledges  of 
participation  in  the  industry's  March 
of  Dimes  drive,  which  will  have  its  of- 
ficial opening  on  Thursday,  have  been 
obtained  by  the  campaign  committee, 
Oscar  A.  Doob,  national  publicity  di- 
rector, announced  yesterday. 

The  committee  announced  that 
everything  is  in  readiness  for  the  start 
of  the  drive,  the  campaign  trailer  has 
been  shipped  to  all  distribution  centers 
and  campaign  books  have  been  on  hand 
for  some  time.  The  committee  urged 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


Six  Reviews  Today 

Reviews  of  "Idaho",  "Cos- 
mo Jones  in  Crime  Smasher", 
"Thundering  Trails",  "Junior 
Army",  "Dead  Men  Walk"  and 
"Dead  Man's  Gulch"  Pages  3 
and  6.  "Heard  Around",  by 
Sam  Shain,  Page  2.  Key  city 
box-office  reports,  Pages  3 
and  6. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  February  16,  1943 


Report  Grosses  Up 
In  Ia.-Neb.  Sector 

Chicago,  Feb.  15. — Increased 
farm  income  throughout  Iowa 
and  Nebraska  has  increased 
film  theatre  grosses  from  20 
to  25  per  cent  over  last  year, 
according  to  circuit  operators 
who  make  their  headquarters 
here.  Farmers  receive  gaso- 
line for  necessary  shopping 
trips  and  frequently  stop  off 
to  see  a  picture  show  at  the 
same  time.  Exceptions  are  the 
theatres  in  small  towns  ad- 
jacent to  big  cities,  where  the 
higher  income  permits  resi- 
dents to  go  to  the  larger  city 
houses  for  more  expensive  en- 
tertainment. 


Films9  'Roy  Rogers' 
Wins  Court  Action 

The  $500,000  damage  and  injunction 
action  filed  by  Roy  Rogers  against 
Leonard  Slye,  the  Republic  pictures' 
"Roy  Rogers,"  was  dismissed  yester- 
day by  Supreme  Court  Justice  Ber- 
nard L.  Shientag.  The  plaintiff  had 
charged  Slye  with  having  made  per- 
sonal appearances  and  with  giving 
performances  in  fields  not  connected 
with  the  film  industry,  in  violation  of 
a  November,  1938,  agreement  entered 
into  after  he  had  brought  suit  against 
Slye  in  California. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN      .      GREER  GARSON 
In  James  Hilton's 

"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN   M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue   .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 

IN  PERSON 

PRESENTS 

JOHNNY 

'STAR  SPANGLED 

LONG 

RHYTHM' 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

with  43  STARS 

—Extra- 
Frank  Sinatra 

PARAMOUNT    •    Times  Square 

HENRY  FONDA  •  MAUREEN  O'HARA  in 

Plus  In  Person  I  C  O  N  N  E  E  BOS  WELL 
On  Our  Stage  I  PAUL  LAVALLE  &  Orch. 

BUY  A  WAR  p  ftVU  7th  Ave.  &  50th  St. 
BOND  at  the  U\  V  A  I    Continuous  Perfs. 


B'WAY  & 
47th  St. 


PALACE 


JOHNNY  WEISSMULLER 
Frances  Gifford       «       Johnny  Sheffield 

'TARZAN  TRIUMPHS" 

—  and  — 

Monty  Woolley         «  Ida  Lupino 

"Life  Begins  at  8:30" 


Loews  5THTE 


T 


ON  SCREEN 
First  N.  Y.  Showing 

MICKEY  ROONEY 
"ANDY  HARDY'S 
DOUBLE  LIFE" 


IN  PERSON 
Ed  Sullivan 
and  New 
Broadway 
On  Parade 
Revue 


-  Heard  Around 

A  SSEMBLED  now  in  Hollywood  ...  is  the  biggest  aggregation  of  industry 
chieftains— probably  in  the  history  of  motion  pictures — Will  H.  Hays, 
Nicholas  M.  Schenck,  Barney  Balaban,  Spyros  P.  Skouras,  Harry  M.  Warner, 
Nate  J.  Blumberg,  N.  Peter  Rathvon,  Harry  Cohn,  Edward  C.  Raftery, 
Herman  Robbins— also  Louis  B.  Mayer,  Al  Lichtman,  Joseph  M.  Schenck, 
Jack  Warner,  William  Goetz,  Y.  Frank  Freeman,  Charles  Koerner,  Cliff 
Work — besides  Mendel  Silberberg,  Maurice  Benjamin,  Herbert  Freston,  J. 
Robert  Rubin,  Joseph  Hazen,  Edwin  L.  Weisl,  Leo  Spitz,  Austin  Keough, 
Martin  Quigley,  Francis  Harmon,  Gradwell  L.  Sears,  Ned  E.  Depinet — who 
soon  will  be  joined  by  Nelson  Rockefeller  and  Charles  Francis  Coe — as  the 
industry  faces  perhaps  its  gravest  problems — how  to  continue  production — 
despite  the  curtailment  of  raw  stock — and  the  increasing  drain  of  skilled 
labor  and  unique  talent — by  the  war — -problems  which  we  believe  will  absorb 
the  attention  of  this  conclave — during  the  current  sessions  of  the  industry's 
co-ordinating  committee — above  all  other  internal  problems — with  the  hope 
that  measures  may  be  conceived  which  will  have  the  Government's  eventual 
approval — whereby  these  serious  dangers  to  production  can  be  checked. 

•  •  • 

If  every  exhibitor  .  .  .  who  has  signed  the  "March  of  Dimes"  pledge — ful- 
fills that  pledge — and  makes  audience  collections — last  year's  mark  of  $1,450,- 
000  is  certain  to  be  exceeded — campaign  committee  members  believe — and 
President  Roosevelt  will  be  presented  with  a  complete  list  of  theatres  partici- 
pating and  the  amounts  collected  at  each. 

•  •  .  • 

Don't  be  surprised  ...  if  you  hear  that  "March  of  Time"  has  sufficient 
raw  stock  which  to  make  its  next  two  reels — because  the  Govern- 
ment means  to  be  helpful  in  that  corner — and  since  20th  Century-Fox 
Film  Company  was  not  credited  originally  with  enough  raw  stock  to 
cover  "March  of  Time" — the  Government  will  find  a  way  to  provide  all 
that  the  reel  will  require. 

•  •  • 

In  Boston — when  Loew's  State  advertised  that  the  first  100  redheads— 
who  presented  themselves  on  a  Monday  evening — would  be  admitted  free — 
more  than  500  showed  up — and  at  the  RKO-Boston — when  it  advertised  that 
breakfast  would  be  served  free  to  the  first  500  who  appeared  for  an  8  a.m. 
show — 1,500  customers  showed. 

•  •  • 

Mort  Blumenstock  of  Warner  Bros.  .  .  .  originated  the  War  Bond  pre- 
miere idea — in  show  business — and  the  idea,  it  appears,  will  live  and  be 
copied  until  the  war  ends — here  and  abroad — the  latest  to  adopt  it — being  the 
Ringling  Bros.-Barnum  &  Bailey  Circus  for  its  forthcoming  Madison  Square 
Garden  date. 

•  •  e 

Would  it  surprise  you  ...  to  hear  that  before  he  settled  with  United 
Artists — Sir  Alexander  Korda  proposed  to  another  producer  that  he  pur- 
chase Korda's  stock  in  that  company — the  price — about  $650,000 — which 
amount  is  the  price  originally  set  on  the  stock  held  by  Korda  under  his 
former  contract  with  the  firm? 

•  •  • 

And  talking  about  U.  A.  .  .  .  David  Selznick's.  deal — calls  for  his  making 
10  pictures  for  the  company  over  a  period  of  10  years — and  the  price  on  his 
stock  is  $300,000 — which  stock  he  will  own  only  upon  delivery  of  the  product 
under  his  contract. 

•  •  • 

It  may  be  Warner  Bros.  .  .  .  which  will  distribute  the  Darryl  Zanuck  film 
on  the  U.  S.  invasion  of  North  Africa. 

— Sam  Shain 


RKO  Assessment  in 
Rochester  Reduced 

Rochester,  Feb.  15.— A  $65,000  re- 
duction in  its  1943  assessment  has 
been  granted  the  Rochester  Palace 
Corp.,  owner  of  the  RKO  Palace  here. 
As  a  condition  of  the  Palace  settle- 
ment, the  B.  F.  Keith  Corp.  and 
Moore-Wiggins  Co.,  Ltd.,  owners  of 
the  RKO  Temple,  will  drop  its  ac- 
tion for  a  $119,000  decrease  in  a  $469,- 
700  assessment. 


Hartford  I A  Local 
Reelects  Officers 

Hartford,  Feb.  15. — Officers  of  Lo- 
cal 84,  IATSE,  have  been  reelected. 
They  are:  Charles  Obert,  president; 
Reuben  Lewis,  business  manager ; 
John  F.  Sullivan,  vice-president ;  Gus 
Maye,  secretary;  Harry  Sweet,  treas- 
urer. 

Harry  Hoff,  Rocco  Matarese,  John 
Winn  and  all  officers  are  on  the  board 
of  directors. 


EDWARD  A.  GOLDEN  PRODUCTIONS 

Announces 
in  preparation  for  early  releases 

"THE  MASTER  RACE" 


Personal 
Mention 


N 


ATE  SPINGOLD  is  scheduled 
to  arrive  from  the  Coast  today. 


Joseph  H.  Moskowitz  is  expected 
today  from  the  Coast. 

• 

David  Lipton,  Columbia  adv^nT  ■ 
ing  and  publicity  director,  is  expected 
to  undergo  a  minor  operation  this 
week. 

• 

Madeleine  White  of  Monogram 
and  Albert  Astor  Cormier  were 
married  last  Thursday. 

• 

F.  T.  A.  McCarthy,  Southern  and 
Canadian  division  manager  for  Uni- 
versal, leaves  for  Nashville  today.  He 
will  also  visit  Toronto. 

• 

William  K.  Saxton,  manager  for 
Loew's  Theatres  in  Baltimore,  will 
undergo  an  operation  this  week  for  a 
kidnev  ailment. 

• 

Lt.  Robert  Lowe,  former  assistant 
manager  of  Tri-States  Des  Moines 
Theatre,  Des  Moines,  visited  there  on 
leave. 

• 

William  Gregorie,  formerly  at  the 
Warner  Strand,  Hartford,  has  been 
in  Hartford  on  leave  from  the  New- 
port, R.  I.,  Naval  Training  Station. 
• 

Max  Gillis,  Republic  district  man- 
ager, was  a  New  Haven  visitor. 
• 

Pvt.  Joseph  DiLorenzo,  formerly 
partner  in  the  Daly  Theatres,  Hart- 
ford, has  been  stationed  with  the  Army 
Medical  Corps  at  Camp  Pickett,  Va. 
• 

Lt.  Samuel  Rosen  is  in  New  Ha- 
ven on  leave  from  Gulf  port,  Miss., 
where  he  is  in  the  Air  Corps. 


Bareford  to  Army  Duty 

Harold  Bareford,  a  member  of 
Warner  Bros,  legal  department,  and 
a  director  of  Stanley  Co.  of  America, 
theatre  subsidiary,  was  given  a  party 
by  home  office  associates  at  the  Hotel 
Astor  yesterday  on  the  eve  of  his 
leaving  for  Army  service.  He  was  a 
captain  of  artillery  in  the  last  war. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Ouigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl. 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Ouigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


Tuesday,  February  16,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


3 


'Shadow'  $15,000, 
'Sergeant'  $12,500 
Lead  in  Baltimore 


Baltimore,  Feb.  IS.— Business  this 
week  is  providing  ample  evidence  that 
patrons  have  become  accustomed  to 
the  ban  on  automobile  pleasure  driv- 
Despite  unpleasant  weekend 
'"Aher,  capacity  audiences  turned  out 
Iw^the  new  attractions  and  even  hold- 
overs scored  substantially  at  the  box 
office.  "Immortal  Sergeant"  at  the 
New,  with  only  1,581  seats,  is  expect- 
ed to  garner  $12,500,  while  "Shadow 
of  a  Doubt"  looks  like  an  estimated 
$15,000  for  eight  days  at  Keith's. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  18 : 

"Crystal  Ball"  (U.A.) 

CENTURY — (3,000)  (40c-50c  and  55c  week- 
ends) 7  days.  Gross:  $13,000.  (Average, 
$12,000) 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

KEITH'S— (2,406)  (15c-28c-33c-44c  and  55c 
weekends)  8  days.  Gross:  $15,000.  (Aver- 
age, $10,000) 

"Immortal    Sergeant"  (20th-Fox) 

NEW — (1,581)    (15c-28c-35c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $12,500.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

STANLEY— (3,280)  (28c-39c-44c-55c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $14,000.  (Average, 
$13,000) 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

HIPPODROME—  (2,205)  (28c-39c-44c-55c- 
66c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Stage:  Buddy 
Clark,  Oxford  Boys,  Johnny  Burke,  Harry 
King  and  Arlina,  the  Christianis.  Gross: 
$15,500.  (Average,  $14,000) 
''Eyes  of  the  Underworld"  (Univ.) 

MARYLAND—  (1,300)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Stage:  Salici's  Puppets,  Galli  Sisters,  Four 
Earles,  Britt  Wood.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Aver- 
age, $7,000) 

"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

MAYFAIR— (1,000)  (20c-4Oc)  7  days. 
Gross:   $5,500.     (Average,  $6,000) 


Names  Committees 
For  Cincinnati  Club 

Cincinnati,  Feb.  15. — F.  W.  Huss, 
Jr.,  recently  reelected  chief  barker  of 
the  local  Variety  Club,  has  named  the 
following  committees  for  1943  :  House : 
Allan  S.  Moritz,  chairman ;  Michael 
Greenberg,  Nat  Kaplan,  L.  J.  Bugie, 
A.  Manheimer,  William  Onie,  Mau- 
rice Chase;  Law:  Saul  M.  Greenberg, 
chairman ;  Mayor  James  G.  Stewart, 
Charles  Weigel,  William  Handley, 
Edward  Dixon,  A.  L.  Weinstein ;  pub- 
licity :  Noah  Schecter,  chairman ;  Joe 
Kolling,  Harry  Hartman,  James  D. 
Shouse  ;  membership  :  Ralph  Kinsler, 
chairman;  Harris  Dudelson,  William 
McCluskey,  Maurice  White  ;  finance : 
William  Onie,  chairman ;  Peter  Ni- 
land,  Robert  Clark,  Willis  Vance, 
Maurice  White ;  welfare :  H.  J.  Wes- 
sel,  chairman ;  Jake  Gelman,  Charles 
Weigel,  William  Hastings ;  entertain- 
ment :  Arthur  Frudenfeld,  chairman ; 
Pep  Golden,  Gelman,  McCluskey, 
Schecter ;  activities :  Golden,  chair- 
man ;  William  Bein,  Onie,  McCluskey, 
Schecter. 


Circus  Grounds  Taken 

Philadelphia,  Feb.  15. — Although 
the  Ringling  Bros.  Circus  has  been 
assured  that  it  can  take  to  the  road 
this  season,  the  circus  management  is 
faced  with  a  more  pressing  problem 
for  its  scheduled  two-week  engage- 
ment in  Philadelphia,  which  always 
represents  major  competition  to  the 
film  houses.  The  time-honored  circus 
grounds  at  11th  St.  and  Erie  Ave. 
have  been  taken  over  by  the  Govern- 
ment, and  now  the  circus  management 
is  faced  with  the  problem  of  finding 
show  grounds. 


Reviews 


"Idaho" 

(Republic) 

\XT  ITH  Roy  Rogers  as  its  singing  star,  "Idaho"  is  a  western  musical 
replete  with  entertainment  values.  Melodies  are  plentiful,  the  plot 
interesting  and  should  please  audiences  attracted  by  Rogers'  marquee 
power.   And  there's  a  lot  of  fast  riding  and  shooting. 

Republic's  "King  of  the  Cowboys"  acts  and  sings  his  way  through  the 
film  in  his  natural,  unaffected  style.  The  comedy  is  provided  by  Smiley 
Burnette,  Rogers'  slap-happy  ally.  The  Sons  of  the  Pioneers  and  the 
Robert  Mitchell  Boychoir  complement  the  star's  singing  with  some  fine 
group  arrangements.  As  the  romantic  interest,  Virginia  Grey  turns  in 
a  good  performance.  The  other  supporting  players,  who  also  handle 
their  roles  well,  are  Bob  Nolan,  Harry  J.  Shannon,  Ona  Munson,  Dick 
Purcell,  Onslow  Stevens,  Arthur  Hohl  and  Hal  Taliaferro. 

Nolan  and  Rogers,  State  Rangers,  vie  good-naturedly  for  the  hand  of 
Miss  Grey,  as  Terry,  daughter  of  Judge  Grey,  played  by  Shannon.  The 
Judge  starts  a  campaign  against  Belle  Donner  (Miss  Munson),  operator 
of  a  gambling  roadhouse.  When  Belle  discovers  that  the  Judge  is  really 
Tom  Allison,  former  bank  robber,  she  attempts  blackmail  and  tries  to 
frame  him.  With  the  aid  of  Burnette,  Rogers  uncovers  the  real  crimi- 
nals and  restores  the  Judge  to  his  respected  position.  Incidentally, 
Rogers  also  gets  the  girl. 

Joseph  Kane,  associate  producer-director,  did  an  excellent  job  with 
the  lively  original  screenplay  by  Roy  Chanslor  and  Olive  Cooper.  Among 
the  song  numbers  are  the  title  song,  "Home  on  the  Range,"  and  "Lone 
Buckaroo."   Morton  Scott  was  musical  director. 

Running  time,  70  minutes.  "G."* 


"Cosmo  Jones  in  The  Crime  Smasher" 

(Monogram) 

Hollywood,  February  15 

RANK  GRAHAM,  the  Cosmo  Jones  of  radio,  who  is  billed  as  "the 
*  man  of  1,000  voices"  and  who  plays  all  the  characters  in  his  CBS 
programs,  is  a  figure  of  promise  for  pictures  as  introduced  here,  not 
wholly  to  advantage,  in  the  first  of  a  series  of  films  designed  to  extend 
to  the  screen  the  talent  and  type  of  entertainment  which  have  been 
offered  on  the  air.  The  first  offering  suggests  that  further  experiment  and 
checkup  on  audience  reactions  will  improve  and  perhaps  prosper  the 
series. 

The  character  of  Cosmo  Jones,  played  by  Graham,  is  that  of  an  ama- 
teur "psychological  criminologist"  who  thrusts  himself  into  the  affairs 
of  police  in  quest  of  criminals  and  has  a  faculty  for  succeeding,  by  a 
combination  of  wit  and  blunder,  where  they  fail.  The  opposite  char- 
acter, a  police  captain,  is  played  by  Edgar  Kennedy  in  typical  fashion, 
and  the  story  used  this  time,  an  original  by  Walter  Gering,  put  in  screen- 
play form  by  Michael  L.  Simmons  and  the  author,  is  about  rival  gang- 
sters and  kidnapping. 

The  supporting  cast  assembled  by  Lindsley  Parsons,  producer,  con- 
sists of  Richard  Cromwell,  Mantan  Moreland,  Gwen  Kenyon,  Herbert 
Rawlinson,  Tristram  Coffin,  Charles  Jordan,  Vince  Barnett,  Emmett 
Vogan,  Maxine  Leslie,  Mauritz  Hugo  and  Sam  Bernard. 

Direction  is  by  James  Tinling. 

Running  time,  62  minutes.    "G."*  William  R.  Weaver 


"Thundering  Trails" 

(Republic) 

TP  HE  western  fan  will  find  good  entertainment  in  this  picture,  one  of 
*■    the  "Three  Mesquiteers"  series. 

Bob  Steele,  Tom  Tyler  and  Jimmie  Dodd  are  the  Mesquiteers,  and 
Nell  O'Day  the  feminine  interest  in  this  latest  endeavor  to  uphold  law 
and  justice  in  the  bandit-ridden  West.  The  trio  are  cast  as  Texas 
Rangers.  The  Rangers  are  ordered  disbanded  by  the  Commissioner,  and 
law  is  left  in  the  hands  of  the  local  town  constabulary,  of  which  Tyler's 
brother  is  chosen  captain.  Although  the  brother  doesn't  know  it,  the 
members  of  his  force  are  bandits  controlled  by  the  town  judge.  That's 
where  the  Mesquiteers  come  in.  They  round  up  the  bad  men  and  prove 
their  guilt.  Then  the  Rangers  are  reorganized  and  Tyler's  brother  joins 
them.  The  romance  interest  is  provided  by  Nell  O'Day  and  Tyler's 
brother. 

John  English  directed  the  picture  and  Louis  Gray  was  associate 
producer. 

Running;  time,  56  minutes.  "G."* 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification: 


'  Commandos' 
Huge  $22,000; 
Loop  Freezes 


Chicago,  Feb.  15. — Filmgoers  got 
good  Commando  training  by  standing 
in  zero  weather  on  Saturday  and 
Sunday  waiting  for  "Commandos 
Strike  at  Dawn"  at  the  Roosevelt 
Theatre.  It  looks  like  $22,000  for  the 
picture  this  week.  "Casablanca"  and 
a  stage  show  headed  by  Larry  Adler, 
in  a  second  week  at  the  Chicago,  is 
headed  for  an  estimated  $46,000.  "No 
Place  for  a  Lady,"  with  "George 
White's  Scandals  of  1943"  on  the  Ori- 
ental stage,  is  expected  to  gross  in  the 
neighborhood  of  $24,000.  A  new  sub- 
zero wave  retarded  business  generally. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  18 : 

"Life  Begins  at  8:30"  (20th-Fox) 
"Margin  for  Error"  (20th-Fox) 

APOLLO— (1,400)  (40c-55c-65c-75c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $8,500) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

CHICAGO— (4,000)      (40c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.    Stage:  Larry  Adler  and 
show.    Gross:  $46,000.    (Average,  $42,000) 
"Yankee     Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

GARRICK— (1,000)      (40c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days,  5th  week  at  popular  prices.  Gross: 
$9,500.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"No  Place  for  a  Lady"  (Col.) 

ORIENTAL— (3,200)     (27c-31c-50c-59c)  7 
days.     Stage:  "George  White's  Scandals." 
Gross:  $24,000.     (Average,  $22,000) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.)  5  days,  4th  week 
'Sherlock     Holmes     &     Secret  Weapon" 

(Univ.)  5  days,  4th  week 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO)  2  days 
"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

PALACE — (2,500)    (45c -55c -75c).  Gross: 
$18,000.     (Average,  $16,000) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

ROOSEVELT  —  (1,500)  (40c-55c-65c-75c) 
7  days.  Gross:  $22,000.  (Average,  $16,000) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (20th- Fox) 

STATE-LAKE—  (2,700)  (40c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $18,000.  (Average, 
$19,700) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,700)  (40c-55c-65c- 
75c)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $20,000. 
(Average,  $15,500) 


'Buy  Bomber*  Drive 
At  Rochester  Houses 

Rochester,  Feb.  15. — Five  down- 
town theatres  here  are  aiding  the  Re- 
tail Merchants  Council  in  its  "Build 
a  Rochester  Bomber  With  Bonds" 
campaign.  The  following  were  fea- 
tured in  rallies  on  the  theatres'  stages 
as  part  of  the  bond  drive :  Dave  El- 
man  of  "Hobby  Lobby,"  Claire  Luce, 
Florence  Colebrook  Powers,  Joseph 
Levy  of  the  New  York  Times,  Louis 
K.  Straus,  radio  reporter,  and  Hazele 
Harmon,  director  of  the  Modern  Play- 
wrights Company  in  New  York.  The 
drive  has  set  $335,000  as  its  goal. 


It  was  announced  that  1,000  musical 
instruments  and  2,500  pieces  of  ath- 
letic equipment  were  contributed  in  the 
War  Prisoners  Aid  test  campaign  con- 
ducted by  exhibitors  for  the  YMCA 
here. 


Join  Associates  in  Phila. 

Philadelphia,  Feb.  15.  — Motion 
Picture  Associates,  following  a  mem- 
bership drive  headed  by  Harry  E. 
Weiner,  has  added  the  following  mem- 
bers :  James  P.  Clark,  Jack  Beresin, 
Leo  Beresin,  William  Brooker,  Eugene 
Marcus,  Rubin  Pearlman,  Phil  Trent 
and  Harold  Weisenthal.  George  Beat- 
tie  and  William  Doyle  have  been 
named  assistants  to  Sam  Gross,  chair- 
man of  the  welfare  committee,  in 
handling  the  annual  charitable  event. 


BIG!...  JOYFUL!...;  BUBBI 

COMEDY  ■  AND  T 


1G  OVER  WITH  BEAUTY, 
ITALIZING  RHYTHM! 


WITH 


ALWAYS  KNEW"  •  "HASTA  LUEGO 

 T~ 


WILLIAM  GAXTON 
COBINA  WRIGHT,» 

Screen  play  by  Lou  Breslow  and  Edward  Eliscu 
Produced  and  Directed  by  GEORGE  RATOFF 
A  COLUMBIA  PICTURE 


it 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  February  16,  1943 


Reviews 


"Junior  Army" 

{Columbia) 

*TP  HE  Dead  End  Kids  and  Freddie  Bartholomew  in  a  timely  story 
about  a  group  of  youngsters  who  go  all-out  for  the  war  effort  make 
this  a  lively  feature  for  both  youthful  and  adult  audiences. 

Freddie  Bartholomew  is  seen  to  good  advantage  as  an  English  boy 
in  the  United  States.  He  lives  with  Joseph  Crehan  on  a  dude  ranch, 
and  there  he  saves  the  life  of  Billy  Halop.  In  return,  Halop  prevents 
his  fellow  Dead  Enders  from  taking  Bartholomew's  pony,  and  the  friend- 
ship grows.  Both  boys  later  attend  the  same  military  school,  but  Halop 
leaves  after  finding  that  he  can't  get  along  with  the  school  policies.  He 
reurns  to  the  old  gang,  whereupon  he  discovers  that  the  boys  are  now 
working  for  a  German  agent. 

From  here  on  the  story  centers  around  the  efforts  of  Bartholomew, 
Halop  and  their  schoolmates  to  round  up  the  Nazis.  Halop  is  cleared  at 
a  court  matrial,  and  returns  to  the  academy. 

In  the  supporting  cast  are  Boyd  Davis,  William  Blees,  Don  Beddoe, 
Richard  Noyes,  Peter  Lawford,  Billy  Lechner  and  Robert  L.  Davis. 
Lew  Landers  directed  and  Colbert  Clark  produced. 

Running  time,  71  minutes.  "G."* 


"Dead  Men  Walk" 

(Producers  Releasing) 

TT  ERE  is  an  above  average  horror  picture  that  should  please  all  the 
mystery  fans.  It  has  a  fast-moving  plot  and  George  Zucco  handles 
the  leading  roles  with  ability. 

Zucco  is  seen  in  a  dual  role,  that  of  twin  brothers,  Dr.  Lloyd  Clayton 
and  Dr.  Elwyn  Clayton.  Elwyn  spent  years  studying  black  magic.  He 
hated  Lloyd,  who  tried  to  keep  the  villagers  from  prying  into  his  experi- 
ments in  occultism.  Elwn,  after  his  death,  returns  to  harass  the  village 
in  the  form  of  a  vampire.  There  is  much  suspense  and  confusion  in 
which  the  people  blame  Lloyd  for  the  deeds  which  his  brother  perper- 
trates  in  his  returns  from  the  grave.  The  tragic  climax  occurs  as  the 
vampire  and  Lloyd  fight  it  out.  A  lamp  is  upset,  the  house  catches  fire, 
and  both  are  destroyed  in  the  flames.  This  leaves  Lloyd's  ward,  Mary 
Carlisle,  and  Nedrick  Young,  a  young  doctor,  free  to  marry,  and  the  pic- 
ture ends  on  a  compromise  happily-ever-after  note. 

In  the  supporting  cast  are  Dwight  Frye,  Fern  Emmett,  Robert 
Strange,  Hal  Price  and  Sam  Flint.  Sigmund  Neufeld  produced  and  Sam 
Newfield  directed  the  picture.  The  original  screenplay  was  by  Fred 
Myton. 

Running  time,  66  minutes.  "G."* 


"Dead  Man's  Gulch" 

(Republic) 

*T  HIS  offering  in  the  western  manner  is  fairly  entertaining  and  bene- 
fits  from  the  seasoned  action  film  experience  of  Don  "Red"  Barry. 

The  story  follows  the  customary  pattern  of  a  group  of  badmen  being 
brought  to  justice  by  a  group  of  good  citizens  who  know  how  to  dish  it 
out  as  well  as  take  it.  In  this  case,  the  later  group  is  made  up  of  Barry, 
Emmet  Lynn  and  Bud  McTaggert.  They  are  former  employes  of  the 
recently  disbanded  Pony  Express.  When  they  find  themselves  without 
jobs,  they  head  for  McTaggert's  ranch.  Arriving  in  town,  they  are  just 
in  time  to  witness  a  holdup  in  the  bank.  The  threesome  jump  right  in  on 
the  side  of  law  and  order,  and  they  do  such  a  good  job  that  Barry  is  of- 
fered the  deputy  sheriff's  position,  which  he  accepts.  He  and  his  friends 
then  round  up  the  bandits. 

Also  in  the  cast  are  Clancy  Cooper,  Lynn  Merrick,  Jack  Rockwell, 
John  Vosper,  Lee  Shumway,  Pierce  Lyden,  Al  Taylor  and  Rex  Lease. 
John  English  directed  the  Eddy  White  production. 

Running  time,  56  minutes.  "G."* 


Hub  Grosses 


Maintain  Pace 


At  High  Level 


Boston,  Feb.  15— Biggest  theatre 
gross  here  is  estimated  for  the  RKO- 
Keith  Boston  which  is  showing 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  with 
the  Jan  Savitt  and  John  Kirby  bands 
on  the  stage.  Receipts  are  expected 
to  zoom  to  $33,000  for  the  week. 
The  M  &  P  Metropolitan  is  maintain- 
ing a  strong  pace  with  "The  Black 
Swan"  and  "Street  of  Chance"  and 
should  gross  about  $31,000.  Loew's 
State  and  Loew's  Orpheum  are  ex- 
pected to  garner  a  combined  total  of 
$39,000  with  "Whistling  in  Dixie"  and 
"Journey  for  Margaret." 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  17 : 

"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  ORPHEUM— (3,000)  (35c-50c- 
60c)  7  days.  Gross:  $27,000.  (Average, 
$19,500) 

'Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STATE — (2,900)   (35c-50c-60c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

RKO-KEITH   BOSTON— (2,679)  (44c-55c- 
65c-85c)   1  days.     Stage:   Jan   Savitt  and 
orchestra,  John  Kirby  and  orchestra,  other 
acts.    Gross:  $33,000.    (Average,  $25,000) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Strictly  in  the  Groove"  (Univ.) 

RKO    MEMORIAL    THEATRE— (2,907) 
(44c-55c-75c)    9   days,   2nd   week.  Gross: 
$22,000.     (Average,  $20,000) 
"the  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (20th-Fox) 

METROPOLITAN— (4,367)  (30c-40c-55c- 
65c)  7  days.  Stage:  "Dr.  I.  Q.,"  Monday 
evening  only.  Gross:  $31,000.  (Average, 
$24,000) 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.B.) 

PARAMOUNT — (1,797)      (33c-44c-60c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $9,000.     (Average,  $8,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.B.) 

FENWAY— (1,320)    (33c-44c-60c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $7,500.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 

"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.B.) 

SCOLLAY— (2,500)    (33c-40c-60c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $5,000) 
"The  Ape  Man"  (Mono.) 
"London  Blackout  Murders"  (Rep.) 

TRANSLUX— (900)      (17c-28c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $5,500.    (Average,  $5,000) 
"Saludos  Amigos"  (RKO) 
"Squadron  Leader  X"  (RKO) 

MAJESTIC— (1,525)  (28c-40c-65c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $4,200. 

"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.A.) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (20th-Fox) 

ESQUIRE  (Uptown)— (941)  (35c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $1,800.    Average,  $2,500) 


Opposition  Delays 
Ohio  Time  Change 

Columbus,  Feb.  15. — Establishment 
of  Central  standard  time  for  Ohio  now 
faces  possible  delay,  if  not  postpone- 
ment, due  to  opposition  from  some  20 
cities,  such  as  Cleveland,  Akron,  Co- 
lumbus, Springfield,  Dayton  and  Alli- 
ance, despite  the  fact  that  no  one  ap- 
peared before  the  legislative  com- 
mittees to  protest  the  change  prior  to 
recent  passage  of  the  bill  by  both 
branches  of  the  legislature. 

It  is  understood  that  Gov.  Bricker, 
who  previously  indicated  his  intention 
to  sign  the  bill  last  week,  has  been 
urged  by  civic,  industrial  and  political 
interests  to  veto  the  measure.  Rep. 
John  Derighter  has  announced  that 
he  would  this  week  introduce  a  resolu- 
tion urging  a  veto,  and  predicted  a 
substitute  bill  to  shift  Ohio's  clocks 
back  one  hour  only  from  Sept.  1  to 
Feb.  1.  Gov.  Bricker  has  until  Feb.  23 
to  decide  upon  signature  or  veto. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


N.  Y.  Houses  Widen 
Blood  Donor  Drive 

Red  Cross  representatives  register- 
ing blood  donors  were  stationed  in 
seven  more  theatres  in  the  New  York 
metropolitan  district  yesterday.  This 
is  part  of  a  campaign  which  will  even- 
tually include  all  houses  in  this  area 
on  a  staggered  basis,  the  War  Activi- 
ties Committee  announced. 


Expect  Senate  Vote 
On  Relicensing  Bill 

Albany,  Feb.  15. — A  bill  to  permit 
the  relicensing  without  examination 
or  other  penalty  of  projectionists  who 
enter  military  service  and  are  honor- 
ably discharged  is  expected  to  be 
voted  on  in  the  senate.  The  identical 
House  measure  has  been  reported  out 
of  committee  favorably. 


'Rhythm,'  $18,500; 
Cincinnati  in  Tune 
For  Good  Grosses 


Cincinnati,  Feb.  15.  —  "Star 
Spangled  Rhythm"  is  heading  for  an 
estimated  $18,500  at  the  RKO  Albee, 
while  "Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  should 
do  around  $11,500  at  the  RKO  Rd- 
ace.  "Commandos  Strike  at  D||\<t 
looks  like  an  $8,500  moveover  weedsJt 
the  RKO  Shubert,  and  "Random 
Harvest"  should  give  the  RKO  Capi- 
tol $13,000  on  its  second  week  at  ad- 
vanced prices.  "Crystal  Ball"  is  shap- 
ing up  for  $6,000  on  its  second  down- 
town week  at  Keith's.  The  RKO 
Grand  will  have  an  estimated  $5,000 
fourth  week  with  "Casablanca." 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  17-20: 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

RKO  ALBEE— (3,300)   (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $18,500.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

RKO  PALACE—  (2,700)  (33c-40c-44c-55c) 
7  days.  Gross:  $11,500.  (Average,  $12,000) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Coll) 

RKO  SHUBERT— (2,150)  (33c-40c-44c-55c) 
7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Aver- 
age, $4,500) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

RKO  CAPITOL— (2,000)  (40c-44c-50c-55c) 
7  days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $13,000.  (Aver- 
age, at  33c-40c-44c-55c,  $5,500) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

RKO  GRAND—  (1,500)  (3c3-40c-50c)  7 
days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $5,000.  (Average, 
$5,000) 

"Keeper    of    the    Flame"  (M-G-M) 

RKO  LYRIC— (1,400)  (30c-33c-44c)  7  days, 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $4,000.  (Average,  $4,- 
(XX)) 

"Truck  Busters"  (W.B.) 
"Lady  from  Chungking"  (PRC) 

RKO  FAMILY—  (1,000)  (20c-30c)  4  days. 
Gross:   $1,300.     (Average,  $1,400) 
"Henry  Aldrich,    Editor"  (Para.) 
"One  Dangerous  Night"  (CoL) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)  (20c-30c)  3  days. 
Gross:  $850.    (Average,  $800) 
"Crystal  Ball"  (U.A.) 

KEITH'S— (1,500)  (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $5,000) 


Four  New  Companies 
Formed  in  New  York 

Albany,  Feb.  15. — Thomas  J.  Cur- 
ran,  Secretary  of  State,  has  issued  pa- 
pers of  incorporation  to  four  motion 
picture  and  theatrical  comnanies.  They 
are: 

Gregory  Ratoff  Enterprises,  Inc., 
Manhattan,  film  producing  business, 
1,000  shares  of  stock,  by  Gregory  Rat- 
off,  Philip  E.  Semel,  who  filed  the 
papers,  and  Sherry  Gilbert. 

Jay  C.  Fonda,  Inc.,  motion  picture 
apparatus  of  all  kinds,  $10,000  author- 
ized capital  stock,  by  Jay  C.  Fonda, 
Edward  Lemberger,  the  Bronx,  and 
Reginald  H.  Schenck,  Englewood, 
N.  J. 

Climax  Theatres  Corp.,  200  shares, 
by  Gustav  A.  Mezger,  Roslyn  Heights, 
B.  E.  Mezger  and  John  F.  Laurence, 
Port  Washington,  L.  L 

Don  Opera  Co.,  Inc.,  50  shares  of 
stock,  no  stated  par  value,  by  Her- 
man Adler,  Harry  Epstein,  and  Dan- 
iel M.  Brams. 

Dorian  Pictures,  Inc.,  New  York, 
was  dissolved.  Papers  were  originally 
filed  by  John  F.  Giles,  Jamaica,  N.  Y. 


Mrs.  Nancy  Holt  Services 

Cincinnati,  Feb.  15. — Services 
were  held  here  today  for  Mrs.  Nancy 
Holt,  69,  wife  of  A.  J.  Holt,  owner 
and  manager  of  the  suburban  Idle 
Hour  Theatre,  who  died  suddenly  of 
a  heart  attack  late  Friday  while  sell- 
ing tickets  in  the  theatre  box-office.  A 
daughter  also  survives. 


Tuesday,  February  16,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Salary  Ceiling 
Repeal  Likely 
To  Pass  House 


{Continued  from  page  1 ) 
ed  that  absenteeism  of  Democrats 
w;--.in  part  responsible, 
j  _y  committee  has  not  yet  prepared 
its^-report,  and  it  is  probable  the  bill 
will  not  come  up  in  the  House  for  con- 
\  sideration  before  next  week. 

Meanwhile,  action  on  the  debt  in- 
crease bill  has  been  halted  in  the  Sen- 
ate, where  the  finance  committee  had 
prepared  a  favorable  report  to  be  sub- 
mitted in  the  event  the  House  passed 
the  measure  without  any  provisions 
other  than  those  for  increasing  the 
debt  limit. 

With  the  House  likely  to  adopt  the 
Disney  provisions,  the  report  has  been 
held  upj  and  if  the  House  does  pro- 
vide for  control  repeal  the  Senate 
committee  will  take  the  measure  up 
again,  with  a  good  chance  of  its  con- 
currence since  committee  chairman 
George  is  on  record  as  opposed  to  any 
restrictions  on  income. 

Disney's  plan  calls  for  the  freezing 
of  salaries  in  excess  of  $25,000  at 
their  Dec.  7,  1941,  level,  and  to  limit 
the  increase  in  lower  salaries  to  not 
more  than  $25,000  after  taxes. 


Sub-Zero  Weather 
Kills  BVay  Gross 

{Continued  from  page  1) 

ludos  Amigos"  opened  Friday  at  the 
Globe  and  drew  an  estimated  $15,000 
for  the  first  three  days. 

"Serve"  To  Close 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  was  esti- 
mated to  have  grossed  about  $18,700 
for  four  days  of  an  eighth  week  at 
the  Capitol.  "Crystal  Ball"  opens  at 
the_  theatre  on  Thursday.  For  five  days 
of  its  second  week  at  the  Hollywood, 
"Air  Force"  grossed  an  estimated 
$23,600  and  enters  a  third  week  tomor- 
row. During  the  three-day  weekend, 
"Casablanca"  garnered  about  $28,500 
at  the  Strand  with  Sammy  Kaye  and 
his  band  on  the  stage.  It  starts  a 
third  week  on  Friday  and  is  expected 
to  hold  for  five  weeks. 

"Random  Harvest"  will  be  held  for 
a  10th  week  starting  Thursday  at  the 
Radio  City  Music  Hall  to  equal  the 
"Mrs.  Miniver"  record  and  may  pos- 
sibly remain  for  an  11th.  For  four 
days  of  its  ninth  week,  with  the  stage 
presentation,  the  film  collected  an  esti- 
mated $67,000.  "Shadow  of  a  Doubt" 
was  heading  for  a  $19,000  week  ending 
tonight  at  the  Rivoli  and  will  continue 
until  Saturday  when  "The  Amazing 
Mrs.  Holliday,"  Deanna  Durbin  ve- 
hicle, will  open. 


RKO  Publicist  Killed 

Francis  E.  Aarons,  former  assistant 
publicity  manager  of  RKO's  Sydney, 
Australia,  branch,  was  reported  by 
his_  government  to  have  been  killed  in 
action,  according  to  word  received  by 
the  home  office.  He  was  a  sergeant  in 
the  Army  Medical  Corps  and  was  28 
years  old. 


Off  the  Antenna 


U1  OR  announcers  faced  with  pronunciation  of  tongue-twisting  war  words, 
*  CBS  has  just  issued  an  edition  of  its  vocabulary  of  names  and  places 
frequently  found  in  news  dispatches.  Ranging  from  Arabic  to  Turkish  and 
including  English,  the  volume  was  prepared  by  W.  Cabell  Greet,  CBS  speech 
consultant,  and  contains  more  than  4,000  words.  The  book  is  to  be  sent  to 
CBS  announcers  in  New  York,  the  web's  affiliated  stations  and  to  the  BBC. 


Purely  Personal:  Val  Clare,  CKLW ',  Detroit,  news  commentator,  has  re- 
turned to  work  after  a  month's  illness.  .  .  .  Joseph  Losey,  NBC  program 
director,  has  been  given  an  eight-weeks  leave  of  absence  to  direct  a  play,  as 
yet  untitled,  which  will  star  Elizabeth  Bergner.  .  .  .  Parks  Johnson  of  the 
Vox  Pop  program,  will  speak  at  the  initial  meeting  of  the  American  Red 
Cross  War  Fund  campaign  in  New  York  on  Feb.  24.  .  .  .  "Rainbow"  Johnson, 
co-star  on  "Musical  Clock"  over  KDKA,  Pittsburgh,  has  returned  to  the  air 
after  an  illness.  .  .  .  Arthur  Godfrey  did  not  appear  on  his  early-morning  CBS 
show  yesterday  because  of  a  broken  foot  suffered  while  he  was  chopping  wood 
at  his  home.  He  was  scheduled  to  return  to  the  air  today. 


Mrs.  Franklin  D.  Roosevelt  will  be  the  speaker  Sunday  in  the  first 
of  the  "Lands  of  the  Free"  broadcasts  to  be  presented  by  NBC's  Inter- 
American  University  of  the  Air  in  cooperation  with  the  Saturday  Evening 
Post's  magazine  series  on  the  Four  Freedoms.  She  will  be  followed 
on  successive  Sundays  at  4:30  p.m.  by  Norman  Rockwell,  Stephen 
Vincent  Benet  and  Archibald  MacLeish.  .  .  .  Former  President  Herbert 
Hoover  will  speak  over  CBS  at  3  p.m.  Saturday  on  a  plan  to  relieve 
starvation  among  children  of  the  occupied  nations. 


Trade  Conclave  Takes  Up 
Seven  Major  Problems 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
pany  presidents  and  studio  heads  at  a 
dinner  session  Thursday  night.  Union 
executives  are  also  expected  to  meet 
the  group  during  the  week  to  consider 
establishment  of  a  labor  pool  and  to 
study  the  application  of  the  48  hour 
work  week  directive.  The  Screen  Di- 
rectors Guild  will  be  represented  by 
president,  Mark  Sandrich,  William 
Wiellman  and  J.  P.  McGowan.  Lowell 
Mellett  will  speak  at  Wednesday 
night's  session. 

Company  presidents  attending  the 
session  are :  Barney  Balaban,  Nicholas 
M.  Schenck,  N.  Peter  Rathvon,  Spy- 
ros  Skouras,  H.  M.  Warner,  Nate 
Blumberg  and  Harry  Cohn.  Those 
representing  the  Association  of  Mo- 
tion Picture  Producers  are:  B.  B. 
Kahane,  Samuel  Goldwyn,  E.  J.  Man- 
nix,  Y.  Frank  Freeman,  Charles 
Koerner,  M.  J.  Siegel,  C.  W.  Thorn- 
ton, William  Goetz  and  Cliff  Work. 
Also  attending  are :  Will  H.  Hays, 
Edwin  Weisl,  Fred  W.  Beetson  and 
five  members  of  the  Lawyers'  Com- 
mittee of  Six. 


NBC  to  Expand  War 
Coverage:  Trammell 

Los  Angeles,  Feb.  15. — NBC  will 
expand  commentator  coverage  of  war 
but  will  continue  to  enforce  objective 
treatment  without  editorialization, 
president  Niles  Trammell  said  today, 
opening  the  seventh  war  clinic  at- 
tended by  personnel  of  affiliated  sta- 
tions in  Western  states  at  the  Am- 
bassador Hotel  here. 

Trammell  stressed  the  importance 
of  radio  in  upholding  morale,  promot- 
ing the  war  effort  now,  clarifying  is- 
sues of  the  peace  conference  and  main- 
taining peace  through  understanding 
afterwards,  with  television  a  vital  fac- 
tor when  released  for  public  use.  NBC 
executives  arrived  yesterday  for  ses- 
sions ending  Wednesday. 


TheatresOpposelO^ 
Admission  Tax  Bill 
In  Conn.  Legislature 


Hartford,  Feb.  15. — Connecticut's 
proposed  10  per  cent  admission  tax  to 
replace  the  state's  present  tax  on 
places  of  amusement,  based  on  seating 
capacity,  was  opposed  by  theatre 
representatives,  hotel  associations  and 
the  state  A.  F.  of  L.  at  a  hearing  on 
the  measure  by  the  House  finance 
committee. 

Ernest  Goodrich,  deputy  tax  com- 
missioner, told  the  committee  that  the 
proposed  measure  would  return  $1,- 
500,000  annually,  compared  with  the 
$100,000  yield  of  the  present  tax  on 
amusement  places. 

A  hearing  also  was  held  by  the 
labor  committee  on  a  bill  to  prohibit 
Sunday  work  in  the  state. 

Other  measures  affecting  the  indus- 
try which  have  been  introduced  and 
now  are  pending  include  one  prohibit- 
ing smoking  in  theatres ;  required  in- 
stallations of  sprinkler  systems  ap- 
proved by  the  state  fire  marshal  in  all 
places  of  amusement ;  repeal  of  the 
present  chance  games  ban;  new  regu- 
lations of  sanitary  conditions  in  public 
buildings,  and  one  providing  for  un- 
restricted use  of  8mm.  and  16mm. 
films  by  non-theatrical  organizations. 


Hawks,  Boyer  Form 
New  Production  Unit 

Howard  Hawks  and  Charles  Boyer 
have  formed  B.  H.  Productions.  At 
present  Ella  Raines  is  playing  the 
only  feminine  role  in  Hawks'  current 
production  for  Universal,  "Corvettes 
in  Action." 


Supreme  Court 
Affirms  AFM 
Suit  Dismissal 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

from  enforcing  his  ban  on  the 
production  of  records  by  mem- 
bers of  his  union. 

In  its  suit,  the  Government  charged 
combination  and  conspiracy  to  restrain 
interstate  trade  and  commerce  in  vio- 
lation of  the  Sherman  Act.  The  dis- 
trict court  dismissed  the  case  on  the 
ground  it  arose  out  of  a  labor  con- 
troversy to  which  the  Norris-La- 
Guardia  Act  applied,  and  the  Govern- 
ment appealed. 

In  its  appeal,  the  Department  of 
Justice  asked  the  court  to  decide 
whether  a  demand  that  an  employer 
employ  useless  and  unnecessary  work 
is  a  "term  or  condition"  of  employ- 
ment under  the  Norris-LaGuardia  or 
Clayton  acts ;  whether  a  union  may  use 
organized  coercion  to  eliminate  a  com- 
petitive business ;  whether  a  union 
may  compel  its  employer  to  combine 
with  it  in  compelling  third  parties  to 
pay  for  useless  and  unnecessary  work, 
and  whether  a  union  may  combine 
with  a  radio  network  to  prevent  ama- 
teur musicians  from  performing  over 
the  air. 

It  is  thought  that  the  Supreme 
Court  decision  may  lead  to  a  Depart- 
ment of  Justice  request  for  dismissal 
of  its  supplemental  brief  filed  last 
week  in  the  Chicago  court. 

AFM,  Recorders  Meet 

Meanwhile,  at  AFM  headquarters 
in  New  York,  the  initial  session  be- 
tween the  union's  executive  board  and 
representatives  of  recording  and  tran- 
scription companies  was  held  yester- 
day, with  no  decisions  reached  on  the 
union's^  proposals  to  end  the  ban,  it 
was  said.  The  meetings  will  continue 
this  afternoon.  In  addition  to  the  eight 
companies  invited  to  attend,  several 
other  recording  and  transcription  or- 
ganizations were  represented,  it  was 
said. 


Senators  to  Probe 
Training  Film  Pacts 

{Continued  from  page  1) 

Senate  committee  investigating  the 
war  effort. 

Senator  Harry  S.  Truman  of  Mis- 
souri, chairman  of  the  committee,  said 
a  report  would  be  made  by  Major 
John  Harlan  Amen,  former  New 
York  prosecutor,  on  his  several 
months  of  investigation  of  training 
film  production  in  Hollywood. 

Truman  said  in  a  formal  announce- 
ment of  tomorrow's  hearing  that  com- 
plaints were  received  last  September 
that  Lieut.  Col.  Darryl  Zanuck  and 
others  in  the  industry  "influenced  the 
assignment  of  contracts  and  the  exe- 
cution of  contracts  for  the  production 
by  their  companies  of  military  train- 
ing films  for  the  army." 

In  other  quarters  it  was  said  that 
the  training  film  situation  has  been 
under  investigation  for  several 
months.  It  was  known  in  the  industry 
that  Major  Amen  was  making  the 
study  and  there  were  reports  that  it 
would  be  the  basis  of  renegotiations  of 
contracts. 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  February  16,  1943 


Billie  Burke  Returns 
To  B'way  Thursday 
In  'This  Rock'  Lead 


4  New  Arbitration 
Cases  Are  Brought; 
Two  Awards  Given 


Four  new  arbitration  complaints 
were  made  public  yesterday  at  tri- 
bunals in  Chicago,  Buffalo,  Omaha 
and  Cleveland,  two  awards  were  made 
at  Dallas  and  Los  Angeles,  a  com- 
plaint was  withdrawn  at  the  Cincin- 
nati tribunal  and  an  appeal  board  de- 
cision was  handed  down  in  a  case 
filed  at  Albany. 

The  Chicago  complaint  was  filed  by 
Joseph  Marchesi,  A.  Marchesi  and 
James  Marchesi,  operators  of  the  Car- 
roll, Mt.  Carroll,  111.,  against  Loew's 
and  Vitagraph.  It  charged  that  clear- 
ance granted  the  Orpheum  and  Web, 
Savanna,  111.,  over  the  Carroll  is  ex- 
cessive and  unreasonable  and  asked 
that  it  be  eliminated  or  reduced.  At 
Buffalo,  the  S.  G.  Theatre  Corp., 
Gloversville,  N.  Y.,  filed  a  clearance 
complaint  naming  all  five  consenting 
companies,  which  charged  that  the 
clearance  granted  Shea's  Kensington 
and  North  Park,  Buffalo,  over  the 
Grenada,  Buffalo,  is  unreasonable.  It 
seeks  elimination  or  reduction  of  the 
existing  clearance. 

Omaha  Run  Complaint 

At  Omaha,  a  some  run  complaint 
was  filed  by  Frank  P.  Gartner  and 
Howard  W.  Harvey,  operators  of  the 
Rialto,  Beatrice,  Neb.,  which  charged 
that  Loew's,  Paramount,  RKO  and 
20th  Century-Fox  refused  to  license 
the  Rialto  on  any  run  and  asked  that 
the  respondents  be  directed  to  offer 
some  run  on  terms  not  calculated  to 
defeat  the  purposes  of  Section  6  of  the 
decree.  At  Cleveland,  a  clearance 
complaint  was  filed  by  the  Canitol. 
Delphos,  O.,  against  Loew's,  Para- 
mount, RKO  and  Vitagraph.  It 
charged  that  unreasonable  clearance 
is  granted  Warners'  Ohio  and  Sigma. 
Lima,  O.,  over  the  Capitol,  and  asked 
that  the  Capitol  be  permitted  to  play 
without  regard  to  Lima  theatres  and 
on  the  same  basis  as  Van  Wert.  O., 
theatres. 

The  combined  some  run,  designated 
run  and  clearance  complaints  of  the 
Roxv,  San  Angelo,  Texas,  onerated 
by  W.  V.  Adwell,  was  dismissed  at 
the  Dallas  tribunal  by  Fred  F.  Flor- 
ence, arbitrator.  The  complaint  named 
Loew's.  Paramount.  20th  Century-Fox 
and  Vitagraph,  and  sought  clearance 
for  the  Roxy  over  the  Lyric.  In  dis- 
missing all  three  petitions,  the  arbi- 
trator held  that  no  cause  of  com- 
plaint had  been  established  by  the 
petitioner. 

L.  A.  Clearance  Award 

The  Eagle  Theatre  Co.,  operator  of 
the  Eaerle,  Los  Angeles,  won  an  award 
from  Clay  Robbins,  arbitrator  at  the 
Los  Angeles  tribunal,  eliminating  the 
seven-day  clearance  over  it  granted 
the  Glen  Theatre  bv  Loew's.  Para- 
mount, RKO  and  Vitagraph.  The  ar- 
bitrator ruled  that  the  Eagle  was  en- 
titled to  the  same  availability  as  other 
theatres  in  its  area  charging  the  same 
admission  nrice,  and  that  clearance 
over  the  Eagle  was  unreasonable  be- 
cause, he  held,  it  did  not  comnete  with 
the  G'en.  Twentieth  Centurv-Fox 
was  dismissed  from  the  comnlaint. 

At  Cincinnati,  the  combined  clear- 
ance and  designated  run  comnlaint  of 
the  Bexley  Theatre,  Bexlev.  O.,  oper- 
ated bv  Ardmore  Amusement  Co.. 
was  withdrawn  by  general  stipulation 
of  the  parties  involved  and  without 
prejudice  to  renew. 


Jersey  Woman  Sees 
1st  Film  in  32  Years 

New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  Feb. 
15. — After  staying  away  from 
film  showings  for  32  years, 
Mrs.  Clara  O'Connell,  62,  went 
to  see  Abbott  and  Costello's 
"Who  Done  It?"  at  the  State 
here,  and  now  admits  that  she 
underestimated  the  value  of 
motion  pictures,  expressing  a 
desire  to  see  "one  of  those 
color  films."  Her  last  attend- 
ance at  a  film  theatre  was 
when  she  saw  the  super-at- 
traction, "Uncle  Tom's  Cabin," 
at  a  nickelodeon  in  Brooklyn. 
She  said  she  became  an  Abbott 
and  Costello  fan  by  listening 
to  them  on  the  radio. 

$1,500,000  Quota 
For  Red  Cross  Here 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
campaign,  announced.  He  added  that 
indications  point  to  an  auspicious 
start  for  the  drive  when  a  huge  bene- 
fit show  for  the  fund  will  be  held  at 
Madison  Square  Garden  April  5. 

Barney  Balaban  is  national  chair- 
man of  the  Red  Cross  War  Fund 
Week  to  be  held  in  theatres  from 
April  1  through  April  6. 

At  the  request  of  Red  Cross  of- 
ficials, the  complete  creative  and  pro- 
duction facilities  of  Radio  City  Music 
Hall  will  aid  in  staging  the  "Red 
Cross  War  Rally"  at  Madison  Square 
Garden  March  IS,  G.  S.  Eyssell,  man- 
aging director  of  the  Music  Hall,  an- 
nounced. The  rally,  which  is  expect- 
ed to  be  attended  by  more  than  18,000 
volunteer  workers,  will  signalize  the 
start  of  the  drive  in  this  area. 

Speakers  at  a  luncheon  last  week  at 
which  representatives  of  industries 
which  will  take  part  in  the  campaign 
were  present  included  Peter  Rathvon, 
Leonard  H.  Goldenson,  Major  L.  E.. 
Thompson,  John  Golden,  Alan  Corelli, 
James  A.  Sauter  and  Eyssell. 


Canada  Price  Board 
Official  Resigns  Post 


Toronto,  Feb.  IS. — James  Stewart 
has  resigned  as  administrator  of  serv- 
ices in  the  Wartime  Prices  and  Trade 
Board.  He  had  general  supervision 
of  orders  affecting  the  exhibition  and 
rental  of  films,  and  his  retirement  is 
one  of  several  recent  ones  from 
Dominion  government  control  bodies. 

He  will  be  succeeded  by  W.  M. 
McCutcheon,  Toronto  lawyer.  Stew- 
art, who  occupied  the  board  position 
for  IS  months,  will  return  to  the 
banking  business.  R.  G.  McMullen 
will  continue  as  administrator  of  the- 
tares  and  films.  He  was  associated 
with  Stewart  in  the  enactment  of 
orders  controlling  the  operation  of  all 
branches  of  the  film  business.  No 
change  in  the  board's  policy  is  antici- 
oated  as  a  result  of  Stewart's  resigna- 
tion. 


Wilby-Kincey  Men  Serve 

Charlotte,  N.  C,  Feb.  15.— The 
Wilby-Kincey  circuit  here  announces 
that  a  total  of  329  of  its  workers  have 
joined  the  armed  forces,  according  to 
official  tabulation. 


Bonus  Pact  Reached 
By  British  Industry 


London,  Feb.  15. — A  compromise 
agreement  on  the  payment  of  an  in- 
creased cost  of  living  bonus  to  theatre 
employes  has  been  reached  by  the 
Cinematograph  Exhibitors  Association 
and  employes'  unions. 

LTnder  the  agreement  a  35  per  cent 
war  bonus  will  be  paid  to  all  employes 
earning  less  than  $8  weekly,  a  33^3 
per  cent  bonus  to  all  those  earning 
between  $8  and  $12  weekly,  and  a  25 
per  cent  bonus  to  all  those  earning 
over  $12  weekly.  The  agreement,  ef- 
fective March  1,  followed  lengthy  ne- 
gotiations which  threatened  recently 
to  end  in  a  deadlock. 

The  producers  and  labor  unions  have 
also  reached  agreement  on  terms  of 
a  revised  cost-of-living  bonus  and  rat- 
ification will  follow  of  a  standard  stu- 
dio agreement  on  wages  and  hours. 

British  CEA  Halts 
Disease  Film  Stand 

London,  Feb.  15. — The  Cinemato- 
graph Exhibitors  Association  general 
council  has  rescinded  its  earlier  res- 
olution opposing  the  showing  of  films 
dealing  with  venereal  disease  and  its 
advice  to  the  British  Board  of  film 
censors  in  that  respect. 

The  council's  action  followed  the 
passing  of  "Social  Enemy  Number 
One,"  a  new  Anglo-American  Film 
Co.  release,  by  the  censor  board.  The 
film  contains  a  foreword  by  Ernest 
Brown,  minister  of  health.  The  C.E.A. 
action  is  believed  to  be  applicable  to 
that  film  only. 

Memorial  Propram 
At  Garden  March  9 

Ben  Hecht  and  Billy  Rose  are  co- 
chairmen  of  the  producing  committee 
for  the  Mass  Memorial  dedicated  to 
the  two  million  European  Jews  slain 
since  Hitler's  rise  to  power  to  be  held 
at  Madison  Square  Garden  Tuesday 
evening,  March  9.  Hecht  has  written 
a  pageant,  "We  Will  Never  Die," 
which  will  be  performed  as  part  of 
the  program. 

Harry  Kurnitz,  Rose  Keane,  Stella 
Adler,  Louis  SchafFer  and  Dr.  Saul 
Colin  are  the  other  members  of  the 
producing  committee. 

Schine's  Clearance 
Reduced  on  Appeal 

Clearance  of  Schine's  Oneonta  and 
Palace,  Oneonta,  N.  Y.,  over  the 
Smalley,  Delhi,  N.  Y.,  was  reduced  to 
three  days  on  product  of  the  five  con- 
senting companies  in  a  decision  of  the 
arbitration  appeal  board  made  public 
yesterday. 

The  Schine  theatres  at  Oneonta 
previously  had  30  days  clearance  over 
Delhi.  Harold  B.  Slingerland,  arbi- 
trator at  Albany,  entered  an  award 
last  October  reducing  that  clearance 
to  14  days.  The  award  was  appealed 
by  Smalley,  which  contended  that  com- 
petition between  the  two  towns  was  so 
slight  that  the  maximum  clearance 
should  be  one  day.  An  appeal  also 
was  filed  by  Schine,  which  asked  that 
the  arbitrator's  award  be  reversed  and 
the  complaint  dismissed. 

The  appeal  board,  in  making  the 
further  reduction  to  three  days  for 
Oneonta_  over  Delhi,  held  that  while 
competition  did  exist,  it  was  very 
slight. 


Billie  Burke  returns  to  Broadway 
after  a  13-year  absence  in  "This 
Rock,"  which  opens  at  the  Longacre 
Theatre  on  Thursday.  The  play,  a 
comedy,  is  concerned  with  a  group 
of  London's  East  End  children  a^v 
are  brought  to  the  country.  In* 
cast  are  Nicholas  Joy,  Jane  Sterl'fts,' 
Zachary  Scott,  Alastair  Kyle,  Ever- 
ett Ripley,  Ethel  Morrison,  John 
Farrel,  T.  Malcom  Dunn,  Roland 
Hogue,  Gene  Lyons,  Mabel  Taylor 
and  Victor  Beecroft.  Eddie  Dowling 
is  the  producer. 

Closing  over  the  weekend  were 
"Ask  My  Friend  Sandy"  starring 
Roland  Young,  which  opened  Feb.  4, 
and  "For  Your  Pleasure,"  the  Veloz 
and  Yolanda  revue,  which  opened 
Feb.  5.  "Without  Love,"  the  Katha- 
rine Hepburn  vehicle,  closed  at  the 
St.  James  Theatre  on  Saturday,  as 
scheduled. 

Rehearsals  start  Feb.  17  for  "The 
Family,"  under  the  direction  of  Bre- 
taigne  Windust,  it  was  announced. 
Definitely  set  for  the  cast  are  Lucile 
Watson,  Evelyn  Varden,  Nicholas 
Conte,  Elizabeth  Frazer,  Carol  Good- 
ner  and  Yung  Ying  Hsu.  The  Broad- 
way opening  is  scheduled  for  March  23. 

'Lilacs'  Title  Changed 

The  Theatre  Guild's  musical  ver- 
sion of  Lynn  Riggs'  play,  "Green 
Grows  the  Lilacs,"  will  be  called 
"Away  We  Go !"  Rouben  Mamou- 
lian  is  directing  the  Richard  Rodgers- 
Oscar  Hammerstein  version. 

Jose  Ferrer  will  replace  Danny 
Kaye  in  Vinton  Freedley's  "Let's 
Face  It."  Kaye  leaves  the  cast  after 
Feb.  27  to  fulfill  Hollywood  commit- 
ments with  Samuel  Goldwyn. 

The  children  in  the  cast  of  "Life 
With  Father"  are  continually  out- 
growing their  roles.  This  time  it's 
Artie  Quinn  who  has  grown  up.  Rob- 
ert White  will  replace  him  as  John, 
the  second  oldest  son  in  the  Day  fam- 
ily. Quinn  will  continue  with  the  pro- 
duction as  understudy  for  the  roles  of 
the  two  oldest  boys. 

10,000  Pledges  for 
'43  'Dimes'  Drive 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
all  participating  theatres  not  to  neg- 
lect the  audience  collections. 

In  a  pre-campaign  drive,  Loew's 
Palace,  Washington,  D.  C,  collected 
$4,001  in  seven  days,  compared  with 
$2,759  in  eight  days  last  year,  or  30 
per  cent  more.  The  appeal  was  made 
in  connection  with  the  President's 
Birthday  Ball  because  of  local  condi- 
tions in  the  Capital. 

State  chairmen  and  exhibitors  were 
asked  to  send  shipping  instructions  di- 
rectly to  their  nearest  National  Screen 
Service  exchange  in  event  that  they 
have  not  already  sent  shipping  in- 
structions to  the  national  headquar-  | 
ters  of  the  campaign  for  the  appeal 
trailer. 

National  headquarters  announced 
that  a  meeting  last  week  of  Georgia 
and  Florida  exhibitors  and  distributors 
showed  that  620  theatres  of  a  total  of 
638  houses  in  the  area  have  already 
signed  pledges  to  make  audience  col- 
lections. M.  C.  Tally,  Florida  theatre- 
man,  presided  at  the  session. 


A/ 


0 

Alert, 

if 

Intelligei 

gtion 

£$cture 

industry 

MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


53.  NO.  32 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  WEDNESDAY,  FEBRUARY  17,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Renew  Move 
For  48-Hour 
Studio  Week 


Mass  Meeting  Called  to 
Discuss  Proposal 


By  VANCE  KING 

Hollywood,  Feb.  16. — A  new  at- 
tempt is  being  made  to  set  up  a 
voluntary  48-hour  work  week  and 
a  labor  stabilization  program  for 
the  studios,  it  was  learned  here  to- 
day. 

Plans  are  being  made  for  a 
mass  meeting  of  representatives 
of  all  labor  organizations,  affili- 
ated or  not,  and  studio  officials. 
The  meeting  will  be  held  at  the 
Filmarte  Theatre.    The  date  is 
not  set  and  depends  on  when 
War  Manpower  Commission  of- 
ficials can  attend. 
A  first  attempt  to  bring  about  a  48- 
hour  week  failed  recently  when  sev- 
(Continued  on  page  9) 


Col.  Holds  Meeting 
Of  Managers  Here 


A  two-day  meeting  of  Columbia's 
branch  managers  of  the  Eastern  sea- 
board will  be  held  at  the  home  office 
today  and  tomorrow  to  discuss  opera- 
tional changes  resulting  from  wartime 
conditions,  Abe  Montague,  vice-presi- 
dent and  general  sales  manager,  an- 
nounced yesterday. 

The  meeting  will  follow  along  the 
lines  of  the  one  conducted  in  Chicago 
recently  for  the  company's  Midwest- 
ern and  Western  managers.  Among 
those  expected  at  the  meeting  are : 
Jack  Cohn,  executive  vice-president ; 
Louis  Astor,  Louis  Weinberg,  Max 
Weisfeldt,  N.  J.  Cohn,  Saul  Trauner, 
Irving  Wormser,  H.  E.  Weiner,  Jo- 
seph Miller,  I.  H.  Rogovin,  Phil  Fox 
and  T.  F.  O'Toole. 


Roosevelt  in  Radio 
Talk  Monday  Night 

President  Franklin  D. 
Roosevelt  will  be  heard  over 
the  air  in  a  Washington's 
Birthday  address  at  10  o'clock 
Monday  night.  The  broadcast 
will  be  carried  by  CBS,  NBC, 
Mutual  and  the  Blue  networks 
and  local  stations  WNEW, 
WMCA,  WHN  and  WINS  in 
New  York. 


Argentine  Studio 
Destroyed  in  Fire 

Buenos  Aires,  Feb.  16. — Fire 
originating  in  the  sound  cabin 
totally  destroyed  the  Argen- 
tina Sono  Film  Studios  at 
Martinez,  one  of  the  leading 
studios  in  this  country.  It  is 
believed  doubtful  that  the 
company  will  be  able  to  carry 
out  its  production  program 
due  to  the  lack  of  space  at 
other  studios.  Luis  Mentasti, 
the  owner,  witnessed  the  fire. 
Hollywood  productions  news, 
He  said  he  had  no  immediate 
plans  for  rebuilding. 


3  British  Films  Due 
U.A.  to  Fill  Quota 


Three  more  pictures  are  due  United 
Artists  from  Ealing  Studios,  England, 
under  an  existing  contract  between  the 
two,  which  will  be  sufficient  to  take 
care  of  U.  A.'s  quota  requirements 
for  another  year,  Arthur  W.  Kelly, 
United  Artists  vice-president,  said  yes- 
terday. 

Ealing  recently  announced  its  inten- 
tion of  making  a  new  distribution 
connection.  Kelly  said  that  United 
Artists  will  canvass  other  British  pro- 
ducing organizations  or  will  arrange 
for  its  own  quota  production  require- 
ments in  England  in  advance  of  de- 
livery of  the  films  still  due  from  Eal- 
ing.   He  said  Sir  Alexander  Korda, 

(Continued  on  page  9) 


COAST  CONCLAVE 
DEFENDS  TRAINING 
FILM  PRODUCERS 

Industry  Heads  Open  Conferences  with  Call 
for  Vindication  of  Research  Council  Work; 
Salary  Stabilization  Law  Discussed 

Hollywood,  Feb.  16. — The  opening  session  of  the  East-West  con- 
ference of  studio  and  company  heads  today  placed  the  industry  squarely 
behind  the  Research  Council  of  the  Academy  of  Motion  Picture  Arts 
and  Sciences  in  defense  of  Hollywood's  integrity  in  making  training 

films   which   the   Truman  Senate 


Industry  Praised 
For  Profit-Less 
Training  Films 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Feb.  16.— High  trib- 
ute was  paid  to  the  industry  for  its 
work  in  producing  training  and  other 
films  for  the  Government  without 
profit  by  Colonel  K.  B.  Lawton,  chief 
of  the  Army  pictorial  division  of  the 
Signal  Corps,  and  other  officers  at 
a  hearing  today  before   the  special 

(Continued  on  page  10) 


Coe  in  Boston  Says  Films 
Are  'Instrument  of  Victory 


Boston,  Feb.  16. — "The  American 
motion  picture  is  an  instrument  of 
victory  on  every  fighting  front," 
Charles  F.  Coe, 
MPPDA  vice- 
president  and 
general  counsel, 
told  a  meeting 
of  the  Adver- 
tising Club  of 
Boston  here  to- 
day. 

A  large  dele- 
gation of  local 
theatre  and  dis- 
tribution o  ffi  - 
ci  a  1  s  attended 
the  luncheon  at 
which  Coe's 
discussion  o  f 
the  war  role 
and  activities  of 
the  industry  was  the  principal  feature. 


Charles  F.  Coe 


"Tomorrow,"  he  said,  "American 
pictures  will  help  light  the  way  for  the 
onward  march  of  democracy.  Dwell- 
ers in  most  foreign  lands  do  not  un- 
derstand our  language  in  print  or  on 
the  air  but  they  see  democracy  in  ac- 
tion on  the  screen  and  they  under- 
stand that.  The  general  impression 
motion  pictures  have  made  abroad  is 
good.  If  the  United  States  had  no 
immigration  laws,  other  lands  might 
have  no  populations.  The  way  of  life 
our  pictures  reflect  is  the  strongest 
bulwark  of  democracy." 

"The  motion  picture,"  Coe  said, 
"serves  best  when  it  does  not  abandon 
its  primary  mission  of  entertainment. 
That  picture  which  has  fidelity  is  a 
simple  offering  of  truth  and  people 
will  accept  it.  Hollywood  joins  every- 
body else  in  the  industry  in  determina- 
tion to  win  the  war.  It  may  not  make 
(Continued  on  page  9) 


Committee  today  started  investigat- 
ing after  receiving  the  report  of 
Major  John  Amen  following  his 
investigation  here. 

The  conferees  pledged  co- 
operation to  the  end  that 
"there  may  be  complete  vin- 
dication of  the  men  who  con- 
tributed their  energy  and  abili- 
ties to  aid  in  prosecution  of  the 
war." 

Major  Amen's  report  which  precipi- 
tated the  inquiry  in  Washington  and 
the  response  here  today  was  compiled 
after  he  spent  several  months  here 
representing  the  Inspector  General  of 
the  U.  S.  Army. 

Y.  Frank  Freeman,  president  of  the 
Association  of  Motion  Picture  Pro- 
ducers, presided  at  today's  session. 

Austin  C.  Keough,  vice-president 
and  general  counsel  of  Paramount, 
addressed  the  conference  on  the  sal- 
ary stabilization  law,  which  he  re- 
viewed in  detail,  paying  tribute  to  the 
Treasury  and  the  Internal  Revenue 
departments  for  their  recognition  of 
industry  problems  and  the  time  given 
(Continued  on  page  9) 


Skouras  Plans  Trip 
To  Britain  in  April 

Hollywood,  Feb.  16.  — ■  Spyros 
Skouras,  president  of  20th  Century- 
Fox,  is  planning  to  go  to  England  in 
April,  it  is  learned.  Skouras's  con- 
templated trip,  it  is  said,  will  be  in 
connection  with  the  Office  of  War 
Information,  Greek  Relief  and  com- 
pany business.  He  is  now  here  attend- 
ing the  industry  conferences. 


In  Today's  Issue 

Review  of  "Riding  Through 
Nevada,"  Page  5.  Key  City 
box-office  reports,  Page  5. 
Hollywood  production  news, 
Page  8. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  February  17,  1943 


Grosses  Improve 
As  Weather  Eases 

Business  at  the  box-office 
improved  at  most  Broadway 
houses,  it  was  reported  yes- 
terday as  the  result  of  a  rise 
in  temperature  following  the 
severe  cold  wave  which  hit  a 
low  of  8  degrees  below  zero 
on  Monday.  The  fuel  oil  short- 
age was  made  even  more 
acute  by  the  delay  of  barge 
and  tank  shipments,  it  was 
reported. 


Small  Asks  Delay 
In  Milstein  Action 


Attorneys  for  Edward  Small  Pro- 
ductions, Inc.,  in  Federal  Court  yes- 
terday asked  for  an  adjournment 
until  April  12  of  the  trial  of  a  $60,- 
000  recovery  action  filed  by  Jacob 
J.  Milstein,  former  Eastern  represen- 
tative for  Small. 

Milstein  seeks  recovery  of  the 
amount  on  the  basis  of  a  contract 
which  called  for  a  salary  of  $300 
weekly  plus  five  per  cent  of  profits. 
The  period  covered  is  from  Sept.  1, 
1941,  to  date,  during  which,  the  com- 
plaint alleges,  the  defendant  corpora- 
tion made  a  profit  of  $1,200,000. 

The  reason  for  the  requested  ad- 
journment, Small's  attorneys,  O'Brien, 
Driscoll  and  Raftery,  explained,  is 
that  he  is  a  very  sick  man  and  his 
physician  will  not  sanction  a  trip  from 
California  to  New  York  until  the 
weather  is  more  settled. 


Legion  of  Decency 
Approves  9  Films 

Nine  new  pictures  were  approved  by 
the  National  Legion  of  Decency  in  its 
current  listing,  including  six  for  gen- 
eral patronage  and  three  for  adults, 
while  two  were  classified  "objection- 
able in  part."  The  films  and  their 
classifications  follow : 

A-l,  Unobjectionable  for  General 
Patronage :  "Dead  Man's  Gulch," 
"Haunted  Ranch,"  "Revelry  with 
Beverly,"  "Silver  Skates,"  "Stranger 
in  Town,"  "Wild  Horse  Rustlers." 
A-2,  Unobjectionable  for  Adults  :  "Air 
Force,"  "Lady  Bodyguard,"  "Young 
Mr.  Pitt."  B,  Objectionable  in  Part: 
"Cabin  in  the  Sky,"  "Flight  for  Free- 
dom." 


Personal  Mention 


British  Fund  Honors 
C.  M.  Woolf  Memory 

London,  Feb.  16. — The  Cinemato- 
graph Exhibitors  Association  has  an- 
nounced the  opening  of  the  C.  M. 
Woolf  memorial  fund  campaign.  Its 
objective  will  be  the  establishment  of 
a  memorial  wing  at  the  industry  rest 
home  at  Glebelands. 


Para.  Nutrition  Session 

The  Nutrition  Class  of  the  Para- 
mount Pep  Club,  sponsored  by  the 
American  Red  Cross,  held  its  first 
meeting  last  night  at  6  :30  in  the  club's 
recreation  room.  Lillian  A.  Silk  is 
chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Nutri- 
tion. 


Richmond  Joins  Warners 

John  Richmond,  formerly  head  of 
the  CBS  magazine  publicity  division, 
has  joined  the  Warner  Bros,  pub- 
licity department,  it  was  announced. 


G 


RADWELL  L.  SEARS  returned 
from  the  Coast  yesterday. 


E.  K.  O'Shea  returns  Friday  from 
a  Southern  trip. 

• 

Corp.  Frank  T.  Alexander,  form- 
er assistant  manager  of  the  Penn  The- 
atre, Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  son  of 
Thomas  Alexander,  managing  di- 
rector of  the  Forty  Fort  Theatre, 
Forty  Fort,  Pa.,  has  been  commis 
sioned  a  lieutenant  in  the  Army. 
• 

David  Barrist  of  Philadelphia  hac 
gone  to  Mexico  for  a  vacation. 
• 

Lt.  Harold  W.  Seidenberg,  former 
manager  of  Warners'  Earle  Theatre, 
Philadelphia,  has  been  assigned  to  the 
Signal  Section  of  the  4th  Air  Force  in 
California. 

i» 

David  Kaplan,  manager  of  War- 
ners'   Colonial,    Atlantic    City,  and 
Mrs.   Kaplan,   observed  their  25th 
wedding  anniversary  last  week. 
• 

Samuel  Lefko,  RKO  salesman  in 
Philadelphia,  now  has  two  sons  in 
the  Army.  Robert  Lefko  has  just 
joined  the  service. 


W 


A.  SCULLY  plans  to  leave 
for  a  Florida  vacation  tomor- 


Arthur  W.  Kelly  has  returned 
from  the  Coast. 

• 

Otto  W.  Bolle,  20th  Century-Fox 
managing  director  for  South  Africa, 
has  arrived  from  Johannesburg  for  a 
home  office  visit. 

• 

Ted  Schlanger,  Warner  Theatres 
zone  manager  in  Philadelphia,  has  re- 
turned to  work  after  a  siege  of  the 
grippe. 

• 

Richard  Thorpe  is  in  town  from 
Hollywood. 

Lt.  Gene  Rich,  former  M-G-M 
publicity  representative,  visited  in 
Chicago  en  route  to  a  new  assign- 
ment with  the  Public  Relations  De- 
partment, Air  Service  Command,  in 
Dayton. 


Lt.  Herbert  Weiner,  son  of  Har- 
ry E.  Weiner,  Columbia  branch  man- 
ager in  Philadelphia,  is  with  the  Air 
Forces  in  Guatemala. 


United  Nations  Voice 
In  Academy  Awards 

David  O.  Selznick,  chairman  of  the 
Documentary  Awards  Committee  of 
the  Academy  of  Motion  Picture  Arts 
and  Sciences,  announced  that  he  would 
name  representatives  of  the  United 
Nations'  film  industries  to  his  newly- 
created  nominating  committee  "in 
order  that  careful  consideration  be 
given  for  the  best  documentary  film 
achievements  in  the  free  world."  An 
awards  committee  will  make  final 
selections  from  the  recommendations 
of  the  nominating  committee,  it  was 
announced  here. 


M&Pto  Clear  N.E. 
Campaign  of  'Dimes' 

Boston,  Feb.  16. — M  &  P  Theatres 
have  been  designated  as  the  central 
clearing  house  for  four  New  England 
states  during  the  March  of  Dimes  col- 
lection, Feb.  21-26,  it  was  announced. 
A  total  of  405  theatres  out  of  a  pos- 
sible 741  in  these  states  have  already 
pledged  to  take  up  collections.  Martin 
J.  Mullin  is  chairman  of  the  drive  for 
this  sector. 


E.  H.  Seifert  Joins 
Rep.  as  Executive 

Edward  H.  Seifert,  formerly  an  offi- 
cial of  Consolidated  Film  Industries 
for  many  years,  has  been  appointed  to 
an  executive  post  with  Republic  Pic- 
tures Corp.,  it  was  announced  yester- 
day. Seifert  has  been  elected  a  di- 
rector of  the  Republic  company. 

He  formerly  was  in  charge  of  the 
Ft.  Lee,  N.  J.,  plant  of  Consolidated, 
and  with  his  transfer  to  Republic,  his 
former  duties  have  been  divided  be- 
tween J.  E.  Baker  and  Louis  Rosso,  it 
is  learned.  Seifert  formerly  served 
as  assistant  treasurer  of  Consolidated 
and  was  a  member  of  that  company's 
board. 


Dickson  with  20th-Fox 

Gregory  Dickson  has  joined  the 
20th  Century-Fox  advertising  depart- 
ment under  Charles  Schlaifer,  adver- 
tertising  manager,  Hal  Home,  direc- 
tor of  advertising  and  publicity,  an- 
nounced. 

Jules  Fields,  exploitation  represen- 
tative in  St.  Louis,  has  been  trans- 
ferred to  Chicago,  replacing  Harry 
Remington,  resigned. 


Awarded  Bravery  Medal 

St.  George,  N.  B.,  Feb.  16. — 
Joseph  Reardon,  former  manager  of 
the  Capitol  here  and  on  active  duty 
with  the  Royal  Canadian  Air  Force 
for  the  (past  two  years,  has  been 
awarded  a  special  medal  for  bravery 
in  action,  it  was  reported. 


Sandrich  New  Head 
of  Directors  Guild 

Hollywood,  Feb.  16. — Mark  Sand- 
rich  has  succeeded  George  Stevens  as 
president  of  the  Directors  Guild.  Stev- 
ens has  accepted  an  Army  commission 
as  chief  of  his  own  combat  photogra- 
phic unit  on  roving  assignment  out- 
side the  borders  of  the  U.  S. 


Discuss  Traffic  Problem 

Springfield,  Mass.,  Feb.  16. — The 
Springfield  War  Transportation  Board 
met  recently  with  theatre  representa- 
tives to  consider  changes  in  starting 
and  closing  hours  for  film  houses 
which  might  provide  relief  during  peak 
transportation  hours,  but  performances 
have  already  been  keyed  to  the  situa- 
tion and  it  developed  that  no  relief 
could  be  found  from  this  angle,  it  was 
reported. 


Newsreel 
Parade 


fT1  HE  White  House  Correspondents' 
-*-  Dinner  at  which  President 
Roosevelt  told  about  the  Casablanca 
conference  is  the  highlight  of  midweek 
newsreels.  Other  features  are  new 
z'iews  from  the  fighting  fronts',  and 
the  arrival  of  Polish  refugees  in  PMr 
sia.    The  contents  follow:  ^EVvt 

MOVIETONE  NEWS,  No.  48— Presi- 
dent speaks  on  invasion  plans,  at  White 
House  Dinner.  Willow  Run  plant  is  bad 
news  for  Axis.  Air  heroes  decorated  in 
Texas.  Allied  troops  parade  in  Sydney, 
Australia.  P.T.  boats  ready  for  action. 
Girls  overhaul  machine  guns  at  California 
plant.  Dog  champions  on  parade  at  Madi- 
son Square  Garden. 

NEWS  OF  THE  DAY,  No.  248— Presi- 
dent reports  on  Casablanca  plans.  Henry 
Ford's  bomber  plant  a  new  production 
wonder.  Polish  exodus  to  Persia.  Crew  of 
the  flying  fortress,  "Susy  Q."  Australian 
soldiers  have  jive  band  in  jungle.  U.  S. 
torpedo  boat  patrol  off  Panama  Canal. 

PARAMOUNT  NEWS,  No.  91.— PIT. 
Boats  in  Canal  Zone  give  demonstration 
President  Roosevelt  defines  "unconditional 
surrender."  First  pictures  of  Willow  Run 
bombers.  Sgt.  and  Mrs.  Joe  Louis  parents 
of  a  daughter.  Polish  refugees  pour  into 
Persia. 

PATHE  NEWS,  No.  51.— Roosevelt 
promises  invasion  of  Europe.  Poles  find 
refuge  in  Persia.  P.T.'s  train  off  Panama. 
Ozzie  Troppo  band  with  Army  in  the  Paci- 
fic.   Notre  Dame  swamps  N.Y.U. 

UNIVERSAL   NEWSREEL,    Not  164.- 

FDR  tells  of  hard  blows  to  come.  B-24's 
start  to  roll  off  production  lines.  Bomber 
Squadron  decorated.  P.T.  boats  prepare  for 
attack  near  Panama.  Guadalcanal  Marines 
on  two-week  vacation.  Mexicans  fight  for 
U.  S.  Canine  aristocrats  at  Madison  Square 
Garden. 


Fox  Tries  Midnight 
Shows  in  Milwaukee 

Milwaukee,  Feb.  16. — Fox's  pol- 
icy of  Saturday  midnight  previews 
at  its  Wisconsin  and  Palace,  first  run 
houses,  which  has  caught  on  with  con- 
siderable success  here,  is  being  given 
a  trial  at  some  of  the  circuit's  subse- 
quent run  houses. 

Plugged  as  a  "double  dawn  pre- 
miere" at  the  circuit's  first  run  houses, 
the  program  consists  of  a  feature  pic- 
ture slated  for  regular  showing  a  week 
or  two  later,  together  with  selected 
shorts. 


A.  C.  House  Opens  Early 

Atlantic  City,  Feb.  16. — Weilland- 
Lewis'  Strand,  normally  open  only 
during  the  Summer,  has  re-opened  for 
Saturdays  and  Sundays,  as  a  result 
of  increased  theatre  attendance  due  to 
the  large  number  of  service  men  sta- 
tioned here. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


FOLKS 


YOU 


PLAY 


4. 


Metro-GOLDMINE-Mayer's 
Surefire  Nationwide  Hit! 

SPENCER  TRACY 
Katharine  HEPRURN 


m4 


m 


IT! 


"KEEPER  OF 

mini   vpy  aiffii" 

with  Richard  Whorf  •  Margaret  Wycherly  •  Forrest  Tucker  •  Frank  Craven  •  Horace 
McNally  •  Percy  Kilbride  •  Screen  Play  by  Donald  Ogden  Stewart  •  Based  Upon  the 
Book  by  I.  A.  R.  Wylie  •  Directed  by  GEORGE  CUKOR  •  Produced  by  VICTOR 
SAVILLE  •  Associate  Producer  Leon  Gordon    •   A  Metro-Goldmine-Mayer  Picture 

"March  of  Dimes"  Feb.  18—24 


Wednesday,  February  17,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


5 


Grosses  Hold  in 
Frigid  Pittsburgh; 
'Doodle'  $20,000 


Pittsburgh,  Feb.  16. — A  spell  of 
frigid  weather  took  its  toll  of  grosses 
here  this  week  although,  considering 
that   the   temperature   stayed  below 

-o,  attendance  held  up  pretty  well. 
"  <fiding  was  "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy" 
'frr^its  popular-price  run  at  the  Penn, 
with  an  estimated  $20,000.  "In  Which 
We  Serve"  and  "Casablanca"  held 
their  own,  the  first  at  the  Warner  at 
an  estimated  $10,000  in  its  second* 
downtown  week,  the  second  at  the 
Ritz  for  about  $4,000  in  its  fourth 
downtown  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  16-18: 

"When.  Johnny  Comes  Marching  Home" 
(Univ.) 

"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 

FULTON — (1,700)    (30c-40c-55c)    6  days. 
Gross:  $4,500.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Something  to  Shout  About"  (Col.) 

HARRIS  —  (2,200)    (30c-40c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $7,500.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

PENN— (3,400)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days.  Gross: 
?20,000.    (Average,  $17,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

RITZ— (1,100)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days,  4th 
week  (moveover  after  two  weeks  at  Penn, 
one  at  Warner).  Gross:  $4,000.  (Average, 
$2,500) 

"Chetnikst"  (Zttth-Fox) 

"We  Are  the  Marines"  (20th  Century- Fox) 

SENATOR— (1,750)    (30c-40c-55c)   7  days, 
2nd  week  (moveover  from  Harris).  Gross: 
$2,700.    (Average,  $3,500) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

STANLEY—  (3,800)  (30c-44c-65c).  Stage: 
6  days  of  vaudeville,  including  Vaughn 
Monroe  orchestra,  the  Murphy  Sisters,  Paul 
Winchell,  Johnny  Mack.  Gross:  $20,000 
(Average,  $20,000) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

WARNER-(2,000)  (30c -40c -55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week  (moveover  from  Penn).  Gross- 
$10,000.    (Average,  $6,500) 


Cleveland  Grosses 
Withstand  Blizzard 


Cleveland,  Feb.  16.  —  Notwith- 
standing a  benumbing  weekend  bliz- 
zard, "Meanest  Man  In  World,"  with 
Bob  Chester's  orchestra  on  stage,  sail- 
ed through  it  blithely  and  is  expected 
to  bring  the  Palace  about  $21,000.  The 
holdover  of  "Casablanca"  at  the  Hipp 
steamed  up  to  the  neighborhood  of  a 
strong  $17,000  estimated  for  the  week. 
The  third  week  of  "In  Which  We 
Serve"  also  was  heading  for  an  ex- 
cellent $10,000  at  Stillman  after  giv- 
ing the  State  landslide  business  for  a 
fortnight. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  18-19: 

"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

ALLEN — (3,000)  (35c-40c-45c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $6,500.    (Average,  $5,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER'S   HIPP-(3.800)  (35c-40c-45c- 
55c)    7    days,    2d    week.     Gross:  $17,000. 
(Average,  $13,000) 
"Black  Swan,"  (20th-Fox) 

WARNER'S  LAKE — (800)  (35c-40c-45c- 
55c)  7  days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $3,500. 
(Average,  $2,000) 

"Meanest  Man  in  World"  (20th-Fox) 

RKO   PALACE-(3,700)  (45c-50c-55c-65c- 
75c-85c).    Stage:    Bob   Chester's  orchestra. 
Gross:  $21,000.    (Average,  $17,000) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (3.450)  (35c-40c-45c-55c) 
7  days.  Gross:  $13,000.  (Average,  $14,000) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S  STILLMAN-(2,700)  (35c-40c- 
4bc-55c)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $10,000 
(Average,  $6,500) 


Review 


"Riding  Through  Nevada 

(Columbia) 

A FAST-MOVING  action  picture  in  the  tradition  that  true  western 
fans  will  enjoy  immensely,  "Riding  Through  Nevada"  is  complete 
in  all  the  requirements  for  this  type  of  film — bandits,  guns  and  fast  rid- 
ing.  Charles  Starrett,  well  known  to  western  fans,  is  in  the  lead. 

Involved  is  a  shipment  of  gold  and  a  beautiful  girl,  Shirley  Patterson, 
daughter  of  the  owner  of  the  Carson  City  coach  line.  Defender  of  hon- 
esty and  law-and-order,  Charles  Starrett,  as  a  postal  inspector,  comes  to 
grips  with  Clancy  Cooper,  a  bogus  postal  inspector  who  is  after  the  gold 
which  is  expected  on  the  stage  coach.  An  exciting  running  gun  battle 
between  the  outlaws  under  Clancy,  and  Starrett,  in  which  the  gold  is 
brought  safely  to  its  destination,  is  the  high  point  of  the  action. 

Jimmie  Davis  and  his  Rainbow  Ramblers  serve  up  a  number  of  pleas- 
ant musical  interludes,  and  Arkansas,  played  by  Arthur  Hunnicut,  furn- 
ishes humor  in  the  character  of  a  stage  coach  driver.    Jack  Fier  pro- 
duced and  William  Berke  directed. 
Running  time,  61  minutes.  "G."* 


¥'G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Washington  Houses 
Have  Strong  Week 


Washington,  Feb.  16. — With  cur- 
rent headlines  still  the  topic  of  con- 
versation, "Casablanca"  had  the  pub- 
licity lure  that  brought  in  a  banner 
second  week's  gross  at  the  Warner 
Earle,  and  it  looks  like  $21,000  for 
the  week.  "They  Got  Me  Covered" 
broke  the  weekend  attendance  record 
at  RKO-Keith's  and  appeared  to  be 
headed  for  a  very  big  $21,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  18 : 

"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S  CAPITOL— (3,434)  (28c-39c-44c- 
66c)  7  days.    Stage:   "Earl  Carroll's  Van- 
ities".   Gross:  $21,000.    (Average,  $19,000) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  COLUMBIA— (1,234)  (28c-44c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $5,800.    (Average,' $5,200) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

EARLE  —  (2,210)     (30c-39c-44c-66c-77c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $20,000.  (Average, 
$15,500).    Stage  show:  Kin  Loo  Sisters,  the 
Barrys;  Roxyettes. 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

RKO-KEITH'S  — (1,800)     (40c-50c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $21,000.    (Average,  $11,200) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

METROPOLITAN—  (1,600)  (30c-44c)  7 
days,  2nd  week  downtown.  Gross:  $10,000. 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S  PALACE  —  (2,242)  (28c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $20,000.    (Average,  $15,750) 


'Morocco9  $14,500  at 
2  Milwaukee  Houses 

Milwaukee,  Feb.  16. — "Road  to 
Morocco"  playing  Fox's  Wisconsin 
and  Palace  simultaneously  is  headed 
for  an  expected  total  of  $14,500  for  the 
week's  best  take.  Second  money  went 
to  "Seven  Miles  from  Alcatraz"  with 
Ina  Ray  Hutton  on  the  stage  at  the 
Riverside,  with  $11,000  expected. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  18-20: 

"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

"The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.A.) 

WARNER— (2,400)  (33c-44c-60c)  7  days, 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $6,000.  (Average,  $8,600) 
"Seven  Miles  from  Alcatraz"  (RKO) 

RIVERSIDE— (2,700)     (44c-65c)     7  days. 
Stage:   Ina   Ray   Hutton.     Gross:  $11,000. 
(Average,  $12,000) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.  ) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

PALACE— (2,400)  (44c-65c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$6,000.     (Average,  $6,000) 
"Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (20th-Fox) 
"Chetniks"  (ZIHh-Fox) 

STRAND— (1,400)    (44c-65c)   7  days,  con- 
tinued run.    Gross:  $2,300.  (Average,  $2,000) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"Night  in  New  Orleans"  (Para.)  • 

WISCONSIN-(3,200)  (44c-65c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $8,500.    (Average,  $8,300) 


'Harvest'  Garners 
$16,000  in  K.  C. 


Kansas  City,  Feb.  16.— "Random 
Harvest"  led  the  city's  first  runs  this 
week,  with  an  estimated  $16,000  ex- 
pected, very  big.  Another  strong  show 
is  the  combination  of  "Flying  Fort- 
ress" and  "You  Can't  Escape  For- 
ever" at  the  Orpheum  which  is  wind- 
ing up  with  an  estimated  $13,000.  "The 
Forest  Rangers"  is  piling  up  what 
looks  like  $10,000  in  a  second  week  at 
the  Newman.  A  sports  series  at  the 
Municipal  Auditorium,  with  a  nightly 
attendance  of  about  5,000,  was  com- 
petition. The  weather  was  again 
wintry. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  17-18: 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

ESQUIRE — (8C0)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$3,500.     (Average,  $3,500) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

MIDLAND   —   (3,600)    (35c-50c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $16,000.     (Average,  $12,000) 
"The  Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 

NEWMAN — (1,900)  (35c-50c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $10,000.     (Average,  $9,000) 
"Flying  Fortress"  (W.  B.) 
"You  Can't  Escape  Forever"  (W.  B.) 

ORPHEUM  —  (1,900)    (35c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $13,000.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"Madame  Spy"  (Univ.) 
"Hi,  Buddy"  (Univ.) 

TOWER— (2,200)    (35c)    7  days.  Stage 
show.   Gross:  $7,500.   (Average,  $6,750) 
"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

UPTOWN— (2,000)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$5,000.     (Average,  $5,000) 


N.  Y.  Church  Council 
Fights  Chance  Games 

Albany,  Feb.  16. — The  New  York 
State  Council  of  Churches,  Inc.,  rep- 
resenting all  major  Protestant  sects, 
took  a  strong  stand  in  opposition  to 
passage  of  any  bills  to  legalize  chance 
games  in  identical  letters  to  all  mem- 
bers of  the  Senate  and  Assembly. 

The  Farrell-Archinal  measure,  tar- 
get, last  week  of  ITOA  opposition 
because  theatre  chance  games  are  not 
legalized,  was  denounced  with  a  state- 
ment that  "the  church  is  opposed  to 
any  form  of  gambling."  Assemblyman 
Malcolm  Wilson's  bill  for  local  option, 
giving  communities  the  right  to  de- 
cide legality  within  its  own  borders 
was  assailed  in  even  stronger  terms. 


'Hardy'  Leads 
New  Pictures 
InPhila.Week 


Philadelphia,  Feb.  16. — With  a 
weekend  of  real  holiday  proportions 
because  of  Lincoln's  Birthday,  giving 
the  downtown  houses  a  big  start  for 
the  week,  business  looms  exceptionally 
big.  Among  the  new  openings,  "Andy 
Hardy's  Double  Life"  heads  for  a 
heavy  $23,000  at  the  Fox  with  an  ad- 
ditional $2,600  already  in  for  the  twin 
showing  on  Sunday  at  the  Earle, 
which  is  also  enjoying  big  business 
for  the  remaining  days  of  the  week, 
with  "Three  Hearts  for  Julia"  and 
Teddy  Powell's  band  and  Dennis  Mor- 
gan on  the  stage  figured  at  hitting 
$28,000  for  six  days.  "Random  Har- 
vest" continues  strong  at  the  Boyd 
with  $23,000  in  sight  for  its  third  week 
after  a  $29,000  second  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  16-19: 

"Tennessee  Johnson"  (M-G-M) 

ALDINE— (900)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $11,000.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

ARCADIA — (600)  (35c-46c-57c-68c)  7  days, 
2nd  run.    Gross:  $3,800.    (Average,  $2,800) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

BOYD — (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $23,000.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

•Three  Hearts  for  Julia"  (M-G-M)  6  days 
"Andy    Hardy's    Double    Life"  (M-G-M) 
1  day 

EARLE — (3,000)  (46c-57c-75c).  Stage:  6 
days  of  vaudeville  including  Teddy  Powell's 
orchestra,  Jerry  Lester,  Dick  Mains,  Irving 
Fazola,  Peggy  Mann,  Tommy  Taylor,  Den- 
nis Morgan.  Gross:  $30,600.  (Average,  $18,- 
000) 

"One  Dangerous  Night"  (Col.) 

FAY'S— (2,190)  (29c-35c-46c-57c).  Stage: 
Vaudeville  including  Duke  Ellington's  or- 
chestra. Gross:  $11,200.  (Average,  $6,000) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 

FOX  —  (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $23,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Bambi"  (RKO) 

KARLTON  —  (1,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $5,000.  (Aver- 
age, $3,500) 

"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 

KEITH'S— (2,200)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c) 
7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $3,000.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

MASTBAUM — (4,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  5th  week.     Gross:  $13,000. 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

STANLEY  —  (3,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)    7  days,   2nd   week.      Gross:  $12,000. 
(Average,  $14,000) 
"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

STANTON  -  (1,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average,  $6,500) 

'My  Gar  on  Dual 

$8,900  in  Omaha 

Omaha,  Feb.  16.— "For  Me  and  My 
Gal"  and  "Sin  Town"  was  the  week's 
leader  with  an  estimated  $8,900  at  the 
Omaha.  "China  Girl"  with  Woody 
Herman's  band  on  the  stage  was  ex- 
pected to  roll  up  an  estimated  $15,- 
800  at  the  Orpheum.  "Casablanca" 
completed  a  two-week  run  at  the 
Brandeis  with  a  good  $5,000  for  the 
second  week.  "Johnny  Doughboy"  was 
the  second  feature. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  ending 
Feb.  17-18: 

"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 
"Johnny  Doughboy"  (Rep.) 

BRANDIES  —  (1,200)  (30c-35c-44c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $5,000.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"Fcr  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M) 
"Sm  Town,"  (Univ.) 

OMAHA  —  (2.000)   (30c-35c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $8,900.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 

ORPHEUM  —  (3,000)  (40c-55c)  7  days. 
Stage:  Woody  Herman.  Gross:  $15,800 
(Average,  $14,500) 


•     TOPPING  SUCH  BIG  ONES  AS  "THE  BLACK 


\  I  SWAN"  AND  "SPRINGTIME  IN  THE  ROCKIES 
^  IN  KANSAS  CITY,  TULSA,  LOS  ANGELES, 
NEW  YORK.  SAN  DIEGO! 


2a 


CRACKING  "CHARLEY'S  AUNT"  RECORDS 
AND  THE  HIGHS  SET  BY  "ORCHESTRA 
~~  ^  WIVES"  IN  ST.  LOUIS,  DES  MOINES, 
MIAMI,  MILWAUKEE,  DAVENPORT! 


2a 


BEATING  "FOOTLIGHT  SERENADE" 
AND  "CHINA  GIRL"  IN  PITTSBURGH 
/]  AND  EQUALLY  BIG  IN  DENVER 
AND  ELMIR  A ! 

_ 


2a 


8 


MOTION  PICTURE  DAILY 


Wednesday,  February  17,  1943 


Production  on 
Coast  Off  with 
33  in  Work 

Hollywood,  Feb.  16. — Thirty-three 
pictures  were  before  the  cameras  this 
week,  a  drop  of  six  from  a  week  ago, 
as  12  were  completed  and  six  started. 
Twenty-five  are  being  prepared  and 
69  are  being  edited. 

The  tally  by  studio : 

Columbia 

Finished:  "Redhead  from  Manhat- 
tan." 

In  work :  "Sahara,"  "Blondie  Buys 
a  Horse,"  "Attack  by  Night." 

M-G-M 

Finished:    "Bataan  Patrol." 

In  work  :  "Right  About  Face,"  "Best 
Foot  Forward,"  "Girl  Crazy,"  "Fac- 
ulty Row,"  "I  Dood  It." 

Monogram 

Finished:  "Clancy  Street  Boys." 
In  work :  "Ghosts  in  the  Night." 

Paramount 

Finished :   "Alaska  Highway." 

In  work :  "Riding  High,"  "Five 
Graves  to  Cairo,"  "So  Proudly  We 
Hail,"  "Lady  in  the  Dark,"  "Let's 
Face  It." 

Started:  "Hostages." 

Producers  Releasing 

Finished:  "The  Ghost  and  the 
Guest,"  "Girls  in  Chains." 

Started:  "Black  Raven,"  "Sub- 
marine Base." 

RKO 

In  zvork :  "The  Falcon  Strikes 
Back,"  "Free  for  All,"  "The  Fallen 
Sparrow,"  "The  Sky's  the  Limit." 

Started  :  "The  Leopard  Man,"  "Gil- 
dersleeve's  Bad  Day." 

Republic 

Finis'hed:  "King  of  the  Cowboys," 
"Santa  Fe  Scouts." 

In  zvork :   "The  Man  Trap." 
Started :  "Calling  Wild  Bill  Elliott." 

20th  Century-Fox 

In  work :  "Bomber's  Moon," 
"Stormy  Weather,"  "Heaven  Can 
Wait,"  "Jane  Eyre." 

United  Artists 

In  work  :  "Stage  Door  Canteen." 
Universal 

Finished :   "Cross  Your '  Fingers." 

In  work  :  "Trombone  from  Heaven," 
"Phantom  of  the  Opera,"  "Corvettes 
in  Action." 

Warners 

Finished :  "Mission  to  Moscow," 
"Old  Acquaintance,"  "Devotion." 

Shafer  Takes  Schine 
House  in  Rochester 

Rochester,  Feb.  16. — Sol .  Shafer, 
independent  exhibitor,  has  taken  over 
the  lease  on  the  Grand  here  from  the 
Schine  circuit.  Although  Shafer  re- 
cently acquired  the  Scotia,  Scotia,  N. 
Y.,  from  Schine  under  the  theatre  di- 
vestment order  between  the  govern- 
ment and  the  circuit,  the  acquisition  of 
the  Grand  is  not  a  part  of  the  divest- 
ment proceeding. 

Shafer,  who  will  make  his  head- 
quarters here,  plans  to  acquire  other 
up-state  theatres,  it  was  reported 
However,  options  which  he  held  to  ac- 
quire Schine's  Plaza,  Malone,  N.  Y., 
and  several  of  the  circuit's  Kentucky 
houses  under  the  government  divest- 
ment order  were  permitted  to  lapse. 


Theatre 


Danz  Appointments 

Seattle,  Feb.  16. — Several  changes 
in  managerial  posts  of  John  Danz 
Sterling  chain  theatres  here  have  been 
announced  for  1943.  Jerry  Ross,  mas- 
ter of  ceremonies  at  the  Palomar,  as- 
sumes full  management  of  that  house, 
replacing  Lionel  Wasson  who  has  re- 
signed to  move  to  California.  As  as- 
sistant he  will  have  Herbert  Stuart, 
now  manager  of  the  Uptown  theatre. 
Stuart,  in  turn,  will  be  replaced  by 
Curtis  Chester,  recently  arrived  in 
this  city  from  the  Middle  West. 


Woman  Press  Agent 

Pittsburgh,  Feb.  16. — Josephine 
Kaminsky  is  the  new  assistant  in  the 
Warner  Theatres  publicity  department 
here,  replacing  Mitchell  DeGroot,  Jr., 
now  head  of  the  theatre  zone's  poster 
department.  Miss  Kaminsky  is  the 
first  girl  press  agent  in  Pittsburgh. 


Named  New  Haven  Manager 

New  Haven,  Feb.  16.  —  Vincent 
Palmeri,  formerly  at  the  Roger  Sher- 
man, New  Haven,  has  been  named 
manager  of  the  Merritt  here.  He 
succeeds  Murray  Howard,  who  has 
been  called  to  Army  Service. 


Okla.  House  Reopened 

Pryor,  Okla.,  Feb.  16.— Allied  The- 
atre here,  which  was  destroyed  by  a 
tornado  last  April  27,  has  been  rebuilt 
and  reopened  recently  under  the  man- 
agement of  Fred  Allred. 


W.  B.  Phila.  Area  Changes 

Philadelphia,  Feb.  16. — J.  Neirem- 
berg  has  succeeded  Norman  Bailey  as 
manager  of  the  Warner  Liberty  in 
Tacony,  Pa.  Sidney  Munter,  manager 
of  the  Ritz,  Wilmington,  Del.,  has 
been  placed  in  charge  of  the  Queen  in 
that  city  as  a  result  of  Richard  Kirsh, 
manager,  leaving  for  the  Army. 


New  Hartford  Manager 

Hartford,  Feb.  16. — Frank  Smith 
has  been  appointed  manager  of  the 
Warner  Lenox  here,  replacing  Mi- 
chael Regan,  resigned. 


Remodels  Balto.  House 

Baltimore,  Feb.  16. — The  Mary- 
land Theatre,  for  many  years  a  legiti- 
mate house,  is  being  remodeled  by  its 
new  owner  and  operator,  William 
Hicks,  for  presentation  of  vaudeville 
and  pictures. 


Phoenix  to  Golden  State 

San  Francisco,  Feb.  16. — James 
Phoenix,  former  manager  of  the  Noe 
Theatre  here,  has  been  appointed  man- 
ager of  the  Golden  State  circuit's 
Strand. 


Evergreen  Changes 

Seattle,  Feb.  16. — Mrs.  Dorothy 
Peterson  has  been  appointed  secretary 
to  John  Hamrick,  city  manager  of 
Hamrick-Evergreen  theatre  circuit. 
She  succeeds  Douglas  Forbes,  who 
has  been  named  city  booker  for  the 
same  circuit. 


New  Fox  Midwest  Manager 

Kansas  City,  Feb.  16. — Reed  Moles- 
worth,  formerly  assistant  manager  of 
the  Fox  Midland  Uptown  Theatre, 
has  been  appointed  manager  of  the  cir- 
cuit's Brookside,  Kansas  City,  succeed- 
ing Gene  Kay,  now  in  the  Army. 


Changes 


To  Rebuild  House 

Bloomington,  Ind.,  Feb.  16.- — The 
rebuilding  of  the  Harris-Grand  the- 
atre, which  was  destroyed  by  fire  last 
July,  has  been  authorized  by  the  War 
Production  Board.  The  rebuilding 
wag  permitted  because  additional 
recreational  facilities  are  needed  in 
the  area  for  service  men  and  women 
at  Indiana  University,  Camp  Atter- 
bury,  and  Burns  City. 


Manages  Two  in  Rochester 

Rochester,  Feb.  16. — Ben  Levy  has 
succeeded  Al  Hoestler  as  manager  of 
the  Riviera.  He  also  continues  as 
manager  of  the  Liberty. 


Woman  in  Omaha  Post 

Omaha,  Feb.  16. — Faye  Nielsen,  as- 
sistant manager  of  the  Grand,  Grand 
Island,  Neb.,  for  five  years,  has  been 
appointed  assistant  manager  of  the 
Orpheum.  She  succeeds  Bruce  Shel- 
ton,  transferred  to  the  Paramount  at 
Des  Moines. 


Manager  in  Birmingham 

Birmingham,  Ala.,  Feb.  16.— Wil- 
liam L.  Crull  has  been  appointed  man- 
ager of  the  Ritz  Theatre  here,  suc- 
ceeding William  J.  Coury,  who  now 
directs  three  local  theatres,  the  Lyric, 
Strand  and  Pantages. 


M  and  P  Reopens  House 

Boston,  Feb.  16. — M  &  P  Theatres 
reopened  the  Esquire  here  under  the 
management  of  Robert  Franklin,  for- 
merly assistant  manager  of  the  M  &  P 
Fenway.  Prices  are  35  and  SO  cents 
for  adults  and  22  cents  for  children. 


Manages  Pittsfield  House 

Pittsfiel,  Mass.,  Feb.  16. — Frank 
G.  Loftus,  formerly  with  Warner 
Bros,  home  office,  has  been  named 
manager  of  the  Capitol  Theatre  in  this 
city. 


New  Rochester  Manager 

Rochester,  Feb.  16. — Francis  An- 
derson succeeds  Wallace  Folkins,  re- 
signed, as  house  manager  at  the  RKO 
Palace  here. 


Sterling  Circuit  Changes 

Seattle,  Feb.  16. — Returned  here 
from  Army  service,  Glen  Eldredge 
will  manage  the  Rivoli  Theatre  for 
the  Sterling  Circuit.  He  succeeds  Ed 
Lewis,  who  moves  to  the  Roosevelt. 
Richard  Reed,  Roosevelt  manager, 
goes  to  the  Mission  Theatre. 


Acquires  Conn.  Honse 

Waterbury,  Conn.,  Feb.  16. — Roger 
Mahan,  former  Vitagraph  manager, 
New  Haven,  and  more  recently  in  New 
York,  has  acquired  operation  of  the 
576-seat  Plaza  Theatre  here  from 
Nick  Mascoli,  and  plans  to  renovate 
the  house.  Mascoli  will  continue  to 
operate  the  Carroll. 


RKO  Boston  Changes 

Boston,  Feb.  16. — Frank  Howard 
is  new  manager  of  the  RKO  Memo- 
rial Theatre  here.  Benjamin  Domingo, 
who  for  some  time  has  been  managing 
that  house  and  the  Boston  Theatre 
here,  will  now  confine  his  activities 
to  the  latter. 


Gem  in  Tulsa  Reopens 

Tulsa  Okla.;  Feb.  16.— The  Gem 
Theatre  here,  owned  and  operated  by 
John  Feeney,  has  reopened  after  being 
closed  for  remodeling. 


N.  Y.  Projectionists 
Re-Licensing  Passed 

Albany,  Feb.  16.— The  Man- 
ning motion  picture  operators 
bill  cleared  its  final  legislative 
hurdle  today,  passing  the 
State  Senate  unanimously.  It 
will  now  be  sent  to  Governor 
Dewey.  The  bill  provides  that 
operators  licensed  under  the 
General  City  Law,  now  in 
service  or  inducted  by  July  1*> 
1943,  can  obtain  their  license^  s 
after  the  war  by  applying*^ 
within  three  months  of  hon- 
orable discharge.  Such  re- 
licensing  privilege  will  be 
granted  without  examination, 
even  if  it  lapsed  during  mili- 
tary service. 


Hub  Stage  Bookings 
Show  Good  Revival 


Boston,  Feb.  16.  —  Business  for 
plays  has  taken  a  spurt  here,  with 
four  theatres  announcing  new  book- 
ings, in  addition  to  the  two  produc- 
tions already  on  the  boards,  which 
are  "Springtime  for  Henry"  at  the 
Colonial  Theatre,  with  Edward  Ev- 
erett Horton,  remaining  for  a  total  of 
five  weeks,  and  "Ziegfeld  Follies"  at 
the  Shubert  Theatre.  Both  will  move 
to  Philadelphia  at  the  conclusion  of 
their  Hub  runs. 

The  new  shows  are :  "Men  in 
Shadow,"  which  Max  Gordon  will 
present  at  the  Colonial  Theatre  Feb. 
22  for  a  two-week  run  before  Broad- 
way ;  "Pygmalion,"  starring  Sylvia 
Sydney,  also  for  two  weeks,  at  the 
Copley ;  "Kiss  and  Tell,"  the  George 
Abbott  production  at  the  Wilbur  be- 
ginning March  1  for  a  two-week  pre- 
Broadway  trial,  and  four  one-act  plays 
sponsored  by  the  Lolamy  Theatre  on 
March  5,  6  and  7  at  a  theatre  not  yet 
announced. 


'Arsenic'  High  in  Springfield 

Springfield,  Mass.,  Feb.  16. — "Ar- 
senic and  Old  Lace,"  brought  here  for 
a  one-day  stand  by  the  Playgoers  of 
Springfield  at  the  Court  Square  The- 
atre, grossed  a  reported  $4,600,  an 
all-season  high.  This  was  the  second 
time  the  play  was  here  in  the  last 
two  seasons,  but  the  first  time  with 
the  Boris  Karloff  company. 


Child  Admission  in 
Quebec  Is  Favored 


Montreal,  Feb.  16. — In  a  resolu- 
tion drafted  by  John  F.  Dalton,  Super- 
intendent of  the  Boys'  Bureau,  for- 
warded to  Premier  Adelard  Godbout 
and  to  every  member  of  the  Provin- 
cial Legislature,  the  following  was  set 
forth :  That  children  nine  years  of 
age  and  over  should  be  admitted  to 
especially  selected  motion  picture  the- 
atres on  Saturdays  and  specified  holi- 
days between  9  A.M.  and  2  P.M. ; 
the  Board  of  Censors  selected  by  the 
Catholic  and  Protestant  Boards  of 
Public  Instruction  should  be  author- 
ized to  classify  motion  pictures  for 
children. 

Premier  Godbout  has  replied  that 
the  matter  is  under  study  and  there  is 
hope  that  some  action  will  be  taken 
during  the  forthcoming  session  of  the 
legislature. 


Wednesday,  February  17,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


9 


On  Coast  for  Industry  Conclave 


Ned  E.  Depinet  (left)  and  Charles  Koerner  (right)  greet  N.  Peter 
Rathvon,  another  RKO  chieftain,  on  arrival  in  Hollywood  for  the  con- 
ferences of  film  company  heads. 


Coe  in  Boston  Says  Films 
Are  'Instrument  of  Victory' 


Renew  Move 
For  48-Hour 
Studio  Week 


{Continued  from  paye  1) 

eral  unions  insisted  upon  overtime  pay 
from  the  36th  hour  instead  of  the 
-  ^  hour,  as  producers  proposed.  Pre- 
^Snary  discussions  on  a  labor  stabili- 
zation program  started  tonight  with 
a  meeting  of  representatives  of  six 
independent  guilds  to  prepare  for 
forthcoming  talks  with  company  heads. 

The  Screen  Writers  Guild  said  Mary 
C.  McCall,  Jr.,  Lester  Cole  and  Harry 
Tugend  will  represent  it  at  Thursday 
night's  session  with  executives. 

Screen  Actors'  Guild  delegates  are 
James  Cagney,  Kenneth  Thomson 
and  one  other  to  be  appointed.  The 
Screen  Directors  Guild  named  its 
representatives  yesterday.  Mary  Mc- 
Call will  also  speak  for  the  standing 
advisory  committee  of  the  independ- 
ent guilds  on  all  labor-management 
problems. 

Taking  part  in  tonight's  session 
were  the  Screen  Publicists,  Screen 
Writers,  Screen  Readers  and  Script 
Clerks'  guilds,  the  Society  of  Motion 
Picture  Art  Directors  and  Film  Edi- 
tors. 

All  Phases  Discussed 

All  phases  of  the  possible  longer 
work  week,  the  manpower  shortage 
and  labor  stabilization  were  discussed. 
Invited  also  were  observers  from  the 
Association  of  Motion  Picture  Pro- 
ducers, IATSE  and  Studio  Labor 
Basic  Agreement  locals. 

The  producers  have  not  yet  named 
management  representatives  on  the 
forthcoming  stabilization  program,  but 
a  newly  revised  list  of  labor  delegates 
includes  Frank  Carothers,  secretary 
of  the  Motion  Picture  Internationals' 
Committee;  H.  K.  Sorrell,  chairman 
of  the  Conference  of  AFL  Studio 
Unions,  and  Harold  V.  Smith  and 
William  Barrett  of  the  IATSE. 

The  Basic  Agreement  and  IATSE 
locals  participated  in  the  first  labor 
stabilization  effort,  but  three  IATSE 
locals  and  Electricians'  Local  40, 
IBEW,  objected  to  the  producers' 
overtime  limit. 


3  British  Films  Due 
U.A.  to  Fill  Quota 


{Continued  from  page  1) 
who  returned  to  London  recently,  was 
not  committed  to  produce  there  for 
U.  A.,  but  would  be  engaged  primar- 
ily in  work  for  the  British  govern- 
ment. 

Kelly,  who  returns  this  week  from 
United  Artists  production  conferences 
on  the  Coast,  reported  that  plans  for 
the  company's  new  season  line-up  are 
well  under  way  and  that  the  schedule 
is  not  expected  to  show  any  numeri- 
cal decrease  from  this  year's.  The 
company  will  release  about  22  fea- 
tures this  season.  Additional  features 
from  Paramount  for  the  new  season 
are  included  in  the  deal  made  with 
that  company  last  year,  Kelly  pointed 
out.  He  said  that  Edward  Small, 
Charles  Chaplin,  Gregor  Rabinovitch 
and  Samuel  Bronston  all  have  plans 
in  readiness  for  the  start  of  produc- 
tions in  the  very  near  future. 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

its  pictures  perfectly  but  it  does  better 
than  anyone  else  on  earth  ever  did  it. 
Its  history  is  a  record  of  steady  im- 
provement." 

"The  greatest  war  pictures  produced 
by  the  industry,"  Coe  continued,  "are 
history,  not  propaganda  in  the  form 
that  Hitler  has  made  familiar. 
Nazism  has  over-reached  itself  in  the 
propaganda  films  it  has  made.  Be- 
fore the  bar  of  history  and  the  inter- 
national tribunal  that  will  try  their 
crimes,  the  propaganda  pictures  made 
by  the  Nazis  to  terify  their  peaceful 
neighbors  by  the  exhibition  of  German 
frightfulness  in  Poland  and  the  Low 
Countries  will  be  the  greatest  docu- 
mentary evidence  of  Nazi  guilt.  Our 
pictures  will  remain  for  future  gen- 
erations to  see  how  free  people  can 
rise  in  their  might  and  destroy  tyranny 
and  terror,  however  monstrous  the 
power  which  dictatorship  wields." 

Speaking  of  another  phase  of 
the  war  role  of  films,  Coe  said, 
"their  immense  educational 
force  is  being  applied  to  war- 
time usefulness."  The  Signal 
Corps  alone  has  indicated  that 
it  will  need  2,000  Hollywood- 
produced  training  films,  he  re- 
lated. 

"Men  and  women  learn  better  in 
half  the  time  how  to  manufacture, 
defend  and  attack  when  motion  pic- 
tures do  the  teaching.  Such  training 
will  save  countless  lives  in  action." 

Recalls  Nazi  Ban 

He  recalled  that  American  films, 
because  they  depicted  democracy  at 
work,  had  been  banned  in  Germany 
as  far  back  as  1933. 

Coe  was  introduced  by  Maurice 
Wolf,  Loew's  district  manager.  May- 


or Maurice  J.  Tobin  was  one  of  those 
at  the  head  table,  and  others  were : 

Joseph  H.  Brennan,  secretary,  Al- 
lied Theatres  of  Massachusetts ;  Ar- 
thur K.  Howard,  secretary,  Independ- 
ent Exhibitors  of  New  England ;  Wal- 
ter F.  Downey,  State  Commissioner 
of  Education ;  Norman  Ayers,  War- 
ner district  manager ;  William  Erbb, 
Paramount  district  manager ;  Gus 
Schaefer,  RKO  district  manager ;  Ed- 
ward Callahan,  20th  Century-Fox  dis- 
trict manager ;  John  Scully,  Univer- 
sal branch  manager ;  Harry  Rogovin, 
Columbia  branch  manager ;  John  Der- 
vin,  United  Artists  branch  manager ; 
Edward  Morey,  Republic  branch  man- 
ager, and  A.  J.  Herman  of  Mono- 
gram. 

Among  other  guests  were  represen- 
tatives of  educational,  religious  and 
women's  organizations  in  Massachu- 
setts, representatives  of  the  Advertis- 
ing Federation  of  America  and  offi- 
cers of  all  Advertising  Clubs  in  New 
England. 

Jersey  Allied  Told 
Of  Manpower  Rule 

Effects  of  the  new  regulations  of 
the  War  Manpower  Commission  on 
theatre  employes  were  discussed  at  a 
meeting  of  Allied  Theatre  Owners  of 
New  Jersey  yesterday.  Members  were 
advised  to  instruct  employes  between 
the  ages  of  18  and  38  that  while  they 
must  indicate  their  intention  to  accept 
essential  work  they  are  not  required  to 
leave  their  present  jobs  in  advance  of 
further  clarification  of  the  WMC 
program. 

Harry  H.  Lowenstein,  president  of 
the  organization,  said  that  a  study  has 
shown  that  theatre  attendance  has  not 
been  adversely  affected  by  the  ban  on 
pleasure  driving  except  in  rural  areas. 


Coast  Meeting 
Rallies  Defense 
Of  Producers 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

industry  representatives  in  Washing- 
ton and  in  California. 

Confirming  an  exclusive  report  in 
Motion  Picture  Daily  yesterday, 
conference  spokesmen  revealed  that 
plans  are  in  formation  for  continuing 
discussions  with  talent  guilds  relative 
to  the  Federal  wage  stabilization  order 
and  its  clarification. 

Disposition  to  cooperate  with  other 
California  industries  in  applying  War 
Production  Board  plans  was  expressed. 

Sub-committees  were  appointed  to 
study  other  subjects  not  completely 
discussed  at  the  first  session,  with  a 
report  to  the  membership  scheduled 
at  the  first  of  two  meetings  set  for 
tomorrow.  The  second  of  tomorrow's 
meetings  will  be  addressed  by  Lowell 
Mellett,  chief  of  the  Motion  Picture 
Bureau  of  the  Office  of  War  Informa- 
tion, on  the  need  of  industry  coopera- 
tion with  the  OWL 


Disc  Men  Request 
AFM  Session  Delay 


Recording  and  transcription  com- 
pany representatives  yesterday  asked 
for  a  delay  in  the  scheduled  meeting 
with  the  executive  board  of  the 
American  Federation  of  Musicians  in 
order  to  devote  additional  time  to  dis- 
cussion of  the  proposal  for  settlement 
of  the  AFM's  ban  on  recordings. 

The  settlement  proposal,  announced 
last  week  by  James  C.  Petrillo, 
AFM's  president,  would  require  pay- 
ment by  the  recording  and  transcrip- 
tion companies  of  a  fee  to  the  union 
for  each  record  made,  payment  by 
wired  music  distributors  of  a  percent- 
age of  their  revenue  to  the  union  and 
payment  of  annual  fees  by  "juke  box" 
operators. 

A  new  date  for  the  meeting  of  the 
recording  and  transcription  company 
representatives  with  the  AFM  execu- 
tive board  is  expected  to  be  set  when- 
ever reqeusted  by  the  companies. 


Sen.  Clark  Will  Ask 
Report  from  Petrillo 

Washington,  Feb.  16. — A  report 
on  the  progress  of  negotiations  for 
settlement  of  the  controversy  over  the 
making  of  records  will  be  soucht 
tomorrow  from  James  C.  Petrillo, 
president  of  the  AFM,  by  Senator  D. 
Worth  Clark,  chairman  of  the  Senate 
committee  investigating  the  ban. 


Radio  Show  to  Rogers 

United  Artists  announced  yesterday 
that  Charles  R.  Rogers,  U.  A.  pro- 
ducer, has  purchased  screen  rights  for 
the  radio  program,  "One  Man's  Fam- 
ily." Carleton  R.  Morse,  producer 
and  writer  of  the  program,  will  be  as- 
sociated in  the  production  of  the  film, 
it  was  stated. 


Skirball  Signs  Wonacott 

Edna  May  Wonacott,  10-year-old, 
has  been  signed  to  a  contract  for  two 
pictures  a  year  bv  Jack  H.  Skirball. 
She  appeared  in  "Shadow  of  a  Doubt," 
which  Skirball  produced. 


10 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  February  17,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


LEADING  daytime  and  evening  programs  are  attracting  record-breaking 
audiences  according  to  the  latest  Crossley  report.  Rated  over  the  usual 
high  mark  for  night  time  programs  were  these  12  shows :  Lux  Radio  Theatre, 
Kay  Kayser,  Chase  and  Sanborn,  Fibber  McGee  and  Molly,  Jack  Benny,  Bob 
Hope,  Aldrich  Family,  Maxwell  House  Coffee  Time,  Red  Skelton,  Mr.  Dis- 
trict Attorney,  Rudy  Vallee  and  Walter  Winchell.  Topping  the  record  for 
daytime  programs  were  "Pause  That  Refreshes  on  the  Air,"  "Romance  of 
Helen  Trent,"  "Our  Gal  Sunday,"  "Kate  Smith  Speaks,"  "Life  Can  Be 
Beautiful,"  "Ma  Perkins,"  "Stella  Dallas,"  "Aunt  Jenny's  Stories"  and  "Big 
Sister."  "Truth  or  Consequences"  is  rated  the  top  audience-participation  pro- 
gram. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  Richard  W.  Angle,  son  of  Wesley  M.  Angle,  president  of 
the  Stromberg-Carlson  Co.,  Rochester,  N.  Y .,  has  been  commissioned  an  en- 
sign in  the  Naval  Reserve.  .  .  .  Richard  Ross,  formerly  night  supervisor  on 
the  KHJ ,  Los  Angeles,  announcer  staff,  is  in  the  Air  Force.  .  .  .  Miss  Francis 
Gulliver,  formerly  secretary  to  Gordon  H.  Mills  of  the  NBC  sales  department, 
is  an  ensign  in  the  SPARS. 

•  •  • 

Recordings  of  boxing  matches  broadcast  over  Mutual  are  being  sent 
to  servicemen  throughout  the  world,  the  network  announced.  At  the 
close  of  each  fight  broadcast,  Don  Dunphy,  blow-by-blow  announcer, 
does  a  four-minute  ringside  summary  of  the  fight  for  recording. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Red  Skelton  was  listed  first  in  the  January  Hooper 
Pacific  Ratings  Report,  with  Bob  Hope  second  and  Fibber  McGee  and  Molly 
third.  .  .  .  Ted  Steele  has  started  a  Monday-through-Saturday  series  for 
WNEW.  .  .  .  WFIL,  Philadelphia,  has  inaugurated  a  Monday-through-Friday 
noon  to  5  p.m.  show,  "News  'N  Music"  in  cooperation  with  the  Philadelphia 
Evening  Bulletin.  .  .  .  Jack  Benny  will  broadcast  from  Chicago  on  Sunday. 


Industry  Commended  For 
Profit-Less  Training  Films 


Veronica  Lake's  Bob 
Is  Victim  of  War 

A  veritable  windfall  of  pub- 
licity fell  .upon  the  golden 
locks  of  Veronica  Lake  yes- 
terday when  newspapers 
throughout  the  country  car- 
ried a  report  that  she  had 
been  requested  to  change  her 
hair-do  from  the  peek-a-boo 
bob  which  she  has  made  fam- 
ous to  some  other  form — afcx 
because  women  who  imitaY.  . 
her  are  holding  up  the  prti- 
duction  lines  in  war  plants 
because  their  hair  gets  in 
their  eyes. 

It  all  came  about  when 
Monroe  Greenthal  of  the  War 
Production  Board,  and  former 
advertising  and  publicity  di- 
rector for  United  Artists, 
wrote  to  ask  her  studio, 
Paramount,  to  try  to  persuade 
Miss  Lake  to  put  up  her  hair. 


Expect  Early 
Court  Decision 
On  FCC  Rules 

Washington,  Feb.  16.  —  The 
Supreme  Court  has  recessed  until 
March  1  to  consider  and  write 
opinions  on  a  number  of  cases 
argued  before  it  during  the  past 
two  weeks,  including  the  NBC- 
CBS  challenge  of  the  Federal 
Communications  Commission  chain 
broadcasting  regulations. 

The  case  was  heard  during  two  days 
last  week  with  counsel  for  the  net- 
works charging  the  Commission  with 
attempting  to  invade  the  realm  of  free 
speech  and  warning  that  the  validation 
of  the  regulations  would  imperil  the 
future  of  the  networks. 

Solicitor  General  Charles  Fahy,  ap- 
pearing for  the  Government,  defended 
the  proposed  rules  as  necessary  to  en- 
courage competition  and  avoid  undue 
control  of  broadcasting. 


Bannerman  Again 
Named  CAB  Head 


Toronto,  Feb.  16. — Subject  to  con- 
firmation at  a  subsequent  directors' 
meeting,  the  appointment  of  Glenn 
Bannerman  for  the  third  year  as  pres- 
ident and  general  manager  of  the 
Canadian  Association  of  Broadcasters, 
was  announced  at  the  CAB  conven- 
tion here  which  covers  three  days  of 
sessions. 

Mattrs  of  cooperation  with  the  gov- 
ernment with  respect  to  loan  and  pa- 
triotic campaigns,  manpower  prob- 
lems, priorities  on  station  equipment, 
and  ceilings  on  commodities  were  dis- 
cussed with  officials. 

Standardization  of  contract  adver- 
tising rates  of  member  stations  was 
dealt  with  at  a  closed  session  and 
in  this  respect  information  was  forth- 
coming that  due  to  a  survey  report 
of  CAB,  no  ceiling  had  been  placed 
on  broadcasting  rates  in  the  Dominion. 
At  the  same  time  the  Association  felt 
concern  over  postwar  prospects  and 
moved  to  appoint  a  committee  to 
study  plans  for  the  period  after  hostil- 
ities ended. 


Kingsherg  to  Chicago 
On  Deal  for  Theatre 

Malcolm  Kingsberg,  executive  vice- 
president  of  Keith-Albee-Orpheum 
Corp.,  has  left  for  Chicago  to  confer 
with  Lubliner  &  Trinz  officials  on  the 
acquisition  or  leasing  of  the  Monroe 
Theatre,  960-seat  Loop-house,  as  an 
additional  RKO  outlet  there.  The 
Palace  is  RKO's  Chicago  pre-release 
house. 

Before  returning  to  New  York 
Kingsberg  also  will  visit  RKO  opera- 
tions in  other  Midwestern  cities. 


600  in  20th-Fox  Club 

More  than  600  20th  Century-Fox 
employes  have  joined  the  company's 
New  York  Family  Club,  it  was  an- 
nounced. The  club  will  meet  tonight 
to  nominate  officers  and  elect  commit- 
tees. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

Senate  committee  investigating  the 
war  effort. 

The  hearing  was  marked  by  the  re- 
fusal of  Lieutenant  Colonel  John 
Harlan  Amen  to  testify  at  the  hear- 
ing on  the  investigation  of  training 
film  production  on  which  he  worked 
for  the  past  three  months. 

It  was  stated  that  Amen  in  refus- 
ing to  testify  was  acting  under  in- 
structions from  Acting  Secretary  of 
War  Robert  P.  Patterson  who,  in  a 
letter  to  Senator  Truman,  chairman 
of  the  committee,  explained  that  the 
operations  of  the  Inspector  General's 
Office  were  confidential  and  could  not 
be  revealed  outside  the  department 
without  lessening  their  efficiency. 
Amen  added  his  own  explanation  that 
much  information  had  been  secured 
from  civilians  under  a  promise  it 
would  be  kept  in  confidence. 

The  hearing  was  largely  directed 
to  the  commissioning  of  Lt.  Colonel 
Darryl  F.  Zanuck,  whom  Col.  Lawton 
characterized  as  a  "go-getter,  the  like 
of  which  I  haven't  seen  in  the  motion 
picture  industry  or  anywhere  else, 
who,"  he  said,  "has  never  presented  a 
voucher  for  Army  pay  between  the 
time  he  was  called  to  active  service 
and  Sept.  1,  when  he  severed  his  con- 
nection with  20th  Century-Fox." 
Col.  Lawton  described  the  in- 
dustry as  "honest  and  sincere" 


Wolff  Given  Luncheon 

Robert  Wolff,  New  York  metro- 
politan district  manager  for  RKO, 
was  given  a  luncheon  by  friends  yes- 
terday at  Dinty  Moore's  restaurant. 
Among  exhibitors  present  were  Sam- 
uel Rinzler,  Louis  Frisch,  Harold 
Rinzler,  Fred  Schwartz,  Jack  Spring- 
er, Mitchell  Klupt,  Charles  Moses, 
Joseph  M.  Seider,  John  Benas  and 
Edward  Rugoff. 


in  its  desire  to  turn  out  good 
films  at  a  minimum  of  cost  and, 
in  omitting  some  of  its  charges 
and  profit,  doing  something  no 
other  industry  has  done.  He 
said  that  competitive  bids  for 
production  of  training  films 
were  undesirable  because  of  the 
way  in  which  the  industry  oper- 
ates and  that,  therefore,  pro- 
ductions are  assigned  by  the 
Academy  Research  Council. 

Col.  Lawton  stated  that  the 
films  are  produced  at  less  than 
cost  and  that  a  film  which 
would  cost  $7,000  under  com- 
mercial practice  is  secured  by 
the  Army,  on  approval  after 
completion,  for  $4,000  to  $5,000. 

All  of  the  industry  men  who  have 
been  commissioned  were  praised  by 
Lawton.  Those  mentioned  in  addi- 
tion to  Zanuck  included  Major  Hal 
Roach,  Major  Arthur  M.  Loew,  Lt. 
Colonel  Frank  Capra  and  Colonel 
Robert  Lord. 

Four  of  12  Hollywood  studios 
which  are  parties  to  the  Research 
Council's  production  plan  for  Army 
training  films  received  approximately 
70  per  cent  of  the  $1,050,000  spent  for 
such  pictures  between  Jan.  1,  1940, 
and  Dec.  10,  1942,  it  was  disclosed. 
Zanuck  may  be  called  to  testify  at  a 
later  date,  Truman  said. 

Detroit  Transferred 
to  Haines  Territory 

Warners'  Detroit  branch  has  been 
transferred  to  the  Midwest  district 
and  will  be  part  of  the  territory  super- 
vised by  Roy  Haines,  recently  ap- 
pointed Western  and  Southern  sales 
manager,  under  the  company's  new 
territorial  alignment,  Ben  Kalmenson, 
general  sales  manager,  announced. 


Record  Cold  Sends 
Conn.  Gross  Down 


Connecticut  OPA  headquarters  an- 
nounced the  extension  for  10  days  of 
the  emergency  fuel  oil  order  which 
has  been  in  effect  there  for  some  time, 
as  Hartford  theatre  business  was  re- 
ported to  be  considerably  off  due  to 
the  worst  cold  spell  in  that  area  in 
the  past  38  years.  Residents  with  a 
three-day  supply  of  fuel  oil  are  not 
allowed  to  receive  deliveries  from 
dealers. 

The  Capitol  Theatre  in  Reading, 
Pa.,  has  closed  until  the  fuel  situa- 
tion improves,  the  management  re- 
ported. The  M  &  M  Humboldt,  in 
Roxbury,  Mass.,  will  open  only  on 
Friday  evenings,  and  all  day  Satur- 
day and  Sunday  until  further  notice, 
it  was  stated.  In  West  Springfield,  the 
Majestic  Theatre  has  dropped  its 
weekday  matinees  because  of  the  fuel 
oil  shortage.  At  Des  Moines,  la., 
matinees  every  day  but  Tuesday,  Sat- 
urday and  Sunday  Have  been  discon- 
tinued for  the  same  reason,  it  was 
announced. 

Senate  Will  Act  on 
Arnold  Appointment 

Washington,  Feb.  16. — A  special 
Senate  Judiciary  Subcommittee  has 
been  set  up  to  consider  the  nomina- 
tion of  Assistant  Attorney  General 
Thurman  Arnold  to  be  a  Justice  of 
the  District  of  Columbia  Federal 
Court  of  appeals. 

The  subcommittee  consists  of  Sena- 
tors Hatch,  Andrews  and  Austin,  who 
will  meet  on  the  nomination  Feb.  23. 
No  request  to  be  heard  on  Arnold's 
appointment  has  come  in,  it  was  said, 
and  unless  some  opposition  is  ex- 
pressed in  the  meantime,  next  week's 
meeting  is  expected  to  be  followed  by 
a  recommendation  for  approval. 


Theatre  Bond  Bids  Asked 

Spokane,  Wash.,  Feb.  16. — Tenders 
of  the  Fox  Spokane  Corp.'s  4  per 
cent  modified  bonds  due  Sept.  1,  1948, 
will  be  received  by  the  Spokane  and 
Eastern  branch,  Seattle-First  Na- 
tional Bank  here,  until  noon  Feb.  20 
at  prices  not  exceeding  par,  it  was 
announced.  The  bank  holds  $10,500 
for  the  purchase  of  bonds  at  the  low- 
est prices  offered. 


Alert, 


MOTION  PICTURE 


rlLt  COPY 


ILY 


First  in 


V  3  53.  NO.  33 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  THURSDAY,  FEBRUARY  18,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


11,000  Houses 
Begin  'Dimes' 
Drive  Today 


fc  Increase  Over  1942 
Is  Anticipated 


The  1943  "March  of  Dimes" 
drive  starts  today  in  more  than 
1 1 ,000  theatres  throughout  the  coun- 
try, with  col- 
lections to  aid 
victims  of  in- 
fantile paral- 
ysis. Origi- 
nally anticipat- 
ing 10,000 
theatres  to  take 
part  in  the 
campaign,  the 
national  com- 
mittee, headed 
by  Nicholas  M. 
Schenck  an- 
nounced yes- 
terday that  a 
final  spurt  of 
enrollment  by  exhibitors  will  result 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


N.    M.  Schenck 


Withdrawal  of  Full 
British  Fund  Seen 


Company  executives  have  been  ad- 
vised through  an  official  opinion  from 
the  Treasury  Department  that  their 
negotiations  for  a  new  British  ex- 
change agreement  permitting  the 
withdrawal  this  year  of  more  than  the 
$20,000,000  provided  for  in  last  year's 
agreement  will  not  be  prejudiced  by 
acceptance  of  the  first  quarterly  offer- 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


Blackout  Tonight 
For  N.  Y.  C,  N.  J. 

The  new  Army  rules  gov- 
erning air-raid  signals  having 
gone  into  effect  yesterday, 
12,000,000  persons  in  New 
York  City  and  the  entire  state 
of  New  Jersey  will  take  part 
in  the  first  air-raid  drill  un- 
der these  rules  at  9  o'clock 
tonight.  The  blackout  will  last 
one-half  hour,  it  was  an- 
nounced. Broadway  theatres 
have  made  preparations  to 
handle  audiences  during  the 
alert,  house  managers  said. 


U.  So  Army  in  Africa 
Getting  Free  Films 

The  Special  Services  Divi- 
sion of  the  War  Department 
has  reported  the  arrival  in 
North  Africa  of  several  ship- 
ments of  16mm.  film  programs 
for  showing  to  troops,  the 
WAC  announced  yesterday. 
Shipments,  it  was  said,  were 
made  in  January  along  with 
16mm.  projectors.. 


Narration  Displaces 
Titles  in  U.A.  Films 
For  Foreign  Market 


By  SHERWIN  A.  KANE 

The  addition  of  narrations  in  for- 
eign languages  to  the  better  films 
adaptable  to  their  use  will  be  under- 
taken by  United  Artists  in  the  hope 
of  widening  the  foreign  market  audi- 
ence and  increasing  foreign  revenue 
from  such  pictures  by  50  per  cent  or 
more,  Walter  Gould,  U.  A.  foreign 
manager,  announced  yesterday. 

A  Spanish  language  narration  for 
"The  Moon  and  Sixpence"  is  the  first 
to  be  completed.  Subsequent  narra- 
tions will  be  made  for  the  same  pic- 
ture in  Portuguese,  French,  Hindu- 
stani and  other  languages,  Gould  said. 
The  first  version  was  screened  here 
yesterday  for  an  audience  of  repre- 
sentatives of  Central  and  South 
American  film  publications  with  high- 
ly favorable  results,  the  U.  A.  foreign 
manager  asserted. 

Gould  said  the  theory  behind  the 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


BIGGER  FILM  WAR 
EFFORT  PLEDGED 

Expediting  of  Training  Films  Approved  by 
Heads  at  Coast  Meeting;  Increased  WAC 
Activities  For  Year  Indicated 


Hollywood,  Feb.  17. — The  intensification  and  broadening  of  the  in- 
dustry's cooperation  with  the  Government  in  all  phases  of  the  war  effort 
was  pledged  today  by  New  York  and  Hollywood  leaders  of  the  industry 
at  their  executive  conference  in  progress  here  this  week. 

The  expediting  of  production 
of  training  films  which  the  stu- 
dios now  make  on  contract  from 
the  Hollywood  branch  of  the 
Signal  Corps  Photographic  Cen- 
ter was  approved  as  an  urgent 
policy  in  view  of  the  scope  of 
the    armed    services  require- 
ments, which  are  reported  to 
total  2,000  reels  this  year. 
The    production    of  entertainment 
shorts  designed  to  serve  war  morale 
purposes  will  continue  in  high  gear, 
the  conference  indicated.    In  addition, 
industry  cooperation  in  the  training  of 
technicians,  still  and  motion  camera 
men   will   be  augmented.  Increased 
undertakings  by  the  industry  War  Ac- 
tivities Committee  during  the  coming 
year  also  were  indicated. 

A  report  from  the  Hollywood  Vic- 
tory Committee  was  received  with  en- 
thusiasm when  presented  to  the  meet- 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


'Supertax'  in 
Lieu  of  Ceiling 
Urged  by  FDR 


Washington,  Feb.  17. — President 
Roosevelt  today  offered  to  trade  his 
salary  limitation  order  for  taxes  which 
would  achieve  the  same  result  of  lim- 
iting income. 

In  a  letter  to  Chairman  Doughton 
of  the  House  Ways  and  Means  Com- 
mittee, the  President  urged  enactment 
of  a  special  war  supertax  on  all  net 
income  at  such  rates  as  would  leave  a 
maximum  of  $25,000  to  single  persons 
and  $50,000  to  married  couples. 

If  such  taxes  were  levied,  he  wrote, 
"I  shall  immediately  rescind"  the  exe- 
cutive order,  which  under  any  condi- 
tions appeared  doomed  as  a  result  of 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


Quigley  Lauds  Independent 
Enterprise  in  Coast  Speech 


Hollywood,  Feb.  17.  —  Martin 
Quigley,  president  of  Quigley  Pub- 
lishing Co.,  voiced  a  tribute  to  inde- 
pendent enterprise  in  addressing  mem- 
bers of  the  Society  of  Independent 
Motion  Picture  Producers  at  a  recep- 
tion at  Lyman's  Cafe  here  tonight, 
which  was  given  to  welcome  Red 
Kann  to  Hollywood  as  vice-president 
of  Quigley  Publishing  Co. 

"In  addition  to  expressing  my  own 
and  my  colleagues'  appreciation  of  this 
event  in  compliment  to  Red  Kann," 
Quigley  said,  "I  wish  to  assure  the 
Society  of  Independent  Motion  Pic- 
ture Producers  of  the  lively  and  en- 
during interest  of  Quigley  Publica- 
tions in  the  Society  and  its  undertak- 


ings. The  term  'independent'  always 
has  been  a  challenging  one  to  me. 
In  fact,  it  was  the  subtitle  of  the  first 
trade  paper  I  published.  It  is  the 
completely  free  agent,  bound  neither 
by  stiff  precedent  or  creaking  tradi- 
tion, from  whom  have  come  many  of 
the  best  contributions  to  the  progress 
of  this  industry  and,  in  fact,  to  the 
progress  of  the  larger  world  of  gen- 
eral affairs. 

"The  term  'independent'  has 
sometimes  suffered  in  this  in- 
dustry from  association  with  ef- 
forts that  have  neither  been 
competent  nor  experienced.  It 
is  gratifying  to  note  that  in 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


WB  to  Release  War 
Film  by  Col.  Zanuck 


"At  the  Front,"  the  first  technicolor 
battle  report  of  the  A.E.F.  invasion 
of  North  Africa  produced  by  the 
Army  Signal  Corps  under  the  super- 
vision of  Lt.  Col.  Darryl  F.  Zanuck, 
former  vice-president  of  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox in  charge  of  production,  will 
be  distributed  by  Warner  Bros,  for 
the  War  Activities  Committee,  the 
Office  of  War  Information  in  Wash- 
ington announced  yesterday. 

Ben  Kalmenson,  general  sales  man- 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


C.E.A.  Proposes  Cut 
In  Newsreel  Footage 

London,  Feb.  17. — Reduction  in 
footage  for  newsreel  s  has  been  agreed 
upon  as  a  policy  by  the  Cinemato- 
graph Exhibitors  Association  after 
hearing  Board  of  Trade  views_  on  the 
urgency  of  raw  stock  economies. 

The  CEA  policy  is  based  chiefly  on 
an  adjustment  and  curtailment  in  raw 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  February  18,  1943 


Hollywood  Notes 


Personal  Mention 


By  WILLIAM  R.  WEAVER 

•    Hollywood,  Feb.  17 

VOTING  in  the  annual  Academy 
Awards  event  started  Monday  and 
will  end  Feb.  28,  with  ballots  dis- 
patched to  some  20,000  individuals 
whose  collective  judgment  is  to  dictate 
distribution  of  Oscars  on  the  night  of 
March  4  at  the  Ambassador  Hotel. 
Odds-on  favorite  to  win  the  best-pro- 
duction award  is  "Mrs.  Miniver,"  with 
Greer  Garson,  star  of  that  film  and  a 
contender  in  the  finals  last  year,  re- 
garded as  the-one-to-beat  in  the  act- 
ress division,  and  James  Cagney,  star 
of  "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy,"  the  fa- 
vorite to  win  the  award  for  outstand- 
ing performance  by  an  actor. 

• 

Robert  Taylor,  who  has  been  in- 
ducted in  the  Naval  Air  Corps,  will 
star  in  M-G-M's  "Russia"  before  be- 
ginning active  duty.  .  .  .  Paramount 
has  announced  "Seek,  Strike,  De- 
stroy" as  a  picture  about  the  nation's 
tank  destroyers,  to  be  written  by  Ste- 
phen Longstreet  and  produced  by  Jo- 
seph Sistrom,  who  turned  out  "Wake 
Island,"  with  Brian  Donlevy  in  a  star 
role,  the  project  depending  upon  ap- 
proval of  the  War  Department,  to 
which  the  prospectus  is  to  be  sub- 
mitted. .  .  .  Hal  B.  Wallis  is  prepar- 
ing five  productions  for  Warner  Bros., 
namely  "This  Is  the  Army,"  "Sara- 
toga Trunk,"  "The  Corn  Is  Green," 
"Buffalo  Bill"  and  "Men  Without  a 
Country." 

Universal  has  given  Martha  O'Dris- 
coll  a  long-term  contract  on  the  basis 
of  her  performance  in  Walter  Wang- 
er's  "We've  Never  Been  Licked." 
.  .  .  Men  outnumber  women  31  to  29 
on  the  current  Warner  contract  list, 
which  also  includes  13  contract  direc- 
tors, two  directors  on  special  deals,  27 
writers,  12  producers,  three  dialogue 
directors  and  four  composers. 

• 

Albert  Dekker,  whose  first  film 
role  of  importance  was  the  title 
character  in  "Dr.  Cyclops,"  horror 
film,  is  to  have  another  go  at  the 
same  type  of  picture  in  "The  Man 
on  Half  Moon  Street,"  another  Par- 
amount venture  in  which  he  will 
supplant  the  previously  announced 
and  now  enlisted  Alan  Ladd.  The 
studio's  Ray  Milland  is  to  star  in 
"The  Uninvited,"  a  novel  by  Dor- 
othy McCardle  which  has  to  do  with 
haunted  houses  and  is  to  start  in 
April.  .  .  .  Universal  has  signed 
Felix  Feist  to  direct  "I  Want  to 
Sing,"  and  assigned  Edward  Lilley 
to  direct  "Never  a  Dull  Moment." 
• 

Hoot  Gibson  and  Ken  Maynard  are 
to  co-star  in  a  new  series  of  six  West- 
erns for  Monogram  to  be  known  as 
"The  Trail  Blazers,"  to  be  directed  by 
Robert  Tansey.  First  of  the  films  in 
the  series  will  be  "Wild  Horse  Stam- 
pede." .  .  .  Milt  Gross  is  to  become 
a  director  and  handle  the  filming  of 
his  own  story,  "I  Should  Have  Ate 
the  Eclair,"  which  Arthur  Ripley 
Productions  will  make  for  PRC. 


CHANGE  TO  ALTEC  SERVICE 
..A  CHANGE  FOR  THE  BETTER 

JVLTEC 

250  West  57th  Street  •  New  York  City 


SJ.  GREGORY,  executive  of  Al- 
•     liance  Theatre  Corp.,  Chicago, 
has  returned  from  Florida. 

• 

Douglas  Fleming  of  Warner  The- 
atres, Cleveland,  has  left  for  basic 
training  in  the  Navy  Air  Corps  at 
Wesleyan  College. 

• 

Lt.  John  J.  Scully,  former  Uni- 
versal   salesman   in   Philadelphia,  is 
now  with  the  Army  in  North  Africa. 
• 

Betty  Peters  of  the  Indianapolis 
Paramount  office  was  recently  mar- 
ried to  Lt.  Allen  L.  Allen. 

• 

Joseph  Quinlivin,  son  of  Wil- 
liam Quinlivin,  RKO  booker  in 
Philadelphia,  has  joined  the  armed 
forces. 

Jules  Levey  has  returned  to  New 
York  from  the  Coast. 

• 

Al  Buehrig,  manager  of  Loew's 
Stillman,  Cleveland,  is  in  Miami  on  a 
leave  of  absence. 

Phil  Fox,  Buffalo  Columbia  man- 
ager, is  father  of  a  second  boy, 
Robert. 

Bill    Elliott    of    WICC,  New 
Haven,  is  now  in  the  service,  sta- 
tioned at  Ft.  Monmouth,  N.  J. 
• 

Arnold  Nathanson,  formerly 
booker  for  Warner's  Exchange, 
Cleveland,  has  entered  the  Army  Avi- 
ation Corps  and  is  stationed  at  Ft. 
Harrison. 

• 

Marlin  Robinson,  former  man- 
ager of  the  Capitol,  Danbury,  Conn., 
is  now  in  the  Army. 

• 

Howard  Whittle,  manager  of  the 
State  Theatre,  Allentown,  Pa.,  left 
for  Los  Angeles  to  spend  a  few  days 
with  his  son  who  is  being  inducted 
into  the  Army. 


Chorus  Equity  Asks 
For  15%  Wage  Rise 

The  Chorus  Equity  Association 
recently  presented  to  the  Equity 
Council  a  request  for  a  15  per  cent 
increase  in  minimum  salaries  such  as 
that  recently  granted  Actors  Equity. 

If  granted,  the  request  would  affect 
salary  scales  as  follows :  New  York 
productions,  now  $40  a  week,  would 
be  increased  to  $46 ;  road  companies, 
now  $45,  would  be  increased  to  $51.75, 
and  stock  company  minimums,  which 
fall  into  three  pay  classifications, 
would  be  increased  from  $35  to  $38.75, 
from  $30  to  $34.50,  and  from  $45  to 
$51.75,  respectively. 

Chi.  Houses  Change 
Night  Price  Policy 

Chicago,  Feb.  17. — Changes  to  eve- 
ning admission  scales  have  been  ad- 
vanced from  6  p.m.  to  5  p.m.  by  the 
"A"  and  "B"  houses  of  the  Balaban 
&  Katz  circuit  here.  Earlier,  Warner 
houses  advanced  the  evening  price 
change  from  6:30  to  6  and  now  are 
considering  eliminating  the  early-bird 
Sunday  scales. 


SID  ROSE,  United  Artists  branch 
manager  in  Chicago,  is  reported 
slightly  improved  following  a  heart  at- 
tack. He  has  been  ordered  to  rest  for 
two  months. 

• 

Norman  Elson  returns  today  from 
a  visit  to  Boston,  Washington  and 
Philadelphia. 

• 

Jacob  Wilk  has  returned  from 
Ohio. 

Roy  Haines  has  left  for  the  Mid- 
west. 

Nat  Wolf,  Warner  Theatres  divi- 
sion manager  in  Northern  Ohio,  is  en 
route  to  California  for  a  vacation. 
• 

Rick  LaFalace,  assistant  to  Frank 
LaFalce,  director  of  publicity  and  ad- 
vertising for  Warner  Theatres  in 
Washington,  goes  into  the  Army  Fri- 
day. 

• 

Capt.  Allan  Moritz,  Jr.,  son  of 
Allan  S.  Moritz,  Columbia  branch 
manager  in  Cincinnati,  is  home  on 
leave. 

• 

Max  Cohen,  Universal  Pictures' 
branch  manager  in  Washington,  and 
Mrs.  Cohen  announce  the  engage- 
ment of  their  daughter,  Janet  Doris, 
to  Capt.  Joseph  Weil  Kun. 
• 

Pvt.  Joseph  Bernard,  formerly  at 
the  Warner  Strand,  Hartford,  is  re- 
ported with  the  U.  S.  Army  in  North 
Africa. 

• 

Harry  Turberg  and  Harry  Sh- 
iver, co-manager  of  the  Northio  Pal- 
ace, Hamilton,  O.,  are  in  Hot  Springs, 
Ark. 

• 

Pvt.  Russel  Ordway,  formerly  at 
the  M  and  P  Allyn,  Hartford,  has 
been  stationed  with  the  Army  Air 
Force  Signal  Corps  at  Atlantic  City, 
N.  J. 


Duvivier  Film  Here 
From  Nazi  France 

A  complet  print  of  "The  Heart  of 
a  Nation,"  a  picture  which  Julien 
Duvivier,  director,  and  Paul  Graetz, 
producer,  were  forced  to  leave  behind 
in  France  when  the  Nazis  overran  the 
country,  has  reached  the  United  States 
by  secret  means  and  will  be  shown 
here  soon,  Duvivier's  American  repre- 
sentatives announced  yesterday. 

The  film  was  sent  out  of  France  in 
sections  of  varying  sizes  which  were 
collected  here,  it  was  said.  Charles 
Boyer  is  commentator  for  the  film, 
which  stars  Michele  Morgan  and 
Raimu. 


Buffalo  Area  Gave 
$50,000  to  U.N.  Drive 

Buffalo,  Feb.  17. — More  than 
$50,000  was  raised  in  the  United  Na- 
tions Week  drive  by  theatres  in  this 
exchange  area,  Charles  B.  Taylor  of 
Shea  Theatres,  local  publicity  chair- 
man for  the  drive,  has  announced. 
Vincent  R.  McFaul,  local  campaign 
chairman,  said  that  245  theatres  in 
the  area  participated. 


Time  of  FDR  Talk 
Changed  to  10:30 

The  time  of  President 
Roosevelt's  Washington  Birth- 
day address,  originally  sched- 
uled for  10  p.m.  next  Monday, 
has  been  changed  to  10:30 
p.m.  The  President  will  speak 
for  a  half  hour.  The  address 
will  be  heard  on  the  major 
networks  and  local  stations. 

5  RKO  Men  Killed 
In  War;  5  Wounded 

Five  former  employees  of  RKO 
have  been  killed  in  action  and  five 
others  have  been  wounded,  according 
to  a  casualty  list  revealed  by  the  com- 
pany. 

These  casualties,  out  of  approxi- 
mately 800  men  and  women  from 
RKO  and  affiliated  companies  who 
have  joined  the  armed  services,  are; 
Harry  Oldham,  studio  employe,  lost 
while  ferrying  a  plane  across  the  At- 
lantic ;  Weldon  McNichols,  studio 
employe,  killed  in  a  training  plane 
crash;  Lt.  (j.g.)  Eugene  Schoop,  of 
the  theatre  department,  killed  in  ac- 
tion at  Casablanca ;  Seaman  First 
Class  Jerome  E.  French,  theatre  de- 
partment, killed  in  action  aboard  the 
cruiser  Juneau,  and  Francis  E. 
Aarons,  foreign  department,  a  ser- 
geant in  the  Australian  Army,  killed 
in  action  in  the  Middle  East. 

The  wounded  are :  Pfc.  Albert  N. 
Garbarino,  theatre  department,  wound- 
ed in  the  Solomon  Islands ;  Petty  Of- 
ficer George  K.  Weise,  theatre  depart- 
ment, wounded  at  Midway ;  Seaman 
First  Class  Douglas  O'Neill,  theatre 
department,  wounded  in  the  Marshall 
Islands ;  Pfc.  Silo  Gisolo,  of  the 
Marines,  formerly  in  the  theatre  de- 
partment, wounded  in  action,  and 
Pfc.  Frank  Castilio.  theatre  depart- 
ment, wounded  in  North  Africa. 


Rochester  Guild  Official 

Rochester.,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  17.  — 
George  L.  David,  theatre  editor  for 
the  Democrat  and  Chronicle  here,  has 
been  elected  vice-president  of  the 
Rochester  Newspaper  Guild. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editer-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Ouigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent: 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl. 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan. 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon 
ilon."  All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Ouigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Ouigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
nost  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copiei  10c. 


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and  J¥4  AV£f 


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6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  February  18,  1943 


'Casablanca' 
Retains  L.  A. 
Lead,  $76,500 


Los  Angeles,  Feb.  17.  — _  "Casa- 
blanca" continued  strong  in  its  third 
week  here  with  an  indicated  return  of 
$76,500  at  the  Warner  Bros.,  Holly- 
wood, downtown  and  Wiltern  thea- 
tres, where  it  is  playing  a  single  bill. 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  opened  in 
four  theatres,  single,  and  was  headed 
for  an  aggregate  count  of  $56,000  in 
the  Carthay  Circle,  Chinese,  Loew's 
State  and  Ritz.  "Star  Spangled 
Rhythm  was  still  showing  strength  in 
its  third  week  at  the  Paramount  Hol- 
lywood and  Downtown,  where  the 
combined  gross  will  be  about  $35,500. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  ending 
February  17th : 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

CARTHAY  CIRCLE-(1,518)  (33c-44c-55c- 
75c)  7  davs.  Gross:  $8,000.  (Average:  $7,- 
450) 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

CHINESE  -  (2,500)     (33c-44c-55c-7Sc)  7 
days.  Gross:  $16,000.   (Average,  $13,500) 
"Cat    People"  (RKO) 
"GcriUa  Man"  (W.  B.) 

HAWAH-(UOO)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days, 
5th  week.   Gross:  $4,750.   (Average,  $3,200) 
"Commandos  Strike  At  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"A  Night  To  Remember"  (Col.)  ■ 

HILLSTREET— (2,700)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $12,000.  (Average, 
$14,900) 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (2,500)  (33c-44c-55c-75c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $23,500.    (Average,  $19,500) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 

PANTAGES  —  (3,000)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days,  third  week.  Gross:  $8,900.  (Average, 
$12,900) 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (HOLLYWOOD)-(1,407) 
33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days,  third  week.  Gross: 
$13,500.    (Average,  $10,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  ( DOW N TOWN)  -  (3,595) 
(33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days,  third  week.  Gross: 
$22,000.   (Average,  $16,780) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

RITZ— (1,376)     (33c-44c-55c-85c)     7  days. 
Gross:   $8,500.    (Average,  $9,400) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (HOLLYWOOD)— (3.- 
400)    (33c-44c-65c-85c)   7   days,   third  week. 
Gross:   $8,500.    (Average,  $13,200) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER  BROS.   (DOWNTOWN)  (3,- 
400)    (33c-44c-65c-85c)   7  days,   third  week. 
Gross:  $28,950.    (Average,  $14,300) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (WILTERN)  (2,200) 
(33c-44c-55c-65c-85c)  7  days,  third  week. 
Gross:  $23,300.    (Average,  $10,000) 


'Rhythm'  Heads  for 
$16,000,  Indianapolis 

Indianapolis,  Feb.  17.  —  "Star- 
Spangled  Rhythm"  playing  alone  at 
the  Indiana  at  advanced  prices  was 
headed  toward  a  strong  $16,000  week, 
despite  a  cold  wave  during  the  week. 
The  Circle,  with  "China  Girl"  and 
"Time  to  Kill,"  was  expected  to  reach 
a  $10,000  gross.  "In  Which  We 
Serve"  was  headed  for  a  $7,500  gross 
in  its  second  week  at  Loew's. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  16-18: 

"China  Girl''  (20th-Fox) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (ZOth-Fox) 

CIRCLE— (2,800)     (28c-33c-44c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $10,000.  (Average,  ($6,500) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S— (2,800)  (28c-33c-44c)  7  days. 
Second  week.  Gross:  $7,500.  (Average,  $7,- 
000) 

"Star-Spangled   Rhythm"  (Para.) 

INDIANA — (3,200)    (33c-44c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $16,000.   (Average,  $7,0CO) 
"The    Undying    Monster"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"Dr.  Renault's  Secret"  (20th-Fox) 

LYRIC— (2,000)  (28c-33c-44c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $4,000.  (Average,  $4,500) 


Theatre  Changes 


W.  B.  Phila.  Changes 

Philadelphia,  Feb.  17. — Harvey 
Detwiler,  for  many  years  assistant 
manager  of  Warners'  Earl,  was  pro- 
moted to  the  central  city  Capitol  in 
a  similar  capacity.  Other  circuit 
changes  here  have  Jim  Benedict  be- 
coming assistant  manager  of  the  Plaza 
and  Jimmy  Perlsweig  in  a  similar  ca- 
pacity at  the  Commodore. 


Named  Easton,  Pa.,  Manager 

Easton,  Pa.,  Feb.  17. — Paul  Wein- 
traub  has  been  named  manager  of  the 
Easton  Theatre.  He  succeeds  Lester 
Adler. 


Tri-States  Changes 

Des  Moines,  Feb.  17. — Bruce  Shel- 
ton,  former  assistant  manager  at  the 
Tri-States  Theatre  Corp.'s  Orpheum 
Theatre  at  Omaha,  has  been  appointed 
manager  of  the  circuit's  Paramount  in 
Des  Moines,  succeeding  Marvin  Gray- 
beal,  who  joined  the  Army.  Emmett 
Lockhard,  assistant  manager  at  the 
Des  Moines,  succeeds  Tony  Abromo- 
vich,  now  in  the  Army,  as  manager 
of  the  Roosevelt. 

Iowa  Woman  Manager 

LaPorte  City,  la.,  Feb.  17. — Harry 
Herman  of  New  Hampton,  la.,  who 
recently  took  over  operation  of  the 
Mars  Theatre  here,  has  appointed 
Miss  Verna  Johnson  of  New  Hamp- 
ton as  manager  of  the  Mars. 


Buys  N.  B.  Theatre  Bldg. 

Edmundston,  N.  B.,  Feb.  17. — The 
B.  and  L.  Theatres,  which  has  had 
the  485-seat  Capitol  here  under  lease 
and  operation  for  eight  years,  has 
bought  the  building  from  George  La- 
porte  of  Edmundston. 


Assigned  to  Buffalo  by  Shea 

Buffalo,  Feb.  17. — Max  Rosing, 
for  many  years  associated  with  Shea 
Theatres  here  as  one  of  the  partners 
in  the  Roosevelt  Theatre,  has  been 
appointed  managing  director  of  the 
Elmwood,  Shea  West  Side  House,  it 
was  announced  by  General  Manager 
Vincent  R.  McFaul. 


New  Geneva  Manager 

Geneva,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  17. — William 
Fitzsimmons,  formerly  of  Cortland, 
has  been  named  manager  of  the  Tem- 
ple Theatre  here,  succeeding  Donald 
Rich. 


Wife  Takes  Over 

Sigourney,  la.,  Feb.  17.  —  Mrs. 
Warren  Eddy,  assisted  by  Genevieve 
Clark,  will  undertake  the  management 
of  the  Garden  Theatre  here.  Her  hus- 
band, who  has  been  inducted  into  the 
Army,  was  the  former  manager. 


Buy  Iowa  Theatre 

Odeboldt,  la.,  Feb.  17. — Mr.  and 
Mrs.  G.  W.  Horstman  of  Lake  Park, 
la.,  recently  bought  the  Princess 
Theatre  here  from  Carl  Silkebakken. 
They  plan  to  remodel. 


Des  Moines  Policy  Change 

Des  Moines,  Feb.  17. — The  Casino 
Theatre  has  announced  a  complete 
change  of  policy  and  now  has  a  vaude- 
ville—revue type  of  program  designed 
for  the  entire  family,  replacing  bur- 
lesque. The  program  also  includes 
films. 


Boston,  Feb.  17. — Harry  Greenman 
has  been  named  manager  of  Loew's 
State  here  succeeding  Edward  Mc- 
Bride. 


Vandals,  Thieves 
Trouble  Theatres 


A  wave  of  vandalism  and  thievery 
by  youths  in  motion  picture  houses  has 
been  reported  in  some  cities.  As  a 
result  of  the  theft  of  flush  valves, 
which  are  practically  irreplacable  now 
due  to  the  shortage  of  materials,  War- 
ner Bros,  houses  in  Chicago  have  sta- 
tioned detectives  in  each  theatre,  it  is 
reported. 

In  Cleveland,  three  youths  broke  the 
windows  of  the  Southern  Theatre  and 
the  Aragon  ballroom  and  eluded  po- 
lice. At  the  Liberty  Theatre  in  that 
city,  when  a  young  patron  was  told  to 
douse  his  cigarette,  he  started  to  shout 
and  threatened  to  set  the  building  afire, 
but  police  quelled  that  disturbance. 

In  Springfield,  Mass.,  a  17-year-old 
youth  was  sentenced  to  the  reforma- 
tory for  dropping  a  chair  on  an  or- 
chestra patron  from  a  box  above  the 
orchestra. 


Stage  Door  Canteen 
Plans  Set  in  Frisco 

San  Francisco,  Feb.  17. — Plans  for 
opening  of  a  Stage  Door  Canteen 
have  been  worked  out  here  by  Brock 
Pemberton  and  Irving  Berlin,  it  was 
announced,  with  Mrs.  Clarence 
Young,  the  former  Lois  Moran,  and 
Mrs.  William  Wallace,  the  former 
Ina  Claire,  heading  the  local  commit- 
tee. 


'Doubt;  Good  $7,000 
In  N.  H.  6-Day  Week 

New  Haven,  Feb.  17. — "Shadow  of 
a  Doubt,"  teamed  with  "Moonlight  in 
Havana,"  grossed  a  strong  $7,000  at 
the  Roger  Sherman.  "Immortal  Ser- 
geant" and  "City  Without  Men"  drew 
$9,000  for  the  Loew-Poli.  The  bil 
was  moved  over  to  the  College  for  ; 
second  week.  Several  days  of  ex- 
treme cold,  coupled  with  the  six-day 
week  operating  schedule,  imposed  by 
fuel  conservaiton,  held  down  most 
grosses. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  wee' 
ending  Feb.  16: 

"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

COLLEGE— (1,672)   (40c-50c)  6  days,  sec- 
ond week.  Gross:  $2,500.   (Average,  $2,900 
"Immortal  Sergeant"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"City  Without  Men"  (CbL) 

LOEW-POLI— (3,005)    (40c-50c)    6  days. 
Gross:  $9,000.  (Average,  $9,000) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 
"Ice-Capades  Review"  Repub.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,373)   (40c-50c),  6  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.   (Average,  $5,500) 
"Shadow  cf  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 
"Moonlight  in,  Havana"  (Univ.) 

ROGER  SHERMAN  —  (2,057)  (40c-50c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $7,000.  (Average,  $6,000') 


British  Film  to  RKO 

RKO  announced  that  it  will  release 
"Coastal  Command,"  feature-length 
factual  film  made  by  the  Cinema 
Guild  in  Britain.  The  theme  is  the 
safeguarding  of  the  skies  by  the  RAF 
over  the  British  Isles,  and  there  are 
no  professional  actors  in  the  film,  it 
was  said. 


'Rhythm'  Tops 
Big  Buffalo 
Week,  $21,500 


Buffalo,  Feb.  17. — "Star  Spangled 
Rhythm,"  opened  to  capacity  business 
at  the  Buffalo.  Playing  with  "Time 
To  Kill,"  it  is  expected  to  lead^,,, 
city  with  $21,500.  "Andy  HatT 
Double  Life"  will  almost  double  tne 
average  at  the  Great  Lakes  with  $20,- 
300.  Red  Skelton's  radio  popularity 
boosted  "Whistling  In  Dixie"  at  the 
Hippodrome  and  it  will  probably  do 
$10,200.  "They  Got  Me  Covered"  is 
still  strong  in  a  second  week  at  the 
Twentieth  Century  and  is  expected  to 
gross  an  additional  $16,400. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  20: 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Time  To  Kill"  (2flth-Fox) 

BUFFALO — (3,489)     (35c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $21,500.  (Average,  $15,000) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.  B.) 

GREAT  LAKES— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $20,300.  (Average,  $10,800) 
'Wbi-tling  In  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 
"The  Devil  With  Hitler"  (U.  A.) 

HIPPODROME — (2,100)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $10,200.   (Average,  $8,500) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO 
"Army  Surgeon"  (RKO) 

TWENTIETH   CENTURY— (3,000)  (35c- 
55c)   7  days,   second  week.   Gross:  $16,400. 
(Average,  $8,500) 
"City  Without  Men"  (Col.) 
"Blondie  For  Victory"  (Col.) 

LAFAYETTE— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $6,100.  (Average,  $8,000) 


Seattle  Flocks  to 
'Stand  By,'  $20,000 

Seattle,  Feb.  17. — "Stand  By  for 
Action"  on  a  dual  run  at  the  Music 
Hall  and  Paramount  theatres  was  top 
attraction  for  the  week-end,  and  an 
estimated  $20,000  was  in  sight  for  the 
run.  Holdovers  of  "Casablanca"  and 
'Commandos"  were  both  well  over 
average.   Weather  was  clear  and  mild. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  18: 

"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 

BLUE  MOUSE— (950)   (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  third  week.  Moved  from  Fifth  Ave- 
nue.  Gross:  $4,000.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 
"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

FIFTH  AVENUE — (2,500)  (40c-50c-65c- 
80c)  7  days.  Gross:  $9,300.  (Average,  $9,- 
000) 

'•'Commandoes  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"Laugh   Your   Blues   Away"  (Col.) 

LIBERTY  —  (1,800)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  5th  week.  Gross:  $8,250.  (Average, 
$7,500) 

"The  Moon  and  Sixpence"  (U.  A.) 

MUSIC  BO'X  —  (950)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  third  week.  Moved  from  Paramount. 
Gross:  $4,250.  (Average,  $4,500) 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  (MGM) 
"The  Undying  Monster"  (ZOth-Fox) 

MUSIC    HALL— (2,275)  (40c-50c-65c-80c) 
7  days.  Gross:  $7,800.  (Average,  $7,500) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 
"Hi,    Buddy"  Univ.) 

ORPHEUM  —  (2,450)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  second  week.  Gross:  $9,350.  (Average, 
$9,000) 

"Silver  Queen"  (U.  A.) 

PALOMAR  —  (1,500)  (30c -42c -58c -70c)  7 
days.  Stage:  Vaudeville.  Gross,  $7,600. 
(Average,  7,500) 

"Stand  Bv  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"The  Undying  Monster"  (20th-Fox) 

PARAMOUNT— (3,050)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $12,200.  (Average,  $9,000) 


Schad  on  Fair  Board 

Reading,  Pa.,  Feb.  17.  —  Harry  J. 
Schad,  operator  of  the  Astor  and 
Strand  theatres  here,  was  reelected 
to  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Read- 
ing Fair. 


Thursday,  February  18,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Para.  Reports  Loan 
Of  $5,000,000  to  SEC 

Paramount  Pictures  re- 
ported to  the  SEC  yesterday 
it  has  arranged  for  a  $5,000,- 
000  loan  for  "corporate  pur- 
poses" from  four  banks.  The 
banks  are :  Manufacturers 
Trust  Co.,  Bankers  Trust  Co., 
First  National  Bank  of  Chi- 
cago, for  $1,500,000  each,  and 
|fae  Bank  of  New  York,  $500,- 
The  loan  is  repayable  se- 
rially over  a  period  of  five 
years  with  interest  at  2%%. 


Quigley  Lauds  Independent 
Enterprise  in  Coast  Speech 


WB  to  Release  War 
Film  by  Col.  Zanuck 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

ager  of  Warners,  stated  that  the  film 
will  be  released  March  18  for  public 
showing,  and  Mort  Blumenstock,  in 
charge  of  advertising  and  publicity  for 
Warners  in  the  East,  reported  that  ad- 
vertising and  publicity  accessories  and 
a  trailer,  which  will  be  furnished  to 
exhibitors  gratis,  are  already  in  prep- 
aration. 

The  announcement  by  Kalmenson 
said :  "We  are  delighted  to  have  the 
opportunity  to  handle  distribution  of 
the  first  War  Department  picture 
showing  our  boys  in  action  on  the 
North  African  front.  We  hope  our 
customers  and  exhibitors  generally  un- 
derstand that  absolutely  no  profit  is 
to  be  made  in  the  handling  of  this 
picture,  as  it  is  a  Government-made 
film  and  the  only  costs  we  are  re- 
quired to  meet  are  the  actual  expen- 
ditures for  technicolor  prints  and  ad- 
vertising. However,  if  there  is  any 
deficiency  in  meeting  the  costs,  the 
WAC  has  asked  me  to  state  that  this 
will  be  met  by  members  of  that  "or- 
ganization." 

One  of  the  Best 

Kalmenson  stated  that  in  the  opin- 
ion of  exhibitors  who  have  seen  the 
picture,  it  is  one  of  the  best  actual 
photographic  reports  ever  done  on  any 
fighting  front. 

Release  of  the  film  was  decided  up- 
on following  conferences  between 
Elmer  Davis,  chief  of  the  OWI,  Low- 
ell Mellett,  head  of  the  OWI  Bureau 
of  Motion  Pictures,  and  industry 
leaders.  A  total  of  677  prints  are  be- 
ing rushed  and  allotment  of  raw  stock 
will  be  drawn  from  the  Army's  film 
quota,  it  was  stated. 

"At  the  Front"  is  in  four  reels.  Its 
running  time  is  41  minutes. 


C.E.A.  Proposes  Cut 
In  Newsreel  Footage 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
stock  for  the  newsreels.  It  was 
agreed  that  the  newsreels  are  the 
principal  potential  source  of  econo- 
mies, and  the  CEA  has  expressed  it- 
self in  favor  of  the  pooling  of  prints, 
simultaneous  local  runs  of  the  same 
positive  and  cutting  the  newsreels' 
footage. 

Discussion  among  CEA  leaders 
also  foresees  the  possibility  of  reduc- 
ing the  length  of  programs  and  play- 
ing time  generally. 

All  of  these  proposals  will  be  taken 
up  at  meetings  of  the  CEA,  Kine- 
matograph  Renters  Society  (distrib- 
utors) and  the  newsreels  next  week. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

your  society  there  is  represent- 
ed a  galaxy  of  talent  and  ex- 
perience. There  is  need  for  your 
society  and  for  what  it  proposes 
to  accomplish.  You  may  have 
no  doubt  of  our  hearty  and  con- 
tinuing cooperation." 

Kann  Urges  Cooperation 

Kann,  in  his  address,  said :  "Trade 
paper  relationships  between  Holly- 
wood and  rest  of  the  market  have 
always  left  considerable  to  be  desired. 
Hollywood,  immersed  in  its  own  prob- 
lems and  far  removed  from  the  mar- 
keting place,  has  not  always  been  as 
aware  of  its  possibilities  as  it  could 
be. 

"Marketing,  as  represented  gener- 
ally in  terms  of  New  York,  like- 
wise is  frequently  guilty  in  that  it  does 
not  always  realize  or  appreciate  what 
the  studios  may  undertake. 

"The  conviction  and  judgment  be- 
hind my  coming  here  are  that  the  two 
can  be  made  to  function  in  smoother 
unison  and,  therefore,  in  greater  har- 
mony, and  that  perhaps  I  might  play 
a  small  part  in  this  connection  through 
the  extended  experience  it  so  happens 
I  have  had  in  the  trade  journalism 
end  of  the  industry. 

Experience  Will  Help 

"It  is  possible  this  can  work  out  by 
seeking  to  draw  upon  some  knowl- 
edge of  what  develops  in  exhibition 
and  distribution  for  the  benefit  of 
Hollywood  and,  by  an  added  experi- 
ence of  trends,  drafts  and  possibili- 
ties in  Hollywood,  endeavor  to  fa- 
miliarize exhibition  and  distribution 
with  what  you  and  other  producers 
here  are  doing." 

Among  those  present  were  Walter 
Wanger,  Walt  Disney,  Sol  Lesser. 
William  Cagney,  John  C.  Flynn. 
John  LeRoy  Johnston,  Joseph  Reddy, 
Herbert  Drake,  Jerry  Dale.  Charles 
Daggett,  Joseph  Steele,  Fred  Stanley 
and  Norman  Siegel. 

Bigger  Film  Effort 
In  War  Promised 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
ing  today.  The  report  outlined  the 
organization's  plans  for  expansion  of 
the  talent  pool  to  broaden  the  area  of 
service,  with  emphasis  upon  supplying 
entertainers  to  American  troops  over- 
seas. 

Y.  Frank  Freeman  presided  at  the 
session.  Nelson  Rockefeller,  Coordi- 
nator of  Inter- American  Affairs,  was 
unable  to  attend  the  meeting. 

The  executives  decided  to  appoint  a 
subcommittee  to  smooth  practical  dif- 
ficulties which  arise  in  the  OWI  pro- 
gram and  discuss  further  cooperation 
after  a  two-hour  meeting  with  Lowell 
Mellett.  The  conferences  wind  up 
with  a  meeting  tomorrow  afternoon 

Full  Payment  By 
British  Is  Seen 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
ing   of  $5,000,000   from   the  British 
Treasury. 

The  companies  are  negotiating  for 
complete  removal  of  restrictions  on  re- 
mittance of  their  British  revenue,  con- 
tending that  the  need  for  such  restric- 
I  tions  no  longer  exists. 


Narration  Displaces 
Titles  in  U.A.  Films 
For  Foreign  Market 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

plan  is  that  "people  don't  have  to  be 
taught  to  hear,  but  they  do  to  read." 
He  cited  as  its  principal  advantages 
the  elimination  of  numerous  and 
lengthy  superimposed  titles,  which 
distract  even  those  audience  members 
who  read  the  language,  and  the  in- 
creased opportunity  which  native  lan- 
guage narration  has  to  make  a  pic- 
ture more  enjoyable  to  its  audiences 
by  emphasizing  the  finer  points  of 
action,  plot  and  dialogue  in  fewer 
words. 

The  narrations,  Gould  said, 
will  not  eliminate  superimposed 
titles  entirely  but  will,  rather, 
reduce  them  to  a  minimum. 
They  can  be  introduced  as  a 
natural  supplement  of  many  of 
the  better  pictures,  he  said, 
with  the  narrator  telling  parts 
of  the  story  as  the  plot  unfolds 
and  amplifying  scenes  in  which 
titles  are  used. 

At  almost  negligible  cost,  Gould 
believes,  pictures  based  on  classical, 
historical  and  literary  masterpieces 
can  be  planned  in  advance  of  produc- 
tion for  the  post-production  addition 
of  the  foreign  language  narrations. 
This  can  be  done,  he  said,  without  any 
interference  whatever  with  the  origi- 
nal English  production  and,  while  it 
is  not  essential  to  his  idea,  it  would, 
he  said,  facilitate  it  greatly  in  many 
instances. 

Superimposed  Titles  Bad 

Gould  expressed  the  belief  that  it  is 
generally  recognized  by  foreign  man- 
agers that  the  superimposed  titles  are 
generally  unsatisfactory  in  the  for- 
eign language  markets  where  people 
have  come  to  "tolerate"  rather  than 
"accept"  American  films.  He  believes 
the  narrations  in  the  principal  foreign 
languages  are  the  answer. 

Wartime  'Supertax' 
Urged  by  President 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

the  adoption  of  the  Disney  plan  by 
the  committee  last  Saturday. 

Members  of  Congress  planning 
forcible  repeal  of  the  salary  order  saw 
in  the  President's  order  a  trade  highly 
advantageous  to  the  Administration, 
since  the  control  by  taxes  would  not 
only  apply  to  salaries  but  to  income 
from  any  source.  In  his  budget  mes- 
sage last  month,  President  Roosevelt 
asked  enactment  of  a  limitation  on  in- 
vestment income  as  a  complement  to 
his  control  of  salaries. 

Archibald  To  Install 
MOI  Man  on  Coast 

Hollywood.  Feb.  17.  —  George 
Archibald,  representative  of  the  Brit- 
ish Ministry  of  Information  in  th^ 
United  States,  in  charge  of  its  motion 
picture  division  in  this  country,  is  ex- 
pected here  Friday  to  install  a  Hol- 
lywood representative. 


11,000  Houses 
Begin  'Dimes' 
Drive  Today 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

in  more  than  11,000  auditorium 
collections  daily  for  the  week-long 
drive  which  continues  to  Feb.  24. 

An  extra  250,000  feet  of  film  has 
been  allocated  by  Government  offi- 
cials to  make  additional  appeal  trail- 
ers for  exhibition  in  theatres,  and 
laboratories  in  New  York  and  on  the 
Coast  have  been  exerting  their  ef- 
forts to  meet  the  demand  by  exhib- 
itors, it  was  stated. 
•  R.  J.  O'Donnell,  co-chairman  for 
Texas,  in  New  York  City  yesterday, 
forecast  that  the  drive  would  be  an 


The  "March  of  Dimes"  na- 
tional committee  yesterday 
urged  exhibitors  to  return  ap- 
peal trailers  promptly  to  the 
National  Screen  exchange  from 
from  which  they  are  shipped. 
The  film  will  be  sold  for  reclam- 
ation and  the  proceeds  added  to 
the  infantile  paralysis  fund,  it 
was  announced. 


outstanding  success,  not  only  in  the 
area  but  throughout  the  nation.  The 
National  committee  expects  to  top 
last  year's  total  of  collecions  by  30 
per  cent,  it  was  reported. 

Virtually  all  theatres  in  the  drive 
are  making  auditorium  collections  at 
all  shows,  since  it  has  been  found 
that  lobby  collections  are  only  10 
per  cent  as  effective  as  solicitations 
in  the  auditorium,  it  was  stated. 

Exhibitors  have  been  urged  to 
make  prompt  accounting  of  collec- 
tions at  the  close  of  the  drive,  send- 
ing their  report  and  check  to  their 
state  chairman.  He,  in  turn,  will 
return  50  per  cent  of  the  collections 
to  the  county  chairman  of  the  Na- 
tional Foundation  for  Infantile 
Paralysis,  thus  quickly  localizing  the 
accounting. 


Moray  on  Field  Tour 

Norman  Moray,  captain  of  the 
Warner  Bros,  sales  drive,  has  left  on 
a  field  tour  until  the  end  of  the  drive, 
May  1,  the  company  announced.  He 
also  plans  to  visit  the  studio. 


Gov.  Bricker  Signs 
Ohio  Time  Change 

Columbus,  Feb.  17. — Despite 
protests  of  many  communi- 
ties, Gov.  Bricker  signed  the 
time  change  bill  today.  Clocks 
shift  back  one  hour  effective 
next  Sunday. 

The  following  municipali- 
ties plan  to  remain  on  East- 
ern War  Time  at  least 
throughout  the  Summer: 
Cleveland,  Akron.  Cuyahoga 
Falls,  Barberton,  Toledo,  San- 
dusky, East  Liverpool,  Wells- 
ville,  Steubenville,  Conneaut, 
Warren.  Salem,  Xenia,  D^ver, 
Ashland,  Shelby,  Mount  Ver- 
non, Pomeroy,  Middleport, 
Canton,  Athens,  Bucyrus,  Ga- 
lion  and  Crestline. 

Interstate  transportation, 
Federal  courts  and  agencies 
will  stay  on  E.W.T. 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  February  18,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


MUTUAL  will  hold  its  first  program  clinic  starting  Monday  at  the  Hotel 
Ambassador.  Special  emphasis,  it  was  announced,  will  be  placed  on  pro- 
gramming that  will  help  the  war  effort.  Program  officials  of  12  key  network 
member  and  affiliated  stations,  Office  of  Censorship  and  Office  of  War  Informa- 
tion representatives  and  Mutual  executives  are  expected  to  attend.  Sessions 
will  be  resumed  Thursday  Feb.  25,  to  allow  officials  to  attend  BMI  meetings 
Feb.  23  and  24. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  George  Martin,  morning  supervisor  of  the  announcer 
booth  at  KHJ,  Los  Angeles,  and  Charles  Jones,  studio  engineer,  have  both 
announced  the  birth  of  daughters.  .  .  .  Dick  Gilbert  plans  to  conduct  his  WHN 
shows  today  from  the  St.  Clare  Hospital,  where  he  is  to  undergo  a  minor 
operation.  .  .  .  William  J.  Dunn,  chief  of  the  CBS  Far  East  staff,  arrived  in 
New  York  yseterday  for  a  vacation. 

•  •  • 

From  11  a.  m.  to  8:30  p.  m.  today,  foreign  language  station  WHOM 
is  scheduled  to  be  on  the  air  from  the  Red  Cross  Blood  Donor  Center. 
The  facilities  of  the  station  have  been  moved  to  the  Blood  Bank,  where 
35  of  the  staff  will  donate  blood  and  describe  their  experiences. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Frank  Crummit  and  Julia  Sanderson  will  start  a 
Monday  through  Friday  series  over  CBS  from  3  to  3:15  p.  m.  starting 
March  1.  .  .  .  The  "Mystery  Chef,"  locally  sponsored  Blue  program,  will 
be  sponsored  by  the  National  Biscuit  Co.  on  the  Buffalo,  Pittsburgh  and 
Birmingham,  Ala.,  affiliates,  it  was  announced.  .  .  .  "The  Man  Behind 
the  Gun,"  CBS  series  about  service  men,  will  have  its  sponsored  premiere 
on  Sunday,  March  7.  Elgin  Watch  Co.  is  the  sponsor.  .  .  .  Startnig  Mon- 
day. "Pepper  Young's  Family,"  will  be  broadcast  to  the  full  NBC  network 
by  Procter  and  Gamble.  This  will  add  46  outlets  to  the  present  schedule. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  William  Idelson,  the  "Rush  Cook"  of  "Vic  and  Sade,"  is 
in  the  Navy.  .  .  .  James  L.  Spates,  general  manager  and  chief  engineer  of 
WHAI,  Greenfield,  Mass.,  has  been  commissioned  a  first  lieutenant  in  the 
M  arines. 


Rayburn  Foils 
House  Move 
To  Kill  FCC 

Washington,  Feb.  17. — House 
foes  of  the  Federal  Communica- 
tions Commission  today  sought  to 
put  it  out  of  business  next  June  30 
and  were  defeated  only  after  Speak- 
er Rayburn  descended  to  the  floor 
to  voice  an  "appeal  to  reason." 

In  a  field  day  of  budget  slash- 
ing, an  economy-minded  house 
cut  appropriations  for  many  of 
the  agencies  covered  in  the  in- 
dependent offices  bill,  and  when  ' 
the  FCC  was  reached  Represen- 
tative Case  of  South  Dakota  of- 
fered an  amendment  to  cut  it 
out  of  the  measure. 

Rayburn  appealed  to  the  member- 
ship to  use  reason  in  forcing  the 
Government  to  economies  with  which 
he  said  he  was  in  accord,  and_  Case's 
motion  was  defeated  by  162  to  87. 

The  House  then  approved  the  Com- 
mission's fund  of  $7,609,614  which,  de- 
bate disclosed,  had  been  pruned  $400,- 
000  from  original  estimates  by  the  ap- 
propriations committee,  which  cut  out 
funds  for  work  duplicating  activities 
of  the  Army. 

Decision  Reserved 
In  2  Ascap  Cases 

Decision  has  been  reserved  by 
Supreme  Court  Justice  Aaron  Steuer 
in  two  actions  against  Ascap  for 
an  accounting  and  declaratory  judg- 
ment, brought  by  Denton-Haskins 
Corp.  and  Gem  Music  Corp. 

Likening  the  actions  to  that  brought 
some  time  ago  by  Broadcast  Music, 
Inc.,  Louis  D.  Frohlich,  of  Schwartz 
&  Frohlich,  Ascap  counsel,  contended 
that  the  actions  sought  to  have  the 
court  determine  plaintiffs'  equities 
after  1950  when  their  membership 
contracts  in  Ascap  expire,  and  asked 
for  the  dismissal  of  both  actions. 

Report  RKO  Option 
On  Monroe,  Chicago 

Chicago,  Feb.  17. — A  90-day  op- 
tion on  the  Monroe  Theatre,  Loop 
second  run,  is  reported  to  have  been 
obtained  by  RKO  during  the  visit 
here  of  Malcolm  Kingsberg,  execu- 
tive vice-president  of  Keith-Albee- 
Orpheum. 

RKO,  according  to  report,  will  ex- 
periment with  the  house  during  the 
trial  period  as  a  first  run  and  move- 
over  house  for  the  Palace,  with  in- 
creased admission  scales  equal  to 
those  of  other  first  runs. 

Australian  Boom  for 
Films  Is  Reported 

Boom  times  in  Australia's  motion 
picture  industry  are  reported  by 
George  Applegate,  former  manager  of 
Western  Electric's  subsidiary  in  Aus- 
tralia, who  recently  returned  to  New 
York  to  take  charge  of  technical  en- 
gineering activities  for  his  company's 
export  subsidiary.  Films  rival  the 
favorite  Australian  sport  of  horse  rac- 
ing as  a  recreation  activity  in  wartime, 
Applegate  said. 


Camden  House  Wins 
Award  on  Clearance 

A  consent  award  granting  to  Abe 
M.  Ellis'  Liberty  Theatre,  Camden, 
N.  J.,  the  same  relief  awarded  the 
Parkside  in  Camden  by  Robert  J. 
Callaghan,  arbitrator  at  the  Philadel- 
phia tribunal,  last  May  has  been 
entered  here,  the  American  Arbitra- 
tion Association  announced  yesterday. 

The  Parkside  award  was  affirmed  by 
the  appeal  board  on  appeal  by  the 
plaintiff.  The  new  consent  award 
substitutes  the  Liberty  for  the  Park- 
side  and  continues  the  21-day  clear- 
ance over  the  Liberty  on  pictures 
which  first  play  Camden  at  the  Savar. 
Stanley  or  Grand,  and  reduces  the  21- 
day  clearance  over  the  Liberty  to  14 
days  on  pictures  playing  Camden  first 
run  at  the  Broadway,  Tower,  Lyric, 
Victoria  or  Rio.  The  complaint  in- 
volved Loew's,  Paramount,  RKO  and 
Vitagraph. 

Two  new  clearance  complaints  have 
been  filed  at  the  St.  Louis  tribunal 
against  the  five  consenting  companies 
One,  by  Leo  Litvag,  operator  of  the 
Apollo,  St.  Louis,  charges  that  the 
clearance  given  the  Pageant  and  Will 
Rogers  is  unreasonable.  The  other 
was  filed  by  Dr.  G.  J.  Hobbs,  who 
charges  that  the  clearance  granted  the 
Majestic  and  Avenue  over  his  40th  St. 
Theatre.  East  St.  Louis,  111.,  is  un- 
reasonable. 


Ind.  House  Passes 
Theatre  Safety  Bill 

Indianapolis,  Feb.  17. — A  bill 
which  places  theatres  and  all  other 
places  of  amusement  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  state  fire  marshal  and 
imposes  heavy  penalties  for  violations 
of  his  orders  has  been  passed  by  the 
Indiana  House.  It  renuires  theatre 
owners  to  pay  $5.00  to  $10.00  inspec- 
tion fees. 


May  Settle  Adelphi 
Anti-Trust  Suit 

Chicago,  Feb.  17. — A  settlement  of 
the  Adelphi  Theatre  anti-trust  suit, 
brought  against  major  distributors 
and  B.  &  K.  by  nearly  100  local  ex- 
hibitors four  years  ago,  may  be 
reached  soon,  it  is  reported. 

A  tentative  agreement  is  said  to 
have  been  reached  providing  for  the 
reduction  of  clearance  between  first 
run  and  first  week  of  general  release 
from  the  present  10  weeks  to  eight.  It 
is  also  proposed  to  change  release 
dates  for  subsequent  runs  from  Sun- 
days to  Fridays  to  conform  with  the 
starting  date  of  most  first  runs.  Also 
said  to  be  under  discussion  is  a  joint 
agreement  on  booking  dates  by  all 
independents  and  circuits  which  play 
after  Class  A  houses. 


Crosley  Files  for  2 
200,000-Watt  Outlets 

Cincinnati,  Feb.  17. — The  Crosley 
Corp.,  operating  WLW  and  WSAI, 
has  filed  application  with  the  FCC  for 
authority  to  construct  two  200,000- 
watt  international  broadcasting  sta- 
tions, the  most  powerful  in  the  coun- 
try, it  was  learned  here  over  the 
weekend.  The  stations  would  operate 
on  frequencies  of  6080,  9590,  11710, 
15250,  17800  and  21650  kilocycles. 

The  company,  which  also  operates 
international  short  wave  station 
W8XO,  recently  was  granted  30-day 
authority  by  the  FCC  to  use  a  signal 
strength  of  750,000  watts  for  WLW, 
confined  to  the  U.  S.  only,  on  an  ex- 
perimental basis,  to  test  new  methods 
designed  to  effect  a  substantial  sav- 
ings in  critical  materials  required  in 
broadcasting. 


KBS  Radio  Chain 
To  Aid  Metal  Drive 

The  207  radio  stations  of  the  Key- 
stone Broadcasting  System  will  de- 
vote 600  collective  hours  of  sustained 
programs  during  the  week  of  March 
7  to  the  exhibitor  campaign  to  collect 
copper,  brass  and  bronze,  the  War 
Activities  Committee  announced  yes- 
terday. 

In  the  national  area  covered^  ,  - 
KBS  it  is  estimated  that  ther*'-  ■ 
about  5,000  theatres  whose  cam- 
paigns for  salvage  metal  will  be  aided 
by  the  cooperative  effort.  The  sta- 
tions also  will  make  more  than  1,500 
spot  anouncements  on  the  collection 
drive  during  the  week,  urging  listen- 
ers to  search  their  homes  for  the  metal 
and  then  watch  their  local  theatres 
for  copper  matinee  announcements. 

The  KBS  chain  also  has  agreed  to 
cooperate  with  theatres  on  the  War 
Activities  Committee  roster  in  future 
WAC  programs,  it  was  stated. 


Omaha  Collects  15  Tons 

Omaha,  Feb.  17. — More  than  15 
tons  of  copper  and  brass  were  col- 
lected by  152  theatres  in  this  ex- 
change area  during  the  recent  drive 
sponsored  by  the  Omaha  Variety 
Club,  Joseph  Kinsky,  chief  barker, 
announced.  Proceeds  from  the  sale 
of  the  salvage  metal  will  be  devoted 
to  the  club's  charity  activities. 

Mark  Pizor,  Former 
Phila.  Exhibitor,  Dies 

Philadelphia,  Feb.  17. — Mark.  Pi- 
zor, 84,  father  of  Lewen  Pizor,  presi- 
dent of  United  M.P.T.O.  here,  died 
yesterday  after  an  illness  of  one  week. 
Until  his  retirement  20  years  ago,  he 
was  associated  with  his  son  in  the 
management  of  the  Pizor  circuit  in 
Philadelphia  and  Eastern  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Other  survivors  are  his  widow, 
Carrie,  another  son  and  two  daugh- 
ers.  Funeral  services  will  be  at  2 
P.M.  Friday  at  the  Morris  Rosen- 
berg's Sons  funeral  home. 

'Dinner'  Suit  Starts 
In  NY  Federal  Court 

Trial  of  a  plagiarism  suit  involving 
the  Warner  Bros.'  film.  "The  Man 
Who  Came  to  Dinner,"  began  here 
yesterday  before  Federal  Judge  Clar- 
ence G.  Galston,  sitting  without  a 
jury.  Vincent  McConnor,  plaintiff, 
claims  that  the  plot  of  the  play,  by 
George  S.  Kaufman  and  Moss  Hart, 
was  pirated  from  his  original  play, 
"The  Murder  Issue." 

Disc  Men  Meet  for 
Record  Settlement 

Recording  and  transcription  com- 
panies are  continuing  to  meet  sepa- 
rately in  connection  with  a  possible 
settlement  of  the  ban  on  recordings. 
No  date  has  been  set  for  an  additional 
ioint  conference  with  the  American 
Federation  of  Musicians  executive 
board,  pending  completion  of  the  re- 
cording and  transcription  firms'  dis- 
cussions. 


Philco  Votes  15c  Dividend 

The  Philco  Corp.  board  of  directors 
has  declared  a  quarterly  dividend  of 
15  cents  a  share  on  the  common  stock, 
payab'e  March  12  to  stockholders  of 
record  Feb.  27,  it  was  announced. 


AIaf* 

III  lJt?W5i,t»! 

dllU  \ 

»aD|e 

xo  me  f»! 

cjticn 

Picture 

Industry 

FILE  COPY 

MOTION  PICTURE"™ 

DAILY 


53,  NO.  34 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  FRIDAY,  FEBRUARY  19,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


British  Offer 
Of  5  Million 
Fund  Accepted 

Applied  Against  Payment 
On  Year's  Revenue 


By  SHERWIN  A.  KANE 

Major  distributors  have  agreed 
to  accept  a  $5,000,000  interim  pay- 
ment offered  by  the  British  Treas- 
ury to  apply  against  remittances 
which  may  be  authorized  later  on 
this  year's  distribution  revenue 
from  Great  Britain. 

The  $5,000,000  offer,  first  made 
to  the  companies  several  weeks 
ago,  was  rejected  on  the  suppo- 
sition that  it  might  prejudice 
negotiations  which  are  now  in 
progress  for  a  new  exchange 
agreement  with  the  British 
Treasury.  Through  those  ne- 
gotiations the  companies  hope 
to  have  all  restrictions  against 
the  remittance  of  their  British 
revenues  removed. 
The  companies  were  recently  in- 
formed   by    a    Treasury    official  at 

(.Continued  from  page  7) 


HouseVotes  $60,000 
For  Inquiry  of  FCC 


Washington,  Feb.  18. — The  House 
of  Representatives  today  appropriated 
$60,000  for  the  expenses  of  the  Cox 
committee  in  investigating  the  Federal 
Communications  Commission  and  the 
Georgia  Congressman  announced  that 
(Continued  from  page  8) 


Knox  Puts  Winchell 
On  Inactive  Service 

Washington,  Feb.  18.— The 
Congressional  flare-up  over 
the  radio  activities  of  Lt.- 
Comm.  Walter  Winchell 
abated  today  after  Secretary 
of  the  Navy  Knox,  appearing 
before  the  House  Naval  Af- 
fairs Committee  in  closed  ses- 
sion, reported  that  the  col- 
umnist was  placed  on  the  in- 
active list  yesterday  and  will 
not  be  called  back  for  service. 

Following  the  meeting  with 
Knox,  Chairman  Vinson  said 
the  hearings  had  been  closed 
and  the  Navy's  action  "as  far 
as  we  are  concerned,  settles 
the  whole  controversy." 


Congress  'Cold'  to 
Roosevelt  Tax  Plan ; 
Disney  Bill  Pushed 


Washington,  Feb.  18. — President 
Roosevelt's  offer  to  trade  salary  con- 
trol for  a  limitation  on  all  income  fell 
on  deaf  ears  in  Congress  today,  with 
Chairman  Doughton  of  the  Ways  and 
Means  Committee  announcing  that  the 
Disney  control-repeal  plan  will  be  re- 
ported to  the  House  with  the  unani- 
mous approval  of  the  committee. 

The  report  will  be  written  and  sub- 
mitted by  Congressman  Disney,  and 
probably  will  go  to  the  House  Mon- 
day. 

Doughton  said  the  committee  would 
not  reopen  the  matter  despite  the 
President's  appeal,  and  indicated  also 
that  it  now  has  all  the  tax  problems 
it  can  handle  this  year  and  probably 
will  not  go  into  the  subject  of  limit- 
ing salary  and  other  income  by  the 

(Continued  from  page  7) 


Univ.  Set  for  Quality 
Productions:  Scully 


With  more  producers  on  the  Uni- 
versal studio  roster  now  than  it  has 
had  in  many  years,  the  company  this 
year  is  prepared  to  deliver  the  largest 
number  of  quality  pictures  in  its  his- 
tory, W.  A.  Scully,  vice-president  and 
general  sales  manager,  stated  yester- 
day. 

Scully,  who  returned  recently  from 
a  studio  visit,  listed  the  following  pro- 
ducers among  those  now  associated 
with  Universal ;  Walter  Wanger, 
Howard   Hawks,    George  Waggner,' 

(Continued  from  page  7) 


INDUSTRY'S  CHIEFS 
REAFFIRM  FAITH  IN 
PRODUCTION  CODE 

Presidents  of  Companies  at  Final  Session 
Adopt  Resolution  Pledging  to  Continue 
Principles  and  Standards  in  Practice 


Hollywood,  Feb.  18. — Declaring 
more  vital  instrument  in  wartime 
and  executives  at  the  final  session  o 


Distributors  in 
Britain  Ready 
For  Film  Cut 


By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  Feb.  18. — After  an  ex- 
tended discussion  of  the  raw  stock 
situation  today,  with  a  number  of 
managing  directors  absent,  five  not 
having  yet  returned  from  the  Unit- 
ed States,  the  Kinematograph  Rent- 
ers Society  (distributors)  formu- 
lated a  broad  basis  of  a  plan  to  be 
presented  to  the  board  of  Trade. 

The  plan,  it  was  stated,  aims 
to  make  raw  stock  conservation 
voluntary  and  avoid  the  imposi- 
tion of  legislation.    The  reduc- 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


that  the  Production  Code  is  an  "even 
than  in  peace,"  company  presidents 
f  their  series  of  meetings  here  today 
adopted  the  following  resolution : 
"The  motion  picture  industry, 
sensible  of  the  special  obliga- 
tions that  confront  it  in  this 
period  of  national  stress,  reaf- 
firms its  allegiance  to  the  high 
principles  and  standards  set  up 
in  the  Production  Code  and  re- 
affirms   its    determination  to 
conform  to  these  principles  and 
standards  in  practice." 
This  resolution  followed  an  address 
by  Will  H.  Hays,  president  of  the 
Motion  Picture  Producers  and  Dis- 
tributors of  America,  reviewing  the 
history,  problems  and  accomplishments 
of  the  Production  Code  Administra- 
tion since  it  was  established  in  1930 
and  a  comprehensive  analysis  by  Jo- 
seph I.  Breen,  PCA  director,  of  the 

(Continued  from  page  7) 


Variety  Clubs  Convention 
Opens  in  Chicago  Today 


10%  Ticket  Tax  Bill 
Withdrawn  in  Conn. 

New  Haven,  Feb.  18. — The  bill  in 
the  Legislature  which  would  impose 
a  10  per  cent  tax  on  theatre  admis- 
sions, to  be  paid  by  the  patron,  has 
been  withdrawn  after  hearings. 

Also  withdrawn  after  hearings  was 
a  bill  providing  for  sprinkler  systems 
in  all  buildings  used  for  public  amuse- 
ment, of  a  type  approved  by  the  State 
fire  marshal.  Another  bill,  however, 
is  understood  to  provide  for  installa- 
tion of  sprinkler  systems,  and  hearings 
are  expected  soon. 


Chicago,  Feb.  18. — Delegates  began 
arriving  here  today  for  the  ninth  an- 
nual convention  of  the  Variety  Clubs 
of  America  which  will  get  under  way 
tomorrow  at  the  Blackstone  Hotel. 
The  convention  will  end  Sunday. 

An  attendance  of  more  than  600  is 
expected.  The  official  delegations  will 
total  about  250,  from  the  26  tents,  it  is 
expected,  and  the  gathering  will  be  in- 
creased by  more  than  150  local  Vari- 
ety Club  members  and  visitors  from 
out-of-town  tents.  Visitors,  however, 
are  limited. 

John  H.  Harris,  national  chief  bark- 
er, will  preside  at  this  "wartime  con- 
(Continued  from  page  7) 


Grosses  Rebound 
As  Weather  Eases 


Relief  from  the  extremely  cold 
weather  which  prevailed  early  this 
week  brought  a  rise  in  grosses  on 
Broadway,  managers  reported.  Hold- 
overs, which  predominate,  continue 
strong. 

"Saludos  Amigos"  was  estimated  to 
have  grossed  about  $25,000  for  its 
first  week  at  the  Globe,  ending  yes- 


Immediately  after  last  night's 
air-raid  alarm  test,  Mayor  La- 
Guardia  announced  that  another 
test  will  be  held  at  9:30  o'clock 
tonight  and  that  further  tests 
will  be  held.  Theatre  business 
was  at  a  standstill  during  last 
night's  test,  9:05  to  9:30  p.m. 


terday.  "Crystal  Ball"  opened  yester- 
day at  the  Capitol. 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  continues 
on  its  merry  box-office  way  at  the 
Paramount,  starting  its  eighth  week 
at  the  house  Wednesday,  with  the 
stage  show.  "Random  Harvest,"  an- 
(Continued  from  page  7) 


2 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Friday,  February  19,  1943 


40  Westerns  from 
Repub.  This  Year 

Republic  Pictures  is  releas- 
ing a  total  of  40  outdoor  ac- 
tion pictures  during  the  1942- 
43  season,  32  of  these  being 
new  product  and  eight  of 
these  Gene  Autry  reissues, 
the  company  revealed  yester- 
day. This  schedule  has  been 
made  up  to  meet  the  grow- 
ing market  for  Western  films, 
the  company  said. 

The  new  schedule  calls  for 
western  pictures  of  an  im- 
proved type,  it  was  said.  Bet- 
ter plot  material,  better  mu- 
sical backgrounds  and  better 
supporting  casts  are  a  feature 
of  the  "modernized"  westerns, 
it  is  claimed. 


Schenck  and  Others 
Leave  Coast  Today 

Hollywood,  Feb.  18. — Nicholas  M. 
Schenck,  Herman  Robbins,  Ned  E. 
Depinet  and  Ben  Thau  are  expected 
to  leave  for  New  York  tomorrow. 
Lowell  Mellett  leaves  for  Washington 
on  Monday.  Barney  Balaban  and 
Francis  S.  Harmon  are  remaining 
another  week.  Spyros  Skouras  plans 
to  leave  for  New  York  Feb.  26. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN      .      GREER  GARSON 
in  James  Hilton's 

"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN  M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue   .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 

IN  PERSON 

PRESENTS 

JOHNNY 

'STAR  SPANGLED 

LONG 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

RHYTHM' 

with  43  STARS 

—Extra- 
Frank  Sinatra 

PARAMOUNT         Times  Square 

HENRY  FONDA  •  MAUREEN  O'HARA  in 


Plus  In  Person 
On  Our  Stage 


CONNEE  BOSWELL 
PAUL  LAVALLE  &  Orch. 


BUY  A  WAR  n  AVV  7th  Ave.  &  50th  St. 
BONDatthe  KUA  I 


Continuous  Perfs. 


PALACE 


B  WAY  & 
47th  St. 


JAMES  CAGNEY 

JOAN  LESLIE 

YANKEE  DOODLE 
DANDY" 


WALTER 
HUSTON 


Loew's  STflTi 


2nd  WEEK  on  SCREEN 
First  N.  Y.  Showing 

MICKEY  ROONEY 
"ANDY  HARDY'S 
DOUBLE  LIFE 


7 


IN  PERSON 

Ed  Sullivan 
and  New 
Broadway 
On  Parade 
Revue 


-  Heard  Around  - 

THERE  was  once  a  fellow  .  .  .  who  changed  his  mind — he  is  still  around — 
so  there  is  an  investigation  in  Washington — on  training  films — made  under 
censorship  regulations — with  much  governmental  guidance — all  of  which  are 
endeavors  to  exert  pressure  on  what  the  screen  says  or  will  say — but  which 
do  not  relieve  the  industry  from  its  obligation — to  entertain  the  public — pay- 
ing taxes  to  support  the  war — but  paying  at  the  box-office  to  have  fun. 

•  •  • 

Exhibitors  are  concerned  .  .  .  over  the  Hollywood  situation — therefore,  we 
believe — that  the  reason  Max  A.  Cohen — president  of  Allied  of  New  York — an 
M.P.T.O.A.  affiliate — leaves  for  Hollywood  next  Thursday — is  to  confer  with 
studio  chieftains — about  the  future  of  production — and  that  Cohen's  contem- 
plated journey — is  at  direction  of  Ed  Kuykendall — M.P.T.O.A.  national  presi- 
dent— preparatory  to  making  a  report  on  the  situation — to  the  national  board 
at  its  annual  meeting. 

•  •  • 

Our  nomination  .  .  .  for  a  new  kind  of  Academy  award — Gradwell  Sears 
— for  his  purchase  of  those  Paramount  pictures — which  has  enabled 
United  Artists  to  bridge  a  serious  inactive  production  period. 

•  •  • 

And  talking  about  United  Artists  .  .  .  Jimmy  Cagney — will  start  produc- 
tion in  about  a  month — Hunt  Stromberg — well  on  the  way  with  his  first  pic- 
ture— will  start  on  his  second — "Dishonored  Lady" — about  the  middle  of  May 
— Arnold  Pressburger — has  completed  "Hangmen  Also  Die" — Sol  Lesser — is 
set  with  "Stage  Door  Canteen" — Samuel  Bronston — has  a  deal  for  one  pic- 
ture— a  Jack  London  story — Andy  Stone — will  make  "Hi  Diddle" — Edward 
Small  has  come  to  terms  with  the  company — to  make  two  quality  pictures — 
one  of  which  may  be  "Russian  Soldiers" — and  "Victory  Through  Air  Power", 
the  Walt  Disney — Seversky  film,  is  expected  to  be  ready  about  the  middle 
of  June. 

•  •  • 

Frank  Whitbeck's  name  .  .  .  never  appears  on  the  screen — but  his  handi- 
work has  helped  produce  millions  of  dollars  for  worthy  charitable  causes — put- 
ting those  "golden  tears"  into  the  "March  of  Dimes" .  trailers — besides  the 
Army  and  Navy  Relief  Fund — and  many  other  drives  in  which  the  industry 
has  been  interested. 

•  •  • 

About  2,700,000  feet  of  raw  stock  .  . .  equal  to  the  footage  normally  used 
— for  the  usual  330  prints — allowed  for  regular  company  releases  of  8,200 
feet  average — will  be  required  for  the  667  prints — ordered  by  the  OWI — 
on  "At  the  Front" — Darryl  Zanuck's  4-reeler — which  Warners  will  release 
— and  because  it  is  a  technicolor  picture — the  cost  of  the  OWI  prints  will 
run  to  about  $129,000 — with  advertising  additionally  costing  about  $21,000 
— "Battle  of  Midway"  was  the  only  other  OWI  film  for  which  667  prints 
were  made. 

•  •  • 

Don't  be  surprised  ...  to  hear  that  even  though  a  blanket  increase  in  gaso- 
line rationing — to  salesmen — will  not  be  made — the  government  may  determine 
to  recognize  the  special  problems — of  particular  areas — granting  relief  to  par- 
ticular salesmen  covering  a  number  of  rural  areas — because  of  the  efforts  of 
Bill  Rodgers. 

•  •  • 

John  Stanley — Yankee  Network  commentator — is  a  descendant  of  Gov- 
ernor Bradley- — one  of  the  founders  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony.  .  .  . 
Gabriel  Pascal — his  friends  say —  is  entertaining  the  idea  of  making  a  picture 
— on  post  war  conditions — with  a  nod  from  Vice-President  Henry  Wallace 
.  .  .  and  a  biography  of  Henry  Kaiser — the  shipbuilder. 

•  •  • 

The  impossible  .  .  .  happened  in  Quebec  City — recently — when  the 
hitherto  sacred  precincts  of  the  legislative  chamber  of  the  Canadian 
Parliament  Buildings — a  spot  made  historic  by  the  holding  of  the  first 
reception  by  the  British  Monarchs — at  the  outset  of  the  Royal  Tour  of 
this  continent — before  the  outbreak  of  the  war — were  invaded  by  a  pic- 
ture— "Casablanca." 

•  •  • 

Among  the  M.P.  Associates'  new  members — are  Malcolm  Kingsberg,  C.  J. 
Scollard,  Lee  Newbury,  S.  S.  Krellberg,  Harry  H.  Lowenstein  and  Frank 
Schiffman. 

•  •  • 

Because  the  national  magazines  .  .  .  owing  to  the  paper  stock  shortages- 
have  established  a  preferential  treatment  on  space  to  their  biggest  regular  cus- 
tomers— we  see  the  likelihood  of  otherwise  unspendable  motion  picture  adver- 
tising appropriations— going  to  radio  stations — big  and  small — film  advertising 
in  these  national  magazines  descending  below  its  1942  level. 

•  •  • 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  J.  Schaefer  .  .  .  tomorrow — will  announce  the 
betrothal  of  their  daughter — Isabelle — to  John  J.  Cahill — Columbia  Uni- 
versity student — who  soon  enters  the  Navy  .  .  .  Charles  Curran — former 
publicity  director  for  Herbert  Wilcox — has  been  commissioned  lieutenant, 
senior  grade,  U.  S.  N. 

•  •  • 

Walter  Gould  telephones  ...  to  say  that  no  sooner — was  yesterday's  is- 
sue of  Motion  Picture  Daily  circulated — calls  from  company  foreign  de- 
partment officials  came  to  his  office — requesting  screenings  of  "Moon  and  Six- 
pence"— to  which  his  new  idea  of  foreign  language  narration — has  been  applied. 

— Sam  Shain 


Personal 
Mention 


LOU  METZGER,  West  Coast  ex- 
hibitor, left  yesterday  for  Flori- 
da on  his  way  back  to  Los  Angeles. 
• 

Martin  Quigley  leaves  Hollywood 
today  for  New  York. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lloyd  Setdman  are 
the  parents  of  a  son,  born  at  Doctors 
Hospital  on  Wednesday.  Seidman  is 
vice-president  of  Donahue  &  Co. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  A.  Scully 
gave  gone  to  Florida. 

• 

Harry  M.  Kalmine,  W.  Stewart 
McDonald  and  Harold  Rodner  have 
left  for  Chicago. 

• 

William  C.  Sm alley,  head  of  the 
Smalley  circuit,  Cooperstown,  N.  Y., 
has  left  for  a  vacation  in  the  South. 
• 

E.  M.  Loew,  New  England  circuit 
operator,  is  in  town. 

Stanley  Shuford  is  ill. 

Phil  Fox,  Columbia  branch  man- 
ager in  Buffalo,  is  in  town. 

Herman  Starr,  Warner  Bros, 
vice-president,  leaves  for  the  Coast 
today. 

• 

Moe  Silver,  Pittsburgh  zone  man- 
ager for  Warner  Theatres,  is  in  New 
York. 

• 

Sam  Stiefel,  Philadelphia  exhibi- 
tor, has  left  with  his  family  for  a 
month's  stay  in  Hollywood. 

• 

Lt.  Harold  W.  Seidenberg,  form- 
er manager  of  Warners'  Earle  Thea- 
tre, Philadelphia,  and  Dorothy  Dav- 
enport, were  married  last  week  in 
San  Francisco. 

• 

John  Predari,  Jr.,  has  joined  the 
Tank  Corps  and  is  now  at  Ft.  Bowie, 
Tex. 

• 

Murray  Howard,  formerly  a  thea- 
tre manager  in  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  is 
in  the  Army  at  Camp  Haan,  Calif. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl. 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copiea  10c. 


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•pED  SKELToN ,  LUCILLE  BALL ,  G-ENE  KELLY,  V^^^^GM^^-C 

sw./viH^,b»^^TXc/Lu»e^!  ^  pU  BARRy  ^, 


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4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  February  19,  1943 


British  Distributors  Ready 
For  Slash  in  Raw  Stock 


SEC  Reports  Heavy 
Film  Stock  Trading; 
Warner  Buys  Shown 


'  Casablanca* 


$19,000,  S.  F. 
Second  Week 


San  Francisco,  Feb.  18. — Hold- 
overs were  the  attractions  here  this 
week,  with  "Casablanca"  grossing  an 
estimated  $19,000  in  a  second  week  at 
the  Fox,  where  it  is  paired  with  "The 
Hidden  Hand,"  and  "They  Got  Me 
Covered"  collecting  about  $18,000  at 
the  Gulden  Gate,  with  vaudeville. 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn,"  dualed 
with  "McGuerins  from  Brooklyn," 
grossed  an  estimated  $15,000  in  a 
second  week  at  the  Orpheum,  after  a 
big  $19,500  first  week.  "Random  Har- 
vest," a  new  picture,  grossed  in  the 
neighborhood  of  an  estimated  $17,800 
at  the  Warfield. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  16-18: 

"They    Got    Me    Covered"  (RICO) 

GOLDEN  GATE — (2,850)    (44c-55c-65c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Stage:   vaudeville.  Gross: 
$18,000.    (Average,  $19,500) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"McGuerins  From  Brooklyn"    (U.  A.) 

ORPHEUM  —  (2,440)  (20c-35c-5Oc-65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $15,000.  (Average, 
$10,500) 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

PARAMOUNT  —  (2,740)  (20c-35c-50c-65c) 
7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $13,500.  (Average, 
$13,000) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

WARFIELD  —  (2,680)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $17,800.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 
"Hidden  Hand"  W.  B.) 

FOX— (5,000)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.  Gross:  $19,000.  (Average,  $18,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

ST.  FRANCIS— (1,400)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $6,500.  (Average, 
$6,500) 

''Silver  Queen"  (U.  A.) 
"Fall   In"   (U.  A.) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,200)  (20t-35c-50c- 
65c)  (7  days.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Average,  $8,- 
000) 

"The  Pasha's  Wives"  (French) 

CLAY— (4,000)  (15c-35c-45c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$1,200.  (Average,  $1,000) 


'Leave,'  Stage  Show 
Minneapolis  Leader 


Minneapolis,  Feb.  18. — Despite  be- 
low-zero weather,  "Seven  Days 
Leave"  with  a  stage  show  is  heading 
for  about  $19,000  for  the  week  at  the 
Orpheum.  "Once  Upon  a  Honey- 
moon" at  the  State  will  finish  the 
week  with  a  good  $12,500  expected. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  19 : 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

STATE— (2,300)     (30c-40c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:    $12,500.    (Average,  $10,000) 
"White  Cargo"  (M-G-M) 

CENTURY— (1,600)   (30c-40c-50c)   7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $5,500.  (Average,  $7,000) 
"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 

ORPHEUM— (2,800)  (30c-44c-5Sc)  7  days. 
Stage:  Chico  Marx  orchestra,  Skip  Nelson, 
Mel  Torme,   Frank   Gaby   &   Co.,   Toy  & 
Wing.  Gross:  $19,000.  (Average,  $8,500) 
"Silver  Queen"   (U.  A.) 

GOPHER— (998)  (30c)  7  days.  Gross:  $3,- 
000.  (Average,  $3,000) 
"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  M-G-M) 

LYRIC— (1,250)    (30c-40c-50c)  7  days,  3rd 
week.  Gross:  $3,800.   (Average,  $4,000) 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.  A.) 

WORLD— (350)    (30c-40c-50c-60c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $2,800.  (Average,  $2,500) 
"Undercover  Man"  (U.  A.)  4  days. 
"Jungle  Siren"  (PRC)  4  days. 

ASTER — (900)  (20c-30c)  7  days,  with  mid- 
week change.  Gross:  $2,700.  (Average,  $2,- 
250) 


Margon  to  Mexico  City 

C.  A.  Margon,  Universal  Latin 
American  supervisor,  left  for  Mexico 
City  and  other  Central  American 
points  yesterday. 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

tion  will  probably  be  based  on 
the  1942  consumption. 

With  an  all-around  cut,  presumably 
of  25  per  cent,  believed  unavoidable, 
the  distributors  approved  a  per  capita 
application  of  the  cuts  but  decided  to 
ask  the  authorities  to  devise  the  KRS 
machinery  and  where  desirable  set  up 
a  sliding  scale  of  raw  stock  alloca- 
tions, with  the  authorities  to  approve 
the  right  of  transfer  from  one  distrib- 
utor to  another. 

There  was  some  agreement,  not 
definite,  however,  that  it  would  be 
possible  to  limit  the  footage  given  to 
credits  and  titles.  Raw  stock  alloca- 
tions to  newsreels  were  a  separate 
matter,  it  was  agreed. 

It  is  understood  that  it  is 
now  almost  certain  that  the 
newsreels  are  due  for  a  cut  in 


Film  Business  Boom 
In  So.  Africa:  Bolle 


Theatre  business  is  booming  in 
South  Africa,  Otto  W.  Bolle,  20th 
Century-Fox  managing  director  for 
that  territory,  who  is  here  for  a  home 
office  visit,  said  yesterday. 

The  same  type  of  films,  in  general, 
which  are  popular  at  the  box-office 
here  also  bring  in  the  top  grosses  in 
South  Africa,  Bolle  said.  Perhaps 
the  only  exception  to  this  rule,  he  add- 
ed, are  those  films  which  star  Ameri- 
can radio  performers  who  are  either 
unknown  or  only  slightly  known  in 
the  Union  of  South  Africa. 

Bolle  expressed  the  belief  that  the 
territory  has  great  potentialities  for 
development  after  the  war  and  with 
development  will  come  a  tremendous 
increase  in  film  business  there,  he 
said. 


Lab  Union  to  Admit 
200  New  Members 

Laboratory  Technicians  Local  702, 
IATSE,  will  admit  about  200  new 
members  this  Spring,  it  was  an- 
nounced. The  union  had  been  study- 
ing the  advisability  of  increasing  the 
present  1,400  membership  and  decided 
to  admit  the  additional  members  as 
well  as  extend  the  right  to  persons 
to  be  replacement  workers. 


Frank  Cunningham  Book 

"Sky  Master — The  Story  of  Donald 
Douglas,"  by  Frank  Cunningham,  has 
been  set  for  early  publication  by  Dor- 
rance  &  Co.  of  Philadelphia,  it  was 
announced  by  the  author,  who  former- 
ly covered  Hollywood  studios  for  the 
magazines  and  syndicates.  The  book 
is  on  the  president  of  the  Douglas 
Aircraft  Co. 


Vaudeville  in  Boston 

Boston,  Feb.  18. — The  Esquire 
Theatre  here  has  inaugurated  a  vaude- 
ville policy  from  Friday  to  Monday, 
and  will  use  two  film  features  the  rest 
of  the  week,  it  was  announced.  The 
house  is  the  only  uptown  situation  of- 
fering vaudeville. 


footage.    Despite  protestations, 
the  Board  of  Trade  and  the 
Ministry  of  Information  are  be- 
lieved convinced  of  the  practi- 
cability and  necessity  of  such  a 
step,  and  have  so  advised  the 
newsreel  association. 
The  KRS  representatives  are  sched- 
uled to  meet  with  the  Cinematograph 
Exhibitors  Association  and  newsreel 
representatives  next  week  and  it  is 
expected  that  the  KRS  will  have  a 
plan  prepared  for  submission  to  the 
Board  of  Trade  at  a  conference  next 
Thursday. 

It  was  stated  that  the  Board  of 
Trade  favors  a  per  capita  cut  and 
has  suggested  a  12%  per  cent  reduc- 
tion in  screen  time.  There  was  con- 
siderable discussion  regarding  a  pos- 
sible revision  of  the  London  release 
system,  which  some  distributors  claim 
is  the  immediate  key  to  the  problem. 


'Equity9  in  Industry 
Asked  at  ITOA  Meet 

A  resolution  was  adopted  at  the 
weekly  meeting  of  the  ITOA  at  the 
Hotel  Astor  yesterday  calling  for 
greater  equity  in  distributor-exhibitor 
relations,  pointing  out  that  "it  will 
result  in  unity  within  the  industry." 

Members  of  the  association  have 
promised  whole-hearted  cooperation  in 
the  "March  of  Dimes"  drive  which  is 
currently  taking  place.  The  manpow- 
er situation  was  discussed,  and  mem- 
bers will  hear  a  speaker  from  the 
War  Activities  Committee  on  that 
problem  at  next  week's  session,  it  was 
announced. 

Although  the  ITOA  has  gone  on 
record  against  chance  games  in  thea- 
tres, some  members  are  permitting  the 
games  to  be  played  because  they  have 
not  been  declared  illegal  as  yet,  it  was 
reported. 


Three  Appeals  Filed 
In  Boston  Clearance 

Three  appeals  have  been  filed  with 
the  arbitration  appeal  board  from  the 
award  of  Arthur  B.  Hardy,  arbitrator 
of  the  Boston  tribunal,  in  the  clear- 
ance case  of  the  Hancock  Theatre  Co., 
operator  of  the  Strand,  Quincy,  Mass., 
against  the  five  consenting  companies 
and  all  Boston  downtown  first  runs. 

Hardy's  award  reduced  the  28-day 
clearance  of  the  Boston  first  runs  over 
Quincy  to  14  days.  The  appeals  were 
taken  by  20th  Century-Fox,  Vitagraph 
and  New  England  Theatres,  Inc.,  an 
intervenor. 


Odeon  Circuit  Official  III 

St.  John,  N.  B.,  Feb.  18— Clarence 
M.  Robson,  chief  executive  assistant 
to  N.  L.  Nathanson  and  general  su- 
pervisor of  the  Odeon  Circuit  in  Can- 
ada, is  reported  seriously  ill  in  a  local 
hospital,  following  a  stroke  suffered 
while  on  a  business  tour. 


W.  B.  Showings  Feb.  23 

Warner  Bros,  announced  trade- 
showings  of  "Air  Force"  and  "Mys- 
terious Doctor"  in  all  exchange  cities 
Feb.  23. 


Philadelphia,  Feb.  18. — Heavy 
year-end  transactions  in  film  stocks 
were  reported  tonight  by  the  Securi- 
ties and  Exchange  Commission  in  its 
December  summary  of  the  operations 
of  corporation  officers,  directors/*!,  "d 
principal  stockholders  in  the  secijrik  s 
of  their  companies. 

The  largest  transactions  were  a 
series  of  purchases  in  Warner  Bros., 
whereby  Albert  Warner  acquired  23,- 
900  shares  of  common,  Jack  L.  War- 
ner acquired  a  like  amount  and  Harry 
M.  Warner  acquired  9,500  shares.  In 
preferred,  Albert  Warner  sold  2,000 
shares  and  Jack  L.  Warner  sold  4,500 
shares. 

What  Brothers  Held 

At  the  close  of  the  year,  the  SEC 
reported,  the  holdings  of  the  three 
brothers  were  as  follows :  Albert 
Warner,  141,248  shares  of  common 
and  12,884  preferred;  Jack  L.  War- 
ner, 167,860  shares  of  common,  and 
10,384  preferred,  and  Harry  M.  War- 
ner, 89,060  shares  of  common  and  9,- 
884  preferred. 

In  the  same  company,  Samuel  Car- 
lisle, New  York  officer,  sold  300 
shares  of  common,  leaving  him  with 
300  shares. 

In  another  series  of  purchases,  the 
American  Co.,  subsidiary  of  Atlas 
Corp.,  acquired  9,900  shares  of  RKO 
common  stock  and  2,000  shares  of  pre- 
ferred, giving  it  at  the  close  of  the 
year  343,530  shares  of  common  and 
3,230  of  preferred. 

Chase  Reports  on  20th-Fox 

Sale  of  1,800  shares  of  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox common  stock  was  reported 
by  the  Chase  National  Bank,  New 
York,  which  closed  the  year  with 
holdings  of  207,858  shares  of  common 
and  671,916  shares  of  preferred. 

In  Universal  Corp.,  J.  Cheever 
Cowdin  received  5,000  common  voting 
trust  certificate  warrants  as  compen- 
sation, giving  him  a  total  of  10,000, 
and  Charles  D.  Prutzman  reported 
3,000  as  compensation,  giving  him 
12,000.  In  Universal  Pictures,  Pres- 
ton Davie,  also  a  director,  sold  150 
shares  of  common,  his  entire  holdings, 
and  Universal  Corp.  acquired  200 
shares,  giving  it  231,327  shares. 

Through  a  series  of  sales  of  Loew's, 
Inc.,  common  stock,  David  Bernstein 
disposed  of  3,900  shares  held  through 
a  corporation,  which  still  had  19,500 
shares  at  the  close  of  the  year,  and  J. 
Robert  Rubin  disposed  of  3,700  shares, 
leaving  him  with  2,865  shares. 
Loew's,  itself,  continued  to  pick  up 
Loew's  Boston  Theatres  common 
stock,  buying  two  shares  during  the 
month,  and  winding  up  the  year  with 
119,560  shares. 

Johnston  Sells  Common 

In  Monogram  Pictures,  W.  Ray 
Johnston,  president,  disposed  of  3,- 
333  shares  of  common  and  5,350  op- 
tions for  common,  leaving  him  with 
19,071  shares  of  stock  but  no  options. 

In  Paramount  Pictures,  Stanton 
Griffis,  New  York  director,  sold  3,000 
shares  of  common  held  through 
Hemphill  Noyes  &|  Cot,  its  entire 
holding. 

Disposition  of  50  shares  of  Co- 
lumbia Pictures  common,  by  gift,  was 
reported  by  Abraham  Schneider,  New 
York  officer,  leaving  him  with  1,864 
shares  at  the  close  of  the  year. 


• . .  for  according  preferred  playing  time  to  the 
screen's  greatest  Musi-Gal  Ice-Travaganza  - 


MAKE  WAY  FOR  M ONO GRAM  "CHEERS  MOTION  PICTURE  HERALD 


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ONE 
DANGEROUS 
NIGHT 
Marguerite  Chapman 
Warren  William 
D — 77  mins. 

POWER  OF  THE 
PRESS 
D — 63  mins. 
FIGHTING 
BUCKAROO 
O — 58  mins. 

REVEILLE 
WITH  BEVERLY 
Duke  Ellington 
Count  Basie 
Bob  Crosby 
M — 78  mins. 

NO  PLACE  FOR 
A  LADY 
William  Gargan 
Margaret  Lindsay 

D — 66  mins. 

RIDERS  OF  THE 
NORTHWEST 

MOUNTED 
Russell  Hayden 
Alma  Carroll 
O — -67  mins. 

SOMETHING  TO 
SHOUT  ABOUT 
Jack  Oakie 
Don  Ameche 
Janet  Blair 
M — 9 1  mins. 

LET'S  HAVE 
FUN 

Margaret  Lindsay 
Bert  Gordon 
C — 55  mins. 

AFTER 
MIDNIGHT 
WITH  BOSTON 
BLACKIE 
Chester  Morris 

MURDER  IN 
TIMES  SQUARE 
Edmund  Lowe 
Marguerite 
Chapman 
D — 65  mins. 

S  N 
«  <N 

4  N 

-£  n 
fi  M 

&  M 

March 
12 

March 
19 

March 
26 

<5 

Friday,  February  19,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


British  Offer 
Of  5  Million 
Fund  Accepted 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

Warrington  that  acceptance  of  the  $5,- 
0(X_i&^  interim  payment  would  not 
prejTTufce  the  negotiations  for  the  re- 
moval of  all  monetary  restrictions  by 
the  British  Treasury.  Acting  on  that 
"information,  the  companies  agreed  to 
accept  the  payment  on  a  "without 
prejudice"  basis. 

Since  the  $5,000,000  offer  was  made 
by  Britain  at  the  end  of  the  first 
quarter  of  the  new  agreement  year, 
the  American  companies  believe  that 
acceptance  of  it  might  commit  them 
to  the  same  terms  which  were  in 
effect  last  year,  that  is,  the  remittance 
of  $20,000,000  for  the  year  in  quarter- 
ly payments  of  $5,000,000  each. 

Meanwhile,  the  negotiations  for  the 
new  agreement  for  the  current  year 
are  proceeding,  and  are  largely  in  the 
hands  of  the  Treasury  and  State  de- 
partments. The  distribution  com- 
panies have  taken  the  position  that 
current  conditions  no  longer  warrant 
the  freezing  by  Britain  of  any  part 
of  their  revenue  from  British  cus- 
tomers. 


Univ.  Set  for  Quality 
Productions:  Scully 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

Alex  Gottlieb,  Howard  Benedict  and 
Paul  Malvern.  Also  :  Don  Brown,  Ben 
Pivar,  Bernard  C.  Burton,  Will  Cow- 
an, Kenneth  Goldsmith,  Frank  Shaw, 
Ford  Beebe  and  Henry  MacRae,  as 
sociate  producers ;  Felix  Jackson, 
Dwight  Taylor,  Hugh  Wedlock,  Jr. 
Howard  Snyder,  and  Warren  Wilson 
producer-writers  ;  Henry  Koster,  Juli- 
en  Duvivier,  Erie  C.  Kenton  and  Ed- 
win L.  Marin  ,  producer-directors  ; 
Charles  Boyer,  producer-star,  and 
Frank  Ryan  and  Roy  William  Neill, 
producer-writer-directors. 

Scully  said  that  the  type  of  picture 
being  planned  by  these  producers  for 
the  new  season  "will  be  an  important 
factor  in  aiding  exhibitors  to  give 
longer  runs  to  product  which,  in  itself, 
will  be  a  vital  point  in  view  of  the 
limitations  of  raw  stock  which  the 
government  must  impose  upon  the  in 
dustry  in  general." 


Associated  British 
In  Financing  Plan 

London,  Feb.  18. — Associated  Brit 
ish  Picture  Corp.  today  made  formal 
announcement  of  its  decision  to  repay 
existing  first  mortgage  debentures  at 
103  %  per  cent  and  create  a  first  de 
benture  stock  issue  totaling  3,000,000 
pounds  repayable  at  102  per  cent  on 
or  before  Jan.  1,  1976. 

Holders  of  the  old  stock  will  be  en 
tiled  to  exchange  it  for  the  new  at  4V2 
per  cent  annually. 


Variety  Clubs  Convention 
Opens  in  Chicago  Today 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
vention."  Harris  will  review  the 
clubs'  war  efforts  and  charities  for  the 
underprivileged,  and  is  expected  to 
tell  the  delegates  that  they  must  in- 
crease their  efforts. 

Policies  for  the  coming  year  will  be 
presented  to  the  convention  Saturday. 
Harris  is  expected  to  recommend  that 
canteens  for  service  men  be  estab- 
lished in  all  club  cities,  patterned  on 
the  Pittsburgh  canteen. 

A  number  of  New  York  film  com- 
pany executives  are  expected,  especial- 
ly to  attend  the  banquet  Saturday 
night.  To  provide  for  a  larger  at- 
tendance, the  banquet  will  be  held  at 
the  Drake  Hotel. 

A  series  of  entertainments  has  been 
arranged  for  the  delegates,  and  all 
Loop  theatres  will  admit  the  visitors 
free. 

Chicago's  newly  organized  Tent  No. 
26  is  host  to  the  convention.  Opening 
of  temporary  club  rooms  at  the  Black- 
stone  today  marked  completion  of 
preparations  for  entertainment  planned 
by  the  local  tent,  under  supervision 
of  Chief  Barker  John  Jones. 

In  addition  to  the  local  officers  and 
committee  chairmen,  a  number  of  lo- 
cal industry  men  have  been  active  in 
making  arrangements,  including  John 
Balaban,  James  Coston,  Clyde  Eck- 
hardt,  Henri  Elman,  Tom  Gorman, 
Hal  Halperin,  Jack  Kirsch,  Harry 
Kops,  Edward  Silverman,  Irving  Mack. 


Congress  'Cold'  to 
Roosevelt  Tax  Plan ; 
Disney  Bill  Pushed 


Buffalo  Names  Delegates 

Buffalo,  Feb.  18.— The  Buffalo  Va- 
riety Club  will  be  represented  at  the 
national  convention  in  Chicago  by  El- 
mer F.  Lux  and  Dewey  Michaels,  del- 
egates ;  Stanley  Kozanowski,  chief 
barker,  and  Robert  T.  Murphy. 


Honor  Moloney  at 
M-G-M  Luncheon 

John  J.  Maloney,  formerly  M-G-M 
Pittsburgh  district  manager,  who  was 
recently  appointed  the  company's  cen- 
tral division  sales  manager,  was  a 
guest  of  honor  yesterday  at  a  luncheon 
at  the  Hotel  Astor,  tendered  him  by 
William  F.  Rodgers,  M-G-M  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  sales. 

Among  those  present  from  the  home 
office  were :  J.  Robert  Rubin,  Howard 
Dietz,  J.  R.  Vogel,  William  R.  Fer 
guson,  E.  W.  Aaron,  Earl  Beatty, 
Joel  Bezahler,  Sidney  Braunberg 
William  Brenner,  Harold  Cleary,  A. 
F.  Cummings,  Oscar  Doob,  Charles 
C.  Deesen,  Jay  A.  Gove,  Leonard 
Hirsch,  Irving  Helfont,  W.  D.  Kelly, 
H.  M.  Richey,  Gene  Picker,  Laudv 
Lawrence,  Henry  Krecke,  Joseph 
Rosthal,  Arthur  Lacks,  J.  T.  Mills 
J.  S.  MacLeod,  John  Murphy,  Har- 
old Postman,  Bill  Orr,  E.  M.  Saund 
ers,  M.  L.  Simons,  Charles  Sonin, 
C.  K.  Stern,  John  Bowen,  Ralph  Pie- 
low,  Ben  Abner,  C.  Stanley  Thomp- 
son, Ira  Martin,  Leopold  Friedman 
Morton  Spring,  Michael  Rosen,  Ben 
Melniker  and  Pincus  Sober. 


Talent  Scouts  in  Chicago 

Joseph  Holton  and  Robert  Goldstein 
of  20th  Century-Fox,  assistants  to 
Joseph  Pincus,  head  of  the  New  York 
talent  department,  are  in  Chicago  con- 
tacting new  talent. 


Chase  in  New  Para.  Post 

Stanley  R.  Chase  of  the  Paramount 
foreign  department  has  been  trans- 
ferred to  the  short  subjects  depart- 
ment. He  succeeds  Monroe  R.  Good- 
man, advertising  and  publicity  man- 
ager in  that  department,  who  has 
been  inducted  in  the  Army. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

"super"  tax  which  President  Roose- 
velt urged  yesterday. 

The  President's  proposal  was  that 
he  would  rescind  his  executive  order 
of  last  October  fixing  a  $25,000  salary 
ceiling  after  taxes  if  Congress  would 
enact  tax  legislation  which  would 
leave  a  $25,000  annual  net  for  single 
persons  and  $50,000  for  married  per- 
sons, from  all  sources  of  income. 

Representative  Disney's  amendment 
to  the  bill  authorizing  an  increase  in 
the  public  debt  from  125  billion  dollars 
to  210  billion  provides  for  the  freezing 
of  large  salaries  at  their  level  on  Dec. 
7,  1941,  while  setting  a  ceiling  of  $67,- 
200,  before  taxes,  on  salaries  of  those 
who  earned  less  than  $25,000  in  1941. 
The  proposal  was  passed  by  the  com- 
mittee last  Saturday  and  Chairman 
Doughton  said  today  that  the  subject 
had  been  disposed  of  insofar  as  the 
committee  is  concerned  with  that  ac- 
tion. 

Meanwhile,  Secretary  Morgenthau 
stated  that  the  Treasury  is  in  full  ac- 
cord with  the  President's  proposal. 


Grosses  Rebound 
As  Weather  Eases 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

other  marathon  holdover,  equalled  the 
"Mrs.  Miniver"  record  at  the  Radio 
City  Music  Hall  as  it  entered  its  10th 
week  yesterday  after  grossing  an  esti- 
mated $95,500  for  the  ninth  week. 

"Air  Force"  at  the  Hollywood,  and 
"Immortal  Sergeant"  at  the  Roxy, 
started  their  second  weeks  Wednesday 
with  good  grosses  reported.  For  its 
second  week  ending  yesterday  at  the 
Strand,  "Casablanca"  with  Sammy 
Kaye  and  his  band  on  the  stage 
grossed  an  estimated  $48,000  and  will 
be  held. 

"Lucky  Jordan,"  with  $9,000  expect- 
ed for  its  fourth  week  ending  tonight 
at  the  Rialto,  is  the  first  picture  to  re- 
main at  the  theatre  for  a  fifth  week. 


Trade  Chiefs 
Reaffirm  Faith 
In  Film  Code 


Kaufman  on  Stand 
In  Suit  on  'Dinner9 

Testimony  in  the  trial  of  the  plag- 
iarism suit  brought  by  Vincent  Mc- 
Connor  against  George  S.  Kaufman, 
Moss  Hart,  Warner  Bros,  and  the 
estate  of  Sam  H.  Harris  over  "The 
Man  Who  Came  to  Dinner,"  may  be 
concluded  today  before  Federal  Judge 
Clarence  Galston. 

Kaufman  and  Hart  testified  yester- 
day that  neither  had  ever  read,  the 
script  of  "Sticks  and  Stones,"  known 
as  "The  Murder  Issue,"  whose  plot 
McConnor  charges  was  plagiarized. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

last  2,000  features  receiving  the  Code 
seal,  which  he  described  as  showing  a 
"steady  and  definite  improvement  in 
standards." 

Maurice  Benjamin,  representing  the 
lawyers'  "Committee  of  Six,"  reported 
that  the  "local  office  of  the  salary 
stabilization  unit  of  the  Treasury  De- 
partment has  advised  us  that,  where 
application  is  made  for  approval  of 
contracts  involving  successive  options 
extending  over  a  period  of  years ;  and 
where  they  think  the  salaries  involved 
are  proper — subject  always  to  the  sal- 
ary ceiling — they  will  give  advance  ap- 
proval to  the  entire  contract,  not  only 
for  the  original  term  but  for  all  op- 
tion periods." 

Benjamin's  report  was  interpreted 
to  dissolve  the  uncertainty  shrouding 
talent  contracts  generally. 

Barney  Balaban,  president  of  Para- 
mount, and  N.  Peter  Rathvon,  presi- 
dent of  Radio-Keith-Orpheum,  out- 
lined the  importance  of  industry  Red 
Cross  drive  cooperation.  Balaban  is 
national  chairman  of  the  forthcoming 
drive. 

Harmon  Reports  on  WAC 

Francis  S.  Harmon,  executive  vice- 
chairman  of  the  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee, reported  on  WAC  operations 
at  a  dinner  session  attended  by  heads 
of  studio  guilds,  the  Academy  of  Mo- 
tion Picture  Arts  &  Sciences  and  the 
Hollywood  Victory  Committee.  He 
revealed  that  pledges  had  been  signed 
by  16,486  theatres  to  exhibit  Victory 
films,  which,  he  said,  are  exceeding 
12,000  bookings  each. 

Y.  Frank  Freeman,  president  of  the 
Association  of  Motion  Picture  Pro- 
ducers, who  presided  at  all  sessions, 
appointed  a  committee  including  E.  J. 
Mannix,  N.  Peter  Rathvon,  Austin  C. 
Keough,  Herbert  Freston,  William 
Goetz  and  B.  B.  Kahane  to  confer  over 
the  weekend  with  Lowell  Mellett, 
chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Motion  Pic- 
tures of  the  Office  of  War  Informa- 
tion, on  how  the  industry  may  best 
serve  the  war  effort. 


Cooperation  Pledged 
By  OWI  and  SIMPP 

Hollywood,  Feb.  18. — Mutual  co- 
operation between  the  Office  of  War 
Information  and  the  Society  of  Inde- 
pendent Motion  Picture  Producers 
was  pledged  today  at  a  luncheon  meet- 
ing, with  Lowell  Mellett,  Nelson 
Poynter  and  Ulrich  Bell  explaining 
OWI  plans.  Members  of  the  SIMPP 
present  included  Loyd  Wright,  David 
O.  Selznick,  Hunt  Stromberg,  Walter 
Wanger,  Walt  Disney,  Samuel  Gold- 
wyn,  William  Cagney,  Sol  Lesser  and 
John  C.  Flinn. 


Sally  Benson  Gets  Pact 

Sally  Benson  has  been  signed  by 
Jack  Skirball  to  an  exclusive  writing 
contract,  it  was  announced. 


50%  Cut  in  Personal 
Income  Taxes  in  la. 

Des  Moines,  Feb.  18. — A  bill  pro- 
viding for  a  50  per  cent  reduction  in 
the  personal  income  taxes  of  Iowa 
citizens  to  be  operative  the  next  two 
years  has  been  passed  by  the  legisla- 
ture and  signed  by  the  Governor.  It 
is  expected  to  save  residents  $5,000,- 
000  a  year. 


8 


Motion  picture  daily 


Friday,  February  19,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


TWO  important  conferences  of  the  National  Association  of  Broadcasters  are 
scheduled  for  next  week.  On  Tuesday,  the  Labor  and  Wage  and  Hours 
Committee  is  to  meet  in  Washington.  The  NAB  board  of  directors  will  meet 
Thursday  and  Friday  in  New  York,  with  the  place  undecided. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  The  marriage  of  Martin  Gosch,  producer  of  the  Abbott 
and  Costello  NBC  shozvs,  and  Joen  Arliss  is  scheduled  for  today.  Mayor 
LaGuardia  will  marry  the  couple  and  the  comedians  will  be  best  men.  .  .  .  Ed- 
win M.  Marshall,  staff  radio  director  of  Batten,  Barton,  Dwstine  &  Osborn, 
Inc.,  has  just  completed  a  play.  .  .  .  Henry  Jackson,  former  CBS  sales  chief 
in  San  Francisco,  has  been  appointed  a  Major  in  the  Army's  Special  Service 
division.  .  .  .  Natalia  D.  Murray,  head  of  the  Italian  section  of  NBC's  Inter- 
national Division,  will  speak  at  the  International  Federation  of  Business  and 
Professional  Women's  meeting  Feb.  28  at  the  Biltmore  Hotel. 

•  •  • 

Vice-President  Henry  A.  Wallace  will  be  heard  over  the  Blue  Network 
on  Monday,  March  8,  when  he  delivers  the  keynote  address  at  the  open- 
ing session  of  the  Conference  on  the  Christian  Bases  of  World  Order  at 
Wesleyan  University.    The  broadcast  will  be  from  11:30  a.  m.  to  noon. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Cities  Service  Concert  programs  have  been  renewed 
on  NBC  for  a  17th  year  by  the  Petroleum  Advisers,  Inc.  .  .  .  Macfadden 
Publications  and  the  Blue  have  started  a  series  of  shows,  "My  True  Story." 
The  programs  are  for  a  half  hour,  five  days  weekly.  .  .  .  George  Burns  and 
Gracie  Allen  will  bring  their  CBS  program  to  New  York  for  the  March  2,  9 
and  16  broadcasts  and  will  appear  at  Eastern  army  camps.  .  .  .  Milton  Berle 
will  be  starred  in  a  new  Campbell  Soup  program  on  Columbia  starting  March 
3  at  10  p.m. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  Charles  Bcnzinger  of  the  CBS  publicity  department  enters 
the  Army  as  an  Air  Cadet  next  Thursday.  .  .  .  Ted  Reams  of  the  same  network 
leazws  Columbia  on  Saturday  for  the  Army. 


Commentators  Will 
Conform:  Trammell 

Hollywood,  Feb.  18.— Radio 
commentators  who  have  been 
at  difference  with  the  dictum 
against  editorializing  on  the 
air  are  or  will  be  conforming 
with  network  policy,  which 
holds  reporting  and  interpre- 
tation of  the  news  to  be  the 
proper  and  vital  obligation  of 
the  commentator,  according^ fj 
Niles  TrammelL  president^, 
NBC,  who  expressed  this  view" 
in  response  to  inquiry  here. 

Although  he  mentioned  no 
names,  Trammell  expressed 
this  view  following  Sunday 
broadcasts  by  Walter  Win- 
chell  and  Drew  Pearson  in 
which  both  told  their  listen- 
ers that  points  of  difference 
recently  publicized  had  been 
adjusted. 


Tax  on  Broadcast 
Admissions  Asked 


Albany,  Feb.  18. — A  measure  in- 
troduced in  the  legislature  by  As- 
semblyman John  Downey  would  im- 
pose a  tax  of  10  cents  for  everyone 
over  14  years  who  attends  as  a  spec- 
tator a  radio  broadcast,  show  or  ex- 
hibition in  radio  stations  or  theatres, 
excepting  broadcasts  given  primarily 
to  encourage  the  sale  of  U.  S.  War 
Bonds  or  other  wartime  securities 
where  admission  to  such  broadcasts  is 
contingent  upon  the  purchase  of  such 
bonds  or  other  securities. 

Theatre  managers,  as  well  as  radio 
station  owners,  would  have  to  keep 
an  accurate  record  of  persons  attend- 
ing such  broadcasts  on  a  form  to  be 
prescribed  by  the  State  Tax  Commis- 
sion. If  the  bill  were  passed,  on  or 
before  the  10th  day  of  each  month 
they  would  remit  to  the  Department 
of  Taxation  and  Finance  at  Albany 
an  amount  equal  to  10  cents  for  each 
person  attending  during  the  preceding 
month. 

Police,  Press  Exempt 

Firemen,  policemen  and  represen- 
tatives of  the  daily  press  assigned  to 
report  such  broadcasts  or  exhibition 
would  be  exempt  from  the  tax. 

Another  bill,  co-sponsored  by  As- 
semblyman Ehrlich  and  Senator  Hal- 
pern,  would  make  it  a  misdemeanor 
to  maintain  a  revolving  door  in  the 
general  exit  opening  of  any  building 
unless  at  least  one  swinging  door 
opening  outwards  is  provided  on  each 
side  of  the  revolving  door.  How- 
ever, theatres  would  not  be  affected 
as  buildings  under  a  State  Labor  De- 
partment building  code  do  not  have 
revolving  doors  as  exits. 

Schneider  Elected 
Chairman  of  IFRC 

Clarence  J.  Schneider,  foreign  pub- 
licity manager  for  Columbia,  has  been 
elected  chairman  of  the  International 
Film  Relations  Committee,  the  organ- 
ization of  foreign  department  advertis- 
ing and  publicity  managers.  He  re- 
places Joel  Swensen,  who  resigned 
from  the  MPPDA  recently. 

A  new  secretary  of  the  organization 
is  scheduled  to  be  elected  at  its  meet- 
ing next  week  to  replace  Harry  Smith 
of  the  MPPDA  who  is  going  into 
war  work. 


Kaufman  Extortion 
Trial  Off  to  March  1 

The  trial,  on  extortion  charges,  of 
Louis  Kaufman,  business  agent  of  Lo- 
cal 244,  Newark  projectionists'  union, 
was  postponed  yesterday  until  March 
1  by  Federal  Judge  Samuel  Mandel- 
baum.  Kaufman  and  Nick  Dean  of 
Chicago,  who  pleaded  guilty  to  the  in- 
dictment and  is  now  serving  eight 
years  in  Federal  prison,  are  accused 
of  having  extorted  more  than  $1,000,- 
000  from  major  company  executives 
under  threats  of  calling  a  nation- 
wide strike  of  projectionists. 


Hardwicke  to  Ottawa 

Sir  Cedric  Hardwicke  will  be  in 
Ottawa  over  the  weekend  for  a  spe- 
cial showing  of  "Forever  and  a  Day" 
for  Lord  Athlone,  Governor  General, 
RKO  announced.  Sir  Cedric  was  ac- 
tive in  the  production  of  the  film, 
profits  of  which,  as  announced,  will  go 
to  war  charities. 


Dismissal  of  Second 
Petrillo  Suit  Denied 


Chicago,  Feb.  18. — Federal  Judge 
John  P.  Barnes  yesterday  rejected  the 
defense  motion  for  dismissal  of  the 
Government's  second  suit  here  against 
James  C.  Petrillo  and  the  American 
Federation  of  Musicians  on  its  ban 
against  musical  recordings  by  union 
members. 

Counsel  for  the  AFM  was  instructed 
to  file  an  answer  to  the  government's 
complaint  within  20  days.  Judge 
Barnes  said  that  he  believed  the  new 
Government  suit  had  brought  up  is- 
sues not  ruled  upon  in  the  first  case 
and  indicated  that  a  date  for  the  trial 
would  be  set  soon  after  the  union  files 
its  answer. 

The  recent  ruling  of  the  Supreme 
Court  which  sustained  the  judge's  ac- 
tion in  dismissing  the  Government's 
first  suit  against  the  AFM  will  have 
no  effect  on  the  new  trial,  according 
to  Special  Assistant  Attorney  Gen- 
eral Daniel  Britt. 


Univ.  Starts  Studio 
Dep't  for  Radio 

Hollywood,  Feb.  18. — A  radio  de- 
partment has  been  started  at  Univer- 
sal, John  Joseph,  national  director  of 
advertising  and  publicity,  announced 
today.  Robert  D.  Hussey,  in  charge 
of  a  similiar  bureau  at  Paramount  for 
five  years,  will  head  the  department  as 
director  of  radio  activities.  He  will 
also  be  assigned  to  build  up  new 
screen  talent  through  radio  appear- 
ances. 


New  Haven  Fund  Benefit 

New  Haven,  Feb.  18. — The  annual 
stage  employes'  ball  for  the  sick  bene- 
fit fund  will  be  held  Saturday  at  the 
Hotel  Taft.  William  P.  Barry  of  the 
Roger  Sherman  staff  is  chairman. 


House  Votes  $60,000 
For  Inquiry  of  FCC 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

he  would  name  the  committee's  coun- 
sel tomorrow  preparatory  to  starting 
inquiries  which  will  precede  public 
hearings. 

Cox  declared  that  this  committee 
will  not  engage  in  any  "head-hunting 
expedition,"  but  will  thoroughly  in- 
vestigate the  policies,  practices  and 
procedures  of  the  commission. 

The  initial  investigation  will  be  con- 
ducted chiefly  among  broadcasters, 
who  will  be  interrogated  regarding 
their  treatment  by  the  commission  in 
connection  with  applications  of  vari- 
ous types.  This  is  expected  to  require 
some  weeks,  and  it  is  not  believed 
hearings  will  be  opened  until  April. 

Rose  Franken  Pays 
Claim  on  'Claudia' 

Rose  Franken,  author  of  "Claudia," 
this  week  in  New  York  Supreme 
Court,  settled  all  claims  by  the  es- 
tate of  Adrienne  Morrison  which  were 
won  recently  when  a  jury  decided 
that  Miss  Morrison  was  entitled  to 
fair  and  reasonable  compensation  for 
services. 

The  jury,  after  a  nine-day  trial  be- 
fore Supreme  Court  Justice  Morris 
Eder,  returned  a  verdict  in  favor  of 
Miss  Morrison  in  the  amount  of  $11,- 
370.77.  The  judgment  was  satisfied 
by  Schwartz  and  Frohlich,  attorneys. 

N.  F.  C.  Houses  Get 
1,000  Blood  Donors 

More  than  1,000  blood  donors  for 
the  Red  Cross  Blood  Bank  have  been 
obtained  during  the  first  week  of  a 
campaign  by  seven  New  York  City 
theatres,  the  War  Activities  Commit- 
tee announced.  Starting  Monday,  six 
more  houses  will  be  added  to  the 
drive,  the  WAC  reported,  with  others 
being  added  weekly  until  all  houses 
in  the  city  have  taken  part  in  the 
drive,  it  was  reported. 


CAB  Adopts  Code 
Of  Fair  Practices 


Toronto,  Feb.  18. — The  Canadian 
Association  of  Broadcasters  at  its  an- 
nual meeting  here  yesterday  adopted  a 
code  of  fair  business  practices  and  vir- 
tually stole  a  march  on  the  Canadian 
Broadcasting  Corp.,  whose  general 
manager,  Professor  J.  S.  Thomson, 
recently  warned  that  all  broadcasters 
would  have  to  be  governed  by  regula- 
tions controlling  commercial  and  other 
programs. 

The  code  covers  all  phases  of  broad- 
casting and  was  formulated  by  Glen 
Bannerman,  CAB  president,  W.  C. 
Borrett,  George  Bourassa,  J.  E.  Cam- 
peau  and  H.  C.  Buchanan. 

Harry  Sedgwick,  former  general 
manager  of  Famous  Players  Canadian 
Corp.  and  founder  of  the  CBC  10 
years  ago,  with  service  as  president 
for  the  first  seven  years,  was  among 
those  elected  to  the  new  board  of 
directors.  The  new  board  also  in- 
cludes N.  Nathanson,  Sydney,  N.  S.; 
L.  W.  Bewick,  St.  John;  Philip  La- 
londe,  Montreal ;  Narcisse  Thivierge, 
Quebec ;  Edward  Campeau,  Windsor  ; 
John  Cooke,  Toronto ;  H.  R.  Carson, 
Calgary  ;  G.  C.  Chandler,  Vancouver  ; 
A.  A.  Murphy,  Saskatoon,  and  G.  R. 
A.  Rice  of  Edmonton. 


Monroe,  Chicago, 
Will  Be  First  Run 

Chicago,  Feb.  18. — The  Monroe 
Theatre,  on  which  RKO  reportedly 
has  obtained  a  90-day  trial  option,  will 
become  a  first  run  Saturday,  with  new 
admission  scales  equal  to  those  of 
other  Loop  first  runs,  it  was  an- 
nounced. Its  first  program  on  the  new 
policy  will  be  a  double  feature,  'The 
Cat  People"  and  "Kid  Dynamite." 

McVickers  Theatre,  Loop  house, 
has  raised  its  Saturday  and  Sunday 
evening  prices  from  55  to  65  cents. 

John  Balaban  Heads 
Chicago  Fund  Drive 

Chicago,  Feb.  18. — John  Balaban 
has  been  appointed  chairman  of  the 
Amusement  Industry  section  of  the 
Red  Cross  War  Fund  campaign  here. 
Quota  for  the  Chicago  chapter  of  the 
Red  Cross  in  the  national  campaign 
for  $125,000,000  has  been  set  at  $8,- 
$750,000.    Solicitation  starts  March  1.  | 


Alert, 


tion 


Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


UK.  53.  NO.  35 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  TUESDAY.  FEBRUARY  23,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Test  on  FDR 
Tax  Proposal 
DuethisWeek 


Expect  Vote  in  House  on 
Disney  Repealer 

Washington,  Feb.  22. — The 
House  is  all  set  for  a  test  this  week 
of  the  administration's  strength,  to 
come  on  the  vote  on  the  Disney 
plan  to  repeal  President  Roosevelt's 
salary-control  order  of  last  October. 

A  preliminary  test  last  Fri- 
day, when  Representative  Mc- 
Granery  of  Pennsylvania  sought 
reconsideration  of  the  measure, 
showed  no  change  in  the  lineup 
which  earlier  in  the  week  had 
forced  acceptance  of  Disney's 
proposal.  McGranery  was  voted 
down,  15  to  9,  with  one  member 
absent. 

Adoption  of  the  measure,  Represen- 
tative Disney  of  Oklahoma  said,  will 
take  all  control  of  salaries  out  of  the 
hands  of  Economic  Stabilization  Di- 
rector James  F.  Byrnes  and  the  Bu- 
reau of  Internal  Revenue,  but  will  not 
affect  wage  ceilings. 


Executives  Return 
From  Coast  Meeting 

Nicholas  M.  Schenck,  accompanied 
by  Benjamin  Thau,  Ned  E.  Depinet, 
Joseph  Hazen,  Herman  Robbins  and 
Austin  Keough  were  scheduled  to  ar- 
rive in  New  York  from  the  Coast  yes- 
terday following  the  industry  confer- 
ences in  Hollywood  last  week.  Bar- 
ney Balaban,  Spyros  Skouras,  N. 
Peter  Rathvon  and  Edward  C.  Raf- 
tery  plan  to  remain  in  Hollywood  this 
week,  leaving  for  New  York  next 
weekend. 


Legion  Puts  'Outlaw' 
On  Condemned  List 

Howard  Hughes'  production,  ''The 
Outlaw,"  was  placed  on  the  condemned 
list  of  the  National  Legion  of  Decency 
in  its  weekly  classification  made  public 
Sunday.  The  Legion's  objection  to 
the  film  was  that  it  "presents  glorifi- 
cation of  crime  and  immoral  actions. 
The  film  throughout  very  considerable 
portions  of  its  length  is  indecent  in 
costuming." 

The  Legion  rated  as  Class  A-l, 
"Bad  Men  of  Thunder  Gap."  "Cala- 
boose," "Dixie  Dugan,"  "He  Hire  ' 
the  Boss"  and  "Idaho" ;  as  Class  B, 
"Something  to  Shout  About."  The 
only  picture  in  the  C  classification  was 
"The  Outlaw." 


Companies  Receive 
British  Revenue  in 
5  Million  Payment 

Remittances  representing  the  major 
distributors'  first  receipts  of  British 
revenue  since  last  November  were  re- 
ceived in  New  York  late  last  week 
by  several  companies.  Individual  re- 
mittances to  other  companies  will  be 
made  this  week,  with  the  aggregate 
interim  payments  totaling  $5,01)0,000. 

Remittance  of  the  funds  followed 
the  decision  of  the  distribution  compa- 
nies to  accept  Britain's  offer  of  a 
55,000,000  initial  payment  "without 
prejudice"  to  the  continuing  negotia- 
tions for  a  new  exchange  agreement 
for  this  year. 

The  companies  originally  had  re- 
fused to  accept  the  proffered  $5,000,- 
000  in  the  belief  that  it  might  commit 
them  to  accept  the  same  terms  this 
year  that  were  embodied  in  last  year's 
agreement.  The  last  agreement  pro- 
vided for  total  payments  of  $20,000,- 
000  in  $5,000,000  quarterly  install- 
ments. 

As  exclusively  reported  in  Motion 
Picture  Daily  last  week,  however, 
the  companies  were  recently  advised 
by  a  Treasurv  official  that  acceptance 
of  the  proffered  55,000,000  would  not 
prejudice  the  current  negotiations 
through  which  the  companies  hope  to 
obtain  all  of  their  British  revenue.  The 
sums  are  now  being  paid  in  accord- 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


British  Information 
Unit  in  Los  Angeles 

Los  Angeles,  Feb.  22. — George 
Archibald,  director  of  the  films  divi- 
sion of  the  British  Information  Serv- 
ices, late  last  week  installed  Marjorie 
Russell  as  BIS  contact  with  the  stu- 
dios. Her  headquarters  will  be  at  the 
British  consulate  here. 

Miss  Russell's  duties  will  be  to  sup- 
ply factual  information  to  producers, 
directors  and  writers  on  films  pertain- 
ing to  Britain.  Questions  regarding 
British  policy  will  be  sent  to  Archi- 
bald, for  clearance  in  London  when 
required.  Archibald  plans  to  leave  for 
New  York  tomorrow. 


Reach  Accord  on 
OWI  Script  Review 

Hollywood,  Feb.  22.  — The 
controvery  which  flared  fol- 
lowing receipt  of  a  letter  from 
Lowell  Mellett,  chief  of  the 
Motion  Picture  Bureau  of  the 
Office  of  War  Information, 
last  Dec.  7,  suggesting  that  the 
producers  submit  all  scripts 
to  the  OWI,  ended  over  the 
weekend,  following  confer- 
ences between  Mellett  and  an 
industry  committee  appointed 
by  the  East-West  conference, 
in  an  agreement  that  the  com- 
mittee, which  included  N.Peter 
Rathvon,  president  of  RKO, 
will  work  out  a  formula  for 
studio  procedure. 


O'Donnell  New 
Variety  Clubs 
Chief  Barker 


Chicago,  Feb.  22.  —  Robert  J. 
O'Donnell,  general  manager  of  the 
Interstate  Circuit  of  Texas,  was 
  elected  nation- 
al chief  barker 
of  the  Variety 
Clubs  of  Amer- 
ica at  the  na- 
tional conven- 
tion here  Sat- 
urday. He  suc- 
ceeds John  H. 
Harris  of  Pitts- 
burgh, founder 
of  the  organi- 
zation and  its 
president  since 
its  formation. 

O'Donnell  has 
been  first  assist- 
ant national  chief  barker.    Other  new 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


R.  J.  O'Donnell 


Clearance  Under  Franchise 
Not  Subject  to  Arbitration 


Clearance  controlled  by  film  fran- 
chises entered  into  prior  to  June  6. 
1940,  cannot  be  disturbed  by  the  in- 
dustry arbitration  system,  the  arbitra- 
tion appeal  board  ruled  on  Friday  in 
a  decision  in  the  clearance  complaint 
of  the  J.  J.  Theatres  and  Kingsbridge 


Theatre,  Inc.,  at  the  New  York  trib- 
unal against  Vitagraph,  RKO,  20th 
Century-Fox  and  Skouras  Theatres. 

John  Caskey,  counsel  for  20th-Fox 
in  the  case,  made  the  contention  that 
the  consent  decree  in  exempting  the 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


MPPDA  Sets 
Meets  to  Aid 
Film  Relations 


Coe  to  Address  Sessions 
In  Major  Cities 


A  series  of  meetings  designed  to 
further  improve  industry  public  re- 
lations regionally  will  be  held  in 
key  cities  throughout  the  country 
during  the  next  few  months,  it  is. 
disclosed  by  Charles  Francis  Coe, 
vice-president  and  general  counsel 
of  the  MPPDA,  who  will  address 
the  meetings. 

The  meetings  will  be  joint  civic-in- 
dustry affairs  patterned  after  the  one 
sponsored  by  the  Advertising  Club 
of  Boston  last  week,  which  Coe  ad- 
dressed. The  next  will  be  held  here 
early  in  March,  as  soon  as  arrange- 
ments for  the  meeting  have  been  com- 
pleted. Other  cities  in  which  similar 
meetings  are  likely  to  be  held  later 
are :  Washington,  Atlanta,  Dallas, 
Chicago,  Minneapolis  and  San  Fran- 
cisco. 

Coe  said  that  the  Boston  meeting, 
which  was  held  in  the  nature  of  an 
experiment,  had  so  well  accomplished 
its  purpose  that  it  was  believed  ad- 

(Coutinued  on  page  3) 


Dimes'  Collections 
Ahead  of  Last  Year 


Weekend  reports  of  March  of 
Dimes  collections  in  theatres  through- 
out the  country  indicate  that  the  drive 
is  progressing  at  a  pace  well  ahead  of 
last  year,  Oscar  A.  Doob,  national 
publicity  director  for  the  drive,  an- 
lounced  yesterday. 

Loew's  out-of-town  theatres  re- 
ported opening-day  collections  about 
louble  those  of  last  year  in  10  cities 
where  the  dav's  collections  aggregated 
$19,383,  compared  with  $10,023  last 
year.  Countering  this  trend  to  some 
extent,  however,  were  metropolitan 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


'Harvest'  Headed  for 
Record  Run  at  M.  H. 

"Random  Harvest"  would  be  held 
over  for  an  11th  week  at  the  Music 
Hall,  starting  Thursday,  it  was  indi- 
cated over  the  week-end,  the  first  film 
in  the  more  than  10-year  history  of  the 
theatre  to  achieve  a  run  of  that  length. 

In  setting  the  new  record,  the 
M-G-M  film  would  displace  "Mrs. 
Miniver,"  which  had  held  the  previous 
record  of  10  weeks. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  February  23,  1943 


Hollywood  Notes 


By  WILLIAM  R.  WEAVER 

Hollyivood,  Feb.  22 

M  EWSPAPERS  here  and  pre- 
l\  sumably  elsewhere  this  week 
made  merry,  pictorially,  with  the  story 
of  the  casting  of  the  contours  of  Betty 
Grable's  legs  in  the  theoretically  im- 
perishable cement  flooring  the  fore 
court  of  Grauman's  Chinese  theatre, 
where  the  acress'  intaglio  (and  you 
can  look  that  one  up  in  the  book) 
neighbors  Bob  Hope's  nose,  Al  Jol- 
son's  knees,  Eleanor  Powell's  dancing 
feet  and  other  indentations  of  famous 
people.  Lacking  as  yet  from  the  gal- 
lery of  glamour  which  tourists  pause 
to  gape  at  as  they  make  their  way 
from  box  office  to  entrance  are  those 
contours  of  Jane  Russell,  star  of 
Howard  Hughes'  "The  Outlaw,"  but 
the  town  is  depending  on  Hughes' 
public  relations  counsel,  Russell  Bird- 
well,  to  amend  that  discrepancy  in 
due  season. 


Blanche  Ring,  star  of  stage  musicals 
since  way  back  when,  has  been  signed 
by  M-G-M  for  unannounced  pictures 
in  which,  expectancy  is,  she  may  ac- 
complish what  the  late  Marie  Dressier 
did  at  a  comparable  age. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD   CO  LM  AN       .      GREER  GARSON 
In  James  Hilton's 

" RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN  M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue    .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


PARAMOUNT 
PRESENTS 

'STAR  SPANGLED 
RHYTHM' 

with  43  STARS 
PARAMOUNT 


IN  PERSON 

JOHNNY 
LONG 

and  His 
ORCHESTRA 

— Extra- 
Frank  Sinatra 

Times  Square 


HENRY  FONDA  •  MAUREEN  O'HARA  in 

SERGEANT 

Plus  In  Person  |  C  O  N  N  E  E  BOSWELL 
On  Our  Stage  I  PAUL  LAVALLE  &  Orch. 

BUY  A  WAR  DAW  7th  Ave-  &  50th  st- 
BONDaithe  B»  UA  B    Continuous  Perfs. 


PALACE 


B'WAY  & 
47th  St. 


JAMES  CAGNEY 

JOAN  LESLIE 

"YANKEE  DOODLE 

DANDY"     with  WALTER 


Loew^s  STATE 


2nd  WEEK  on  SCREEN 
First  N.  Y.  Showing 

MICKEY  ROONEY 
"ANDY  HARDY'S 
DOUBLE  LIFE" 


i 


IN  PERSON 
Ed  Sullivan 
and  New 
Broadway 
On  Parade 
Revue 


Personal  Mention 


MR.   AND   MRS.   LOUIS  LIF- 
TON  left  for  California  over 
the  weekend. 

• 

Arnold    Pressburger   is  expected 
here  this  week  from  Hollywood. 
• 

Helen  Thayer,  office  secretary  and 
purchasing  agent  for  Smalley  The- 
atres, Cooperstown,  N.  Y.,  has  joined 
the  WAAC. 

• 

Joseph  Podoloff,  formerly  20th 
Century-Fox  manager  in  Minneapolis, 
is  now  a  lieutenant  (j.  g. )  in  the 
Navy,  temporarily  stationed  in  New 
York. 

• 

Everett  E.  Seibel,  assistant  adver- 
tising manager  of  Minnesota  Amuse- 
ment Co.,  has  returned  to  his  post  fol- 
lowing an  operation  at  Mayo  Clinic, 
Rochester,  Minn. 


JOSEPH  M.  SCHENCK  and 
J  William  Goetz  are  expected  here 
from  California. 

• 

Si  Seadler  has  arrived  in  Holly- 
rived  from  Arizona. 

• 

Albert  E.  Sindlinger  and  Dr. 
George  Gallup  have  returned  from 
the  Coast. 

• 

Corp.  Thomas  Lainhoff,  former- 
ly of  Warners'   Capitol,  Lancaster, 
Pa.,  is  serving  in  the  Army  overseas. 
• 

Sol  Lewis,  operator  of  the  Edg- 
mont  Theatre,  Philadelphia,  has  re- 
covered from  an  arm  operation. 
• 

Pvt.  Robert  Nubbymyer,  formerly 
assistant  manager  of  Warners'  Grange 
Theatre,  Philadelphia,  is  reported 
with  the  Army  overseas. 


Two  Industry  Firms 
File  for  Dissolution 

Albany,  Feb.  22. — Pressburger 
Films,  Inc.,  has  been  dissolved,  accord- 
ing to  papers  filed  with  Thomas  J. 
Curran,  Secretary  of  State,  by  Harry 
E.  Sokolov,  Los  Angeles. 

Two  new  motion  picture  incorpora- 
tions filed  here  were :  Smalley  Cam- 
dol  Theatre  Corp.,  Cooperstown,  with 
200  authorized  shares  of  capital  stock, 
no  par  value,  with  directors  being 
William  C.  Smalley,  H.  N.  Smith  and 
H.  J.  Johnson,  Cooperstown,  and  I.  N. 
Productions,  Inc.,  Brooklyn,  100  share, 
no  stated  par  value,  by  Sol  Gerstein, 
Samuel  Brill,  who  filed  the  papers,  and 
Abraham  L.  Kramer,  all  of  New 
York. 


Hartford,  Feb.  22. — Park  Theatre 
Co.,  Bridgeport,  has  filed  a  certificate 
of  preliminary  dissolution  with  the 
secretary  of  state,  showing  Grace  M. 
Damon,  West  Hartford,  as  agent. 


Lynne  Overman,  55, 
Para.  Star,  Is  Dead 

Hollywood,  Feb.  22. — Lynne  Over- 
man, 55,  star  of  stage  and  screen  who 
had  appeared  in  about  50  pictures  since 
signing  a  Paramount  contract  in  1933, 
died  Friday  at  Santa  Monica  Hospital, 
where  he  had  been  under  an  oxygen 
tent  since  suffering  a  heart  attack 
Feb.  11. 

He  had  recently  completed  a  part 
in  "Dixie"  in  which  he  played  the 
part  of  a  Virginia  minstrel  and  sang 
some  of  the  old-time  songs  he  helped 
make  famous  during  his  stage  career. 
He  is  survived  by  his  widow. 


20th-Fox  Adds  Two 

Joseph  Ehrlich,  Boston  publicity 
and  advertising  man,  has  been  added 
to  the  20th  Century-Fox  New  En- 
gland exploitation  staff  as  assistant  to 
Ralph  Stitt,  the  company's  Northeast- 
ern representative.  Rodney  Bush,  ex- 
ploitation manager,  will  visit  the  Bos- 
ton office  to  morrow  to  install  Ehr- 
lich. Gladys  Mensh,  former  Holly- 
wood publicist,  has  been  added  to  the 
company's  home  office  publicity  staff 
headed  by  Jack  Goldstein. 


Tom  Baily  Joins  Warners 

Hollywood,  Feb.  22. — Tom  Baily. 
has  joined  the  Warner  Bros,  studio 
publicity  department,  it  was  an- 
nounced. 


SMPE  to  Discuss 
Theatre  Protection 

Problems  relating  to  fire  protection, 
accident  prevention,  the  handling  of 
audiences  in  emergencies  and  othei 
theatre  protection  problems  will  be  dis- 
cussed at  a  meeting  of  the  Atlantic- 
Coast  Section  of  the  Society  of  Mo- 
tion Picture  Engineers  to  be  held 
Thursday  night  at  the  Hotel  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

A  series  of  talks  on  theatre  protec- 
tion will  be  given  by  members  of  the 
sub-committee  of  the  theatre  engi- 
neering committee  which  has  been 
working  on  the  subject.  Henry  An- 
derson of  Paramount  is  chairman  of 
this  group. 

Dr.  Alfred  N.  Goldsmith,  chairman 
of  the  Atlantic  Coast  Section,  said 
that  the  discussions  will  be  of  inter- 
est to  theatre  owners  and  managers, 
and  that  tickets  of  admission  on  this 
occasion  will  not  be  necessary. 


RKO  Managers  Aid 
In  Red  Cross  Drive 

RKO  theatre  managers  of  Greater 
New  York  were  designated  zone  and 
district  captains  for  internal  industry 
work  in  the  Red  Cross  campaign  at 
a  home  office  meeting  Friday  called 
by  E.  L.  Alperson,  RKO  Theatres 
general  manager,  and  L.  E.  Thomp- 
son, co-chairman  with  N.  Peter  Rath- 
von,  RKO  president,  of  the  motion 
pictures  division  of  the  drive  in  New 
York  City. 

The  theatre  managers  were  charged 
with  the  enrollment  of  theatre  execu- 
tives and  employes,  including  members 
of  their  own  staffs,  in  the  drive. 


MITCHELL  MAY,  Jr. 

CO.,  INC. 

INSURANCE 


Specializing 
in  requirements  of  the 

Motion  Picture  Industry 
75  Maiden  Lane,  New  York 


Film  Pacts  Exempt 
From  Canada  Order 


Toronto,  Feb.  22. — Rulings  of  the 
legal  branch  of  the  Wartime  Prices 
and  Trade  Board  of  Canada  have  no 
application  to  the  film  trade,  R.  G. 
McMullen,  administrator  of  theatres 
and  films,  stated  today.  The  ruling  set 
at  rest  conjecture  in  the  trade  that 
exhibition  contracts  might  be  invali- 
dated by  a  recent  ruling  of  the/f  111 
branch  which  specified  that  a  disv  la- 
tor  is  not  under  obligation  to  sell  even 
though  he  has  goods  and  services  avail- 
able, the  distributor's  advertisement 
or  offer  of  availability  being  regarded 
now  merely  as  "an  invitation." 

McMullen,  recognizing  the  uncer- 
tainty in  the  film  trade  created  by  the 
ruling,  held  officially  that  the  legal 
branch's  orders  do  not  apply  to  the 
Canadian  film  trade.  It  is,  rather,  ap- 
plicable to  businesses  having  stocks  of 
goods  for  sale  to  the  consumer  public 
under  wartime  regulations,  with  such 
stocks  for  civilian  requirements  ap- 
proaching apparent  exhaustion. 


u. 


A.  Release  Deal 
With  Stone  Closed 

A  deal  has  been  concluded  by 
United  Artists  with  Andrew  Stone, 
producer,  writer  and  director,  by 
which  his  forthcoming  picture,  "Hi 
Diddle  Diddle,"  starring  Martha  Scott 
and  Adolphe  Menjou,  will  be  released 
by  the  company,  Gradwell  L.  Sears, 
vice-president  in  charge  of  U.  A.  dis- 
tribution, announced  over  the  weekend. 


Theatre  Drops  5  Ft. 
In  Cave-in  of  Mine 

Larksville,  Pa.,  Feb.  22.  —  The 
front  half  of  the  Larksville  Theatre 
here  dropped  five  feet  as  a  result  of 
a  mine  cave-in.  The  subsidence  had 
been  anticipated  and  a  five-block  area 
in  which  the  theatre  was  located  had 
been  roped  off  for  three  weeks.  The 
theatre  was  closed  during  that  time. 

Mrs.  Charlotte  Emashowski,  who 
with  her  husband,  Joseph,  operated 
the  450-seat  house,  was  removed  from 
a  sick  bed  when  the  cave-in  threat- 
ened their  home  behind  the  theatre 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 
Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3 100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sara  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl. 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign: single  copies  10c. 


Tuesday,  February  23,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


O'Donnell  New 
Variety  Clubs 
Chief  Barker 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

officers  elected  were :  Carter  Barron, 
Loews'  Theatres  division  manager, 
jjfcshington,    D.    C,    first  assistant 

 )onal  chief  barker;  Earle  W.  Swei- 

geft,  Paramount  district  manager, 
Philadelphia,  second  assistant  national 
chief  barker  ;  Marc  Wolf,  Indianapolis, 
dough  guy;  Louis  Rome,  Baltimore, 
property  master. 

Harris  was  elected  Big  Boss  for 
life,  in  recognition  of  his  efforts  on 
behalf  of  the  organization.  This  is  a 
newly  created  position. 

Each  tent  will  be  asked  to  sponsor 
the  training  of  a  nurse  at  the  Minne- 
apolis General  Hospital  in  the  Sister 
Kenny  treatment  of  infantile  paralysis. 

Attendance  was  held  to  a  minimum 
by  the  wartime  restrictions  on  travel 
and  the  Variety  Club's  own  restric- 
tions holding  attendance  to  official 
delegates  and  chief  barkers.  The  De- 
troit tent  had  the  largest  delegation 
present.  Most  tents  were  represented 
by  only  four  delegates. 

The  Milwaukee  and  Kansas  City 
tents  were  dropped  for  failure  to  pro- 
vide suitable  activities  during  the  past 
year,  it  is  reliably  reported. 


Albany,  Feb.  22. — A  dinner  meet- 
ing was  held  by  the  local  Variety  Club 
in  its  Ten  Eyck  Hotel  clubrooms  to- 
night to  hear  reports  on  the  national 
Variety  convention  at  Chicago  over 
the  weekend. 

L.  R.  Golding  and  Herman  Ripps, 
delegates,  reported  to  the  members  on 
the  Chicago  convention.  C.  J.  Latta, 
chief  barker,  who  also  attended  the 
convention,  reported  on  the  U.  S.  O.- 
Variety  Club  tie-up  and  sponsorship 
of  an  orphan  by  the  club.  Harry 
Alexander,  20th  Century-Fox  branch 
manager,  was  in  charge  of  entertain- 
ment for  the  dinner  meeting. 


Rochester  Musicians 
Reelect  Campbell 

Rochester,  Feb.  22.  —  Leonard 
Campbell  has  been  reelected  president 
of  the  Rochester  Musicians  Protective 
Association,  Local  66,  American  Fed- 
eration of  Musicians,  for  his  14th 
term  here.  Other  new  officers  are : 
Vice-president,  Herbert  Zahn ;  secre- 
tary, Charles  L.  Van  Haute  ;  treasur- 
er, Henry  Barg ;  sergeant-at-arms, 
John  Krenzer ;  trustees,  Henry  Berg, 
Fred  W.  Minges,  Robert  Stenzel ; 
board  of  directors,  Fred  J.  Manzner, 
William  Street,  Norman  Carey,  Al- 
fred Monk,  Norbert  Klem,  Charles 
Langenbacher  and  Elmer  Froehlich. 


Chance  Games  Test 
To  Special  Sessions 

A  test  case  of  Mayor  LaGuardia's 
ban  on  chance  games  was  held  for 
Special  Sessions  by  a  decision  of 
Magistrate  Glebocki  in  the  Bowery 
Court.  Arrested  on  charges  that  they 
violated  the  Mayor's  ban  on  games, 
unless  admission  was  free,  the  mana- 
ger and  four  employes  of  the  Chatham 
Square  Theatre  were  charged  with  al- 
legedly refusing  permission  to  three 
policemen  to  participate  in  the  game 
without  paying  admission. 


Review 

"It's  That  Man  Again" 

( Gainsborough) 

Loudon,  Feb.  22 

"  T TMA"  ("It's  That  Man  Again"),  the  British  radio  program  from 
which  this  film  is  devised,  is  said  to  have  a  listening  audience  of 
20,000,000.  It  is  certainly  one  of  British  radio's  wartime  hits  and,  as 
such,  enters  the  category  of  surefire  box  office  material  here.  Outside 
Britain  where  Tommy  Handley,  star  of  the  show,  is  unknown,  and  where 
the  particular  brand  of  comedy  exploited,  comedy  in  which  there  is  a 
suggestion  of  both  Harpo  Marx  and  Salvador  Dali,  has  less  appeal,  its 
market  is  dubious. 

Ted  Kavanagh,  the  author  of  the  radio  program,  wrote  the  screen- 
play. The  film  has  a  shred  of  a  story,  in  which  the  mayor  of  "Foaming 
at  the  Mouth''  takes  over  a  blitzed  theatre  and  double  crosses  a  dramatic 
school.    It  is,  of  course,  a  mere  peg  on  which  to  hang  the  comedy  gags. 

There  are  laughs  which  come  on  their  own  merits  but  most  of  them 
demand  pre-knowledge  of  the  radio  program,  a  pre-knowledge  which  in- 
cidentally is  not  too  apparent  in  the  directorial  treatment. 

Crazy  as  is  the  comedy,  the  audiences  who  flock  to  see  the  film  will 
have  their  laughter  ready.  They  might  be  likely  to  have  enjoyed 
'TTMA"  as  a  film  even  more,  if  the  principals  had  been  persuaded  to  re- 
member they  were  facing  a  camera  as  well  as  a  mike. 

Running  time,  84  minutes.    "G."*  Aubrey  Flanagan 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Clearance  Under  Franchise 
Not  Subject  to  Arbitration 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
existing  franchises  from  its  provisions 
also  safeguarded  the  clearance  condi 
tions  controlled  by  the  franchises, 
even  though  the  clearance  was  subject 
to  periodic  renegotiation.  The  ap- 
peal board  upheld  his  contention  and 
dismissed  20th-Fox  from  the  com- 
plaint but  modified  the  arbitrator's 
award  by  eliminating  the  seven-day 
clearance  of  the  Skouras'  Valentine 
over  the  Jerome.  The  arbitrator's 
finding  that  the  seven-day  clearance 
of  the  Valentine  over  the  Avalon,  Ox- 
ford and  Kingsbridge  was  reasonable 
and  should  be  continued  was  affirmed 
by  the  appeal  board. 

The  appeal  from  the  arbitrator's 
award  had  been  taken  by  the  com- 
plainants. The  case  involved  the  sec- 
ond instance  of  the  appeal  board 
agreeing  to  hear  oral  argument  on 
appeal. 

At  the  St.  Louis  tribunal,  Ethan  A. 
Shepley,  arbitrator,  ruled  that  Para- 
mount. RKO  and  20th  Century-Fox 
had  offered  a  run  to  the  Sosna  The- 
atre, Mexico,  Mo.,  which  was  not 
calculated  to  defeat  the  purpose  of 
Section  6  of  the  decree  and  dismissed 
the  case  with  all  costs  assessed  against 
the  plaintiff.  Warners,  also  a  re- 
spondent, was  dismissed  from  the 
proceedings  earlier  when  it  agreed 
with  Sosna  upon  terms  for  a  run. 

Originally,  the  arbitrator  ordered 
Warners  to  make  an  offer  of  a  run 
to  the  Sosna  but  dismissed  the  com- 
plaint against  the  other  three  distribu- 
tors. Sosna  appealed  and  the  appeal 
board  directed  all  four  to  make  an- 
other offer  of  a  run  to  the  plaintiff 
and  remanded  the  case  to  the  arbitra- 
tor to  determine  whether  the  new 
offers  met  the  requirements. 


'Dimes'  Collections 
Ahead  of  Last  Year 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

New  York  collections  in  Loew's  and 
RKO  theatres  which  ran  slightly  be 
hind  last  year's  figures.  Practice 
blackouts  in  the  city  Thursday  and 
Friday  nights  are  believed  to  have  af- 
fected the  collections  adversely  and  a 
pick-up  over  the  holiday  weekend  was 
anticipated. 

Theatres  again  were  urged  by  cam- 
paign headquarters  to  return  the  ap- 
peal trailers  to  National  Screen  ex- 
changes promptly.  They  will  be  sal- 
vaged and  proceeds  from  the  reclama- 
tion of  the  silver  will  be  added  to  the 
industry's  contribution  to  the  Infantile 
Paralysis  Fund. 


Raise  Weekend  Scale 

Rochester,  Feb.  22.  —  Loew's 
Rochester  raised  its  weekend  top  from 
44  cents  to  50  cents. 


Bar  Minors  in  Epidemic 

West  Springfield,  Mass.,  Feb.  22. — 
Children  under  16  are  banned  from 
the  Majestic  Theatre,  this  town's  only 
film  house,  for  the  duration  of  a  scar- 
let fever  epidemic.  In  Springfield, 
where  the  epidemic  has  been  raging 
since  September,  theatres  were  re- 
quested not  to  admit  children  under 
16  and  are  understood  to  have  co- 
operated. 

Phila.  Club  Starts  Parties 

Philadelphia,  Feb.  22.  —  Samuel 
Gross,  chief  barker  of  the  local  Varie- 
ty Club,  and  George  Sobel,  chairman 
of  the  house  committee,  have  inaugu- 
rated a  series  of  Saturday  night  "cab- 
aret" soirees  at  the  clubrooms  in  the 
Bellevue-Stratford  Hotel.  Restricted 
to  the  members,  and  complimenting 
the  Sunday  social  for  service  men,  the 
Saturday  night  parties  are  designed  to 
strengthen  the  social  ties  of  the  Varie- 
ty members  and  make  up  in  part  for 
the  cancellation  of  the  annual  banquet. 


MPPDA  Sets 
Meets  to  Aid 
Film  Relations 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

visable  to  hold  the  additional  meet- 
ings. Civic  sponsorship  for  them  will 
be  arranged  in  the  near  future  to  in- 
sure widely  representative  regional 
audiences.  The  industry's  story  of  its 
war  activities  and  contributions  will 
be  told  at  each,  followed  by  a  private 
question-and-answer  period  for  indus- 
try members  who  attend  the  sessions. 

Coe  said  that  his  impression, 
gleaned  from  the  Boston  meet- 
ing, is  that  industry  unity  has 
been  achieved  already  insofar 
as  its  public  relations  are  con- 
cerned. There  is  now  a  united 
front  at  the  point  that  the  in- 
dustry meets  the  public,  he  said. 
Internally,  there  is  not  unity, 
Coe  observed,  adding  that  unity 
of  that  kind  can  be  achieved 
only  "by  regimentation,  and  we 
are  not  interested  in  that." 
Members  of  the  industry  have 
an  inalienable  right  to  complain 
among  themselves  to  their 
hearts'  content,  he  said. 

Distribution  of  pamphlets  emphasiz- 
ing the  industry's  war  role  gained  an 
immediate  impetus  following  the  Bos- 
ton meeting  and  is  expected  to  do  so 
in  other  sections  of  the  country  where 
the  future  meetings  will  be  held,  Coe 
reported.  He  said  that  the  Mullin  & 
Pinanski  circuit,  alone,  ordered  more 
than  200,000  copies  of  the  pamphlet, 
"Movies  at  War,"  for  distribution  in 
its  theatres  in  New  England  following 
the  Boston  meeting. 

Larkin  to  Northwest 

Mark  Larkin  of  the  Industry  Ser- 
vice Bureau  was  assigned  to  the 
Northeastern  territory  following  the 
Boston  meeting.  Gordon  White,  also 
of  the  Bureau  field  staff,  will  be  as- 
signed to  the  South,  and  Duke  Hickey, 
third  member  of  the  staff,  to  the 
West. 


To  Honor  N.  H.  Salesman 

New  Haven,  Feb.  22. — Lou  Gins- 
burg,  United  Artists  salesman  here 
for  the  past  three  years,  will  be  giv- 
en a  farewell  luncheon  tomorrow  by 
the  local  industry  at  Cafe  Mallone, 
prior  to  his  leaving  for  Officers'  Can- 
didate School.  He  is  the  first  sales- 
man from  the  local  Film  Row  to  enter 
the  service. 


Aid  Service  Men's  Fund 

Bethlehem,  Pa.,  Feb.  22. — Local 
theatres  will  cooperate  with  the  newly- 
organized  Bethlehem  Tobacco  Club  to 
obtain  funds  to  provide  cigarettes  for 
all  local  men  in  the  service  by  holding 
collections  during  the  week  of  March 
8.  Harry  Gammett,  manager  of  the 
Globe  Theatre,  is  chairman  of  the  in- 
dustry committee. 


Treasury  Post  to  Shaw 

New  Haven,  Feb.  22. — Harry  F. 
Shaw,  Loew-Poli  division  manager, 
has  been  appointed  to  the  executive 
committee  of  the  State  Advisory  Com- 
mittee of  the  Treasury  Department. 
He  attended  his  first  meeting  of  the 
committee  in  Hartford  today. 


PRODUCTION 


..AS  THE    MEN    WHO    LOVED  'MAPY   ANN.    THE    FLVING  FORTRESS.; 


JACK  lfi\T,d/\\Vf  MIRROR 


« Wait"  01 


DADWAY 


Disney  brings  festive  South  America  to  Broadway  as 
happy  crowds  storm  the  Globe  Theatre  in  endless  pro- 
cession all  day  AND  ALL  NIGHT. . .  and  critics  take  up 
the  cry  of  a  new  —  AND  GREATER  -  Disnev  triumph! 


;h  your  pledge 
:  red  cross  week 

APRIL  1-7 


JOE  CARIOCA 

—  the  Jitterbird 
from  Rio  who's 
got  all  NX  laugh- 
ing and  swaying 
to  The  Samba! 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  February  23,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


PRESIDENT  ROOSEVELT  was  heard  by  67  per  cent  of  radio  set-own- 
ers in  his  broadcast  on  the  Allies'  new  plan  to  defeat  the  Axis,  the  Co- 
operative Analysis  of  Broadcasting  announced.  The  talk  originated  in 
Washington  on  Feb.  12.  Meanwhile,  Bob  Hope  continues  to  have  top  billing 
in  the  Hooper  National  Program  Ratings  Report  of  "First  15"  programs  and 
Red  Skelton  once  more  leads  the  programs  broadcast  after  10  :30  p.m. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Miss  Gwen  Jones,  former  CBS  staff  assistant  in  charge 
of  new  program  ideas,  has  joined  the  American  Red  Cross  for  overseas  duty. 
.  .  .  Niels  Bonnesen,  head  of  the  Danish  Section  of  NBC's  International  Divi- 
sion, will  be  a  judge  at  a  carnival  of  the  Berthel  Thorvaldsen  Assoc.,  Danish 
Relief  Society,  on  March  6  at  the  Grand  Street  Boys'  building.  .  .  .  WHN  re- 
ceived a  card  the  other  day  from  Miami,  where  Bill  Bird,  Dick  Jacobson  and 
Sol  Morganstcrn,  zvho  zvere  called  into  the  service  during  the  past  two  months 
from  the  station,  are  with  the  Air  Force. 

•  •  • 

Among  radio  headliners  who  have  been  taking  their  programs  to  ser- 
vice training  centers  through  the  country  are  Jack  Benny,  Bob  Hope, 
Kate  Smith,  Edgar  Bergen,  Eddie  Cantor  and  Burns  and  Allen.  When 
the  broadcasts  cannot  be  aired  from  the  training  camps  most  of  these 
personalities  reserve  their  studios  for  men  in  uniform.  They  also  en- 
tertain at  camps  between  programs — usually  at  their  own  expense. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Ticket  sales  from  the  March  1  broadcast  of  "Information 
Please"  will  be  turned  over  to  the  District  of  Columbia  chapter,  Red  Cross. 
The  first  of  its  shows  for  which  admission  has  been  charged,  it  will  originate 
from  Washington,  D.  C.  .  .  .  Mrs.  Eleanor  Roosevelt  will  appear  on  the  Blue's 
"Baby  Institute"  program  on  Friday  at  10  :30  a.m.  .  .  .  Ilka  Chase  takes  over 
the  m.  c.  role  on  Mutual's  "Cresta  Blanca  Carnival"  on  Wednesday.  .  .  .  Char- 
lotte Adams  will  open  her  "Run  of  the  House"  program  on  WQXR  this 
afternoon.  She  will  be  heard  each  Tuesday,  Wednesday  and  Thursday  at 
2 :30  p.m. 

Screen  Audience  Shies 
From  'Messages9:  Ramsaye 


Companies  Receive 
British  Revenue  in 
5  Million  Payment 


{Continued  from  page  1) 
ance  with  the  amounts  individual  com- 
panies received  under  the  $5,000,000 
quarterly  arrangement  last  year. 

The  British  Treasury  stipulated  that 
the  negotiations  for  a  new  exchange 
agreement  would  continue  providing 
the  new  agreement  shall  contain  cer- 
tain features  of  the  old  one,  other 
than  the  monetary  provisions,  the  most 
important  of  which  is  that  the  compa- 
nies shall  maintain  a  free  flow  of 
product  to  the  British  Isles. 

New  Troy  Theatre 
Shifts  Runs,  Prices 

Albany,  Feb.  22. — The  Griswold, 
Troy,  dark  for  nearly  10  years  past, 
has  been  completely  renovated  and  re- 
opened by  Warners  as  a  second  run 
house  necessitating  changes  in  local 
theatre  classifications. 

C.  J.  Latta,  Warner  zone  manager, 
said  the  Lincoln,  formerly  a  first  run, 
now  will  be  used  as  a  move-over 
house  for  the  Proctor's  and  Warners' 
first  runs.  The  Lincoln's  price  scales 
were  increased  by  15  cents  for  mati- 
nees and  20  cents  evenings.  The 
American  is  moved  up  from  second 
to  first  run  and  admissions  are  in- 
creased 10  cents  for  both  matinees  and 
evenings.  The  Griswold  will  operate 
with  slightly  higher  prices  than  those 
formerly  in  effect  at  the  American. 
Jack  Swartout,  manager  of  the 
American,  was  transferred  to  the 
Griswold,  and  Al  Newhall,  formerly 
at  the  Regent,  Elmira,  was  assigned 
to  the  American.  The  Griswold  will 
be  operated  in  the  pool  which  in- 
cludes Fabian's,  Proctor's,  the  Troy. 
Lincoln  and  American. 


Iowa  May  Be  Next 
For  Central  Time 

Des  Moines,  Feb.  22. — Iowa  would 
return  to  Central  Standard  Time  if 
a  proposed  bill  is  passed  by  the  State 
Legislature,  which  last  week  adopted 
a  resolution  sent  to  Congress  asking 
for  repeal  of  daylight  saving  time  on 
the  theory  that  it  decreases  the  num- 
ber of  daylight  hours  available  for 
farm  work.  Many  schools  in  the 
state  have  been  operating  under  Cen- 
tral Standard  Time. 


Dismiss  Ascap  Action 

Motion  for  dismissal  of  the  Denton 
&  Haskins  Corp.  and  Gem  Music 
Corp.  action  to  obtain  declaratory 
judgment  against  Ascap  has  been 
granted  by  Judge  Aaron  Steuer. 
Plaintiffs  had  sought  to  determine  the 
status  of  their  public  performing 
rights  in  their  catalogs  after  1950 
when  their  Ascap  contracts  expire. 
The  motion  for  dismissal  was  argued 
by  Louis  D.  Frohlich  of  Schwartz 
&  Frohlich,  Ascap  counsel. 


Odets  to  Collaborate 

Clifford  Odets  will  collaborate  with 
Franz  Werfel  on  the  adaptation  of  the 
letter's  new  play  tentativelv  titled. 
"Jacobowsky  and  the  Colonel".  Jack 
Skirball  has  scheduled  the  play  for 
Broadway  presentation  this  season. 


"The  motion  picture  or  the  theatre 
takes  its  ultimate  authority  from  the 
customers,  who  are  the  whole  people, 
and  it  is  an  integrated  part  of  the 
American  Way  and  the  American 
environment,"  Terry  Ramsaye,  editor 
of  Motion  Picture  Herald,  told  an  au- 
dience of  scholars  and  savants  at  the 
Grolier  Club  in  New  York  Thursday 
night. 

"The  motion  picture  is,  and  has  long 
been,  much  under  the  attentions  of  all 
manner  of  pressure  groups  of  politi- 
cal and  assorted  social  and  economic 
purposes,  which  aim  to  invade  the 
audience,  assembled  for  entertainment, 
with  'messages.'  The  audience  does 
not  want  'messages'  and  so  far  there 
is  no  evidence  that  any  have  been 
delivered  with  important  effect,"  the 
speaker  observed. 

"There  is  an  old  saw  saying  'He 
who  pays  the  fiddler  calls  the  tune.' 
The  customers  do  not  go  to  the  thea- 
tre to  be  indoctrinated  about  anything, 
or  to  be  concerned  with  controversy — 
because  that  is  not  entertainment.  A 
great  service  can  be  rendered  to  the 
screen  as  the  servant  of  a  free  people 
by  letting  it  attend  to  its  own  busi- 
ness," Ramsaye  said. 

The  function  was  presided  over  by 
Arthur  L.  Gale,  editor  of  Moine 
Makers  Magasine.  The  speaker  was 
introduced  by  Colonel  Roy  Winton. 


Disney  Host  to  Editors 

Hollywood,  Feb.  22. — Nine  Argen- 
tine newspaper  owners,  publishers  and 
editorial  directors  will  visit  the  Walt 
Disney  Studio  March  16  in  the  course 
of  a  tour  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Coordinator  of  Inter-American  Af- 
fairs, it  was  announced. 


Reserves  Decision 
In  Suit  on  'Dinner' 

Decision  was  reserved  by  Federal 
Judge  Clarence  Galston  on  the  con- 
clusion of  testimony  Friday  in  the 
plagiarism  action  brought  against 
Warners,  Moss  Hart  and  George  S. 
Kaufman  and  the  estate  of  Sam  H. 
Harris  by  Vincent  McConnell,  who 
charged  that  his  original  story,  "Sticks 
and  Stones,"  also  known  as  "The 
Alurder  Issue,"  was  plagiarized  in 
"The  Man  Who  Came  to  Dinner." 

Attorneys  for  both  sides  were  di- 
rected to  file  briefs  with  the  court 
this  week. 

Phillips  Lord  Sued 
On  Contract  Breach 

Suit  for  damages  of  $32,800,  alleg- 
ing breach  of  contract,  was  filed  in 
Federal  court  here  Friday  by  Isaac 
McAnally,  crimirolgist,  against  Phil- 
lips H.  Lord,  producer  of  the  radio 
programs,  "Gangbusters"  and  "Coun- 
ter Spy."  TLe  plaintiff  charges  that 
he  was  engaged  by  Lord  to  supply 
material  for  the  two  programs  at  an 
aggregate  salary  of  $200  weekly  and 
that  last  September  Lord  refused  to 
accept_  further  material  without  ex- 
planation. 


Croft  Joins  MPPDA 

A.  Alfred  Croft,  formerly  associ- 
ated with  J.  S.  Bache  &  Co.  on  in- 
ternational banking,  has  joined  the 
MPPDA  and  will  work  on  special  as- 
signments having  to  do  with  industry 
public  relations,  Charles  Francis  Coe, 
MPPDA  vice-president  and  general 
counsel,  announced. 


'Serve'  Opens  With 
$20,500,  Toronto 

Toronto,  Feb.  22. — "In  Which  We 
Serve"  got  under  way  at  Loew's 
Theatre  with  the  public  ganging  up  on 
the  house  day  and  night  for  an  esti- 
mated $20,500  gross  for  the  first  six 
days.  The  current  surprise-package 
continues  to  be  "Springtime  in  the 
Rockies"  at  Shea's  Theatre,  where 
the  second  week  was  likely  to  ^>jjfT\ 
$14,000,  packed  houses  being  in  »  ,) 
dence.  The  Imperial  Theatre  was 
offering  "Life  Begins  at  8 :30"  and 
"Siege  of  Leningrad,"  with  $11,000  in 
sight.  The  second  week  of  "Shadow 
of  a  Doubt"  at  the  Uptown  appeared 
headed  for  $8,000. 

Estimated   receipts   for    the  week 
ending  February  18: 
"Across  the  Pacific"  (W.  B.) 

EGLINTON— (1,086)  (18c-30c-42c-60c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $3,000.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"Life  Begins  at  8:30"  (20th-Fox) 
"The  Siege  of  Leningrad"  (Amkino) 

IMPERIAL — (3,373)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c) 
6  days.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average,  $10,500) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

LOEW'S— (2,074)     (18c-30c-42c-60c-78c)  6 
days.     Gross:  $20,500.     (Average,  $10,000) 
"Springtime  in,  the  Rockies"  (20th-Fox) 

SHEA'S— (2,480)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $14,000.  (Average, 
$11,000) 

"Manila  Calling"  (20th  Fox) 
"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 

TIVOLI— (1,434)     (18c-30c-48c)     6  days. 
Gross:  $4,500.    (Average,  $4,200) 
"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

UPTOWN — (2,761)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.  2nd  week.    Gross:  $8,000.  (Average, 

$9,500) 

Decision  Awaited  in 
Action  Against  W.B, 

Federal  Judge  Vincent  L.  Leibell 
reserved  decision  on  Friday  in  the 
plagiarism  suit  filed  against  Warners, 
Frank  Capra,  Jacob  Wilk,  Robert 
Riskin,  Robert  Presnell  and  Richard 
Connell  by  Robert  Shurr,  a  school 
teacher,  and  Pat  A.  Leonard,  stage 
manager,  which  alleges  infringement 
of  the  latter's  play,  "The  Stuffed 
Shirt,"  in  the  film  "Meet  John  Doe." 

Denying  the  charges,  defendants 
testified  the  screenplay  for  "Meet 
John  Doe"  was  written  by  Connell 
and  Presnell  from  a  magazine  story 
by  Connell  and  an  unfinished  screen- 
play by  Presnell,  who  had  been  as- 
signed to  the  work  originally. 

E.  L.  Garey  Named 
FCC  Probe  Counsel 

Washington,  Feb.  22. — Eugene  L. 
Garey,  member  of  the  New  York 
law  firm  of  Garey,  Desvernine  and 
Garey,  has  taken  over  as  attorney  for 
the  Cox  Committee  investigating  the 
Federal  Communications  Commission, 
and  will  start  this  week  on  the  pre- 
liminary investigation  of  the  effect  of 
commission  policies  and  practices  on 
the  broadcasting  industry. 

Garey  expects  to  spend  several 
weeks  gathering  information  to  be 
used  as  the  basis  for  the  questioning 
of  witnesses  at  hearings  which  will 
probably  start  early  in  April. 


Shakeup  in  Philharmonic 

Seventeen  members  of  the  New 
York  Philharmonic  Symphony  orches- 
tra will  not  play  with  the  orchestra 
next  season,  when  Artur  Rodzinski 
takes  over  as  conductor,  Marshall 
Field,  president  of  the  Philharmonic- 
Symphony  Society,  announced.  Field 
said  the  shakeup  followed  Dr.  Rodzin- 
ski's  recommendations  "for  the  good 
of  the  orchestra."  Of  the  17,  three 
resigned. 


SHATTERS  "ICELAND"  RECORDS 
DENVER  AND  SALT  LAKE! 


:ords  ^ 


IN 


ST.LOmSANO  ft„ 


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»EAtS  inDE*M 


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Rush  your  Pledge  for  RED  CROSS  WEEK— Apr.  1-7 


Paramoun 


ie  marvel  of  show  businei; 
today... Unmatched  in  industry 
records  is  Paramount's  achieve 
ment  in  delivering  so  many  te  ' 


ic  top-grossing  successes— with 
uch  regularity  —  in  so  short  a 
in*;  •  •  •  And  as  we've  said  before, 
's  just  the  end  of  the  beginning! 


k  J 


ROFIT  TRAIL! 


•  ••with 


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fttOrtOCfiAm  presents 

A  POWER-PACKED  SERIES 
OF  SUPER  WESTERNS! 

'Produced  (kf 

SCOTT  R.  DUNLAP 


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Alert, 
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to  the^ojtion 

Picture 

Industry 


2  OTION  PICTURE 

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53.  NO.  36 


NEW  YORK,  U.  S.  A.,  WEDNESDAY,  FEBRUARY  24,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Over  Million 
And  Half  Seen 
In  '43  'Dimes' 


Officials   See  Campaign 
Surpassing  1942 


Officials  at  campaign  headquar- 
ters of  the  industry's  March  of 
Dimes  drive  forecast  yesterday  on 
the  basis  of  early  reports  from  the 
field  that  this  year's  collections  may 
go  above  $1,500,000,  thus  surpass- 
ing the  1942  drive's  total. 

The  Northern  California  division  of 
Fox  West  Coast  reported  four  days 
collections  of  $39,673,  which  compares 
with  $26,888  last  year  in  a  full  week 
for  the  same  number  of  theatres. 

In  the  District  of  Columbia  area  50 
theatres  reported  four-day  collections 
of  $28,000  compared  with  $30,000  for 
63  theatres  in  seven  days  last  year. 
Loew's  out-of-town  theatres  reported 
(.Continued  on  page  9) 


WAC  Theatres  Unit 
To  Discuss  Program 


The  executive  committee  of  the 
Theatres  Division  of  the  War  Activi- 
ties Committee  will  meet  at  WAC 
headquarters  today  to  discuss  the  fu- 
ture program  of  activities  for  the  divi- 
sion, S.  H.  Fabian,  chairman,  an- 
nounced yesterday. 

Under  discussion  will  be  the  Red 
Cross  drive,  distribution  plans  for  "At 
the  Front,"  the  Col.  Darryl  F.  Zanuck 
North  African  film,  and  general  oper- 
ations of  the  division.  Following  an 
afternoon  meeting,  the  committee  will 
adjourn  to  the  Hotel  Astor  for  din- 
ner and  an  evening  session. 

Committee  members  who  are  here 
for  the  meeting  include :  R.  J.  O'Don- 
nell,  Ed  Kuyendall,  M.  A.  Rosenberg, 
Nathan  Yamins,  E.  V.  Richards,  R.  B. 
Wilby  and  Walter  Vincent. 


Maxine  Elliott  Left 
Estate  of  $1,140,056 

Maxine  Elliott,  who  died  in 
Cannes,  France,  on  March  5,  1940, 
left  an  estate  of  $1,359,132.76  gross 
and  $1,140,056.77  net,  according  to  a 
transfer  tax  appraisal  filed  with  the 
New  York  State  Tax  Department. 

Among  the  assets  of  the  estate 
listed  are  stocks  valued  at  $648,341 ; 
bonds  valued  at  $576,553;  cash,  $26,- 
268,  and  $55,156  in  miscellaneous 
cash  and  interests  in  property. 


,255,657  Spent 
By  Variety  Clubs 
In  '43  for  Charity 


Chicago,  Feb.  23.— A  total  of  $1,- 
255,657  was  spent  by  the  Variety 
Clubs  of  America  for  charitable  work 
during  1942,  it  was  reported  at  the 
National  convention  which  ended  here 
over  the  weekend.  More  than  100,000 
persons  were  benefited  by  these  en- 
deavors, it  was  announced. 

The  Charity  Citation  for  1942  went 
to  Tent  13  of  Philadelphia,  and  honor- 
able mention  was  given  tents  in 
Washington,  Dallas,  Pittsburgh  and 
Oklahoma  City.  Each  tent  pledged 
increased  charity  budgets  for  next 
year,  it  was  announced. 

National  canvassmen  elected  were : 

Joe  Hiller,  Pittsburgh;   Bill  Pan- 

(Continued  on  page  9) 


W.B.  Quarter  Net 
Profit  $1,723,383 


Net  profit  of  $1,723,383  was  report- 
ed by  Warner  Bros,  yesterday  for  the 
first  quarter  of  the  company's  current 
fiscal  year,  after  all  charges  and  Fed- 
eral income  and  excess  profits  taxes. 
The  result  compares  with  net  oper- 
ating profit  of  $2,079,601,  before  pro- 
viding for  Federal  excess  profits  taxes 
in  the  corresponding  quarter  ended 
Nov.  29,  1941. 

The  net  profit  from  operations  be- 
(Continued  on  page  9) 


Nephew  of  Skouras's 
Executed  by  Nazis 

Thanos  D.  Skouras  was  ex- 
ecuted by  Nazis  in  his  native 
city  of  Athens,  Greece,  be- 
cause of  "service  performed  in 
the  interest  of  freedom  for 
the  Greek  people,"  relatives 
here  were  informed  yester- 
day. 

He  was  the  oldest  son  of 
Demetrius  P.  Skouras,  and  a 
nephew  of  George,  Charles 
and  Spyros  Skouras. 

Thomas  Skouras,  28,  headed 
Skouras  Films  Co.  of  Athens, 
operating  a  circuit  specializ- 
ing in  the  exhibition  of  Amer- 
ican-made films.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  U.  S.  and  prior  to 
his  return  to  Greece  served 
with  Skouras  Theatres. 


British  Newsreels 
May  Realize  Half 
Of  Raw  Stock  Cut 


London,  Feb.  23. — As  the  deadline 
for  voluntary  action  by  the  industry 
to  achieve  a  25  per  cent  reduction  in 
raw  stock  consumption  nears,  it  ap- 
pears that  newsreels,  despite  their 
present  objections,  will  be  required 
to  adopt  measures  which  will  ac- 
complish by  themselves  one-half  of 
the  required  saving. 

ff  the  newsreels  fail  to  act  volun- 
(Continued  on  page  9) 


Treasury  Praises  Skouras 
Brothers  for  War  Activities 


By  SAM  SHAIN 

"Men    like    Spyros    and  George 
Skouras  are  the  kind  who  win  wars." 
This    tribute    was    expressed  by 
Secretary  Mor- 


genthau  m  a 
telegram  to 
Richard  C.  Pat- 
terson, state 
chairman  of  the 
New  York  war 
savings  staff,  it 
was  revealed 
yesterday  at  a 
testimonial 
luncheon  in 
recognition  o  f 
the  war  activi- 
ties of  George 
P.  Skouras  and 
the  Skouras 
Theatres  Cor- 
poration, which  was  held  at  the  Hotel 


George  P.  Skouras 


Astor.  Attending  were  more  than  600 
members  of  the  American  Women's 
Volunteer  Service. 

Speakers  besides  Patterson,  were 
Dr.  Michael  Doritzas,  professor  of 
political  geography,  of  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  and  the  Duchess  of 
Leinster.  Mrs.  Douglas  Gibbons,  state 
chairman  of  the  New  York  women's 
division  for  the  sale  of  war  bonds  and 
stamps,  presided.  Among  the  guests 
on  the  dais  were  Louis  Adamic,  Rob- 
ert Christenberry  and  several  women 
leaders  of  the  AWVS. 

So  far  the  66  Skouras  Theatres  have 
sold  in  excess  of  $10,000,000  in  war 
bonds  and  stamps.  The  circuit  was  the 
first  to  be  designated  an  issuing  agent 
for  the  sale  of  war  bonds  and  stamps 
by  the  Treasury  Department.  The  cir- 
cuit is  credited  with  having  conceived 
(Continued  on  page  9) 


Arthur  A.  Lee 
Believed  Lost 
In  Plane  Crash 


USO  Players,  MBS  Man 
Also  Are  Missing 


Arthur  A.  Lee,  industry  pioneer 
and  head  of  Artlee  Corp.,  which  he 
founded  several  years  ago,  was 
among  those 
reported  miss- 
ing in  the 
crash  of  the 
Yankee  Clip- 
per at  Lisbon 
o  n  Monday. 
Although  h  i  s 
death  had  not 
been  officially 
reported  up  to 
last  night, 
there  was  said 
to  be  very  lit- 
tle on  which 
to  base  a  hope 
that  he  had  survived. 

Other  members  of  the  entertainment 
world  who  were  passengers  aboard 

(Continued  on  page  9) 


Arthur  L,ee 


20th-Fox  Meet  in 
Chicago  Tomorrow 


A  three-day  meeting  of  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox home  office  executives,  stu- 
dio officials  and  division  and  district 
managers  will  be  held  at  the  Black- 
stone  Hotel,  Chicago,  starting  to- 
morrow. 

Tom  J.  Connors,  vice-president  in 
charge  of  distribution,  will  preside  at 
the  meeting.  Reports  on  new  product 
will  be  made  Saturday  by  Spyros 
Skouras. 

In  the  home  office  contingent  leav- 

(Continued  on  page  9) 


George  Brown  Chosen 
Service  Bureau  Head 

Hollywood,  Feb.  23. — Francis  Har- 
mon tendered  the  Industry  Service 
Bureau  the  facilities  of  the  WAC  for 
channeling  cooperation  in  war  effort 
enterprises  requested  by  approved  or- 
ganizations. The  I  SB  elected  George 
Brown,  of  Paramount,  chairman  for 
six  months,  succeeding  Perry  Lieber, 
at  a  session  today  attended  by  Will 
Hays.  The  subcommittee  in  charge  of 
previews  reported  a  slight  decrease  in 
attendance  since  gas  rationing. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  February  24,  1943 


Jan.  Tax  Receipts 
Show  $4,200,000 
Decline  from  Dec. 


Washington,  Feb.  23. — Federal 
admission  tax  collections  in  January 
dropped  sharply  from  the  December 
all-time  record  of  $15,922,909  to  $11,- 
728,489,  but  were  nearly  $375,000 
above  the  $11,355,639  recorded  in  Jan- 
uary, 1942,  it  was  reported  tonight  by 
the  Internal  Revenue  Bureau. 

For  the  first  seven  months  of  the 
Government's  fiscal  year,  the  bureau 
announced,  collections  aggregated 
$92,240,739,  compared  with  $60,527,- 
886  for  the  corresponding  period  a 
year  ago. 

The  figures  indicated  that  business 
dropped  sharply  in  all  sections  of  the 
country,  but  collections  in  the  Third 
New  York  (Broadway)  District; 
$678,382,  were  the  lowest  reported  for 
any  month  since  April,  1941,  and  com- 
pared with  $3,378,752  in  December 
and  $1,774,444  in  January  of  last  year. 

With  the  exception  of  revenue  from 
permanent  use  or  lease  of  boxes  and 
seats,  which  increased  from  $51  in 
December  to  $480  last  month,  all 
classes  of  tax  showed  declines,  box 
office  collections  dropping  from  $3,- 
186,086  to  $546,463;  tickets  sold  by 
brokers  from  $14,983  to  _  $13,387 ; 
tickets  sold  by  proprietors  in  excess 
of  the  established  price  from  $2,511  to 
$484,  and  admissions  to  roof  gardens 
and  cabarets  from  $175,120  to  $117,- 
566. 


Personal  Mention 


J.P.Dibble,  Pioneer  in 
Industry,  Dies  at  89 

Hartford,  Feb.  23. — John  Pierce 
Dibble,  89,  who  toured  the  U.  S.  and 
Canada  as  a  film  exhibitor  for  more 
than  60  years,  died  recently  at  his 
home  in  Branford,  near  here,  it  was 
reported. 


Former  House  Manager  Killed 

New  Haven,  Feb.  23. — Edward  T. 
Mullen,  74,  manager  of  the  Pequot 
Theatre  here  for  15  years  until  he 
resigned  in  1939,  was  killed  recently 
when  hit  by  a  truck. 


F.P.C.  Employe  Dies 

Toronto,  Feb.  23. — Joseph  Catena 
for  20  years  an  accounting  depart- 
ment employe  of  Famous  Players  Ca- 
nadian Corp.,  died  suddenly  at  his 
home. 


HERBERT  J.  YATES  is  expected 
to  arrive  in  Hollywood  next 
Monday.  James  R.  Grainger  is  due 
there  the  following  week. 

• 

Lt.  James  O'Shea,  of  the  Army 
Air  Force,  son  of  E.  K.  O'Shea,  of 
M-G-M,  was  a  visitor  here  yesterday. 
• 

Ensign  Thomas  J.  Walker,  son  of 
Postmaster  General  and  Mrs.  Frank 
C.  Walker,  is  engaged  to  Miss  Ruth 
Ann  Shelare  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  En- 
sign Walker  is  at  the  Naval  Training 
School  at  Dartmouth  College. 
• 

Margaret  Franey,  cashier  at  the 
Palace  Theatre,  Avoca,  Pa.,  was  mar- 
ried to  Lt.  Joseph  McDonald  in  St. 
Mary's  Church,  Avoca. 

• 

Samuel  Goldstein,  vice-president 
of  Western  Massachusetts  Theatres, 
has  enlisted  in  the  Army  Engineering 
Corps  Reserve. 

• 

A.  H.  Blank,  Myron  and  Ray- 
mond Blank,  G.  Ralph  Branton 
and  Samuel  Horowitz,  all  of  Tri- 
States  Theatre  Corp.,  Des  Moines, 
have  returned  from  the  Variety  Club 
convention  in  Chicago. 

• 

Edward  Cannon  of  the  Comerford 
Theatre  in  Scranton,  Pa.,  is  stationed 
at  Newfoundland  with  the  Navy. 
• 

Pvt.  George  F.  Burns,  formerly  of 
the  Victory  and  Strand  Theatres, 
Holyoke,  Mass.,  is  now  with  the  Mar- 
ines at  Quantico,  Va. 

• 

James  Adorno  of  the  Middlesex 
Theatre  in  Middletown,  Conn.,  has 
been  recovering  from  illness. 

• 

John  A.  Morrison,  assistant  man- 
ager of  the  Calvin  Theatre  at  North- 
ampton, Mass.,  has  resigned  and  is 
now  in  the  Marine  Corps,  stationed  at 
Quantico,  Va. 

• 

Aaron  Jones,  Jr.,  of  Chicago,  has 
gone  to  Florida  for  a  visit  with  his 
father,  who  is  reported  ill  there. 
• 

Lt.  Henry  Hengler,  former  home 
office  employee  of  the  Comerford  Cir- 
ciut  in  Scranton,  .  Pa.,  is  in  North 
Africa  with  the  U.  S.  forces. 

• 

Max  Meadows,  Universal  booker  in 
Indianapolis,  is  ill. 


Chicago  Man  Succumbs 

Chicago,  Feb.  23. — John  Sedlack 
father  of  Irwin  Sedlack,  manager  of 
the  Frolic  Theatre,  died  recently.  He 
had  been  employed  at  the  Beverly 
Theatre. 


Little  Theatre  Head  Dies 

Hollywood,  Feb.  23. — Funeral  serv 
ices  for  Mrs.  Mabel  Strong,  61,  for 
mer  actress,  writer  and  Little  Theatre 
director,  who  died  here  Sunday,  will 
be  held  tomorrow.  She  was  the 
founder  of  the  Metropolitan  Players 
and  the  Women's  Theatre  to  aid 
young  actresses. 


MR.    AND    MRS.  JOSEPH 
SEIDER  leave  for  Hot  Springs, 
Ark.,  tomorrow. 

• 

Roy  Haines,  Warner  Bros.  South- 
ern and  Western  division  sales  man- 
ager, leaves  today  for  the  South. 
• 

Wolfe  Cohen,  Canadian  district 
manager  for  Warner  Bros.,  arrived 
here  yesterday. 

• 

Stewart  McDonald,  vice-president 
and  comptroller  of  Warner  Theatres, 
has  returned  from  Chicago. 

• 

Charles  Smakwitz,  assistant  zone 
manager  for  the  Warner  Circuit,  was 
in  New  York  yesterday. 

• 

Richard  Thorpe  is  vacationing  in 
New  York. 

• 

James  Coston,  Warner  Bros.  Chi- 
cago zone  manager,  leaves  for  Cali- 
fornia today. 

• 

Edward  Andrzejiwski  of  the 
Strand,  Westfield,  Mass.,  has  resigned 
to  enter  the  army. 

• 

Robert  Anderson  of  the  RKO  office 
in  Indianapolis,  has  been  inducted  into 
the  Army. 

• 

Pvt.  Gerald  Roche,  formerly  with 
the  Penn  Theatre,  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa., 
is  a  para-ski  trooper  at  Ft.  William  H. 
Harrison,  Mont. 

• 

W.  T.  Tidewell,  Warner  home  of- 
fice representative,  is  visiting  the  In- 
dianapolis office  for  several  weeks. 
• 

Earl    Rozelle,    former  assistant 
manager  of  the  Strand  Theatre  Scran 
ton  Pa.  is  with  the  Air  Combat  crew 
at  Ft.  Worth  Tex. 

• 

Frank  Jones  manager  of  the  Par 
sons    Theatre,    Wilkes-Barre,  Pa., 
recently  inducted  into  the  Army,  is 
stationed  at  Ft.  Leonard  Wood,  Miss 
• 

Walter  Rooney,  manager  of  the 
Orpheum  Theatre,  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa. 
was  inducted  into  the  Army. 

• 

Gerard   Stuart,   formerly   of  the 
Rialto  Theatre,  Scranton,  Pa.,  is  in 
England  with  the  U.  S.  armed  forces. 
• 

Gene  Faye,  former  chief  of  staff  of 
the  Comerford  Theatre,  Scranton,  Pa. 
was  inducted  into  the  Army. 


Midweek  Newsreels 
Show  Fight  in  Tunis 

Midweek  newsreels  are  featuring 
films  of  the  Tunisian  battlefront,  and 
clips  of  the  completed  oil  pipeline 
connecting  the  Texas  oil  fields  and 
Norris  City,  111.  Also  highlighted  is 
an  explanation  of  how  the  point  ratio- 
system  works.  «4 
Movietone  News  and  News  of  the 
Day  carry  films  of  a  group  of  Filipino 
soldiers  at  Camp  Beale,  Cal.,  becom- 
ing U.  S.  citizens,  and  Paramount 
News  shows  its  own  Veronica  Lake 
with  her  hair  up,  as  per  the  War  Pro- 
duction Board  request.  Paramount  is 
also  the  only  newsreel  to  show  Joe 
DiMaggio  being  inducted. 

Pathe  News  and  Universal  News- 
reel  have  devoted  space  to  Dakar,  now 
an  Allied  Base,  and  all  five  newsreels 
have  pictures  of  the  graduation  of 
Army  fliers  at  Eagle  Pass,  Tex. 


Two  Reopen  in  London 

London,  Feb.  23. — The  Tivoli  and 
Strand,  closed  since  early  in  the  war, 
have  reopened  with  the  dual  premiere 
engagement  of  "Itma"  ("It's  That 
Man  Again"),  the  screen  adaptation  of 
England's  most  popular  current  radio 
comedy  program. 


MPTOA  Board  to 

Convene  in  April 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  MPTOA 
board  of  directors  will  be  held  in 
April  at  a  date  and  place  to  be  desig- 
nated by  poll  of  the  directors  in  the 
near  future,  Ed  Kuykendall,  president^ 
stated  yesterday. 

Kuykendall  arrived  in  New  York 
yesterday  for  conferences  on  the  the- 
atres' Red  Cross  drive  and  to  attend 
the  meeting  of  the  executive  commit- 
tee of  the  theatres  division  of  the  War 
Activities  Committee.  He  is  sched- 
uled to  leave  for  Washington  Friday. 


GPE  Votes  25c  Dividend 

General  Precision  Equipment  Corp. 
Yesterday  declared  a  cash  dividend  of 
25  cents  per  share  on  the  capital  stock, 
payable  March  14  to  stockholders  of 
record  March  8,  1943.  The  same 
amount  was  paid  on  Dec.  5,  1942. 


Funeral  Services  for 
Ernest  Koenig  Today 

Ernest  Koenig,  who  was  on  leave  of 
absence  from  the  Universal  Foreign 
Department,  died  Monday  at  the  Will 
Rogers  Sanitarium,  Saranac  Lake,  N 
Y.  Funeral  services  will  be  held  at 
3  p.  m.  today  at  the  Riverside  Mem 
orial  Chapel  here,  it  was  announced. 

He  was  in  the  motion  picture  busi 
ness  since  1925,  having  been  employed 
as  a  sales  executive  at  20th  Century- 
Fox,  Warner  Bros,  and  RKO,  prior 
to  going  to  Universal  in  1937.  He  is 
survived  by  his  widow,  Mrs.  Ray 
monde  Koenig,  one  brother  and  three 
sisters. 


Rose,  Friedman  Back 

London,    Feb.    23. — David  Rose. 
Paramount    managing    director  for 
Britain,  and.  Joseph  Friedman,  Colum 
bia  managing  director,  have  arrived. 


Theatres  Fight  N.H. 
30-Day  Availability 


Concord,  N.  H.,  Feb.  23. — Maine  & 
New  Hampshire  Theatres  Corp.,  Par- 
amount affiiliate  with  interests 
throughout  New  Hampshire,  was  rep- 
resented at  a  hearing  today  on  the 
proposed  bill  to  make  all  pictures 
available  to  subsequent  runs  30  days 
after  their  first  showing  in  the  state. 

Joseph  Brennan  of  Maine  &  New 
Hampshire,  who  also  is  secretary  of 
Allied  Theatres  of  Massachusetts,  ap- 
peared to  testify  against  enactment  of 
the  measure  with  other  industry  offi- 
cials. Among  others  who  appeared 
at  the  hearing  were:  David  Palfrey- 
man  of  the  MPPDA,  New  York; 
Frank  Eldredge  of  Maine  &  New 
Hampshire  Theatres ;  Eddie  Grainger, 
general  manager  of  the  Shea  Circuit, 
which  has  theatres  at  Manchester,  N. 
H. ;  Edward  Fain  of  Interstate  The- 
atres, with  operations  at  Laconia,  N. 
H. ;  Thomas  Donaldson  of  M-G-M- 
Boston,  and  John  Dervin,  United 
United  Artists  Boston  branch  man- 
ager. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President!;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


Wednesday,  February  24,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


5 


Boston  Gives 
'Andy  Hardy9 
Top  $44,000 


Reviews 


"The  Mysterious  Doctor' 

(  Warners) 

\  HEADLESS  ghost,  haunting  a  tin  mine  in  Scotland,  provides  the 
major  horror  in  "The  Mysterious  Doctor"  and  makes  the  film 
unsuitable  for  children.  For  audiences  that  like  their  mysteries  grisly, 
this  should  fill  the  bill.  The  terror  plus  the  timely  background  of  En- 
gland at  war  are  opportunities  for  exploitation. 

John  Loder  as  Sir  Harry  Leland  is  the  smooth  villain  whose  Nazi 
identity  is  saved  for  the  final  scenes.  Lester  Matthews  plays  the  title 
role  and  Matt  Willis  is  sufficiently  scarey  as  the  village  idiot.  The  ro- 
mantic leads  are  carried  by  Eleanor  Parker,  playing  the  niece  of  a 
masked  innkeeper,  and  Bruce  Lester  as  the  soldier  assigned  to  get  work- 
ers to  the  unused  mine. 

When  a  headless  body  is  found  in  the  Wickham  mine,  villagers  are 
convinced  it  is  Matthews  and  are  even  more  frightened  than  ever  to 
enter  the  pit  to  excavate  metal  needed  for  the  war.  Willis  is  accused 
of  the  murder,  but  escapes  to  discover  with  Miss  Parker  that  Loder  is 
the  real  killer  commissioned  by  the  Nazis  to  keep  the  mine  idle.  Then 
it  is  discovered  that  Matthews  is  a  government  agent  and  was  masquer- 
ading as  the  innkeeper,  murdered  because  his  identity  was  mistaken  for 
the  doctor's. 

All  of  the  players  succeed  in  sustaining  the  sinister  effects  of  the 
original  screenplay  by  Richard  Weil.  Ben  Stoloff  directed.  Forrester 
Harvey  is  excellent  as  the  village  drunk  and  Frank  Mayo  does  well  as 
the  hooded  innkeeper  whose  face  has  been  horribly  disfigured  by  a  dyna- 
mite explosion.  The  entire  production  was  keyed  to  the  dismal  theme 
with  a  background  of  fog,  deserted  mine  and  spookey  inn. 

Running  time,  57  minutes.  "A."* 


"The  Ape  Man99 

{Monogram) 

Hollyzvood,  Feb.  23 

CUSTOMERS  who  apply  themselves  to  the  business  of  being  fright- 
ened are  called  upon  here  to  work  at  the  job  with  more  vigor  than 
commonly,  not  because  Bela  Lugosi  fails  to  exert  his  talent  for  horror 
to  the  utmost,  but  because  action  and  wordage  impede  his  performance. 

Those  in  support  of  Lugosi  this  time,  none  impressively,  are  Louise 
Currie,  Wallace  Ford,  Henry  Hall,  Minerva  Urecal,  Emil  Van  Horn, 
J.  Farrell  MacDonald,  Wheeler  Oakman,  Ralph  Littlefield,  Jack  Mul- 
hall,  and  Charles  Jordan. 

The  script  by  Barney  Sarecky,  from  "They  Creep  In  the  Night,"  by 
Karl  Brown,  presents  the  case  of  a  scientist  who  has  turned  himself  into 
an  ape-man  by  means  of  chemistry  and  requires  spinal  fluid  from  a  liv- 
ing person,  who  must  die  to  give  it,  as  a  corrective.  The  scientist  and  a 
real  ape  commit  some  murders  to  get  the  fluid,  which  doesn't  work  save 
temporarily  when  they  get  it,  and  the  ape  kills  the  ape-man  at  the  end. 

Production  is  by  Sam  Katzman  and  Jack  Dietz,  with  direction  by 
William  Beaudine,  Sarecky  functioning  also  as  associate  director.  The 
film  does  not  represent  them  at  their  best. 
Running  time,  64  minutes.   "G."*  William  R.  Weaver 


Boston,  Feb.  23. — Theatre  attend- 
ance suffered  early  in  the  week  from 
of  the  bitterest  cold  waves  in  the 
"Syy's  history,  but  rebounded  toward 
the  end  with  return  of  milder  weather. 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life,"  playing 
simultaneous   runs   at   Loew's  State 
|     and  Orpheum,  aided  by  the  fact  that 
it  was  the  only  new  picture  competing 
with  holdovers,  looked  good  for  a  com- 
bined $44,000.    "Power  of  the  Press" 
was  the  second  feature  on  the  pro- 
gram. 

Holdover  business  at  other  houses 
was  good.  "Commandos  Strike  at 
Dawn"  and  a  stage  revue  appeared 
certain  to  give  Keith's  Boston  a  big 
$29,000  second  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  24: 

"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 
"Power  of  the  Press"  (Col.) 

LOEW'S  ORPHEUM — (3,000)  (35c-50c- 
60c)  7  days.  Gross:  $30,000.  (Average, 
$19,500) 

"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 
"Power  of  the  Press"  (Col.) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (2,900)  (35c-50c-60c)  7 
days.  Gross:  $14,000.  (Average,  $14,000) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

RKO  KEITH  BOSTON — (2,679)  (44c-55c- 
65c-85c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Stage:  Latin 
Quarter  Revue,  including  Buster  West, 
Lucille  Page,  Ben  Beri,  Wally  Wanger 
Girls  and  Jack  Marshall.  Gross:  $29,000. 
(Average,  $25,000) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Strictly  in  the  Groove"  (Univ.) 

RKO  MEMORIAL— (2,907)  (44c-55c-75c) 
7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $14,500.  (Aver- 
age, $20,000) 

"The  Black  Swam"  (20th-Fox) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (zOth-Fox) 

METROPOLITAN  —  (4,367)  (30c-40c-55c 
65c)    7   days,   2nd    week.     Final   week  of 
"Dr.    I.    Q."    on    stage,    Monday  evening 
only.    Gross:  $27,000.    (Average,  $24,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.B.) 

PARAMOUNT— (1,797)  (33c-44c-60c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $7,000.  (Average, 
58,000) 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.B.) 

FENWAY— (1,320)  (33c-44c-60c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $5,000.  (Average,  $6,- 
000) 

"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"Army  Surgeon"  (W.B.) 

SCOLLAY—  (2,500)    (33c-40c-60c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $5,000) 
"One  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
"Army  Surgeon,"  (W.B.) 

MODERN— (900)     (33c-40c-60c)     7  days. 
Gross:   $5,000.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"Kid  Dynamite"  (Mono.) 
"Jail  House  Blues"  (Univ.) 

TRANSLUX— (900)      (17c-28c-44c-55c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $5,500.     (Average,  $5,000) 
"Saludos  Amigos"  (RKO) 
"Squadron  Leader  X"  (RKO) 

MAJESTIC— (1,5251  (28c-40c-65c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $2,000. 


No  Schine  Changes 
In  Month  Reported 

Buffalo,  Feb.  23. — No  additional 
divestitures  of  Schine  theatres  were 
made  in  the  period  from  Jan.  19  to 
Feb.  19  under  the  stand-still  agree- 
ment with  the  Government  entered 
into  last  year  which  deferred  action 
in  the  Federal  anti-trust  suit  against 
the  circuit  and  the  "Little  Three,"  ac- 
cording to  the  monthly  report  filed  in 
Federal  district  court  here  by  Willard 
C.  McKay,  Schine  counsel. 

The  agreement  requires  Schine  to 
attempt  to  dispose  of  a  total  of  16 
theatres  by  May  24,  10  of  which  have 
been  disposed  of.  The  remainder  may 
be  acquired  by  independent  exhibitors 
operating  less  than  IS  theatres.  The 
Government  agreed  not  to  prosecute 
the  suit  during  the  12  months  period 
while  the  divesture  effort  is  under  way. 


*"A"  denotes  adult  classification. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 

Canadian  Film  Board 
Report  Announced 

Toronto,  Ont.,  Feb.  23.— According 
to  official  returns  by  War  Services 
Minister  LaFleche,  expenditures  of  the 
National  Film  Board  since  April  1st, 
1942,  totalled  $1,176,661.  In  less  than 
11  months,  the  board  produced  76 
short  subjects,  46  news  clips  and  trail- 
ers, and  18  newsreels,  the  latter  in 
French  for  the  French-Canadian  sec- 
tions of  Canada. 


Rabb  Made  Chief  Booker 

Springfield,  Mass.,  Feb.  23. — George 
Rabb,  manager  of  the  Suffolk  The- 
atre, Holyoke,  has  been  appointed 
chief  booker  of  Liberty  Theatre 
Corp.,  it  was  announced  by  William 
Powell,  general  manager.  Rabb  will 
make  his  headquarters  at  the  circuit's 
Boston  office. 


Safety  Study  of  N.Y. 
Buildings  Proposed 

Albany,  Feb.  23. — Formation  of  a 
special  legislative  committee  to  study 
safety  conditions  and  fire  hazards  in 
places  of  public  amusement  is  pro- 
posed in  a  resolution  introduced  by 
Assemblywoman   Edith   C.  Chenney. 

An  appropriation  of  $15,000  for  the 
committee's  work  is  proposed.  The 
group  would  consist  of  three  members 
of  the  senate  and  four  of  the  assembly 
and  its  work  would  consist  of  an  in- 
vestigation of  conditions  having  to  do 
with  fire  hazards,  local  safety  ordi- 
nances, building  construction  and  pro- 
visions of  the  standard  building  code. 


Justice  Catches  Up 

New  Haven,  Feb.  23. — For  robbing 
the  Roger  Sherman  here  of  $1,450 
more  than  10  years  ago,  John  Grady, 
alias  John  Ryan,  alias  John  O'Brien, 
was  found  guilty  and  is  held  under 
bond  of  $7,500.  He  was  returned  here 
from  Ohio  State  Reformatory. 


Wash.  Grosses 
Soar;  'Doodle' 
Hits  $24,000 

Washington,  Feb.  23. — Washing- 
ton's Birthday,  plus  the  general 
boomtown  atmosphere,  has  hiked  the- 
atre grosses  up  to  a  point  where  every 
theatre  in  the  Capital  is  a  bonanza. 
"Palm  Beach  Story,"  at  Loew's  Co- 
lumbia, caused  the  walls  to  stretch 
with  a  terrific  gross  of  $8,500,  helped 
to  some  extent  by  a  jump  in  admis- 
sion prices  from  28c  to  30c  matinees 
and  from  44c  to  50c  evenings.  An- 
other theatre  that  tilted  its  prices  is 
the  Earle,  which  did  a  sensational 
$24,000  for  the  return  engagement 
of  "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  at  in- 
creased prices  of  40c,  50c,  75c  and 
90c,  from  former  tariffs  of  39c,  44c, 
66c  and  75c. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  February  25 : 

"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

Ciro  Rimac  and  orchestra;  Bob  Dupont  on 
stage 

LOEW'S  CAPITOL—  (3,434)  (28c-39c-44c- 
66c)  7  days.  Gross:  $20,000.  (Average, 
$19,000) 

"Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

LOEW'S  COLUMBIA— (1,234)  (30c-50c), 
7  days,  2nd  week  downtown.  Gross:  $8,- 
500.     (Average,  $5,200) 

"Yankee   Doodle  Dandy"   (W.B.)  (Return 

engagement) 
The  Barrys;  The  Oxford  Boys  cm  stage 

EARLE— (2,210)     (30c-40c-50c-75c-90c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $24,000.    (Average,  $15,500) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

RKO-KEITH'S--(l,8C0)  (40c-50c-6Sc)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $19,000.  (Average, 
$11,200) 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (3rd  down- 
town week) 

METROPOLITAN— (1,600)      (30c-44c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $6,000.     (Average,  $4,250) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.)  2nd  week 

LOEW'S  PALACE-(2,242)  (28c-5Sc)  7 
days.    Gross:  $15,000.    (Average,  $15,750) 


'Life,9  Show  Collect 
Big  $16,000,  Indpls. 


Indianapolis,  Feb.  23. — "Life  Be- 
gins at  8:30"  and  Glen  Gray  and  his 
Casa  Loma  Orchestra  on  the  stage 
was  headed  for  a  $16,000  week  at  the 
Circle  to  top  box-office  receipts  here. 
Loew's,  with  "Random  Harvest" 
playing  alone,  was  expected  to  do  $13,- 
500.  In  its  second  week  at  the  Indi- 
ana, "Star-Spangled  Rhythm"  will  net 
an  estimated  $10,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  23-25 : 

"Life  Begins  at  8:30"  (2(rth-Fox) 

CIRCLE— (2,800)     (33c-44c-55c)     7  days. 
Stage  Show :  Glen  Gray  and  his  Casa  Loma 
Orchestra.    Gross:  $16,000.    (Average,  $15,- 
000  for  screen -stage  show) 
"Star-Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

INDIANA— (3,200)  (33c-44c-55c)  7  days. 
Second  week.  (Gross:  $10,000.  (Average, 
$7,000) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S— (2,800)     (33c-44c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $13,500.     (Average,  $7,000) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 
"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 

LYRIC— (2,000)  (28c-33c-44c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $4,500.    (Average,  $4,500) 


Copyright  Action  Heard 

Decision  was  reserved  recently  by 
Federal  Judge  Edward  A.  Conger  in 
the  copyright  infringement  action 
brought  by  Jewel  Music  Publishing 
Co.,  against  Leo  Feist,  Inc.,  based  on 
the  song,  "Drummer  Boy,"  used  in  the 
M-G-M  picture  "Strike  Up  the 
Band." 


TERRIFIC  HOLDOVER  GRt 


Third  tremendous  week  in  San  ] 
Sensational  showing  at  FOUR  $J 

{Chinese,  Carthay  Circle, fyew's  State 


rafters -business 


and  half  a  dozen  other  spots . . . '. 
runs  all  over  the  country  this 


mMci  mm 


CISCO . ... 


in  Io$  Angeles.. 
dRifc] ....  Hanging-  on-the- 
ton ,  Columbus,  Dayton,  Buffalo 

ady  to  do  the  same  in  fee/ 
ek  and  next . 


presents 


606 JTOPE  »<»%£AM0UR 


K'  Erected  byJ)AV\T)  BUTLER 

 .  Screen  Play  by  harrv  kurmit? 


DISTPlRUTFn  RV 


8 


MOTION  PICTURE  DAILY 


Wednesday,  February  24,  1943 


Mild  Weather  and 


Holiday  Boost  Pitt. 
Takes;  Grosses  Big 


Pittsburgh,  Feb.  23. — With  spring- 
like weather  coaxing  people  away 
from  the  home  fires,  and  Washing- 
ton's Birthday  to  bring  in  the  school 
crowds,  theatre  attendance  in  general 
went  above  average.  Leader  was 
"Random  Harvest,"  at  the  Penn  for 
a  healthy  $22,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  23-25 : 

"Immortal  Sergeant"  (Zttth-Fox) 

FULTON—  (1,700)    (30c-40c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $10,000.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 

HARRIS— (2,200)     (30c-40c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $9,500.     (Average,  $9,200) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

P'ENN — (3,400)      (30c-40c-55c)      7  days. 
Gross:    $22,000.     (Average,  $17,000) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

RITZ— (1,100)    (30c-40c-55c)    7    days,  3rd 
week   (moveover  from  Penn  via  Warner). 
Gross:  $3,500.    (Average,  $2,600) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (20th-Fox) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (Stth-Fox) 

SENATOR— (1,750)    (30c-40c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $2,500.     (Average,  $2,400) 
"The  Powers  Girl"  (U.A.) 

STANLEY— (3,800)  (30c-40c-55c-65c).  On 
stage,  6  days:  Lawrence  Welk's  orchestra, 
Dennis  Morgan.  Gross:  $22,000.  (Average, 
$20,000) 

"Yankee   Doodle   Dandy"  (W.B.) 

WARNER— (2,000)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week  (moveover  from  Penn).  Gross: 
$8,000.    (Average,  $6,500) 


'Yankee'  Heads  for 
Big  $14,000,  Montreal 

Montreal,  Feb.  23.  —  Tempera- 
tures, which  during  last  week's  cold 
spell,  plunged  to  37  degrees  below 
zero  in  the  Montreal  area,  relaxed 
this  week  and  permitted  better  box- 
office  business.  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy"  at  Loew's,  judging  from 
week-end  trade,  is  expected  to  lead 
the  city  with  about  $14,000  in  its  first 
week.  "In  Which  We  Serve"  at  the 
Orpheum  in  its  second  week,  is  still 
high,  with  $4,500  expected. 

Estimated    receipts    for   the  week 
ending  February  25 : 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

ORPHEUM— (1,100)  (30c-40c-60c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $4,500.  (Average,  $3,500) 
"Yankee   Doodle   Dandy"  (W.B.) 

LOEW'S— (2,900)     (35c-53c-67c)     7  days. 
Gross:   $14,000.     (Average,  $7,000) 
"The  Mummy's  Tomb"  (Univ) 
"Night   Monster"  (Univ.) 

PRINCESS— (2,200)    (30c-40c-52c)   7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $3,500.    (Average,  $3,500) 
"Thunderbirds"  (20th-Fox) 
"That  Other  Woman"  (2ftth-Fox) 

CAPITOL— (2,700)    (30c-45c-62c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $7,000.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 

PALACE— (2,700)  (30c-45c-62c)  7  days. 
Gross:   $9,500.     (Average,  $7,000) 


Tradeshowings  of  4 
RKO  Pictures  Listed 

Key  city  tradeshowings  of  four 
RKO  Radio  pictures  were  announced 
yesterday  by  Ned  Depinet,  president 
of  the  company.  "I  Walked  With  a 
Zombie,"  and  "Ladies  Day"  will  be 
tradeshown  March  15,  except  St. 
Louis  where  the  date  has  been  set 
for  March  16.  "This  Land  Is  Mine" 
and  "The  Falcon  Strikes  Back"  will 
be  tradeshown  March  16  in  key  cities, 
except  St.  Louis  where  both  will  be 
shown  March  17,  and  New  York 
where  "The  Falcon  Strikes  Back"  will 
be  shown  March  17. 


4Serve,'$  23,000,  in 
Good  Week  at  Gin. 


Cincinnati,  Feb.  23. — A  strong 
opening  for  "In  Which  We  Serve" 
indicates  a  $23,000  week  at  the  RKO 
Albee,  while  "Star  Spangled  Rhythm" 
continues  to  click  on  a  second  move- 
over  week  at  the  RKO  Shubert, 
where  a  $9,000  gross  is  indicated. 
"Random  Harvest"  is  piling  up  around 
$8,000  in  its  third  week  at  the  RKO 
Capitol  at  an  advanced  scale,  and 
"The  Great  Gildersleeve,"  dualed  with 
"We  Are  the  Marines"  is  doing  $6,000 
at  the  RKO  Grand.  Milder  weather 
and  the  semi-observance  of  the  Mon- 
day holiday  helped  business  somewhat. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  25-27: 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

RKO1  ALBEE— (3,300)    (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $23,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (20th- 

Fox) 

RKO1  PALACE— (2,700)  (33c-40c-44c-50c)  7 
days.     Gross:   $8,500.     (Average,  $12,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

RKO  SHUBERT— (2,150)  (33c-40c-44c-55c) 
7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Aver- 
age, $4,500) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

RKO   CAPITOL—  (2,000)  (40c-44c-50c-60c) 
7  days,  3rd  week.    Gross:  $8,000.  (Average, 
at  33c-40c-44c-55c,  $5,500) 
"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 
"We  Are  the  Marines"  (20th-F'ox) 

RKO  GRAND— (1,500)  (33c-40c-44c-S5c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $6,000.     (Average,  $5,000) 
"Wings  and  the  Woman"  (RKO) 
"Meet  the  Stewarts"  (Col.) 

RKO  LYRIC— (1,400)  (30c-33c-44c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $4,800.     (Average,  $4,000) 
"Haunted  Ranch"  (Mono.) 
"You  Can't  Beat  the  Law"  (Mono.) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)   (20c-30c)  4  days. 
Gross:  $1,400.    (Average,  $1,400) 
"Moonlight  in  Havana"  (Univ.) 
"The  Avenger"  (Para.) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)  (20c-30c)  3  days. 
Gross:  $800.     (Average,  $800) 
"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

KEITH'S— (1,500)  (33c -40c -44c -55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $4,000.  (Average,  $5,- 
000) 


Warm  Weather  Aids 


Cleveland  Boxoffice 


Cleveland,  Feb.  23.  —  Warmer 
weather  is  giving  all  key  houses  larg- 
er attendances.  "Random  Harvest" 
proved  to  be  one  of  the  season's  best 
grossers  for  Loew's  State,  two  days  of 
near  sell-outs  indicating  a  vigorous 
$25,000.  Guy  Lombardo's  orchestra 
is  the  Palace's  big  magnet  that  gave 
"Margin  for  Error"  a  strong  push 
up  to  $25,000.  "Hitler's  Children" 
at  the  Hipp  stood  to  collect  a  satisfac- 
tory $15,000  and  was  moved  to  the 
Allen  for  a  third  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  25-26: 

"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

ALLEN—  (3,000)  (35c-40c-45c-55c)  7  days, 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Average,  $5,000) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

WARNER'S     HIPPODROME  —  (3,800) 
(35c-40c-45c-55c)    7    days.      Gross:  $15,500. 
(Average,  $13,000) 
"Chetniks"  (2flth-Fox) 

WARNER'S    LAKE— (8C0)  (35c-40c-45c- 
55c)    7    days,    2nd    week.      Gross:  $2,400. 
(Average,  $2,000) 
"Margin  for  Error"  (20th-Fo(x) 

RKO'  PALACE—  (3,700)  (45c -50c -55c -65c- 
75c-85c).  Stage:  Guv  Lombardo's  Orches- 
tra, 7  days.  Gross:  $26,000.  (Average,  $17,- 
000) 

"Riwlm  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (3.450)  (35c-40c-45c- 
55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $25,000.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"An-lv  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 

LOWS  STILLM  AN— (2,700)  (35c -40c- 
45c-55c)  7  davs.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $6,000. 
(Average,  $6,500) 


SWG  Moves  to  Cut 
Agent  Commissions 

Hollywood,  Feb.  23.— The 
Screen  Writers  Guild  has  re- 
vived the  agency  franchise 
plan  in  a  move  to  reduce 
agency  commissions  below  10 
per  cent.  The  guild  has  called 
a  mass  meeting  of  members 
for  March  1  to  open  the  way 
for  negotiations  with  the  Art- 
ists-Managers Guild.  The  SWG 
franchise  project  is  similar  to 
that  of  the  Screen  Actors 
Guild.  A  bulletin  to  members 
announcing  the  meeting  point- 
ed to  the  possibility  of  the 
SWG  establishing  its  own 
agency  service  for  writers  as 
an  alternative  under  discus- 
sion. 


Capacity  Business 
In  Baltimore  Week 


Baltimore,  Feb.  23. — The  first 
touch  of  springlike  weather  this  season 
brought  capacity  business  to  theatres. 
Results  were  the  biggest  grosses  in 
weeks.  Top  honors  went  to  "Ran- 
dom Harvest"  which  scored  $25,000  at 
the  Century,  and  "The  Amazing  Mrs. 
Holliday,"  which  opened  on  Washing- 
ton's Birthday  at  Keith's  and  took 
|9,000  in  four  days. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  25 : 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

CENTURY — (3,000)  (40c-50c  and  55c 
weekends)  7  days.  Gross:  $25,000.  (Aver- 
age, $12,000) 

"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 

KEITH'S— (2,406)  (15c-28c-33c-44c  and  55c 
weekends.    4  days.    Gross:  $9,000.  (Aver- 
age weekly,  $10,000) 
"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th-Fox) 

NEW— (1,581)  (15c-28c-35c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average,  $8,- 
000) 

"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

STANLEY— (3,280)      (28c -39c -44c -55c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.    Gross:  $14,000.  (Average, 
$13,000)  * 
"Journey  Into  Fear"  (RKO) 

HI  PPODROM  E— (2,205 )  (28c-  39c  -44c  -  55c  - 
66c)  7  days.  Stage:  Charles  Spivak  and 
Orchestra;  also  Borrah  Minnevitch  &  Har- 
monica Rascals.  Gross:  $19,500.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"No  Place  for  a  Lady"  (Col.) 

MARYLAND—  (1,300)    (39c-66c)    7  days. 
Stage:    Ray    Kinney's    "Salute   from  Ha- 
wai."    Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

MAYFAIR— (1,000)  (20c-40c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.     Gross:  $6,000.     (Average,  $6,000) 

3  Hired,  1  Promoted 
In  'U'  Publicity  Dep't 

Hank  Linet,  of  Universal's  home 
office  publicity  department,  has  been 
promoted  to  be  executive  assistant  to 
Maurice  Bergman,  Eastern  advertising 
and  publicity  manager,  John  Joseph, 
national  director,  announced  yester- 
day. 

Three  additions  to  the  home  office 
staff  also  announced  by  Joseph  are : 
Morris  Abrahams,  formerly  of 
M-G-M ;  Irving  Golder,  former  em- 
ploye of  an  advertising  agency,  and 
Robert  Ungerfeld.  Linet  will  have  su- 
pervision of  the  field  advertising  force 
and  will  continue  as  trade  paper  con- 
tact. 


Registers  as  Lobbyist 

Hartford,  Feb.  23.  —  Herman  M. 
Levy  of  New  Haven  has  registered 
with  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of 
State  at  Hartford,  as  lobbyist  for  the 
Motion  Picture  Theatre  Operators  of 
Connecticut  and  the  Johnson  Whole- 
sale Perfume  Company  of  Hamden. 


'Harvest'  Grosses 


Terrific  $23,700 
In  Buffalo  Bow 


Buffalo,  Feb.  23. — "Random  Har- 
vest" seems  destined  for  a  long  stay 
here,  its  first  week  being  expected  to 
gross  more  than  double  the  average 
at  the  Great  Lakes.  "Star  Spang'  ^ 
Rhythm"  was  expected  to  gross  $\\ 
700  at  the  Buffalo  in  a  second  weeK. 
Others  were  off,  but  "Andy  Hardy's 
Double  Life"  remained  good  in  a  sec- 
ond week  at  the  Hippodrome  with 
$9,200. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  27: 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Time  to  Kill"   1 20th -Fox) 

BUFFALO— (3,489)  (35c-55c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $16,700.     (Average,  $15,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

GREAT  LAKES— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $23,700.    (Average,  $10,800) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.B.) 

HIPPODROME— (2,100)  (35c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week  downtown.  Gross:  $9,200.  (Aver- 
age, $8,500) 

"Tarzan    Triumphs"  (RKO) 
"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

TWENTIETH  CENTURY— (3,000)  (35c- 
55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $6,200.  (Average,  $8,- 
500) 

"Something  to  Shout  About"  (Col.) 
"Parachute  Nurse"  (Col.) 

LAFAYETTE— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:    $8,000.     (Average,  $8,000) 


Holdovers  Strong; 
Aid  Toronto  Gross 


Toronto,  Feb.  23. — "In  Which  We 
Serve"  drew  an  estimated  $17,500  for 
the  second  week  at  Loew's  Theatre, 
with  a  belated  cold  snap  putting  a 
check  on  patronage  for  a  day  or  two. 
"Thunder  Birds"  was  expected  to 
reach  $15,000  at  the  Imperial  Theatre 
in  the  midst  of  holdovers  at  three  op- 
position houses.  "Springtime  in  the 
Rockies"  looked  headed  for  $12,000  in 
its  third  week  at  Shea's,  while  "Shad- 
ow of  a  Doubt"  promised  $8,000  for 
the  third  week  at  Uptown. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  25 : 

"The  Common  Touch"  (Br.) 

EGLINTON— (1,086)     (18c-30c-48c-60c)  6 
days.     Gross:  $5,500.     (Average.  $4,500) 
"Thunder  Birds"  (20th-Fox) 

IMPERIAL— (3,373)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c) 
6  days.  Gross:  $15,000.  (Average,  $10,500) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

LOEW'S— (2,074)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-78c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $17,500.  (Average, 
$10,000) 

"Springtime  in  the  Rockies"  (20th-Fox) 

SHEA'S— (2,480)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $12,000.  ((Average, 
$11,000) 

"My  Heart  Belongs  to  Daddy"  (Para.) 
"Seven   Days   Leave"    (RKO)  (Moveover) 

TTVOLI—  (1,434)     (18c-30c-48c)     6  days. 
Gross:  $4,800.    (Average,  $4,200) 
"Shadow  of  a  Doubt?'  (Univ.) 

UPTOWN— (2,761)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c) 
6  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $8,000.  (Aver- 
age, $9,500) 


British  Industry  in 
Big  War  Fund  Drive 

London,  Feb.  23. — The  industry 
committee  which  is  collecting  invest- 
ments for  "Wings  for  Victory"  week, 
starting  March  6,  has  collected  $5,400,- 
000  of  its  $20,000,000  goal,  J.  Arthur 
Rank,  head  of  the  committee,  an- 
nounced. All  circuits  have  contributed 
$100,000  each. 

Until  the  American  companies  have 
decided  and  announced  the  amounts  i 
they  will  invest  in  the  funds  for  war  |: 
bonds  and  national  savings  a  forecast  j 
of  the  total  industry  collection  is  im-  [ 
possible. 


Wednesday,  February  24,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


9 


Arthur  A.  Lee 
Believed  Lost 
In  Plane  Crash 


British  Newsreels 
May  Realize  Half 
Of  Raw  Stock  Cut 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

the  Clipper  and  who  are  reported 
cing  were  Roy  Rognan,  dancer, 
^T.  Tamara  Swan,  singer.  They 
were  members  of  a  USO-Camp 
Shows  troupe  en  route  to  England  to 
entertain  service  men.  The  other 
members  of  their  party  were :  Mrs. 
Loraine  Rognan,  dancer ;  Jane  Fro- 
man,  radio  singer ;  Elsie  Harris  Sil- 
ver, known  as  Yvette,  singer ;  Grace 
Drysdale,  puppeteer,  and  Gypsy  Mark- 
off,  singer.  The  latter  five  were  re- 
ported saved.  Frank  J.  Cuhel,  Mu- 
tual network  commentator  on  his  way 
to  the  North  African  theatre  of  op- 
erations, was  not  listed  among  the 
survivors,  the  network  reported. 

Lee  was  en  route  to  London  on 
business  and  to  visit  his  son,  Wil- 
liam, 21  years  old,  who  has  been  in 
England  with  the  Royal  Canadian 
Air  Force  for  almost  a  year.  Lee 
has  represented  British  producers  in 
this  country  for  the  past  several 
years  and  imported  British  films  for 
distribution  here.  Other  members  of 
his  family  include  his  wife,  Mrs.  Mary 
Lee,  and  daughter,  Betty,  19. 

Lee  became  associated  with  the  in- 
dustry in  1912.  He  served  with  Gen- 
eral Film  Co.  in  Canada,  then  or- 
ganized branches  in  this  country  for 
Picture  Playhouse  Film  Co.,  later 
joining  the  Gaumont  Co.  of  New 
York.  He  headed  Gaumont  British 
Picture  Corp.  of  America  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  and,  after  resigning  in 
April,  1940,  formed  the  Artlee  Corp. 


W.B.  Quarter  Net 


Profit  $1,723,383 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

fore  Federal  income  and  excess  profits 
taxes  was  $6,173,383,  compared  with 
$3,079,601  for  the  corresponding  pe- 
riod of  the  preceding  fiscal  year. 
Gross  income  for  the  period  was 
$30,111,163,  compared  with  $28,586,534. 
An  additional  provision  for  contin- 
gencies in  the  amount  of  $325,000  was 
made  during  the  first  quarter  in  re- 
spect of  net  assets  of  foreign  sub- 
sidiaries. 

Cash  in  the  United  States  as  of 
!  Nov.  28,  1942,  was  reported  at 
$12,274,793  after  appropriating  $3,197,- 
909  for  payment  of  six  per  cent  de- 
bentures called  for  redemption  Dec. 
18,  1942.  Cash  as  of  Aug.  31,  1942, 
amounted  to  $9,550,223. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

tarily,  it  is  believed  here  that  legisla- 
tion reducing  their  raw  stock  con- 
sumption by  12%  per  cent  will  be 
forthcoming  and  the  rest  of  the  indus- 
try will  be  left  to  adopt  measures  to 
effect  the  other  12%  per  cent  saving. 
These  measures  are  expected  to  in- 
clude reductions  of  the  positive  foot- 
age now  allocated  to  distributors  and 
further  reductions  in  the  number  of 
prints  in  use  to  be  accomplished  by 
authorized  bicycling. 

Informal  talks  have  been  held  by 
exhibitors  and  distributors  concerning 
possible  changes  in  the  release  system 
and  the  advisability  of  reducing  play- 
ing time  in  order  to  offset  the  effects 
of  the  reduced  raw  stock  allocations 
to  distributors. 

The  Kinematograph  Renters  Soci- 
ety met  with  the  Board  of  Trade  on 
the  raw  stock  situation  today,  and 
will  meet  jointly  with  the  Cinemato- 
graph Exhibitors  Asociation  and 
and  newsreel  representatives  on 
Thursday. 

At  today's  meeting  an  agreement 
was  reached  by  the  Board  of  Trade 
and  the  K.R.S.  on  the  machinery  for 
allocating  raw  stock  when  the  reduc- 
tions are  imposed. 


Roosevelt  Speaks 
On  Radio  Sunday 

President  Roosevelt  will 
speak  over  the  four  major 
networks  at  4:15  p.m.  next 
Sunday,  it  was  announced  yes- 
terday. He  will  be  introduced 
by  Norman  Davis,  President 
of  the  American  Red  Cross. 

Gen.  Dwight  D.  Eisenhower, 
Commander  of  the  Allied 
forces  in  North  Africa,  and 
Admiral  Chester  Nimitz,  Com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  Pacific 
fleet,  are  scheduled  to  speak 
on  the  same  program.  Gen. 
Eisenhower  will  speak  from 
North  Africa,  and  Admiral 
Nimitz  from  a  base  in  the 
Pacific. 


NAB  to  Study 
48-Hour  Work 
Week  Effects 


20th-Fox  Meet  in 
Chicago  Tomorrow 


Over  $1,500,000 

Seen  for  '43  'Dimes 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

five-day  collections  of  $97,240,  against 
$60,385  for  the  same  period  last  year. 
Loew's  New  York  theatres  reported 
$66,034  for  five  days  compared  with 
$61,855  last  year. 

RKO,  Skouras  and  Century  circuits 
report  collections  in  New  York  run- 
ning about  even  with  last  year.  The 
State,  Cleveland,  reported  $4,669;  the 
Orpheum,  Boston,  $4,052,  and  the 
State,  Houston,  $3,996. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

ing  here  today  with  Connors  will  be : 
W.  J.  Kupper,  executive  assistant  to 
Connors ;  A.  W.  Smith,  Jr.,  Eastern 
sales  manager;  W.  C.  Gehring,  West- 
ern sales  manager;  Hal  Home,  Roger 
Ferri,  E.  H.  Collins,  C.  H.  Hill  and 
Francis  A.  Harley,  managing  director 
for  Great  Britain,  and  Otto  W.  Bolle, 
managing  director  for  South  Africa, 
both  of  whom  are  here  for  home  office 
visits. 

Others  who  will  attend  are :  Her- 
man Wobber,  Coast  division  manager  ; 
H.  G.  Ballance,  Southern  division 
manager ;  George  M.  Ballentine,  Coast 
district  manager ;  Edgar  Moss,  At- 
lantic district  manager ;  E.  X.  Calla- 
han, Northeastern  district  manager ; 
J.  J.  Grady,  Mideastern  district  man- 
ager; Paul  S.  Wilson,  Southeastern 
district  manager;  Ward  Scott,  Mid- 
western district  manager  ;.  M.  A.  Levy, 
Prairie  district  manager;  Herman  R. 
Beiersdorf,  Great  Lakes  district  man- 
ager, and  J.  P.  O'Loughlin,  Canadian 
district  manager. 


5-Yr.  Pact  to  Levey 
As  Chief  of  Scophony 

Arthur  Levey  has  been  signed  to  a 
five-year  contract  as  president  and 
general  manager  of  Scophony  Corp.  of 
America,  the  company  recently  formed 
here  by  Television  Productions,  Inc., 
a  subsidiary  of  Paramount,  and  Gen- 
eral Precision  Equipment  Corp.,  fol- 
lowing their  acquisition  of  interests  in 
the  British  television  company,  it  was 
announced  yesterday.  Levey  was  a 
founder  and  is  a  director  of  Sco 
phony,  Ltd.,  of  London. 


Washington,  Feb.  23. — The  Na- 
tional Association  of  Broadcasters' 
labor  and  wage-hour  committees 
met  today  to  consider  the  effect 
upon  the  broadcasting  industry  of 
President  Roosevelt's  order  for  the 
48-hour  week,  and  at  the  suggestion 
of  the  War  Manpower  Commission 
will  make  a  study  of  how  it  would 
affect  broadcasters  and  what  can 
and  cannot  be  done. 

A  WMC  official  told  the  group  that 
his  office  recognizes  that  the  broad 
casting  industry,  like  newspapers  and 
certain  other  activities,  is  not  like  a 
manufacturing  industry  where  machines 
can  be  turned  on  and  off,  and  would 
have  to  be  given  special  consideration 
in  applying  the  order. 

Following  the  conclusion  of  the 
NAB  study  a  conference  will  be  held 
immediately  with  WMC  officials  with 
a  view  to  securing  a  decision  on  ap- 
plication of  the  longer  week  in  broad- 
casting stations. 


Proposals  for 
AFM  Disc  Ban 
End  Rejected 


Proposals  by  the  American  Fed- 
eration of  Musicians  for  settlement 
of  the  ban  on  recordings  were  re- 
jected yesterday  in  a  statement  to 
James  C.  Petrillo,  president  of  the 
union,  signed  by  representatives  of 
12  recording  companies. 

The  message  suggested  the  immedi- 
ate "return  to  work"  of  AFM  mem- 
bers to  make  records  and  transcrip- 
tions "which  are  sorely  needed  for 
both  civilian  and  military  morale," 
pending  Congressional  action  on  Pe- 
trillo's  demands  for  unemployment 
benefits  to  be  paid  all  unemployed 
union  members  who,  he  claims,  would 
be  out  of  work  because  of  transcrib- 
ing activities  by  some  of  the  members. 

In  addition,  the  statement  said,  four 
other  objections  are  apparent  to  the 
proposals.  They  obstruct  technical 
progress,  subsidize  non-employes,  pen- 
alize employment  and  use  of  records, 
and  duplicate  government  relief. 

A  listing  of  seven  fundamental 
questions  raised  in  the  minds  of  those 
signing  the  message  was  also  given. 
These  questions  suggest  that  the 
NLRB,  Treasury  Department  and 
War  Manpower  Commission  would 
have  to  rule  on  Petrillo's  demands,  be- 
side Congress. 


Skouras  Brothers 
Praised  for  Work 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

the  Victory  War  Bond  Booth  plan 
now  used  by  theatres  everywhere. 

Also,  to  coordinate  and  make  more 
effective  the  war  work  of  its  execu- 
tives and  employes,  Skouras  Theatres 
were  the  first  to  establish  a  special 
war  effort  department  in  its  opera- 
tions. 

George  P.  Skouras  is  president  of 
the  circuit.  Spyros  Skouras  is  presi- 
dent of  20th  Centruy-Fox  Film  Corp., 
which  is  not  affiliated  with  Skouras 
Theatres,  the  latter  being  an  indepen- 
dent circuit  owned  by  Metropolitan 
Theatres,  a  division  of  the  United 
Artists  Theatre  circuit. 


$1,255,657  Charity 
By  Variety  Clubs 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

cake,  Columbus ;  Allan  Meritz,  Cin- 
cinnati, O. ;  Harry  C.  Arthur,  Jr., 
St.  Louis,  Mo. ;  John  R.  McPherson, 
Detroit ;  Lester  Zukor,  Cleveland ; 
Robert  Murphy,  Buffalo;  Lou  Gold- 
ing,  Albany;  Carl  Neisse,  Indianapo- 
lis^ Julian  Brylawski,  Washington; 
Maitland  Frosch,  Minneapolis ;  Jack 
Beresin,  Philadelphia ;  Walter  R. 
Greene,  Omaha ;  R.  E.  Griffith,  Dal- 
las ;  Roy  E.  Wells,  Dayton ;  Bernard 
Seman,  Baltimore ;  M.  A.  Lightman, 
Memphis ;  William  K.  Jenkins,  At- 
lanta ;  L.  C.  Griffith,  Oklahoma  City ; 
M.  J.  Mullin,  Boston;  Hech  Everett, 
Charlotte ;  Charles  P.  Skouras,  Los 
Angeles,  and  Johnny  Jones,  Chicago. 


Morfa  on  PRC  Board 

R.  J.  Morfa,  assistant  to  the  chair- 
man of  the  board  of  the  Chesapeake 
&  Ohio  Railroad,  and  formerly  asso- 
ciated with  the  Allegheny  Co.,  has 
been  elected  to  the  board  of  directors 
of  Producers  Releasing  Corp.,  the 
company  announced  yesterday. 


Berlin  Sees  'Army9 
Earning  6  Million 

Irving  Berlin  said  in  a 
radio  broadcast  Sunday  night 
that  he  expects  his  musical 
show,  "This  Is  the  Army,"  to 
net  approximately  $6,000,000 
for  the  Army  Emergency  Re- 
lief Fund.  Nearly  $2,000,000 
was  earned  by  the  road  tour 
of  the  show  and  from  the  ad- 
vance payment  by  Warner 
Bros,  for  the  film  rights,  Ber- 
lin said.  He  said  he  expects 
the  remainder  of  the  $6,000,- 
000  to  come  from  the  motion 
picture  version.  The  radio 
program  and  the  continuity 
of  the  show  was  the  work  of 
Sergt.  Ben  Washer,  publicity 
director  for  "This  Is  the 
Army."  Washer  formerly  was 
publicity  director  for  Samuel 
Goldwyn. 


JJGCffl        "BUCK  SWAU" 


*****  1* 


Jo»n  //ie  industry's  Mr^i  of  Dimes  Drive ...  Feb.  18  fo  Feb.  24 


MO  UN  PICTURE 

DAILY 


nut.  uupy 


First  in 


and 

Impartial 


TiL.  S3.  NO.  37 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  THURSDAY,  FEBRUARY  25,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Renew  Move 
To  Stabilize 
Studio  Labor 


Mass  Meeting  Speakers 
Approve  Project 

Hollywood,  Feb.  24. — A  second 
attempt  to  establish  labor-manage- 
ment machinery  for  the  stabiliza- 
tion of  labor  at  the  studios  was  in- 
augurated last  night  with  a  mass 
meeting  of  about  800  representa- 
tives of  virtually  every  studio  em- 
ploye group,  affiliated  and  indepen- 
dent. 

Due  to  transportation  difficulties, 
War  Manpower  Commission  officials 
were  unable  to  arrive  to  address  the 
meeting,  as  scheduled.  Mary  Mc- 
Call,  Jr.,  of  the  Screen  Writers  Guild, 
was  chairman. 

The  meeting  heard  Y.  Frank  Free- 
man, president  of  the  Association  of 
Motion  Picture  Producers ;  Paul 
Dodd,  vice-chairman  of  the  War  La- 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


WAC  Theatres  Unit 
Discusses  Program 

Discussion  of  the  essential  status  of 
leatre  employes  in  relation  to  that 
the  industry  as  a  whole  was  dis- 
ussed  at  length  yesterday  at  the  meet- 
tig  of  the  executive  committee  of  the 
theatres  division,  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee. 

Results  of  the  discussion  were  not 
disclosed  up  to  the  time  the  executive 
committee  began  a  night  session  last 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


Posters  Advertising 
'The  Outlaw'  Banned 

San  Francisco,  Feb.  24. — 
Municipal  Judge  Clarence 
Morris  has  ordered  the  imme- 
diate removal  of  sexy  bill  pos- 
ters here  advertising  the  film, 
"The  Outlaw,"  ruling  that  fail- 
ure to  comply  with  the  order 
would  result  in  jail  sentences 
for  those  connected  with  the 
venture,  rather  than  fines. 
Police  and  the  District  Attor- 
ney had  threatened  Russell 
Birdwell,  publicist  for  the  pic- 
ture, and  representatives  of 
the  poster  firm  with  arrest 
before  the  judge  had  issued 
his  order. 


Weshner  Resigns; 
Lazarus  Reported 
Successor  at  U.A. 


By  SAM  SHAIN 

Paul  N.  Lazarus,  Jr.,  will  shortly 
be  named  to  the  post  of  director  of 
advertising  and  publicity  of  United 
Artists,  it  is  reported.  Lazarus  will 
succeed  David  E.  Weshner,  whose 
resignation,  effective  March  5,  was 
announced  yesterday  by  Gradwell  L. 
Sears,  vice-president  in  charge  of  dis- 
tribution. 

Lazarus  is  presently  associated  with 
the  Buchanam  Advertising  Agency. 
He  was  formerly  with  Warner  Bros., 
and  was  president  of  the  Associated 
Motion  Picture  Advertisers  in  1939- 
40. 

Weshner,  whom  Lazarus  will  suc- 
ceed, has  been  with  U.  A.  two  years, 
after  serving_  13  years  with  Warner 
Bros,  in  various  executive  capacities 
in  the  advertising  and  publicity  de- 
partment as  well  as  in  theatre  opera- 
tion. His  future  plans  have  not  been 
revealed. 

Lazarus  is  the  son  of  Paul  Lazarus, 
contract  and  sales  executive  of  U.  A. 


Zanuck  Africa  Film 
Tells  Gripping  Story 

By  SHERWIN  A.  KANE 

The  technicolor  film,  "At  the  Front 
in  North  Africa,"  in  the  making  of 
which  Col.  Darryl  F.  Zanuck  played 
a  prominent  part,  is  a  comprehensive 
and  always  gripping  account  of  the 
American  landing  at  Bone,  Algiers, 
last  November  and  the  push  Eastward 
into  Tunisia  in  December. 

The  camera  work,  by  both  Army 
and  Navy  cameramen  for  the  U.  S. 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


Pilot-Less  Plane  Has 
Film  Story  Ending 

Adding  to  the  truth-is- 
stranger-than-fiction  school  is 
yesterday's  news  story  of  the 
Army  plane  which  flew  2,000 
miles  from  Florida,  without 
its  pilot,  to  finally  crash  in 
Mexico.  Some  film  critics 
viewed  with  skepticism  a  sim- 
ilar happening  in  the  film 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Miss- 
ing," in  which  the  crew  of  a 
crippled  English  bomber  bail 
out  of  their  ship  in  Holland, 
while  the  plane  continues  on 
its  course  and  eventually 
crashes  in  England.  And  now 
it  came  true. 


Max  Cohen  to  Make 
Product  Survey  on 
Coast  for  MPTOA 


N.  H.  30-Day 
Film  Measure 
Faces  Defeat 


Ed  Kuykendall,  president  of  the 
Motion  Picture  Theatre  Owners  of 
America,  yesterday  announced  that 
Max  A.  Cohen,  president  of  Allied 
Theatres  of  New  York,  an  MPTOA 
unit,  will  be  in  Hollywood  next  week 
to  make  a  product  survey. 

Kuykendall  said  that  Cohen,  who 
is  making  the  trip  on  behalf  of  the 
MPTOA  and  exhibitors  generally, 
will  make  a  survey  of  conditions  and 
product  possibilities  for  the  coming 
year,  that  he  may  make  a  complete 
report  at  the  MPTOA  national  board 
meeting  to  be  held  probably  in  April. 

"The  survey  should  be  very  helpful 
to  exhibitors  generally  in  planning 
their  future  activities,"  Kuykendall 
said.  "This  becomes  necessary  be- 
cause of  the  disturbed  conditions 
brought  about  by  the  war." 

H.  V.  Harvey,  president  of  the  The- 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


Hope  for  Arthur  A.  Lee  in 
Plane  Crash  Abandoned 


Coward,  Wilson  Sued 
For  'Blithe  Spirit9 

Noel  Coward  and  John  C.  Wilson, 
individually  and  as  co-partners  of 
Transatlantic  Productions,  Inc.,  and 
Doubleday  Doran  and  Co.,  Inc.,  pub- 
lishers, were  named  defendants  in  an 
action  filed  yesterday  in  New  York 
County  Supreme  Court  alleging  plag- 
iarism in  connection  with  the  play, 
"Blithe  Spirit." 

John  C.  Hewitt,  the  plaintiff,  seeks 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


Washington,  Feb.  24. — Hope  was 
abandoned  in  official  circles  here  to- 
night that  Arthur  A.  Lee,  film  indus- 
try pioneer  and  president  of  Artlee 
Corp.,  had  escaped  alive  in  the  crash 
of  the  Yankee  Clipper  at  Lisbon  on 
Monday.  Reports  indicated  that  ef- 
forts are  being  made  to  recover  20 
bodies  still  remaining  in  the  cabin  of 
the  plane.  Four  others  were  known  to 
be  dead,  and  16  passengers  have  sur- 
vived the  disaster. 

Harold  Hopper,  chief  of  the  Motion 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


No.  Dakota  Divorcement 
Measure  Killed 


Concord,  N.  H.,  Feb.  24. — New 
Hampshire's  "30-day  film  avail- 
ability'' bill  was  reported  adverse- 
ly by  the  committee  on  judiciary 
of  tne  state  legislature  today  fol- 
lowing public  hearings  held  on 
Tuesday. 

The  adverse  committee  report  is 
tantamount  to  defeat  of  the  measure. 

Not  only  New  Hampshire  but  all 
New  England  theatre  operators  and 
film  distributors  were  concerned  over 
the  measure,  unique  in  itself,  which 
threatened  to  upset  long-established 
clearance  schedules  in  the  state.  The 
bill  required  that  films  be  made  avail- 
able to  all  theatres  in  the  state  within 
30  days  following  their  first  run  in 
New  Hampshire,  or  within  60  days 
following  their  national  release  date. 

Prominent  New  England  theatre  op- 
erators and  distribution  officials  at- 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


Hopper  to  Address 
Allied  Board  Meet 


Harold  Hopper,  chief  of  the  film 
division  of  the  War  Production 
Board,  is  scheduled  to  address  the  Al- 
lied States  annual  board  of  directors 
meeting  at  the  Warwick  Hotel  here 
tomorrow. 

Raw  stock,  theatre  supplies  and 
other  critical  materials  will  be  dis- 
cussed at  the  session  for  probably  the 
first  time  by  a  high  War  Production 
Board  official  at  an  exhibitor  organiza- 
tion meeting. 

The  Allied  board  meeting  will  get 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


W.  B.  Files  Appeal 
In  Clearance  Case 

Warners  yesterday  filed  an  appeal 
from  the  recent  arbitration  award  of 
Julius  Henry  Cohen  which  eliminated 
all  clearance  over  the  Savoy,  Bloom- 
field,  N.  J.,  in  one  instance,  and  re- 
duced it  to  seven  days  in  another. 

The  complaint  involved  the  five  con- 
senting distributors  and  Rapf  &  Ru- 
din's  Royal  and  Broadmoor,  Bloom- 
field,  both  of  which  held  14  days  clear- 
ance over  the  Savoy.  The  arbitra- 
tor also  held  that  despite  Warners' 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  February  25,  1943 


Bill  in  Ohio  Would 
Revert  to  E.  W.  T. 

Columbus,  O.,  Feb.  24.— 
Legislative  efforts  are  under 
way  here  to  repeal  the  law 
passed  last  week  which  placed 
this  state  under  Central 
Standard  Time.  Proponents 
i  of  the  bill  announced  they 
will  press  for  early  action 
since  98  per  cent  of  the  large 
cities  in  the  state  have  re- 
tained Eastern  War  Time.  De- 
spite the  fact  that  the  farm 
bloc  advocated  the  present 
change,  it  has  been  reported 
that  there  is  growing  senti- 
ment among  farm  leaders  to 
compromise  and  have  C.S.T. 
during  winter  months  only. 


Personal  Mention 


Hits  Draft  Boards 
In  War  Work  Edict 


Philadelphia,  Feb.  24. — Col.  F. 
Evans,  acting  director  here  of  the 
Pennsylvania  State  Selective  Service 
Board,  clarified  the  actions  of  some 
local  draft  boards  charged  with  warn- 
ing theatre  managers  and  service  em- 
ployees that  they  would  be  drafted 
unless  they  entered  war  work.  It 
is  reported  that  such  an  order  was 
given  Comerford  circuit  managers  in 
the  upstate  towns. 

Col.  Evans  rebuked  all  such  local 
draft  boards,  stating  that  they  do  not 
have  the  authority  to  direct  registrants 
to  change  their  occupation  or  activi- 
ties. "That  is  a  matter  entirely  in  the 
discretion  of  each  individual,"  said 
Col.  Evans.  "Local  boards,  however, 
do  have  authority  to  advise  registrants 
of  their  right  to  register  with  the 
U.  S.  Employment  Service." 


Favorable  Report 
On  Arnold  Expected 

Washington,  Feb.  24. —  Favor- 
able report  on  the  nomination  of  As- 
sistant Attorney  General  Thurman 
Arnold  to  be  an  associate  justice  of 
the  District  of  Columbia  Federal 
court  of  appeals  will  be  made  to  the 
Senate  judiciary  committee  at  its 
meeting  this  week. 

Decision  to  submit  the  report  was 
reached  by  the  subcommittee  in  charge 
of  the  nomination  after  no  witnesses 
showed  up  at  a  hearing  either  to 
oppose  or  support  Arnold's  appoint- 
ment. 


Will  Hays  Returning 
To  Work  on  Report 

Will  H.  Hays  is  scheduled  to  ar- 
rive from  the  Coast  within  a  day  or 
two  to  begin  work  on  his  annual  re- 
port for  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
MPPDA,  to  be  held  here  March  31. 
Hays  will  mark  his  21st  anniversary 
in  the  industry  March  5. 

$35,000  Damage  in 
Cleve.  Theatre  Fire 

Cleveland,  Feb.  24. — A  fire  in  the 
Knickerbocker  Theatre  here  caused 
damage  estimated  at  $35,000,  it  was 
reported.  Six  hundred  patrons  left 
the  house  in  orderly  fashion  after  Her- 
bert Ochs,  manager,  informed  them  of 
the  blaze.  The  fire,  allegedly  started 
by  an  arsonist,  damaged  the  roof  to 
the  building  and  the  second  floor. 


JOSEPH  M.  SCHENCK  and  Wil- 
liam Goetz  have  postponed  their 
scheduled  trip  to  New  York  indefi- 
nitely. 

• 

Francis  Bateman,  Republic  west- 
ern division  manager,  has  left  Los 
Angeles  for  a  visit  in  the  Northwest 
territory. 

• 

Lou  Levy  is  expected  here  next 
week  from  California. 

• 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Arnold  Albert  are 
parents  of  a  girl,  born  recently  in  Los 
Angeles.  Albert  is  with  the  Warner 
Bros,  short  subjects  department  on 
the  Coast. 

• 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hammer  are  the  par- 
ents of  a  daughter,  born  at  St.  Luke's 
Hospital,  Philadelphia.  Hammer  is 
chief  projectionist  at  William  Gold- 
man's 56th  Street  Theatre  there. 


Will  Show  'Doodle9 
At  Mexican  Benefit 

Mexico  City,  Feb.  24. — President 
Manuel  Avila  Camacho  and  Miguel 
Aleman,  Minister  of  the  Interior,  have 
authorized  Warner  Bros,  to  sponsor  a 
charity  showing  of  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy"  at  the  Government's  Palace  of 
Fine  Arts  here  March  20  and  21.  The 
Government  are  permitting  Warner 
Bros,  to  bring  in  a  group  of  players 
for  the  event,  and  it  is  expected  that 
James  Cagney  will  head  the  contin- 
gent. Seats  will  be  scaled  at  $100 
down.  Entire  proceeds  will  go  to  the 
Mexican  Red  Cross,  it  was  announced. 


President  Manuel  Avila  Camache 
has  authorized  the  Ministry  of  Pub- 
lic Education  to  organize  here  Mexi- 
co's first  cinematographic  library 
which  will  contain  for  preservation 
and  examination  all  pictures,  docu- 
ments and  other  things  pertaining  to 
them  that  are  in  possession  of  various 
departments  of  the  government. 

$153,000  Day's  Bond 
Sale  at  Bronx  House 

Loew's  Grand  Theatre  in  the  Bronx 
sold  $153,000  in  war  bonds  on  Wash- 
ington's Birthday,  in  a  rally  in  front 
of  the  theatre,  and  since  the  house 
has  become  an  official  issuing  agent, 
$450,000  in  bonds  have  been  sold, 
Manager  Arnold  Siegal  announced. 
Siegal  enlisted  cooperation  of  the 
AWVS  and  business  men  and  clubs 
in  the  vicinity  for  the  rally. 


Paul  Nathanson  in  Army 

Toronto,  Feb.  24. — Paul  Nathan- 
son,  president  of  Odeon  Theatres  of 
Canada,  Ltd.,  has  been  commissioned 
in  the  Canadian  Army  and  perma- 
nently assigned  to  the  visual  instruc- 
tion branch  of  the  Department  of  Na- 
tional Defense  to  direct  the  film  train- 
ing program. 


Will  FeteSilverman,Long 

Rochester,  Feb.  24.— Bud  Silver- 
man, who  has  resigned  as  Schine  cir- 
cuit city  manager  here,  and  Col. 
Harry  Long,  who  succeeds  him,  will 
be  guests  of  honor  at  a  party  here 
tomorrow  night,  sponsored  by  local 
managers. 


JACK    S.    CONNOLLY    has  re- 
turned from  Mexico  City. 

John  Harkins  of  Warner  Bros,  is 
in  Washington. 

Guy  Maxey,  office  manager  of  the 
Warner  Bros.  Seattle  exchange,  next 
week  celebrates  his  20th  year  with  the 
company. 

• 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elmer  Pickard  are 
the  parents  of  a  daughter.  Pickard  is 
manager  of  Warners'  Fox  Theatre, 
Philadelphia. 

• 

L.  W.  Conrow,  president  of  Altec 
Service,  has  returned  from  a  month's 
coast-to-coast  trip. 

• 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Philip  Gerson  are 
the  parents  of  a  boy,  born  last  week 
in  Philadelphia.  Gerson  is  operator 
of  the  Colonial  Theatre  there. 


War  Department  to 
Probe  Whitney  Job 

Washington,  Feb.  24. — Col.  Ed- 
ward J.  Walsh  of  the  legislative  liai- 
son service  of  the  War  Department 
has  promised  the  House  Military  Af- 
fairs Committee  to  look  into  the  quali- 
fications of  Lieut.  Col.  John  Hay 
(Jock)  Whitney  to  hold  an  Army 
public  relations  post  in  England.  Rep. 
Thomas  had  made  the  request  to  de- 
termine how  the  former  head  of  the 
Film  Division  of  the  Office  of  Co- 
ordinator of  Inter-American  Affairs 
and  former  film  executive  had  re- 
ceived his  appointment,  it  was  re- 
ported. 

Wm.  Saroyan  and 
Carol  Marcus  Wed 

Dayton,  Feb.  24. — Pvt.  William 
Saroyan  of  the  Signal  Corps,  author 
and  playwright,  was  married  here  last 
Saturday  to  Carol  Marcus  of  New 
York,  daughter  of  Charles  Marcus, 
vice-president  of  Bendix  Aviation 
Corp.,  it  was  learned  here.  Miss  Mar- 
cus appeared  in  Saroyan's  play, 
"Across  the  Board  on  Tomorrow 
Morning",  which  was  on  Broadway. 


Isadore  Zevin  Trial 
Postponed  to  Mar.  9 

Federal  Judge  Samuel  Mandelbaum 
has  adjourned  until  March  9  the 
trial  of  Isadore  Zevin,  former  sec- 
retary to  George  E.  Browne,  former 
president  of  the  International  Alliance 
of  Theatrical  Stage  Employes,  on  a 
charge  of  perjury  before  a  special 
Federal  Grand  Jury  investigating  a 
so-called  $1,500,000  "slush  fund"  col- 
lected from  members  of  the  IATSE. 


LaMarr  Suit  Ordered 
Back  to  State  Court 

Los  Angeles,  Feb.  24.  —  Federal 
Judge  Harry  Hollzer  has  remanded 
the  contract  abrogation  suit  by  Hedy 
LaMarr  against  M-G-M  to  Superior 
Court.  The  suit  is  the  first  to  be 
brought  by  a  player  testing  the  valid- 
ity of  personal  service  optional  con- 
tracts calling  for  increases  beyond 
the  current  salary  ceiling. 


CIAA  Gets  $10,000 
For  Program  Work 

Washington,  Feb.  24. — The  House 
Appropriations  Committee  today  ap- 
proved a  request  by  Nelson  Rocke- 
feller to  permit  the  Inter-American 
Affairs  Coordinator's  office  to  spend 
up  to  $10,000  to  employ  announcers 
or  script  writers  for  special  radio  p~ 
grams. 

At  hearings  before  the  committee 
last  week,  Rockefeller  explained  that 
it  is  impossible  to  get  the  desired 
type  of  persons  to  take  these  short 
term  jobs  at  the  Government  rate  and 
under  Government  procedures. 

The  coordinator  also  sought  permis- 
sion to  increase  his  travel  expendi- 
tures. 

The  committee  gave  the  Federal 
Communications  Commission  $90,500 
out  of  $140,500  additional  money 
asked  for  in  connection  with  its  na- 
tional defense  program. 

Outdoor  Advertising 
Bills  in  Legislature 

Albany,  Feb.  24. — Three  bills  have 
been  jointly  introduced  in  the  Legis- 
lature by  Assemblyman  John  Bennett 
and  Sen.  Thomas  Desmond  for  the 
regulation  and  control  of  outdoor  ad- 
vertising. One  bill  would  permit 
municipalities  to  declare  sections  of 
highways  as  "scenic  highways"  and 
thus  ban  signs. 

An  amendment  to  the  Civil  Rights 
Law  barring  discrimination  by  pub- 
lic licensees  against  customers  was  in- 
troduced by  Assemblyman  Daniel  Bur- 
rows. 


Rogers  Buys  Novel 
For  U.  A.  Picture 

Charles  R.  Rogers  has  purchased 
the  screen  rights  to  "The  Gaunt 
Woman,"  novel  by  John  Gilligan,  it 
was  announced  by  Gradwell  L.  Sears, 
United  Artists  vice-president  in  charge 
of  distribution.  This  is  the  third  story 
property  announced  for  production  by 
Rogers  for  U.  A.  release,  the  others, 
as  recently  disclosed,  being  "Navy 
Hotel"  and  "One  Man's  Family." 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sara  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon-  I 
don."  All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by  I 
Quigley  Publishing  Cempany,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion  [ 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


Thursday,  February  25,  1943 


MOTION  PICTURE  DAILY 


3 


Coward,WilsonSued 
For  'Blithe  Spirit'; 
4  Court  Actions 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

an  injunction  restraining  further  pro- 
duction of  the  play  at  the  Booth  The- 
atre; enjoining  the  publishing  com- 
pany from  publishing  the  book,  and 
krecting  the  destruction  of  all  copies 


-  Ib-i  

^the  book  in  its  possession.  Hewitt 
u  ?s<>  seeks  an  order  directing  the  de- 
fendants to  account  for  all  profits 
realized,  and  another  order  fixing 
f  damages. 

The  plaintiff  alleges  that  in  1928  he 
wrote  a  dramatic  composition,  or  play- 
let, entitled,  "Spirits."  He  charges 
that  "Blithe  Spirit"  is  a  plagiarism  on 
his  playlet. 

Arthur  E.  Farmer,  attorney  for 
Wilson,  says  in  a  filed  affidavit  that  it 
is  his  understanding  that  "neither 
Coward  nor  Wilson  ever  heard  of  the 
plaintiff's  playlet." 

Small  Answers  Suit 

Edward  Small  Productions,  Inc.,  in 
an  answer  filed  in  Federal  Court  here, 
denies  that  the  estate  of  Sam  Bernard 
has  any  legal  interest  in  the  play, 
"Friendly  Enemies,"  or  in  the  profits 
resulting  from  a  film  of  the  play. 

The  answer  was  filed  in  response  to 
a  suit  by  Betty  Crosney,  as  admin- 
istratrix of  the  estate,  who  claims  that 
Bernard  and  Al  H.  Woods  had  a  joint 
interest  in  the  play  and  that  the  ac- 
quisition of  the  play  by  Edward  Small 
Productions,  Inc.,  following  the  bank- 
ruptcy of  Woods  included  only  that 
part  owned  by  Woods. 

W.  B.  Asks  Dismissal 

In  another  action,  Warner  Brothers 
petitioned  for  dismissal  of  an  injunc- 
tion and  accounting  action  filed  by 
Lamar  Stringfield,  in  which  the  com- 
i  pany  is  accused  of  infringing  musical 
compositions  by  Stringfield  in  the  film, 
"Sergeant  York."  As  an  alternative 
motion,  Warners  ask  that  the  case  be 
adjourned  until  March  19. 


ai 


20th,  Mills  Music  Suit 

Arguments  in  the  suit  against  20th 
entury-Fox  and  Mills  Music  Co.  for 
an  accounting  of  profits  and  cancella- 
tion of  the  license  granted  to  20th 
Centry-Fox  for  the  song,  "America, 
I  Love  You,"  in  the  film,  "  Tin  Pan 
Alley,"  were  heard  yesterday  by  Su- 
preme Court  Justice  Aaron  Steuer. 
The  court  reserved  decision  on  the  mo- 
tion by  attorneys  for  20th  to  have  the 
case  transferred  to  Federal  Court  be- 
cause the  action  involves  an  alleged 
copyright  infringement. 


Hopper  to  Address 
Allied  Board  Meet 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

under  way  today  with  discussions  of 
the  Allied  caravan  plan,  theatre  man- 
power, essential  employes  and  other 
wartime  problems  on  the  agenda.  Al- 
lied officials  also  indicated  that  the 
Federal  consent  decree  and  the  posi- 
tion of  the  organization  in  connection 
with  the  expiration  of  the  decree's 
three-year  trial  period  next  November 
will  be  up  for  discussion  at  the  meet- 
ing. 

The  annual  election  of  Allied  of- 
ficers is  expected  to  be  held  tomor- 
row. Present  indications  are  that  M. 
A.  Rosenberg  of  Pittsburgh  will  be 
reelected  president  and  Abram  F. 
Myers  of  Washington,  chairman  of  the 
board. 


Hope  for  Arthur  Lee 
In  Crash  Abandoned 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

Picture  Section  of  the  War  Produc- 
tion Board,  left  for  New  York  to- 
night to  contact  Lee's  family.  The 
independent  producer  was  a  member 
of  Hopper's  Industry  Advisory  Coun- 
cil. 

Unaccounted  for  besides  Lee  are 
Roy  Rognan,  night  club  entertainer ; 
Frank  J.  Cuhel,  Mutual  network  com- 
mentator, and  18  others. 

Among  those  reported  hospitalized 
in  Lisbon  are  Jane  Froman,  Gypsy 
Markoff,  Yvette  and  Jean  Rognan, 
who  were  traveling  with  a  USO- 
Camp  Shows  troupe. 


Two  N.B.  Exhibitors 
Win  Mayoralties 

St.  John,  N.  B.,  Feb.  24.— A. 
J.;  Mason,  owner-manager  of 
the  Capitol,,  Springhill,  and 
president  of  the  local  Inde- 
pendent Distributors  organi- 
zation, has  been  elected  mayor 
of  his  home  city.  He  is  the 
second  industry  man  in  this 
area  to  be  so  honored.  F. 
Sobey,  owner  of  the  Jubilee 
Theatre,  Stellarton,  and  a 
partner  in  Independent  Dis- 
tributors, having  been  elected 
mayor  of  his  home  city  ear- 
lier. 


s 


Wa  B.  Files  Appeal 
In  Clearance  Case 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

interest  in  the  Rapf  &  Rudin  theatres 
that  distributor  was  not  entitled  to 
dismissal  from  the  complaint.  The 
case  was  pending  for  almost  a  year, 
having  been  filed  Feb.  28,  1942. 

In  Philadelphia,  clearance  complaint 
was  filed  by  Thomas  E.  Ayers,  opera- 
tor of  the  Layton  and  Palace,  Seaford, 
Del.  It  charged  that  the  seven  days 
clearance  granted  Salisbury,  Md., 
theatres  over  complainant's  by  Para- 
mount and  Loew's,  and  the  14  days 
granted  by  Warners  were  unreason- 
able and  should  be  eliminated.  It  asked 
for  the  same  availability  for  the  thea- 
tres as  Seaford. 


From  Toronto  came  word  that  Os- 
car Hanson,  life-time  business  associ- 
ate of  Arthur  A.  Lee  and  a  partner 
with  him  in  the  recently  formed  Mon- 
ogram Pictures  of  Canada,  Ltd.,  had 
left  for  New  York  to  be  with  Lee's 
family. 


WAC  Theatres  Unit 
Discusses  Program 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

night  following  an  earlier  meeting 
which  lasted  throughout  the  after- 
noon. 

Other  topics  discussed  at  the  meet- 
ing included  plans  for  the  coming 
Red  Cross  drive,  distribution  and  play- 
ing arrangements  for  "At  the  Front," 
the  Col.  Darryl  F.  Zanuck  North 
African  film,  manpower  problems  of 
theatres,  supply  materials  problems 
and  plans  for  future  activities  of  the 
committee.  Si  Fabian,  chairman,  pre- 
sided at  the  meeting. 


Zanuck  Africa  Film 
Tells  Gripping  Story 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

Army  Signal  Corps  and  the  Office  of 
Strategic  Services,  frequently  is  note- 
worthy. The  four-reel  film  pictures 
convoys  in  the  Mediterranean,  land- 
ings at  Bone  quickly  followed  by  ene- 
my air  raids,  dog  fights  as  American 
and  British  fighters  mix  with  the 
Axis  planes,  and  enemy  craft  brought 
down  by  fighters  and  anti-aircraft  fire. 
The  camera  follows  motorized  con- 
tingents ■  Eastward  into  Tunisia  and 
gives  its  audience  a  hilltop  view  of  the 
fighting  which  follows  when  the 
American  force  makes  contact  with 
the  enemy.  German  and  Italian  pris- 
oners are  taken.  The  camera  does  not 
ignore  the  dead  or  the  wounded  of 
both  sides. 

Distributed  by  Warners 

The  film  is  distributed  by  Warner 
Bros,  under  industry  War  Activities 
Committee  sponsorship  for  the  Of- 
fice of  War  Information.  Theatres 
will  be  asked  to  pay  their  regular  ren- 
tals per  short  subject  reel  for  it;  that 
is,  theatres  will  pay  four  times  the 
rental  ordinarily  paid  for  a  one-reel 
subject.  Its  running  time  is  41  min- 
utes and  release  is  set  for  March  18. 

The  film  should  be  effective  in 
bringing  to  the  public  a  better  realiza- 
tion of  the  task  the  nation's  fighting 
forces  face,  not  only  in  Tunisia,  but 
in  the  battles  to  follow.  To  that  ex- 
tent it  should  be  helpful  in  preparing 
the  civilian  population  for  greater  ef- 
fort and  greater  sacrifices.  What  the 
reaction  of  many  parents  of  service 
men  will  be  to  its  grim  realism  will 
perhaps  depend  entirely  upon  the  na- 
ture of  the  individual  parent. 


Max  Cohen  to  Make 
Survey  of  Product 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

atre  Owners  of  Northern  California, 
an  MPTOA  unit,  will  cooperate  in 
this   work,   Kuykendall  said. 


"Heard  Around"  by  Sam  Shain  in 
Motion  Picture  Daily  Feb.  19  dis- 
closed that  Cohen  would  go  to  Hol- 
lywood for  a  survey  at  the  studios. 


Kiwanis  Honors  Moyer 

Hanover,  Pa.,  Feb.  24. — Charles  H. 
Moyer,  manager  of  Warners'  State 
and  Strand  here,  retiring  as  president 
of  the  local  Kiwanis  Club,  was  feted 
in  recognition  of  his  activities  in  un- 
derprivileged child  welfare  work. 


Ludlow  Bars  Children 

Ludlow,  Mass.,  Feb.  24. — Alarmed 
by  the  advance  in  the  number  of  scar- 
let fever  cases  here,  the  board  of 
health  has  barred  children  under  16 
from  all  public  gatherings,  including 
shows,  for  the  duration  of  the  epi- 
demic. 


N.  H.  30-Day 
Film  Measure 
Faces  Defeat 


Skirball  Signs  Perelman 

S.  J.  Perelman  has  been  signed  by 
Jack  H.  Skirball  to  collaborate  with 
Sally  Benson  on  Skirball's  next  pic- 
ture, it  was  announced. 


MadeVne  Carroll,  Citizen 

Hartford,  Feb.  24. — Madeleine  Car- 
roll, film  player,  will  receive  Ameri- 
can citizenship  at  the  U.  S.  District 
court  here  Friday,  it  is  announced. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

tended  Tuesday's  hearing  on  the 
measure  and  testified  that,  if  enacted, 
it  would  not  only  create  chaotic  re- 
lease conditions  in  the  state  but  would 
be  physically  impossible  to  comply 
with  because  of  the  reduced  number  of 
prints  available  to  distributors  in  war- 
time. 

The  committee's  report  held  that  it 
was  not  considered  a  proper  measure 
to  adopt  at  this  time. 


N.  D.  Divorcement 
Bill  Is  Defeated 

Fargo,  N.  D.,  Feb.  24. — North  Da- 
kota's affiliated  theatre  divorce  bill 
was  defeated  in  committee  this  week, 
thereby  ending  the  second  threat  to  af- 
filiated theatre  operations  in  the  state 
within  a  few  years. 

It  was  reported  that  the  failure  of 
Northwest  Allied  to  support  the 
measure  accounted  in  large  part  for  its 
defeat. 

The  state  legislature  enacted  a  thea- 
tre divorce  bill  several  years  ago  and 
its  constitutionality  was  upheld  by  a 
Federal  court  when  attacked  by  dis- 
tributors. While  an  appeal  from  the 
lower  court's  finding  was  pending,  the 
state  legislature  repealed  the  law. 


Coast  Groups  Move 
To  Stabilize  Labor 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

bor  Board,  10th  Region,  and  H.  K. 
Sorrell,  chairman  of  the  Conference 
of  AFL  Studio  Unions.  All  ex- 
pressed approval  of  the  move  to  bring 
labor  and  management  together  to 
solve  problems  arising  from  war  con- 
ditions. 

Freeman  said,  "This  meeting  is  one 
of  the  greatest  steps  ever  taken  in 
the  industry."  He  declared  that  it 
would  aid  "in  maintaining  the  freedom 
of  the  screen." 

Sorrell  appealed  to  the  union  repre- 
sentatives to  "get  the  ball  rolling 
within  a  week"  in  setting  up  commit- 
tees. 


M-G-M  to  Screen 

6  Films  in  March 

M-G-M  will  trade  show  six  fea- 
tures in  key  cities  throughout  the 
country  during  the  period  from  March 
2  to  March  16  the  company  announced. 

The  features  to  be  tradeshown  are : 
,rThe  Youngest  Profession,"  "Slight- 
ly Dangerous,"  "Harrigan's  Kid," 
"Assignment  in  Brittany,"  "Pilot  No. 
5"  and  "DuBarry  Was  a  Lady." 


William  Juzek  Left 
Estate   of  $69,210 

William  Juzek,  music  publisher, 
who  died  on  July  2,  1942,  left  an  es- 
tate of  $69,210  gross,  and  $67,135  net, 
according  to  a  transfer  tax  appraisal 
filed  with  the  State  Tax  Department. 

The  publisher  owned  a  one-fourth 
interest  in  the  Metropolitan  Music  Co. 


Gov.  Joins  Variety  Club 

Indianapolis,  Feb.  24.  —  Gov. 
Henry  F.  Schricker  has  become  a 
member  of  the  local  Variety  Club. 


HUMPHREY  BOGART  •  INGRID  BERGMAN  •  PAUL  H EN R El D  „  CASABLANCA  „„claude  rains  -  conrad  veidt - 

 Screen  Ploy  by  Julius  J.  &  Philip  G.  Epstein  ond  Howord  Koch  .  From  o  Ploy  by  Murroy  Burne»_ojv 


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Thursday,  February  25,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


'Silver  Skates' 
And  Show  Top 
San  Francisco 


San  Francisco,  Feb.  24. — "Silver 
Skates"  with  Billy  Rose's  Revue  on 
the  stage  soared  to  $26,500  at  the 
x^den  Gate  here,  followed  by  a  big 
!  5,500  at  the  Fox,  which  showed 
"Immortal  Sergeant"  and  "Margin  for 
Error."  Show  business  has  reached 
*>  the  greatest  box-office  peak  in  its  his- 
tory with  legitimate  shows,  musicals 
and  even  one-nighters  garnering  ter- 
rific grosses,  managers  report. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  23-25 : 

"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

GOLDEN  '  GATE— (44c-55c -65c)  7  days. 
Stage:  vaudeville.  Gross:  $26,500.  (Aver- 
age, $19,500) 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.A.) 

ORPHEUM— (2,440)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $14,000.  (Average, 
$10,500) 

"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

PARAMOUNT — (2,740)  (2Oc-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $14,800.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"Random    Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

WARF1ELD — (2,680)  (20c-35c-50c-6Sc)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $16,500.  Average, 
$14,000) 

"Immortal  Sergeant"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"Margin  for  Error"  (20th-Fox) 

FOX— (5,000)  (20c-35c-50c-65c) 
Gross:  $20,500.     (Average,  $18,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 
"Hidden  Hand"  (W.B.) 

ST. '  FRANCIS — (1,400)  (20c -35c -50c -65c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.     (Moved  over  from  Fox) 
Gross  :\  $8,500.     (Average,  $6,500) 
"Silver \  Queen"  (U.A.) 
"Fall  Iii"  (U.A.) 

UNITED  -  ARTISTS 
65c)  7  days;.  2nd  week, 
erage,  $8,000) 

"La  Materneile"  (French) 

CLAY— (1,000)  (15c-35c-45c) 
Gross:   $1,700.'    (Average,  $1,000) 


'Covered'  $18,000 
Terrific  in  K.  C. 


days. 


-(1,200)  (20c-35c-50c 
Gross:  $8,300.  (Av 


Kansas  City,  Feb.  24/ — Business 
was  good  at  all  houses,  with  "They 
Got  Me  Covered"  on  a  dual  with 
"Truck  Busters"  piling  up  an  estimated 
$18,000  at  the  Orpheum  for  a  terrific 
gross  at  that  house.  "Random  Har- 
vest" is  going  strong  at  the  Midland, 
and  will  gross  an  estimated  $16,000  in 
a  second  week.  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy,"  at  the  Newman,  is  exceeding 
its  previous  higher-priced  run,  and  will 
take  an  estimated  $17,500. 

Suburban  houses  are  doing  well  in 
midweek,  but  business  is  off  on  Sun- 
days, when  patrons  use  their  cars  for 
"getting  outdoors."  The  weather  was 
Spring-like. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  24-25 : 

"Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (ZOth-Fox) 

ESQUIRE— (800)  (35c- 50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$6,500.     (Average,  $4,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

MIDLAND — (3,600)  (35c-50c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $16,000.    (Average,  $12,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

NEWMAN— (1,900)     (35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:    $17,500.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"They  Got  Met  Covered"  (RKO) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.  B.) 

ORPHEUM— (1,900)     (35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross.    $18,000.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"No  Greater  Sin"  (University) 
"Rhythm  Parade"  (Mono.) 

TOWER— (2,200)     (35c)    7    days.  Stage 
show.    Gross:    $8,500.    (Average,  $6,750) 
"Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (20th- Fox) 

UPTOWN— (2,000)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$7,500.     (Average,  $5,000) 


days. 


'Rangers'  on  Dual 
$7,400,  Milwaukee 


Milwaukee,  Feb.  24. — Best  straight 
film  draw  of  the  week  is  the  dual  of 
"The  Forest  Rangers"  and  "Mrs. 
Wiggs  of  the  Cabbage  Patch,"  which 
is  headed  for  an  estimated  $7,400  at 
the  Palace.  Best  gross,  however,  is 
an  estimated  $12,700  for  the  combina- 
tion of  "George  White's  Scandals"  on 
the  stage  and  "How's  About  It?"  on 
the  screen  at  the  Riverside. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  25-27 : 

"The  Moon  and  Sixpence"  (U.  A.) 
"Silver  Queen/'  (U.  A.) 

WARNER— (2,400)      (33c-60c)      7  days. 
Gross:   $8,500.      (Average,  $8,600). 
"How's  About  It?"  (Univ.) 

RIVERSIDE— (2,700)    (44c-65c)    7  days. 
Stage:   George  White's   Scandals.  Gross: 
$12,700.      (Average,  $12,000) 
"The  Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 
"Mrs.    Wiggs    of    the    Cabbage  Patch" 

(Para.) 

PALACE— (2,400)  (44c-65c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$7,400.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"Commandoes  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

STRAND— (1,400)  (44c-65c)  7  days.  Con- 
tinued run.  Gross :  $2,400.  (Average, 
$2,000) 

"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th-Fox) 
"Margin  for  Error"  (ZOth-Fox) 

WISCONSIN— (3,200)  (44c-65c)  7  days. 
Gross:    $8,000.     (Average,  $8,300) 


Wolf's  Son  Decorated 

Dallas,  Feb.  24.— Charles  Wolf, 
son  of  Al  Wolf  of  the  Warner  Bros, 
sales  staff  here,  has  received  the  Dis- 
tinguished Flying  Cross  and  the  Blue 
Ribbon  for  heroic  air  fighting  in  New 
Guinea,  New  Britain  and  the  Solo- 
mon Islands,  it  was  reported. 


'Casablanca'  Heads 
Minneapolis  Gross 


Minneapolis,  Feb.  24. — "Casablan- 
ca," at  the  State  is  expected  to  attract 
$14,000,  while  "China  Girl,"  at  the  Or- 
pheum, is  headed  for  $10,400  in  six 
days  as  mild  weather  boosts  business. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  27 : 

"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

STATE— (2,300)      (30c-40c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:    $14,000.     (Average,  $10,000) 
"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 

ORPHEUM— (2,800)   (30c-40c-50c)  6  days. 
Gross:  $10,400.    (Average,  $8,500) 
"Life  Begins  at  8:30"  (W.B.) 

CENTURY—  (1,600)   (30c-40c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $7,500.     (Average,  $7,000) 
"I  Married  a  Witch"  (U.A.) 

GOPHER— (998)    (30c)    7    days.  Gross: 
$4,000.     (Average,  $3,000) 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.A.) 

WORLD1— (350)  (30c-40c-50c-60c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $1,800.  (Average,  $2,500) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

LYRIC— (1,250)   (30c-40c-50c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.     Gross:  $6,000.     (Average,  $4,000) 
"Eyes  of  the  Underworld"  (Univ.) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

ASTER-(900)  (20c-30c)  4  days  and  mid- 
week change.  Gross:  $2,700.  (Average,  $2,- 
250) 


New  Haven  Business 
Good  in  6 -Day  Week 

New  Haven,  Feb.  24. — "Random 
Harvest,"  at  the  Loew-Poli,  grossed 
$13,000  in  6  days  and  moved  to  the 
College  for  a  second  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  23  : 

"The  Immortal  Sergeant"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (20th-Fox) 

COLLEGE— (1,627)   (40c-50c)   6  days,  2nd 
week.     Gross:  $4,000.  (Average,  $2,900) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW-POLI— (3,000)    (40c-S0c)    6  days. 
Gross:  $13,000.     (Average,  $9,000) 
"Star  Spangled   Rhythm"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,373)    (40c -50c)   6  davs. 
Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $5,500) 
"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 
"Moonlight  in  Havana"  (Univ.) 

ROGER  SHERMAN— (2,067)  (40c-50c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $5,200.  (Average, 
$6,000) 


Short  Subject 

Reviews 


"The  New  Canada" 

(March  of  Time) 

(20th  Century-Fox') 

This  newest  March  of  Time  release 
is  on  the  whole  very  good.  Those 
portions  which  are  factual,  which  ex- 
plain the  geographic  and  economic  di- 
visions of  the  country,  and  the 
changes  which  the  war  has  wrought 
in  industrial  and  agricultural  life  are 
interesting  and  valuable,  in  that  a 
comparative  few  people  in  the  United 
States  are  really  acquainted  with 
Canada.  Also,  the  film  points  out  the 
similarities  which  draw  this  country 
and  Canada  together,  as  well  as  the 
cultural  problems  which  separate  us. 
A  rapid  review  is  made  of  Canada's 
contribution  to  the  war  effort,  and 
one  sequence  shows  Canadian  volun- 
teers in  England.  Running  time,  19 
mins.    Release,  Feb.  26. 


"Point  Rationing  of 
Foods" 

(OWl-WAC) 

(Columbia) 

Intended  to  explain  the  reasons  for 
food  point  rationing,  and  to  show  how 
the  system  works,  the  film,  made  for 
the  Office  of  War  Information,  ade- 
quately explains  the  reasons  why  the 
rationing  is  necessary.  Showing  how 
the  system  functions  is  merely  a 
lesson  in  addition.  The  Leon  Schles- 
igner  animation  provides  graphic 
demonstrations  of  the  change  in  sup- 
ply conditions  since  the  war  began. 
Running  time,  6  mins.  Release,  Feb. 
25. 


'Harvest'  Leads  in 
St.  Louis,  $25,000 


St.  Louis,  Feb.  24. — "Random  Har- 
vest" tops  the  field  in  St.  Louis  this 
week.  The  gross  is  expected  to  ex- 
ceed $25,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  25 : 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEWS  STATE^(3,162)  (30c-40c-50c- 
55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $25,000.  (Average,  $15,- 
000) 

"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

"When   Johnny   Comes    Marching  Home" 
(Univ.) 

FOX— (5,038)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$16,000.    (Average,  $15,000) 
"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th-Fox) 
"Margin  for  Error"  (20th-Fox) 

AMBASSADOR— (3,154)     (30c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $14,000.    (Average,  $11,500) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 
"Life  Begins  at  8:30"  (ZOth-Fox) 

MISSOURI— (3,514)    (30c-40c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $7,000.     (Average,  $7,000) 
"Gone  With  the  Wind"  (M-G-M) 

LOEWS  ORPHEUM— (3,125)  (30c-40c-50c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $6,500.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Johnny  Doughboy"  (Rep.) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 

ST.  LOUIS— (4,000)  (35c-40c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $4,500.     (Average,  $4,400) 


35  Features 
Shooting;  Six 
Are  Started 


Hollywood,  Feb.  24.— Thirty-five 
pictures  were  before  the  cameras  this 
week  as  six  started  and  four  finished. 
Twenty  are  being  prepared  and  66 
are  being  edited. 

The  tally  by  studio : 
Columbia 

In  work:    "Somewhere  in  Sahara" 
(formerly  "Sahara"),  "Blondie  Buys 
a  Horse,"  "Attack  by  Night." 
M-G-M 

^  In  work:  "Right  About  Face," 
"Best  Foot  Forward,"  "Girl  Crazy," 
"Faculty  Row,"  "I  Dood  It." 

Started:   "A  Guy  Named  Joe." 
Monogram 

In  zvork:   "Ghosts  in  the  Night." 

Started:  "The  Ghost  Rider,"  "Sa- 
rong Girl." 

Paramount 

In  work:  "Let's  Face  It,"  "Riding 
High,"  "Five  Graves  to  Cairo,"  "So 
Proudly  We  Hail,"  "Lady  in  the 
Dark,"  "Hostages." 

Producers  Releasing 

Finished:  "Black  Raven,"  "Sub- 
marine Base." 

RKO 

In  ivork:  The  Falcon  Strikes  Back," 
"A  Lady  Takes  a  Chance"  (formerly 
"Free  for  All"),  "The  Fallen  Spar- 
row," "The  Sky's  the  Limit,"  "The 
Leopard  Man,"  "Gildersleeve's  Bad 
Day." 

Republic 

Finished:    "The  Man  Trap." 
In  zvork:    "Calling  Wild  Bill  El- 
liott." 

Started:    "Days  of  Old  Cheyenne." 
20th  Century-Fox 

In  work:  "Heaven  Can  Wait," 
"Jane  Eyre,"  "Bomber's  Moon," 
"Stormy  Weather." 

Started:  "Jitterbugs." 

United  Artists 

Finished:    "Stage  Door  Canteen." 
Universal 

In  zvork:  "Trombone  from  Heaven," 
"Phantom  of  the  Opera,"  "Corvettes 
in  Action." 

Started:  "Oh,  Say,  Can  You 
Swing  ?" 


S.  F.  Canteen  Assured 

San  Francisco,  Feb.  24. — Immedi- 
ate establishment  of  a  Stage  Door 
Canteen  here  was  assured  when  the 
board  of  Supervisors  appropriated  $3,- 
000  to  pay  the  rent  on  the  Native  Sons 
Auditorium,  which  previously  had  been 
selected  by  Mayor  Angelo  Rossi  as 
the  most  appropriate  site  for  the  Can- 
teen. The  building  is  in  the  down- 
town theatre  area. 


'Pittsburgh'  Fine  in 
Omaha;  'Covered'  Big 

Omaha,  Feb.  24. — "Pittsburgh" 
was  the  week's  leader,  collecting  an 
estimated  $16,700  at  the  Orpheum. 
"They  Got  Me  Covered,"  at  the  Bran- 
deis,  was  SRO,  grossing  an  estimated 
$6,300.  The  weather  was  unusually 
warm. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing Feb.  24-25 : 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 
"City  Without  Men"  (Col.) 

BRANDEIS — (1,200)     (30c-35c-44c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $6,300.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"For  Me  and  My  Gal"  (M-G-M)  2d  week 
"Tish"  (M-G-M) 

OMAHA— (2,000)     (30c-35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:    $8,100.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 

ORPHEUM — (3,000)  (40c-50c-55c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $16,700.    (Average,  $14,500) 


JACK  SHAINDLIN 

Musical  Direction 
Completed : 
"ONE  DAY  OF  WAR" 
March  of  Time 
"ARSENAL  OF  MIGHT" 
Universal 


The  Terrific  Twelve! 


^.2 


A  Timely 
Review  of 

Mm  qi 

First  Two  Groups  ^rw%^ 
of  the  Season! 

BOX-OFFICE 

"SOMEWHERE  I'LL  FIND  YOU":  Clark  Gable,  Lana  Turner.  It  started  M-G-M's  1942-43  season  with  a  rush  to  the 

box-office  that  has  never  let  up ! 
"PANAMA  HATTIE":  Red  Skelton,  Ann  Sothern  and  a  host  of  headline  entertainers  in  the  kind  of  money  show  that 

fits  the  times  like  a  silk  glove. 

"TISH":  Mary  Roberts  Rinehart's  beloved  character  played  by  Marjorie  Main,  a  heart-warming  joy  to  folks  from 
Coast  to  Coast. 

"A  YANK  AT  ETON":  Mickey  Rooney  with  a  screenful  of  howls.  A  let-down-your-hair  comedy  for  the  grateful  paying 
public. 

"CAIRO":  Jeanette  MacDonald,  Robert  Young.  Novelty  of  comedy,  wealth  of  song  and  talent  give  it  surefire  audience 
satisfaction. 

"SEVEN  SWEETHEARTS":  Kathryn  Grayson,  Van  Heflin,  Marsha  Hunt.  Delightful  entertainment,  gorgeous  singing, 
romance  for  the  fans. 

"THE  WAR  AGAINST  MRS.  HADLEY":  Edward  Arnold,  Fay  Bainter,  Richard  Ney.  Provocative  human  drama  of  an 
American  Mrs.  Miniver. 

"FOR  ME  AND  MY  GAL":  Judy  Garland,  George  Murphy,  Gene  Kelly.  One  of  the  greatest  musicals  the  screen  has 
ever  known. 

"APACHE  TRAIL":  A  big  scale  Western  in  the  M-G-M  manner  with  Lloyd  Nolan,  Bill  Lundigan  and  the  famed  Starlets 
Ann  Ayars,  Donna  Reed. 

"WHITE  CARGO":  Hedy  Lamarr,  Walter  Pidgeon.  When  she  says  "I  am  Tondelayo"  it  sends  the  box-office  thermometer 
to  happy  highs! 

"OMAHA  TRAIL":  James  Craig  is  the  new  "he-man"  featured  by  the  fan  magazines  and  the  reason  is  obvious  from  this 
Western  thrill  picture. 

"EYES  IN  THE  NIGHT":  Edward  Arnold,  Ann  Harding.  As  absorbing  a  detective  story  as  this  season  has  yielded  for  the 
fans  who  crave  suspense! 


The  Ten  Strike! 


Heaven-sent 
by  the  Random 
Harvest  Company! 


STRONG  FORCE! 

"STAND  BY  FOR  ACTION":  Robert  Taylor,  Charles  Laughton,  Brian  Donlevy.  It's  the  Big  Guns  of  Entertainment 
booming  at  box-offices  everywhere. 

"ANDY  HARDY'S  DOUBLE  LIFE":  Lewis  Stone,  Mickey  Rooney  and  the  beloved  family.  Business  sensationally  close  to 
"Babes  on  Broadway."  One  of  the  series'  best! 

"WHISTLING  IN  DIXIE":  Red  Skelton  convulsing  a  nation  with  the  kind  of  show  worth  a  fortune  for  war-time  relaxation. 

"REUNION  IN  FRANCE":  Joan  Crawford,  John  Wayne,  Philip  Dorn.  Folks  pay  for  a  timely  story  absorbingly  told!  This 
is  it.  Powerful  romance  of  the  French  underground  movement. 

"JOURNEY  FOR  MARGARET":  Robert  Young,  Laraine  Day,  'Margaret'  O'Brien  (new  child  star).  Stirring  film  picked 
in  Year's  10  Best  by  N.  Y.  Times. 

"NORTHWEST  RANGERS":  James  Craig  (new  fan  idol),  Bill  Lundigan,  Patricia  Dane.  Outdoor  action  with  the  ever- 
popular  Mounties! 

"KEEPER  OF  THE  FLAME":  Spencer  Tracy,  Katharine  Hepburn.  As  predicted  the  b.o.  blaze  they  kindled  in  "Woman 
of  the  Year"  is  raging  now! 

"DR.  GILLESPIE'S  NEW  ASSISTANT":  Lionel  Barrymore.  "The  case  of  the  runaway  bride"  is  proving  one  of  the  most 
absorbing  of  the  series. 

"TENNESSEE  JOHNSON":  Van  Heflin,  Barrymore,  Ruth  Hussey.  "A  natural"  says  Time  Mag.  Gets  highest  praise 
from  N.  Y.  critics  in  Astor  Theatre  World  Premiere. 

"THREE  HEARTS  FOR  JULIA":  Ann  Sothern,  Melvyn  Douglas.  Featuring  the  screen's  first  all-girl  orchestra.  Trade 
press  hails  a  swell  comedy  romance. 

STEADY  PERFORMANCE— AND  FRIENDLY! 

Enlist  Your  Theatre  — loin  Red  Cross  Drive— Week  April  1-7! 


ST  OF  ALL 


CENTURy-FOX 


EIGHT 

OUT  OF  TEX 


OF  the  Ten  Best  Pictures,  selected  in  the 
Film  Daily' s  critics  poll  for  1942,  eight 
were  made  on  Eastman  Negative  Films. 
This  gratifying  result  provides  striking 
evidence  of  the  strong  preference  for 
these  high-quality  films.  Eastman  Kodak 
Company,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

J.  E.  BRULATOUR,  INC.,  Distributors 

Fort  Lee  Chicago  Hollywood 


PLUS-X  SUPER-XX 

for  general  studio  use  when  little  light  is  available 

BACKGROUND-X 

for  backgrounds  and  general  exterior  work 

EASTMAN  NEGATIVE  FILMS 


Alert, 

InteWgei 

same 

to  the^| 

CjtiCii 

Picture 

inuuoiry 

MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


53.  NO.  38 


NEW  YORK,  U.  S.  A.,  FRIDAY,  FEBRUARY  26,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Salary  Ceiling 
Veto  Measure 
Before  House 


Disney  Plan  Submitted 
and  Vote  Seen  in  Week 


Washington,  Feb.  25.— President 
Roosevelt's  income  control  aspirations 
moved  another  step  nearer  defeat  to- 
day with  submission  to  the  House  of 
a  Ways  and  Means  Committee  report 
favoring  repeal  of  his  salary-limita- 
tion order  and  substitution  of  the  Dis- 
ney plan  to  freeze  salaries  at  pre- 
Pearl  Harbor  levels. 

It  is  probable  that  the  bill  to 
increase  the  public  debt  limit, 
of  which  the  salary-order  re- 
peal is  a  part,  will  be  taken  up 
for  consideration  next  week. 
Repeal  of  the  order  and  adoption  of 
the  Disney  plan,  the  committee  re- 
ported, will  eliminate  a  loss  of  $110,- 
000,000  in  revenue  which  salary  limi- 
tation would  have  incurred  under  the 
order  and,  in  addition,  will  provide  ad- 
ditional taxes  of  $20,000,000. 

The  Disney  plan,  adopted  after  a 
bitter  fight  in  committee,  would  freeze 
all  salaries  in  excess  of  $25,000  at  the 
level  of  Dec.  7,  1941,  and  would  pro- 
hibit increases  in  lesser  salaries  in 
amounts  which  would  take  them  above 
$25,000  after  payment  of  Federal 
taxes. 


Connors  Addresses 
ZO.hM.-^erMe,, 

Chicago,  Feb.  25. — T.  J.  Connors, 
vice-president  in  charge  of  distribu- 
tion of  20th  Century-Fox ;  John 
Woods,  district  manager,  and  Phillip 
Williams,  publicity  director  of  "March 
of  Time,"  were  the  chief  speakers  at 
the  opening  session  today  of  the  com- 
pany's three  day  district  managers 
meeting  at  the  Blackstone  Hotel. 

Tonight  the  33  sales  representatives 
attended  a  screening  of  "Tonight  We 
Raid  Calais"  and  "At  the  Front  in 
North  Africa."  The  latter  picture  is 
the  four-reel  OWI  film  produced  by 
Darryl  Zanuck  which  is  being  dis- 
tributed by  Warners  for  the  War  Ac- 
tivities Committee. 

Hal  Home  announced  additional 
changes  and  transfers  in  the  publicity 
department.  Max  Youngstein  will  be 
liaison  between  the  new  exploitation 
1  department  on  the  Coast  and  New 
York.  Others  from  the  home  office  to 
go  to  the  Coast  will  be  Jessica  Lan- 
dau, Marjorie  Chapman,  Marie  Van 


Hopper  Reassures 
Allied  Board  About 
Raw  Stock  Situation 


The  existing  reduction  in  raw  stock 
allotment  to  the  industry  will  remain 
unchanged  unless  unforeseen  develop- 
ments occur,  Harold  Hopper  chief  of 
the  War  Production  Board's  motion 
picture  section,  who  was  a  guest 
speaker  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Allied  States  board  of  directors  at 
the  Hotel  Warwick  here  yesterday, 
stated. 

The  Allied  board  meeting  will  con- 
tinue today  with  election  of  officers 


Allied  States'  board  of  direc- 
tors plans  policy  stand  on  con- 
sent decree  future.  Story  on 
Page  6. 


and  discussion  of  William  F.  Rod- 
gers'  recent  proposal  for  a  single  na- 
tional association  of  exhibitors,  dis- 
cussions of  cooperation  with  distribu- 
tors and  on  blind  checking. 

Hopper  said  that  the  increas- 
ing demands  of  the  services  for 
raw  stock  are  unpredictable  and 
cut  deeply  into  film  reserves 
and  manufacturers'  output.  On 
the  other  hand,  he  reported, 
Agfa  and  DuPont  will  be  able 
to  increase  their  output  of  raw 
stock  by  100,000,000  feet  through 
expansion  of  their  manufactur- 
ing facilities  and  by  concen- 
trating on  the  manufacture  of 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


New  Autos  Allowed 
To  Reel  Cameramen 

Washington,  Feb.  25. — 
Newsreel  cameramen  using 
non-portable  equipment  and 
radio  broadcast  engineers  will 
be  eligible  to  purchase  new 
automobiles,  when  needed, 
after  March  5,  under  regula- 
tions issued  tonight  by  the 
Office  of  Price  Administra- 
tion. 

Holding  that  gasoline  ra- 
tioning has  made  unnecessary 
the  "pool"  in  which  all  new 
automobiles  have  been  froz- 
en for  the  past  12  months,  the 
OPA  announced  that  approxi- 
mately 240,000  passenger  cars 
will  be  made  available  for 
purchase  by  eligible  persons. 


New  Opportunities 
Await  Independent 
Producers:  Kann 


Hollywood,  Feb.  25. — Red  Kann, 
vice-president  of  Quigley  Publishing 
Co.,  addressed  the  regular  monthly 
dinner  meeting  of  the  Independent 
Motion  Picture  Producers  Association 
held  at  Brittingham's  here  tonight. 

In  the  course  of  his  remarks  Kann 
said : 

"Hemmed  in  by  wartime  restric- 
tions and  limited  in  resources,  the  in- 
dependent producer,  nevertheless,  has 
more  than  a  fighting  chance  to  estab- 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


9? 


"The  Human  Comedy 

[  M-G-M  ] 

T .  Hollywood,  Feb.  25 

HERE  will  be  doubts,  and  even  confusion,  over  what  William 
Saroyan  seeks  to  prove  in  "The  Human  Comedy,"  but  there  will 
be  neither  doubt  nor  confusion  over  the  almost  overwhelming 
warmth  and  emotional  enjoyment  which  flow  like  a  rushing  torrent 
through  this  attraction. 

Perhaps  Saroyan  tries  to  prove  nothing.  As  he  has  done  before  in 
his  various  stage  plays,  it  may  be  he  never  intended  anything  beyond  a 
series  of  characterizations  of  plain  American  folks  and  their  individual 
reactions  to  the  treasures  and  conflicts  induced  by  the  advent  and  the 
progress  of  the  war. 

There  is  little  story.  Actually,  this  human  comedy  concerns  itself 
with  episodes,  related  one  to  the  other  because  the  same  people  laugh, 
play,  contemplate,  love  and  cry  through  all  of  them.  Yet  so  effectively 
has  Howard  Estabrook  captured  the  illusive  Saroyan  flavor  in  his  treat- 
ment and  so  engagingly  and  sympathetically  has  Clarence  Brown  caught 
the  same  flavor  in  his  production  and  direction  that  the  finished  effort 
emerges  an  attraction  of  great  merit  indeed. 

This  is  not  a  case  of  what  happens,  for  very  little  does  if  "The  Human 
Comedy"  is  approached  in  the  light  of  the  routines  which  stamp  the 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


WAC  Theatres 
Unit  Confers 
With  McNutt 


Some  Essential  Listings 
in  Draft  to  Be  Asked 


An  essential  status  for  a  minimum 
number  of  theatre  employes  will  be 
recommended  by  a  subcommittee  of 
the  theatres  division  executive  com- 
mittee, War  Activities  Committee,  at 
a  meeting  with  Paul  V.  McNutt,  head 
of  the  War  Manpower  Commission, 
in  Washington  today. 

The  following  were  appointed  mem- 
bers of  the  subcommittee  by  S.  H, 
Fabian,  chairman  of  the  main  com- 
mittee :  E.  V.  Richards,  subcommittee 
chairman ;  Harry  Brandt,  M.  A.  Ros- 
enberg, E.  L.  Alperson,  E.  L.  Kuyken- 
dall  and  R.  J.  O'Donnell. 

At  their  meeting  with  McNutt  to- 
day the  subcommittee  will  present 
their  estimates  of  the  minimum  amount 
of  manpower  required  to  maintain 
continued  operation  of  the  nation's  the- 
tres  and  will  recommend  that  a  suf- 
ficient number  to  accomplish  this  ob- 
jective be  given  an  essential  classifi- 
cation by  the  WMC. 

The  appointment  of  the  committee 
and  the  meeting  with  McNutt  were 
decided  upon  following  an  all-day  dis- 
(Continued  on  page  6) 


Mrs.  Essie  Gerson 
Dies  in  Hollywood 

Hollywood,  Feb.  25.— Mrs.  Essie 
Gerson,  54,  wife  of  William  Gerson, 
manager  of  the  Universal  studio  com- 
missary, and  former  Broadway  res- 
taurateur, died  at  Hollywood  Hospi- 
tal today.  Besides  her  husband,  she 
is  survived  by  a  son  and  daughter. 

For  many  years,  prior  to  coming 
to  the  Coast,  the  Gersons  operated  a 
tea  shop  on  Broadway,  across  the 
street  from  the  Strand  Theatre,  which 
became  famous  as  a  meeting  place  for 
headliners  in  the  former  heyday  of 
vaudeville.  Later  they  moved  their 
establishment  to  West  47th  Street, 
next  door  to  the  Palace  Theatre. 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Heard  Around,"  by  Sam 
Shain,  Page  2.  Key  city  box- 
office  reports,  Page  8.  Gold- 
man outbids  WB  for  Phila. 
house,  Page  6.  SOPEG  Para, 
claim  rejected  by  NLB,  Page 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  February  26,  1943 


U.  S.  Grand  Jury 
Questions  Browne 


George  E.  Browne,  ex-president  of 
the  International  Alliance  of  Theatri- 
cal Sta_ge  Employes,  was  called  yes- 
terday before  the  Special  Federal 
Grand  Jury  investigating  racketeering 
in  the  motion  picture  industry. 
Browne,  now  serving  an  eight-year 
prison  term  for  extorting  more  than 
$1,000,000  from  major  producing 
companies,  was  questioned,  it  is  be- 
lieved about  the  whereabouts  of  a 
special  assessment  fund  of  $1,500,000 
collected  from  members  of  his  union. 

The  government,  for  more  than  two 
years,  has  been  probing  the  use  to 
which  this  fund  was  put,  and  the  rea- 
sons why  Browne  and  his  personal 
representative,  William  Bioff,  had  al- 
most sole  control  of  it.  Bioff,  con- 
victed with  Browne,  is  serving  a  ten- 
year  term. 


Zanuck  to  Toronto  to 
Set  New  War  Film 

Colonel  Darryl  F.  Zanuck  left  for 
Toronto  last  night  to  confer  with  John 
Grierson,  head  of  the  National  Film 
Board  of  Canada,  reportedly  on  Cana- 
dian distribution  arrangements  for  the 
Army  Signal  Corps  film,  "At  the 
Front  in  North  Africa,"  and  other 
wartime  film  matters. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN      .     GREER  GARSON 
In  Jamet  Hilton's 

"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN  M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stags  Revue   .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


See  what  really  happens  to 

"HITLER'S  CHILDREN" 

IN  PERSON 

XAVIER  CUGAT 

HENNY  YOUNGMAN 


and  his 
ORCHESTRA 


PARAMOUNT  souaII 


CLEANEST  MAN, rHe WORLD 

„«h  ROCHESTER 

P/ui  In  Person  (  'Truth  or  Consequences' 
On  Our  Stage  I  CAROL  BRUCE    .  Othen 

BUY  A  WAR  PQ)(Y  ?,h  ^  &  5°th  S' 


BONDatthe 


Continuous  Perfs 


B  WAY  & 
47th  St. 


PALACE 


GENE  TIERNEY 
GEORGE  MONTGOMERY 

"CHINA  CIRL" 

—  and  — 
"HI-YA  CHUM" 

RITZ  BROS.         •         JANE  FRA2EE 


ON  SCREEN 

NOEL  COWARD 

"IN  WHICH 
WE  SERVE  " 


T 


IN  PERSON 

LATIN 
QUARTER 
REVIEW 

with 
Buster  West 
and 

Lucille  Page 


-  Heard  Around  - 

SPEAKING  of  public  relations  ...  a  subject  discussed  in  Hollywood  re- 
cently— by  the  chieftains  of  the  major  film  companies — well,  we  have  lots 
of  public  relations — they  are  the  principal  functions  of  every  local  theatre  man- 
ager— and  film  salesman — who,  if  properly  marshalled — could  serve  the  in- 
dustry well — through  the  best  machinery  in  the  trade — the  trade  papers — which 
reach  all  of  these  fellows — to  whom  local  club  leaders — local  legislators — city, 
state  and  national — come  to — when  seeking  information  and  advice — rather 
than  to  Hollywood  Boulevard  or  Beverly  Hills — Times  Square  or  Broadway — 
as  the  editors  of  Quigley  Publications  can  well  testify  to — by  our  exhibitor 
mail — when  the  boys  in  the  field — 15,000  of  them — are  preparing  their  speeches 
before  the  local  Kiwanis  or  Rotary  Clubs. 

•  •  • 

At  Dinty  Moore's  ...  a  fellow  who  knows  telling  some  film  people  that 
RKO  offered  Eddie  Golden— $900,000— for  his  end— of  "Hitler's  Children"— 
and  that  the  producer  turned  the  proposal  down — offering  in  turn — to  pay 
RKO  the  same  amount — for  its  interest  in  the  picture — which  opened  so 
strongly — at  the  Paramount — on  Broadway — this  zveek — that  it  appears  to  be 
headed  for  a  four-week  run. 

•  •  • 

Also  ...  as  concerns  Golden — who  started  his  professional  career — as 
a  dentist — in  Boston — started  in  the  motion  picture  industry — 30  years 
ago — through  the  good  offices  of  one  of  his  patients — Hiram  Abrams — 
who,  one  day  wishing  to  have  a  loose  tooth  extracted — visited  Golden's 
office — and  after  the  ordeal  tendered  a  $100  bill — in  payment  of  an  opera- 
tion— for  which  Golden  was  wont  to  charge  only  $2 — Golden  turned  down 
the  generous  offer  of  payment — and  the  two  became  friends — so  that  on 
a  visit  to  New  York,  later — Abrams  persuaded  Golden  to  enter  the  film 
business — and  Golden  started  in  business  with  $700 — borrowed  from 
Abrams — with  which  he  purchased  two  foreign  films — three  reelers — 
"The  Goddess'  Revenge" — and  "The  Norwegian  Spy" — and  established  his 
new  trade  in  the  same  office  where  he  formerly  operated  as  a  dentist. 

•  •  • 

Producers  are  beginning  to  ponder  .  .  .  about  their  quarterly  raw  stock 
allowances — and  whether  when  the  present  three  months  period  ends — April 
1 — the  government  will  allow  such  producers  as  have  not  used  their  fullest 
allotment  this  quarter — credit  for  this  non-used  footage  in  the  forthcoming 
period — a  question  which  has  not  yet  been  determined. 

•  •  • 

Companies  which  produce  newsreels  .  .  .  are  seriously  concerned — at  this 
time  additionally — because  of  the  probability — that  the  government — may 
ask  for  a  reduction  in  the  number  of  newsreel  prints — limiting  the  same — 
to  the  number  of  prints  used  by  each — during  1941 — although  all  the  newsreels 
— because  of — the  demands  by  the  armed  services — now  require  100  prints  or 
more- — above  their  1941  schedules. 

•  •  • 

In  Boston  .  .  .  Elliot  Norton — Boston  Post — drama  critic — writes  about 
the  new  play — "Men  in  Shadow" — that  it  is  no  play  for  sissies — saying — 
"Nothing  in  recent  years — has  been  quite  as  shocking  as  this  English 
melodrama  ...  In  these  times  and  under  the  circumstances  of  total  war 
— it  is  justifiable  and  perhaps  something  beyond  this"  .  .  .  and  Joyce 
Dana — critic — of  the  Boston  American — in  discussing  Sylvia  Sidney's 
performance — in  "Pygmalion" — says  "Miss  Sidney — best  known  perhaps 
to  moviegoers — as  the  Cockney  eirl  with  the  quaint  soul — who  learns 
her  phonetics  from  Professor  'Enry  Tggins  turns  in  as  skilled  and 
appealing  a  portrait  of  the  little  flower  seller — as  we've  had  hereabouts." 

•  •  • 

Motion  picture  production  in  Mexico  ...  is  booming — as  witness — the 
Banco  Conematografico — which  was  started  by  the  Mexican  Government — 
recently — in  conjunction  with  native  film  interests — reports  as  of  Jan.  31— 
loans  and  film  credits — in  the  amount  of  $615.000 — the  bank  is  the  controlling 
interest  in  Grovas  &  Company — leading  Mexican  producers. 

•  •  • 

John  Coyne  .  .  .  is  the  new  office  manager  for  M-G-M — in  Cleveland.  .  .  . 
Harold  Beccroft — Packard  executive — shortly  will  join  the  distribution  staff 
— of  20th  Century-Fox  .  .  .  Texas  showmen  are  gathering  in  Dallas — to  honor 
Leroy  Bickel — M-G-M  branch  manager — March  1 — on  his  37th  anniversary 
in  the  film  business.  .  .  .Bob  Crosby  and  band — we  hear — are  slated  to  in- 
augurate the  new — combination  policy  of  Loezv's  capiiol — on  Broadway — 
the  tentative  date,  March  11.  — Sam  Shain 


To  Reelect  Loew's 
Officers,  Directors 

All  members  of  the  board  of  di- 
rectors of  Loew's,  Inc.,  are  scheduled 
to  be  reelected  at  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  company's  stockholders  to  be 
held  at  the  home  office  today.  Re- 
election of  all  officers  at  the  board 
meeting  to  follow  also  is  expected. 

Directors  scheduled  for  reelection 
are :  David  Bernstein,  Leopold  Fried- 
man, Eugene  W.  Leake,  Charles  C. 
Moskowitz,  William  A.  Parker,  J. 
Robert  Rubin,  Nicholas  M.  Schenck, 
Joseph  R.  Vogel,  David  Warfield,  and 
Henry  Rogers  Winthrop. 


W.B.  Executives  to 
Coast  on  Business 

Hollywood,  Feb.  25.  —  Ben  Kal- 
menson,  Mort  Blumenstock  and  Sam 
Schneider  are  due  here  Monday  for  a 
week's  stay  during  which  they  will 
discuss  sales  policies  and  advertising 
campaigns,  and  see  the  forthcoming 
Warner  Bros.'  attractions.  S.  Charles 
Einfeld  will  come  East  shortly  to  plan 
the  premiere  of  "Mission  to  Moscow." 


Robert  Wolff  Tours 

Robert  Wolff,  captain  of  New  Dep- 
inet's  1943  sales  drive,  leaves  today  for 
a  second  tour  of  RKO  branches. 


Personal 
Mention 


w 


ILL  HAYS  leaves  the  Coast  for 
New  York  today. 


Norman  J.  Ayers,  Warner  Bros.' 
New  England  district  manager,  was 
in  New  Haven. 

•  f 

Ensign  Robert  Johnson,  son  S  •  ■ 
Adolph  Johnson,  Strand,  Hamden, 
New  Haven,  exhibitor,  was  married 
to  Virginia  Vickry  of  McKenzie, 
Ala.,  in  Miami,  where  he  is  stationed. 
• 

George  Smith,  Paramount  West- 
ern Division  sales   manager,  visited 
in  Chicago  en  route  to  the  coast. 
• 

Mickey  Kipple,  manager  of  War- 
ners' Victoria  Theatre,  Philadelphia, 
left  for  Hot  Springs,  Ark.,  to  re- 
cuperate from  an  illness. 

• 

Herbert  Alpert,  formerly  assist- 
ant manager  at  the  Lyric,  Bridge- 
port, is  now  in  England  in  the  The- 
atrical Service  Division. 

• 

Herbert  Lyon  of  the  B  and  K 
publicity  department,  has  passed  the 
Officers'  Training  School  examination 
at  Camp  Grant,  and  is  awaiting  his 
call  from  the  Army. 

• 

Lester  Lockwood,  booker  for  the 
Lockwood  and  Gordon  Theatres  in 
Connecticut,  will  be  inducted  into  the 
Army  this  week. 

• 

Shirley  Cleveland  of  the  Loew- 
Poli  division  secretarial  staff,  New 
Haven,  has  resigned  to  marry  Pfc. 
Joseph  Bianco  on  March  8.  He  is 
stationed  at  Chanute  Field,  111. 
• 

Jack  Touchett,  manager  of  the 
Roxy  Theatre,  Bogansport,  Ind.,  has 
enlisted  in  the  Army  Air  Corps. 
• 

Hyman  Schwartz,  operator  of  the 
Hillcrest,  Taftville,  Conn.,  is  vaca- 
tioning in  Miami. 

• 

Harry  H.  Buxbaum,  20th  Century- 
Fox  home  office  representative,  re- 
turned to  his  office  yesterday  after  an 
illness  of  two  months. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley.  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y..  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


race  McDONALD  •  Cecil  KELLAWAY  •  Eugene  PALLETTE 
Patsy  O'CONNOR  •  Richard  LANE 
and  Leighton  NOBLE  and  His  Orchestra 


UNIVERSAL  PICTURE 


Screen  Play,  Allen  Boretz,  John  Grant 


Directed  by  ERIE  C.  KENTON 


Produced  by  ALEX  GOTTLIEB 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  February  26,  1943 


"The  Human  Comedy" 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

usual  film.  There  is  no  villain,  unless  it  is  the  war  itself.  There  is  al- 
most constant  dialogue,  some  of  it  vaguely  struggling  to  convey  Saroy- 
an's  kind  of  philosophy  and  his  theories  of  human  relationships. 

There  is  virtually  no  action,  but  there  is  a  great  deal  of  heart-warming 
understanding  between  individuals,  their  relations  one  with  the  other. 
There  is  delightful  fun  and  a  beautifully  wrought  dramatic  finish,  emo- 
tionally tight  and  taut,  when  Mickey  Rooney  faces  the  crisis  of  breaking 
the  news  of  his  brother's  death  to  his  family — mother,  sister  and  the  five- 
year  old  Ulysses,  his  young  brother,  remarkably  played  by  an  amazing 
youngster  named  Jack  Jenkins. 

This  ending,  in  fact,  left  a  studio  preview  audience  made  up  of  tradi- 
tional hardboiled  newspaper  writers  alternately  on  the  side  of  sniffles 
and  tears,  this  reviewer  by  no  means  an  exception. 

Audiences  probably  will  designate  by  a  landslide  young  Jack  the  indis- 
putable star,  although  top  billing  goes  to  Rooney.  If  the  competition 
were  not  so  keen,  Mickey  would  win  hands  down  for  he's  back  here  to 
the  Rooney  of  the  day  when  he  was  more  genuine  than  smart  alecky. 
Contributing  performances,  all  in  key  and  all  commendable,  include 
those  of  Frank  Morgan,  James  Craig,  Fay  Bainter,  Marsha  Hunt  and 
Van  Johnson. 

"The  Human  Comedy"  will  require  selling.  Initially,  anyway.  After 
that,  word-of-mouth  and  its  distinctive  qualities  should  do  the  bulk  of  the 
job.  If  the  public  will  forego  any  insistences  about  perfunctories  in 
story,  if  it  will  accept  a  package  of  heart  and  emotions,  of  wholesome- 
ness  and  simple  dignities,  it  will  accept  this  extraordinarily  effective  film. 
This  reviewer,  he  might  add,  believes  the  public  will  do  precisely  that  in 
overwhelming  numbers. 

Running  time,  115  minutes.    "G."*  Red  Kann 

Hopper  Reassures  Allied 
Board  About  Raw  Stock 


Allied  Plans 
Post  Decree 
Trade  Stand 


Allied  States  will  prepare  a  pro- 
gram of  trade  practice  proposals  to 
be  submitted  to  the  Department  of 
Justice  and  Federal  court  here  as  a 
basis  for  supplementation  and  amend- 
ment of  the  Federal  consent  decree 
with  the  expiration  of  the  three-year 
trial  period  of  the  decree  next  Nov. 
20,  it  was  decided  at  the  organiza- 
tion's board  of  directors  meeting  at 
the  Hotel  Warwick  here  yesterday. 

The  organization's  program  will  be 
prepared  by  Abram  F.  Myers,  chair- 
man and  general  counsel,  from  re- 
commendations made  by  the  organi- 
zation at  public  hearings  before  Fed- 
eral Judge  Henry  W.  Goddard  in  ad- 
vance of  entry  of  the  decree  and  from 
other  trade  practice  proposals  ad- 
vanced by  Allied  for  an  industry  pro- 
gram during  the  United  Motion  Pic- 
ture Industry  conferences  here  last 
year. 

Large  Support  Sought 

The  support  of  all  independent  ex- 
hibitors will  be  sought  for  the  pro- 
gram on  its  completion. 

The  Allied  board  took  no  action  in 
connection  with  a  proposal  to  bring 
complaints  against  film  rentals  to  Con- 
gress or  wartime  Federal  boards.  It 
approved  a  request  from  the  Pacific 
Coast  Conference  of  Independent  The- 
atre Owners  to  include  a  representa- 
tive of  that  organization  on  the  Al- 
lied Caravan  committee.  The  Cara- 
van plan,  it  was  indicated,  will  re- 
place public  protests  on  film  rentals. 

To  Appoint  Delegate 

It  was  indicated  following  yester- 
day's board  session  that  Allied,  along 
with  other  exhibitor  organizations, 
will  designate  a  representative  to  at- 
tend the  monthly  meetings  in  Wash- 
ington of  the  distributors'  committee 
on  raw  stock  with  officials  of  the  films 
division  of  the  War  Production  Board. 

In  attendance  at  the  meeting  are : 
Myers,  Rosenberg,  Jack  Kirsch,  H.  A. 
Cole,  Herman  Blum,  Joseph  Reed, 
Joseph  Shulman,  Ray  Branch,  Harry 
Lowenstein,  P.  J.  Wood,  Jacob  Un- 
ger,  David  Mate,  Helen  Hildinger, 
Pearl  Sprott,  Joseph  Conway,  Don 
Rossiter  and  Sidney  Samuelson. 

Goldman  Outbids  WB 
For  Phila.  Theatre 

Philadelphia,  Feb.  25.  —  William 
Goldman,  head  of  the  independent 
Goldman  Circuit  here,  purchased  War- 
ners' Karl  ton,  1,000-seat  house  in  the 
central  city  district.  It  is  the  second 
Warner  house  to  be  acquired  by  Gold- 
man within  a  month.  He  previously 
purchased  the  2,200-seat  Keith's  The- 
atre for  $350,000.  _ 

Goldman's  acquisition  of  the  Karl- 
ton  was  the  result  of  outbidding  the 
Warner  Circuit  in  a  sealed  bid  opened 
yesterday  at  an  undisclosed  bank  here. 
It  is  reported  that  Goldman's  bid  was 
between  $700,000  and  $800,000  with  a 
substantial  cash  payment.  Expiration 
of  Warners'  present  lease  on  the  Karl- 
ton  was  not  disclosed,  but  is  said  to 
be  sometime  this  Spring  or  Summer. 
Purchase  of  the  Karlton  gives  Gold- 
man four  center  city  houses  in  addition 
to  the  Keith's  including  the  Erlanger 
and  the  News. 


{Continued  from  page  1) 
35mm.   film   instead   of  other 
types. 

He  said  that  DuPont's  priorities  on 
new  manufacturing  machinery  have 
been  obtained  already  and  the  expan- 
sion of  both  plants  should  be  com- 
pleted in  "three  or  four  months." 

Industry  Need  Not  Be  Alarmed 

Asserting  that  he  did  not  want  the* 
industry  to  become  alarmed  over  its 
raw  stock  supply,  Hopper  said :  "I  do 
not  see  any  reason  now  for  further 
cuts.  This  is  in  spite  of  the  figures 
from  estimates  by  bureaus.  I  never 
have  believed  in  the  figures." 

He  pointed  out  that  this  country 
must  also  supply  Britain  and  Russia 
and  neutrals  such  as  Switzerland  and 
Turkey,  with  film  base  for  later  coat- 
ing, which  aggravates  the  supply  situ- 
ation here.  He  praised  Hollywood  for 
its  conservation  accomplishment,  say- 
ing that  it  already  had  realized  a  36 
per  cent  saving  in  negative. 

Hopper  related  that  he  had 
been  asked  about  curtailment 
of  double  features  in  a  ques- 
tion period  at  the  Allied  board 
meeting  and  had  reiterated 
statements  on  the  subject  of 
other  war  board  officials,  name- 
ly, that  the  question  is  one  for 
the  industry  to  determine  for 
itself.  The  WPB,  he  insisted, 
will  not  "legislate."  • 

Abram  F.  Myers,  Allied  chairman 
and  general  counsel,  in  discussing  the 
manpower  problem  of  the  theatres, 
^expressed  the  view  that  exhibition  has 
a  good  case  to  present  to  the  War 
Manpower  Commission.  Pointing  out 
that  deferments  thus  far  have  been  on 
the  basis  of  irreplaceability,  based  in 


turn  on  technical  training  for  certain 
positions,  Myers  reminded  that  some 
states  require  six  months  apprentice- 
ship in  projection  as  a  requisite  to  em- 
ployment. He  added  that  managers 
are  not  made  overnight,  either. 

Calls  for  Deferments 

"If  the  Government  thinks  the  mak- 
ing of  pictures  important,"  he  ob- 
served, "certainly  their  showing  is 
equally  important.  They  cannot  be 
shown  by  imperfect  projectionists,  and 
will  be  hampered  in  showing  by  un- 
trained managers." 


Connors  Addresses 
20th  Manager  Meet 

(.Continued  from  page  1) 
Slyke,  James  Dunn  and  Kerk  Bur- 
bank. 

New  additions  to  the  home  office  are 
Jack  Slocum,  Gladys  Mensh,  Jeannette 
Sawyer  and  Ned  Norworth. 

Changes  in  the  exploitation  depart- 
ment involve  Richard  Owen,  trans- 
ferred from  the  studio  to  work  in 
Dallas  and  Oklahoma  City,  and 
Thomas  Thompson,  who  has  been  as- 
signed to  cover  Kansas  City,  St. 
Louis  and  Indianapolis. 

Shapiro  Reelected 
Publicists  President 

Hollywood,  Feb.  25. — Victor  Sha- 
piro was  reelected  president  of  the 
Independent  Publicists,  Margaret  Et- 
tinger,  vice-president,  and  Jack  Proc- 
tor, secretary,  at  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  group  last  night.  The  session 
approved  the  code  of  ethics  and  stand- 
ards of  practice  which  were  prepared 
during  the  organization's  first  year. 


New  Opportunities 
Await  Independent 
Producers:  Kann 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

lish  himself,  provided  he  asserts  that 
right  through  merit." 

"It  would  be  juvenile  for  anyone 
addressing  you  to  seek  to  create  the 
impression  that  this  is  easy.  It  is  pAtt, 
as  you  yourselves  know.  The  roaa 
hard  and  tough  and,  for  one  reason.  . 
another,  some  of  you  must  appreciate 
you  may  not  make  the  grade.  How- 
ever, the  opportunity  is  there. 

"Troubled  as  you  must  be  in  these 
difficult  times,  perhaps  it  is  an  op- 
portunity you  do  not  recognize.  It 
seems  to  me,  however,  that  the  pro- 
ducer, large  or  small,  who  hews  to 
the  line  of  good  taste,  is  earnest  and 
serious,  who  avoids  claptrap  and 
cheap  sensationalisms  inevitably  must 
make  the  mark.  It  is  in  the  very  na- 
ture of  consistent  plugging  that  he 
will  achieve  it. 

Review  Past,  He  Says 

"If  you  are  in  doubt  about  contri- 
butions of  the  independent  producer 
to  this  industry  all  through  its  his- 
tory, review  the  past.  It  would  appear 
redundant  and  unnecessary  to  g© 
specific,  for  case  histories  of  great 
advances  sprung  from  small  begining- 
ings  are  too  well  known  and  too 
thoroughly  recorded  to  make  narra- 
tion of  them  necessary.  Quigley  Pub- 
lications maintain  a  lively  interest  in 
the  independent,  recognize  his  overall 
significance  and  stand  prepared  to  en- 
courage that  significance  in  any  con- 
sistent manner  which  may  assert  it- 
self." 

I.  E.  Chadwick,  president  of  the 
IMPPA,  presided.  Among  those 
present  were:  Arthur  Greenblatt, 
George  Weeks,  Scott  Dunlap,  Jed 
Buell,  George  Merrick,  Sig  Neufeld, 
Sam  Katzman,  Edward  Gross,  Max 
Alexander,  Seymour  Nebenzahl,  Sam 
Berkowitz,  Max  King,  Ted  Richmond, 
Jack  Schwarz,  Bill  Hackel  and  Sidney 
Williams. 


WAC  Theatres  Unit 
Talks  With  McNutt 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

cussion  of  the  theatres'  manpower  and 
other  problems  on  Wednesday  by  the 
theatres  division  executive  committee 
of  the  WAC.  Alperson  presented  a 
report  of  the  recent  United  Nation; 
drive,  of  which  he  was  chairman,  anc 
discussed  the  possibility  of  future 
drives.  Plans  for  the  coming  Red 
Cross  drive  were  reported  on  by 
Claude  Lee  of  Paramount  for  Barney 
Balaban,  chairman,  who  is  out  of 
town.  A  financial  report  of  the  the- 
atres division  was  made  by  Arthur 
Mayer. 

"At  the  Front  in  North  Africa," 
the  Colonel  Darryl  F.  Zanuck  film, 
was  screened  for  the  executice  com- 
mittee members  and  its  distribution 
and  exhibition  arrangements  were 
discussed. 


Antonov  to  Hollywood 

Leonid  A.  Antonov,  special  repre- 
sentative of  the  Soviet  Cinema  Com- 
mittee, here  from  Russia  on  a  film 
business  visit,  will  leave  for  Holly- 
wood today  with  Nicholas  Napoli, 
president  of  Artkino  Pictures,  where 
they  will  spend  several  weeks  visiting 
studios. 


YOU 


GREA 


RERIIEASES 


W  1m  '  1 

»J  >  -  ■"••:| 


WD  BAR*  ^ 


1     f  -  y: 


BOOTS*!-! 


A  PROVEN  CLAIM 
STAKED  OUT  FOR  THE 


BIGGEST  BOX  OFFICER 
STRIKE  IN  HISTORY^ 


^  v  .&&BY  UNANIMOUS  DEMAND  OF%"|f9|( 
^  PUBLIC  and  THE  EXHIBITOR  ' 


PICTURES 


'JB7 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  February  26,  1943 


'Serve'  Does 


$30,000,  Top 
Phila.  Gross 


Philadelphia,  Feb.  25. — A  holiday 
weekend,  coupled  with  the  fact  that 
the  schools  are  closed  to  issue  ration 
books,  gave  the  downtown  district  big 
business  this  week.  Largest  gross  re- 
corded was  $30,000  for  "In  Which  We 
Serve,"  at  the  Mastbaum. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  23-26 : 

"Tennessee  Johnson."  (M-G-M) 

ALDINE — (900)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $7,000.  (Average, 
$9,000) 

"Road  To  Morocco"  (Para.) 

ARCADIA— (600)  (35c- 46c -57c -68c)  7  days, 
2nd  week,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $4,200.  (Average, 
$2,800) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

BOYI>— (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $23,500.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Northwest  Rangers"  (M-G-M)  (6  days) 
"Once  Upon  A  Honeymoon"  (RKO)  (1  day) 

EARLE— (3,000)  (46c-57c-7Sc)  Stage:  6 
days  of  vaudeville  including  Count  Basie's 
orchestra,  Ethel  Waters,  James  Rushing, 
Earle  Warren,  Jo  Jones,  Bill  Bailey,  Glenn 
Jenkins.  Gross:  $33,800.  (Average,  $18,000) 
"Bowery  At  Midnight"  (Mono.) 

FAY'S—  (2,190)   (29c -35c -46c -57c)   Stage:  7 
days  of  vaudeville  including  Lionel  Hamp- 
ton's orchestra  with  Rubel  Blakely.  Gross: 
$12,800.  (Average,  $6,000) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 

FOX— (3,000)     (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,   2nd   week.     Gross:    $18,000.  (Aver- 
age, $14,000) 
"Bambi"  (RKO) 

KARLTON — (1,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)   7  days,  2nd   week.  2nd   run.  Gross: 
$5,5(50.    (Average,  $3,500) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

KEITH'S  —  (2,200)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $10,000.  (Av- 
erage, $4,500) 

"Ira  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

MASTBAUM— (4,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.    Gross:  $30,000. 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

STANLEY— (3,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $22,000.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"The   Fighting   Chetniks"  (ZOth-Fox) 

STANTON—  (1,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-6Sc- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Av- 
erage, $6,500) 


SOPEG  Para.  Claim 


Rejected  by  NLRB 


The  NLRB  in  a  ruling  made  public 
yesterday  rejected  the  objections  of 
the  Screen  Office  &  Professional  Em- 
ployes Guild  to  the  collective  bargain- 
ing election  by  employes  of  Paramount 
News  and  dismissed  SOPEG's  petition 
for  certification  as  their  bargaining 
agent. 

The  election,  held  last  November, 
resulted  in  a  vote  by  the  newsreel's 
employes  rejecting  SOPEG  as  bar- 
gaining agent  but  the  union  filed  ob- 
jections charging,  among  other  things, 
that  the  employes  had  been  coerced  by 
a  letter  addressed  to  them  over  the 
signature  of  Barney  Balaban,  Para- 
mount president,  which  discussed  the 
employes'  rights  under  the  National 
Labor  Relations  _  Act.  The  NLRB 
overruled  the  union's  objections  and 
held  the  letter  was  not  coercive. 

The  NLRB  reserved  decision  on 
the  further  objections  of  SOPEG  with 
respect  to  the  election  of  the  IATSE 
as  bargaining  agent  for  Paramount 
exchange  front  office  employes.  Pend- 
ing a  decision,  neither  union  has  been 
certified  yet  as  bargaining  agent  for 
those  employes.  SOPEG  won  the 
elections  of  Paramount  home  office  and 
music  subsidiaries'  employes. 


Bad  Weather  Hurts 


Los  Angeles  Gross; 
'Meanest',  $46,000 


Los  Angeles,  Feb.  25. — Several 
days  of  rain  almost  neutralized  the 
beneficial  boxoffice  effects  of  the  holi- 
day. "Casablanca,"  in  its  fourth  week 
at  the  three  Warner  houses  here,  con- 
tinues to  draw  strongly,  garnering 
$20,833  for  the  seven  days. 

"The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World," 
with  "Chetniks,"  at  three  houses 
pulled  $46,800. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  24: 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

CARTHAY  CIRCLE— (1,518)  (33c-44c- 
55c-75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $6,500. 
(Average,  $7,450) 

"The  Meanest  Man  im  the  World"  (2ttth- 
Fox) 

"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

CHINESE— (2,500)       (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 

days.    Gross:  $14,600.    (Average,  $13,500) 

"Cat  People"  (RKO) 

"Gorilla*  Mara"  (W.B.) 
HAWAII— (1,100)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days, 

6th  week.    Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  $3,250) 

"Tarzan  Triumphs"  (RKO) 

"It  Comes  Up  Love"  (Univ.) 
HILLSTREET— (2,700)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 

days.    Gross:  $15,500.    (Average,  $14,900) 

"The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (ZOth- 
Fox) 

"Chetniks"  (2ttth-Fox) 

LOEWS  STATE— (2,500)  (33c-44c-55c-75c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $22,500.     (Average,  $19,500) 
"Tarzan  Triumphs"  (RKO) 
"It  Comes  Up  Love"  (Univ.) 

PANTAGES—  (3,000)     (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $10,500.    (Average,  $12,900) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Hollywood)— (1,407)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days,  4th  week.    Gross:  $13,- 
000.     (Average,  $10,100) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Downtown)— (3,595)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $17,- 
500.     (Average,  $16,700) 

"The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (ZOth- 
Fox) 

"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

RITZ— (1,376)     (33c-44c-55c-85c)     7  days. 
Gross:   $9,700.     (Average,  $9,400) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

WARNER    BROS.  (Hollywood)-(3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)  7  days,  4th  week.  Gross: 
$11,800.     (Average,  $13,200) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

WARN  ER    BROS.    (Downtown)— (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)  7  days,  4th  week.  Gross: 
$16,300.     (Average,  $14,350) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (Wiltern)— (2,200)  (33c- 
44c-55c-65c-85c)  7  days,  4th  week.  Gross: 
$12,700,  (Average,  $10,000) 
PARAMOUNT— (3,050)  (40c -50c -65c -80c)  7 
days.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,400.  (Average, 
$9,000) 


Red  Cross  Campaign 
Routes  for  Stars  Set 

Itineraries  of  groups  of  screen  per- 
conalities  who  will  tour  the  country 
for  appearances  at  rallies  for  the  Red 
Cross  were  made  public  yesterday  by 
the   Hollywood   Victory  Committee. 

Routes  so  far  arranged,  subject  to 
additional  dates  to  be  set  later,  are 
as  follows : 

Route  No.  1 — March  5,  Denver ;  6, 
Colorado  Springs ;  8,  Albuquerque. 

Route  No.  2— March  1,  El  Paso;  4, 
New  Orleans;  5,  Memphis;  6,  Mont- 
gomery; 7,  Atlanta;  8,  Knoxville;  9, 
Nashville;  11,  Cincinnati;  12,  Dayton; 
13,  Fort  Wayne. 

Route  No.  3— Feb.  26,  Boston;  27, 
Cambridge;  March  1,  Springfield;  2, 
Worcester ;  3,  Hartford ;  4,  New 
Haven ;  5,  Bridgeport ;  6-7,  New 
York;  8,  Paterson;  9,  Elizabeth;  10, 
New  York;  11,  Pittsburgh. 

Route  No.  4 — March  1,  Philadel- 
phia ;  2,  Wilmington ;  3,  Baltimore ;  4, 
Harrisburg ;  5,  Buffalo  ;  6,  Cleveland  ; 
8,  Detroit;  9,  Chicago;  10,  Gary. 

Route  No.  5— Feb.  26,  Omaha;  28, 
Minneapolis ;  March  2,  St.  Louis. 


Appeal  Board  Rules 
For  Coast  House 


The  Tumbleweed  Theatre,  Five 
Points,  Cal.,  won  a  further  reduction 
of  clearance  with  respect  to  the  El 
Monte,  El  Monte,  Cal.,  on  appeal  to 
the  arbitration  appeal  board,  it  was 
disclosed  yesterday. 

The  complaint  involved  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox, Paramount  and  Vitagraph. 
Originally,  Andrew  O.  Porter,  arbi- 
trator at  the  Los  Angeles  tribunal, 
held  that  the  63-day  clearance  granted 
the  El  Monte  over  the  Tumbleweed 
was  unreasonable  and  directed  that 
it  be  reduced  and  scaled  according  to 
the  respective  admission  prices 
charged,  starting  with  a  minimum 
clearance  of  42  days. 

Competition  Too  Slight 

The  appeals  board  held  that  com- 
petition between  the  two  theatres 
was  too  slight  to  justify  that  clear- 
ance under  the  current  price  scales 
of  the  respective  houses  and  fixed  the 
maximum  clearance  of  teh  El  Monte 
at  28  days  over  the  Tumbleweed 
while  the  current  price  differential  of 
six  cents  is  maintained.  The  decision 
further  specified  that  should  the  price 
differential  for  any  reason  become 
less  than  five  cents  the  El  Monte's 
clearance  shall  be  further  reduced  to 
21  days. 

At  the  Boston  tribunal,  Joseph  B. 
Wolbarsht,  arbitrator,  ruled  that  Par- 
amount had  not  complied  with  Section 
6  of  the  decree  in  making  an  offer  of 
a  run  to  the  Welldon  Theatre  and 
directed  the  distributor  to  make  a  new 
run  offer  to  the  theatre  in  compli- 
ance with  the  some  run  section  of  the 
decree. 

Another  Complaint  Dismissed 

The  some  run  complaint  against 
Paramount  by  Affiliated  Theatres, 
Inc.,  which  was  heard  at  the  same 
time,  was  dismissed  by  Wolbarsht 
who  ruled  that  a  proper  offer  of  a 
run  had  been  made  by  the  distributor. 

At  the  Dallas  tribunal,  the  dismis- 
sal of  the  combined  clearance,  some 
run  and  designated  run  complaint  of 
the  Roxy,  San  Angelo,  Texas,  was 
appealed  by  the  plaintiff.  The  case 
involved  Loew's  Paramount,  20th 
Century-Fox  and  Vitagraph. 

SMPE  Discusses 
Theatre  Problems 

Wartime  protection  of  the  theatre 
and  its  essential  supplies  and  materi- 
als was  the  subject  of  a  meeting  of 
the  Society  of  M.  P.  Engineers  at  a 
meeting  at  the  Hotel  Pennsylvania 
last  night. 

Dr.  Alfred  N.  Goldsmith,  chairman 
of  the  SMPE  Atlantic  Coast  section, 
presided.  Speakers  included  Henry 
Anderson  of  Paramount ;  Earl  Morin 
of  the  Connecticut  State  Police,  who 
cnoke  on  theatre  lighting  systems ;  Dr. 
Walter  Cutter  of  N.  Y.  U.,  who  dis- 
cussed the  handling  of  crowds  in 
emergencies  ;  E.  W.  Fowler  of  the  Na- 
tional Board  of  Fire  Underwriters; 
James  Frank  of  National  Theatre  Sup- 
ply; Ben  Schlanger,  theatre  architect, 
and  Gilbert  W.  Tyler,  engineer. 


Weintraub  to  Des  Moines 

Des  Moines,  Feb.  25.— Sam  Wein- 
traub of  the  20th  Century-Fox  homr 
office  has  been  appointed  head  booker 
at  the  company's  exchange  here. 


IATSE  Demands  4 
Man  Sound  Crews 
From  Independents 


Hollywood,  Feb.  25. — A  demand  by 
the  Sound  Technicians  Local  695, 
IATSE,  on  independent  producers  to 
use  four  men  instead  of  three  on  sound 
crews  was  placed  today  before  Federal 
Labor  Conciliator  Lewis  Livingst^-  " 
who  will  announce  his  decision  Tu\ 
day.  The  union  is  seeking  to  force 
small  producers  to  use  a  fourth  man 
to  handle  cables  with  producers  point- 
ing to  existing  labor  shortages  and 
added  $100  weekly  expense  per  picture 
as  reasons  for  their  opposition. 

The  independents  were  represented 
by  I.  E.  Chadwick,  president  of 
IMPPA,  who  obtained  a  concession 
from  the  union  modifying  the  arbitra- 
tion clause  of  the  bargaining  contract. 


CEA-Newsreels 
Agree  on  Stock  Cut 


London,  Feb.  25. — The  Cinemat- 
ograph Exhibitors  Association  and 
newsreel  representatives  were  report- 
ed to  have  reached  an  .agreement  to- 
day for  authorized  bicycling  of  prints 
which,  it  Is  hoped,  will  sufficiently  re- 
duce print  requirements  to  effect  a 
saving  of  25,000^)00  feet  of  raw  stock 
annually. 

No  decision  has  yet  been  reached 
as  to  the  extent  to  which  newsreel 
footage  will  be  reduced,  per  issue,  but 
the  newsreels  have  promised  to  give 
further  consideration  to  the  subject 
and  will  make  an  early  decision.  The 
ultimate  raw  stock  savings  which  must 
be  realized  by  the  C.  E.  A.  and  Kine- 
matograph  Renters  Society  are  de- 
pendent upon  the  decision  the  reels 
make.  Nevertheless,  the  C.  E.  A.  will 
aim  at  a  15,000,000  feet  additional  re- 
duction. 

C.  E.  A.  and  K.  R.  S.  representa- 
tives conferred  today  on  means  for  ef- 
fecting savings,  whereby  they  hope  to 
avoid  potential  threats  that  theatre 
playing  time  will  be  cut  by  the  Board 
of  Trade,  both  sides  agreeing-  that 
such  action  would  be  undesirable. 
Their  discussion  showed  that  an  agree- 
ment is  possible  on  conservation  of 
prints  and  readjustment  of  the  Lon- 
don region  release  system  to  effect 
further  raw  s.tock  savings.  Additional 
C.  E.  A.-K.  R.  S.  conferences  will 
be  held  before  their  next  meeting 
with  the  Board  of  Trade. 


Loew's  Defendant  in 
New  York  Court  Suit 

Loew's,  Inc.,  was  named  defendant 
in  a  $50,000  damage  suit  filed  in  the 
New  York  County  Supreme  Court 
yesterday  by  Peggy  Calvert,  actress 
and  singer  of  the  stage  and  radio. 
The  plaintiff  claims  that  in  certain 
scenes  in  the  film,  "Keeping  Com- 
pany," which  Loew's  distributed  in 
1940,  she  was  subjected  to  shame  and 
ridicule. 

Justice  Louis  Valente  in  the  Su- 
preme Court  yeserday  ruled  that  ex- 
clusive right  to  the  title  "Gay  Nine- 
ties" belongs  to  William  Hardy,  and 
granted  him  an  injunction  restraining 
Pauline  Fisher  from  using  that  name 
in  connection  with  her  Brooklyn  res- 
taurant. 


Alert, 

InteUigei 

>aD|e 

to  the^l 

gtion 

Picture 

Industry 

MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


53.  NO.  39 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  MONDAY,  MARCH  1,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


N.M.  Schenck 
Reelected  as 
Loew's  Chief 


Management  Is  Lauded 
By  Stockholders 


All  officers  of  Loew's,  Inc.,  head- 
ed by  Nicholas  M.  Schenck,  presi- 
dent, were  reelected  at  a  meeting 
of  the  board 
on  Friday  fol- 
lowing a  spe- 
cial meeting  of 
stockholders  at 
which  all  di- 
rectors of  the 
company  were 
reelected. 

Loew's  earn 
ings  for  the 
current  fiscal 
year  are  ex- 
pected to  equal 
the  $12,132,606 
net  profit  last 
year,  despite 
higher  taxes,  J. 
Robert  Rubin,  vice-president,  informed 
the  stockholders'  meeting.    Both  the 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


N.  M.  Schenck 


20th-Fox  Men  Back; 
Trade  Showings  Set 

Tom  J.  Connors,  20th  Century-Fox 
vice-president  in  charge  of  distribu- 
tion, and  other  company  executives  re- 
turn today  from  Chicago  where  a 
three-day  sales  meeting  was  held.  In 
the  home  office  group  will  be  William 
J.  Kupper,  A.  W.  Smith,  Jr.,  W.  C. 
Gehring,  Hal  Home,  Francis  Harley, 
Otto  Bolle  and  others. 

At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  Con- 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


New  York  City  Alert 
Tomorrow  at  9  P.M. 

Mayor  F.  H.  LaGuardia  an- 
nounced that  New  York  City 
will  have  a  five-alarm  practice 
blackout  tomorrow  night  at  9 
o'clock.  The  blue,  red  and  blue 
signals  will  be  sounded,  fol- 
lowed by  another  red  and  blue, 
he  stated.  The  Mayor  pointed 
out  that  the  drill  will  be  a 
continuation  of  the  alert  with 
a  double  attack  and  asked  resi- 
dents not  to  "get  rattled  or 
confused."  If  the  blackout  is 
satisfactory,  he  added,  a  sur- 
prise drill  will  be  held  later. 


Judging  of  Quigley 
Grand  Awards  Will 
Be  Held  Tomorrow 


Judging  for  the  1942  Quigley  Grand 
Awards  and  the  1942  Quigley  War 
Showmanship  Award  will  take  place 
tomorrow  noon  in  the  North  Ball 
Room  of  the  Hotel  Astor,  followed  by 
luncheon.  Leonard  Goldenson,  in 
charge  of  operations  of  Paramount 
Theatres,  will  be  the  speaker.  Martin 
Quigley  will  preside.  Leaders  in  dis- 
tribution, advertising  and  publicity 
and  theatre  operation  are  the  judges. 

This  will  be  the  ninth  of  the  Quigley 
Grand  Awards  functions.  A  silver 
plaque  goes  to  the  showman  who,  in 
the  opinion  of  the  judges,  has  done 
the  most  outstanding  exploitation,  ad- 
vertising and  publicity  work  during 
the  year.  A  bronze  plaque  goes  to 
the  leading  runner-up. 

Like    the    Quigley    Awards,  the 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Zanuck  in  Ottawa 
On  Training  Films 


Ottawa,  Feb.  28. — Colonel  Darryl 
F.  Zanuck  conferred  here  over  the 
weekend  with  John  Grierson,  head  of 
the  National  Film  Board  of  Canada 
and  of  the  Wartime  Information 
Board,  on  what  was  said  to  be  a  new 
cooperative  development  between  the 
United  States  and  Canada  on  the  use 
of  Army  training  films. 

The  appointment  this  week  of  Paul 
Nathanson,  president  of  the  Odeon 
Circuit,  as  a  lieutenant  in  the  visual 
instruction  branch  of  the  Canadian 
Army  is  said  to  be  a  part  of  the  new 
cooperative  training  films  program  be- 
tween the  two  countries. 

Zanuck's  Canadian  visit  otherwise 
has  no  trade  significance,  it  is  stated. 


McNUTT  TO  PROBE 
DRAFT  THREATS' 

Charges  Employment  Officers  Told  Theatre 
Employes  to  'Work  or  Fighf  Will  Be 
Investigated,  WAC  Is  Assured 

By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Feb.  28. — Charges  that  United  States  Employment 
Service  regional  officials  have  "practically  threatened"  to  put  theatre 
employes  of  draft  age  into  the  Army  if  they  do  not  find  other  employment 
will  be  thoroughly  investigated  by  the  War  Manpower  Commission, 
 _ —  representatives  of  the  theatre  divi- 

Sears  Confirms 
Lazarus  as  U.  A. 
Advertising  Chief 


The  appointment  of  Paul  N.  Lazarus, 
Jr.,  as  advertising  and  publicity  direc- 
tor of  United  Artists,  has  been  con- 
firmed by  Grad- 
well  L.  Sears, 
vice-president  in 
charge  of  distri- 
bution. That 
Lazarus  would 
be  appointed  to 
the  post  was  ex- 
clusively report- 
ed in  Motion 
Picture  Daily 
last  Thursday. 

Lazarus  suc- 
ceeds David  E. 
W  e  s  h  n  e  r, 
whose  resigna- 
tion becomes 
effective  March 
5.  Lazarus,  however,  will  assume  his 
new  post  today.  He  entered  the  indus- 
try in  1933  as  a  member  of  the  War- 
ner  home  office   advertising  depart- 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Studios  start  exhaustive  sur- 
vey of  their  manpower  by  order 
of  McNutt.    Story  on  Page  3. 


Staff  Photo 
Paul  Lazarus,  Jr. 


Higher  Federal  Amusement 
Taxes  Expected  in  Canada 


Coe  Will  Address 
N.  Y.  Sales  Club 

The  second  of  a  series  of  addresses 
on  the  industry's  wartime  role  and 
accomplishments  being  made  by 
Charles  F.  Coe,  MPPDA  vice-presi- 
dent and  general  counsel,  will  be  given 
at  a  luncheon  of  the  Sales  Executives 
Club  of  New  .York  at  the  Hotel 
Roosevelt,  March  9. 

Coe's  addresses  are  part  of  a  long 
range  program  to  improve  the  in- 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


By  W.  M.  GLADISH 

Toronto,  Feb.  28. — Canadian  exhib- 
itors anticipate  a  proposal  for  an  in- 
crease in  the  Federal  amusement  tax 
of  20  per  cent  when  the  Dominion's 
new  budget  is  submitted  to  Parlia- 
ment by  Minister  of  Finance  J.  L.  Ils- 
ley  on  Tuesday. 

The  present  tax  on  liquor  and  to- 
baccos also  is  to  be  increased  in  the 
government's  effort  to  raise  all  the 
new  revenue  possible  to  help  meet  the 
heavy  war  expenditures. 

Official  quarters  point  out  that  the 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


ties  Committee  were  assured  Fri- 
day by  Chairman  Paul  V.  McNutt. 

Headed  by  Si  Fabian,  chair- 
man of  the  division,  a  group  in- 
cluding E.  V.  Richards,  E.  L. 
Alperson,  M.  A.  Rosenberg,  R. 
B.  Wilby,  R.  J.  O'Donnell  and 
Harry  Brandt  held  a  lengthy 
conference  with  McNutt  on 
problems  confronting  the  ex- 
hibitors, at  which  they  referred 
to  alleged  threats  by  employ- 
ment offices  and  were  asked  to 
put  specific  cases  in  writing  so 
that  an  inquiry  may  be  started. 

A  spokesman  for  the  WMC  said 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Rosenberg,  Myers 
Reelected  by  Allied 

M.  A.  Rosenberg  was  reelected 
president  of  Allied  States  and  Abram 
F.  Myers  chairman  of  the  board  and 
general  counsel  at  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  organization's  board  of  direc- 
tors here  on  Friday. 

Their  reelection  was  forecast  by 
Motion  Picture  Daily  last  Thurs- 
day. 

Other  officers  are :  Martin  G.  Smith, 
(Continued  on  page  3) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "Tenting  Tonight 
on  the  Old  Camp  Ground," 
"Frankenstein  Meets  the  Wolf 
Man,"  and  "Boston  Blackie 
Goes  Hollywood,"  Page  7.  Key 
city  box-office  reports,  Page  6. 
Academy  dinner  to  be  broad- 
cast throughout  the  world, 
Page  2.  Critics'  quotes,  Page  6. 
Hollywood  production  notes, 
Page  2. 


2 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Monday,  March  1,  1943 


Hollywood  Notes 


By  WILLIAM  R.  WEAVER 

Hollywood,  Feb.  28 
Production  schedules  are  under- 
going some  shuffling,  in  part  because 
of  shifting  emphasis  on  timely  themes 
and  in  part  due  to  availability  and  un- 
availability of  wanted  talent  at  given 
moments.  Paramount  has  deferred 
start  of  "Stallion  Road,"  the  Bing 
Crosby  vehicle,  and  placed  a  new  of- 
fering, "All  Around  the  Town,"  on 
his  schedule  to  precede  it.  Karl  Tun- 
berg  and  Darrell  Ware  are  preparing 
the  script,  which  concerns  a  modern 
young  man  diffident  about  women,  for 
Fred  Kohlmar,  producer.  RKO  has 
postponed  "The  Iron  Major,"  Pat 
O'Brien  vehicle,  and  substituted 
"Marine  Raiders"  as  his  next  picture, 
considering  the  subject — Guadalcanal 
— more  timely. 

• 

Leon  Fromkes's,  Producers  Releas- 
ing vice-president  in  charge  gf  pro- 
duction has  dedicated  his  studio  to  a 
banning  of  gangster  pictures'  in  com- 
pliance with  the  suggestion  made  to  all 
studios  by  the  local  branch  of  the  Of- 
fice of  War  Information.  The  sug- 
gestion springs  from  OWI  conviction 
that  stressing  of  gangsterism  in  Amer- 
ican pictures  gives  a  misleading  im- 
pression, abroad,  regarding  the  Amer- 
ican way  of  life.  (It  is  an  untold  and 
not  necessarily  related  story  that  pic- 
tures emphasizing  gangsters  and  other 
types  of  desperadoes  have  been  run- 
ning into  trouble  at  the  time  when 
export  licenses  must  be  obtained  from 
the  Office  of  Censorship.) 

• 

Warner  Brothers  has  docu- 
mented the  recent  announce- 
ment of  stardom  for  Sydney 
Greenstreet  by  assigning  him 
top  placement  in  "The  Fat 
Man,"  a  story  about  spies, 
which  Jerry  Wald  is  to  pro- 
duce. Greenstreet  came  to  at- 
tention as  star  material  in  "The 
Maltese  Falcon"  and  appeared 
later,  always  on  the  nether  side 
of  the  plot,  in  "Across  the  Pa- 
cific" and  "Casablanca."  .  .  . 
Universal  has  increased  its 
writer  staff  to  32  with  the  ad- 
dition of  Samuel  Hoffenstein, 
Griffin  Jay,  Henry  Sucher,  Al 
Martin  and  Morgan  B.  Cox.  .  .  . 
Monogram  has  purchased 
"Night  Fighters,"  by  Dixon 
MacArthur,  in  expansion  of  its 
backlog  of  properties  keyed  to 
the  times. 

• 

Columbia  has  given  John  Hub- 
bard a  term  contract  and  the  lead 
opposite  Ann  Miller  in  "What's 
Buzzin'  Cousin,"  which  Charles  Bar- 
ton will  direct  for  producer  Jack 
Fier.  .  .  .  Neil  Hamilton  has  been 
given  a  featured  role  in  Universal's 
"I  Want  to  Sing."  ...  The  All  Year 
Club  of  Southern  California  has  in- 
cluded in  its  membership  the  Industry 
Service  Bureau,  represented  by  Arch 
Reeve,  and  the  Miami  Chamber  of 
Commerce — if  it's  still  there — should 
be  making  some  representations  any 
minute  now. 

• 

Assertedly  because  of  successes 
scored  by  "You  Were  Never  Love- 
lier" Columbia  is  to  release  eleven 
nmsicals  this  year,  four  of  which  are 
now  completed.  Western  division  man- 
agers of  the  company  conferred  in 
Hollywood  last  week  on  sales  plans 
for  "Something  to  Shout  About," 
"Desperadoes"  and  "The  More  the 
Merrier." 


Personal  Mention 


SPYROS   SKOURAS   is  expected 
here  today  from  Denver. 
• 

Joseph  Seidelman,  Universal  vice- 
president  and  foreign  manager,  is 
scheduled  to  arrive  from  the  Coast 
today. 

• 

Martin  Jurow,  head  of  the  Warner 
Bros,  talent  bureau  in  the  east,  leaves 
tomorrow  for  the  Coast.  He  will  visit 
in  Chicago  en  route. 

• 

Arthur  Greenblatt,  Producers 
Releasing  vice-president,  will  leave 
the  Coast  tomorrow,  and  is  expected 
here  Friday. 

• 

A.  W.  Schwalberg,  Warner  Bros, 
supervisor    of    exchange  operations, 
leaves  tonight  for  Washington. 
• 

Arnold  Pressburgee  is  here  from 
the  Coast. 

• 

Jay  Emanuel  of  Philadelphia  has 
left  for  a  Florida  vacation. 

• 

Fritz  Lang  is  in  town  from  Holly- 
wood. 

• 

Thomas  G.  Ratcliffe,  formerly  of 
the  M-G-M  story  department,  has 
been  commissioned  a  lieutenant  in  the 
Chemical  Warfare  Division. 

• 

Ken  Hallam  of  the  RKO  publicity 
department  has  recuperated  from  a 
six-weeks'  illness. 


HA.RRY  G.  BALLANCE,  South- 
ern division  manager  for  20th 
Century-Fox,  is  recovering  from  an 
operation. 

• 

Florence  Strauss,  Eastern  story 
editor  for  Edward  Small,  leaves  to- 
day for  California. 

• 

Harry  Goldstone,  Producers  Re- 
leasing salesman  for  New  York  and 
Brooklyn,  has  been  inducted  into  the 
Army. 

• 

N.  Peter  Rathvon  is  due  here  to- 
day from  the  Coast. 

• 

Murray  Schwartz,  former  inde- 
pendent exchange  head  in  Philadel- 
phia, was  in  from  St.  Louis  to  visit 
friends  in  Philadelphia. 

• 

Pvt.  Louis  Weiner,  formerly  Unit- 
ed Artists  publicity  representative  in 
New  England,  is  reported  stationed 
with  the  Army  Air  Forces  in  Ft.  Lo- 
gan, Colo. 

• 

William  Bullwinkel,  son  of  Co- 
lumbia's Rochester  salesman,  Jack 
Bullwinkel,  has  enlisted  in  the  Navy 
Air  Corps. 

• 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kermit  Carr  of 
Waterloo,  la.,  are  the  parents  of  a 
girl.  Carr  is  manager  of  the  Tri- 
States  Theatre  Corp.'s  Paramount  in 
Waterloo. 


Technicians  to  Start 
Lab,  Contract  Talks 

Negotiations  between  Motion  Pic- 
ture Laboratory  Technicians  Union, 
Locay  702,  IATSE,  and  Du-Art, 
Mercury,  Paramount  News  and  Ace 
laboratories  for  new  contracts  will  get 
underway  tomorrow,  John  J.  Fran- 
cavilla,  acting  president  of  the  union, 
said.  '  All  contracts  expire  March  10. 

The  union  will  make  the  same  de- 
mands upon  these  companies  as  it  has 
upon  Pathe  Laboratory,  including  a 
general  10  per  cent  wage  increase, 
vacations  with  pay  and  severance  pay. 
Francavilla  said  that  negotiations  with 
Pathe  have  reached  an  impasse,  and 
he  added  that  if  that  company  does  not 
meet  union  demands  by  March  10, 
employees  affected  by  the  contract  will 
stop  servicing  Pathe. 

The  RKO  contract,  calling  for  an 
average  20  per  cent  increase  for  em- 
ployes, retroactive  to  Nov.  1,  1942,  has 
been  certified  by  the  War  Labor 
Board,   the   union  reported. 


Rites  for  Mrs.  Gerson 
Held  in  Hollywood 

Hollywood,  Feb.  28.  —  Funeral 
services  for  Mrs.  Essie  Gerson,  wife 
of  William  Gerson,  manager  of  Uni- 
versal's studio  commissary  and  form- 
er Broadway  restaurateur,  were  held 
on  Friday  at  the  Little  Church  of  the 
Flowers  at  Forest  Lawn. 


'Shadow'  Opens  March  9 

"Men  in  Shadow,"  Mary  Hayley 
Bell  drama  which  Max  Gordon  is 
sponsoring,  will  open  at  the  Morosco 
Wednesday  evening,  March  10,  in- 
stead of  March  9  as  originally  an- 
nounced. 


'At  the  Front'  Set 
In  15  B'way  Houses 

Nearly  all  Broadway  first-run  the- 
atres will  show  "At  the  Front,"  the 
War  Department's  North  African  in- 
vasion film  being  distributed  by  War- 
ner Bros.,  during  the  week  of  March 
18,  it  was  announced.  The  theatres 
are:  Paramount,  Hollywood,  Strand, 
Capitol,  Rivoli,  Criterion,  Roxy,  Rial- 
to,  Palace,  Astor,  Mayfair,  Central, 
New  York,  Embassy  Newsreel  and 
Trans-Lux  Newsreel.  The  Para- 
mount Strand  and  Fox  in  Brooklyn 
will  show  the  film  the  same  week, 
while  the  entire  Loew  and  RKO  cir- 
cuits will  get  the  four-reel  picture 
later. 


Eyssell  to  Present 
'Harvest'  Plaques 

Gus  Eyssell,  managing  director  of 
the  Radio  City  Music  Hall,  will  be 
host  at  a  press  luncheon  at  the  thea- 
tre today  at  which  he  will  present  sil- 
ver plaques  to  those  connected  with 
the  production  of  "Random  Harvest," 
commemorating  the  record-breaking 
11-week  run  of  the  film  at  the  thea- 
tre. Mervyn  LeRoy,  director  of  the 
film,  will  accept  the  plaques  on  behalf 
of  M-G-M  and  the  artists  involved. 


Miss  Carroll  U.  S.  Citizen 

Hartford,  Feb.  28.  —  Madeleine 
Carroll,  film  player,  celebrated  her 
37th  birthday  Friday  by  becoming  a 
naturalized  American  citizen  in  U.  S. 
District  Court  here.  She  said  she 
would  devote  her  time  to  the  United 
Seamen's  Service. 


World-Wide  Network 
For  Academy  Dinner 

Hollywood,  Feb.  28.— -The 
Academy  Awards  dinner  on 
March  4  will  have  the  widest 
radio  coverage  in  the  history 
of  the  event  with  CBS  broad- 
casting speeches  by  Lowell 
Mellett  and  Gov.  Earl  Warren 
over  a  nation-wide  network 
for  a  half  hour.  A  shortwave 
broadcast  of  the  entire  pro? 
gram  to  the  rest  of  the  worlt 
through  OWI  and  the  Co» 
ordinator  of  Inter-American 
Affairs  will  also  be  made  by 
transcription,  it  was  an- 
nounced. 


New  CEA  President 
To  Hold  Reception 

London,  Feb.  28. — The  Cinemato- 
graph Exhibitors  Association  annual 
meeting  on  Tuesday,  when  Henry 
Simpson  will  take  office  as  president, 
and  Sidney  Clift  as  vice-president, 
will  be  followed  by  a  presidential  re- 
ception and  tea  dance.  Royal  Air 
Force  and  other  military  officers  will 
attend  and  are  expected  to  formally 
thank  the  exhibitors  for  their  recent 
collection  of  202,491  pounds  sterling 
for  the  RAF  Benevolent  Fund. 


Silver  Appointed  UA 
WashingtonManager 

Washington,  Feb.  28. — Mark  Sil- 
ver, formerly  salesman  at  the  local 
United  Artists  branch,  has  been  ap- 
pointed branch  manager  here,  it  was 
announced.  He  succeeds  Fred  Rohrs, 
who  was  branch  manager  here  for 
several  years.  Rohrs  resigned  last 
week. 


Grainger  to  Coast 
For  Sales  Meeting 

James  R.  Grainger,  president  of 
Republic  Pictures,  left  by  plane  yes- 
terday for  California.  He  planned  to 
stop  over  in  St.  Louis,  Chicago, 
Omaha  and  San  Francisco  before 
t  eaching  Los  Angeles,  where  the  first 
of  a  series  of  three  regional  sales  con- 
ferences will  be  held  March  17  and  18, 
it  was  announced. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley   Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center,  ! 
New  York  City.     Telephone  Circle  7-3100.  | 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin  Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J.  I 
Sullivan,    Secretary.     Sam   Shain,   Editor;  j 
Alfred    L.    Finestone,    Managing    Editor;  I 
James    A.    Cron,    Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago     Bureau,     624     South     Michigan  ] 
Avenue,     Oscar     Lundy,     Correspondent;  ] 
Hollywood    Bureau,    Postal    Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;    cable    address    "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don."   All    contents    copyrighted    1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,   Inc.  Other 
Ouigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and   Fame.     Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.   under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.    Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


i  Monday,  March  1,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


Higher  Federal  Amusement 
Taxes  Expected  in  Canada 


N.M.  Schenck 
Reelected  as 
Loew's  Chief 


{Continued  from  page  1) 
domestic  and  foreign  business  of  the 
company  is  "excellent,"  Rubin  said. 
~  *te  company's  management  was 
■n.jnended  by  resolution  at  the  stock- 
holders' meeting  for  the  results  shown 
^last  year  and  for  the  current  strong 
financial  position  of  the  company. 
There  were  1,153,000  shares  of  stock 
represented  at  the  meeting  of  1,665,713 

■  shares  outstanding  and  all  were  voted 
for  the  present  directors. 
The  board  of  directors  at  their  meet- 

|  ing  following  the  stockholders'  session 
declared  the  regular  quarterly  divi- 
dend of  50  cents  a  share  on  the  com- 

,  mon,  payable  March  31  to  holders  of 
record  March  19. 

Officers  Reelected 

The  reelected  officers  in  addition  to 
Schenck  are:  David  Bernstein,  vice- 
president  and  treasurer ;  Arthur  M. 
Loew,  first  vice-president;  J.  Robert 
Rubin,  W.  F.  Rodgers,  Edward  A. 
Schiller,  Edward  J.  Mannix,  Al  Licht- 
man,  Howard  Dietz,  C.  C.  Mosko- 
witz,  J.  R.  Vogel  and  Sam  Katz, 
vice-presidents ;    Leopold  Friedman, 
1  secretary;  C.  C.  Moskowitz,  Charles 
K.  Stern,  Louis  K.  Sidney,  Len  Cohen, 
;  R.  Lazarus  and  Nicholas  Nayfack,  as- 
1  sistant   treasurers;   Jesse   T.  Mills, 
comptroller  and  assistant  secretary; 
'  Ben  Thau,  assistant  secretary. 

Directors,  who  were  all  reelected, 
!  are:     Schenck,     Bernstein,  Rubin, 
'  Friedman,  Vogel,  Moskowitz,  Eugene 
W.  Leake,  William  A.  Parker,  David 
Warfield  and  Henry   Rogers  Win- 
throp. 


Committees  Named 
For  Cleveland  Club 

Cleveland,  Feb.  28.— Charles  Rich, 
new  chief  barker  of  the  Variety  Club 
here,  has  appointed  13  canvassmen  to 
committee  posts  for  the  1943-'44  sea- 
son, as  follows: 

Jerome  Friedlander,  chairman  of  the 
"heart"  charity  committee,  assisted  by 
Max  Feldman ;  membership,  Jack 
Sogg  and  Jack  Shulman;  entertain- 
ment, Edward  Sherwood  and  Joseph 
Lissauer ;  house  committee,  Bernard 
Kranze,  chairman,  assisted  by  Max 
Lefkowich,  Edward  Bergman  and  Os- 
car Blum.  LeRoy  Kendis  is  chair- 
man of  promotional  activities,  aided 
by  Arthur  Goldsmith.  Henry  How- 
ard is  publicity  director. 


Two  Suits  Filed  in 
Coast  Superior  Court 

Hollywood,  Feb.  28. — Ernest  B. 
Schoedsack  seeks  $200,000  from  Wal- 
ter Wanger  Productions,  Inc.,  charg- 
ing damages  from  screen  credit  com- 
mission for  his  work  in  "Eagle  Squad- 
ron," and  Bert  Stafford,  a  writer,  sued 
Paramount  Pictures  and  Preston 
Sturges  for  $200,000,  alleging  that 
portions  of  his  story,  "Draw  Out," 
were  used  in  "Lady  Eve"  without  pay- 
ment. These  suits  were  filed  in  Su- 
perior Court  here,  it  is  reported. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
new  budget  and  tax  bill  cannot  pro- 
pose levies  on  foods  and  other  necessi- 
ties due  to  the  effect  such  taxes  would 
have  on  the  cost  of  living  index,  fluc- 
tuations in  which  result  in  wage 
bonuses  and  government  subsidies  un- 
der the  Dominion's  policy  of  maintain- 
ing living  costs  at  a  close  to  constant 
level.  Accordingly,  higher  costs  of 
food  and  other  necessities  would  result 
in  increased  costs  to  the  government 
in  the  form  of  payment  of  cash  sub- 
sidies to  industries  to  prevent  so-called 
inflation,  it  is  pointed  out. 

As  a  result,  it  is  said,  film  entertain- 
ment and  services  and  commodities 
classed  as  non-essential  may  be  ex- 
pected to  bear  a  large  share  of  the 
new  taxes. 


Rosenberg,  Myers 
Reelected  by  Allied 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
treasurer,   reelected;    Meyer  Leven- 
thal,  secretary,  succeeding  Charles  H. 
Olive,  and  P.  J.  Wood,  recording  sec- 
retary, succeeding  Don  Rossiter. 

William  L.  Ainsworth  was  elected 
to  the  executive  committee  replacing 
Nathan  Yamins,  who  resigned  last 
year,  and  the  following  members  of 
the  executive  committee  were  re-elect- 
ed: Rosenberg,  H.  A.  Cole,  S.  E. 
Samuelson,  Jack  Kirsch,  Roy  E.  Har- 
rold  and  Smith.  The  Allied  caravan 
committee,  consisting  of  Rosenberg, 
Cole,  Samuelson  and  Ainsworth,  was 
reelected  and  a  fifth  member  will  be 
named  to  the  committee  by  the  Pacific 
Coast  Conference  of  Independent  The- 
atre Owners  which,  while  not  affiliat- 
ed with  Allied,  recently  joined  in  the 
organization's  caravan  plan  and  re- 
quested representation  on  the  commit- 
tee. 

The  board  voted  to  .  hold  its  first 
quarterly  meeting  this  year  in  Detroit, 
either  late  in  April  or  early  in  May. 
To  Name  Representative 

Myers  was  authorized  by  the  board 
to  designate  an  Allied  representative 
to  sit  in  at  the  monthly  meetings  of 
the  distributors'  raw  stock  committee 
with  War  Production  Board  officials 
in  Washington,  in  accordance  with  an 
invitation  extended  to  all  exhibitor  or- 
ganizations by  Harold  Hopper,  head 
of  the  WPB  films  division.  Myers 
indicated  he  would  designate  Rosen- 
berg as   Allied's  representative. 

The  board  also  authorized  Myers 
to  draft  a  report  of  Allied's  attitude 
toward  the  recent  suggestion  of  Wil- 
liam F.  Rodgers,  M-G-M  general 
sales  manager,  for  the  formation  of  a 
single  national  exhibitor  association. 
The  report  will  be  made  public  within 
the  next  few  weeks  and  is  expected  to 
embrace,  as  well,  Allied's  policy  on 
cooperation  with  distributors. 

The  board  took  no  action  on  a  pro- 
posal to  bring  film  rentals  to  the  at- 
tention of  Congress  or  wartime  Fed- 
eral boards. 


Carnegie  Books  Film 

"Our  Lady  of  Paris"  has  been 
booked  for  the  Little  Carnegie,  follow- 
ing the  revival  of  George  Arliss'  "Dis- 
raeli," which  opened  there  Friday,  it 
was  announced. 


Studios  Starting 
Survey  of  Entire 
Manpower  Setup 


Hollywood,  Feb.  28. — All  studios 
have  embarked  upon  an  exhaustive 
analysis  of  manpower  on  order  of  the 
War  Manpower  Commission.  Em- 
ployes from  17  through  37,  whether 
actor,  producer  or  grip,  will  be  cov- 
ered. Belief  is  this  paves  way  for 
further  inroads  in  manpower,  some 
probably  heading  for  draft  and  others 
perhaps  facing  transfer  to  essential  in- 
dustries under  a  dictum  issued  recently 
by  Paul  McNutt. 

A  possibility  that  SIMPP  and 
IMPPA  may  collaborate  where  joint 
problems  cross  their  individual  trail 
looms  following  such  willingness 
voiced  by  Lloyd  Wright,  SIMPP 
president,  at  the  IMMPA  monthly 
meeting  Thursday.  Wright  told  major 
producers  that  his  membership  no 
longer  intended  bending  its  knee  to 
unreasonable  labor  demands  because 
the  majors  did,  fearing  walkout  in 
their  theatres. 

"Our  members  operate  no  theatres. 
We  don't  intend  taking  it  here  because 
some  houses  in  Chicago  may  face  a 
strike,  he  said,  urging  the  IMPPA  to 
adopt  an  identical  stiffening  attitude. 


Local  306  Is  Sued 
By  Brandt  Theatres 

The  Brandt  circuit  office  an- 
nounced Saturday  that  papers  had 
been  served  on  officials  of  operators' 
Local  306  in  a  $10,000  damage  suit  in- 
volving a  walkout  of  three  operators 
from  the  Windsor  Theatre  in  the 
Bronx  on  the  night  of  Washington's 
Birthday.  Some  600  admissions  had 
to  be  refunded  when  the  operators  left 
the  theatre  at  7  :30  p.  rn.,;  it  was  said. 

Max  Kravitz,  Local  306  business 
agent,  said  the  theatre  management 
sought  to  reduce  the  operators'  wages 
and  that  a  matter  of  $18  was  involved. 
The  Windsor  is  a  vaudeville-film 
house,  operating  weekends  only.  It  is 
a  William  Brandt  operation. 


G.  L.  Sears  Confirms 
Lazarus  in  U.  A.  Post 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

ment.  He  left  Warners  last  October 
to  join  Buchanan  &  Co.,  advertising 
agency. 

Lazarus  was  president  of  the  Asso- 
ciated Motion  Picture  Advertisers  in 
1939-'40,  and  currently  is  a  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  organization. 


20th-Fox  Men  Back; 
Trade  Showings  Set 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

nors  announced  five  features  will  be 
trade  shown  in  all  exchange  centers 
March  8  and  9,  including  "The  Moon 
Is  Down,"  "Hello,  Frisco,  Hello," 
"Dixie  Dugan,"  "He  Hired  the  Boss" 
I  and  "Quiet,  Please,  Murder." 


McNutt  Probe 
Of  Threats  on 
Draft  Assured 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

the  group  asked  no  favors  and  did  not 
ask  that  theatres  be  put  on  the  essen- 
tial list,  but  did  desire  to  have  some 
points  connected  with  the  manpower 
policy  clarified. 

It  was  pointed  out  that  theatre  em- 
ployes are  not  now  on  the  rion-essen- 
tial  list  and  that  it  had  not  been  de- 
termined whether  any  further  listings 
would  be  issued.  There  was  some 
discussion,  however,  of  the  possibili- 
ties of  getting  older  men  for  pro- 
jection and  other  jobs  and,  of  course, 
women  will  be  substituted  in  positions 
which  they  can  fill. 

The  most  serious  problem  now  con- 
fronting the  exhibitors,  it  was  indi- 
cated, was  created  by  the  WMC  pol- 
icy of  lifting  men  out  of  non-essential 
jobs  for  war  work.  The  first  of  those 
orders,  issued  early  in  February,  cre- 
ated a  very  serious  situation,  not  only 
iri-  other  non-essential  industries,  but 
in  some  lines  of  work  very  impor- 
tant to  the  war  effort,  with  men  ab- 
senting themselves  from  their  jobs  to 
look  for  work  in  war  plants. 

There  was  no  discussion  of  Presi- 
dent Roosevelt's  recent-  order  for 
adoption  of  the  48-hour  week. 


Judging  of  Quigley 
Awards  Tomorrow 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
Quigley  War  Showmanship  Award  is 
given  by  Motion  Picture  Herald 
through  Managers'  Round  Table.  The 
Award  is  for  the  best  showmanship  by 
a  theatre  in  cooperation  with  the  war 
effort.  It  is  being  awarded  for  the 
first  time  this  year.; 

Each  quarter,  the  outstanding  cam- 
paigns submitted  to  Managers'  Round 
Table  are  scrutinized  by  a  committee 
of  judges.  The  three  showmen  who 
demonstrate  the  best  advertising,  pub- 
licity and  exploitation  are  awarded 
Quarterly  Plaques ;  the  next  five  are 
given  medals.  Entries  of  distinction 
which  do  not  win  plaques  or  medals 
are  awarded  citations.  The  eight 
plaque  and  medal  winners  in  each 
quarter  become  eligible  for  the  Quig- 
ley Grand  Awards,  and  it  is  their  en- 
tries for  1942  which  will  be  judged 
tomorrow. 


Coe  Will  Address 

N  .Y.  Sales  Club 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
dustry's  public  relations  by  acquaint- 
ing representative  organizations  and 
civic  leaders  with  the  contributions  of 
the  industry  to  the  nation's  war  ef- 
fort. His  initial  address  was  made  at 
a  luncheon  of  the  Advertising  Club  of 
Boston  recently.  Subsequent  addresses 
are  planned  in  Washington,  Atlanta, 
Chicago,  San  Francisco  and  Minne- 
apolis. 


Lack  of  Oil  Closes  House 

New  Britain,  Conn.,  Feb.  28. — In- 
ability to  obtain  oil  closed  the  936- 
seat  Roxy  Theatre  here  for  five  days. 
This  is  the  first  instance  in  this  terri- 
tory of  a  theatre  closing  for  so  long  a 
period  due  to  the  oil  shortage. 


YANK  TANKS  AND  PLANES  AGAINST  THE  AFRIKA  KORF 

Distributed  by  all  WARNER  BROS*  Exchanges  under  am 


RUSH  PLEDGE  FOR  RED  CROSS  WEEK  I 


4  REELS 


R  PARATROOPS!  OUR  INFANTRY!  IN  BLAZING  COMBAT! 

-  i 

i  of  the  War  Activities  Committee  of  the  Motion  Picture  Industry 
S      AVAILABLE  NATION-WIDE,  DAY  and  DATE  STARTING  MARCH  18 


6 


MOTION  PICTURE  DAILY 


Monday,  March  1,  1943 


week 


'Story'  Good 
For  $49,000  in 
Big  Loop  Week 


Chicago,  Feb.  28.— Aided  by  better 
weather  conditions  and  higher  prices 
for  Washington's  Birthday  matinees, 
Loop  grosses  again  turned  strong. 
Saturday  and  Sunday  crowds  con- 
tinue to  flock  to  downtown  theatres. 
"Hitler's  Children"  at  the  Palace  re- 
corded a  splendid  $28,000  and  "Palm 
Beach  Story"  with  Beatrice  Kay  and 
stage  show  at  the  Chicago  grossed 
$49,000. 

Estimated   receipts   for  the 
ending  Feb.  25 : 

"Life  Begins  at  8:30"  (20th-Fox) 
"Margin  for  -Error"  (2ttth-Fox) 

APOLLO  (1,400)  (40c-55c-65c-75c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $10,000.   (Average,  $8,500) 
"Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

CHICAGO— (4,000)  (40c-S5c-65c-75c)  7  days. 
Stage,  Beatrice  Kay  &  Stage  Show.  Gross: 
$49,000.    (Average,  $42,000) 

"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

GARRICK.— (1,000)      (40c-55c-6Sc-7Sc).  7 
days.    Gross:  $10,000.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"City  Without  Men"  (Col.) 

ORIENTAL  —  (3,200)  (27c-31c-S0c-59c)  7 
days.  Stage,  Jerry  Wald  Orchestra.  Gross: 
$24,000.    (Average.  $22,000) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 
"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

PALACE—  (2,500)    (45c-55c-75c).     7  days. 
Gross:  $28,000.    (Average,  $16,000) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

ROOSEVELT— (1,500)    (40c-55c-65c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $18,000.    (Average,  $16,000) 
"Black  Swam"  (ZOth-Fox) 

STATE -LAKE— (2,700)  (40c-55c-65c-75c). 
7  days.  Gross :  $17,000.    (Average,  $19,700) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,700)  (40c-55c-65c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $21,000.  (Average, 
$15,500) 


'Harvest',  $22,000 
In  Seattle  Week 


Seattle,  Feb.  28. — "Random  Har 
vest"  at  the  Fifth  Avenue  and  Music 
Hall  theatres  grossed  a  big  $22,000, 
including  the  Washington's  Birthday 
holiday.  Return  engagement  of  "Yan- 
kee Doodle  Dandy"  at  regular  prices 
at  the  Orpheum  took  a  big  $12,000. 

Estimated   receipts    for   the  week 

ending  Feb.  25 : 

"Cat  Peaple"  (RKO) 

"London  Blackout  Murders"  (Rep.) 

BLUE  MOUSE — (950)  (40c -50c -65c -80c) 
days.    Gross:  $5,100.    (Average,  $4,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

FIFTH  AVENUE}-(2,500)  (40c-50c-65c- 
80c)  7  days.  Gross:  $13,000.  (Average,  $9,- 
000) 

"The  Powers  Girl"  (U.A.) 

"The   McGuerins   from   Brooklyn"  (U.A.) 

LIBERTY— (1,800)      (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $8,900.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 

MUSIC  BOX — (950)     (40c-50c-65c-80)  7 
days,  3rd  week.     Moved  from  Fifth  Ave- 
nue.  Gross:  $4,800.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

MUSIC  HALL— (2,275)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $8,500.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

ORPHEUM— (2,450)     (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Isle  of  Missing  Men"  (Mono.) 

PALOMAR— (1,500)  _(30c-42c-58c-70c)  7 
days.  Stage:  Wee  Bonnie  Baker  and  Herbie 
Holmes  Orchestra.  Gross:  $11,500.  (Aver- 
age, $7,500) 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"The  Undying  Monster'   (29th- Fox) 


Margolies  on  GraetzFilm 

Albert  Margolies  has  been  assigned 
by  Paul  Graetz  to  handle  the  pub- 
licity campaign  on  "The  Heart  of  a 
Nation,"  produced  by  Graetz  in 
France,  it  was  announced. 


Critics 9  Quotes  .  .  . 

"HITLER'S  CHILDREN"  (RKO) 

Shocking,  stern,  sweeping  as  the  times,  motion  pictures  vault  the  peak  of 
wartime  productions  with  "Hitler's  Children,"  a  damning  document  of  Nazi- 
ism  and  how  it  has  stripped  its  young  to  the  point  of  savagery. — Rob  Reel, 
Chicago  Herald-American. 

The  film  is  one  of  the  most  outspoken  which  has  ever  reached  the  screen, 
and  one  of  the  most  honest.  Unlike  a  good  many  so-called  propaganda  films 
in  which  authors  are  pat  to  let  themselves  go,  this  never  becomes  hysterical. 
It  is  convincing  every  second ;  it  seems  to  be  telling  the  truth  at  all  times,  even 
though  what  it  has  to  say  is  far  more  horrifying  than  anything  Hollywood 
has  ever  said  before. — Doris  Arden,  Chicago  Daily  Times. 

You  should  collar  every  isolationist  you  know  and  drag  him  to  the  theatre. 
He  will  come  out  with  a  few  of  his  fancy  "isms"  and  "ideals"  twisted  complete 
out  of  shape.  Sure  it's  propaganda.  But  it  is  healthy  propaganda. — Wauhil- 
lau  La  Hay,  Chicago  Sun. 

"TENNESSEE  JOHNSON"  (M-G-M) 

"Tennessee  Johnson"  is  one  of  Hollywood's  grown-up  moments.  This  screen 
biography  of  Andrew  Johnson,  17th  President  of  the  United  States,  not  only 
is  notably  faithful  to  the  facts  of  his  life  but  actually  illuminates  a  dark  chap- 
ter in  U.  S.  history.  No  more  adult  picture  of  Washington  politics  has  come 
out  of  Hollywood. — Time. 

If  nothing  man-sized  comes  out  of  Hollywood  for  a  year,  the  motion  pic- 
ture industry  has  justified  its  existence  with  ...  a  forthright  document  which 
pulls  no  punches.  Van  Heflin  .  .  .  gives  one  of  the  outstanding  performances 
in  the  memory  of  this  observer. — Lee  Mortimer,  New  York  Daily  Mirror. 

Around  the  two  magnificent  characterizations  presented  by  Messrs.  Heflin 
and  Barrymore,  the  casting  department  assembled  a  lot  of  little  gems.  No 
use  in  trying  to  pick  out  this  one  or  that.  The  whole  cast  seems  to  be  flaw- 
less.— Alton  Cook,  New  York  World-Telegram. 

It  is  an  earnest  endeavor  at  straight  historical  drama  which  only  occasional- 
ly lapses  into  the  intimacy  of  private  life,  and  offers  little  in  the  way  of 
comic  relief,  and  practically  no  glamour  at  all. — Irene  Thirer,  New  York  Post 

Too  much  of  its  drama  lies  in  its  rhetoric.  But  aside  from  the  earliest 
scenes,  Van  Heflin,  in  his  first  really  demanding  role,  carries  the  film  through 
its  more  wordy  scenes  by  the  sheer  sincerity  and  strength  of  his  performance. 
— T.  S.,  New  York  Times. 

"CHINA  GIRL"  (20th  Century-Fox) 

The  fine  literary  flourish  of  Ben  Hecht  makes  "China  Girl"  a  film  starred 
with  soaring  moments,  and  the  team  of  Hecht,  Director  Henry  Hathaway  and 
Lee  Garmes,  photographer,  never  lets  the  picture  sag. — John  T.  McManus, 
PM. 

Trite,  threadbare  hokum  against  the  bleeding  background  of  China  today 
somehow  doesn't  sit  too  well  on  your  critic's  stomach.  With  poor  dubbing 
of  atmospheric  background,  a  familiar  plot,  and  a  plodding  pace,  the  thing 

is  as  counterfeit  as  a  Nipponese  promise.— Rob  Reel,  Chicago  Herald-Ameri- 
can. 

The  dialogue  puts  it  well  above  the  average  of  this  type  of  roughhouse,  and 
the  fast  sustained  pace  of  the  action  keeps  it  there.  —  David  Lardner,  New 
Yorker. 

"China  Girl"  is  only  fair — fair  to  piddling — although  the  knowing  hand  of 
Mr.  Hecht  brings  a  harsh  grimness  to  certain  passages  which  is  most  ef- 
fective.— Kaspar  Monahan,  Pittsburgh  Press. 

Ben  Hecht,  producer  and  author  of  this  unhappy  mixture,  has  put  in  every- 
thing that  came  to  mind  without  thinking.  Romance,  propaganda,  reference 
to  the  approaching  Pearl  Harbor,  children  being  bombed,  international  intrigue 
and  the  kind  of  American  adventure  that  prevailed  before  we  got  in. — Archer 
Win-sten,  New  York  Post. 

"LIFE  BEGINS  AT  EIGHT-THIRTY"  (20th  Century-Fox) 

Monty  Woolley  as  .  .  .  Madden  Thomas,  former  great  Shakespearian  actor, 
exercises  his  sharp  talent  for  venom  to  its  full  extent  and  turns  the  movie 
.  .  .  into  an  evening  of  decided  relaxation.  A  blend  of  laughter  and  tears. — 
Laura  Lee,  Philadelphia  Bulletin. 

"The  Man  Who  Came  To  Dinner"  and  lingered  on  through  "The  Pied 
Piper"  to  cremate  the  role  of  Madden  Thomas  in  "Life  Begins  at  8:30," 
has  grown  more  amusingly  and  alarmingly  insulting  than  ever.  Customers 
love  it. — Sara  Hamilton,  Los  Angeles  Examiner. 

Woolley  makes  the  most  of  a  fat  role  and  crisp  dialogue;  Miss  Lupino 
provides  emotional  appeal  with  a  sincere  characterization  of  the  crippled 
Kathi ;  Cornel  Wilde,  in  his  first  major  role,  does  a  nice  job  as  Kathi's 
composer,  and  Sara  Allgood  is  excellent  as  Madden's  most  persistent  ad- 
mirer.— Newsweek. 

"Life  Begins  at  8  :30"  combines  the  talents  of  one  of  Hollywood's  funniest 
script  writers,  Nunnally  Johnson,  and  one  of  Broadway's  funniest  actors, 
Monty  Woolley.  Unfortunately  it  also  is  based  on  one  of  last  season's 
dullest  Broadway  plays,  "Yesterday's  Magic."  The  result  is  not  worthy  of 
Johnson  and  Woolley,  but  they  contrive  to  make  the  film  fairly  entertaining. — 
Time. 

Plot  is  secondary  to  dialogue  in  this  conversation  piece.  But  the  talk  is 
bright  and  lively  and  Woolley's  characterization  adds  another  memorable  por: 
trait  to  his  celluloid  gallery. — Elsie  Finn,  Philadelphia  Record. 


FTC  Acts  Against 
N.W.AdFilmService 


Washington,  Feb.  28. — Issuance  of 
a  stop  order  against  Northwest  Film 
Ad  Service,  Inc.,  Portland,  Ore.,  and 
Frank  D.  Atkins,  president,  was  an- 
nounced by  the  Federal  Trade  Com- 
mission, following  investigation  of 
charges  of  misrepresentation  in  the 
sale  of  advertising  films  and  motion 
picture  trailers. 

The  firm  was  charged  with  hav\ 
represented  that  they  produced  ti  * 
films  and  trailers,  that  their  business 
was  national  in  scope  with  branch  of- 
fices in  many  cities,  when  in  fact  they 
engaged  solely  in  distributing  films 
produced  by  United  Film  Ad  Ser- 
vice, Inc.,  Kansas  City,  and  has  no 
outside  offices ;  and  that  they  falsely 
represented  to  retail  dealers  that 
manufacturers  of  the  articles  displayed 
would  share  the  cost  of  the  service 
and  that  they  would  not  sell  films  to 
competitive  dealers. 

The  commission's  order  directs  the 
respondents  "to  cease  and  desist  from 
representing  that  they  produce  films 
and  trailers  or  have  branch  offices  or 
places  of  business  in  any  city  where 
no  such  office  or  place  of  business 
is  operated ;  that  any  manufacturer  or 
distributor  will  pay  any  portion  of 
the  cost  of  any  advertising  film  ser- 
vice or  motion  picture  trailer  unless 
such  is  a  fact,  and  that  they  will  not 
sell  to  competitors  of  any  purchaser 
of  their  film  service  or  motion  pic- 
ture trailers  unless  they  actually  re- 
frain from  such  sale." 


Gloria  Swanson  in 
'Priorities  of  1942' 

Washington,  Feb.  28.  —  Gloria 
Swanson,  screen  star  of  the  silent  era, 
has  joined  the  cast  of  "Priorities  of 
1942,"  vaudeville  revue,  which  will 
open  at  the  National  Theatre  here  to- 
morrow for  a  two-week  stay. 

Bert  Wheeler,  Hank  Ladd  and 
Francetta  Mallory  left  the  cast  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  Cincinnati  run  at 
the  Taft  Theatre  yesterday. 


Arrive  in  England 
After  Stormy  Trip 

London,  Feb.  28. — Sam  Smith,  head 
of  British  Lion  Film  Corp.,  and  John 
Ojerholm,  general  manager  of  Para- 
mount's  British  laboratories,  arrived 
here  from  the  United  States  after  a 
stormy  voyage  in  which  both  suffered 
minor  injuries  and  bruises. 


Anne  Baxter  Gets  Role 

Anne  Baxter  will  play  the  leading- 
role  in  "The  North  Star,"  Samuel 
Goldwyn  film,  Teresa  Wright  having 
withdrawn  from  the  cast  because  of 
illness,  it  was  announced.  Farley 
Grainger,  17-year-old  high  school  stu- 
dent, has  been  set  for  the  male  lead. 


Goldberg  in  New  Haven 

Harry  Goldberg,  Warner  Theatres 
director  of  advertising  and  publicity, 
will  hold  a  meeting  in  New  Haven  to- 
day for  theatre  executives  and  man- 
agers in  this  territory,  it  was  an- 
nounced. 


'Covered'  Opens  Thurs. 

"They  Got  Me  Covered,"  Sam  Gold- 
wyn production  released  by  RKO  and 
starring  Bob  Hope  and  Dorothy  La- 
mour,  follows  "Random  Harvest"  into 
the  Radio  City  Music  Hall  Thursday. 


Monday,  March  1,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


RCA  Reports  1942 
Net  of  $9,002,437 


Radio  Corporation  of  America 
earned  a  net  profit  in  1942  of  $9,002,- 
437,  compared  with  $10,192,716  in 
1941,  according  to  the  company's  23rd 
annual  report  released  over  the  week- 
end by  David  Sarnoff,  president. 

After  payment  of  preferred  divi- 
dends, earnings  per  share  of  common 
„\  (ck  were  41.7  cents  compared  with 

2  cents  per  share  in  1941.  Total 
""gross  income  from  all  sources  amount- 
ed to  $197,024,056  for  1942,  compared 
,  with  $158,695,722  in  1941,  an  increase 
of  $38,328,334,  the  report  showed. 

Operations  for  1942  showed  an  in- 
crease over  1941  in  gross  income  of 
24.2  per  cent,  a  decrease  in  net  profit 
of  11.7  per  cent,  and  an  increase  in  the 
number  of  persons  employed  of  14.4 
per  cent,  the  report  stated. 

While  the  gross  showed  a  big  gain, 
the  net  income  for  the  year  declined, 
due  to  higher  taxes  and  increased 
operating  costs,  the  report  stated. 

The  report  being  mailed  to  the  com- 
pany's 235,000  stockholders  covers  the 
operations  of  RCA  and  its  divisions, 
including  RCA  Victor  Division,  Na- 
tional Broadcasting  Co.,  Inc.,  the  Blue 
Network  Co.,  Inc.,  R.C.A.  Communi- 
cations, Inc.,  Radiomarine  Corporation 
of  America  and  RCA  Institutes. 


Massachusetts  Holds 
State-Wide  Blackout 

Boston,  Feb.  28.  —  A  state-wide 
practice  blackout  was  held  tonight  be- 
tween 7 :55  and  8 :30  o'clock.  The  test, 
the  first  since  the  army  inaugurated 
new  warning  signals,  was  made  at 
the  request  of  the  First  Service  Com- 
mand. 


Columbus  Area  Drill  Set 

Columbus,  O.,  Feb.  28.— A  32- 
county  blackout,  the  largest  staged  in 
this  state,  will  be  held  in  the  Lake 
Shore-Ohio  Valley  area  next  Thurs- 
day, it  was  announced  by  Ralph  H. 
Stone,  State  Defense  Director.  This 
will  be  followed  later  by  an  alert  in 
Southwest  Ohio  and  a  state-wide 
blackout  sometime  during  the  Sum- 
mer, he  stated. 


Blackout  in  Cleveland 

Cincinnati,  Feb.  28. — A  practice 
blackout  last  week  in  this  territory, 
including  Hamilton  County  and  com- 
munities in  Northern  Kentucky,  did 
not  have  an  adverse  effect  on  theatre 
grosses,  it  was  reported.  Pedestrians 
sought  refuge  in  some  theatres  to  es- 
cape the  9 :30  to  10 :00  p.  m.  alert. 


20th-Fox  Buys  Story 

The  purchase  of  "Two-Faced  Quil- 
ligan/'  a  farcical  story  about  a  barge 
captain  appearing  in  Story  Magazine 
this  month,  has  been  bought  by  20th 
Century-Fox  for  possible  stage  pre- 
sentation before  making  the  motion 
picture  version,  it  was  announced. 
Herbert  Clyde  Lewis,  author  of  the 
story,  is  a  reporter  for  the  Nezv  York 
Herald  Tribune. 


'Powers  Girl'  at  State 

"The  Powers  Girl,"  Charles  R. 
Rogers  production  released  by  United 
Artists,  will  have  its  New  York  pre- 
miere at  Loew's  State  on  Broadway 
March  25,  it  was  announced.  The 
picture  has  been  booked  for  a  two- 
week  run. 


Reviews 


"Tenting  Tonight  on  the  Old  Camp  Ground 

(Universal) 

LEST  this  title  be  misleading,  it  should  be  pointed  out  that  it  is  taken 
'  from  one  of  the  songs  in  the  picture,  and  does  not  reflect  the  nature 
of  the  offering.  This  is  as  thrilling  a  story  of  red-blooded  men  of  the 
old  West  as  the  most  exacting  action  picture  fan  could  expect. 

Johnny  Mack  Brown,  head  of  a  construction  gang  working  on  a 
new  stagecoach  road,  encounters  all  sorts  of  difficulties.  His  men  are 
persuaded  to  desert,  masked  raiders  attack  his  supplies  and  kill  his 
best  friend,  and  the  company  representative  is  uncooperative.  He  knows 
that  his  troubles  are  inspired,  but  he  can't  discover  the  instigator. 

In  the  last  few  minutes  of  action,  Tex  Ritter,  second  in  heroics  only 
to  Brown,  captures  one  of  the  raiders  and  gets  from  him  the  name  of 
the  man  behind  the  trouble.  He  is  the  local  real  estate  man  who  had 
hoped  to  prevent  the  construction  company  from  completing  the  stage- 
coach route,  so  that  he  himself  could  secure  the  contract. 

There  are  scenes  of  real  suspense,  very  well  acted  for  this  type  of 
picture — as  when  a  murderer  and  Brown  slowly  eye  each  other,  each 
waiting  for  the  other  to  draw  and  shoot,  and  the  scene  in  which  Brown 
drives  the  precariously  swaying  stagecoach  through  a  gulley.  Musical 
interludes  are  brief  and  pleasant,  one  of  the  most  effective  being 
"Tenting  Tonight  on  the  Old  Camp  Ground." 

In  the  supporting  cast  are  Fuzzy  Knight,  who  provides  the  comedy, 
including  one  very  funny  courtroom  scene,  John  Elliott,  Earle  Hodgins, 
Rex  Lease,  Lane  Chandler,  Allen  Bridge,  Dennis  Moore  and  Tom 
London.  Lewis  D.  Collins  directed  this  Oliver  Drake  production. 
Elizabeth  Beecher  wrote  the  screenplay. 
Running  time,  61  minutes.  "G." 


Frankenstein  Meets  the  Wolf  Man 

(Universal) 

D  ELA  LUGOSI,  veteran  of  numberless  Frankenstein  thrillers,  and 
Lon  Chaney  of  Wolf  Man  fame  combine  their  horror-story  talents 
as  they  range  over  the  countryside  together,  spreading  fear  and  chaos. 
Addicts  of  the  spine-tingler  type  of  film  will  find  double  enjoyment  in  this 
picture. 

The  Wolf  Man  decides  to  end  it  all  by  having  a  doctor  kill  him.  The 
doctor  agrees  to  kill  not  only  the  Wolf  Man,  but  Frankenstein  as  well. 
However,  he  changes  his  mind,  and  gives  both  of  them  additional  vitality 
instead.  Thus  invigorated,  they  turn  upon  each  other,  and  when  last  seen 
they  are  fighting  to  the  death.  A  dynamited  dam  lets  a  flood  of  water 
in  upon  them  while  they  are  fighting,  and  so  they  die,  temporarily  at 
least. 

Producer  George  Waggner  and  director  Roy  William  Neill  have  given 
audiences  a  good  picture  in  the  true  thriller  tradition.  A  good  supporting 
cast  maintains  the  above  average  level,  with  such  actors  as  Ilona  Massey, 
Patrick  Knowles,  Lionel  Atwill,  Maria  Ouspenskaya,  Dennis  Hoey,  Don 
Barclay,  Rex  Evans,  Dwight  Frye  and  Harry  Stubbs.  Curtis  Siodmak 
wrote  the  screenplay. 

Running  time,  73  minutes.  "G."* 


1" 


Boston  Blackie  Goes  Hollywood 

(Columbia) 

O  HESTER  MORRIS  again  plays  the  title  role  in  this  pleasant  and 
\^  amusing  series  concerning  the  activities  of  a  reformed  crook.  The 
film  is  light  melodrama,  well  acted. 

Morris,  aided  and  abetted  by  George  E.  Stone,  undertakes  to  save  the 
Monterey  diamond  for  his  wealthy  friend,  a  comedy  part  delightfully 
performed  by  Lloyd  Corrigan.  Corrigan,  as  Manleder,  has  lost  the  dia- 
mond by  becoming  mixed  up  in  a  confidence  game.  "Blackie"  outsmarts 
both  the  police  and  the  confidence  man,  solves  a  few  murders,  and  saves 
the  $60,000  diamond.   He  plays  the  part  suavely,  and  with  humor. 

Richard  Lane  turns  in  a  good  performance  in  the  supporting  role  of 
police  inspector,  a  man  with  a  secret  respect  for  Boston  Blackie's  un- 
scrupulous methods  of  detection,  and  Walter  Sande  provides  the  laughs 
as  the  stock  character  in  all  such  pictures — the  dim-witted  police  ser- 
geant who  never  quite  gets  the  point. 

Others  in  the  cast  are  Forrest  Tucker,  William  Wright,  John  Tyrrell, 
Constance  Worth  and  Shirley  Patterson.  Wallace  MacDonald  produced 
and  Michael  Gordon  directed  the  picture. 

Running  time,  68  minutes.  "G."* 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Stauffer  Heads  OWI 
Domestic  Radio  Unit 


Appointment  of  Donald  D.  Stauffer, 
vice-president  in  charge  of  radio  for 
Ruthrauff  &  Ryan,  New  York  adver- 
tising agency,  as  chief  of  the  Domestic 
Radio  Bureau  of  the  Office  of  War 
Information  was  announced  Friday  by 
Director  Elmer  Davis. 

Stauffer,  who  formerly  was  with 
several  major  advertising  agencies  and 
was  one  of  the  originators  of  the 
"March  of  Time"  radio  program,  will 
take  over  his  new  duties  March  15, 
succeeeding  William  B.  Lewis,  recent- 
ly appointed  assistant  director  of 
OWI's  domestic  branch. 


CBS  Man  Visages 
Long  Pacific  War 

William  J.  Dunn,  chief  CBS  cor- 
respondent in  the  Far  East,  believes 
there  is  a  long  hard  war  ahead  in  the 
South  Pacific. 

General  MacArthur  is  not  at  present 
equipped  to  start  an  all-out  offensive 
against  the  Japanese,  said  Dunn,  who 
has  just  returned  from  Australia 
after  more  than  two  years  in  the  Far 
East.  He  noted  that  the  U.  S.  sol- 
diers, among  the  highest  paid  fight- 
ing men  in  the  world,  have  caused  a 
unique  problem  in  Australia  where 
they  are  often  able  to  purchase  food 
supplies  which  are  beyond  the  means 
of  the  civilians. 

On  the  cultural  side,  he  observed 
that  there  is  a  "higher  appreciation  of 
music  per  capita  than  in  any  other 
country." 


Ascap  Law  Repeal 
Killed  in  Nebraska 

Lincoln,  Neb.,  Feb.  '28. — A  bill  to 
repeal  the  1937  anti- Ascap  law  and 
revise  requirements  on  musical  com- 
positions was  killed  by  the  legisla- 
ture's public  health  committee  by  a 
4-to-l  vote. 

Tax  Commissioner  Brady,  who  was 
instrumental  in  obtaining  passage  of 
the  law  requiring  registration  of  songs 
with  the  office  of  the  secretary  of 
state,  told  the  committee :  "If  you  are 
going  to  repeal  one  anti-monopoly  bill 
you  might  as  well  repeal  them  all." 

The  bill  to  repeal  the  law  was  in- 
troduced by  Senator  Rakow. 


Films  of  10  Nations 
Entered  for  Awards 

Hollywood,  Feb.  28. — Films  show- 
ing soldier  and  civilian  life  of  10  Unit- 
ed Nations  have  been  entered  in  the 
documentary  films  division  of  the  15th 
Annual  Awards  of  the  Academy  of 
Motion  Picture  Arts  and  Sciences, 
David  O.  Selznick,  chairman  of  the 
documentary  awards  committee,  has 
announced. 

Represented  are  Australia,  Belgium. 
Canada,  China,  Czechoslovakia,  En- 
gland, the  Netherlands,  Poland,  Rus- 
sia and  the  United  States. 


Income  Tax  Talks 
On  Air  Tomorrow 

Sen.  Arthur  Vandenberg  of  Mich- 
igan, Rep.  Harold  Knudsen  of  Min- 
nesota and  Assistant  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  John  L.  Sullivan  will  speak 
over  CBS  from  10:30  to  10.45  p.m. 
tomorrow.  They  will  explain  how  to 
prepare  1942  income  tax  reports. 


"Rates  among  the  great  portrayals  of  screen  history/9 


\»P  .✓ON 


PICTURE 


c5tffcin 

Fi 


53.  ^  .O.  40 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  TUESDAY,  MARCH  2,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


FrankFreeman 
Again  Named 
Producer  Head 


Other  Officers  of  AMPP 
Retain  Posts 


Hollywood,  March  1. — Y.  Frank 
Freeman  was  renamed  president  of 
the  Association  of  Motion  Picture 
Producers  for 
the  third  time 
at  the  annual 
meeting  of  the 
group  here  to- 
night. Other  of- 
cers  who  re- 
tained their 
posts  are :  Ed- 
gar J.  Mannix, 
first  vice-presi- 
dent ;  Clifford 
C.  Work,  sec- 
ond vice-presi- 
dent ;  Fred  W. 
Beetson,  execu- 
tive vice-presi- 
dent and  secre- 
tary -  treasurer, 
his  20th  year  in  the  latter 


Y.  Frank  Freeman 


makin 
post. 

Prior  to  the  officer  election  the  fol- 
lowing men  were  unanimously  re- 
named to  another  term  as  members  of 
the    board    of    directors :  Freeman, 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Eyssell  Presents 
'Harvest'  Plaques 

Gus  Eyssell,  managing  director  of 
Radio  City  Music  Hall,  yesterday 
presented  silver  plaques  to  M-G-M, 
the  stars,  director,  producer  and 
writers  of  "Random  Harvest,"  which 
has  broken  all  records  at  the  theatre, 
remaining  for  11  weeks.  Mervyn  Le- 
Roy,  who  directed  the  film,  was  guest 
of  honor,  at  a  luncheon  at  the  theatre 
where  the  awards  were  made. 

William  F.  Rodgers,  Loew's  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  distribution, 
accepted  the  plaque  for  the  company, 
and  Howard  Dietz,  vice-president  in 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Moral  Standards  to 
Remain  Firm:  Hays 

Chicago,  March  1.  —  There 
will  be  no  letdown  in  the 
moral  standard  of  motion  pic- 
tures after  the  war,  Will  S. 
Hays,  MPPDA  president,  said 
during  a  stopover  here  yes- 
terday en  route  to  New  York 
from  the  Coast. 


Sales  Heads  Meet 
With  Coe  on  Public 
Relations  Program 


Major  company  sales  managers  met 
with  Charles  F.  Coe,  MPPDA  vice- 
president  and  general  counsel,  at  a 
luncheon  at  the  Hotel  Astor  yesterday 
to  discuss  the  industry  public  relations 
program  involving  a  series  of  major 
city  addresses  by  Coe  on  the  indus- 
try's war  role. 

Among  the  sales  officials  who  at- 
tended yesterday's  meeting  were : 
Gradwell  L.  Sears  and  Carl  Leser- 
man,  United  Artists  ;  E.  M.  Saunders, 
M-G-M ;  Charles  Reagan,  Para- 
mount ;  W.  J.  Heineman,  Universal ; 
W.  J.  Kupper,  20th  Century-Fox ; 
Abe  Montague,  Columbia ;  Robert 
Mochrie,  RKO,  and  Arthur  Sachson, 
Warners. 


Toscanini  Stricken; 
His  Tour  Is  Cancelled 

Philadelphia,  March  1. — Arturo 
Toscanini  collapsed  here  following  a 
week-end  concert  and  will  be  unable 
to  continue  conducting  the  Philadel- 
phia Orchestra  in  concerts  planned 
for  Washington  tomorrow  night  and 
Baltimore,  Wednesday,  officials  of  the 
orchestra  announced.  Despite  the  fact 
that  he  was  feverish  and  suffering 
from  a  heavy  cold,  he  went  through 
with  the  concert  Saturday  night  but 
had  to  be  assisted  from  the  rostum 
following  its  finish.  He  is  confined 
to  his  hotel  room  here. 


Judging  of  Quigley 
1942  Awards  Today 

Judging  for  the  1942  Quigley 
Grand  Awards  and  the  1942 
Quigley  War  Showmanship 
Award  will  take  place  at  noon 
today  in  North  Ball  Room  of 
the  Hotel  Astor.  Leonard 
Goldenson,  Paramount  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  theatre 
operations,  will  be  the  princi- 
pal speaker  at  a  luncheon 
which  will  follow.  Martin 
Quigley  will  preside.  Leading 
distribution,  theatre  opera- 
tions, advertising  and  public- 
ity officials  are  serving  as 
judges  for  the  awards  which 
are  made  annually  by  Motion 
Picture  Herald  through  the 
Managers  Round  Table. 


Busses  Banned  for 
Entertainment  Units 


Washington,  March  1. — The  ODT 
today  banned  the  use  of  special  busses 
for  the  transportation  of  entertain- 
ment groups,  such  as  orchestras  on 
tour,  or  for  special  service  to  amuse- 
ment centers  after  March  15. 

The  order  extends  to  all  privately- 
owned  busses  the  same  prohibitions 
against  non-essential  service  already 
in  effect  for  vehicles  of  public  trans- 
portation companies. 

The  restrictions  will  apply  both  to 
busses  hired  by  traveling  troupes  and 
to  those  owned  by  the  organizations. 


Industry  Gets  Ready  for 
Red  Cross  Drive  April  1-7 


The  War  Activities  Committee  yes- 
terday urged  the  motion  picture  in- 
dustry to  give  its  undivided  attention 
to  the  annual  Red 
Cross  campaign 
which    will  be 
ehld    in  theatres 
throughout  the 
country    April  1 
through  April  7. 

Barney  Bala- 
ban,  national 
chairman  of  the 
drive,  in  pointing 
out  that  the  goal 
has  been  set  at 
an  unprecedented 
amount,  said, 
"This  Red  Cross 
drive  is,  without 
question,  the  most 

important  fund-raising  effort  ever  un- 
dertaken by  the  industry.    Never  be- 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Barney  Balaban 


New  Admission  Bill 
Introduced  in  N.Y. 


Albany,  March  1. — Senator  Sam- 
uel Greenberg,  tonight  introduced  a 
bill  broadening  the  scope  of  the  pres- 
ent Davidson  Law  which  prohibits 
refusal  of  admission  to  all  persons 
over  21  years  of  age  presenting  tick- 
ets for  performance,  and  prevents 
ejection  therefrom  without  refunding 
purchase  price. 

Present  provision  in  Davidson  Law 
excludes  motion  pictures  but  the 
Greenberg  bill  extends  the  provision 
to  all  places  of  public  entertainment 
and  amusement. 

Davidson's  bill  was  predicated  on  the 
policy  of  some  legitimate  theatres  in 
barring  critics  who  wrote  strongly 
critical  reviews  of  plays. 


Ask  Theatres 
To  Report  Job 
Discrimination 


WAC  to  Compile  Proof  of 
Employes'  Charges 

Exhibitors  who  have  proof  that 
their  employes  are  being  discrimi- 
nated against  by  the  U.  S.  Em- 
ployment Service  because  of  their 
connection  with  theatres  should 
communicate  with  the  theatres  di- 
vision, War  Activities  Committee, 
S.  H.  Fabian,  division  manager, 
stated  yesterday  in  reporting  the  re- 
sults of  a  conference  by  a  theatres 
division  committee  with  Paul  V. 
McNutt,  War  Manpower  Commis- 
sioner, in  Washington  last  Friday. 

The  entire  manpower  prob- 
lem of  the  nation  and  WMC  rul- 
ings in  connection  therewith 
are  in  a  more  or  less  continu- 
ous state  of  change,  Fabian 
said,  and  the  theatre  division's 
committee  will  attempt  to  keep 
in  touch  with  developments  in 
the  situation. 

The  committee  consists  of  E.  V. 
Richards,  chairman ;  Fabian,  M.  A. 
Rosenberg,    Ed    Kuykendall.  Harry 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


WPB  Film  Meetings 
Postponed  a  Week 


Washington,  March  1. — Because 
of  the  absence  of  Harold  Hopper, 
chief  of  the  motion  picture  section  of 
the  War  Production  Board,  in  Holly- 
wood, meetings  of  the  industry  advis- 
sory  committees  of  the  film  manufac- 
turers and  motion  picture  producers 
with  WPB  officials,  scheduled  for 
Monday  and  Tuesday  of  next  week, 
respectively,  have  been  postponed  until 
March  15  and  16,  respectively,  it  was 
made  known  today. 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Heard  Around,"  by  Sam 
Shain,  Page  2.  Reviews  of 
"City  Without  Men,"  "Riders 
of  the  Northwest  Mounted" 
and  "Keep  'Em  Slugging," 
Page  6.  Hollywood  production 
news,  Page  6.  Key  city  box- 
office  grosses,  Pages  6  and  7. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  March  2,  1943 


Hollywood .  March  1 

THE  Hollywood  division  of  the 
War  Activities  Committee  will 
meet  tomorrow  at  the  Beverly  Wil- 
shire  Hotel  to  elect  officers  and  name 
an  executive  committee.  Francis  S. 
Harmon,  executive  vice-chairman  of 
the  WAC,  will  speak. 

• 

Max  A.  Cohen,  president  of  Allied 
Theatres  of  New  York,  an  MPTOA 
affiliate,  today  launched  his  survey  of 
product  possibilities  and  the  studio  sit- 
uation for  a  report  to  the  MPTOA 
directors'  meeting  in  April.  He  plans 
to  leave  Saturday  for  Palm  Springs. 
• 

A.  H.  Blank  arrived  today  from 
Des  Moines  on  a  vacation.  He  will 
also  inspect  the  Motion  Picture  Re- 
lief Fund  country  house,  in  the 
financing  of  which  he  played  a  promi- 
nent role. 

• 

Morton  Spring,  acting  manager  of 
M-G-M's  international  department,  ar- 
rived today  for  two  weeks'  visit  at  the 
studio. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 
RONALD  COLMAN      .      GREER  GARSON 
In  Jamei  Hilton's 

"RANDOM  HARVEST" 

AN   M-G-M  PICTURE 
Gala  Stage  Revue    .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


See  what  really  happens  to 

"HITLER'S  CHILDREN" 

IN  PERSON 

XAVIER  CUGAT 

HENNY  YOUNGMAN 


and  his 
ORCHESTRA 


SQUARE 


jack  BINNY  IANF 

cMeanest  man  eWorld 

~w;,h  ROCHESTER 

A  20fh  C«ntory-Fo*  Piclur* 
PLUS  A  BIG  DAW   7th  Ave. 
STAGE  SHOW  sfCW/W  I   &  5«h  St. 


PALACE 


B'WAY  & 
47th  St. 


GENE  TIERNEY 
GEORGE  MONTGOMERY 

"CHINA  GIRL" 

—  and  — 

"HI-YA  CHUM" 

RITZ  BROS.         *         JANE  FRA2EE 


ON  SCREEN 

NOEL  COWARD 

"IN  WHICH 
WE  SERVE 


-  Heard  Around  - 

PERHAPS  a  precedent  has  been  established  ...  by  the  decision  of  Joseph 
B.  Wolbarsht  of  Boston — upholding  the  right  of  distributors  who  are 
parties  to  the  Consent  Decree — to  refuse  to  sell  to  a  film  buying  combine — 
and  that  such  a  combine  could  not  be  considered  to  have  standing  as  an 
"exhibitor"  under  the  definition  of  that  term  in  the  Consent  Decree — in  the 
case  of  Affiliated  Theatres,  Inc.,  versus  Paramount — wherein  Affiliated  com- 
plained that  Paramount  had  refused  to  sell  any  run  to  its  client,  the  Welldon 
Theatre,  St.  Albans,  Vt. — unless  Affiliated  were  to  purchase  the  company's 
product  also  for  the  other  members  of  the  buying  group. 


Local  talent  .  .  .  because  small  town  exhibitors  have  been  employing  local 
laicycrs  to  good  effect  in  arbitration  cases — some  observers  feel  that  the 
distributors  may  change  their  policy — so  far  as  legal  appearances  before 
arbitration  boards  are  concerned — and  instead  of  four  or  five  majors  assign- 
ing as  many  doivntown  lawyers  from  the  home  offices  tc>  out-of-town  hear- 
ings— also  will  employ  some  particularly  bright  local  legalite  to  represent  all 
the  companies — in  his  territory. 

•      •  • 

Word  comes  from  Chicago,  via  newspaper  reports  .  .  .  that  the 
continuing  investigation  of  alleged  extortions  from  the  motion  picture 
industry — by  union  leaders  in  that  city  and  elsewhere  in  the  country — 
will  show  a  "take"  of  several  million  dollars  yearly — and  that  the  racket 
was  controlled  and  supervised  by  remnants  of  the  old  Capone  gang. 


Foes  of  outdoor  advertising  .  .  .  according  to  our  Albany  scout — stand 
a  good  chance  of  winning  their  20-year  fight  in  New  York  State — before  the 
present  legislative  session  ends — and  the  reasons  are  the  decline  in  roadside 
advertising  due  to  the  ban  on  pleasure  driving — which  in  turn  reduces  the 
opposition  of  upstate  farmers  who  formerly  received  yearly  revenue  from 
those  theatre  billboards. 

•  •  • 

Memo  to  Nick  Schenck  .  .  .  do  you  recall  how  you  nearly  traded  "Ni- 
notchka"  to  Russia  far  a  carload  of  caviar — which  is  worth  its  weight  in 
gold — until  those  Commissars  of  the  Soviet  saw  the  film  in  your  company's 
projection  room? — well,  apparently  someone  is  mistaken — for  Motion  Pic- 
ture Herald  last  zvcek  reported—that  OWl  spokesmen  are  citing  this 
picture,  noiv,  as  having  great  appeal  to  the  sense  of  humor  of  the  Russians — 
and  how!  .  .  .  incidentally  also,  it  is  worth  recording  that  the  only  Metro 
picture  which  has  been  sold  to  Russia — is  "The  Great  Waltz" — and  that  hap- 
pened some  years  ago. 

•  •  • 

We  endorse  the  campaign  .  .  .  launched  by  the  Springfield  (Mass.) 
Daily  News—ior  civilians  to  give  up  their  places  in  box-office  lines— to 
service  men  and  women  .  .  .  and  don't  forget  the  Catholic  Charities  Drive 
— and  the  Red  Cross. 

•  •  • 

There  is  talk  of  a  Dominion  sponsored  junket  ...  of  notables  and 
newspaper  people— to  Norway,  Canada— for  the  world  premiere  of  "The 
Moon  Is  Down,"  20th  Century-Fox  film  .  .  .  Richard  Cornwall,  assistant 
manager  of  Loew's,  Louisville,  soon  will  enter  the  Marine  Corps— his  suc- 
cessor will  be  James  Gilligan.  .  .  .  Coincidental ly  with  news  that  Major  John 
Hay  Whitney  has  been  promoted  to  Lt.  Colonel  in  charge  of  public  relations 
for  the  Eighth  Army  Air  Force— Walter  Winchell  reveals  that  Mrs.  Whitney 
will  soon  become  a  London  correspondent— well,  if  she  does,  it  will  be  for 
the  Times-Herald,  Washington,  D.  C,  link  of  the  McCormick-Patterson 
newspapers. 

•  •  • 

Ben  Kalmenson,  W.B.  sales  chief  .  .  .  thought  he  was  making  it  tough 
for  his  staff— by  setting  higher  quotas  for  the  boys  for  those  prises— but 
word  comes  that  they  are  exceeding  all  previous  results— that  "Sergeant 
York"  -mil  gross  about  $5,800,000;  "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  about  $4  500  000 
and  "Air  Force"  probably  $3,500,000.  '  ' 


The  show  must  go  on  .  .  .  when  Chico  Marx  became  ill  in  Omaha— his 
brothers  Groucho  and  Harpo  volunteered  to  substitute  for  him— on 
his  date  at  the  RKO  Palace,  Columbus-but  Harpo  got  there  first— and 
he  will  head  the  bill  which  opens  today. 

•  •  • 

Officials  of  the  Academy  of  Motion  Picture  Arts  and  Sciences  right 
now  are  dissecting  the  hottest  German  propaganda  film— smuggled  out  of 
Europe— via  Sweden-and  which  is  called  "Kreuger"— and  those  who  have 
seen  this  Emil  Janmngs  piece  (Brooklyn  boy)— say  it  makes  our  product  look 
like  polite  stuff — thus  far. 

•  •  • 

Watch  for  the  promotion  ...  of  Major  Charles  Feeley,  head  of  film  dis- 
tribution of  the  Army,  to  the  rank  of  Lt.  Col  Phil  Reisman  to  be  made 

head  of  production  for  the  Co-Ordinator  of  Inter-American  affairs 
hrancis  L.  Harley,  managing  director  in  Great  Britain  for  20th  Century-Fox' 
getting  a  new  five-year  contract  ...  a  forthcoming  piece  on  Orson  Welles 
and  his  South  American  picnic  by  one  of  our  local  columnists. 

— Sam  Shain 


Personal 
Mention 


B 


ARNEY  BALABAN  is  expected 
from  the  Coast  Monday. 


Joseph  H.  Hazen,  Warner  Bros, 
vice-president,  has  returned  from  Cali- 
fornia. 

Mrs.  Owen  Lightstone,  the  forfe- 
er  Beverly  Schnitzer,  daughter  of 
Edward  Schnitzer,  United  Artists 
district  manager,  and  wife  of  the  Or- 
pheum  Theatre  manager  in  Montreal, 
has  returned  there  after  a  visit  in 
New  York. 

• 

Arthur  Pratchett,  Paramount 
Central  American  manager,  will  leave 
for  Cuba  today  after  a  visit  here. 

Austin  C.  Keough,  Paramount 
general  counsel,  has  returned  from 
Hollywood. 

• 

H.  J.  Yates  is  due  in  California 
tomorrow. 


Lowell  Mellett  is 
Hollywood  tomorrow. 


expected  in 


William  Saal  and  Roy 
have  returned  to  Hollywood. 


Rogers 


Dr.  J.  B.  Fishman,  Maxwell  Al- 
derman, Maurice  Bailey  and  Dan- 
iel Pouzzner,  Connecticut  exhibitors, 
were  New  York  visiters. 

• 

Ned  Yaffe,  son  of  I.  Yaffe,  and  a 
brother  of  David  Yaffe,  Philadelphia 
exhibitors,  has  left  for  the  Army. 
• 

Pvt.  Rollin  Trembley.  formerly 
of  the  Warner  Rialto  in  Hartford,  is 
reported  stationed  with  the  Alarines 
at  Parris  Island,  S.  C. 

• 

Marlin  Robinson,  formerly  man- 
ager of  the  Warner  Lenox,  Hartford, 
has  been  inducted  into  the  Army. 
• 

Rube  Jackter  returned  from  Miami 
Beach  yesterday. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QTJIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South*  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
BuiWing,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


*•<«>  -ROC 


Rush  your  Pledge  for  RED  CROSS  WEEK— Apr.  1-7 


4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  March  2,  1943 


Reports  Asked  on 
Job  Discrimination 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

Brandt,  R.  J.  O'Donnell  and  E.  L. 
Alperson. 

Fabian  said  that  the  stand  of  the 
U.  S.  Employment  Service  that  thea- 
tre employes  are  subject  to  draft  re- 
gardless of  dependents  because  the 
theatre  industry  has  not  been  declared 
essential  was  brought  to  McNutt's 
attention  at  the  meeting.  The  Bureau's 
stand,  Fabian  said,  was  declared  by 
McNutt  to  be  "incorrect." 

"McNutt  stated  that  theatres,  just 
as  banks  and  insurance  companies, 
have  not  been  declared  either  essential 
or  non-essential,"  Fabian  declared. 

"There  will  be  no  discrimination 
against  theatre  employes  between  the 
ages  of  18  and  38  due  to  the  fact 
that  the  theatre  business  has  not  been 
specifically  declared  essential,"  Fabian 
said  the  committee  was  assured  by 
McNutt. 

"McNutt  stated  further,"  Fabian 
said,  "that  he  would  take  up  with  the 
agency  involved  any  cases  of  such 
discrimination  which  were  reported  to 
him." 

Eyssell  Presents 

'Harvest'  Plaques 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

charge  of  advertising  and  publicity, 
accepted  the  awards  for  the  producer, 
Sidney  Franklin  and  the  stars,  Ronald 
Colman  and  Greer  Garson. 

Brief  talks  by  LeRoy,  Dietz  and 
Rodgers  paid  tribute  to  all  those  con- 
cerned in  the  production  of  the  pic- 
ture. Eysell  also  introduced  Clarence 
Brown,  director  of  "The  Human 
Comedy,"  M-G-M  film  which  opens 
at  the  Astor. 

Present  besides  those  mentioned 
were :  Martin  Quigley,  Colvin  Brown, 
Benny  Thau,  Ray  Murray,  William 
Randolph  Hearst,  Jr.,  Sam  Shain, 
Terry  Ramsaye,  Chester  Bahn,  Si 
Seadler,  E.  K.  O'Shea,  Lou  Smith, 
Jack  Alicoate,  R.  B.  Downing,  Fred 
L.  Lynch,  Leon  Leonidoff,  Russell 
Markert,  Kate  Cameron,  Dorothy 
Masters,  Alton  Cook,  Pauline  Wil- 
liams, G.  E.  Blackford,  Bosley  Crow- 
ther,  Tom  Pryor,  Abe  Weiler,  Joseph 
Pihodna,  Eileen  Creelman,  Leo  Mish- 
kin,  Jane  Corby,  Archer  Winsten, 
Irene  Thirer,  Kelcey  Allen,  Jesse 
Zunser,  Peter  Cardoza,  Sam  Berman, 
Baron  Poland,  George  Morris,  Abel 
Green,  Charles  Lewis,  William  Form- 
by. 


Mark  Ostrer  Married 

London,  March  1. — Mark  Ostrer, 
head  of  Gaumont  British,  and  Miss 
Olivia  Venning  were  married  today  at 
the  London  Registry  Office. 


Senate  Group  Votes 
On  Arnold  Tomorrow 

Washington,  March  1. — The 
Senate  judiciary  committee 
will  meet  Wednesday  to  vote 
on  the  nomination  of  Thurman 
Arnold  to  be  an  Associate 
Justice  of  the  District  of  Co- 
lumbia court  of  appeals,  with 
a  view  to  sending  the  appoint- 
ment to  the  Senate  for  con- 
firmation at  its  Thursday  ses- 
sion. 


'Miniver'  M-G-M's 
4th  Biggest  Grosser 

In  the  seven  months  from 
its  premiere  at  the  Radio  City 
Music  Hall  last  June  to  Feb. 
1  "Mrs.  Miniver"  has  become 
the  fourth  best  grosser  in 
M-G-M  history,  the  company 
announced  yesterday.  It  fol- 
lows "Gone  With  the  Wind," 
"The  Big  Parade"  and  "Ben 
Hur."  In  the  seven-months 
period  it  has  played  to  33,- 
000,000  people  in  the  United 
States  alone,  the  company 
said. 


Trade  Prepares  for 
Red  Cross  Campaign 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

fore  have  we  had  a  cause  that  is  so 
universally  understood,  so  vital  to  our 
nation  in  wartime  and  so  close  to  the 
hearts  of  the  public." 

He  declared  that  his  committee  has 
not  set  a  quota  for  the  campaign,  "but 
if  this  drive  does  not  result  in  a  fund 
three  to  five  times  that  ever  before 
piled  up  by  our  industry,  we'll  be 
disappointed,"  he  said. 

Since  the  largest  total  reached  pre- 
viously was  the  $2,120,000  raised  in 
the  Army  and  Navy  Relief  drive,  it 
is  apparent  that  the  Red  Cross  com- 
mittee is  aiming  at  a  grand  total  of 
from  six  to  ten  million  dollars,  it  was 
reported. 

Pledges  for  taking  part  in  the  drive 
were  sent  to  district  chairman  in 
every  exchange  area  of  the  nation 
yesterday.  A  new  phase  of  the  cam- 
paign is  the  fact  that  all  money  col- 
lected by  exhibitors  is  turned  over  to 
local  Red  Cross  officials.  Theatre- 
men,  however,  will  send  a  report  of 
collections  to  national  headquarters 
for  tabulation  of  totals. 

Word  came  yesterday  from  the 
Coast  of  cooperation  which  the  indus- 
try is  rendering  the  national  Red 
Cross  drive  this  month.  Groups  of 
motion  picture  stars  are  touring  the 
country  appearing  at  Red  Cross  din- 
ners and  rallies  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Hollywood  Victory  Committee. 
Theatres  are  now  showing  "Since 
Pearl  Harbor,"  seven-minute  short 
subject  produced  by  March  of  Time 
for  the  Red  Cross. 

Press  Preview  of 
'Comedy'  at  Astor 

A  press  review  of  William  Saroy- 
an's  "The  Human  Comedy,"  was  held 
last  night  at  the  Astor  Theatre.  The 
picture  starts  its  run  at  the  theatre 
today. 

Among  those  present  were  Clarence 
Brown,  Mervyn  LeRoy,  Roy  Gilles- 
pie of  Meddybemps,  Me.,  the  first 
town  to  subscribe  100  per  cent  for  war 
bonds,  and  Paul  A.  Anderson,  editor 
of  the  International  Falls,  Minn.. 
Daily  Journal,  selected  as  the  coun- 
try's outstanding  small  town  daily. 
Private  Saroyan,  stationed  at  Wright 
Field,  Dayton,  O.,  did  not  attend. 


Flameproof  Drapes 

Albany,  March  1. — Exhibitors  are 
reported  by  Fire  Chief  Michael  F. 
Fleming  to  be  cooperating  with  his  re- 
cent order  that  drapes  and  all  other 
fabric  decorations  in  theatres  here 
must  be  flameproofed. 


Holdovers  on  B 'way 
Keep  Strong  Pace 


Holdovers  continue  at  a  strong  pace 
on  Broadway,  but,  if  past  blackouts 
are  any  criterion,  box-office  grosses 
will  slump  tonight  when  another  half- 
hour  air-raid  alert  will  take  place  at 
9  o'clock  by  order  of  Mayor  F.  H. 
LaGuardia. 

"Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  with 
Jack  Benny  was  heading  for  $82,000, 
which  is  very  good,  for  the  first  week 
ending  tonight  at  the  Roxy.  "Hit- 
ler's Children,"  with  Xavier  Cugat 
and  his  orchestra  on  the  stage,  was 
also  doing  handsomely  at  the  Para- 
mount with  about  $80,000  expected 
for  the  first  seven  days  ending  to- 
night. 

At  the  Capitol,  "Crystal"  Ball" 
earned  an  estimated  $15,100  for  four 
days  of  a  second  week  and  will  be 
followed  on  Thursday  by  Joan  Craw- 
ford in  "Reunion  in  France."  "They 
Got  Me  Covered"  starts  on  Thursday 
at  the  Radio  City  Music  Hall,  where 
"Random  Harvest"  and  the  stage 
presentation  grossed  an  estimated 
$52,100  for  four  days  of  the  11th 
week. 

The  first  picture  to  be  held  for  six 
weeks  at  the  Rialto,  "Lucky  Jordan," 
drew  about  $3,800  for  Saturday  and 
Sunday.  "Frankenstein  Meets  the 
Wolf  Man"  opens  on  Friday. 

In  five  days  of  its  fourth  week  at 
the  Hollywood,  "Air  Force"  earned 
about  $19,600  and  will  continue.  "Sa- 
ludos  Amigos"  garnered  an  estimated 
$9,800  for  Friday,  Saturday  and  Sun- 
day of  a  third  week  at  the  Globe. 

"Casablanca"  drew  an  estimated 
$25,100  for  the  first  three  days  of  its 
fourth  week  at  the  Strand  theatre, 
officials  said. 

Freeman  Renamed 
Producer  Ass'n  Head 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

Work,  Mannix,  Ben  B.  Kahane,  Sam- 
el Goldwyn,  Charles  W.  Koerner,  M. 
I.  Siegel,  C.  W.  Thornton,  William 
"oetz  and  Harry  M.  Warner. 

The  group  voted  to  carry  on  a 
studio  worker  identification  program 
in  which  35,000  already  have  been 
processed.  Eleven  sound  cameras 
were  donated  to  the  Army  Air  Force 
by  the  association. 


Joe  Shea's  Father  Dies 

Funeral  services  for  N.  J.  Shea, 
father  of  Joe  Shea  of  the  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox publicity  department,  who 
died  suddenly  Friday,  will  be  held  this 
morning  at  St.  Joseph's  Church,  6th 
Aye.  and  Washington  St.  Interment 
will  follow  at  the  Gate  of  Heaven 
Cemetery,  Mt.  Pleasant,  N.  Y. 


Stepner  Steps  Up 

Chicago,  March  1.— Jones,  Linick 
&  Schaefer  circuit  has  appointed  Les- 
ter Stepner,  former  manager  of  the 
circuit's  LaSalle  Theatre,  to  the  post 
of  publicity  director  for  the  circuit,  it 
was  announced. 


Wilcox  Changes  Title 

Halifax,  March  1.— The  title  of 
"Appointment  at  Halifax,"  which 
Herbert  Wilcox  is  producing  here  and 
in  London  for  RKO  release,  has  been 
changed  to  "The  Yellow  Canary." 
Anna  Neagle  is  starred. 


House  Group  Votes 
20%  Wage  Tax 

Washington,  March  1. — A 
plan  that  would  become  oper- 
ative July  1  has  been  tenta- 
tively approved  by  the  House 
Ways  and  Means  subcommit- 
tee wherein  an  over-all  20  per 
cent  withholding  levy  upon 
wages  and  salaries  would  be 
put  into  effect. 


British  Meet  Today 
On  Newsreel  Cuts 


London,  March  1. — A  joint  meeting 
of  the  Cinematograph  Exhibitors  As- 
sociation and  representatives  of  the 
newsreels  will  be  held  tomorrow  at 
which  time  an  effort  will  be  made  by 
the  two  to  agree  on  a  method  of  bi- 
cycling prints  and  a  reduction  of  news- 
reel  footage  in'  the  current  effort  to 
curtail  raw  stock  consumption.  Fol- 
lowing their  joint  meeting  the  two 
groups  will  confer  with  Board  of 
Trade  officials  on  the  progress  made. 

A  CEA  delegation  will  meet  Thurs- 
day with  the  Kinematograph  Renters 
Society  to  advance  further  their  joint 
raw  stock  savings  plans. 


Louis  Kaufman  Trial 
Put  Off  to  March  18 

Trial  of  Louis  Kaufman,  business 
agent  of  Operators'  Local  244,  of 
Newark,  on  extortion  charges  was 
adjourned  yesterday  until  March  18 
by  Federal  Judge  Henry  W.  Goddard. 

Kaufman  and  Nick  Dean,  of  Chi- 
cago, who  pleaded  guilty  to  the 
charges  and  is  now  serving  an  eight- 
year  prison  sentence,  are  accused  of 
having  extorted  more  than  $1,000,000 
from  major  film  companies  under 
threats  to  call  a  nationwide  strike  of 
projectionists. 

George  E.  Browne,  former  presi- 
dent of  the  IATSE,  and  William  Bi- 
off,  Browne's  personal  representative, 
were  convicted  under  a  similar  indict- 
ment and  are  now  serving  jail  terms. 

Goldman  Takes  Over 
W.  B.  House  June  1 

Philadelphia,  March  1. — William 
Goldman  will  take  possession  of  War- 
ners' Karlton  Theatre  here  on  June 
1,  it  was  disclosed.  Frederic  C. 
Wheeler,  vice-president  of  the  Fidelity 
Trust  Co.,  confirming  the  deal,  indi- 
cated that  the  purchase  price  was 
$800,000  and  includes  the  theatre  and 
building. 

Para.  Sets  Showings 
Of  5th  Feature  Block 

Neil  Agnew,  Paramount  distribu- 
tion chief,  yesterday  announced  trade- 
showings  of  the  company's  fifth  block 
of  five  features  for  this  season  as  fol- 
lows :  "China,"  March  19 ;  "Aerial 
Gunner"  and  "Salute  for  Three," 
March  22 ;  "High  Explosive,"  March 
23,  and  "Five  Graves  to  Cairo,"  Mav 
3. 


Max  Milder  in  England 

London,  March  1. — Max  Milder, 
British  managing  director  for  War- 
ner Bros.,  has  arrived  here  from  the 
United  States  after  a  stormy  voyage. 


your  advance 
interest  in  our 
new  picture... 


also  to  Mai  St.  Clair, 
Ben  Hersh,  the  entire  cast 
and  crew! 


(Lum  n'Abner  to  you) 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  March  2,  1943 


35  Pictures 
Are  Shooting; 
Nine  Started 


Hollywood,  March  1. — Thirty-five 
pictures  were  before  the  cameras  this 
week  as  nine  started  and  nine  fin- 
ished. Fifteen  are  being  prepared, 
and  75  are  being  edited. 
The  tally  by  studio : 

Columbia 
Finished :  "Blondie  Buys  a  Horse." 
work :  "Somewhere  in  Sahara," 
"Attack  by  Night." 

M-G-M 

Finished :  "Faculty  Row,"  "I  Dood 
It." 

Started :  "The  Man  From  Down 
Under,"  with  Charles  Laughton,  Bin- 
nie  Barnes. 

In  work :  "A  Guy  Named  Joe," 
"Right  About  Face,"  "Best  Foot  For- 
ward," "Girl  Crazy." 

Monogram 

Finished :  "The  Ghost  Rider," 
"Ghosts  in  the  Night." 

/)/  work  :  "Sarong  Girl." 

Paramount 

zvork :  "Hostages,"  "Let's  Face 
It,"  "Riding  High,"  "Five  Graves  to 
Cairo,"  "So  Proudly  We  Hail," 
"Lady  in  the  Dark." 


RKO 

'The  Falcon 


Strikes 


Finished 
Back." 

In    zvork :    "The    Leopard  Man," 
"Gildersleeve's  Bad  Day,"  "A  Lady 
Takes  a  Chance,"  "The  Fallen  Spar- 
row," "The  Sky's  the  Limit." 
Republic 

Finished :  "Days  of  Old  Cheyenne," 
"Calling  Wild  Bill  Elliott." 

Started :  "Prodigal's  Mother," 
Mabel  Paige,  John  Craven ;  "Swing 
Your  Partner,"  Lulu  Belle  and  Scotty  ; 
"Riders  of  the  Rio  Grande,"  Bob 
Steele,  Tom  Tyler,  Jimmie  Dodd. 
20th  Century-Fox 

Started :  "Sweet  Rosie  O'Grady," 
Betty  Grable,  Robert  Young. 

In  work:  "Jitterbugs,"  "Heaven 
Can  Wait,"  "Jane  Eyre,"  "Bombers 
Moon,"  "Stormy  Weather." 

Universal 

Finished  :  "Trombone  from  Heaven." 

Started ;  "You  Go  to  My  Heart," 
Patric  Knowles,  Evelyn  Ankers : 
"Never  a  Dull  Moment,"  Ritz  Bros., 
Frances  Langford. 

/;;  n>ork :  "Oh,  Say,  Can  You 
Swing?,"  "Phantom  of  the  Opera," 
"Corvettes  in  Action." 

Warners 

Started :  "Saratoga  Trunk,"  Ingrid 
Bergman,  Gary  Cooper ;  "This  Is  the 
Army,"  Army  Cast,  Joan  Leslie, 
Charles  Butterworth. 


Curfew  Moves  in  Ohio 

Middletown,  O.,  March  1. — A  bill 
proposed  to  the  City  Commission  here 
would  subject  theatre  managers  to 
$100  fines  for  selling  tickets  after  9 
p.m.  to  anyone  under  17  years  of  age, 
it  was  learned.  The  move,  it  is  said, 
is  designed  to  curb  juvenile  delinquen- 
cy. 


Massilon,  O.,  March  1. — A  city 
ordinance  has  been  passed  here  pro- 
hibiting persons  under  16  years  of 
age  from  being  on  the  streets  after 
10  p.m.,  Sundays  through  Thursdays, 
and  after  midnight  Friday  and  Sat- 
urday. 


all 


Reviews 

"City  Without  Men" 

{Columbia) 

<if~^  ITV  WITHOUT  MEN"  is  a  timely  drama  which  will  appeal  to  i 

^  types  of  audiences,  and  all  age  groups.  There's  an  impressr 
name  case  and  a  good  melodramatic  plot. 

Michael  Duane  portrays  an  American  pilot,  who,  in  capturing  a  num- 
ber of  Japanese,  is  forced  into  a  maneuver  which  makes  it  appear  that 
he  is  attempting  to  escape  a  Coast  Guard  cutter  which  is  endeavoring  to 
overtake  him.  He  is  captured,  along  with  the  Japanese,  by  the  cutter,  and 
accused  of  smuggling  aliens  into  the  country. 

He  is  sent  to  prison  for  five  years,  and  the  remainder  of  the  film  is 
concerned  with  the  efforts  of  his  wife,  Linda  Darnell,  to  free  him.  Miss 
Darnell  lives  in  a  boarding  house  near  the  prison,  where  the  wives  of 
many  of  the  convicts  also  live,  and  she  and  Duane  become  involved  in  a 
projected  prison  break  which  one  of  the  wives  is  planning.  However, 
before  he  has  a  chance  to  participate  in  the  break,  his  innocence  is  proved 
and  he  is  pardoned.  The  happy  ending  sees  Duane  reunited  with  Miss 
Darnell,  after  which  he  joins  the  Navy. 

In  the  supporting  cast  are  Edgar  Buchanan,  Sara  Allgood,  Glenda 
Farrell,  Leslie  Brooks,  Doris  Dudley,  Constance  Worth,  Margaret  Ham- 
ilton, Rosemary  DeCamp,  Joseph  Crehan,  Oscar  O'Shea,  Sheldon  Leon- 
ard and  Clyde  Fillmore.  B.  P.  Schulberg  produced,  and  Sidney  Salkow 
directed. 

Running  time,  76  minutes.  "G." 


"Riders  of  the  Northwest  Mounted" 

( Columbia) 

TT ERE'S  a  good  action  picture  that  lives  up  to  the  fans'  expectations 
in  matters  of  excitement,  gun  battles  and  general  fast  pacing.  Rus- 
sell Hayden  is  co-starred  with  Adele  Mara,  and  both  give  good  per- 
formances. 

Hayden,  a  former  member  of  the  Northwest  Mounted  Police,  has  been 
forced  out  of  the  organization  through  circumstances  for  which  he  is  not 
really  to  blame.  He  endeavors  to  round  up  a  gang  of  outlaws  who  are 
terrorizing  people  in  the  Northwest  territory,  in  order  to  restore  order 
lo  the  community,  and  also,  to  re-establish  his  own  integrity  so  that  he 
can  be  reinstated  in  the  Mounted  Police.  The  plot  centers  around  his 
pursuing  of  the  outlaws,  and  the  ending  finds  the  villains  vanquished 
and  Hayden  restored  to  his  former  place  in  the  police. 

The  cast  includes  Bob  Wills  and  his  Texas  Playboys,  who  handle  the 
musical  end  of  the  film,  and  Dub  Taylor.  Story  and  screenplay  were  by 
Fred  Myton.    William  Berke  directed  and  Leon  Barsha  produced. 

Running"  time,  57  minutes.  "G."* 


'Keep  'Em  Slugging' 


.( Universal) 

H ollywood,  March  1 

HP  HE  Dead  End  Kids  and  the  East  Side  Kids  engage  here  in  some- 
what less  of  the  slapping  and  cuffing  which  is  their  specialty  but  hew 
to  the  line  of  past  appearances  by  becoming  entangled  with  the  law  un- 
warrantedly  and  proving  their  innocence  by  detecting  and  apprehending 
the  guilty.  There  is  little  else  of  difference  to  distinguish  the  film  from 
the  others  they,  in  various  groupings,  have  been  seen  in  before. 

Those  in  the  cast  are  Huntz  Hall,  Bobby  Jordan,  Gabriel  Dell,  Nor- 
man Abbott,  Evelyn  Ankers,  Elyse  Knox,  Frank  Albertson,  Don  Porter, 
Shemp  Howard,  Samuel  S.  Hinds,  Mary  Gordon,  Milburn  Stone  and 
Joan  Marsh.  Ben  Pivar  produced  and  Christy  Cabanne  directed,  both 
inside  the  formula. 

The  screenplay  by  Brenda  Weisberg,  from  an  original  by  Edward 
Handler  and  Robert  Gordon,  concerns  the  boys'  efforts  to  promote  the 
war  effort  by  working  during  school  vacation.  One  of  them  is  framed 
by  an  employer  who  is  a  crook  and  the  group  brings  the  facts  to  light, 
resulting  in  vindication.  A  vague  romance  or  two  are  run  off  in  the 
background. 

Running  time,  61  minutes.  "G."*  William  R.  Weaver 


'Harvest'Reaps 
$52,000  at  Two 
Boston  Houses 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Houses  Drop  Matinees 

Springfield,  Mass.,  March  1. — The 
Strand  Theatre  has  dropped  weekday 
matinees,  and  the  Liberty  and  Jeffer- 
son have  discontinued  weekday  mati- 
nees daily  but  Wednesday,  Liberty 
Theatres  Corp.,  owner  of  the  houses 
announced. 


Epidemic  Bars  Children 

Chicopee,  Mass.,  March  1. — The 
scarlet  fever  epidemic  in  nearby 
Springfield  has  apparently  spread  to 
this  city  and  authorities  have  barred 
children  from  attending  theatres  until 
March  7  in  an  effort  to  prevent  its 
spread. 


Boston,  March  1. — With  schools 
closed  for  two  weeks  to  take  care  of 
rationing  registration  and  Spring-li) 
weather  prevailing  this  past  wee 
grosses  here  look  very  big.  Biggest 
business  is  being  done  by  "Random 
Harvest"  with  an  expected  $30,000 
at  the  Loew's  State  and  $22,000  at  the 
Orpheum.  "They  Got  Me  Covered" 
looks  like  $30,000  at  the  RKO  Memo- 
rial, the  picture  opening  to  terrific 
business.  "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy" 
at  popular  prices  at  the  Metropolitan 
is  heading  for  an  estimated  big  $34,- 
000,  while  the  combination  of  Duke 
Ellington  and  his  orchestra  on  the 
stage  and  "Life  Begins  at  8 :30"  at 
he  RKO  Boston  should  finish  the 
week  with  about  $27,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  ending 
March  3: 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STATE — (2,900)  (35c-50c-60c)  7 
days.  Gross:  $30,000.  (Average,  $14,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  ORPHEUM — (3,000)  (35c-50c- 
60c)  7  days.  Gross:  $22,000.  (Average 
$19,500) 

"Life  Begins  at  8:30"  (20th-Fox) 

RKO    BOSTON— (2,679)  (55c-65c-75c-85c- 
99c)   7  days.      Stage:  Duke  Ellington  and 
his  orchestra,  other  acts.     Gross:  $27,000. 
(Average,  $27,000) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"   (U.  A.) 
"Calaboose"  (U.  A.) 

RKO  KEITH  MEMORIAL— (2,907)  (44c- 
55c -65c)  7  days.  Gross:  $30,000.  (Average, 
$20,000) 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

M  &  P  METROPOLITAN  THEATRE— 
(4,367)     (30c -40c -55c -65c)    7    days.  Gross: 
$34,000.     (Average,  $24,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.  B.) 

PARAMOUNT— (1,797)  (33c-44c-65c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $8,300.  (Average, 
^.OOO) 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.  B.) 

FENWAY— (1,320)    (33c-44c-65c)    7  days, 
3rd  week.    Gross:  $4,500.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 
"Eyes  in  the  Night"  (M-G-M) 

SCOLLAY— (2,500)  (33c-40c-60c) 
Gross:  $5,000.      (Average,  $5,000) 
"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 
"Eyes  in  the  Night"  (M-G-M) 

MODERN— (705)  (33c-40c-60c) 
Gross:  $4,500.     (Average,  $3,500) 
"Johnny  Doughboy"  (Rep.) 
"Sea  Wolf"  (W.  B.) 

TRANSLUX— (900)      (17c-28c-44c-55c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $5,700.     (Average,  $5,000) 
"Fantasia"  (RKO) 

MAJESTIC— (1.525)   (28c-40c-65c)   7  davs. 
Gross:  $2,500. 
"Holiday  Inn"  (Para.) 
"King's  Row"  (W.  B.) 

ESQUIRE  (UPTOWN)— (941)  (35c-50c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $2,500.    (Average,  $2,500) 


davs. 


days. 


St.  Louis  WAC  Busy 
Promoting  Drive 

St.  Louis,  March  1. — Morning 
matinees  were  given  at  62  neighbor- 
hood theatres  here,  the  admission  price 
being  items  of  copper,  bronze  or  brass. 
Theatres  took  part  in  the  "March  of 
Dimes"  drive,  and  the  WAC  branch 
here  reports  that  during  the  past  IS 
months  major  activities  of  local  houses 
included  the  presentation  of  the  Hol- 
lywood Caravan  and  the  Fort  Leonard 
Wood  musical  production ;  scrap  metal 
drives.  United  Nations  Week,  Army 
and  Navy  Relief,  recruiting  for  all 
branches  of  the  armed  services,  Red 
Cross  blood  donors  drive,  and  the  sale 
of  War  Bonds  and  Stamps. 


Tuesday,  March  2,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Claims  ofKOA 
Fought  by  FCC 
In  Court  Action 


Washington,    March    1. — De- 
claring that  Station  KOA,  Denver, 

 was  adequately  protected  in  pro- 

y  Aedings  which  resulted  in  station 
WHDH,  Boston,  being  given  addi- 
tional time  and  power  to  operate 
on  the  same  frequency,  the  Federal 
Communications  Commission  has 
filed  a  brief  with  the  Supreme 
Court  asking  reversal  of  an  opinion 
of  the  District  of  Columbia  Court 
of  Appeals. 

The  Supreme  Court  last  month 
agreed  to  review  the  decision  of  the 
lower  tribunal,  which  had  remanded 
the  case  to  the  Commission  for  further 
proceeding  in  conformity  with  a  deci- 
sion that  the  Commission  should  not 
have  refused  to  permit  KOA  to  par- 
ticipate as  a  party  to  the  proceedings. 

In  its  brief,  the  Commission  held 
that  KOA  "had  no  right"  to  inter- 
vene in  the  WHDH  case,  and  that 
the  Communications  Act  contains  no 
provisions  with  respect  to  interven- 
tion and  the  Commission's  rule  which 
barred  KOA  is  a  "reasonable  one." 

The  Commission  took  the  position 
that  "there  is  no  right  to  be  free  of 
increased  competition"  and  no  right  to 
be  made  a  party  before  such  competi- 
tion is  authorized.  Broadcasting,  it 
was  argued,  "is  essentially  no  differ- 
ent from  a  newspaper  or  advertising 
agency  whose  revenues  may  be  af- 
fected by  the  grant  or  extension  of  a 
license  to  an  applicant." 


Theatres  in  Chicago 
Raise  Price  Scales 

Chicago,  March  1.— -Week-day 
prices  at  Warner's  Capitol  Theatre 
here  have  been  increased  from  45  to 
50  cents,  it  was  announced.  The  Met- 
ropolitan and  Stratford  have  raised 
children's  prices  from  10  to  15  cents 
weekends.  "Early  bird"  prices  on 
Sundays  have  been  discontinued  at 
the  Ogden,  Beverly,  Highland,  Jef- 
frey, Grove,  Rhodes,  Shore  and  Strat- 
ford with  no  noticeable  affect  on  at- 
tendance, it  was  reported. 


Waterbury  Price  Rise 

Waterbury,  Conn.,  March  1. — The 
Plaza  Theatre  here  has  raised  admis- 
sion prices  from  25  to  30  cents,  Roger 
Mahan,  who  recently  acquired  the 
house,  announced. 


Urges  Extension  of 
Mass.  Labor  Rule 

Boston,  March  1. — Joseph  Bren- 
nan,  secretary  of  Allied  Theatres  of 
Massachusetts,  has  proposed  a  law  for 
passage  by  the  legislature  to  give 
State  Commissioner  of  Labor  James 
Moriarity  power  over  war  industries, 
essential  and  non-essential,  it  was  re- 
ported. 

The  present  law  makes  it  punish- 
able by  a  fine  to  employ  a  minor  after 
10  p.m.  Brennan  contends  that  if  the 
commissioner  is  given  jurisdiction  over 
working  hours  in  the  entertainment 
field,  theatres  may  benefit  by  his  de- 
cisions, it  was  reported. 


Off  the  Antenna 


THE  radio  receiver  was  cited  as  standard  classroom  equipment  by  Dr.  Bel- 
mont Farley,  co-ordinator  of  radio  activities  for  the  National  Education 
Association,  in  an  address  on  Sunday  at  dedicatory  ceremonies  for  the  NBC 
radio  courses  based  on  the  web's  "Lands  of  the  Free"  and  "Music  of  the  New 
World"  programs. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Miss  Jean  Hatton,  assistant  to  Fulton  Lewis,  Jr.,  of 
Mutual,  has  announced  her  engagement  to  Lt.  Harold  D.  Fangboner,  USNR. 
.  .  .  Gaylord  Avery,  who  left  KM  OX,  St.  Louis,  last  week  prior  to  entering 
the  Army  as  an  aviation  cadet,  announces  the  birth  of  a  daughter,  Jo  Ann. 
.  .  .  Del  Parker,  CKLIV,  Detroit,  singing  star,  has  announced  her  engagement 
to  Phil  Brestoff,  Michigan  Theatre  orchestra  leader. 

•  •  • 

Starting  yesterday,  WBZ-WB2JA,  Boston  and  Springfield,  shuffled  sev- 
eral morning  programs  for  more  frequent  news  broadcasts  between  7:30 
and  9  a.  m.  This  was  planned  to  bring  thorough  news  coverage  to  com- 
muters leaving  for  work  at  staggered  hours. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  "All  Time  Hit  Parade"  had  a  record-breaking  premiere 
audience,  the  Cooperative  Analysis  of  Broadcasting  reported.  .  .  .  The  new 
weekly  Roma  Wine  Program,  "Fiesta  Ranch,"  will  start  over  CBS  on  Thurs- 
day at  8  p.  m.  .  .  .  Pvt.  Tyrone  Power  will  appear  on  "Time  to  Smile"  to- 
morrow night.  .  .  .  Martha  Deane  is  conducting  the  metropolitan  area's 
division  of  the  National  Sewing  Contest  on  her  WOR  program.  .  .  .  Upton 
Close  has  had  his  news  program  renewed  on  Mutual  by  the  Lumberman's 
Mutual  Casualty  Co.  for  13  more  weeks. 

•  •  • 

Around  the  Country:  KWON,  Bartlesville,  Okla.,  operating  on  250  zvatts, 
1,400  kilocycles,  became  a  Mutual  affiliate  yesterday.  .  .  .  WWNY,  Watertown, 
N.  Y '.,  with  1,000  zvatts  power  on  790  k.  c,  has  joined  CBS  as  a  supplementary 
station  available  with  the  basic  network.  .  .  .  WDEL,  NBC  basic  outlet  in 
Wilmington,  Del.,  has  boosted  its  night  power  to  equal  the  day's  5,000  zvatts. 
.  .  .  WBRK,  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  celebrated  its  fifth  anniversary. 


New  Equal  Rights 
Law  Seen  in  N.Y. 


Albany,  March  1. — Another  bill 
providing  for  suspension  or  revoca- 
tion of  licenses  when  proof  is  pro- 
duced before  authorities  that  equal 
accommodations  have  not  been  grant- 
ed patrons  has  been  introduced  in  the 
legislature  by  Assemblyman  Daniel 
Burrows.  Sentiment  in  the  capital,  it 
is  reported,  is  that  an  equal  accom- 
modations bill  of  some  sort  will  be 
passed  by  the  present  legislature. 


Equal  Rights  Bill 
Quashed  in  Conn. 

Hartford,  March  1. — A  bill  pro- 
viding for  payment  of  fines  of  not 
less  than  $200  nor  more  than  $350 
by  any  person  who  discriminates 
against  another  has  been  unfavorably 
reported  by  the  Judiciary  Committee 
of  the  State  Legislature  and  tabled 
for  the  calendar  and  ultimate  rejec- 
tion, it  was  reported. 

Among  bills  before  the  legislature 
listed  by  the  MPTO  of  Connecticut  re- 
lating to  theatres  are  those  providing 
for  no  smoking  in  theatres ;  the  safe- 
ty of  persons  in  places  of  public  as- 
sembly ;  legalizing  horse  racing  in 
Connecticut,  and  a  bill  repealing  the 
chance  game  law. 


Legion  of  Decency 
Approves  5  Films 

Five  new  pictures  were  classified  as 
unobjectionable  by  the  Legion  of  De- 
cency in  its  current  listing,  three  for 
general  patronage  and  two  for  adults. 
The  films  and  their  classifications 
are  : 

Class  A-l,  unobjectionable  for  gen- 
eral patronage :  "It  Ain't  Hay,"  "Let's 
Have  Fun,"  "Trail  Riders."  Class 
A-2,  unobjectionable  for  adults:  "The 
Ape  Man,"  "I  Walked  with  a  Zom- 
bie." 


'Serve'  and  'Dandy' 
Strong  in  Montreal 

Montreal,  March  1. — "In  Which 
We  Serve"  in  its  3rd  week  at  the  Or- 
pheum  is  expected  to  reach  an  esti- 
mated $6,000,  surpassing  the  second 
week.  The  second  week  of  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy"  will  bring  $9,500  at 
Loew's,  it  is  expected,  and  other  first- 
run  houses  are  expected  to  gross  bet- 
ter than  average. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  4 : 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

ORPHEUM— (1,100)  (30c-40c-60c)  7  days. 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $6,000.  (Average, 
$3,500) 

"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

LOEW'S— (2,900)  (35c-53c-67c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $9,500.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"Between  Us  Girls"  (Univ.) 
"Madame  Spy"  (Univ.) 

PRINCESS— (2.2O0)    (30c-40c-52c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $4,500.     (Average,  $3,500) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 
"Moonlight  in  Havana"  (Univ.) 

CAPITOL—  (2,700)    (30c-45c-62c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $5,500.     (Average.  $4,500) 
"Who  Done  It?"  (Univ.) 

PALACE— (2,700)  (30c-45c-62c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $7,000.    (Average.  $7,000) 


Rochester  Houses 
Aiding  Bond  Drive 

Rochester,  March  1. — Theatres 
and  radio  stations  are  doing  their  part 
here  to  "make  Rochester  the  first  big 
city  to  fly  the  Minute  Man  Flag.  A 
campaign  is  underway  to  have  90  per 
cent  of  the  employes  of  all  local  busi- 
ness establishments  buy  war  bonds 
through  payroll  deduction  plans. 

Already  participating  in  the  drive 
are  the  RKO  Temple,  Regent,  RKO 
Palace,  Loew's  Rochester,  Century 
and  the  Capitol  and  stations  WHAM 
and  WHEC.  Stromberg  Carlson  Co., 
Eastman  Kodak  Co.,  and  Bausch  & 
Lomb  Optical  Co.  are  also  participat- 


They're  All 

BIG  PICTURES 


Tippee!  You  won't  have  to  miss  the  en|or- 
mint  that  Gene  brings  you  just  because  he's 
no*  a  sergeant  in  the  Air  Corps!  His  top  pic 
tores  are  being  re  issued.  Watth  lor  them  at 
(our  favorite  theatre!  *j 


^B^S  AND  SADDLES 

*  WE  OLD  DARN  DANCE 

*  TUMBLING  10MBLEV/EEDS 

*  WEJf/MU  ROSE 

*  •  OLD  M0N1EREY 

*  *H  OF  WE  DORDER 

*  MM  SERENADE 
^mmiDERFOOl  m  v 


SMILEY  BURNETTE 

is  with  Gene  in  every 
one  of  these  films!  Get 
set  far  laughs.  America- 


They're  All 

REPUBLIC  PICTURES 


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Alert, 


>N  PICTURE 


2* 


First  in 


LI 


53.  NO.  41 


NEW  YORK,  U.  S.  A.,  WEDNESDAY,  MARCH  3,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Quigley  Award 
Judges  Hear 
GoldensonTalk 


Leaders  of  All  Industry 
Branches  Attend 


By  SHERWIN  A.  KANE 

With  millions  of  new  patrons  at- 
tending- theatres  regularly  the  in- 
dustry is  face  to  face  with  its  great- 
est opportun- 
ity, that  of 
keeping  them 
as  permanent 
cust  omers, 
Leonard  Gold- 
enson,  Para- 
mount vice- 
p  r  e  sident  in 
charge  of  the- 
atre opera- 
tions,  s  t  ated 
yes  terday  at 
t  h  e  judge's 
luncheon  for 
the  1942  Quig- 
ley Grand 

Awards  and  Quigley  War  Show- 
manship Award  at  the  Hotel  Astor. 

Leading  distribution  and  advertis- 
ing and  publicity  executives  served  as 


Leonard  Goldenson 


Full  page  of  pictures  of  the 
Awards  judging,  Page  6. 

judges  for  the  awards.    The  winners 
will  be  announced  on  Friday  by  Mo- 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


Stoddard  Named 
M&P  Film  Buyer 

Boston,  March  2— Chester  L. 
Stoddard,  district  manager  for  M  &  P 
in  Maine,  New  Hampshire  and  Ver- 
mont, has  been  named  chief  film  buy- 
er and  will  be  located  here,  Martin  J. 
Mullin  and  Samuel  Pinanski  circuit 
owners  said.  He  will  be  replaced  at 
the  Portland,  Me.,  office  by  John  B. 
Carroll. 


Blackout  Hits  Gross 
In  Broadway  Houses 

Business  after  9  p.  m.  on 
Broadway  last  night  was  bad, 
house  managers  reported. 
The  double  alert  ordered  by 
Mayor  LaGuardia  for  that 
time  lasted  one-half  hour  and 
kept  people  at  home,  some 
believed. 


Gallup  Survey  Gives 
'Miniver'  Top  1942 
Place;  'Wake'  2nd 


"Mrs.  Miniver,"  M-G-M  picture, 
was  named  "the  best  liked  picture  of 
1942"  in  a  nationwide  survey  conduct- 
ed by  the  Gallup  Audience  Research 
Institute,  and  "Wake  Island,"  Para- 
mount picture,  placed  second  in  the 
survey,  it  was  announced  yesterday. 

These  two  films,  of  the  top  six 
choices  selected  in  the  survey,  are  the 
only  ones  dealing  directly  with  the 
present  war.  Other  choices,  in  the 
order  of  their  selection,  are : 

"How  Green  Was  My  Valley," 
"Holiday  Inn,"  "The  Road  to  Moroc- 
co" and  "The  Pride  of  the  Yankees." 

The  survey  shows  a  unanimity  of 
opinion  among  major  groups  of  mo- 
tion picture  audiences,  the  Gallup  an- 
nouncement stated.  "Mrs.  Miniver" 
keeps  its  place  among  the  best-liked 
six  chosen  by  rich  and  poor,  old  and 
young,  men  and  women,  frequent  film 
goers  or  occassional  ones. 

Male  audiences  chose  "Wake  Is- 
land" number  one,  while  the  women 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Will  Lift  Ban  on 
Driving  This  Month 


Washington,  March  2. — Definite 
relaxation  of  the  pleasure  driving  ban 
in  the  East  is  set  for  March  22  follow- 
ing a  report  today  to  Secretary  of 
the  Interior  Ickes  by  the  Committee 
on  Petroleum  Economics.  It  was 
suggested  that  lifting  of  rigid  Restric- 
tions might  relieve  overcrowding  of 
transportation  facilities.  This  how- 
ever may  be  accompanied  by  a  reduc- 
tion in  the  value  of  the  A  cards  to 
two  gallons. 


M-G-M  Appeals  for 
Mickey  Rooney,  1-A 

Hollywood,  March  2.— M-G- 
M  has  appealed  the  1-A  draft 
classification  of  Mickey 
Rooney  on  the  grounds  that 
he  is  an  essential  worker,  the 
company  revealed.  This  was 
the  first  such  appeal  by  a 
studio,  so  far  as  known,  it  was 
reported.  Plans  call  for  mak- 
ing the  appeal  a  test  case  to 
determine  the  exact  status  of 
the  industry  with  respect  to 
selective  service,  it  is  be- 
lieved. 


WPB  Starts  New 
Copper  Drive  in 
Nation's  Theatres 


Washington,  March  2. — Describ- 
ing copper  scrap  as  the  "No.  1  indus- 
trial salvage  program  in  1943,"  ,N.  G. 
Burleigh,  chief  of  the  WPB  Service 
Equipment  Section,  announced  the 
launching  of  a  drive  among  the  8,500 
theatres  of  the  country  under  the  lead- 
ership of  C.  J.  Dunphy,  chief  of  the 
amusements  section. 

Intensification  of  the  drive  to  sal- 
vage copper  scrap  from  projection 
carbons  was  undertaken  by  WPB 
officials,  who  estimated  that  approxi- 
mately 270,000  pounds  of  the  badly 
needed  metals  could  be  recovered  an- 
nually through  full  participation  of  all 
consumers. 

The  need  for  the  metal,  as- well  as 
brass  and  others  for  the  war  effort, 
has  been  stressed  by  the  industry  war 
activities  committee. 

Theatres  throughout  the  nation  for 
months  have  been  holding  copper  ma- 
tinees where  admission  to  the  theatre 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Coast  WAC  Reorganizes; 
Mary  McCall  Is  Chairman 


Kaufman  Seattle 
Para.  Branch  Head 

Herbert  A.  Kaufman,  of  Para- 
mount's  New  York  exchange  sales 
staff,  has  been  appointed  Seattle 
branch  manager  for  the  company,  Neil 
Agnew,  vice-president  and  general 
sales  manager,  announced  yesterday. 
Kaufman  has  been  associated  with 
Paramount  in  both  sales  and  theatre 
posts  since  1923  in  Los  Angeles,  Chi- 
cago, Buffalo  and  here.  He  replaces 
Morris  Segal  at  the  Seattle  branch. 


Hollywood,  March  2.  —  The 
War  Activities  Committee's  Hol- 
lywood division  today  was  reor- 
ganized to  conform  with  the  struc- 
ture prevailing  in  exhibition,  dis- 
tribution, and  other  branches. 
Its  functions  hereafter  will  come  un- 
der an  executive  committee  of  10 
with  Mary  McCall,  Jr.,  president 
of  the  SWG  as  chairman,  replac- 
ing Y.  Frank  Freeman. 

Purpose  of  the  revamping  is  to  pull 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


U.  S. -Trade 
Accord  at  New 
High:  Mellett 

Sees  Greater  Cooperation 
In  Script  Plan 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  March  2. — With  all 
major  studios  agreeing  to  submit  their 
scripts  for  review  by  the  Office  of  War 
Information,  industry-Government  co- 
operation will  reach  a  new  nigh, 
Lowell  Mellett,  Chief  of  the  OWI 
Motion  Picture  Bureau,  said  today. 

The  actual  methods  will  be  set 
forth  in  a  plan  which  Mellett  ex- 
pects to  receive  this  week,  embody- 
ing the  results  of  last  month's  con- 
ferences with  studio  heads  and  com- 
pany executives  in  Hollywood.  Mel- 
lett is  leaving  for  Hollywood  today 
to  address  the  Academy  awards  ban- 
quet Thursday  night,  and  may  arrange 
final  details  of  the  plan  while  on  the 
Coast. 

Broadly,  Mellett  said,  the  plan  con- 
templates that  the  OWI  shall  review 
all  scripts  and  treatments  during  pro- 
duction, with  a  view  to  making  sug- 
gestions for  correction  of  situations 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


CEA  Lauds  Gov't 
Aid  in  Deferments 


London,  March  2. — The  assistance 
of  the  Board  of  Trade  in  the  indus- 
try's relations  with  the  Ministry  of 
Labor  in  the  matter  of  obtaining  de- 
ferments of  essential  industry  work- 
ers and  other  means  cf  dealing  with 
the  manpower  problem,  which  was  de- 
scribed as  the  most  serious  of  the  past 
year  for  the  industry,  was  commended 
in  the  annual  report  of  the  Cinemato- 
graph Exhibitors  Association,  made 
public  today. 

The  report,  in  the  main,  touched 
upon  the  exhibitors'  relations  with 
various  government  departments  dur- 
ing the  past  12  months.  It  cited  the 
paradox  of  decreased  staffs  caring  for 
increased  patronage.  Regret  over  the 
shortage  of  British  films  is  expressed 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "The  Youngest 
Profession"  and  "Slightly 
Dangerous,"  Page  4.  Key  city 
box-office  reports,  Pages  4,  8. 


Motion  Picture  Daily 

Personal  Mention 


2 


Helen  Hayes  Back 
On  B 'way  in  Lone 
Opening  of  Week 


Helen  Hayes  returns  to  Broadway, 
after  an  absence  of  more  than  a 
year,  in  Gilbert  Miller's  production  of 
"Harriet,"  a  play  based  on  the  life  of 
Harriet  Beecher  Stowe,  which  opens 
at  the  Henry  Miller  Theatre  tonight. 
Florence  Ryerson  and  Colin  Clements 
are  co-playwrights  of  the  drama  in 
which  Rhys  Williams,  Sydney  Smith, 
Janes  Seymour,  Robert  Harrison, 
Helen  Carew,  Joan  Tetzel,  Guy  Sorel 
and  Seth  Arnold  also  appear.  It  is 
the  week's  sole  opening. 

"Counterattack,"  the  Lee  Sanford 
Sabinson  production  scheduled  to  close 
on  Saturday,  has  remained  on  the 
boards  as  a  result  of  the  added  finan- 
cial support  of  Jules  J.  Leventhal,  it 
was  stated. 

Lee  Strasberg  announces  that  cast- 
ing for  "Apology,"  due  here  March 
22,  is  completed.  Elissa  Landi,  Erin 
O'Brien-Moore,  Theadore  Newton, 
Thelma  Schnee,  Ben  Smith  and  James 
Todd  are  among  those  who  will  ap- 
pear in  the  Charles  Schnee  play, 
which  will  be  housed  at  the  Mansfield 
Theatre. 

Following  an  out-of-town  tryout, 
"The  Family"  will  be  brought  to  t.he 
Windsor  Theatre  in  March  23,  it  was 
announced  by  producer  Oscar  Serlin. 

George  Coulouris  plans  to  bring  his 
revival  of  "Richard  III"  to  Broad- 
way on  March  24.  The  actor  is  di- 
recting the  play  as  well  as  appearing 
in  the  title  role. 

Pay  Scale  Problem 
Before  Actors  Equity 

Elimination  of  the  $25  junior  mini- 
mum for  stock  players  is  expected  to 
result  from  consideration  by  execu- 
tives and  the  legal  department  of  Ac- 
tors Equity  of  stock  company  mini- 
mums.  Consideration  of  the  wages 
was  authorized  by  the  Council  at  a 
meeting  yesterday.  It  was  also 
thought  that  a  15  per  cent  rise  will  be 
asked  for  the  prevailing  $40  minimum. 

The  Council  set  the  next  quarterly 
meeting  for  Friday  afternoon,  March 
26,  at  the  Hotel  Astor.  At  that  time 
the  members  will  elect  six  of  the 
nominating  committee  with  the  re- 
maining three  to  be  designated. 

Ex-Mrs.  Cohan  Sues 
Warners  on  'Dandy9 

Warner  Bros.  Pictures,  Inc.,  is 
named  defendant  in  a  suit  for  dam- 
ages of  $500,000  filed  in  Federal 
Court  by  Ethel  Levey,  former  wife  of 
George  M.  Cohan,  who  alleges  that 
she  was  unwillingly  portrayed  in  the 
film,  "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy."  The 
action  was  transferred  from  N.  Y. 
State  Supreme  Court  on  motion  of 
the  defendant. 

The  alleged  portrayal  was  without 
her  knowledge  and  consent  and  con- 
stitutes an  invasion  of  her  right  of 
privacy,  the  complaint  alleges. 


George  Smith  East 

Hollywood,  March  2.  —  George 
Smith,  Paramount  Western  sales 
manager,  will  stop  in  San  Francisco 
on  his  way  to  New  York,  where  he 
is  due  March  8.  He  was  here  for  ex- 
change conferences.  Charles  M.  Rea- 
gan, assistant  sales  manager,  will  then 
come  to  the  Coast,  it  was  reported. 


ARTHUR    GREENBLATT  left 
California  yesterday  for  the  East. 

Pandro  S.  Berman  is  here  from 
California. 

• 

Danny  Horgan  of  the  RKO  The- 
atres publicity  department,  Boston,  is 
now  a  cadet  in  the  Army  Air  Corps. 
• 

Alex  Allen,  former  Warner  cir- 
cuit short  subjects  booker  in  Phila- 
delphia, is  now  a  projectionist  with 
the  Army  in  Cairo,  Egypt. 

• 

Frank  Vaughn,  branch  manager 
of  Empire-Universal-Films,   Ltd.,  at 
Vancouver,  has  enlisted  in  the  RCAF. 
• 

J.   L.   Maxwell,    owner    of  the 
Community     Theatre,  Chesterville, 
Ont,  is  in  the  Ordnance  Corps. 
• 

Martha  Kaplan,  secretary  to  Ar- 
thur Sachson,  Warner  Bros,  assist- 
ant general  sales  manager,  will  be 
married  on  Sunday  to  Gilbert  Sper- 
tell  of  the  Coast  Guard,  now  sta- 
tioned in  Boston. 


Trade  People  Back 
'We  Will  Never  Die9 

A  number  of  film  industry  people 
are  members  of  a  special  sponsors' 
committee  which  has  underwritten  the 
pageant,  "We  Will  Never  Die,"  mass 
memorial  for  the  more  than  2,000,- 
000  Jews  slain  by  Hitler,  to  be  held 
next  Tuesday  at  Madison  Square 
Garden,  it  was  announced  on  behalf  of 
the  memorial  general  committee  yes- 
terday. 

Among  those  on  this  committee,  it 
was  announced,  are :  Si  Fabian, 
George  Skouras,  Edward  A.  Golden, 
Jack  Cohn,  Lester  Cowan,  Jules 
Levey,  Abe  Montague,  Samuel  Rinz- 
ler,  Julius  Joel  son,  Fred  Schwartz, 
Harry  Brandt,  Sam  Lefkowitz,  Lou 
Walters,  Ben  Hecht,  the  author  of 
the  pageant  to  be  presented  on  the 
program,  and  Billy  Rose,  producer. 

Among  members  of  the  women's  di- 
vision are :  Mrs.  Julius  Joelson, 
chairman  and  treasurer,  Mrs.  Gordon 
Price,  Mrs.  Louis  Nizer,  Mrs.  Harry 
Brandt,  Mrs.  Abe  Montague,  Mrs. 
Samuel  Rinzler  and  Mrs.  Howard 
Clurman. 

Following  the  New  York  presenta- 
tion, the  pageant  is  scheduled  to  be 
shown  in  many  large  cities  throughout 
the  country,  it  was  said. 

Film  Office  Union 
Sponsors  Canteen 

A  "Silver  Screen  Canteen"  spon- 
sored for  servicemen  and  merchant 
seamen  by  the  Screen  Office  and  Pro- 
fessional Employes  Guild,  Local  109, 
will  open  with  a  United  Nations  Night 
at  the  Midtown  Music  Hall,  846  Sev- 
enth Ave.  tomorrow  night,  it  was 
announced.  More  than  200  girls  in  the 
film  offices  have  already  registered 
as  hostesses  for  the  canteen  which 
will  be  open  each  Thursday  night. 
Entertainment  will  be  provided  by  the 
SOPEG  drama  group. 


Alert  Hits  Conn.  Gross 

Hartford,  March  2. — A  lull  in  last 
night's  business  because  of  a  45-min- 
ute  blackout  starting  at  8:15  p.  m. 
was  reported  by  theatremen.  The 
statewide  drill  was  termed  "very 
good"  by  Police  Commissioner  Hickey. 


JULES  LAPIDUS,  Eastern  sales 
manager  for  Warner  Bros.,  has 
left  for  Pittsburgh. 

• 

Radie  Harris  is  recuperating  from 
an  appendectomy. 

• 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adolph  G.  Johnson 
of  the  Strand,  Hamden,  Conn.,  left 
Saturday  for  a  month's  trip  to  Miami, 
where  they  will  visit  their  son,  En- 
sign Bob  Johnson,  instructor  at  the 
Sub  Chaser  school. 

• 

Joseph  Bokowi  of  the  Warner 
Rialto,  Hartford,  is  an  aviation  cadet 
in  the  Naval  Air  Force. 

• 

Ben  Engel,  manager  of  Warner's 
Hippodrome,   Cleveland,  will  be  in- 
ducted into  the  Army  on  March  13. 
• 

Marcus  Benn,  owner  of  the  Bel- 
mont   Theatre,     Philadelphia,  cele- 
brated his  77th  birthday  last  week. 
• 

William  Brown  of  the  Pickwick 
Theatre,  Greenwich,  Conn.,  will  be  in- 
ducted into  the  Army  today. 


N.  Y.  Capitol  Theatre 
To  Start  Stage  Show 

The  Capitol  Theatre  will  return  to 
its  musical  stage  show  policy,  as  was 
reported  Feb.  26  in  "Heard  Around" 
by  Sam  Shain,  in  Motion  Picture 
Daily,  with  the  opening  of  "Stand 
By  For  Action"  on  Thursday,  March 
11,  the  management  announced.  Per- 
formances will  be  continuous  at  popu- 
lar prices. 

Bob  Crosby  and  his  band  will  head 
the  opening  show  with  Van  Alex- 
ander, Jack  Fulton,  Mary  Raye  and 
Naldi,  Borah  Minevitch's  Original 
Harmonica  Rascals  and  Joan  Ed- 
wards. 

SAG  Calls  Meeting 
On  Extras*  Increases 

Hollywood,  March  2. — The  Screen 
Actors  Guild  board  last  night  voted 
to  call  a  special  Class  B  membership 
meeting  on  wage  demands.  A  demand 
by  600  extras  at  a  rump  meeting  for 
a  raise  to  $15  of  the  minimum  day 
scale  rather  than  a  straight  15  per 
cent  increase  in  all  brackets  is  the 
reason  for  the  special  meeting,  it  was 
reported. 

A  delegation  from  the  rump  meeting 
appeared  before  the  board  which  de- 
cided to  determine  if  the  rest  of  the 
4,500  extras  concurred  in  demands. 
The  15  per  cent  increase  was  proposed 
by  guild  negotiators  and  faces  arbi- 
tration following  producer  refusal. 


Pioneer  Exhibitor 
Dies  in  N.  J.  Fire 

Philadelphia,  March  2. — Funeral 
services  were  held  here  today  for 
Charles  B.  Loughrey,  78,  pioneer  ex- 
hibitor, who  was  burned  to  death  last 
Friday  when  fire  destroyed  his  home 
in  Sea  Isle  City,  N.  J.,  where  he  re- 
tired about  20  years  ago.  He  was  the 
owner  of  the  first  nickelodeons  in  Phila- 
delphia and  for  many  years  operated 
theatres  in  the  Manayunk  section  of 
the  city.  His  wife,  Lillian,  two 
daughters  and  one  son  survive. 


Wednesday,  March  3,  1943 


Mid -Week  Newsreels 
FeatureMme.  Chiang 


Madame  Chiang  Kai-Shek's,  ;yisit,  to 
New  York  is  featured  in  four  mid- 
week newsreels :  Pathe,  Ne'ws  of  the 
Day,  Paramount  and  Universal  Ngws-  I 
reel.    Movietone  highlights  films  of.  j 
the  Mexican  volcano  which  suddenly 
erupted  in  the  interior,  and  also^K3S 
pictures  of  the  A.A.U.  track  me 
Madison    Square    Garden,    as    v_  cs 
Paramount. 

All  newsreels  show  Corp.  Barney 
Ross  of  the  Marines,  former  boxing 
champion,  returned  from  Guadal- 
canal, Movietone,  Pathe  and  Univer- 
sal carry  the  story  of  Brazilian  rub- 
ber for  the  U.  S.  armed  forces. 
Movietone  has  pictures  of  the  United 
States-British  military  mission  at 
New  Delhi,  India,  and  News  of  the 
Day  shows  a  Navy  convoy  in  the 
North  Pacific. 

Yanks  on  parade  in  Australia  are 
shown  in  Pathe  and  News  of  the 
Day,  and  all  five  newsreels  carry  rou- 
tine films  from  the  fighting  fronts 
around  the  world. 

Movietone,  News  of  the  Day  and 
Universal  Newsreel  show  sailors  at 
the  Great  Lakes  Naval  Training 
School  learning  to  swim.  Movietone 
has  a  Lew  Lehr  newsette  this  wek. 


Orson  Welles  Placed 
In  1-A  Despite  Ills 

Hollywood,  March  2.  —  Orson 
Welles  passed  his  preliminary  physi- 
cal examination  for  military  service 
and  has  been  placed  in  1-A,  after  re- 
portedly requesting  the  "screening"  so 
that  he  could  arrange  his  business  af- 
fairs accordingly.  His  induction  will 
be  determined  by  his  local  draft  board. 
Welles  originally  was  placed  in  4-F. 
since  he  suffers  with  bronchial 
asthma. 


RKO-FWC  Discuss  Deal 

Hollywood,  March  2.  —  Walter 
Branson,  RKO  Western  division  sales 
manager,  and  Harry  J.  Michalson, 
short  subject  sales  manager,  are  here 
discussing  a  deal  with  Fox  West 
Coast  Theatres. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley.  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres.  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  IOc. 


MARCH  CAME  IN 
LIKE  A  LION! 


Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 
of  course!  .  sof«.« 


Week  of  April  1—7! 


4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  March  3,  1943 


Reviews 

"The  Youngest  Profession" 

{M-G-M) 

Hollywood,  March  2 

T~'  HIS  is  an  attraction  to  do  tricks  with,  exploitation-wise,  in  behalf 
of  grosses  and  satisfaction  of  the  customers.  The  cast  is  a  double- 
decker,  with  more  power  in  the  second  deck  than  the  first,  and  the 
subject  is  a  natural  for  the  juniors,  for  the  "movie  fan''  of  all  ages 
and  climates,  and  for  the  seniors  whose  families  include  juniors. 

The  upper-deck  cast  comprises  Virginia  Weidler,  Edward  Arnold, 
John  Carroll,  Ann  Ayars,  Marta  Linden,  Dick  Simmons,  Agnes  Moore- 
head,  Jean  Porter,  Raymond  Roe,  Dorothy  Morris,  Scotty  Beckett, 
Marcia  Mae  Jones,  Sara  Haden,  Beverly  Jean  Saul,  Marjorie  Gateson, 
Thurston  Hall  and  Jessie  Grayson.  The  second-deck  cast — in  the  picture 
as  "guest  stars"  playing  themselves,  which  appears  to  constitute  no 
reason  for  refraining  from  using  their  names  on  the  marquee — con- 
sists of  Lana  Turner,  Greer  Garson,  Walter  Pidgeon,  Robert  Taylor 
and  William  Powell. 

The  story — a  book  by  Lillian  Day  put  in  script  form  by  George 
Oppenheimer,  Charles  Lederer  and  Leonard  Spigelgass — is  about  a  girl's 
fan  club,  dedicated  to  the  cause  of  collecting  autographs  from  stars  who 
visit  New  York,  and  about  the  family  affairs  of  the  club  president, 
played  by  Miss  Weidler,  Arnold  playing  her  father  and  Agnes  Moore- 
head  a  family  retainer  whose  suspicions  make  trouble.  The  thing  is, 
by  and  large,  strictly  a  comedy,  however,  and  a  comedy  in  new  vein. 

The  guest  stars  figure  in  the  story  as  themselves,  approached  by  the 
autograph  hunters  and  responding  to  the  approach  in  a  manner  to  satisfy 
the  equations  of  industry  interest  completely. 

B.  F.  Zeidman  produced  the  picture,  achieving  a  neat  balance  of 
values,  and  Edward  Buzzell  directed  skilfully.  The  picture  was  pre- 
viewed for  the  tradepress  in  Hollywood  on  a  Friday  night  at  the  Village 
Theatre  in  Westwood,  which  is  attended  on  that  evening  by  students 
from  the  adjacent  college,  plus  the  high  school  crowd,  and  to  these 
and  the  adults  present  it  delivered  resounding  satisfaction. 

Running  time,  85  minutes.    "G"*  William  R.  Weaver 


"Slightly  Dangerous" 

(M-G-M) 

C  TORY  inconsistencies  keep  this  film  wavering  between  drama  and 
^  comedy  without  ever  settling  for  either.  Exhibitors,  however,  have 
a  Cinderella  theme,  a  novel  romance  and  some  box-office  names  to 
help  them  sell  it.  Among  the  latter  are  Lana  Turner,  Robert  Young, 
Walter  Brennan,  Dame  May  Whitty,  Eugene  Pallette  and  Alan  Mow- 
bray. All  of  which,  however  you  look  at  it,  is  no  insignificant  sales 
quotient.  The  cause  for  regret  is  that  the  picture  missed,  and  by  no 
narrow  margin,  being  something  vastly  better  than  it  turns  out  to  be. 

Miss  Turner  depicts  a  small  town  girl  who,  rebelling  at  her  soda 
fountain  job  and  the  general  meaninglessness  of  her  life,  leaves  for  the  big 
city  after  penning  a  farewell  note  which  hints  at  suicide  and  makes  her 
boss,  Robert  Young,  suspect.  An  accident  in  the  city  provides  the 
opportunity  for  her  to  pose  as  a  victim  of  amnesia  and  she  is  accepted 
by  the  wealthy  Brennan  as  his  long  lost  daughter.  Young  pursues  her 
with  the  objective  of  clearing  his  name  and  the  pursuit  ends  in  a  real  ro- 
mance between  the  two.  And  despite  the  expose  of  her  hoax  Brennan 
discovers  he  has  become  too  attached  to  the  girl  to  disown  her,  and  so 
she  continues  as  a  member  of  his  family,  and,  obviously,  an  heiress. 

Pandro  Berman  produced  and  Wesley  Ruggles  directed  from  a  screen 
play  by  Charles  Lederer  and  George  Oppenheimer  based  on  a  story  by 
Ian  McLellan  Hunter  and  Aileen  Hamilton. 

There  is  a  bedroom  sequence  in  the  roadhouse  which,  however  mar- 
ketable it  may  be  for  some  exhibitors,  leaves  the  film  as  dubious  fare  for 
adolescents. 

Running  time,  94  minutes.  "A."* 


Phila.  Grosses 


BoomDespite 
Competition 


Philadelphia,  March  2.— Early 
arrival  of  Spring  weather  and  the  un- 
relentless  check  on  pleasure  drivers 
again  created  a  heavy  influx  of  film 
theatre  patrons  in  the  downtown  dis- 
trict. The  arena  housing  "Ice-Ca- 
pades  of  1943"  and  boom  business  at 
the  legitimate  theatres  no  longer 
proved  competitive  factors  for  the  film 
houses.  "Seven  days  Leave"  looks 
like  the  biggest  draw  of  the  week 
with  $22,000  at  the  Fox  and  an  addi- 
tional $3,000  for  the  Earle  showing 
Sunday.  "Lucky  Jordan"  is  also  prov- 
ing a  major  hit  at  the  Stanton  with 
$14,000  in  sight.  Among  the  hold- 
overs, "Random  Harvest"  continues 
big  at  the  Boyd  with  $20,000  expected 
for  a  fifth  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  2-5 : 

"Young  Mr.  Pitt"  (ZOth-Fox) 

ALDINE— (900)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $10,000.     (Average,  $9,000) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 

ARCADIA— (600)  (35c-46c-57c-68c)  7  days, 
2nd  run,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $4,000.  (Aver- 
age, $2,800) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

BOYD— (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  5th  week.  Gross:  $20,000.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"My  Heart  Belongs  to  Daddy"  (Para.) 
(6  days) 

"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO)  (1  day) 

EARLE— (3,000)  (46c -57c -75c).  Stage:  6 
days  of  vaudeville  including  Earl  Carroll's 
"Vanities".  Gross:  $29,000.  (Average,  $18,000) 
"Madame  Spy"  (Univ.) 

FAY'S — (2,190)  (29c-35c-46c-57c).  Stage: 
Vaudeville  including  Erskine  Hawkins' 
orchestra,  Ida  James,  Jimmy  Mitchell, 
Spider  Bruce,  The  Mackcellos,  Douglas 
Brothers.  Gross:  $11,600.  (Average,  $6,000) 
"Seven  Days'  Leave"  (RKO) 

FOX  — (3,000)    (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $22,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

KARLTO'N  —  (1,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $7,000.  (Aver- 
age, $3,500) 

"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

KEITH'S — (2,200)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c) 
7  days,  2nd  run,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $10,000. 
(Average,  $4,500) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

MASTBAUM— (4,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $22,000. 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

STANLEY  —  (3,700)  (3Sc-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)    7    days,    2nd    week.     Gross:  $14,000. 
(Average,  $14,000) 
"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 

STANTON  —  (1,700)  (3Sc-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $14,000.  (Average, 
$6,500) 


Pan-American  Rally 
At  Rivoli  Tomorrow 

A  rally  and  fiesta  will  be  sponsored 
at  the  Rivoli  Theatre  tomorrow  night 
by  the  Good  Neighbors  Center  of  New 
York  in  commemoration  of  the  10th 
anniversary  of  the  Pan-American 
good  neighbor  policy  and  as  a  tribute 
to  President  Roosevelt,  Montague 
Salmon,  managing  director  of  the  the- 
atre announced. 

Among  the  artists  scheduled  to  ap- 
pear are  Tito  Guizar,  Dio  &  Costello, 
the  Havana  Madrid  show  and  Dr. 
David  Segueira,  Nicaraguan  pianist- 
composer.  The  celebration  will  be 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  A.  Ramon 
Ruiz,  chancellor  of  Nicaragua  in  New 
York.  Admission  will  be  free  to  the 
public. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


*"A"  denotes  adult  classification. 


Studio  Personnel  Is 
Over  Top  on  'Dimes' 

Hollywood,  March  2. —  Studio  per- 
sonnel has  over-subscribed  its  $25,000 
"March  of  Dimes"  quota,  thereby  ex- 
ceeding by  more  than  one-third  the 
1942  collection  here,  according  to  Wil- 
liam Koenig,  campaign  chairman. 
Joseph  M.  Schenck,  state  chairman, 
today  congratulated  the  fund  raising 
committee. 


W.  B.  Circuit  Gets 
$167,000  for  Drive 

Warner  Bros,  announced  that  the 
Warner  Circuit  theatres,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Philadelphia,  collected  a  to- 
tal of  $167,000  in  recent  United  Na- 
tions Drives.  Philadelphia  theatres 
did  not  join  in  the  drive  because  the 
local  War  Chest  campaign  was  under 
way  at  the  time. 


'Children'  Big 
$26,000,  2nd 
Chicago  Week 


Chicago,  March  2. — The  second 
week  of  "Hitler's  Children"  and  "Sil- 
ver Skates"  at  the  Palace  is  headed  fjor 
a  fine  $26,000  gross.  "Random 
vest"  in  its  fifth  week  at  the  Ui-  3a 
Artists  is  still  going  strong  with  $19,- 
000  expected.  Ted  Fiorito  and  his 
orchestra  on  the  stage  of  the  4,000- 
seat  Chicago  with  "Meanest  Man  in 
the  World"  looks  like  a  big  $46,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  end- 
ing March  4 : 

"Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 
2nd  week  in  Loop 

"Dr.  Gillespie's  New  Assistant"  (M-G-M) 

APOLLO— (1,400)    (40c-55c-75c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $8,500) 
"Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (ZOth-Fox) 
7  days 

CHICAGO— (4,000)    (40c-55c-75c)    7  days. 
Stage:  Ted  Fio  Rito  &  orchestra.  Gross: 
$46,000.    (Average,  $42,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

GAR  RICK — (1,000)  (40c-55c-75c)  7  days, 
4th  week  in  Loop.  Gross:  $10,000.  (Aver- 
age, $7,000) 

"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 
"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

PALACE — (2,500)  (45c-55c-75c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.  Gross:  $26,000.  (Average,  $16,000) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

ROOSEVELT—  (1,500)  (40c-S5c-75c)  7  days, 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $17,000.  (Average,  $16,000) 
"Black  Swam"  (20th- Fox) 

STATE-LAKE  —  (2,700)  (40c-55c-75c)  7 
days,  5th  week.  Gross:  $17,000.  (Average, 
$15,500) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,700)  (40c-55c-75c) 
7  days,  5th  week.  Gross:  $19,000.  (Aver- 
age, $15,500) 


'Journey,'  'Dawn' 
Best  for  Toronto 


Toronto,  March  2. — "Journey  for 
Margaret"  appeared  headed  for  $16,- 
000  at  the  Uptown  Theatre,  while 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  at  the 
Imperial  looked  good  for  $15,000  on 
the  strength  of  the  Canadian  Army 
angle  in  its  production  in  British  Col- 
umbia. Loew's  receipts  for  the  third 
week  of  "In  Which  We  Serve"  were 
expected  to  reach  $12,000  and  "The 
Palm  Beach  Story"  was  estimated  to 
take  $11,000  at  Shea's. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  4: 

"The  Common  Touch"  (British) 

EGLINTON— (1,086)  (18c-30c-48c-60c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $2,800.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

IMPERIAL— (3,373)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c) 
6  days.  Gross:  $15,000.  (Average,  $10,500) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S— (2,074)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-78c)  6 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $12,000.  (Average, 
$10,000) 

"The  Palm  Beach  Story"  (Para.) 

SHEA'S  —  (2,480)    (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $11,000.    (Average,  $11,000) 
"George  Washington  Slept  Here"  (W.  B.) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.  B.) 

TIVOLI  — (1,434)     (18c-30c-48c)    6  days. 
"George    Washington"    moveover.  Gross: 
$4,000.    (Average,  $4,200) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

UPTOWN— (2,761)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $16,000.    (Average,  $9,500) 


Censor  Deletions  in  Ohio 

Columbus,  March  2. — Reviewing  a 
total  of  134  films,  representing  426 
reels,  in  January,  the  Ohio  censors 
ordered  eliminations  in  13  films,  it  is 
reported.  During  December,  190  films 
or  511  reels,  were  reviewed,  with 
eliminations  ordered  in  15  films. 


Most  THe 
Mcniki  of 


IMPORT 


ANT 


ON  THE  WAY  FROM 


2o 


■rtr 


CENTURY-FOX! 


your  Pledge  for  RED  CROSS  WEEK — Anr  1.7 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  March  3,  1943 


Flashes  at  Judging  for  Quigley  Awards 


Dan  Michalove  of  National  Thea- 
tres  in  conference  with  W.  F. 
Rodgers,  Loew's  sales  chief 


Martin  Quigley,  president  of  Quigley  Publishing  Co.,  chats  with  Spyros 
Skouras  (right),  president  of  Twentieth  Century-Fox,  at  the  annual 
Quigley  Awards  judging  at  the  Hotel  Astor 


Abe  Montague  and  Nate  Spingold, 
Columbia  executives,  inspect  one 
of  the  entries 


Hal  Home  and  Tom  J.  Connors  of  Twentieth  Century- 
Fox  and  Si  Seadler  of  M-G-M  make  a  threesome  as  one 
of  the  awards  entries  meets  with  their  favor 


O.  Henry  Briggs,  president 
of  Producers  Releasing,  ab- 
sorbed in  a  campaign 


George  J.  Schaefer,  chairman  of  the  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee, and  Si  H.  Fabian,  circuit  chief,  engrossed  in  their 
task  of  the  day,  on  behalf  of  showmanship 


Photos  by  Floyd  Stone,  Staff  Photographer. 

Paul  N.  Lazarus,  Jr.,  and  Gradwell  L.  Sears,  United  Artists 
executives,  with  Maurice  Bergman  of  Universal  (right)  at  the 
ninth  annual  judging 


E.  L.  Alperson,  head  of  RKO  Theatres,  and  Ned 
E.  Depinet,  RKO  Radio  president,  in  animated 
conversation 


Louis  W.  Schine,  executive 
of  the  Schine  circuit,  scans 
an  entry 


Wednesday,  March  3,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Quigley  Awards  Judges 
Hear  Goldenson  Address 


Coast  WAC 
Reorganizes; 
McCall  Chief 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

loose  ends  together  and  establish  ef- 
fective funnelling  of  activities  here 
f  ^  >h,  and  with,  other  divisions 
he^Tuartering  in  New  York  in  a 
general  effort  to  focalize  the  indus- 
try's war  efforts.  Pointing  up  wide 
the  sweep  embraced  in  the  move  is 
executive  committee  personnel.  Mem- 
bers are :  Bert  Allenberg,  president, 
Artists  Managers  Guild ;  James  Cag- 
ney,  president  SAG;  Trem  Carr, 
IMMPA ;  John  C.  Flinn,  secretary 
SIMPP ;  Freeman,  president,  and 
Edgar  J.  Mannix,  vice-president, 
AMPP  George  Brown,  chairman,  In- 
dustry Service  Bureau ;  McCall ;  Mark 
Sandrich,  president  SDG;  Kenneth 
Thomson,  chairman,  Hollywood  Vic- 
tory Committee,  and  Walter  Wanger. 

Serving  with  Miss  McCall  as  chair- 
man will  be  Mannix  as  vice-chairman  ; 
Flinn,  recording  secretary ;  Fred 
Beetson,  division  coordinator  and 
executive  committee  member  ex-officio. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

Hon  Picture  Herald,  which  makes  the 
annual  awards  through  the  Managers 
Round  Table. 

Martin  Quigley,  head  of  Quigley 
Publications,  who  presided  at  the 
luncheon,  stated  that  the  presence  of 
so  many  representative  industry  of- 
ficials at  the  judging  event  indicated 
that  "you  are  in  agreement  with  us 
that  the  awards  should  be  carried  on 
even  in  these  times." 

Referring  to  the  War  Showman- 
ship Award  which  is  being  made  for 
the  first  time  this  year,  Quigley  said 
that  the  screen  has  no  equal  as  a 
platform  from  which  to  address  the 
public,  particularly  with  respect  to  the 
wartime  messages  of  Government. 

"In  this  the  screen  is  contributing  in 
a  concrete  and  important  way  to  the 
war  effort,"  Quigley  said,  "and  the 
new  award  is  a  recognition  of  the 
theatre's  part  in  the  presentation  of 
those  messages." 

Goldenson,  in  his  address,  recalled 
the  serious  loss  of  theatre  patronage 
in  the  years  from  1938  to  1941,  and 
the  industry's  efforts  to  overcome  it. 
He  attributed  the  gains  made  in  the 
past  two  years  entirely  to  war  condi- 


tions, the  fact  that,  even  though  pic- 
tures are  better  now  than  they  have 
been  in  some  time,  there  is  more 
money  for  spending  and  fewer  luxu- 
ries on  which  to  spend  it,  and  there 
is  more  urgent  need  for  relaxation. 

"The  public,"  he  said,  "has 
been  practically  driven  into  the 
theatres.  The  result  is  a  chal- 
lenge to  the  entire  industry. 
Slip-shod  operating  methods, 
encouraged  by  sudden  pros- 
perity, by  loss  of  manpower,  if 
resorted  to  now  will  come  back 
to  haunt  us  in  later  years.  It 
is  sheer  stupidity  to  cut  pro- 
grams, to  reduce  service  to  the 
public,  or  to  lessen  the  atten- 
tion given  to  the  theatre  itself 
just  because  people  today  have 
nowhere  else  but  the  theatre  to 
go. 

"Today  we  have  the  greatest  op- 
portunity of  a  lifetime,  the  opportunity 
to  make  theatre-going  a  habit  with 
the  millions  of  new  customers  who  are 
attending  the  theatre  for  the  first 
time." 

Goldenson  urged  that  more  thought 
and  attention  be  given  by  theatre 
operators  to  the  presentation  of  Gov- 


ernment film  subjects.  "It  is  up  to 
us  as  showmen  to  make  those  mes- 
sages attractive  and  exciting  to  the 
public,"  he  said.  "Just  as  in  the  case 
of  a  feature,  if  the  exhibitor  wants 
to  approach  the  sale  of  a  picture  neg- 
atively, that  is  exactly  how  the  pub- 
lic will  react.  But  if  he  realizes  as 
a  showman  that  he  must  make  those 
subjects  exciting  so  that  the  public 
will  expectantly  wait  for  their  ap- 
pearance on  the  screen,  then  he  will 
have  a  very  well  satisfied  public." 

Among  those  in  attendance  were : 
Spyros  Skouras,  William  F.  Rodgers, 
George  J.  Schaefer,  Colvin  Brown, 
Ned  E.  Depinet,  Gradwell  L.  Sears, 
Tom  J.  Connors,  E.  M.  Saunders,  E. 
K.  O'Shea,  Sam  Shain,  Terry  Ram- 
saye,  Nate  Spingold,  Abe  Montague, 
Malcolm  Kingsberg,  E.  L.  Alperson, 
St  Fabian,  Dan  Michalove,  Louis 
Schine,  John  J.  O'Connor,  Sam  Dem- 
bow,  George  Dembow,  Hal  Home, 
Oscar  Doob,  H.  M.  Richey,  Maurice 
Bergman,  Stanley  Shuford,  Ben 
Grimm,  Charles  R.  Jones,  Hugh  Ow- 
en, Gil  Golden,  Harry  D.  Buckley, 
Si  Seadler,  Albert  Deane,  Paul  Laza- 
rus, Jr.,  O.  Henry  Briggs,  Harry 
Thomas,  Harry  Goldberg,  Don  Ja- 
cocks,  Alec  Moss,  William  Ferguson, 
Joseph  O' Sullivan,  Leon  Bamberger, 
James  G.  Balmer,  I.  J.  Hoffman,  Har- 
ry Mandel,  Irving  Lesser,  Harry  Roy- 
ster,  Lou  Preston,  Stirling  Silliphant, 
Hal  Hode,  Seymour  Morris,  Hank 
Linet,  Bob  Wile,  Gertrude  Merriam, 
Ray  Gallagher,  Herb  Fecke,  James 
Cron,  T.  J.  Sullivan  and  Dave  Harris. 


IROY  ROGERS  king  of  the  cowboys  in  "IDAHO 

SMILEY  BURNETTE  •  bob  nolan  and  the  sons  of  the  pioneers  •  Virginia  grey  •  HARRY  J.  SHANNON  •  ONA  MUNSON  •  DICK  PURCELL 

ond  THE  ROBERT  MITCHELL  BOYCHOIR  •  JOSEPH  KANE,  Director  •  Original  screen  play  by  Roy  Chanslor  and  Olive  Cooper. 

A  REPUBLIC  PICTURE  BUY  U.S.  WAR  SAVINGS  BONDS 


8 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Wednesday,  March  3,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


A REVISED  survey  by  CBS  shows  that  the  full  network  facilities  are  now 
used  by  30  individual  commercial  programs  representing  21  separate 
sponsors.  This  was  made  with  the  announcement  that  full  network  coverage 
has  been  taken  for  "That  Brewster  Boy"  and  the  Milton  Berle  show.  It  was 
revealed  that  the  15  per  cent  discount  plan  has  added  413  hours  and  40  minutes 
weekly  to  the  web's  commercial  schedule. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  Russell  St  urges,  NBC  control  engineer  in  Chicago,  is  at 
Officers'  Training  School  for  the  Air  Forces  at  Miami  Beach,  Fla.  .  .  .  Fred- 
erick A.  McLaughlin,  director  of  special  events  at  Yankee  Netzuork,  is  now  a 
lieutenant,  j.  g.,  in  the  Navy.  .  .  .  Harry  Hartwick,  formerly  zvith  Young  & 
Rubicam  as  copyvuriter  on  the  Jack  Benny,  Aldrich  Family  arid  other  shows 
was  honor  graduate  in  his  class  in  the  Technical  Training  School  of  the  Air 
Forces  at  Buckley  Field,  Colo. 

•  •  • 

KDKA,  Pittsburgh,  will  discontinue  its  all-night  operation  after  Sat- 
urday, the  station  announced.  Governmental  permission  for  the  return  to 
1  a.  m.  signoff  time  was  given  for  reasons  of  economy  and  to  preserve 
vital  KDKA  equipment,  it  was  reported. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  WMCA  will  carry  a  series  of  five  dramas  on  the  1943 
fund  appeal  for  New  York  Catholic  Charities  starting  Saturday  from  9:15  to 
9  :30  p.  m.  .  .  .  "The  Better  Half,"  WOR-built  show,  is  now  sponsored  by  the 
Consolidated  Razor  Blade  Co.  .  .  .  Paul  V.  McNutt,  War  Manpower  Com- 
mission chief,  will  appear  on  Radio  Reader's  Digest  on  Sunday  over  CBS. 
.  .  .  Trimount  Clothing  will  return  to  the  Blue  for  a  fourth  consecutive 
season  with  a  15-minute  Sunday  news  program  with  Dorothy  Thompson.  .  .  . 
Victor  Borge  will  replace  Lemuel  Q.  Stoopnagle  on  "The  Lion's  Roar" 
sponsored  by  Loew's  on  the  Blue. 


Buffalo  Gross 
On  Upswing; 
'Children'  Big 

Buffalo,  March  2. — "Hitler's  Chil- 
dren" appeared  headed  for  $17,400  at 
the  Twentieth  Century  here.  "Ran- 
dom Harvest"  was  expected  to  con- 
tinue at  a  high  figure  of  $19,000  at 
the  Great  Lakes.  "Shadow  of  a 
Doubt"  is  expected  to  gross  $15,600 
at  the  Lafayette  for  an  all-around 
good  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  6 : 

"Chetniks" 

BUFFALO  —  (3,489)  (3Sc-SSc)  7  days. 
Stage:  "Lucky"  Millinder  and  his  orches- 
tra, with  "Sister"  Rosette  Tharpe,  Trevor 
Bacon,  Tab  Smith  and  The  Four  Ink  Spots; 
Peg-Leg  Bates,  Gordon  &  Rogers.  Gross: 
$17,000.  (Average,  $15,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

GREAT  LAKES—  (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross :  $19,000.    (Average,  $10,800) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (ZOth-Fox) 

HIPPODROME— (2,100)  (35c-55c)  7  days, 
3rd  week  downtown.  Gross:  $8,000.  (Aver- 
age, $8,500) 

"Hitler's  Chadren"  (RKO) 

TWENTIETH  CENTURY— (3,000)  (35c- 
55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $17,400.  (Average, 
$8,500) 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 
"Behind  the  Eight  Ball"  (Univ.) 

LAFAYETTE— (3,000)  (35c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $15,600.    (Average,  $8,000) 


New  Copper  Drive 
Is  Started  by  WPB 

{Continued  from  page  1) 

is  gained  by  presentation  of  articles 
containing  copper  salvage. 


All  Houses  Promised 
Same  WPB  Treatment 

Taking  issue  with  a  recent 
MPTOA  bulletin  to  members  of  the 
organization,  Chris  Dunphy,  chief  of 
the  WPB  Amusements  Section,  serv- 
ice equipment  division,  yesterday  re- 
iterated statements  which  he  has  made 
in  the  past  that  the  smallest  theatre 
will  be  given  the  same  treatment  as 
the  largest  in  matters  brought  to  the 
attention  of  his  department. 

The  statements  in  the  MPTOA 
bulletin  to  which  Dunphy  took  ex- 
ception were  those  which  stated  that 
"only  representatives  of  organized 
groups  carry  any  weight;"  that  "ex- 
hibitors stand  together  to  prevent  dis- 
criminatory and  arbitrary  action  un- 
der wartime  emergency  measures," 
and  that  no  hearings  can  be  expected 
from  these  agencies,  among  which  the 
WPB  was  listed. 


CEA-Reels  Agree  on 
Print  Saving  Plan 


London,  March  2. — Representatives 
of  the  Cinematograph  Exhibitors  As- 
sociation and  the  newsreels  are  report- 
ed to  be  in  complete  agreement  on  a 
plan  for  bicycling  prints  calculated  to 
save  30,000,000  feet  of  raw  stock  an- 
nually. 

As  a  result  of  the  plan,  it  is  believed 
that  cuts  in  the  footage  of  newsreel 
issues  may  be  avoided. 

An  agreement  with  the  Kinemato- 
graph  Renters  Society  on  raw  stock 
savings  is  believed  to  be  certain  and 
is  expected  to  ease  the  task  of  the 
Board  of  Trade  in  imposing  arrange- 
ments for  the  required  savings.  A 
final  industry  agreement  is  expected 
within  a  few  days,  as  a  result. 

$35,108  Damages  in 
'Oscar  Wilde9  Award 

Federal  Judge  Alfred  C.  Coxe  yes- 
terday awarded  to  Nellie  Harris  dam- 
ages totaling  $35,108.49,  plus  costs  of 
$8,671.50,  as  the  result  of  the  in- 
fringement of  her  copyrighted  mate- 
rial by  the  production  of  the  stage 
show,  "Oscar  Wilde,"  and  the  publi- 
cation of  a  book  using  such  infringed 
material. 

The  damages  are  assessed  against 
Gilbert  Miller,  of  London ;  Norman 
Marshall,  Leslie  Stokes,  Sewell 
Stokes,  Random  House,  Inc.,  and 
Heron  Productions. 

The  play,  "Oscar  Wilde,"  ran  for 
269  performances  at  the  Fulton  The- 
atre, opening  in  October,  1938. 

AFM  Heads  Meet  on 
Settlement  Rejection 

The  executive  board  of  the  Ameri- 
can Federation  of  Musicians  is  ex- 
pected to  answer  the  rejection  of  its 
recording  ban  settlement  terms  by  re- 
corders and  transcribers  at  a  meeting 
in  Chicago  on  March  16.  Its  proposed 
tax  plan  was  rejected  last  week. 


U.S.-Trade  Relations 
At  New  High:  Mellett 

(Continued  from  pane  1) 

not  conforming  to  the  administration's 
war  program,  foreign  policy,  and  the 
like.  Those  suggestions,  he  stressed, 
are  not  enforceable  upon  the  produc- 
ers, but  are  designed  to  aid  them  ■  in 
avoiding  difficulties  later,  particularly 
in  the  export  of  finished  productions. 

Mellett  declared  that  the  new  ac- 
cord is  entirely  along  the  lines  origi- 
nally laid  down,  acceptance  of  which 
by  one  or  two  studios  was  delayed 
because  of  misunderstanding  of  just 
what  the  OWI  was  aiming  at.  There 
has  always  been  cooperation  in  spirit, 
he  said,  which  now  will  be  translated 
into  cooperation  in  fact. 

All  of  the  OWI's  activities  will  be 
on  a  voluntary  basis,  he  added,  and 
the  question  of  censorship  is  in  no 
wise  involved. 


'Miniver'  and  'Wake' 
Lead  Gallup  Survey 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

selected  as  their  top  choice  "Mrs. 
Miniver."  The  group  from  12  to  17 
years  of  age  selected  "Wake  Island" 
as  their  first  choice,  while  audiences 
from  31  years  of  age  upward  selected 
"Mrs.  Miniver."  Frequent  theatre- 
goers chose  "Mrs.  Miniver,"  while 
occasional  patrons  nominated  the  same 
film  for  their  favorite,  the  survey 
showed. 

CEA  Praises  Gov't 
Aid  for  Deferment 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

but  there  are  no  complaints  in  the  re- 
port over  the  Board  of  Trade's  admin- 
istration of  the  Films  Act. 

Reports  are  made  on  the  screenings 
of  Ministry  of  Information  subjects 
and  those  of  the  Ministries  of  Food 
and  Fuel.  While  the  report  empha- 
sizes that  constant  attention  is  being 
given  the  rentals  problem  it  admits 
that  large  numbers  of  exhibitors  are 
dissatisfied  with  the  present  situation. 


'Terrific'  Is  Word 


At  Capital  Houses; 
'Harvest'  Leader 


Washington,     March     2. — With 
local    openings    accelerated    by  last 
week's  school  holiday  declared  to  fa- 
cilitate ration  book  disposal,  grosses 
zoomed  to  new  heights.  "Random 
Harvest"  is  heading  for  $26,000  at 
Loew's    Palace,    and    despite  ^ 
heavy-handed  slapping  down  bj 
critics,  "Meanest  Man  in  the  World," 
with     Borrah     Minevitch's     Rascals  , 
heading  the  stage  show,  is  expected 
to  garner  a  snappy  $25,000  at  Loew's 
Capitol. 

Estimated    receipts   for    the  week 
ending  March  4 : 

"Meanest  Man  in  the  World" 
(20th  Century-Fox) 

LOEW'S  CAPITOL—  (3,434)  (28c-39c-44c- 
66c).  Stage:  Borrah  Minevitch's  Rascals. 
7  days.  Gross:  $25,000.  (Average,  $19,000) 
"Black  Swan"  (20th  Century-Fox) 

LOEW'S  COLUMBIA — (1,234)  (30c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $7,000.    (Average,  $5,200) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

EARLE  —  (2,210)  (30c-40c-50c-75c-90c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.    Stage:  Vaudeville.  Gross: 
$20,000.    (Average,  $15,500) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

RKO-K£ITH'S  —  (1,800)  (40c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $17,000.  (Average, 
$11,200) 

"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

METROPOLITAN  —  (1,600)   (30s -44c)  7 
days,  3rd  downtown  week.     Gross:  $10,000. 
(Average,  $4,250) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  PALACE  —  (2,242)  (28c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $26,000.    (Average,  $15,750) 


Holdovers  Continue 


Strong  in  Cleveland 


Cleveland,  March  2. — Top-notch 
business  is  going  to  holdover  attrac- 
tions, particularly  "Hitler's  Chil- 
dren," which  turned  out  to  be  a  bo- 
nanza for  the  Hippodrome.  Boring 
a  hole  through  snowstorms,  it  stood 
fine  chance  of  collecting  $17,000  on 
second  week  after  bagging  a  near- 
record  $29,000  on  its  opening. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week- 
ending March  3-4 : 

"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

RKO  ALLEN— (3,000)  (35c-40c-45c-55c)  7 
days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $6,500.  (Average. 
$5  000) 

"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

WARNER'S  HIPPODROME— (3,800)  (35c- 
40c-45c-55c)  7  days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $17,- 
000.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"Chetniks"  (ZOth-Fox) 

WARNER'S    LAKE— (800)  (35c-40c-45c- 
55c)    7    days,    3rd    week.     Gross:  $2,200. 
(Average,  $2,000) 
"Tarzan  Triumphs"  (RKO) 

RKO'   PALACE— (3,700)    (45c -50c -55c -65c- 
75c-85c)  7  days.    Stage:  Jan  Savitt's  Orch- 
estra.   Gross:  $24,000.    (Average,  $17,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (3,450)  (35c-40c-45c- 
55c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $17,000. 
(Average,  $14,000) 

"Three  Hearts  for  Julia"  (M-G-M) 

LOEWS  STILLMAN  —  (2,700)  (35c-40c- 
45c-55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $7,000.  (Average, 
$6,500) 

SWG  Proposes  Plan 
For  Fee  Reductions 

Hollywood,  March  2. — Negotia- 
tions by  the  Screen  Writers  Guild  I 
board  with  the  Actors  Managers 
Guild  on  a  proposed  agency  plan, 
under  which  writers  would  seek  a  re- 
duction in  fees,  was  authorized  by  1 
SWG  members  last  night. 

As  an  alternative  to  the  reduction,  1 
should  it  be  refused  by  the  AMG,  the 
writers  discussed  establishment  of  a 
guild-operated  agency  which  would 
franchise  agents  and  act  as  writers' 
representative. 


Flag  Dedication  Set 
For  Academy  Dinner 

Hollywood,  March  2. — An  in- 
dustry service  flag  showing 
27,677  men  from  all  branches 
in  the  armed  services  will  be 
unveiled  at  the  Academy  din- 
ner Thursday  night  with  Bob 
Hope  as  master  of  ceremonies. 
A  message  from  President 
Roosevelt  will  be  read.  Of  the 
total  in  service,  WAC  figures 
show  18,000  were  in  the  ex- 
hibition field,  4,500  from  home 
offices  and  distribution  and 
5,117  from  Hollywood. 


-  ■  wry 

MQT'rN  PICTURE 

,   m  .        


ILY 


First  in 


1 


53.  NO.  42 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  THURSDAY,  MARCH  4,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Salary  Ceiling 
Measure  Moves 
Into  Congress 

Consideration  Is  Seen  by 
Next  Week 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  March  3. — Legis- 
lation to  increase  the  public  debt, 
to  which  the  Disney  plan  has  been 
appended,  today  was  given  right  of 
way  in  the  House,  and  the  bill  is 
expected  to  come  up  next  week.  The 
Disney  plan  calls  for  repeal  of 
President  Roosevelt's  salary  control 
order,  and  freezes  salaries  at  their 
pre-Pearl  Harbor  level  or  $25,000 
after  that. 

The  action  to  place  the  bill  before 
the  House  was  taken  by  the  Rules 
Committee.  It  carried  the  measure 
over  the  last  barrier  to  prompt  con- 
sideration. The  bill  will  be  sent  to 
the  Senate  after  consideration  by  the 
House,  where  quick  action  is  in  pros- 
pect because  of  the  borrowing  capacity 
feature  in  the  legislation. 


Truman  Group  Still 
Studies  CIAA  Films 


Washington,  March  3. — The  Sen- 
ate Truman  Committee  has  taken  no 
definite  action  on  a  possible  investiga- 
tion of  the  film  production  activities 
of  the  Coordinator  of  Inter-American 
Affairs,  although  some  studies  have 
been  made  of  the  subject,  Hugh  Ful- 
ton, counsel  to  the  committee,  said 
here  today.  The  studies  so  far  made 
have  been  inconclusive,  he  said. 

He  also  said  that  additional  data 
on  the  commissioning  of  Darryl  F. 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


Senate  Committee 
Approves  Arnold 

Washington,  March  .  3. — 
Nomination  of  Assistant  At- 
torney General  Thurman  Arn- 
old to  be  an  associate  justice 
of  the  District  of  Columbia 
Court  of  Appeals  was  given 
the  approval  of  the  full  Sen- 
ate Judiciary  Committee  to- 
day, and  a  report  will  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  Senate  when  it 
meets  Friday.  The  nomination 
is  expected  to  come  up  in  the 
Senate  for  confirmation  Mon- 
day. 


'Forever  and  Day' 
Profits  to  Be  Given 
To  Paralysis  Fund 


By  SHERWIN  A.  KANE 

Net  profits  from  domestic  distribu- 
tion of  "Forever  and  a  Day,"  the  pro- 
duction made  without  pay  by  Holly- 
wood's British  colony,  will  be  donated 
to  the  National  Association  for  the 
Prevention  of  Infantile  Paralysis, 
while  distribution  profits  from  its  ex- 
hibition in  other  democratic  nations 
similarly  will  be  turned  over  to  a  do- 
mestic charity  of  each  nation. 

The  announcement  of  the  arrange- 
ments for  disposition  of  the  film's 
profits  was  made  jointly  yesterday  by 
N.  Peter  Rathvon,  president  of  RKO, 
which  advanced  the  production  costs 
of  the  film  and  will  distribute  it ;  Ned 
E.  Depinet,  RKO  Radio  president ; 
Basil  O'Connor,  president  of  the  In- 
fantile Paralysis  Foundation,  and  Sir 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


Kuykendall  Answers 
Dunphy's  Statement 

A  recent  MPTOA  bulletin  contain- 
ing a  statement  that  "only  representa- 
tives of  organized  groups  carry  any 
weight"  when  making  representations 
to  wartime  Federal  boards,  was  "mis- 
construed" by  Chris  J.  Dunphy,  chief 
of  the  WPB  amusements  section,  ser- 
vice equipment  division,  Ed  Kuyken- 
dall, MPTOA  president,  said  yester- 
day. 

Dunphy  had  taken  exception  to  the 
statement,  pointing  out  that  bis  bureau 
stood  ready  to  hear  exhibitor  prob- 
lems and  to  accord  equal  treatment  to 
large  and  small  alike.  Kuykendall 
praised  Dunphy  personally  and  his  co- 
operation with  exhibitors,  but  stated 
that  he  feels  "that  Dunphy  is  talking 
about  one  thing  (in  his  protest  against 
the  MPTOA  bulletin)  and  mv  bulle- 
tin was  talking  about  another." 


Confirm  Execution 
Of  Thanos  S  hour  as 

Washington,  March  3.  — 
Thanos  D.  Skouras,  nephew  of 
Spyros,  George  and  Charles 
Skouras,  who  was  executed  by 
the  Nazis  in  Athens,  Greece, 
was  one  of  a  group  of  15  hos- 
tages chosen  at  random  and 
shot  in  reprisal  for  an  explo- 
sion aboard  a  German  ship  in 
the  port  of  Piraeus,  the  Greek 
Office  of  Information  an- 
nounced here. 

"Motion  Picture  Daily"  dis- 
closed the  execution  of  Thanos 
Skouras  in  the  issue  of  Feb.  24. 


Fewer  Prints  and 
Increased  Runs  Are 
Weighed  in  Britain 


By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  March  3.— Representatives 
of  the  Cinematograph  Exhibitors  As- 
sociation and  the  Kinematograph 
Renters  Society  (distributors)  at  a 
meeting  today  discussed  proposals  to 
save  film  by  printing  fewer  copies  and 
increasing  the  number  of  runs  of  each. 

A  total  saving  of  77  million  feet 
of  raw  stock  film  annually  has  been 
requested  of  the  industry  by  the  Board 
of  Trade,  of  which  amount  33  million 
feet  may  be  saved  by  the  newsreels 
alone  under  their  agreement  reached 
with  the  CEA  this  week. 

The  KRS-proposed  economies  do 
not  cover  possible  savings  on  trailers, 
credits  footage  and  censors'  certifi- 
cates, nor  do  they  cover  economies 
which  may  be--made  by  non-members 
of  the  distributor  organization. 

The  industry  is  still  disturbed  over 
the  Board  of  Trade's  apparent  inclina- 
tion to  consider  moves  to  curtail  play- 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


Admission  Tax  Measures 
Omitted  in  Canadian  Budget 


War  Officials  Oppose 
Any  Changes  in  Time 

Washington,  March  3. — Changes 
in  the  law  providing  for  daylight  sav- 
ing time  for  the  duration  of  the  war 
were  opposed  today  by  high  officials 
of  the  War  and  Navy  departments 
in  a  joint  statement  issued  through 
the  Office  of  War  Information. 

In  the  statement,  Undersecretary  of 
War  Robert  P.  Patterson  and  Under- 
secretary of  the  Navy  James  V.  For- 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


By  W.  M.  GLADISH 

Toronto,  March  3. — Film  trade  of- 
ficials were  pleasantly  surprised  today 
when  they  learned  that  the  Dominion 
budget  tabled  in  the  House  of  Com- 
mons by  J.  L.  Usley,  Minister  of 
Finance,  contained  no  tax  measures 
directly  affecting  theatres. 

In  some  trade  circles  it  had  been 
thought  that  an  increase  in  the  admis- 
sion tax  rate  for  theatres  would  be 
included,  but  it  remains  at  20  per 
cent.  However,  the  amusement,  tax 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


Study  Release 
Of  U.S.  Footage 
Through  Reels 

Plan  Would  Reduce  OWI, 
Victory  Shorts 


By  RED  KANN 

Hollywood,  March  3. — In  a  con- 
sidered effort  to  speed  up  the  Gov- 
ernment's wartime  messages  to  the 
public,  a  proposal  that  Office  of 
War  Information  footage  be 
cleared  through  the  newsreels  twice 
weekly  appears  heading  for  Lowell 
Mellett,  chief  of  the  OWI  Motion 
Picture  Bureau,  for  an  exchange  of 
views  and  perhaps  adoption  in 
whole  or  in  part. 

If  the  move  eventuates,  OWI 
shorts  now  released  gratis  to 
exhibitors  through  the  War  Ac- 
tivities Committee  will  be  elim- 
inated or,  if  not,  reduced  from 
the  pledged  26  for  1943  to  a  con- 
siderably lesser  total. 
Reputedly  a  part  of  the  embryonic 
plan  is  a  second  phase  which  similar- 
ly would  eliminate  or  reduce  the  num- 
ber of  Victory  films  now  produced 
by  most  of  the  majors  and  sold  com- 
mercially at  rentals  generally  under- 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


Hollywood  May  Aid 
Financing  of  WAC 


Hollywood,  March  3. — Eight  or- 
ganizations now  represented  in  the 
reorganized  War  Activities  Committee 
Hollywood  division  may  be  called  upon 
to  aid  in  financing  the  industry's  over- 
all war  efforts  provided  general 
funds  from  national  headquarters  in 
New  York  prove  insufficient  to  ac- 
commodate the  proposed  expanded 
Western  activities,  it  was  reported 
today. 

It  is  not  certain  if  this  will  be 
necessary,  but  Fred  Beetson,  division 
coordinator  and  ex-officio  member  of 
the  new  11 -man  executive  committee, 
will  draw  a  tentative  budget  for  sub- 
mission at  the  next  meeting  of  the 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews,  of  "Stand  By  All 
Networks,"  "Haunted  Ranch," 
and  "Valley  of  Hunted  Men," 
Page  3.  Key  city  box-office 
reports,  Pages  3,  8. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  March  4,  1943 


Mention 


[AMES  MULVEY  leaves  for  the 
Coast  tomorrow. 

• 

Mort  Blumenstock  is  expected 
Monday  from  the  Coast. 

• 

George  Res  nick,  operator  of  the 
Cayuga  Theatre,  Philadelphia,  has  left 
for  a  Florida  vacation. 

• 

Frances  S.  Gashel,  secretary  to 
Arthur  Israel,  Jr.,  at  Paramount, 
will  be  married  Saturday  to  Boris 
W.  Mosen,  formerly  of  Detroit.  The 
ceremony  will  take  place  at  the  Tem- 
ple Emanu-el  in  New  York  City. 
• 

I.  J.  Hoffman,  Warner  Theatres 
zone  manager,  has  returned  to  New 
Haven  after  a  New  York  visit. 
• 

Jack  Weinberg,  of  the  Warner  cir- 
cuit real  estate  department,  Philadel- 
phia,   and  Eve  Wein  stein,  were  re- 
cently married  in  New  Orleans. 
• 

John  Ehrlich,  manager  of  George 
Resnick's  Grant  Theatre,  Philadel- 
phia, celebrated  his  24th  wedding  an 
niversary  last  week ;  at  the  same  time, 
marking  his  first  year  at  the  Grant. 
"  • 

Joseph  Russo  of  the  Warner 
Lenox,  Hartford,  will  join  the  Naval 
Air  Force  as  an  aviation  cadet,  March 
14. 

• 

Robert  Russell,  manager  of  the 
Loew-Poli,   New   Haven,   will  cele 
brate  his  24th  anniversary  with  the 
Poli  theatres  this  month. 


London  Hails  Film 
Of  African  Victory 

By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  March  3. — "Desert"  Vic- 
tory," a  motion  picture  account  of  the 
British  Eighth  Army's  campaign 
against  Rommel,  culminating  in  the 
entry  into  Tripoli,  was  previewed  by 
the  Ministry  of  Information  l  -at 
Odeon's  Leicester  Square  here  to"-'' 

The  film  is  a  comprehensive,  gra- 
phic and  dramatic  record  of  the 
Eighth  Army's  North  African  cam- 
paign. It  is  of  feature  length  and 
virtually  all  front  line  material  from 
Army  and  Air  Force  photographic 
units,  brilliantly  assembled  under  the 
production  eye  of  Major  Dave  Mac- 
Donald.  It  covers  every  aspect  and 
development  of  the  campaign  unemo- 
tionally but  impressively. 

Actual  battle  incidents  are  stirring- 
ly photographed.  Terrific  artillery 
barrages,  massed  tank  battles,  air 
combats  and  bombing  are  graphically 
depicted.  The  action  builds  skillfully 
to  a  victorious  climax  and  is  supported 
by  an  informative  commentary.  It 
will  be  a  certain  box-office  hit  here 
and  its  appeal  to  American  audiences 
would  appear  to  be  almost  as  strong. 


Report  Odeon  Plans 
Theatre  in  St.  John 

St.  John,  N.  B.,  March  3.— The 
Odeon  circuit  is  reported  interested  in 
a  project  to  build  a  theatre  in  the 
downtown  section  here,  on  a  site 
formerly  occupied  by  buildings  de- 
stroyed by  fire.  Thus  far,  Odeon  has 
been  blocked  by  Famous  Players  Can- 
adian in  its  efforts  to  acquire  a  St. 
John  house  but  the  fire  has  given 
Odeon  an  opportunity. 

There  is  said  to  be  a  possibility  that 
the  Dominion  wartime  ban  on  con- 
struction would  be  suspended  on  the 
contention  that  the  additional  theatre 
is  needed  for  public  morale  since,  it 
could  be  suggested,  the  current  extra- 
capacity  business  at  local  theatres  is 
keeping  some  people  from  obtaining 
film  entertainment. 


Exchanges  in  Phila. 
Divide  on  Union  Vote 

Philadelphia,  March  3— Elections 
among  film  exchange  employes  here 
for  a  union  bargaining  agent  found 
both  the  AFL  and  CIO  gaining  repre- 
sentation. The  office  workers  at  the. 
LTnited  Artists  exchange  voted  100  per 
cent  for  the  AFL  union  while  the 
CIO  won  by  a  majority  at  the  20th 
Century-Fox  exchange.  Universal  is 
the  only  other  exchange  that  has  lined 
up  with  the  CIO.  the  others  all  beinp- 
AFL  affiliates. 


W.B.  to  Show  'Darkness' 

Warner  Bros'.  "Edge  of  Darkness' 
will  be  nationally  trade-shown  March 
22,  Ben  Kalmenson,  general  sales 
manager,  announced.  'Watch  on  the 
Rhine"  and  "The  Last  Ride,"  previ- 
ously announced  for  that  date,  will  be 
tradeshown  later,  it  was  stated. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


Approve  Funds  for 
More  Navy  Prints 


Washington,  March  3. — Funds  to 
permit  the  Navy  to  increase  from  six 
to  nine  the  number  of  motion  picture 
prints  shown  over  its  film  circuits 
were  included  today  in  a  $950,000 
supplemental  appropriation  for  welfare 
and  recreation  approved  by  the  House 
appropriations  committee. 

The  Department  asked  $225,000  to 
permit  the  acquisition  of  three  addi- 
tional prints,  needed  for  the  mainten- 
ance of  service  to  the  new  ships  and 
stations,  it  being  explained  by  Com- 
mander P.  R.  Sterling  of  the  welfare 
and  recreation  service  that  the  rev- 
enue from  ships'  stores  profits  is  not 
sufficient  to  defray  the  cost.  An  ad- 
ditional $25,000  was  asked  for  the 
procurement  of  programs  which  it  is 
desired  to  add  to  the  department's  film 
library. 

Questioned  by  members  of  the  com- 
mittee during  hearings  on  the  bill,' 
Sterling  explained  that  none  of  the 
officers  or  recruits  from  the  film  in- 
dustry is  being  utilized  in  produc- 
ing any  films  for  entertainment  pur- 
poses, all  of  which  are  secured  from 
the  industry.  Approximately  300  of 
the  325  films  produced  go  on  the 
navy  circuit. 

In  the  same  bill,  Bureau  of  Ships 
asked  for  $3,375,000  for  the  purchase 
of  6,500  35-  and  16-mm.  projectors 
for  use  on  ships  and  at  shore  sta- 
tions. Efforts  are  being  made  to 
furnish  entertainment  to  men  even  on 
the  fighting  front,  it  was  disclosed  by 
Rear  Admiral  Edward  L.  Cochrane, 
Chief  of  the  Bureau,  and  service  is 
now  being  provided  for  the  troops  on 
Guadalcanal. 

British  Trade  Board 
Head  Given  Luncheon 

R.  C.  G.  Somervell,  head  of  the 
British  Board  of  Trade,  who  has  been 
visiting  in  the  United  States  for  sev- 
eral months,  was  guest  of  honor  at  an 
informal  luncheon  given  by  Charles 
Francis  Coe,  MPPDA  vice-president 
and  general  counsel,  at  the  Rockefeller 
Luncheon  Club  yesterday. 

Guests  included  Frank  Crowinshield, 
Roy  Howard,  Joseph  Hazen  of  War- 
ners, George  Archibald  of  the  British 
Ministry  of  Information's  films  divi- 
sion, New  York,  and  Roy  Norr,  MP- 
PPDA. 

The  gathering  was  without  trade 
significance,  having  been  suggested  by 
Coe  and  Somervell  as  an  opportunity 
for  an  informal  exchange  of  views  on 
British-American  relations. 


12  High  Salaries  at 
W.B.  Listed  by  SEC 

Philadelphia,  March  3. — Twelve 
Warner  Bros,  salaries  were  included 
in  the  new  list  of  high  salaries  re- 
ported by  the  Securities  and  Exchange 
Commission  for  1942.  They  were 
$225,000  to  Hal  B.  Wallis,  producer; 
$252,333  to  Bette  Davis;  $240,000  to 
Frrol  Flynn,  and  a  total  of  $850,410 
to  nine  directors. 


Tyler  Brooke  Dies 

Hollywood,  March  3.  —  Tyler 
Brooke,  52.  musical  comedy  actor  and 
film  comedian  whose  last  appearance 
in  motion  pictures  was  in  "Little  Old 
New  York"  in  1940,  was  found  dead 
in  his  car  in  the  garage  adjoining  his 
home  here  last  night.  Police  said  he 
died  of  carbon  monoxide  poisoning. 


Personal 


ED  KUY  KENDALL,  MPTOA 
president,  will  leave  New  York 
today  for  visits  to  Philadelphia, 
Washington  and  Atlanta. 

• 

Theodore  Tuttle,  assistant  man- 
ager of  the  Proven  Pictures  Theatre, 
Hartford,  has  been  inducted  into  the 
Marine  Corps. 

• 

Sgt.  Elliot  Kronish,  formerly  of 
the  Loew-Poli  division  office,  New 
Haven,  now  at  Dow  Field,  has  an- 
nounced his  engagement  to  Ruth 
Sanders  of  Bangor. 

• 

Thomas  L.  Broderick,  former  as- 
sistant manager  of  the  Irving  The- 
atre, Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  is  now  a 
sergeant  at  the  Army  Flying  School, 
Enid,  Okla. 

• 

Harry  Goldberg  left  for  Albany 
yesterday. 

• 

Max  Friedman,  buyer  and  booker 
for  Warner  theatres  in  the  Albany 
territory,  was  in  town. 

• 

Pat  Granfield,  formerly  at  the 
Warner  Central,  West  Hartford,  is 
with  the  Marine  Corps  on  Guadal- 
canal. 

• 

Mrs.  Ted  Markhoff  and  Mrs.  Joe 
Markhoff,  of  the  Colchester-East 
Hampton-Moodus  circuit  are  visiting 
their  father,  Nathan  Lampert,  for- 
mer operator  of  the  circuit,  in  Miami 
Beach.  Ted  Markhoff  is  also  on  a 
short  visit  in  the  South. 


Ehrlich  Amends  Bill 
On  Juvenile  Actors 

Albany,  March  3. — New  York  City 
would  be  permitted  to  handle  the  li- 
censing of  child  actors  under  16  years 
of  age  as  it  sees  fit,  but  elsewhere  the 
authority  to  issue  permits  will  remain 
in  the  hands  of  educational  authorities, 
under  Assemblyman  Erlich's  amend- 
ments to  his  bill  to  repeal  the  "blue 
law"  provisions  relative  to  child  ac- 
tors, it  was  learned  here.  The  amended 
bill  is  expected  to  pass  the  State 
Legislature. 

Gov.  Dewey's  budget  was  finally 
approved  when  the  Senate  passed  it. 
Most  amendments  to  the  budget  by 
Democrats  were  ruled  out. 


Strike  of  7  Houses 
In  Mexico  Settled 

Mexico  City,  March  3. — The  strike 
that  closed  the  five  theatres  in  Tam- 
pico  and  the  two  in  Ciudad  Madero,  a 
nearby  town,  for  three  weeks,  was 
ended  when  the  special  section  of  the 
Federal  board  of  conciliation  and  ar- 
bitration induced  the  attaches  to  ac- 
cept a  10  per  cent  wage  increase,  and 
withdraw  other  demands.  This  sec- 
tion was  created  when  the  picture  in- 
dustry was  federalized  with  regard  to 
the  handling  of  its  labor  disputes. 


G.  Archibald  Returns 

George  Archibald,  director  of  the 
film  division  of  the  British  Informa- 
tion Services,  has  returned  to  New 
York  from  a  trio  to  Los  Angeles, 
San  Francisco  and  Chicago.  He  also 
went  to  Cambridge,  Mass.,  to  visit 
with  his  son,  who  is  recovering  from 
pneumonia. 


'Johnson'  Opens  in 
Washington  Mar.  17 

The  Washington  premiere  of  M- 
G-M's  "Tennessee  Johnson"  will  be 
sponsored  on  March  18  at  the  Capitol 
Theatre  by  the  Tennessee  State  So- 
ciety of  Washington,  M-G-M  an- 
nounced. In  connection  with  the 
showing  a  two-day  program  will  be 
held,  March  17  and  18.  Among  those 
expected  to  attend  are  Gov.  Prentice 
Cooper  of  Tennessee,  Ruth  Hussey 
and  the  two  living  descendants  of 
Andrew  Johnson. 


Cameraman  Commended 

Irving  Smith,  former  Universal 
Newsreel  cameraman  in  charge  of  the 
Boston  office,  has  been  commended  by 
Major  General  George  S.  Patton,  Jr., 
for  unusual  performance  of  duties  as 
a  cameraman  in  French  Morocco  last 
November. 


MARTIN  QUIGLEY 

President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L:  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted.  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres.  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


Thursday,  March  4,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


Reviews 

"Stand  By  All  Networks" 

( Columbia) 

CPIES  and  saboteurs,  a  somewhat  complicated  plot,  and  fair  acting 
^  make  this  picture  average  entertainment. 

John  Beal  in  the  role  of  a  news  commentator,  becomes  involved  in  a 
series  of  events  which  lead  to  the  capture  of  foreign  agents  who  are 
plotting  to  blow  up  an  American  troopship.  Beal's  girl  friend,  Margaret 
Hayes,  an  amateur  flyer,  gives  a  job  to  Florence  Rice.  Shortly  after 
Beal's  friend,  Pat  McVey,  is  murdered  in  connection  with  the  torpedoing 
of  an  American  tanker,  Miss  Rice  is  kidnapped  by  Miss  Hayes.  Beal, 
on  the  track  of  the  men  who  killed  McVey  and  engineered  the  tor- 
pedoing, finds  a  clue  which  leads  him  to  an  old  show-boat,  the  "Ariel." 
Here  he  discovers  and  frees  Miss  Rice,  and  the  two  of  them  chase  down 
the  Axis  men  and  prevent  them  from  blowing  up  the  troopship,  their 
next  objective.  It  is  then  revealed  that  Miss  Rice  is  a  government 
agent,  and  Miss  Hayes  in  the  employ  of  the  Axis.  Beal  realizes  that  he 
is  in  love  with  Florence  Rice,  and  they  are  married. 

Alan  Baxter,  Pierre  Watkins,  Mary  Treen,  Tim  Ryan,  Boyd  Davis, 
and  Kenneth  MacDonald  are  in  the  supporting  cast. 

Lew  Landers  directed  the  Jack  Fier  production.  Maurice  Tombaragel, 
Doris  Malloy  and  Robert  Lee  Johnson  wrote  the  screenplay. 

Running  time,  64  minutes.  "G"* 


"Haunted  Ranch" 

(Monogram) 

'  I  *HE  Range  Busters,  Dusty,  David  and  Alibi,  played  by  John  King, 
■*■  David  Sharpe  and  Max  Terhune,  respectively,  are  sent  out  to  dis- 
cover the  killers  of  Reno  Red,  head  of  a  gang  which  has  robbed  the 
Denver  mint,  in  the  hope  that  the  murderers  will  be  able  to  reveal  where 
the  money  is  hidden.  The  story  revolves  around  Reno's  house,  because 
in  his  will  he  has  stated  that  the  Denver  money  can  be  found  by  playing 
his  favorite  tune  on  the  organ  in  his  ranch  house.  The  murderers 
haunt  the  house  in  an  effort  "to  keep  intruders  away,  but  the  Range 
Busters,  with  the  help  of  Reno's  niece,  discover  the  tune  which  causes 
the  organ  to  open,  disclosing  money  hidden  in  it. 

The  action  is  well  paced,  and  all  the  trimmings  of  an  outdoor  film 
are  to  be  found  in  abundance,  gun  battles,  expert  horsemanship,  and  a 
beautiful  girl.  Max  Terhune  upholds  the  comedy  end  of  the  picture, 
which   George   W.   Weeks   produced,   and   Robert   Tansey  directed. 

"Where  the  Prairie  Hills  Meet  the  Sky,"  is  the  featured  song,  with 
words  and  music  by  John  King.  In  the  supporting  cast  are  Rex 
Lease,  Julie  Duncan,  Glen  Strange,  Charles  King,  Bud  Osborne,  Tex 
Palmer,  Steve  Clarke,  Budd  Buster  and  Snowflake. 

Running  time,  57  minutes.  "G."* 


"Valley  of  Hunted  Men" 

(Republic) 

A  TIMELY  plot  concerning  escaped  Nazi  fliers  in  Montana,  plenty  of 
action  of  the  type  the  fans  expect  of  an  outdoor  film,  and  a  popular 
trio  of  actors  make  this  a  good  Western. 

The  Three  Mesquiteers,  Bob  Steel,  Tom  Tyler  and  Jimmie  Dodd  star 
in  "Valley  of  Hunted  Men,"  in  which  three  Nazi  prisoners  escape  from  a 
Canadian  prison  camp,  make  their  way  across  the  United  States,  and 
reach  Montana.  The  Three  Mesquiteers  head  the  man-hunt  which 
chases  down  the  Germans,  killing  two  of  them,  but  permitting  the  leader, 
Roland  Varno,  to  escape.  Varno  steals  a  plan  for  deriving  rubber  from 
plants  other  than  the  rubber  tree.  A  climax  of  action,  riding  and  sus- 
pense is  achieved  here  before  Varno  is  captured. 

In  the  cast  are  Edward  Van  Sloan,  Anna  Marie  Stewart,  Arno  Frey, 
Edythe  Elliott,  Robert  Stevenson,  Richard  French  and  George  Niese. 
John  English  directed  the  Lewis  Gray  production. 

Running  time,  60  minutes.  "G"* 

*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Busy  Stage  Season 
Scheduled  in  Boston 

Boston,  March  3.— A  full  spring 
schedule  is  planned  by  legitimate 
houses  here,  beginning  with  "Kiss  and 
Tell,"  the  new  George  Abbott  comedy 
which  opened  at  the  Wilbur  Theatre 
on  Monday.  "Three  in  a  Mood"  will 
-  »  for  three  days,  beginning  toraor- 
;  J,  at  the  Joy  Street  Playhouse. 

Two  plays  will  have  pre-Broadway 
runs  here.  Oscar  Serlin  will  bring 
£  "The  Family,"  Victor  Wolfson's 
dramatization  of  Nina  Fedorova's  nov- 
el of  the  same  title,  to  the  Wilbur 
Theatre  on  March  15.  "Away  We 
Go,"  the  Theatre  Guild's  musical  ver- 
sion of  the  Lynn  Riggs'  play  entitled 
"Green  Grow  the  Lilacs,"  opens  at  the 
Colonial  on  the  same  day. 

Katharine  Cornell  will  bring  the 
Broadway  cast  of  her  production  of 
"The  Three  Sisters"  to  the  Shubert 
Theatre  here  on  April  5  for  a  fort- 
night run,  and  Ralph  Bellamy  will 
star  in  Theron  Bamberger's  produc- 
tion of  "Tomorrow  the  World,"  set 
'for  kte  in  March. 

At  present,  "Men  in  Shadow"  is 
playing  at  the  Colonial  Theatre,  and 
Sylvia  Sydney  recently  appeared  in 
popular  priced  performances  of  "Pyg- 
malion." 


'Jordan/  Show,  Set 
$15,000  Pace,  Indpls. 

Ixdiaxapolis,  March  3. — "Lucky 
Jordan,"  with  Yaughan  Monroe_  and 
orchestra  on  the  stage  of  the  Circle, 
was  topping  box  office  receipts  and 
was  expected  to  gross  S15.000  for  the 
week.  Loew's,  with  "Random  Har- 
vest," was  headed  for  $11,500,  and  the 
Indiana,  with  "Immortal  Sergeant" 
and  "Margin  for  Error,"  expected  a 
week's  gross  of  §11,500. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  2-4 : 

"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 

CIRCLE  —  (2.800)     (33c-44c-55c)    7  days. 
Stage  show:  Vaughan  Monroe  and  his  orch- 
estra.   Gross:  $15,000.    (Average.  $15,000  for 
screen-stage  show) 
"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th-Fox) 
"Margin  for  Error"  (20th-Fox) 

INDIANA — (3,200)    (33c-44c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $12,000.    (Average.  $7,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  —  (2.800)    (33c-44c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $11,500.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

LYRIC  —  (2.000)  (33c-44c-55c)  7  days. 
Moved  from  two  weeks  at  Indiana.  Gross: 
$3,500. 


'Witch,'  Stage  Show, 
Draw  $15,000,  Omaha 

Omaha,  March  3. — "I  Married  a 
Witch,"  with  Tommy  Tucker  on  the 
stage,  grossed  $15,400  at  the  Or- 
pheum,  the  week's  best.  Chico  Marx 
and  his  orchestra  was  on  the  Orpheum 
stage  the  previous  week.  Weather  was 
cold  and  stormy. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  3-4 : 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 
"City  Without  Men"  (Col.) 

BRANDEIS  —  (1.200)  (30c-35c-44c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $4,900.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"Stand  By  for  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (ZOth-Fox) 

OMAHA  —  (2.000)    (30c-35c-50c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $8,700.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"I  Married  a  Witch"  (Para.) 

ORPHEUM  —  (3.000)  (40c -50c -55c -65c)  7 
days.  Stage:  Tommy  Tucker  and  orchestra. 
Gross:  $15,400.    (Average,  $14,500) 


W.  B.  Theatre  Party 

The  Warner  Club  Girls'  Service 
Unit  will  hold  a  theatre  party  at_  a 
performance  of  George  Abbott's  "Kiss 
and  Tell"  at  the  Biltmore  Theatre, 
March  22,  to  raise  money  for  a  fund 
which  will  be  used  for  filling  requests 
of  soldiers  for  small  items  that  will 
add  to  their  comfort,  Warner  Bros, 
announced. 


Take  Films  to  Soldiers 

Buffalo,  March  3. — Elmer  F.  Lux 
RKO  branch  manager  here,  and  Al 
Ryde  of  the  operators'  union  have  ar- 
ranged for  presentation  of  film  shows 
at  the  Army  Air  Forces  Headquarters 
Training  Detachment  in  suburban 
Cheektowaga.  Transportation  difficul- 
ties have  prevented  many  of  the  sol- 
diers from  coming  to  Buffalo. 


Ottawa  Police  Ban 
Midnight  Showings 

Toronto,  March  3. — Ottawa 
is  the  latest  Canadian  city  to 
take  action  with  respect  to 
midnight  shows.  The  police 
commissioners  have  drafted  a 
by-law  prohibiting  midnight 
performances  except  for  the 
six  statutory  holidays 
throughout  the  year.  The 
new  law  will  become  effective 
April  1,  the  ban  having  been 
decided  upon  under  Provincial 
statutes  because  of  alleged 
complaints  that  young  boys 
and  girls  were  patronizing  the 
late  shows. 

Hamilton,  Ont..  was  the 
first  city  in  Ontario  to  pro- 
hibit midnight  shows  except 
for  legal  holidays,  followed 
recently  by  similar  action  in 
the  town  of  Pembroke. 

'Got  Me,'  'Dandy'  Hit 
Big  $15,000,  K.  C. 

Kansas  City,  March  3. — "They 
Got  Me  Covered"  will  account  for 
$15,000  in  its  second  week  at  the  Or- 
pheum and  will  be  held  for  a  third, 
with  a  change  in  the  companion  fea- 
ture to  "Mrs.  Wiggs  of  the  Cabbage 
Patch."  "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy" 
also  is  maintaining  a  S15,000  pace  at 
the  Newman  in  a  second  week.  Other 
grosses  are  correspondingly  impressive 
despite  wide  variations  in  temperature 
and  weather  conditions  during  the 
week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  3-4 : 

"Life  Begins  at  Eight- Thirty"  (20th-Fox) 

ESQUIRE— (800)  (35c-50c)  7  davs.  Gross: 
$5,000.    (Average,  $4,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

MIDLAND—  (3.600)   (35c-50c)  7  days,  3rd 
week.    Gross:  $9,500.    (Average.  $12,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

NEWMAN— (1.900)   (35c-50c)  7  days.  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $14,500.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 
"Mrs.  Wiggs  of  the  Cabbage  Patch"  (Para.) 

ORPHEUM— (1,900)  (35c-50c)_  7_  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $15,000.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Hi'  Ya,  Chum"  (Univ.) 

TOWER—  (2,200)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Henry 
Busse  and  orchestra  on  stage.  Gross:  $13,- 
000.    (Average.  $9,000) 

"Life  Begins  at  Eight-Thirty"  (20th-Fox) 

UPTOWN— (2,000)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$5,000.    (Average,  $5,000) 

New  Fire  Rules  in 
Effect  in  Rochester 

Rochester,  March  3. — New  safety 
regulations  for  theatres  have  been  an- 
nounced by  Tom  Woods,  Public 
Safety  Commissioner  here.  The  rules 
call  for  fire  drills  for  employes  every 
10  days,  daily  testing  of  doors,  ban- 
ning of  smoking  in  all  parts  of  the 
house  except  smoking  rooms,  clear- 
ance of  obstructions  from  passage- 
ways, fireproofing  of  drapes  and  stage- 
hangings  at  least  once  a  year,  and 
the  recharging  of  fire  extinguishers 
once  3rearly. 


Conn.  Kegulation  Bill 

New  Haven,  March  3. — A  bill  in 
the  Connecticut  Legislature  orders 
flame-proofing  of  all  decorative  ma- 
terials in  theatres  ;  conforming  of  exits 
and  aisles  to  certain  specificaitons :  bi- 
annual inspection  of  the  premises  by 
the  fire  chief  or  a  building  inspector, 
and  many  other  provisions,  it  was  re- 
ported. 


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THE  HARD  WAY 
Ida  Lupino 
Joan  Leslie 
Dennis  Morgan 

D— 97   mins.  (209) 

MYSTERIOUS 
DOCTOR 
John  Loder 
Eleanor  Parker 
D— 57  mins.  (218) 

AIR  FORCE 
John  Garfield 
Gig  Young 
Harry  Carey 
D— 124  mins.  (217) 

THE  AMAZING 
MRS.  HOLLIDAY 
Deanna  Durbin 
Edmond  O'Brien 

D— 98  mins.  (7005) 

HI  BUDDY 
Dick  Foran 
Harriet  Hilliard 

M— 68  mins.  (7031) 

HI'YA,  CHUM  1 
Ritz  Bros. 
Jane  Frazee 

M— 61  mins.  (7039) 

FRANKENSTEIN 
MEETS  THE 
WOLF  MAN 
Lon  Chaney 
Ilona  Massey 

D— 73  mins.  (7012) 

IT  AIN'T  HAY 
Abbott  and  Costello 
Grace  McDonald 

C— 81  mins.  (7001) 

HE'S  MY  GUY 
Dick  Foran 
Irene  Hervey 

M  (7041) 

KEEP  'EM 
SLUGGING 
Dead  End  Kids 
and 

Little   Tough  Guys 

D— 61  mins.  (7040) 

IT   COMES  UP 
LOVE 
Gloria  Jean 
Donald  O'Connor 

M — 65  mins.  (7023) 

RHYTHM  OF 
THE  ISLANDS 
Allan  Jones 
_^  Jane  Frazee 
CFe>  M  (7042) 

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THE 
DESPERADOES 
(Technicolor) 
Randolph  Scott 
Claire  Trevor 
O— 85  mins. 

MURDER  IN 
TIMES  SQUARE 
Edmund  Lowe 
Marguerite 
Chapman 
D — 65  mins. 

SHE  HAS  WHAT 
IT  TAKES 
Jinx  Falkenberg 
Tom  Neal 

M 

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< 

A  ON 
< 

Thursday,  March  4,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Admission  Tax  Measures 
Omitted  in  Canadian  Budget 


Study  Release 
Of  U.S.  Footage 
Through  Reels 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

|  cutting  the  accepted  prices  on  straight 
shorts. 

"  yjhe  pattern  encompasses  the  belief 
the  newsreels  are  the  most  ef- 

'  fective  as  well  as  the  fastest  medium 
of  communicating  war   footage  and 

\  home  front  messages  to  audiences, 
since  the  nation  normally  is  effective- 
ly blanketed  in  five  to  six  weeks  by 
the  newsreels  as  against  16  to  18 
weeks  required  for  similar  coverage 
of  OWI  and  Victory  film  shorts 
through  the  presently  constituted  dis- 
tribution formula. 

It  is  understood  the  proposal,  which 
so  far  as  known  has  not  been  pre- 
sented formally  to  Mellett,  would  not 
completely  eliminate  special  subjects 
which  the  OWI  may  desire  to  reach 
the  public  in  length.  These  presum- 
ably would  be  submitted  to  discussion 
and  decision  as  they  arise  and  as 
rapidly  changing  war  and  home  fronts 
undergo  change. 

Postal  Sued;  Charge, 
Stealing  'Birthday' 

Postal  Telegraph  and  Cable  Co.  is 
named  defendant  in  a  damage  action 
filed  in  Federal  Court  yesterday  which 
is  based  on  an  alleged  copyright  in- 
fringement of  the  song,  "Happy  Birth- 
day to  You,"  composed  more  than  50 
years  ago.  Plaintiff  in  the  action,  the 
Hill  Foundation,  Inc.,  alleges  that 
prior  to  1893  the  song  was  written  by 
Patty  and  Mildred  Hill  as  "Good 
Morning  to  You,"  and  copyrighted 
under  the  name  of  their  agent,  Clay- 
ton F.  Summay. 

A  copyright  infringement  action  in- 
volving the  musical  comedy,  "Flora- 
dora,"  was  marked  off  the  Federal 
Court  trial  calendar  subject  to  restor- 
ation upon  five  days  notice  by  either 
side. 

Defendants  are  Select  Theatre 
Corp.,  April  Productions,  Inc.,  Billy 
Rose,  Billy  Rose's  Diamond  Horse- 
shoe, Inc.,  and  Jack  Kirkland,  who 
are  sued  by  Francis,  Day  and  Hunter, 
Ltd. 

War  Officials  Oppose 
Any  Changes  in  Time 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

restal  declared  the  law  one  of  the 
"important  contributions"  to  war  pro- 
duction and  the  basis  of  a  saving  of 
electrical  capacity. 

"We  recognize  that  some  difficulties 
have  resulted  from  the  adoption  of 
war  time,  but  any  change  in  the  pres- 
ent statute  would  without  question  re- 
sult in  serious  detriment  to  increased 
production  in  1943,"  they  said. 


So.  California  ITO 
Will  Meet  March  15 

Los  Angeles,  March  3. — The  an- 
nual meeting  of  the  ITO  of  Southern 

•  California  will  be  held  March  15  at 
a  luncheon.  Election  of  a  new  board 
of  directors,  discussion  of  the  Allied 
caravan  plan,  and  zoning  and  clear- 
ance are  among  the  matters  on  the 

.  agenda. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
for  night  clubs  was  increased  from 
20  to  25  per  cent. 

Ilsley  announced  that  the  revenue 
from  the  Federal  tax  on  theatre  re- 
ceipts in  the  fiscal  year  ending  last 
March  31  totaled  $8,792,000  and  that 
expected  receipts  for  the  fiscal  year 
ending  this  month  would  be  $11,800,- 
000,  showing  an  increased  volume  of 
patronage. 

How  war  conditions  are  affecting 
some  other  industries  is  shown  in  the 
expected  tax  revenue  on  radios  and 
sound  reproducing  equipment  for  this 
fiscal  year  of  $1,200,000,  compared 
with  collections  of  $2,361,000  in  the 
previous  year. 

The  budget,  presented  in  the  House 
of  Commons  last  night,  provided  a 
heavy  tax  increase  on  liquor  and  to- 
bacco. 

Cartoon  Producers 
Speed  Army  Films 

Hollywood,  March  3. — Expanded 
participation  in  training  films  pro- 
duction and  cooperation  in  measures 
to  offset  the  manpower  drain  are  the 
major  objectives  of  the  Animated  Car- 
toon Producers  Association  of  Hol- 
lywood which  organized  over  the 
weekend.  Leon  Schlesinger  was 
named  chairman  of  the  group,  and 
other  members  are  Walter  Lantz, 
Walt  Disney,  George  Pal,  M-G-G 
Screen  Gems. 

The  organization  is  expected  to 
finalize  the  association  at  a  meeting 
later  this  week  after  approval  of  the 
distributor  companies  concerned. 


Truman  Group  Still 
Studies  CI  A  A  Films 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

Zanuck  and  other  film  directors,  writ- 
ers, actors  *and  executives  has  been 
asked  from  the  Army  Signal  Corps 
by  the  group  which  last  month  ques- 
tioned Army  officers  concerning  such 
commissions,  and  the  production  of 
training  films  by  the  industry. 

Fulton  declared  that  no  decision  has 
been  made  as  to  whether  the  inquiry 
'is  to  be  prosecuted  further.  The 
question  of  additional  hearings  will 
not  be  considered  until  after  a  thor- 
ough study  is  made  of  the  material  to 
be  submitted  by  the  War  Department, 
he  said. 

British  Weigh  Print 
Cut,  Increased  Runs 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

ing  time  in  order  to  effect  further 
savings.  However,  it  hopes  to  be  able 
to  demonstrate  the  industry's  volun- 
tary savings  program  will  be  sufficient 
to  make  a  reduction  of  playing  time 
unnecessary. 

Joint  proposals  covering  the  pro- 
gram of  economies  agreed  upon  are 
expected  to  be  submitted  to  the  Board 
of  Trade  on  Monday. 


Bette  Davis  Due  East 

Hollywood,  March  3. — Bette  Davis 
left  here  today  for  the  East.  She 
will  make  appearances  at  three  Army 
camps  en  route. 


'Forever  and  Day' 
Profits  to  Be  Given 
To  Paralysis  Fund 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
Cedric  Hardwicke,  who  was  one  of 
the  seven  directors  who  worked  on 
the  film. 

The  film  will  be  accepted  by  Presi- 
dent Roosevelt  on  behalf  of  the  In- 
fantile Paralysis  Foundation  at  a  cere- 
mony to  be  held  at  the  White  House 
later  this  month  with  several  of  those 
associated  in  its  production  in  attend- 
ance. The  film  will  have  its  world 
premiere  at  the  Rivoli  here,  March  12. 

Distribution  profit  from  the  film  will 
be  turned  over  to  the  head  of  each 
country  in  which  it .  plays,  to  be  pre- 
sented by  the  executive  to  a  domestic 
charity  of  his  choosing. 

The  production  costs  advanced  by 
RKO  will  be  recouped  by  the  company 
only  from  its  revenues  here  and  in 
Canada  and  Britain.  Elsewhere,  only 
distribution  charges,  at  actual  cost, 
will  be  deducted  from  the  rentals  re- 
ceived and  the  remainder  will  be 
turned  over  to  the  head  of  government. 

In  Los  Angeles  only,  a  division  of 
net  distribution  revenue  will  be  made 
on  the  basis  of  75  per  cent  to  the 
Infantile  Paralysis  Foundation  and  25 
per  cent  to  the  Community  Chest 
there. 

Talent  Donated  Services 

More  than  78  stars  or  featured  play- 
ers, headed  bv  Brian  Aherne,  Robert 
Cummings,  Charles  Laughton,  Ida 
Lupino,  Herbert  Marshall,  Ray  Mil- 
land,  Anna  Neagle  and  Merle  Oberon, 
contributed  their  talents  to  the  film 
without  pay,  as  did  seven  directors  and 
21  writers.  The  film  was  one  year  in 
preparation  and  another  year  shoot- 
ing, due  largely  to  the  fact  that  those 
who  worked  in  and  on  it  were  able  to 
devote  only  their  spare  time  to  it. 

Hardwicke  said  yesterday  that  the 
film  was  conceived  by  the  Hollywood 
British  colony  as  a  means  of  repaying 
by  joint  endeavor  the  "one-way"  con- 
tributions of  this  country  to  British 
relief  and  charities  early  in  the  war. 

Hollywood  May  Aid 
Financing  of  W AC 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
group.    If  required,  each  organization 
will  share  pro  rata  in  expenses  as  out- 
lined in  the  budget. 

Francis  S.  Harmon,  executive  vice- 
chairman  of  the  WAC,  stated  that  2,- 
515  of  4,700  16mm.  programs  prom- 
ised to  the  armed  services  by  the  in- 
dustry had  been  delivered  by  Feb.  23 
Harmon  discussed  "Movies  at  War" 
as  the  principal  speaker  today  at  the 
Los  Angeles  Breakfast  Club.  He 
leaves  for  New  York  Friday. 


Aid  Red  Cross  Drive 

Wilkes-Barre,  March  3. — Thomas 
V.  Killeen,  district  manager  of  the 
Comerford  Theatres  here,  and  John 
Galvin,  Comerford  Circuit  manager, 
are  in  charge  of  the  theatre  section  of 
the  Red  Cross  War  Fund  campaign  in 
Wilkes-Barre, 


They're  All 

BIG  PICTURES 


They're  All 

REPUBLIC  PICTURES 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  March  4,  1943 


'Hitler's'  Dual 
Run,  Seattle, 
Draws  $20,000 


Seattle,  March  3. — "Hitler's  Chil- 
dren" at  the  Paramount  and  Music 
Hall  this  week  bid  fair  to  hit  a  strong 
$20,000,  and  second  week  engage- 
ments of  "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy," 
"Random  Harvest"  and  "The  Powers 
Girl"  all  took  big  leads  over  the 
week-end,  heading  for  above-normal 
grosses.   Weather  was  clear  and  mild. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  5  : 

"Cat  People"  (RICO) 

"London  Blackout  Murders"  (Rep.) 

BLUE  MOUSE— (950)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $4,700.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

FIFTH  AVENUE^-(2,500)  (40c-50c-65c-8Oc) 
7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,800.  (Aver- 
age, $9,000) 

"The  Powers  Girl"  (U.  A.) 

"The  McGuerins  from  Brooklyn"  (U.  A.) 

LIBERTY — (1,800)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,750.  (Average,  $7,500) 
"Reap  the  Wild  Wind"  (Para.) 

MUSIC    BOX— (950)    (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    (Return  engagement.)    Gross:  $5,150. 
(Average,  $4,500) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 
"Lady  Bodyguard"  (Para.) 

MUSIC  HALL— (2,275)  (40c -50c -65c -80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $8,200.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

ORPHEUM  —  (2,450)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $11,300.  (Average, 
$9,000) 

"American  Empire"  (U.  A.) 

P  ALOMAR —  (1,500)  (30c-42c-58c-70c)  7 
days.  Stage:  Vaudeville  headed  by  Brown 
and  Lavelle.  Gross:  $8,100.  (Average,  $7,- 
500) 

"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 
"Lady  Bodyguard"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT— (3,050)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.   Gross:  $11,800.    (Average,  $9,000) 


Off  the  Antenna 


COOPERATIVE  Analysis  of  Broadcasting  listed  two  records  in  its  Feb- 
ruary ratings  and  announced  that  President  Roosevelt's  Washington 
Birthday  address  was  heard  by  48  per  cent  of  set  owners.  Fibber  McGee 
and  Molly  with  a  44.5  rating  were  said  to  have  set  an  all-time  high  for  half- 
hour  programs.  "Kate  Smith  Speaks"  was  given  a  13.5  rating  with  record 
daytime  audiences. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Maurice  Joachim,  WHN  writer-producer,  is  expected  to 
return  to  the  air  with  his  morning  reading  program  on  Monday  after  a  four 
weeks'  illness.  .  .  .  John  Reed  King,  Mutual's  "Double  or  Nothing"  pilot,  is 
compiling  a  book  on  party  games  and  quiz  questions.  .  .  .  Abbott  and  Costello 
will  make  their  300th  camp  appearance  next  month  with  a  return  engagement 
at  Fort  McArthur.  .  .  .  John  Gambling  celebrates  his  18th  year  on  the  air  and 
at  WOR  on  Monday. 

•  •  • 

Robert  Vreeland,  head  of  Special  Effects  at  Warner  Bros.,  will  appear 
on  a  review  of  the  airways  in  relation  to  war  time  on  Thomas  S.  Lee 
television-  station  W6X AO  on  Monday  at  8  p.  m.  A  motion  picture  made 
by  the  Lockheed  airplane  plant  also  will  be  shown. 


Program  Notes:  A  special  NBC  broadcast  is  scheduled  for  March  13  at 
7  p.  m.  with  high  ranking  Army  officers  to  appear  in  commemoration  of  the 
141st  anniversary  of  the  Assoc.  of  Graduates  of  the  West  Point  Military 
Academy.  .  .  .  Gregory  Ratoff's  transcontinental  participation  in  "Information 
Please"  has  been  set  for  Monday  night.  He  will  broadcast  from  Hollywood 
with  the  rest  of  the  experts  in  New  York.  ...  A  new  program  for  children, 
"Uncle  Arnold,"  will  be  heard  over  WLIB,  Brooklyn,  each  Sunday  at  10  a.  m. 
.  .  .  WHN  will  air  highlights  of  the  Intercollegiate  4-A's  competition  from 
Madison  Square  Garden — Saturday  night. 


To  the  Service:  Al  Laughrey,  news  writer  at  KHJ-Don  Lee,  leaves  today 
for  induction  into  the  Army.  .  .  .  Ensign  Ward  Quaal,  former  WGN ,  Chicago, 
staff  announcer,  has  been  assigned  as  an  instructor  and  communications  officer 
at  the  Norfolk,  Va.,  Naval  Training  Station.  .  .  .  Lieut.  William  F.  McClin- 
toch,  former  NBC  page  boy  and  receptionist,  is  a  member  of  Major  General 
Jimmy  Doolittle's  air  force  and  took  part  in  the  raid  priod  to  the  Allied 
counter-attack  in  Tunisia. 


N.  H.  Grosses  Strong 
Despite  6-Day  Week 

New  Haven,  March  3. — Business 
continues  at  a  prosperous  level  despite 
the  six-day  operating  week  imposed 
in  the  interest  of  fuel  conservation. 
"Random  Harvest"  grossed  $6,100  in 
its  second  week  at  the  College  and 
was  held  for  a  third.  "Star  Spangled 
Rhythm"  drew  $6,000  at  the  Para- 
mount in  its  second  week  and  other 
receipts  were  correspondingly  good. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  2 : 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

COLLEGE-(l,627)  (40c-50c)  6  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $6,100.    (Average,  $2,900) 
"The  Crystal  Ball"  (U.  A.) 
"Margin  for  Error"  (20th-Fox) 

LOEW-POLI— (3,005)    (40c- 50c)    6  days. 
Gross:  $8,100.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,373)   (40c-50c)   6  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $5,500) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Madame  Spy"  (Univ.) 

ROGER  SHERMAN— (2,067)  (40c-50c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $7,700.    (Average,  $6,000) 


'Covered'  Sets  Nice 
$18,000  PaceatCin. 


Ohio  Exhibitor  Left 
Estate  of  $170,598 

Wilmington,  O.,  March  3. — The  es- 
tate of  the  late  Frank  Murphy,  owner 
of  the  Murphy  Theatre  here,  amount- 
ed to  $170,596.81,  according  to  an  in- 
ventory and  appraisement  filed  in  Pro- 
bate Court.  Murphy,  who  died  re- 
cently, was  a  brother  of  the  late 
Charles  Murphy,  former  owner  of  the 
Chicago  Cubs. 


Cincinnati,  March  3. — Based  on 
weekend  business,  "They  Got  Me 
Covered"  is  headed  for  a  strong 
$18,000  at  the  RKO  Albee,  and  "Im- 
mortal Sergeant"  should  do  an  esti- 
mated $12,000  at  the  RKO  Palace. 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  continues 
big  in  its  third  downtown  week  at  the 
RKO  Shubert,  where  a  $6,000  gross 
is  indicated,  while  "In  Which  We 
Serve"  is  in  for  an  approximate 
$7,500  on  a  moveover  week  at  the 
RKO  Grand. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  2-4: 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

RKO  ALBEtE— (3,300)   (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $18,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th-Fox) 

RKO  PALACE — (2,700)  (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $12,0C0.    (Average,  $12,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

RKO  SHUBERT— (2,150)  (33c-40c-44c-55c) 
7  davs,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $6,000.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

RKO'  CAPITOL— (40c-44c-50c-60c)  7  days, 
4th  week.    Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  at  33c- 
40c-44c-55c,  $5,500) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

RKO  GRAND— (1.500)  (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7 
days.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $7,500  (Average, 
$5,000) 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

RKO  LYRIC— (1,400)  (30c-33c-44c)  7  davs, 
3rd  week.    Gross:  $2  800.    (Average,  $4,000) 
"The  Crime  Smasher"  (Mono.) 
"The  Yanks  Are  Coming"  (PRC) 

RKO  FAMILY—  (1,000)   (20c-30c)  4  days. 
Gross:  $1,350.    (Average,  $1,400) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (2Cth-Fox) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)   (20c-30c)  3  days. 
Gross:  $800.     (Average,  $800) 
"The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World" 
(20th- Fox) 

KEITH'S— (1,500)  (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $6,500.    (Average,  $5,000) 


Balto.  Matinees  Big; 
$20,000  to  'Got  Me' 


Baltimore,  March  3. — A  definite 
increase  in  matinee  business,  unex- 
plained except  for  improved  weather, 
reflects  favorably  in  the  week's  box- 
office  returns.  Business,  in  general, 
is  reported  strong.  "They  Got  Me 
Covered,"  aided  by  a  stage  show, 
scored  $20,000  at  the  Hippodrome ; 
while  "The  Meanest  Man  in  the 
World"  at  the  New  with  only  1,581 
seats,  looks  like  $13,000  for  the  open- 
ing week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  4 : 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

CENTURY  —  (3,000)  (40c-50c  and  55c 
weekends)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $15,500. 
(Average,  $12,000) 

"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 

KEITH'S— (2,406)  (15c-28c-33c-44c  and  S5c 
weekends')  7  days.  Gross:  $12,500.  (Aver- 
age, $10,000) 

"The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World" 
(20th-Fox) 

NEW— (1,581)    (15c-28c-35c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $13,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

STANLEY  —  (3,280)     (28c-39c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $18,000.    (Average.  $13,000) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

HIPPODROME  —  (2,205)  (28c-39c-44c-55c- 
66c)  7  days.  Stage:  Adrian  Rollini  Trio: 
Ramona;  Jackie  Green;  Whitson  Bros;  Six 
Grays.  Gross:  $20,000.  (Average,  $14,000) 
"American  Empire"  (U.  A.) 

MA  YFAIR  — (1,000)     (20c-40c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $6,500.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Queen  of  Broadway"  (PRC) 

MARYLAND— (1,300)  (39c-66c)  7  days. 
Stage:  Ciro  Rimac  and  his  Rhumba  Band; 
added— Pat  Henning.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Aver- 
age, $7,500) 


'Jordan'  and  Stage 
Show  Head  for  Big 
$24,000,  Pittsburgh 


Pittsburgh,  March  3. — Grosses  con- 
tinued at  a  high  level  this  week  after 
exceeding  expectations  in  the  final 
few  days  of  the  preceding  week. 
"Lucky  Jordan"  with  Guy  Lombardo 
on  the  Stanley  stage  was  slated  A^' 
$24,000  this  week,  while  "Rand>  I  } 
Harvest"  headed  for  a  second  weefe 
$18,000  at  the  Penn.  In  the  preced- 
ing week,  both  "Random  Harvest" 
and  "The  Powers  Girl"  exceeded  the 
predicted  gross  by  $4,000  due  to  end 
of  the  week  spurts. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  2-4: 

"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th-Fox) 

FULTON— (1,700)    (30c-40c-55c)    7  days. 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $7,000.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World" 
(20th-Fox) 

HARRIS  —  (2,200)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $8,500.    (Average,  $9,200) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

PENN— (3,400)   (30c-40c-55c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $18,000.    (Average,  $17,000) 
"In,  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

RITZ  —  (1.100)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days,  4th 
week  (moveover  after  one  week  at  Penn, 
one  at  Warner).  Gross:  $2,500.  (Average, 
$2,600) 

"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 

SENATOR— (1,750)    (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week  (moveover  from  Harris).  Gross: 
$3,500.     (Average,  $3,400) 
"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 

STANLEY— (3.800)  (30c-44c-55c-65c).  On 
stage,  6  days  of  vaudeville  including  Guy 
Lombardo      orchestra.        Gross:  $24,000. 
(Average,  $20,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER—  (2,000)  (30c40c-55c)  7  days,  3rd 
week  (moveover  after  one  week  at  Penn). 
Gross:  $7,500.     (Average,  $6,000) 


Milw.  Pays  $13,400 
To  See  'Pittsburgh9 

Milwaukee,  March  3.  —  With 
hold-overs  for  a  second  week  in  three 
first  run  houses,  the  Riverside  com- 
bination of  "Pittsburgh"  on  the 
screen  and  Chralie  Spivak's  orches- 
tra on  the  stage  seemed  destined  for 
the  week's  high  grosser  with  an  esti- 
mated $13,400.  Runner-up  appears 
to  be  "Arabian  Nights"  and  "Hi, 
Buddy,"  which  opened  strong  at  the 
Warner  and  seem  headed  for  a  $10,000 
gross. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  4-6: 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 
"Hi.  Buddy"  (Univ.) 

WARNER— (2,400)  (44c-65c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$10,000.    (Average,  $8,600) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 

RIVERSIDE  —  (2,700)    (50c-75c)    7  days. 
Stage:     Charlie    Spivak.    Gross:  $13,400. 
(Average,  $12,000) 
"The  Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 
"Mrs.  Wiggs  of  the  Cabbage  Patch"  (Para.) 

PALACE— (2,400)    (44c-65c)   7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $5,500.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

STRAND— (1,400)  (44c-65c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.  Continued  run.  Gross:  $2,000.  (Av- 
erage, $2,000) 

"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th-Fox) 
"Margin  for  Error"  (29th-Fox) 

WISCONSLN-(3,200)  (44c-65c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $7,000.    (Average,  $8,300) 


Rodzinski  Charges 
Before  802,  March  11 

Charges  against  Dr.  Artur  Rodzin- 
ski by  Calmen  Fleisig,  chairman  of  the 
grievance  committee  of  the  New  York 
Philharmonic  Orchestra,  will  be  heard 
by  the  executive  board  of  Musicians 
Union  Local  802  on  March  11,  it  was 
announced.  The  complaints  against 
the  orchestra's  new  conductor  result 
from  the  Philharmonic  Society's  fail- 
ure_  to  renew  14  contracts,  one  of 
which  was  Fleisig's. 


r  il-c  s/v/i 


Alert, 


tion 


Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PItfttjKE 

DAILY 


First  in 


and 

Impartial 


53.  NO.  43 


NEW  YORK,  U.  S.  A.,  FRIDAY,  MARCH  5,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


v       An  Editorial 

The  OWI- 
Policy  and 
Performance 

By  MARTIN  QUIGLEY 

THE  Bureau  of  Motion 
Pictures  of  the  Office 
of  War  Information  has 
an  announced  policy  which 
contemplates  providing  the 
industry  with  information 
and  guidance  on  problems 
and  possibilities  arising  out  of 
the  war. 

It  is  obvious  that,  operating 
under  such  a  policy,  the  services  of 
some  government  agency  are  not 
only  desirable  but  essential  to  the 
industry  in  the  furtherance  of  that 
quality  of  cooperation  in  the  war 
effort  t6  which  it  is  dedicated. 

The  announced  policy  of  the 
motion  picture  division  of  the 
OWT  covers  only  that  which  the 
industry  is  not  only  willing  to  re- 
ceive but  actively  seeks,  yet  diffi- 
culties of  a  disturbing  character 
have  arisen  in  relations  between  the 
industry  and  the  OWL  Other  diffi- 
culties are  in  prospect. 

It  therefore  seems  timely  that 
certain  of  the  pertinent  facts 
should  be  examined: 


ONE  plain  reason  for  diffi- 
culties, past  and  present,  is 
the  fact  that  the  personnel  of  the 
motion  picture  division  of  the  OWI 
is  virtually  without  representation 
from  the  ranks  of  persons  of  quali- 
fied knowledge  and  experience  in 
(.Continued  on  page  6) 


Academy  Winners 


Hollywood,  March  4. — Winners  of  the  awards  announced  tonight  at 
the  annual  dinner  of  the  Academy  of  Motion  Picture  Arts  and  Sci- 
ences follow: 

Most  outstanding-  picture  of  the  year — "Mrs.  Miniver,"  M-G-M. 

Best  performance  by  an  actor — James  Cagney  in  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy,"  Warner  Bros. 

Best  performance  by  an  actress — Greer  Garson  in  "Mrs.  Miniver," 
M-G-M. 

Best  performance  by  an  actor  in  a  supporting  role — Van  Heflin  in 
"Johnny  Eager,"  M-G-M. 

Best  performance  by  an  actress  in  a  supporting  role — Teresa  Wright 
in  "Mrs.  Miniver,"  M-G-M. 

Best  achievement  in  directing — William  Wyler  for  "Mrs.  Miniver," 
M-G-M. 

Best  written  screenplay — Arthur  Wimperis,  George  Froeschel,  James 
Hilton  and  Claudine  West,  for  "Mrs.  Miniver,"  M-G-M. 

Best  original  screenplay — Ring  Lardner,  Jr.,  and  Michael  Kanin  for 
"Woman  of  the  Year,"  M-G-M. 

Best  original  motion  picture  story— Emeric  Pressburger  for  "The 
Invaders,"  (British)  Ortus-Columbia. 

Best  achievements  in  art  direction  (black-and-white  films)  Richard 
Day  and  Joseph  Wright  for  "This  Above  All,"  20th  Century-Fox. 

Best  achievements  in  art  direction  (color  films) — Richard  Day  and 
Joseph  Wright  for  "My  Gal  Sal,"  20th  Century-Fox. 

Best   achievements   in   cinematography    (black-and-white    films) — 
Joseph  Ruttenberg  for  "Mrs.  Miniver",  M-G-M. 

Best  achievements  in  cinematography  (color) — Leon  Shamroy  for 
"The  Black  Swan,"  20th  Century-Fox. 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Three  Winners  of  Quigley 
Showmen  Award  Revealed 


Winners  of  the  ninth  annual  Quigley 
Grand  Awards  for  Showmanship  in 
1942  and  the  first  Quigley  Award  for 
War  Showmanship  for  the  same  year, 
which  were  selected  earlier  this  week 
by  a  board  of  judges  comprised  of 
leading  distribution,  exhibition  and 
advertising  and  publicity  executives, 
were  announced  yesterday  by  Motion 
Picture  Herald,  which  conducts  the 
competitions  through  its  Managers 
Round  Table  department. 

The  winners  are :  Louis  Charninsky, 
Interstate  Circuit's  Capitol  Theatre, 
Dallas,  Silver  Grand  Award ;  Edward 
Fitzpatrick,  the  Loew-Poli  Theatre, 
Waterbury,  Conn.,  Bronze  Grand 
Award,  and  Jack  Matlack,  George  A. 
Hunt,  Circuit,  Medford,  Ore.,  the 
Quigley  War  Showmanship  Award 
for  consistency  of  showmanship  in 
connection  with  the  war  effort,  Mat- 
lack  is  now  associated  with  the  J.  J. 


Parker  Theatres,  Portland,  Ore. 

Close  behind  the  grand  award  win- 
ners in  the  voting  were :  Maurice 
Druker,  Loew's  State,  Memphis  ;  Ar- 
thur Krolick,  Century,  Rochester,  and 
A.  J.  Kalberer,  Switow  Theatres. 
Washington,  Ind. 

High  vote-getters  in  the  war  show- 
manship competition  were :  Arthur 
Mayer,  Rialto,  New  York  City ;  Ar- 
thur Wartha,  Lido  Theatre,  Maywood, 
111.,  and  Nat  Silver,  Strand  Theatre, 
Lowell,  Mass. 

Charninsky,  winner  of  the  Silver 
Grand  Award,  is  man'ager  of  the 
Capitol,  Dallas,  which  plays  no  first 
choice  pictures. 

"I  get  what  no  one  else  wants,"  if 
the  way  he  describes  his  product  sup- 
ply. 

That  fact,  many  of  the  judges  indi- 
cated, was  an  important  consideration 
in  the  way  they  voted. 


FDR  Foresees 
Greater  War 
Role  for  Films 


Sends  Message  to  Annual 
Academy  Dinner 


Hollywood,  March  4.  —  The 
motion  picture  industry  may  be 
called  upon  in  the  months  to  come 
"to  play  an  even  larger  part  in  the 
war  against  Axis  tyranny,"  Presi- 
dent Roosevelt  stated  in  his  mes- 
sage to  the  15th  annual  awards 
dinner  of  the  Academy  of  Motion 
Picture  Arts  and  Sciences  at  the 
Hotel  Ambassador  here  tonight. 

An  overflow  throng  of  1,220  persons 
attended.    War  atmosphere  prevailed. 

The  President's  message  was  the 
highlight  of  a  program  which  accom- 


Text  of  President's  letter, 
Page  7.  Message  from  Mme. 
Chiang  Kai-Shek,  Page  4.  Lowell 
Mellet  expresses  Government's 
faith  in  industry,  Page  4. 


panied  the  announcement  of  winners 
of  the  Academy's  annual  awards  and 
which  included  messages  from  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy  Frank  C.  Knox  and 
from  Donald  Nelson,  head  of  the  War 
Production  Board,  both  of  which  paid 
tribute  to  the  industry's  contributions 
to  the  war  effort. 

Gov.  Warren  Speaks 

Principal  speakers  at  the  awards 
dinner  were  Gov.  Earl  Warren  of 
California  and  Lowell  Mellett,  head 
of  the  motion  picture  bureau  of  the 
Office  of  War  Information. 

The  President,  in  his  message  to 
the  gathering,  re-stated  his  belief  in 
the  important  contributions  which 
have  been  made  and  are  being  made  by 
the  industry  to  the  prosecution  of  the 
war. 

"Those  who  achieve  highly  in 
motion  pictures  at  this  time," 
he     said,    "have  contributed 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Heard  Around,"  by  Sam 
Shain,  Page  2.  Kansas  thea- 
tre divorce  bill  killed  in  com- 
mittee, Page  2.  Crescent  rul- 
ing seen  applying  to  big  cir- 
cuits. Page  7.  W.  B.  gives 
$50,000  to  Red  Cross  drive, 
Page  7.  Connecticut  drops  one- 
day  theatre  closings,  Page  8. 
Scientific,  Technical  Awards 
announced  by  Academy,  Page 
4.  Film  companies  use  more 
time  on  radio,  Page  8. 


2 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Friday,  March  5,  194. 


Personal 
Mention 


LEO  SPITZ  arrives  in  Chicago  to- 
day. 

• 

Ben  Kalmenson,  Abe  Schneider 
and  Mort  Blumenstock  are  expected 
early  next  week  from  the  Coast. 
• 

Samuel  Bronston  is  in  town. 

Harold  B.  Hopper  returns  to 
Washington  from  the  Coast  over  the 
weekend. 

• 

Morton  Singer  has  gone  to  Cali- 
fornia for  a  rest  at  his  Beverly  Hills 
home. 

• 

Roy  Haines,  Warners'  Western 
and  Southern  sales  manager,  returned 
from  the  South  yesterday.  He  will 
leave  early  next  week  on  another  field 
trip. 


Hays'  21st  Year  as 
MPPDA  President 

Will  H.  Hays  will  observe  his  21st 
anniversary  in  the  industry  today. 
Hays  became  president  of  the  Motion 
Picture  Producers  &  Distributors  of 
America  on  March  S,  1922. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 

Bob  HOPE   Dorothy  LAMOUR 

in  Samuel  Goldwyn's 

"THEY  GOT  ME  COVERED" 

Released  thru  RKO  Radio  Pictures 
Gala  Stage  Revue    .   Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


See  what  really  happens  to 

"HITLER'S  CHILDREN" 

IN  PERSON 

XAVIER  CUGAT  obSo 

HENNY  YOUNGMAN 

PARAMOUNT 


jack  BINNY  y*"""* IANF 

cMeanest  man  in  the  World 

wrh  ROCHESTER 

A  20lh  C«ntury-Fox  Plctur* 
PLUS  A  BIG  RAW   7th  Ave. 
STAGE  SHOW  KVA  ¥  &  50th  St. 


B'WAY  & 
47th  St. 


PALACE 


TERESA  WRIGHT  •  JOSEPH  COTTEN 

"SHADOW  OF  A  DOUBT" 

—  and  — 
"WHEN  JOHNNY  COMES 
MARCHING   HOME"  with 
PHIL  SPITALNY  and  his  All  Girl  Orch. 


Loevffs  ITHTE 


ON  SCREEN 

PARAMOUNT'S 
'STAR  SPANGLED 
RHYTHM" 
7SONGHITS1 


IN  PERSON 

"SALUTE 

FROM 

HAWAII" 

with 
Ray  Kinney 


-  Heard  Around  - 

I F  we  were  awarding  Oscars  for  the  best  actress  on  the  legitimate  stage — the 
*  prize  would  go  to  Helen  Hayes — whose  nearest  counterpart  in  ability  and 
charm  on  the  screen — we  think  is  Greer  Garson — and  Miss  Hayes  has  held 
that  place  in  our  Hall  of  Fame — since  we  first  enjoyed  her  performance  in 
"Coquette" — but  if  you  don't  agree — let  us  refer  you  to  the  experts  who  saw 
her  in  "Harriet"  Wednesday  night  at  the  Henry  Miller — about  which  Lewis 
Nichols  in  the  Times  says — because  of  Miss  Hayes  the  play  glows  with  a 
warmth  that  is  as  rare  as  it  is  welcome — and  Howard  Barnes  in  the  Herald- 
Tribune  writes — that  the  sheer  beauty,  gaiety  and  intensity  of  Miss  Hayes' 
acting  makes  the  play  a  singularly  absorbing  entertainment. 

•  •  • 

And  speaking  about  Oscars  — elsewhere  in  this  paper  you  will  read  about 
the  charming  Miss  Garson — who  leads  the  cinema  parade  today  for  her  sex — 
and  next  to  her  we  select  Teresa  Wright  and  Joan  Fontaine — as  the  up-and- 
coming  ladies  of  the  screen  .  .  .  the  men  can  take  care  of  themselves. 

•  •  • 

That  tempest  which  brewed  on  Broadway  last  week  .  .  .  over  the  an- 
nounced closing  of  the  Russian  play,  "Counterattack,"  produced  by  Lee 
Sabinson — has  died  down — as  Jules  Leventhal  came  to  the  rescue — and 
the  show  will  go  on — thus  disposing  of  the  report  that  Columbia  Pictures 
had  a  financial  interest  in  the  play — was  interested  in  closing  it  down — 
the  mystery  surrounding  the  report  that  the  play  would  close  having 
centered  on  the  fact  that  since  opening,  February  5,  the  gross  has  risen 
by  about  35  per  cent — we  understand  that  Columbia  has  waived  its  rights 
to  6  per  cent  of  the  gross  were  the  play  to  go  to  another  producer — and 
the  cast  has  accepted  a  temporary  salary  reduction  of  40  per  cent — half 
of  which  will  be  restored  when  the  weekly  gross  reaches  $7,200  and  full 
salaries  as  per  original  terms  will  be  in  force  when  the  play  strikes 
$8,200 — which  is  about  $100  above  last  week's  figure. 

•  •  • 

Although  reports  are  in  circulation  .  .  .  that  George  J.  Schaefer  and 
David  Selznick  are  dickering  for  control  of  United  Artists — Schaefer  has  had 
no  conversations  with  any  United  Artists  stockholders  in  this  connection — 
and  Selznick's  end  of  the  transaction  is  on  an  if-and-when-maybe  basis — and 
in  the  meantime — at  least  two  other  groups  who  think  they  can  convince 
the  U.  A.  stockholders  to  give  up — are  considering  something  of  the  kind  too. 

•  •  • 

And  speaking  of  such  reports  ...  it  seems  that  recently  a  proposal  was 
made  to  U.  A.  stockholders — whereby  for  certain  concessions  as  to  man- 
agement control — certain  interests  were  prepared  to  put  up  a  substantial 
sum  of  money  with  which  to  defray  the  production  of  four  pictures  by 
the  company's  own  producing  unit  which  is  headed  by  George  Bagnall — 
Sir  Alexander  Korda  was  agreeable  providing  he  would  be  the  fellow  who 
was  to  make  the  pictures — and  the  matter  was  temporarily  tabled. 

•  •  • 

It  happened  years  ago  .  .  .  in  Chicago — the  callboard  at  the  old  Revere 
House  on  North  Clark  Street — oldtime  gathering  place  of  actors — adver- 
tised an  opening  for  a  lobby  frame  and  display  salesman  in  the  motion 
picture  business — zvhich  was  then  about  starting — so  Al  Lichtman  applied  for 
the  job — the  lobby  frame  merchant  took  an-e  look  at  the  sartorially  splendid 
Al  and  zvas  mistaken — turning  the  lad  down  flat — and  Lichtman  rushed  from 
the  hotel — when  a  gust  of  wind  carried  his  brand  new  straw  hat  off  into  the 
Chicago  River — whereupon  he  hurried  back  to  the  lobby  frame  merchant — sold 
himself  to  the  fellow  and  got  the  job — which  is  why  Terry  Ramsaye  aiways 
claims,  that  Lichtman  got  into  the  motion  picture  business  because  he  lost  his 
hat. 

•  •  • 

The  fact  that  .  .  .  Lehman  Bros,  will  figure  in  that  projected  purchase 
by  20th  Century-Fox  of  Chase  Bank's  interest  in  National  Theatres  was  pub- 
lished in  this  column  on  Jan.  26— the  price  is  still  $13,000,000— $1,000,000  of 
this  amount  being  cash — and  any  talk  about  persons  other  than  the  manage- 
ment of  National  Theatres  possibly  participating  in  the  transaction  is  pure 
romance — we  are  informed — with  nothing  having  been  definitely  determined 
on  this  score  yet — but  the  setup  calls  at  present  for  $10,000,000  in  debentures 
and  at  least  one  preferred  issue  of  about  $2,000,000. 

•  •  • 

Don't  be  surprised  ...  to  hear  that  Floyd  Odium  will  shortly  become  per- 
sonally active  in  RKO — that  the  company's  board  membership  will  soon  be 
reduced — that  after  taxes  and  amortization  of  certain  costs  on  the  Orson 
Welles  and  Pare  Lorentz  ventures — the  company  will  probably  show  around 
" "  000  net  for  1943. 


RKO  theatre  department  changes  .  .  .  Harry  McDonald  has  resigned  as 
Boston  division  manager — Ernest  Groh  is  city  manager — Robert  Domingo  is 
in  charge  of  Keith's  and  Frank  Hoivard  is  in  charge  of  the  Boston. 

■ — Sam  Shain 


Skouras  to  Mexico 
On  Deal  for  Circuit 

Hollywood,  March  4. — Charles 
Skouras,  president  of  National  Thea- 
tres, plans  to  leave  for  Mexico  City 
over  the  weekend.  His  trip  is  be- 
lieved to  bear  on  National  Theatres' 
deal  for  a  circuit  of  nine  theatres  in 
and  around  Mexico  City.  This  deal 
was  first  revealed  in  Motion  Picture 
Daily  Feb.  10. 


Weshner  Will  Handle 
'Air  Power* Campaign 

David  E.  Weshner,  who  resigned 
last  week  and  director  of  advertising 
and  publicity  for  United  Artists,  yes- 
terday was  appointed  as  general  con- 
sultant and  coordinator  of  the  exploita- 
tion campaign  for  "Victory  Through 
Air  Power,"  now  in  production  by 
Walt  Disney  Productions,  to  be  re- 
leased by  United  Artists, 


Kansas  Divorce  Bill 
Killed  in  Committee 

The  Kansas  afliliated  thea- 
tre divorce  bill  was  killed  in 
committee  at  Topeka  yester- 
day following  hearings  held 
for  opponents  of  the  measure, 
it  was  reported  in  New  York 
yesterday.  Hearings  for  pro- 
ponents had  been  held  earlier. 
The  bill,  requiring  the  divorce- 
ment of  all  production  or  dip 
tribution  interests  from  4) 
hibition  within  the  state' 
would  have  affected  Fox  Mid- 
west (National  Theatres). 


Raw  Stock  Eased 
For  British  Studios 


London,  March  4.— Indications  art 
that  no  drastic  limitations  of  raw 
stock  will  be  imposed  against  British 
producers,  whose  representatives  con- 
ferred with  the  Board  of  Trade  toda> 
on  the  conservation  program. 

Allocations  of  negative  to  producers, 
it  is  believed,  will  be  based  on  budget- 
ing of  the  footage  for  individual  films 
No  insurmountable  obstacle  to  effect 
ing  economies  on  credit  title  is  antici- 
pated even  though  cutting  them  doe; 
involve  a  complex  legal  problem,  ac- 
cording to  observers. 


Dunphy  Quits  WPB 
Post;  A.  G.  Smith  In 

Washington,  March  4.— Christo 
pher  J.  Dunphy,  chief  of  the  amuse 
ment  section  of  the  War  Productioi 
Board,  resigned  today,  effective  im 
mediately,  in  order  that  he  may  join 
his  wife,  who  is  seriously  ill  in  Palm 
Beach,  Fla.  Mrs.  Dunphy,  who  has 
been  ill  for  some  time,  recently  was 
in  Doctors  Hospital,  New  York,  but 
was  ordered  South  by  her  physician. 

Allen  G.  Smith  of  Dallas,  who  has 
been  serving  as  Dunphy's  executive 
assistant,  will  take  over  as  acting 
chief  of  the  section.  Dunphy  has 
made  no  plans  for  the  future  but  has 
volunteered  to  serve  the  section  in  an 
advisory  capacity  without  pay. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


1 


55  Mm 

NOW 

UNDIR 
WAY- 
MI 

WARNER 
AS  UfMl.' 


life 


'Time'  Magazine  Says 

IT'S  ONE  OF  THIS 
YEAR'S  BEST! 

Reviews  at  all  openings 
say  likewise ! 


ida  LUPINO  dennis  MORGAN  joan  LESLIE  ,„  THE  HARD  WAY 

with  JACK  CARSON  •  GLADYS  GEORGE  •  FAYE  EMERSON  •  Directed  by  VINCENT  SHERMAN  •  Screen  Play  by  Daniel  Fuchs  and  Peter  Vlertel 


4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  March  5,  1943 


Mellett  Gives 
Gov't  'Award' 
To  Industry 

By  WILLIAM  R.  WEAVER 

Hollywood,  March  4. — A  Gov 
ernment  award  to  the  industry,  an 
expression  of  their  faith  in  the  mo 
tion  picture  business,  was  bestowed 
by  Lowell  Mellett,  chief  of  the  mo 
tion  picture  bureau  of  the  Office  of 
War   Information,  at   the  annual 
awards  dinners  of  the  Academy  of 
Motion  Picture  Arts  and  Sciences 
at  the  Ambassador  Hotel  here  to- 
night. 

Mellett  told  the  assembled 
throng  that  the  Government  be- 
lieve the  motion  picture  indus- 
try is  in  the  right  hands  and  are 
not  going  into  the  motion  pic- 
ture business  themselves. 

"That  is  the  award  the  government 
has  to  bestow — its  faith  in  you," 
Mellett  said.  "The  government  has 
nothing  of  silver  or  bronze  or  gold  to 
give,  nothing  you  can  exhibit  on  your 
mantelpiece.  The  government  has  only 
this  confidence  in  your  merit;  but  that 
.  is  something  you  can  exhibit  in  16,000 
American  theatres  and  unnumbered 
thousands  of  theatres  in  other  lands. 
And,  unlike  the  well-earned  Oscars 
that  will  come  to  some  of  you  tonight, 
it  is  not  bestowed  for  a  single  year, 
but,  I  hope  and  believe,  for  all  the 
years  to  come." 

The  bulk  of  Mellett's  address  was 
concerned  with  an  explanation  of  the 
Government's  attitude  toward  films 
and  film-making,  principally  in  the 
form  of  a  denial  that  the  Government 
are  desirous  either  of  dictating  film 
content  or  of  competing  with  the  en 
tertainment  film. 

Wanger  Presides 

Walter  Wanger,  president  of  the 
Academy,  presided  at  the  dinner.  Bob 
Hope  was  master  of  ceremonies. 
Jeanette  MacDonald  opened  the  pro- 
gram with  "The  Star  Spangled  Ban- 
ner," following  which  an  industry 
service  flag  was  unfurled  by  Tyrone 
Power  of  the  Marines  and  Alan  Ladd 
of  the  Army,  and  Col.  Edward  L. 
Munson,  Jr.,  spoke. 

Further  along  in  the  program,  Al- 
fred Ellas  Calles,  Mexican  consul, 
presented  Arturo  de  Cordova  an 
award  from  the  Mexican  Academy. 
The  messages  from  Donald  Nelson 
and  Secretary  Frank  Knox  were  read 
by  May  C.  McCall,  Jr.  The  players' 
awards  were  presented  by  Gary  Coop- 
er and  Joan  Fontaine. 

Other  awards  were  presented  by  the 
following:  Y.  Frank  Freeman,  film 
editing,  recording,  special  effects ; 
William  Cameron  Menzies,  art  direc- 
tion, interior  decoration;  Freeman, 
scientific  awards ;  James  Wong  Howe, 
cinematography;  Bob  Hope,  short 
subjects;  Irving  Berlin,  music;  Lt. 
Col.  Frank  Capra,  direction ;  Mervyn 
LeRoy,  special  awards ;  Mary  McCall, 
Jr.,  writing;  David  O.  Selznick,  docu- 
mentary films ;  William  Goetz,  pro- 
duction ;  Walt  Disney,  Thalberg  Me- 
morial Trophy. 


Coast  Red  Cross  Drive 

Hollywood,  March  4. — The  indus- 
try Red  Cross  drive  in  Hollywood 
will   start   March  22. 


Academy  Winners 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
Best  achievement  in  sound  recording — Nathan  Levinson  for  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy,"  Warner  Bros. 

Short  subjects — Cartoons,  "Der  Fuehrer's  Face,"  Walt  Disney-RKO; 
one-reel,  "Speaking  of  Animals  and  Their  Families,"  Paramount 
(Fairbanks  and  Carlisle,  producers);  two-reel,  "Beyond  the  Line  of 
Duty,"  Warner  Bros. 

Best  achievement  in  film  editing — Daniel  Mandell  for  "The  Pride  of 
the  Yankees,"  Samuel  Goldwyn-RKO. 

Best  achievement  in  special  effects — "Reap  the  Wild  Wind,"  Para- 
mount; Gordon  Jennings,  Farciot  Edouard  and  William  L.  Pereira, 
photographic  effects;  Louis  Mesenkop,  sound  effects. 

Best  achievements  in  music: 
Scoring  of  musical  pictures — Ray  Heindorf  and  Heinz  Roemheld 
for  "Yankee  Doodle  Dandy,"  Warner  Bros. 

Scoring  of  a  dramatic  picture — Max  Steiner  for  "Now,  Voyager," 
Warner  Bros. 

Best  song — "White  Christmas,"  from  "Holiday  Inn,"  Paramount; 
music  and  lyrics  by  Irving  Berlin. 

Documentary  motion  pictures — Features,  "Moscow  Strikes  Back," 
Artkino-Republic;  "Prelude  to  War,"  U.  S.  Army  Special  Services; 
short  subjects,  "The  Battle  of  Midway,"  U.  S.  Navy  Department; 
"Kokoda  Front  Line,"  Australian  News  Information  Bureau. 

SPECIAL  AWARDS 

First — Charles  Boyer  for  the  creation  of  the  French  Research  Foun- 
dation for  motion  pictures. 

Second — Outstanding  international  foreign  production,  Noel  Coward's 
"In  Which  We  Serve." 

Special  award  to  M-G-M  for  production  of  the  series  which  best 
reflects  the  American  way  of  life,  the  "Andy  Hardy"  series. 

Thalberg  Memorial  Award  for  consistent  high  quality  production 
achievement — Sidney  Franklin,  as  producer  of  "Mrs.  Miniver"  and 
"Random  Harvest." 


Mme.  Chiang  Hails 
Industry's  Part  in 
Allied  War  Effort 


Scientific,  Technical 
Awards  Presented 


Hoollywood,  March  4.  —  Mme. 
Chiang  Kai-Shek  in  a  letter  read  at 
the  Awards  dinner  tonight  said: 

"I  greatly  regret  that  I  cannot  be 
your  guest  of  honor,  because  of  my 
prearranged  itinerary.  Few  if  any 
other  agencies  of  public  appeal  and  in- 
fluence have  done  more  than  the  mo- 
tion picture  industry  in  consolidating 
the  will  of  the  people  to  meet  the  war 
emergency  and  contribute  to  the  vic- 
tory of  the  United  Nations. 

Motion  picture  theatres  are  of  par- 
ticular importance  as  centers  of  war 
information  and  builders  of  public 
morale.  It  has  always  been  my  hope 
that  motion  pictures  may  help  solidify 
and  strengthen  the  friendship  that  ex- 
ists between  China  and  America.  May 
this  friendship  develop  into  real  af- 
fection. 

"You  can  be  of  immeasurable  serv- 
ice in  bringing  this  about.  The  mo- 
tion picture  industry  has  grown  to 
its  present  stature  because  it  was  able 
to  supply  a  want  no  other  agency  is 
able  to  meet  so  well.  May  you  long 
continue  to  enrich  the  traditions  you 
have  already  established. 

"For  all  that  you  have  done  and 
will  do  in  interpreting  China  to  the 
world,  I  wish  to  express  my  great 
appreciation. 


Hollywood,  March  4.  —  Scientific 
and  technical  awards  of  the  Academy 
of  Motion  Picture  Arts  &  Sciences 
follow : 

Class  One :  None. 

Class  Two :  Plaque  to  Carroll 
Clark  and  F.  Thomas  Thompson,  of 
the  RKO  art  and  miniature  depart 
ments,  for  the  design  and  construe 
tion  of  a  moving  cloud  and  horizon 
machine;  Daniel  B.  Clark,  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox, for  the  development  of  a 
lens  calibration  system  and  applica- 
tion of  the  system  to  exposure  con- 
trol. 

Class  Three  (Honorable  Mention  in 
the  report  of  the  Research  Council)  : 
Daniel  J.  Bloomberg,  Republic  sound 
department,  for  the  design  and  appli- 
cation to  production  of  a  device  for 
marking  action  negative  for  pre-selec- 
tion  purposes;  Robert  Henderson, 
Paramount  engineering  and  transpar- 
ency departments,  for  the  design  and 
construction  of  adjustable  light  bridges 
and  screen  frames  for  transparency 
process  photography. 


W.B.  Contact  Men  Meet 

A  two-day  meeting  of  contact  man- 
agers of  Warner  Bros.  Theatres  will 
be  held  at  the  home  office  starting  to- 
day. W.  Stewart  McDonald,  assistant 
treasurer,  Harry  M.  Kalmine,  assist- 
ant general  manager,  and  other  home 
office  executives  will  address  the 
group. 


FDR  Foresees 
Greater  War 
Role  for  Films 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

greatly  to  the  struggle  for  free- 
dom and  the  survival  of  democ- 
racy." £  ; 

"It  is  a  matter  of  deep  satis- 
faction to  me,  as  it  must  be  to 
you,"  he  continued,  "that  we 
have  succeeded  in  turning  the 
tremendous  power  of  the  motion 
picture  into  an  effective  war  in- 
strument without  the  slightest 
resort  to  the  totalitarian  meth- 
ods of  our  enemies." 

Secretary  Knox,  in  his  message,  ex- 
pressed the  Navy's  appreciation  "from 
the  newest  boot  to  the  oldest  hand, 
whether  ashore  or  at  sea,"  of  the 
"splendid  talent  and  efforts  of  ever) 
member  of  the  motion  picture  indus- 
try." 

Doing  'Fine  Jobs' 

"The  men  of  the  Naval  establish- 
ment," he  said,  "look  forward  to  see- 
ing the  films  you  make.  That  you 
are  all  continuing  to  do  fine,  important 
jobs  under  the  restritions  imposed  by 
war  is  a  tribute  to  your  ability,  ingen- 
uity and  your  profession." 

Nelson's  message  extended  to  the 
entire  industry  the  WPB's  apprecia- 
tion of  "your  patriotic  help  during  the 
past  year." 

"Stars,  producers,  directors,  theatre 
owners  and  their  staffs,"  Nelson  said, 
"have  done  a  splendid  job  in  behalf  of 
WPB  activities.  The  screen  has 
helped  us  inform  the  public  on  vital 
problems;  theatres  have  aided  in 
scrap  drives,  and  have  responded  to 
every  call  for  assistance.  Your  ef- 
forts have  been  appreciated.  I  know 
they  will  continue  to  a  victorious 
peace." 

Morgenthau  Message 

A  message  from  Henry  Morgen- 
thau, Jr.,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
was  read.  It  stated:  "Your  dinner 
gives  me  a  great  opportunity  to  ex- 
press to  the  motion  picture  industry 
the  sincere  appreciation  of  the  Treas- 
ury Department  for  the  splendid  and 
patriotic  assistance  you  have  given. 
The  United  States  War  Savings  Staff 
salutes  those  tireless  screen  personali- 
ties who  labored  so  hard  for  us,  those 
thousands  of  theatre  men  who  are  con- 
tinuing their  bond  selling  efforts,  and 
those  producers  and  directors  who  are 
creating  films  that  enlighten  and  in- 
spire the  public." 


'Air  Force*  Opening 
In  Capital  Tomorrow 

Washington,  March  4. — War- 
ner Bros,  will  open  "Air 
Force"  at  the  Earle  and  Am- 
bassador theatres  here  to- 
morrow night,  with  Major 
General  Stratemeyer,  Army 
Air  Force  chief  of  staff,  and 
other  high  ranking  military 
and  Government  officials  and 
the  diplomatic  corps  attend- 
ing. A  coast-to-coast  radio 
program  on  the  Blue,  7-7:30 
p.m.,  will  salute  the  film. 


Biggest  Business  of  ALL 
M-G-M's  mighty  Astor  Hits! 

Did  you  see  the  N.  Y.  Reviews!  Ask  us  for  a  set.  They're  the  greatest 
raves  in  years!  Praises  for  everybody  concerned! 

WILLIAM  SAROYAN'S'THE  HUMAN  COMEDY" -Produced  and  Directed  by  CLARENCE  BROWN 
Starring  MICKEY  ROONEY  •  with  FRANK  MORGAN  •  James  Craig  •  Marsha  Hunt  •  Fay  Bainter 
Ray  Collins  •  Van  Johnson  •  Donna  Reed  •  Jack  Jenkins  •  Dorothy  Morris  •  John  Craven  •  Ann  Ayars 
Mary  Nash  •  Henry  O'Neill  •  From  the  Story  by  William  Saroyan  •  Screen  Play  by  Howard  Estabrook  * 

Metro- Gold wyn -Mayer,  of  course! 


Join  Red  Cross  Drive !  Week  of  April  1—7! 


6 


MOTION  PICTURE  DAILY 


Friday,  March  5,  1943 


THE  OWI— POLICY  AND  PERFORMANCE 

 (  CONTINUED    FROM    FIRST   PAGE  ]  


the  business  of  motion  pictures.  Generously 
represented  are  persons  who  previously  have 
disclosed  arty  and  sideline  interests  in  motion 
pictures  and  others  who  have  shown  more  in 
the  way  of  ambition  for  an  association  with 
the  industry  than  anything  in  the  way  of 
a  qualification  which  might  effectuate  that 
ambition. 

Certain  of  these  persons,  now  clothed  with 
the  mantle  of  government  authority,  are  seek- 
ing to  exert  that  influence  in  motion  picture 
affairs  which  as  private  individuals  they  failed 
to  effect.  That  their  current  ministrations 
should  be  looked  at  askance  is  not  difficult 
to  understand. 

While  the  Government  in  their  operations 
with  various  trades,  industries  and  businesses 
have  not  failed  to  select  as  their  representa- 
tives persons  of  knowledge  and  experience  in 
various  fields,  when  it  comes  to  motion  pic- 
tures the  first  necessary  qualification,  it  seems, 
is  the  absence  of  any  connection,  situation  or 
interest  which  might  even  imply  a  knowledge 
of  and  experience  in  the  business  of  motion 
pictures. 


IN  a  business  of  such  complexities  and  in- 
tricacies— whether  or  not  it  so  appears  to 
the  uninformed  —  it  is  inevitable  that  diffi- 
culties in  the  relations  between  government 
representatives  and  the  industry  should  ap- 
pear. Despite  evident  good-will  and  sincerity 
on  the  part  of  all  concerned,  such  difficulties 
have  arisen  and  are  certain  to  continue  to 
arise.  The  war — let  us  hope — shall  not  last 
long  enough  to  provide  time  to  teach  these 
persons,  who  even  now  are  not  gaining  prac- 
tical experience,  and  who  are  constantly  torn 
between  a  wonderment  as  to  what  makes  the 
wheels  go  around  and  an  urge  to  apply  a 
monkey  wrench  as  a  show  of  professional 
capacity. 

Mr.  Will  Hays  is  devoted  to  a  wall  motto 
which  says,  "Difficult  things  are  done  at  once; 
the  impossible  takes  a  little  longer."  It  will 
take  "a  little  longer"  to  do  much  with  some 
of  these  people.  This,  in  reality,  is  due  only 
in  part  to  the  persons  themselves.  It  is  due 
in  part  also  to  what  they  are  trying  to  do — 
or  at  least  what  they  appear  to  be  trying 
to  do. 


REPRESENTED  in  the  motion  picture 
bureau  of  the  OWI  are  several  who  have 
an  abundance  of  ideas  about  a  new  and  better 
world.  In  their  official  capacity  they  seek  to 


supply  an  informational  service  to  the  indus- 
try, conveying  facts  and  figures  obtained 
from  other  government  sources,  advising  and 
counselling  on  the  basis  of  access  to  govern- 
ment information  and  otherwise  assisting  in 
gearing  industry  operations  to  the  war  effort. 
Privately,  however,  imbued  as  they  are  with 
ideas,  visions  and  fancies  about  social,  eco- 
nomic and  political  matters,  they  seek,  con- 
sciously or  unconsciously,  to  veer  the  subject 
matter  and  treatment  of  motion  pictures  in 
directions  consistent  with  their  individual 
beliefs.  Difficult,  indeed,  it  is  for  them  to 
draw  the  line,  or  act  upon  it,  when  it  comes 
to  distinction  between  what  constitutes  in- 
dustry cooperation  in  the  war  effort  on  one 
side  and  pressures  for  their  cherished  readjust- 
ments of  the  social,  economic  and  political 
order  on  the  other. 

It  is  here  principally  that  the  misunder- 
standings arise.  It  is  here  that  the  producer 
becomes  confused — if  not  suspicious — as  to 
what  the  OWI  is  driving  at.  Discussion  and 
explanation  have  afforded  no  worthwhile  clari- 
fication— and  are  not  likely  to.  One  party 
is  thinking  only  of  making  motion  pictures 
in  cooperation  with  the  war  effort.  The  other 
party  is  thinking  of  that — and  something 
else. 


AN  illustration  of  the  condition  is  to  be 
had  in  a  Hollywood  dispatch  of  Mr.  Fred 
Stanley  to  Sunday's  New  York  Times  in 
which  it  is  reported  that  the  OWI  has  rebuked 
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer  for  its  manner  of  de- 
picting British  life  in  certain  recent  films.  A 
supposedly  middleclass  setting  was  rated  as 
too  lavish  in  "Mrs.  Miniver."  "Random  Har- 
vest" was  chastized  because  a  scene  showing 
members  of  the  House  of  Commons  at  tea 
on  Westminster  terrace  failed  to  depict  mem- 
bers wearing  baggy  and  unpressed  trousers, 
denim  shirts  open  at  the  neck  and  exposing 
hairy  chests  and  that  sort  of  thing.  An  in- 
dignity to  members  representing  the  Labor 
party  seems  to  have  been  perpetrated.  The 
OWI  also  would  have  us  know  that  the 
appointments  of  Greer  Garson's  home  and  her 
apparel  were  too  upper-class  conscious. 

The  obvious  import  of  this  is  that  the  OWI 
would  have  the  producer  lead  rather  than 
depict  the  social  trend.  That  any  part  of  this 
has  anything  to  do  with  the  war  effort  is 
something  that  could  only  be  tortured  into 


any  reasoned  and  unprejudiced  examination 
of  the  facts. 


K  /  ETRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER  kno|y 
I  V  1  very  much  better  than  the  OWI  what 
is  acceptable  to  the  British  public  in  the  way 
of  depictions  of  social  conditions.  It  has  been 
a  long  time  in  finding  out.  It  has  much  better 
means  to  accomplish  that  purpose.  It  acknowl- 
edges only  a  responsibility  for  public  enter- 
tainment— not  social  reform.  Hence  such 
attentions  on  the  part  of  the  OWI  are  in- 
evitably and  unnecessarily  confusing,  unless 
of  course  the  undisclosed  premise  of  the  OWI 
is  to  use  its  wartime  powers  for  purposes  not 
heretofore  disclosed  in  its  prospectus. 

Advice  as  to  the  acceptability  of  material 
in  the  British  market — if  accurate  and  ger- 
mane— is  useful.  American  pictures  must  be 
so  produced  as  to  insure  popularity  in  the 
British  market,  both  in  the  national  interest 
and  for  commercial  purposes.  Results  of  re- 
cent date  in  these  regards  have  been  far  from 
unsatisfactory.  If  there  have  been  transgres- 
sions against  the  social  consciousness  of  the 
British  public  this  has  not  been  registered  at 
the  box  office.  There  are  no  non-theoretical 
reasons  for  assuming  that  they  have.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  the  recent  British  production, 
"In  Which  We  Serve,"  which  was  outstand- 
ingly successful  in  the  United  Kingdom, 
registered  class  distinctions  beyond  anything 
in  any  recent  American  picture  of  British  life. 
This  facet  of  "In  Which  We  Serve"  com- 
pletely escaped  public  attention  in  this  coun- 
try as  well  as  in  Britain  with  the  exception 
of  the  OWI  and  the  Left-wing  press. 


ANOTHER  part  of  the  OWI  story  is  its 
own  production.  Nothing  much  was  ex- 
pected from  that — and  nothing  has  hap- 
pened which  warrants  revision  of  the  initial 
estimate.  It  is  providing  a  happy  opportunity 
for  inexperienced  experimentation  which  adds 
up  to  no  great  harm  except  that  much  raw 
stock,  which  is  being  purposely  exposed, 
might  better  be  used  in  films  which  would  be 
seen  by  an  audience  and  which  would  be 
impressed  by  them. 

The  motion  picture  division  of  the  OWI 
is  the  Government  agency  nearest  related  to 
the  industry.  The  industry  is  determined  to 
yield  the  greatest  possible  cooperation  to  this 
agency  on  the  war  effort.  It  is  unfortunate 
that  such  cooperation  is  being  made  so  diffi- 
cult. 


Friday,  March  5,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


ANOTHER 
REPUB\-\C 

FAN 
AO  * 


Crescent  Case 
Decision  Seen 
As  Precedent 


The  decision  of  Federal  Judge 
Elmer  Davies  in  the  Government 
anti-trust    suit    against  Crescent 
v%iusement   Co.   and  the  "Little 
-~~?iree"  in  Federal  District  court  at 
Nashville,  which  held  that  Crescent 
and  six  affiliated  theatre  companies 
had  violated  the  Sherman  anti-trust 
act,  may  be  interpreted  as  implying 
that  any  dominant  circuit  is  a  com- 
bination in  restraint  of  trade,  in- 
dustry attorneys  stated  yesterday. 
If  that  interpretation  proves 
to  be  correct,  they  said,  the  de- 
cision will  have  a  vital  effect  on 
all  circuit  film  sales,  it  was 
stated.  Likewise,  attorneys  said, 
if  the  decision  stands,  it  is  re- 
garded as  certain  to  have  a  di- 
rect influence  on  the  decision  in 
the  Momand  anti-trust  action, 
trial  of  which  was  recently  com- 
pleted in  Federal  District  court 
at  Oklahoma  City. 
Attorneys  were  unable  to  say  yes- 
terday whether  appeals  would  be  tak- 
en, due  to  the  fact  that  the  complete 
decision,  findings  of  fact  and  opinion 
had  not  been  received  in  New  York. 
Indications  are  that  appeals  decisions 
will  not  be  made  for  several  weeks. 
Defendants  have  90  days  after  entry 
of  the  judgment  in  which  to  file  ap- 
peals. 

Univ.,  Col.  Dismissed 

Universal  had  been  dismissed  as  a 
defendant  in  the  Crescent  anti-trust 
action  and  Columbia  had  been  dis- 
missed by  Judge  Davies  at  the  close 
of  trial  in  1941.  " 

The  bulk  of  the  Government  com- 
plaint against  United  Artists  was  also 
dismissed  but  the  court  found  that  the 
company  had  been  guilty  of  violations 
in  two  minor  situations ;  one,  by  com- 
bining with  Cumberland  and  Rock- 
wood  Amusement  companies,  Crescent 
affiliates,  and  with  Kermit  Stengel,  as- 
sistant to  Tony  Sudekum,  Crescent 
head,  to  eliminate  independent  theatre 
competition  in  Rogersville,  Tenn.,  and 
also  by  combining  with  Sudekum, 
Louis  Rosenbaum,  manager  of  and 
partner  in  Muscle  Shoals  Theatres  in 
Alabama,  Stengel  and  Rockwood 
Amusement  Co.  to  eliminate  indepen- 
dent theatre  competition  at  Athens, 
Ala. 


Vogel  Wins  Verdict 
Against  E.  B.  Marks 

Federal  Judge  John  C.  Knox 
has  granted  a  decision  in  favor  of 
the  Jerry  Vogel  Music  Co.,  Inc.,  in  a 
suit  by  Edward  B.  Marks  Music 
Corp.,  involving  alleged  copyright  in- 
fringement of  the  song,  "I  Wonder 
Who's  Kissing  Her  Now." 

Joseph  E.  Howard  wrote  the  music 
in  1909,  Will  M.  Hough  and  Frank  R. 
Adams  doing  lyrics,  and  all  three  had 
the  song  copyrighted. 

The  court  held  all  three  collaborated 
on  the  composition  and,  when  the 
copyright  renewal  was  issued,  it  did 
not  remain  in  the  power  of  Howard 
or  his  assignee  to  exclude  Hough  and 
Adams  from  their  rights,  in  authoriz- 
ing publication  by  Vogel.  The  court 
dismissed  the  action. 


Los  Angeles,  March  4. — Following  is  the  text  of  President  Roosevelt's 
message  addressed  to  Walter  Wanger,  as  president  of  the  Academy  of  Motion 
Picture  Arts  &  Sciences,  on  the  occasion  of  the  Academy's  annual  awards 
dinner  here  tonight: 

"I  regret  that  it  is  impossible  for 
me  to  address  by  long  distance  tele- 
phone those  who  are  gathering  with 
you  for  the  annual  Academy  awards 
dinner.  I  do  wish  to  extend  my 
cordial  greetings  and  heartiest  con- 
gratulations. At  no  time  in  the  his- 
tory of  motion  pictures  have  these 
awards  possessed  so  much  signifi 
cance.  Achievement  in  motion  pic- 
tures today  means  much  more  than 
merely  having  attained  the  heights  in 
public  entertainment.  In  total  war, 
motion  pictures,  like  all  other  human 
endeavor,  have  an  important  part  to 
play  in  the  struggle  for  freedom  and 
the  survival  of  democracy.  Those 
who  achieve  highly  in  motion  pic- 
tures at  this  time  have  contributed 
greatly  toward  that  end. 


Vital  War  Instrument 

"It  is  a  matter  of  deep  satisfaction 
to  me,  as  it  must  be  to  you,  that  we 
have  succeeded  in  turning  the  tre- 
mendous power  of  the  motion  picture 
into  an  effective  war  instrument  with- 
out the  slightest  resort  to  the  totali- 
tarian methods  of  our  enemies.  We 
have  preserved,  and  shall  continue  to 
perserve,  the  right  of  free  expression 
which  is  so  distinctly  the  mark  of  the 
democratic  way  of  life.  We  are  able 
to  do  this  by  voluntary  cooperation 
of  the  motion  picture  industry  and  the 
Government  because  all  of  us  have  a 
common  goal  of  our  own  free  choice. 

Stake  in  Victory 

"In  the  months  to  come  word  condi- 
tions may  cause  the  motion  picture 
industry  to  play  an  even  larger  part 
in  the  war  against  Axis  tyranny.  I 
know  that  the  responsibility  this  pre- 
sents will  be  cheerfully  and  completely 
fulfilled,  because  no  one  has  a  greater 
stake  in  victory  than  you  whose  pro- 
fession is  so  bound  up  with  the  main- 
tenance of  the  American  tradition  of 
free  communications.  I  know  that  you 
will  give  as  generously  of  your  time, 
your  intelligence  and  your  effort  as 
you  have  during  the  first  15  months 
of  the  war. 

"There  has  never  been  a  time  when 
the  work  of  your  Academy  in  foster- 
ing the  fullest  development  of  your 
industry  could  play  so  large  a  part 
in  the  life  of  the  nation.  I  know  that 
you  will  not  fail  the  American  people 
and  the  cause  of  Democracy." 


Copper  Salvage  Fund 
Given  to  Red  Cross 

Des  Moines,  March  4. — More  than 
$1,000  has  been  received  by  the  WAC 
from  the  sale  of  copper  and  brass 
turned  in  by  approximately  half  of  the 
theatres  in  Iowa.  The  funds  will  be 
turned  over  to  the  Red  Cross,  A.  H. 
Blank,  head  of  Tri-States  Theatre 
Corp.  and  chairman  of  Iowa  an^ 
Nebraska  WAC  announced. 


Rank  Dinner  in  London 

London,  March  4. — The  British 
Film  Producers  Association  today  fet- 
ed J.  Arthur  Rank,  its  newly  elected 
president,  with  trade  press  represen- 
tatives present. 


W.B.  Donates 
50,000  to 

'43  Red  Cross 


Warner  Bros,  yesterday  made  a 
$50,000  corporate  contribution  to  the 
1943  Red  Cross  War  Fund  of  New 
York  City  on  behalf  of  the  parent 
company  and  subsidiaries,  N.  Peter 
Rathvon,  chairman  of  the  motion  pic- 
ture industry  division  for  the  campaign 
in  New  York  City,  announced.  Barney 
Balaban  is  national  chairman  of  the 
drive. 

Rathvon  stated  that  heads  of  com- 
panies who  returned  East  from  recent 
Coast  meetings  of  industry  heads  will 
take  up  the  mater  of  contributions  to 
the  Red  Cross  War  Fund  with  their 
board  of  directors  at  the  earliest  pos- 
sible moment.  Major  companies,  he 
added,  will  allocate  their  donations 
to  the  communities  in  which  they  op- 
erate. 

The  amount  donated  by  Warners  is 
double  that  of  last  year,  it  was  an- 
nounced, and  is  the  first  corporate 
contribution  in  this  year's  drive. 


Theatres,  Exchanges 
Held  Non-Essential 

Washington,  March  4. — Motion 
picture  exhibition  is  considered  to  be 
in  the  field  of  retail  distribution,  in 
which  no  jobs  are  being  classified  as 
essential,  it  was  said  today  by  War 
Manpower  Commission  officials  in  ex- 
planation of  a  refusal  to  consider  a 
request  from  the  IATSE  for  classifi- 
cation of  projectionists. 

A  commission  spokesman  said  the 
IATSE  letter  was  one  of  100  letters 
and  some  40  telegrams  a  day  received 
by  the  WMC,  which  are  not  con- 
sidered formal  applications  but  are 
turned  over  to  its  esential-activities 
committee  for  preliminary  considera- 
tion. That  committee,  he  said,  ad- 
vised the  union  that  exhibition  is 
considered  to  be  in  the  distributive 
group. 

If  the  IATSE  desires,  he  added,  it 
can  appeal  the  committee's  action  to 
a  board  composed  equally  of  WMC 
men  and  representatives  of  industry. 

No  further  listings  of  essential  ac- 
tivities are  in  prospect  for  the  imme- 
diate future.  Stress  now  is  being  laid 
upon  the  listings  of  non-essential  jobs, 
the  first  of  which  was  issued  last 
month  and  another  is  expected  to  be 
released  in  the  near  future. 


McNutt-WAC  Meeting 
Report  to  Exhibitors 

A  report  covering  the  recent  meet- 
ing of  the  Theatres  division  of  the 
War  Activities  Committee  with  Paul 
V.  McNutt,  War  Manpower  Com- 
missioner, has  been  sent  to  exhibitors 
by  S.  H.  Fabian,  chairman  of  the 
WAC  Theatre*  Division.  The  state- 
ment informs  exhibitors  of  the  rights 
of  theatre  employes  under  the  man- 
power and  selective  service  rules. 


BIG  PICTURE 

"I    THE  KING 
LtTH£  COWBOY* 
v5  ON  THE 
\NAV  IN 
UPMOST 
INCITING 


in  a  picture  as  big 
as  its  mighty  set- 
ting— filled  with 
action,  laughter 
and  song! 


and  SMILEY  BURNETTEin 

IDAHO 


with  BOB  NOLAN  AND 
THE  SONS  OF  THE  PIONEERS 

VIRGINIA  GREY  •  HARRY  J.  SHANNON 
ONA  MUNSON  •  DICK  PURCEU  and 
THE  ROBERT  MITCHELL  BOVCHOIR 

Associate  Producer-Director  I0SEPH  KANE 
Ordinal  screen  play  by  BOY  CHANSLOfi 
and  OLIVE  COOPER 
BUY  WAR  BONDS  AND  STAMPS 


It's  a 

REPUBLIC  PICTURE 


8 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Friday,  March  5,  1943 


Film  Companies  Use 
More  Advertising  on 
Radio,  Survey  Shows 


By  LUCILLE  GREENBERG 

Use  of  radio  by  RKO  to  promote 
"Hitler's  Children"  for  Cincinnati  and 
New  York  openings  and  arrangements 
with  the  Yankee  Network  in  connec- 
tion with  the  film's  Boston  premiere 
have  caused  more  serious^  considera 
tion  of  the  airways  as  an  advertising 
media  for  motion  pictures,  according 
to  a  Motion  Picture  Daily  survey. 

In  connection  with  this,  time  sales 
men  are  experiencing  warmer  recep 
tions^  from  film  companies,  it  is  said. 
Up  to  now  time  buying  by  the  indus- 
try has  been  on  an  irregular  basis 
with  the  companies  running  broadcast- 
ing campaigns  for  individual  product 
With  the  exception  of  the  M-G-M 
program  on  the  Blue  Network,  Loew's 
news  periods  on  WHN  and  Skouras 
Theatres  shows  on  WINS,  there  have 
been  few  term  contracts.  The  Rivoli 
Theatre  also  has  a  15-minute  musi- 
cal program  each  Sunday  over 
WINS. 

Radio  Helps  Films 

It  is  generally  felt  that  many  pic 
tures  have  benefited  because  of  radio 
advertising.  Radio  officials  also  state 
that  continued  exploitation  of  a  prod 
uct  over  the  air  during  and  after  the 
first  run  would  be  of  considerable 
help  to  neighborhood  theatres. 

References  to  films  over  the  radio 
is  not  limited  only  to  bought  time 
since  stations  such  as  WMCA,  WHN, 
WNEW  and  WJZ  and  WOR  men- 
tion product  in  special  Hollywood 
programs  or  interviews  on  daytime 
programs,  or  both.  WINS  had  an 
interview  program  until  recently  and 
will  probably  inaugurate  another  one 
soon. 


Bausch-Lomb  Net 
$l,195f41S  in  1942 

Rochester.  March  4.— Bausch  and 
Lomb  Optical  Co.,  in  its  annual  state- 
ment, reported  net  earnings  of  $1,- 
195,416,  equal  after  preferred  divi- 
dends to  $2.28  per  share  on  the  out- 
standing common  stock,  for  the  year 
ended  Dec.  31,  1942. 


Dunphy  to  Gov't: 
'Hands  Off  Duals' 

Washington,  March  4.— The 
double  feature  is  a  "very  con- 
troversial" trade  issue  not 
brought  about  by  the  war,  and 
the  Government  should  not 
attempt  to  deal  with  that  sit- 
uation, WPB  officials  were 
warned  in  a  report  submitted 
by  C.  J.  Dunphy,  former  chief 
of  the  amusement  section. 

He  pointed  out  that  theatre 
owners  have  done  more  than 
has  been  asked  of  them  by  the 
Government,  while  film  pro- 
ducers are  covered  by  the  raw 
stock  allocation  order  of  WPB. 
Dunphy  wrote  the  report 
after  a  two-month  survey  in 
the  course  of  which  leaders  of 
the  industry  and  editors  of 
leading  trade  papers  were 
contacted. 


Off  the  Antenna 


CONTINUING  increase  in  radio's  available  audience  was  reported  by  C.  E. 
Hooper  in  conjunction  with  the  company's  second  February  evening 
ratings  about.  It  is  stated  that  a  check  on  persons  "at  home  and  awake" 
showed  a  noticeable  increase  in  1942  over  1941  with  the  exception  of  one 
month  and  that  1943  figures  are  even  higher  to  date.  Bob  Hope  was  once 
more  in  the  lead  for  the  First  IS  in  program  ratings. 

•  •  * 

Purely  Personal:  Jack  Benny,  it  is  reported,  has  been  ordered  to  rest  by 
his  doctors  and  mill  be  replaced  this  week  by  Burns  and  Allen  from  New 
York  and  for  the  next  two  Sundays  by  Orson  Welles  from  Hollywood.  .  .  . 
Marcella  Garvin,  head  of  the  Blue's  script  routing  division,  zms  married  re- 
cently to  Lieut.  E.  V.  Bergstrom,  U.  S.  N.  .  .  .  Carey  Longmire,  NBC  com- 
mentator in  Washington,  announces  the  birth  of  at  daughter  on  Wednesday. 
.  .  .  Art  Brown  returns  to  the  air  on  Sunday  from  WOL,  Washington,  after 
a  tzvo  weeks'  illness. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Phil  Baker  moves  his  CBS  quiz  show,  "Take  It  Or 
Leave  It,"  to  KNX,  Hollywood,  on  March  14  .  .  .  WOR  will  carry  the 
ceremonies  of  the  presentation  of  the  first  Alfred  I.  Dupont  Radio 
Commenators'  Award  tomorrow  night .  .  .  J.  B.  Williams  Co.  has  renewed 
"True  or  False"  effective  April  5  on  the  Blue  with  increased  coverage 
of  83  stations  .  .  .  Mutual  will  broadcast  proceedings  from  the  Red 
Cross  Blood  Donor  Center  on  Wednesday  when  members  of  the  Sports 
Broadcasters  Association  will  donate  their  blood  .  .  .  WHOM,  in  co- 
operation with  the  College  of  the  City  of  New  York,  will  present  two 
series  of  17  German  language  education  programs  illustrating  the 
democratic  way  of  life  starting  on  Sunday. 


Files  on  Clearance; 
Dismissal  in  Illinois 


An  arbitration  complaint  seeking  the 
elimination  of  all  clearance  granted  by 
Paramount  and  Loew's  to  Loew's  Val- 
encia, Jamaica,  over  the  Bay  Shore 
and  Regent,  Bay  Shore ;  the  Babyon, 
Babylon ;  Amityville,  Amityville,  and 
Sayville,  Sayville,  was  filed  in  New 
York  yesterday  by  Associated  Play- 
houses, Inc. 

The  complaint  charged  that  the 
seven  days'  clearance  of  the  Valen- 
cia over  all  of  plaintiff's  theatres  ex- 
cept the  two  Bay  Shore  houses  and 
one  day  over  those  from  Sept.  15  to 
June  15  is  unreasonable  as  to  time 
and  area. 

The  clearance  complaint  of  the 
Annetta  Theatre,  Cicero,  111.,  against 
the  five  consenting  companies  and  the 
Villas  and  Palace,  Cicero,  filed  in 
November,  1941,  was  withdrawn  and 
dismissed  by  stipulation  of  the  par- 
ties yesterday,  it  was  announced. 


Gary  Case  Dismissed 

Chicago,  March  4.— The  clearance 
complaint  of  the  Gary  Theatre  Co., 
operator  of  the  Palace,  Gary,  Ind., 
has  been  dismissed  at  the  local  arbitra- 
tion tribunal  by  Benjamin  Wham,  ar- 
bitrator. 


Sacramento  House  Files 

Robert  P.  Lippert,  operator  of  the 
Liberty,  Sacramento,  Calif.,  has  filed 
clearance  complaint  at  the  San 
Francisco  tribunal  against  RKO, 
Paramount  and  Vitagraph  which 
charges  that  unreasonable  clearance  is 
granted  the  Senator,  Alhambra,  and 
Capitol,  first  runs,  and  the  Fox  Hip- 
podrome and  Rio,  subsequent  runs,  re- 
sulting in  unduly  delaying  availability 
for  the  Liberty. 


Managers-Shuberts 
Settlement  Expected 

Settlement  of  the  threatened  strike 
by  the  Association  of  Theatrical 
Agents  and  Managers  against  the 
Shuberts  in  New  York  and  elsewhere 
appeared  likely  as  the  union's  board  of 
governors  approved  contracts  offered 
by  J.  J.  Shubert. 


Correa  to  Continue 
Racketeering  Probe 

U.  S.  Attorney  Mathias  F.  Cor- 
rea yesterday  on  his  return  from  a 
seven-week  inspection  tour  of  Alaska 
stated  that  he  will  continue  the  in- 
vestigation of  alleged  racketeering 
within  the  motion  picture  industry 
which  occupied  the  attention  of  a  spe- 
cial Federal  Grand  Jury  for  about  two 
years. 


1-Day  Closing  Order 
Rescinded  in  Conn. 

New  Haven,  March  4.— Gov. 
Baldwin  today  rescinded  the 
order  to  close  theatres  one 
day  a  week  which  went  into 
effect  five  weeks  ago  because 
of  the  serious  shortage  of  fuel 
oil  to  heat  buildings.  Starting 
next  week,  motion  picture 
houses  throughout  Connect! 
cut  will  go  back  to  a  fu 
seven-day  schedule,  it  was  r 
ported.  An  estimated  10  pe 
cent  loss  in  business  had  re 
suited  from  the  one-day  clos- 
ing order,  managers  reported. 


Eight  Film  Stocks 
Reach  New  Highs 


Eight  motion  picture  stocks  reached 
new  highs  yesterday. 

Columbia  common  and  preferred  is- 
sues were  up  fractionally  to  close  at 
new  highs  of  W/&  and  35lA,  respec- 
tively. Consolidated  Film  preferred 
closed  at  12J4,  fractionally  above  its 
previous  high.  Loew's  was  up  ^  of  a 
point  to  a  new  high  of  4Sys.  Para- 
mount common  was  up  fractionally, 
closing  at  a  new  high  of  20^,  while 
the  first  preferred  shares  called  for 
redemption  rose  eight  points  to  a  new 
high  of  144,  and  the  uncalled  preferred 
was  up  2%  points  to  a  new  high  of 
14034.  RKO  common  gained  frac- 
tionally to  close  at  a  new  high  of  554, 
while  20th  Century-Fox  common  set 
a  new  high  of  16J4. 


IS  A  WARNER 
KIND  OF  SMASH! 

The  "air  force"  of  WHN  is  an 

ODYSSEY  OF  EFFECTIVE  ADVERTISING 

Stars  of  this  picture  are  all  the  major  motion  picture 
companies  who  use  the  air  force  of  station  WHNr 
New  York. 

The  story  is  that  of  radio's  spectacular  success  in  sell- 
ing pictures,  promoting  stars  and  lending  added  pres- 
tige to  productions.  It  points  to  a  flying-fortress  job  of 
promoting  films. 

High  spot  in  the  picture  is  the  story  of  station  WHNfS 
well-directed  programs,  backed  by  50,000  well-directed 
watts.  These  programs  blanket  New  York,  New  Jersey 
and  New  England. 

Exhibitors  in  this  area  count  heavily  on  increased  busi- 
ness WHN  brings  them,  and  they  agree  that  advertising 
direction,  like  picture  direction,  gets  power  from  sus- 
tained action. 

The  air  force  of  station  WHN  makes  a  beautiful 
scenario  of  your  financial 
statements! 

50,000  WATTS 

1540    BROAD  WAY 

Chicago  Office:  360  N.  Michigan  Ave. 


DO  NOT  REMOVE 


to  the 
Picture 
Industry 


tion 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


53.  NO.  44 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  MONDAY,  MARCH  8,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


District  Heads 
Named  for  '43 
RedCrossFund 


Selections  for  Theatres 
Drive  April  1-7 

Thirty-five  theatre  men  in  key  cities 
throughout  the  country  have  been 
named  district  chairmen  for  the  in- 
dustry's Red  Cross  drive  to  be  ob- 
served in  the  nation's  theatres  from 
April  1  to  7,  the  national  committee, 
of  which  Barney  Balaban  is  chairman, 
announced  over  the  weekend. 

The  chairmen  will  head  local  com- 
mittees which  will  be  charged  with 
conducting  the  campaign  in  their  cit- 
ies, including  the  obtaining  of  pledges 
for  audience  collections  and  publiciz- 
ing the  drive  locally.  Following  are 
the  district  chairmen  appointed : 

Albany,  Lou  Golding ;  Atlanta, 
William  K.  Jenkins  and  Oscar  C. 
Lam;  Boston,  M.  J.  Mullin;  Buffalo, 
A.  Charles  Hayman ;  Charlotte,  H.  F. 
Kincey  ;  Chicago,  Edwin  Silverman  ; 
Cincinnati,  Ike  Libson ;  Cleveland, 
{.Continued  on  page  12) 


Senate  Group  Waits 
Petrillo  Ban  Moves 


Washington,  March  7. — Hopeful 
still  of  a  satisfactory  settlement  of  the 
controversy  over  the  ban  on  record 
production  imposed  by  James  C.  Pe- 
trillo, president  of  the  American  Fed- 
eration of  Musicians,  Senator  D. 
Worth  Clark  of  Idaho,  chairman  of 
the  committee  investigating  Petrillo's 
activities,  said  tonight  that  the  probe 
will  remain  suspended  until  peace  is 

(.Continued,  on  page  5) 


Allied  Opposed  to 
All-inclusive  Unit 

Independent  exhibitors 
should  form  a  single  national 
organization  before  "risking" 
any  association  with  affiliated 
theatres,  Abram  F.  Myers, 
Allied  States  chairman,  stated 
over  the  weekend  in  a  report 
made  for  the  Allied  board  of 
directors  on  current  proposals 
for  an  all-inclusive  exhibitor 
association. 

Failure  of  the  major  com- 
panies to  cooperate  through 
their  distribution  departments 
in  Umpi,  Myers  states,  leaves 
"no  reason  to  suppose  that 
they  will  cooperate  through 
their  theatre  departments." 


Loew's  1st  Quarter 
Net  Is  $2,449,056: 
Taxes  $3,201,361 


Net  profit  of  $2,449,056  was  report- 
ed by  Loew's,  Inc.,  on  Friday  for  the 
first  quarter,  ended  Nov.  26,  1942,  of 
the  company's  current  fiscal  year. 
The  result  compares  with  net  of 
$2,627,145  for  the  corresponding 
quarter  of  the  previous  fiscal  year. 

The  company's  share  of  operating 
profit  for  the  quarter  after  subsid- 
iaries' preferred  dividends  amounted 
to  $7,392,457  this  year,  compared  with 
$5,778,132  in  the  first  quarter  of  the 
preceding  year.  Reserve  for  contin- 
gencies and  depreciation  amounted  to 
$1,742,040  in  the  current  year's  quar- 
ter, which  was  approximately  the 
same  as  in  the  preceding  year's  first 
quarter.  Reserve  for  Federal  taxes 
was  $3,201,361  in  the  1942  quarter, 
compared  with  $1,414,617  the  year 
before. 


Consol.  Film's  1942 
Net  Equals  $504,351 


Net  income  of  $504,351  for  1942 
was  reported  by  Consolidated  Film 
Industries,  Inc.,  on  Friday,  compared 
with  net  of  $513,451  for  the  preceding 
year. 

The  company's  annual  report  showed 
net  sales  of  $6,700,358  for  1942,  and 
costs  of  $6,183,793,  with  miscellaneous 
income  of  $396,858.  Provision  for 
Federal  taxes  was  $330,000.   The  con- 

(Continued  on  page  12) 


Springfield  Theatre 
Ads  Indecent:  Mayor 

Springfield,  Mass.,  March  7. 
— Motion  picture  theatre  ad- 
vertisements in  the  local  press 
were  singled  out  by  Mayor 
Roger  L.  Putnam  as  "sala- 
cious" as  he  outlined  what 
must  go  on  in  an  all-out  "de- 
cency campaign."  He  ordered 
the  police  department  to  take 
prompt  action  against  viola- 
tors of  good  taste  and  said 
that  film  ads  in  local  papers 
not  only  had  art  work  that 
was  indecent  but  also  used 
"suggestive"  copy. 


Springfield,  Mass.,  March  7. 
—  Theatremen  here  will  ap- 
pear before  the  city  council 
March  15  to  continue  their 
fight  to  prevent  the  rental  of 
the  Municipal  Auditorium  for 
Sunday  vaudeville  shows. 


To  Study  British 
Film  Distribution 


London,  March  7. — A  committee  of 
the  British  Producers  Association  was 
named  at  the  organization's  meeting- 
late  last  week  to  make  a  study  of  the 
distribution  of  British  films  abroad. 
At  the  suggestion'  of  Michael  Balcon, 
the  committee  will  explore  the  sub- 
ject and  report  back  to  the  associ- 
ation. 

It  was  decided  to  grant  admittance 
to  representatives  of  the  press  at  fu- 
ture meetings  of  the  Producers'  Asso- 
ciation. 


Distributors  Win  2  Appeal 
Board  Arbitration  Ru  lings 


Distributor  respondents  in  two  arbi- 
tration complaints  were  upheld  in  de- 
cisions handed  down  by  the  appeal 
board  over  the  weekend. 

In  one,  the  designated  run  complaint 
of  Menasha  Theatre  Realty  Co.,  op- 
erator of  the  Brin,  Milwaukee,  against 
all  five  consenting  companies,  the  ap- 
peal board  rebuked  the  arbitrator, 
Thomas  A.  Byrne,  for  reopening  the 
hearing  at  the  complainant's  request 
after  the  case  had  been  dismissed. 

In  the  second  case,  the  appeal  board 
reversed  an  arbitrator  at  the  St.  Louis 
tribunal  who  directed  in  the  clear- 
ance complaint  of  Victor  Thien,  op- 
erator of  the  Palm,  that  Loew's  re- 
duce the  seven  days  clearance  of  the 
Will  Rogers  over  the  Palm  to  four 
days.  The  board  held  that  the  seven 
days  clearance  is  not  unreasonable  in 


view  of  the  operating  policies,  admis- 
sion scales  and  amount  of  revenue 
returned  by  the  Will  Rogers  to 
Loew's.  The  arbitrator's  award  had 
been  appealed  by  both  the  complain- 
ant, who  sought  a  further  reduction 
of  the  clearance,  and  the  intervenor. 

In  the  Milwaukee  case  the  appeal 
board  said  "After  dismissing  the  com- 
plaint, the  arbitrator,  on  application 
of  complainant,  reopened  the  proceed- 
ing notwithstanding  the  existence  'Qf 
an  entirely  adequate  reason  for  the 
dismissal  as  to  which  he  apparently 
entertained  no  doubt,  in  the  belief  that 
it  was  nevertheless  incumbent  upon 
him  to  make  a  specific  finding  on  each 
of  the  matters  specified  in  Section  10 
of  the  decree  on  which  an  arbitra- 
tor is  required  to  make  affirmative 
(Continued  on  Page  12) 


Doubt  Appeal 
On  Crescent 
Trust  Verdict 


Lawyers  See  Slim  Chance 
Of  High  Court  Hearing 

Doubt  as  to  the  advisability  of  es- 
saying an  appeal  of  the  Crescent 
Circuit   decision   filed   in  Federal 
court  at  Nashville  late  last  week 
was  expressed  by  industry  attorneys 
here  over  the  weekend  following-  a 
study  of  the  first  copies  of  the  rul- 
ing to  be  received  in  New  York. 
Virtually   all   attorneys  who 
read  the  ruling  expressed  the 
belief  that  even  if  an  appeal 
were    to    be    attempted  the 
chances  of  the  U.  S.  Supreme 
Court  agreeing  to  hear  it  would 
be  "extremely  slim." 
Attorneys  expressed  the  view  that 
the  decree  directing  the  disposal  of 
interlocking  interests  and  the  disas- 
sociation  of  officers  of  the  Crescent 
Co.  and  the  six  affiliated  companies 
which  were  found  guilty  of  violating 
the  anti-trust  laws  by  Federal  Judge 
Davies  is  not  severe  and  will  not  be 
difficult  to  accomplish.    The  view  is 
widespread  in  industry  legal  circles 
(Continued  on  page  12) 

Company  Heads  to 
Attend  Coe  Lunch 


Leading  industry  executives  will  at- 
tend the  luncheon  of  the  Sales  Execu- 
tives Club  of  New  York  in  the  grand 
ballroom  of  the  Hotel  Roosevelt  to- 
morrow at  which  Charles  F.  Coe, 
vice-president  and  general  counsel  of 
the  MPPDA,  will  make  another  of  a 
series  of  public  addresses  on  the  in- 
dustry's wartime  activities. 

Arrong  those  who  have  made  re- 
servations for  the  luncheon  are : 
Nicholas  M.  Schenck,  Barney  Bala- 
6an,  Spyros  Skouras,  N.  Peter  Rath- 
von,  Charles  D.  Prutzman,  J.  J, 
O'Connor,  Edward  C.  Raftery,  Jack 
Cohn,  Joseph  Hazen,  George  J. 
(Continued  on  page  12) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Review  of  "Hit  Parade  of 
1943,"  Page  12.  Key  city  box- 
office  reports,  Page  5.  Holly- 
wood production  notes,  Page  5. 
Short  subject  reviews,  Page  10. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  8,  1943 


N.  Y.  Mecca  Temple 
Conversion  Sought 

Conversion  of  the  Mecca 
Temple  into  a  center  for 
presentation  of  opera,  con- 
certs, ballets  and  plays  at 
popular  prices  was  considered 
at  a  meeting  on  Friday  night 
in  Mayor  LaGuardia's  office 
of  a  committee  representing 
those  fields  of  art.  The  build- 
ing was  acquired  by  the  city 
at  a  tax  foreclosure  in  Sep- 
tember. Further  consideration 
of  the  plan  is  expected  this 
week. 


Personal  Mention 


High  Officials  Attend 
'Air  Force9  Premiere 

Washington,  March  7. — High  of- 
ficials of  the  Army,  Navy,  judicial  and 
administrative  branches  of  the  govern- 
ment attended  the  twin  opening  of 
Warner  Bros.  "Air  Force"  on  Friday 
night  at  the  Earle  and  Ambassador 
Theatres,  highlighting  theatre  activity 
here.  A  half-hour  coast-to-coast  pro- 
gram was  broadcast  over  the  Blue 
from  the  Earle  Theatre  prior  to  the 
opening. 

Three  more  special  openings  of  the 
film  are  scheduled  for  March  11  in 
Tampa,  Seattle  and  Wichita,  the  com- 
pany announced.  Mayor  R.  E.  Chan- 
cey  of  Tampa  has  proclaimed  an  "Air 
Force  Week"  to  coincide  with  the 
opening  of  the  picture.  In  Wichita, 
the  premiere  will  be  held  to  raise 
$250,000  in  war  bonds  to  defray  ex- 
penses of  a  flying  fortress.  The  com- 
pany has  invited  Governor  Langley  of 
Washington  to  attend  the  Seattle 
opening. 

$12,000 DamageinFire 
At  Schine  Home-Office 

Gloversville,  March  7. — Schine 
home  office  employes  were  forced  to 
flee  Saturday  when  fire  which  started 
in  the  attic  did  damage  estimated  at 
$12,000.  Valuable  records  were  lost, 
and  water  damaged  stores  in  the  en- 
tire Schine  block.  The  blaze  burned 
for  some  time  in  the  building  loft 
before  breaking  through  the  ceilings 
into  the  offices  below. 

Water  released  by  the  sprinkler  sys- 
tem and  from  firemen's  hoses  poured 
into  ground  floor  establishments,  in- 
cluding the  Western  Union  office.  Re- 
pairs were  started  at  once,  and  L.  W. 
Schine  said  the  offices  would  reopen 
as  usual  Monday. 

Leon&Eddie's-AGVA 
Negotiations  Collapse 

Negotiations  between  the  American 
Guild  of  Variety  Artists  and  Leon 
and  Eddie's  night  club,  which  seemed 
near  settlement  early  last  week,  broke 
down  completely  by  the  weekend.  Ac- 
cording to  Matt  Shelvey,  AGVA  di- 
rector, agreement  has  been  reached 
on  all  terms  except  the  granting  of 
amnesty  to  performers  who  have 
played  at  the  club  since  the  start  of 
the  strike.  The  union,  it  is  said,  re- 
fuses to  grant  that  provision. 


Ted  Tod's  Mother  Dies 

Chicago,  March  7. — Funeral  serv- 
ices for  the  mother  of  Ted  Tod,  War- 
ner field  representative  in  this  terri- 
tory, will  be  held  here  tomorrow,  it 
was  announced. 


BARNEY  BALABAN,  Paramount 
president,   will   arrive  from  the 
Coast  today. 

• 

Ben   Kalmenson   is   en.  route  to 
New  York  from  the  Coast.    He  is 
stopping  over  in  Kansas  City. 
• 

Francis  Harmon  left  California 
Saturday  for  New  York. 

• 

Lowell  Mellett  was  due  in  Wash- 
ington today. 

• 

Mort  Blumenstock  and  Samuel 
Schneider  are  due  from  the  Coast 
today. 

• 

Nomran  Moray  will  return  to  New 
York  today  for  a  few  days  before  re- 
suming a  field  trip. 

• 

E.  T.  Gomersall,  Universal  divi- 
sion manager,  is  on  a  tour  of  Mid- 
western branches.  F.  J.  A.  McCar- 
thy, Southern  and  Canadian  manager, 
will  leave  today  for  a  tour  of  South- 
ern branches. 

• 

Josephine  Canney,  information 
clerk  at  the  20th  Century-Fox  Des 
Moines  office,  was  married  to  Perry 
Gilbrech,  stationed  at  Great  Lakes 
Naval  Training  Station. 


Suit  Against  Chaplin 
By  Bercovici  Shifted 

Charles  Chaplin  yesterday  won  a 
motion  to  have  a  five  million  dollar 
damage  action  brought  against  him 
by  Konrad  Bercovici,  in  which  the 
latter  claims  he  gave  Chaplin  the  idea 
for  the  film,  "The  Great  Dictator," 
transferred  from  the  jury  to  the  non- 
jury calender  of  Federal  Court.  The 
motion  was  granted  by  Federal  Judge 
bimon  Rifkind. 

Relief  Fund  Shares 
'Canteen'  Receipts 

Hollywood,  March  7. — The  Motion 
Picture  Relief  Fund  will  receive  10 
per  cent  of  the  profits  above  $250,000 
from  Sol  Lesser's  production,  "Stage 
Door  Canteen,"  to  be  distributed  by 
United  Artists.  The  organization's 
share  of  profits  will  be  earmarked  for 
the  relief  and  rehabilitation  of  film 
personnel  on  their  return  from  war 
service. 


Van  Dyke  Will  Left 
More  than  $500,000 

Los  Angeles,  March  7. — The  will 
of  Major  W.  S.  Van  Dyke,  probated 
last  week,  leaves  more  than  $500,000 
in  trust  for  the  widow  and  three  chil- 
dren. Mabel  Walker  Willebrandt  was 
named  executrix  and  trustee. 


Luncheon  for  Brown 

The  International  Department  of 
M-G-M  gave  a  luncheon  Friday  to 
Clarence  Brown,  producer  and  direc- 
tor of  "The  Human  Comedy"  which 
was  attended  by  local  representatives 
of  the  foreign  press. 

Home  office  men  present  were : 
David  Blum,  Henry  Krecke,  William 
Meniker  and  Joseph  Rosthal.  Brown 
returned  to  the  Coast  Friday. 


ABE  LASTFOGEL,  head  of  USO- 
Camp  Shows,  is  en  route  to  the 
Coast  for  a  visit  of  several  weeks. 
• 

Mayo  Beatty,  former  Warner 
salesman  at  Des  Moines,  has  been  re- 
leased from  Army  service  and  has  re- 
turned to  that  city. 

• 

Maurice  Streletsky,  former  man- 
ager of  the  M  &  P  Egyptian,  Brigh- 
ton, Mass.,  will  be  inducted  into  the 
Army  this  month. 

• 

Martha  Kaplan,  secretary  to  Ar- 
thur Sachson,  Warner  assistant 
general  sales  manager,  was  married 
yesterday.  On  Friday  she  was  guest 
of  honor  at  a  luncheon  at  the  Hotel 
Edison. 

Bee  W.  Benson,  manager  of  Tri- 
States  Eastern  Theatres,  Des  Moines, 
has  been  inducted  into  the  Army. 
• 

Jerome  J.  Cohen,  head  of  the  Je- 
rome J.  Cohen,  Inc.,  Insurance  Serv- 
ice, celebrates  his  birthday  today. 
• 

Jules  J.  Rubens  has  returned  to 
his  Chicago  office  after  two  weeks' 
illness. 


Sir  Thomas  Beecham 
Sues  His  Recorders 

Sir  Thomas  Beecham,  British  or- 
chestra conductor  now  in  this  coun- 
try, filed  suit  in  New  York  Supreme 
Court  on  Friday  seeking  $600,000  in 
damages  against  the  Columbia  Record- 
ing Corp.  and  an  injunction  to  re- 
strain the  company  from  manufactur- 
ing and  selling  certain  recordings 
made  by  him  with  the  New  York 
Philharmonic. 

The  British  conductor  contends  that 
the  recordings  were  "imperfect"  and 
below  the  standards  of  his  previous 
British  records. 

Goldwyn  Dissolves 
Firm  Incorporation 

Albany,  March  7. — Dissolution  of 
Samuel  Goldwyn,  Inc.,  originally  in- 
corporated on  papers  filed  by  the  law 
firm  of  Olvany,  Eisner  and  Donnelly, 
was  reported  by  Thomas  J.  Curran, 
Secretary  of  State.  According  to  Mr. 
Goldwyn's  attorneys,  he  was  the  sole 
stockholder  and  will  continue  the  busi- 
ness unincorporated. 


Upstate  Booth  Bill 

Rochester,  March  7. — A  proposal 
that  an  ordinance  be  adopted  requir- 
ing theaters  at  nearby  Hornell  to  have 
an  operator  for  each  motion  picture 
machine  is  being  studied  by  the  Hor- 
nell Common  Council,  and  a  decision 
is  expected  soon.  William  C.  Switzer 
of  the  Hornell  operators  union  is 
backing  the  ordinance. 


Honor  Lieut.  Rosen 

New  Haven,  March  7. — Lieutenant 
Samuel  Rosen,  formerly  of  Rosen 
Film  Delivery  System  here,  was  guest 
of  honor  at  a  luncheon  given  by  the 
local  film  and  theatre  industry.  He 
was  on  furlough  from  the  Air  Corps 
depot  at  Gulfport,  Miss. 


Theatre  Line  Remains 
Despite  Mass.  Alert 

Springfield,  Mass.,  March  7. 
— Persons  lined  up  outside  a 
motion  picture  house  here 
during  the  past  week's  state- 
wide blackout  were  permitted 
to  stand  on  line  throughout 
the  alert,  it  was  learned. 

Lt.  Harry  Foley  of  the  OCD 
police,  backed  up  his  men,  sav; 
ing,  "As  long  as  those  on  liA  . 
remained  orderly,  we  let  thft!^ 
stay.  When  the  real  thing 
comes,  we  won't  have  to  tell 
them  to  take  shelter.  They 
will  do  it  by  themselves." 


A.B.F.D.  Gets  Ealing 
Product;  U.A.  Demur 

London,  March  7. — Ealing  Studios 
product,  heretofore  exclusively  dis- 
tributed by  United  Artists,  has  been 
transferred  to  the  recently  reconsti- 
tuted Associated  British  Film  Dis- 
tributors. United  States  distribution 
of  the  product  is  reported  here  to  be 
in  dispute  between  Ealing  and  U.  A. 


Arthur  W.  Kelly,  United  Artists 
vice-president,  stated  that  Ealing  owes 
U.  A.  four  features  on  its  current  dis- 
tribution agreement  with  the  company, 
and  U.  A.  expects  the  agreement  to 
be  fulfilled. 

RKO  Deal  for  Chi. 
Monroe  Abandoned 

Chicago,  March  7. — The  deal  by 
which  RKO  was  to  have  taken  over 
the  Monroe,  Loop  house,  as  a  first  run 
and  move-over  for  the  Palace,  has 
been  abandoned  after  a  brief  trial 
period. 

"Seven  Days  Leave,"  which  had 
been  advertised  as  the  next  first  run 
attraction  was  cancelled  and  the  house 
reverted  at  the  weekend  to  a  second 
run,  double  feature  policy. 


M-G-M  to  Film  F.B.I. 

_  M-G-M  announces  it  will  film  the 
history  of  the  Federal  Bureau  of  In- 
vestigation, including  the  activities  of 
the  Bureau  and  the  work  of  the  FBI 
academy  at  Quantico. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Rann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


rl 

i 

•  • .  just  as  they're  in  good  company 

ioinin,  o Hired  ARTISTS 

Their  first  release  thru  United  Artists: 

•'McLEOD'S  FOLLY" 

A  WILLIAM  CAGNEY  PRODUCTION 

starring  JAMES  CAGNEY 

. . .  latest  honor  to  acclaim 
THE  MOST  HONORED 
PICTURE  OF  THE  YEAR! 

NEW  YORK  FILM  CRITICS'  AWARD— 
The  Best  Picture  of  the  Year! 

NATIONAL  BOARD  OF  REVIEW — 
The  Best  Picture  of  the  Year! 

FREEDOM  HOUSE  AWARD— 
The  Greatest  Achievement  of  1942! 

REDBOOK  MAGAZINE— 
The  Picture  of  the  Month! 

SCHOLASTIC  MAGAZINE— 
Blue  Ribbon  Award! 

PARENTS'  MAGAZINE— 
Gold  Medal! 


In  the  current  READER'S  DIGEST  —  for  millions 
and  millions  and  millions  of  readers! 


Most  Important  Drive  Of  The  War! 
Pledge  now  for  RED  CROSS  WEEK— Apr.  1-7 


Monday,  March  8,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


'Hitler's'  Is 
L.A.  Winner, 
Nice  $63,000 

Los  Angeles,  March  7.  —  RKO's 
"Hitler's  Children"  broke  all  records 
fcvvJtendance  at  the  Pantages  and 
B— Jtfeet  theatres  here,  drawing  $29,- 
000  at  the  former  and  $34,000  at  the 
flatter.  In  addition,  it  set  new  open- 
ing day,  Saturday,  Sunday  and  Mon- 
day marks. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  3 : 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RICO) 

CARTHAY  CIRCLE— (1,518)  (33c-44c-55c- 
75c)    7    days,    3rd    week.     Gross:  $4,000. 
(Average,  $7,452) 
"WhistiWr  m  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

CHINESE^(2,500)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $14,000.    (Average,  $13,500) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 
"Gorilla  Man"  (W.  B.) 

HAWAII— (1,000)  (33c -44c -55c -75c)  7  days, 
7th  week.    Gross:  $4,500.    (Average,  $3,288) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 
"How's  About  It?"  (Univ.) 

HILLSTREET— (2,700)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $34,000.    (Average,  $14,969) 
"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

LOEWS  STATE — (2,500)  (33c-44c-55c-75c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $19,000.    (Average,  $19,523) 
"Hitter's  Children"  (RKO) 
"How's  About  It?"  (Univ.) 

PANTAGES—  (3,000)    (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
Gross:  $29,000.    (Average,  $12,973) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Hollywood)— (1,407)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days,  5th  week.    Gross:  $9,000. 
(Average,  $10,118) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Downtown)— (3,595)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)    7   days,    5th    week.  Gross: 
$15,000.    (Average,  $16,780) 
"Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

RITZi—  (1,376)    (33c-44c-55c-85c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $8,500.    (Average,  $9,400) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (Hollywood)  —  (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)  7  days,  5th  week.  Gross: 
$8,900.     (Average,  $13,291) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (Downtown)— (33c-44c- 
65c-85c)  7  days,  5th  week.     Gross:  $11,600. 
(Average,  $14,356) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (Wiltern)— (2,200)  (33c- 
44c-55c-65c-85c)  7  days,  5th  week.  Gross: 
$8,700.    (Average,  $10,063) 


Notes  from  Hollywood 


By  WILLIAM  R.  WEAVER 

Hollywood,  March  7 

CITIZEN  Orson  Welles  got  himself  a  story  in  the  daily  newspapers, 
plus  picture,  by  going  to  the  Army  Induction  Center,  in  advance  of  call, 
and  submitting  himself  to  a  physical.  He  is  not  the  first  Hollywoodsman 
to  have  found  out  thus  the  probable  duration  of  his  availability  for  service  to 
the  screen,  which  is  useful  information 
to  have  on  hand  when  a  deal  is  being 
brewed,  but  he  is  the  first  to  capitalize 
the  finding  out  in  terms  of  publicity. 
The  second-day  story  in  the  papers  in- 
formed the  public,  which  in  Holly- 
wood includes  prospective  contractors, 
that  Citizen  Welles  is  being  classified 
PB,  wherefore  he'll  be  around  some 
while.  Like  other  firsts  he  has  estab- 
lished, this  one  promises  to  thrive  in 
emulation. 


'Harvest'  Retains 
St.  L.  Lead,  $25,500 


St.  Louis,  March  7.  —  "Random 
Harvest"  in  its  second  week  at  Loew's 
State  continued  to  lead  the  field, 
grossing  $25,500  in  a  week  in  which 
changeable  weather  affected  the  other 
local  theaters.  Estimated  receipts  for 
the  week  ending  March  4 : 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (3,162)  (30c-40c-50c- 
55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $25,500.  (Average. 
$15,000) 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
'Henry  Aldrich  Gets  Glamour  (Para.) 

FOX— (5,038)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$13,500.    (Average,  $15,000) 
("The  Hard  Way"  (W.  B.) 

Great  Impersonation"  (Univ.) 

AMBASSADOR— (3,154)  (30c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:    $12,300.     (Average,  $11,500) 

A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 
LOEW'S  ORPHEUM— (1,900)  (30c-40c-50c) 
;  days.     Gross:    $6,600.     (Average,  $6,000) 
^Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 

MISSOURI— (3,514)   (30c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.     (Average,  $7,000) 
„George  Washington  Slept  Here  (W.  B.) 

Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 
ST.    LOUIS-(4,000)    (35c-40c)    7  days. 
Gross:   $3,850.    (Average,  $4,400) 


Robert  Cummings  and  Betty  Field 
are  to  be  featured  in  the  fourth  and 
final  episode  of  "For  All  We  Know," 
the  Charles  Boyer  Universal  picture, 
which  was  "Flesh  and  Fantasy"  dur- 
ing the  filming  of  the  first  three  pas- 
sages. The  same  studio  has  borrowed 
Joseph  C often  from  David  O.  S els- 
nick  for  the  romantic  lead  opposite 
Deanna  Durbin  in  the  film  tentatively 
titled  "Hers  to  Hold." 


Pandro  Herman's  first  under- 
taking for  Metro-Goldwyn-May- 
er,  on  return  from  New  York, 
will  be  preparation  of  "Dragon 
Seed,"  from  the  Pearl  Buck 
novel,  which  is  scheduled  for 
start  of  production  in  May.  .  .  . 
Twentieth  Century-Fox  has 
added  Mitzi  Mayfair  to  the  cast 
of  "Four  Jills  in  a  Jeep,"  the 
picture  about  the  entertainers 
who  flew  to  North  Africa. 


Joe  Besser,  comedian  on  the  Fred 
Allen  radio  show,  has  been  signed  by 
Columbia  for  a  series  of  musicals,  first 
of  which  will  be  "Jam  Session,"  cast 
to  include  other  talent  from  the  Allen 
program.  .  .  .  Warner  Brothers  has 
added  Jack  Carson,  Eleanor  Parker 
and  Dolores  Moran  to  the  cast  of 
"Night  Shift,"  Ann  Sheridan  vehicle, 
which  Lloyd  Bacon  will  direct  for  pro- 
ducer Benjamin  Glazer. 


The  Hollywood  Victory  Committee 
set  another  new  record  last  weekend, 
sending  65  personalities  and  three 
name  bands  to  the  aid  and  comfort  of 
our  side  in  the  fight  for  victory.  It 
sets  a  new  record  practically  every 
weekend,  not  to  mention  in  between. 
Every  other  organization  in  Holly- 
wood comes  in  for  its  share  of  criti- 
cism and  condemnation,  publicly  or 
privately,  except  the  HVC.  One  col- 
umnist who  stepped  out  in  print  with 
a  blast,  as  it's  called  here,  found  all 
the  other  organisations  and  the  cit- 
izenry on  her  'phone  and  in  her  mail 
for  days  afterward,  blasting  back.  The 
HVC  is  everybody's  business  and, 
contrary  to  the  adage,  everybody  at- 
tends to  it. 


Walt  Disney  assigned  16  mm.  non- 
theatrical  rights  to  "Der  Fuehrer's 
Face"  and  "Education  for  Death"  to 
the  Coordinator  of  Inter-American 
Affairs  for  20  South  American  coun- 
tries. .  .  .  Frank  Fay,  stage  and  radio 


comedian,  is  to  co-star  with  Billy  Gil- 
bert in  a  series  of  four  comedies  for 
Monogram,  with  the  junior  team  of 
Butch  and  Buddy  also  in  the  cast. 


Laura  LaPlante,  Mrs.  Irving 
Asher  in  private  life,  is  return- 
ing to  the  screen  via  an  MGM 
term  contract.  That  studio  has 
also  signed  Gladys  Cooper, 
whose  performance  in  "Now, 
Voyager"  got  her  nominated  for 
an  Academy  Award,  and  as- 
signed her  a  role  in  support  of 
Irene  Dunne  in  "White  Cliffs  of 
Dover,"  which  Clarence  Brown, 
who  produced  and  directed  "The 
Human  Comedy,"  will  handle. 
.  .  .  Columbia  has  tested  George 
Sanders'  father,  74,  for  the  role 
of  George  Sanders'  father,  fic- 
tional, in  "Appointment  in  Ber- 
lin." 


Michelle  Morgan  has  been  cast 
in  the  starring  role  of  "Higher  & 
Higher,"  the  Rodgers-Hart  musical, 
which  Tim  Whelan  will  produce  and 
direct  for  RKO-Radio.  .  .  .  "Look 
Before  You  Leap,"  an  original  by 
John  Wolfenden,  Paramount  publicity 
man,  is  tentatively  scheduled  as  Bob 
Hope's  next  undertaking  for  that  stu- 
dio. It  has  to  do  with  the  adventures 
of  a  shoe  clerk,  following  shoe  ra- 
tioning, and  sounds  like  one  of  the 
ideas  the  OWI  has  been  talking  about 
as  appropriate  for  filming  in  these 
days  of  shortages. 


Twentieth  Century-Fox  has  cast 
Lloyd  Nolan  and  Victor  McLaglen 
as  principals  in  "The  Life  of  Touhy," 
based  on  the  career  of  the  Chicago 
gangster  recently  returned  to  StateS- 
ville  Penitentiary  by  the  FBI,  which 
Lee  Marcus  is  to  produce.  Scenes  for 
the  picture  have  been  shot  at  the  site 
of  the  incarceration,  with  the  warden 
aitd  other  officials  appearing  in  them 
as  themselves.  .  .  .  Warner  Brothers 
have  given  Joan  Leslie,  seen  in  "Ser- 
geant York"  and  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy,"  a  term  contract.  The  studio 
has  also  contracted,  as  a  group,  the 
Ten  Lucky  Stars,  a  girl  unit  to  be 
s'een  in  "Thank  Your  Lucky  Stars." 

Laurel  and  Hardy  are  going  to 
Mexico  City  to  make  "Don  Quixote 
and  Sancho  Panza"  in  Spanish  and 
Portugese  for  Azteca  Studios,  the  film 
to  be  produced  between  the  comedians' 
commitments  to  Metro-Goldwyn-May- 
er  and  Twentieth  Century-Fox,  for 
distribution  in  Latin  America.  A  ver- 
sion in  English  for  distribution  else- 
where may  eventuate.  .  .  .  And  Erich 
Von  Stroheim,  now  working  for 
Paramount,  in  "Five  Graves  to  Cai- 
ro," is  to  go  to  Mexico  to  direct  and 
star  in  a  picture  before  undertaking 
another  commitment  in  Hollywood. 
These  are  the  first  tangibles  in  sup- 
port of  much  conversation  about  im- 
plementing the  hands-across-the-bor- 
der  policy  to  which  the  production 
community  has  subscribed  for  years. 
A  trend  may  develop. 


Mpls.  Grosses  Hot 
In  Week  of  Cold 
'Arabian,' Big  $9,500 


Minneapolis,  March  7. — "Arabian 
Nights"  appeared  headed  for  a  heavy 
$9,500  gross  at  the  Century  in  a  week 
of  good  business  here  despite  record 
low  temperatures  for  early  March. 
Sigmund  Romberg  and  his  orchestra 
and  trio  of  singers  supplanted  films  at 
the  Orpheum  for  two  nights  and 
grossed  $9,600. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  6: 

"China  Girl"  (2<tth-Fox) 

WORLD— (350)  (30c-40c-50c-60c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $2,300.  (Average,  $2,500) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

CENTURY— (1,600)   (30c-40c-50c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $9,500.     (Average,  $7,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

STATE— (2,300)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $9,000.     (Average,  $10,000) 
"Meanest  Mam  in  the  World"  (zflth-Fox) 

ORPHEUM— (2,800)   (30c-40c-50c)  6  days. 

Gross:  $7,500.    (Average,  $8,500) 
"Cairo"  (M-G-M) 

GOPHER  -  (998)  (30c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$3,300.     (Average,  $3,000) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

LYRIC — (1,200)   (30c-40c-50c)   7  days,  3rd 
week.    Gross:  $4,500.    (Average,  $4,000) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (20th-Fox)  4  days 
"Great  Impersonation"  (Univ.)  4  days 

ASTER — (900)  (20c-30c)  7  days,  with  raid- 
week  change.  Gross:  $2,500.  (Average 
$2,250)  e 


Women  Taking  Over 
Chicago  House  Jobs 

Chicago,  March  7  .—  Theatres  in 
this  area  have  been  hard  hit  by  the 
draft,  it  is  reported.  Replacements 
are  hard  to  obtain,  exhibitors  say, 
with  the  result  that  women  are  tak- 
ing over  many  positions  formerly 
held  by  men. 


New  Haven,  March  7.— Loew-Poli 
officials  who  have  been  experimenting 
with  women  in  men's  positions  in  the- 
atres because  of  the  draft  have  found 
that  they  have  to  hire  two  women 
for  many  jobs  formerly  held  by  one 
man  because  of  the  hours  involved, 
it  was  reported. 


U.  S.  -Mexico  Officials 
Confer  on  Film  Aid 

Mexico  City,  March  7.— Confer- 
ences regarding  prospective  American 
government  aid  for  the  Mexican  film 
industry  are  being  held  by  Lie.  Miguel 
Aleman,  Minister  of  the  Interior,  who 
is  in  charge  of  the  Mexican  Govern- 
ment's _  program  for  stimulating  the 
domestic  industry,  and  Francis  Al- 
stock,  Frank  Force,  Robert  Hastings 
and  B.  Lockwood  of  the  Office  of  Co- 
ordinator of  Inter-American  affairs, 
it  is  reported.  It  is  understood  that 
Aleman  is  reporting  to  the  coordinator 
upon  aid  his  Government  is  rendering 
the  picture  business. 


Senate  Group  Awaits 
Petrillo  Ban  Moves 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

concluded  between  the  union  and  the 
record  manufacturers  or  negotiations 
are  abandoned. 

Clark  said  that  Petrillo  has  called 
his  board  to  meet  again  March  16  to 
consider  the  reply  of  the  record  mak- 
ers to  the  union's  proposals. 

"There  is  little  we  can  do,"  he  ex- 
plained, "and  as  long  as  negotiations 
are  pressed  in  good  faith  we  will  take 
no  action.  At  least,"  he  added,  "we 
are  getting  the  issues  better  defined." 


M-G-M  TOPS 

QUIGLEY 
SURVEY  OF 
BOX-OFFICE 
CHAMPIONS 


FILM  DAILY 
ANNUAL 
VOTE: 
MRS.  MINIVER" 
TOPS! 


SHOWMEN'S 
TRADE  REVIEW 

AnnMal  Vote:  • 

"MRS.  MINIVER" 
TOPS! 


RED  BOOK 

SILVER  TROPHY 

for 

"MRS.  MINIVER" 


PARENTS* 
MAGAZINE 
MEDAL 

"MRS.  MINIVER" 


M-G-M  LEADS 
FILM  DAILY 
ALL-TIME 
POLL! 


r 


Boxoflice  Mag. 
BLUE  RIBBON 

for 

"MRS.  MINIVER" 


RANDOM 
,  HARVEST" 

Parents'  Magazine 
Medal  -  Jan.,  1943 

"MRS.  MINIVER" 

Best  of  1942 
N  .Y.  Foreign  Language 
Film  Critics'  Circle 


NATIONAL        i  | 
BOARD  of  REVIEW  j  | 
Young  Reviewers 

MRS.  MINIVER" 
TOPS! 


M-G-M  TOPS 
LEADERS  OF 
M.  P.  INDUSTRY 
Showmen's  . 
Trade  Review 


EAME 
MAGAZINE 

(Quigley) 

M-G-M  TOPS 
BOX-OFFICE  STARS 


FAME 
MAGAZINE 

(Quigley) 

"MRS.  MINIVER" 
Best  of  1942 


N.Y.  TIMES 
HERALD  -TRIB. 
DAILY  NEWS 
pick  "MINIVER" 
in  10  BEST 


*  STAND  BY 
FOR  ACTION 


Award  by 
NAVY  LEAGUE 


M-G-M  TOPS! 

Boxoffice  Mag. 
BAROMETER 

All-American 
Favorites  1942 


M-G-M  TOPS 
IN  SHORTS! 


Quigley  FAME 
Annual  Poll 


M-G-M  TOPS! 

Boxoffice  Mag. 
BAROMETER 

Blue-Ribbons 
For  10  Years! 


Pledge  Please! 
Red  Cross  Drive 
April  1—7 


METRO 

The  Awar 


"Just  when  I  thought 
I  couldn't  hold 
another  one- 
10  out  of  25 
Academy  Trophies!" 


jOLDWYN-  MAYER 


ISN'T  IT  THE  TRUTH! 

With  gratitude  and  pride  for  the  record-breaking  honors 
which  have  been  showered  on  The  Friendly  Company  for 
"MRS.  MINIVER/'  we  are  happy  to  be  able  to  say  again 
—it's  not  for  just  a  day,  not  for  just  a  season,  but  ALWAYS ! 
Just  now  "RANDOM  HARVEST"  has  set  a  new  11-week 
record  -at  Radio  City  Music  Hall  and  is  a  nationwide 
triumph!  "THE  HUMAN  COMEDY"  is  doing  the  biggest 
business  of  all  the  mighty  M-G-M  Astor  Theatre  hits. 
The  Lion's  Roar  is  lustier  than  ever.  It  says:  "Thanks 
to  all  for  the  awards.  We'll  never  rest  on  our  trophies!" 

LOVE  AND  KISSES  FROM  LEO  TO  ALL  THE  WINNERS! 

BEST  PICTURE:  "Mrs.  Miniver."  BEST  ACTRESS:  Greer  Garson  in  "Mrs.  Miniver."  BEST  MALE  SUPPORT:  Van  Heflin 
in  "Johnny  Eager."  BEST  FEMALE  SUPPORT:  Teresa  Wright  in  "Mrs.  Miniver."  BEST  DIRECTION:  William  Wyler  for 
"Mrs.  Miniver."  BEST  WRITTEN  SCREENPLAY:  Arthur  Wimperis,  George  Froeschel,  James  Hilton,  Claudine  West  for 
"Mrs.  Miniver."  BEST  ORIGINAL  SCREENPLAY:  Ring  Lardner,  Jr.  and  Michael  Kanin  for  "Woman  of  the  Year."  BEST 
PHOTOGRAPHY  (black  and  white):  Joseph  Ruttenberg  for  "Mrs.  Miniver."  SPECIAL  AWARD:  For  the  "Andy  Hardy" 
series,  which  best  reflects  the  American  way  of  life.  THALBERG  MEMORIAL  AWARD:  For  consistent  high  quality  produc- 
tion achievement— Sidney  Franklin,  as  producer  of  "Mrs.  Miniver"  and  "Random  Harvest." 


10 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  8,  1943 


•  Short  Subject  Reviews  • 


"Since  Pearl  Harbor" 

(March  of  Time— W AC) 

{Paramount) 

SINCE  Pearl  Harbor,  the  Ameri- 
can Red  Cross  has  worked  in 
practically  every  field  connected  with 
making  our  soldiers  as  happy  and 
comfortable  as  they  possibly  can  be 
under  the  gruelling  demands  of  war- 
fare. The  wounded  have  been  nursed 
back  to  life  by  Red  Cross  nurses, 
have  been  saved  by  blood  plasma  col- 
lected by  the  Red  Cross.  The  organi- 
zation provides  canteen  service,  rooms 
and  food  for  men  on  leave  in  foreign 
places,  advice  for  those  who  need  it, 
and  help  for  their  families.  The  sub- 
ject matter  assures  the  film's  audi- 
ence appeal.  Running  time,  8  mins. 
Release,  Feb.  18. 


"Sufferin'  Cats" 

(M-G-M) 

Tom  and  Jerry,  the  feuding  cat  and 
mouse,  are  joined  by  a  second  cat, 
who  in  turn,  fights  with  both  of  them. 
It  is  difficult  to  understand  why  two 
such  charming  cats  would  want  to  eat 
such  a  delightful  little  mouse.  Jerry, 
the  mouse,  finds  himself  between  two 
slices  of  bread,  on  a  chopping  block, 
in  a  sardine  can,  and  in  the  grimy 
paws  of  hoth  cats.  It  sounds  murder- 
ous, but  it's  thoroughly  entertaining. 
Running  time,  8  mins.  Release,  Jan. 
16. 


"Mighty  Niagara*' 

(Fitzpatrick  Traveltalk) 

(M-G-M) 

Magnificent  Niagara  is  filmed  from 
both  the  United  States  and  Canadian 
sides.  The  Horseshoe  Falls  are  seen 
from  all  angles  and  the  photography 
does  justice  to  the  beautiful  views. 
The  cameraman  also  takes  the  audi- 
ence aboard  the  boat  "The  Maid  of 
the  Mist,"  which  goes  behind  the  falls. 
Not  only  are  the  falls  beautiful,  but  so 
are  the  parks  which  border  it  on  either 
side.  Running  time,  10  mins.  Re- 
lease, Jan.  30. 


"Bah  Wilderness" 

(Barney  Bear) 

(M-G-M) 

Tubby,  amiable  Barney  Bear,  that 
authority  on  how  to  go  fishing  and 
how  to  beard  honey  bees  in  their 
hives,  in  this  animated  cartoon  now 
decides  to  spend  a  night  camping  out. 
His  fellow  animals  in  the  woods  suc- 
ceed in  keeping  him  awake  most  of 
the  night,  and,  when  last  seen,  he  has 
finally  found  quiet  and  solitude  at  the 
bottom  of  the  flood  waters  which  cov- 
ered his  camping  site  in  the  course  of 
the  night's  sudden  rainstorm.  In 
technicolor.  Running  time,  7  mins. 
Release,  Feb.  13. 


"Land  of  Orizaba" 

(Fitzpatrick  Traveltalk) 

(M-G-M) 

Colorful  Mexico  is  always  a  fertile 
field  for  photographers,  especially  mo- 
tion picture  photographers  working 
with  color.  The  fascinating  Aztec 
pyramids,  the  old  Spanish  fort  of 
Puebla  and  the  generally  romantic 
tropical  atmosphere  make  "Land  of 
Orizaba"  enjoyable.  Running  time,  9 
mins.    Release,  Jan.  2. 


"The  Aldrich  Family 
Gets  in  the  Scrap" 

(Victory  Short) 

(Paramount) 

The  regular  Aldrich  family  cast, 
including  Jimmy  Lydon,  Martha 
O'Driscoll,  John  Litel  and  Charles 
Smith,  appear  in  this  Victory  short, 
an  effective  propaganda  film  empha- 
sizing the  fact  that  home  front  efforts 
must  not  be  slackened  once  a  good 
start  has  been  made.  Henry  organizes 
the  Centerville  "Minute  Man"  scrap 
collectors,  and  his  sisters  and  her 
friends  organize  a  rival  group,  the 
"Pauline  Reveres."  The  contest  is 
close,  and  the  ladies  almost  win  it, 
until  Henry  brings  in  an  old  tractor, 
thus  raising  the  "Minute  Man"  score. 
Running  time  11  mins.  Release, 
March  25. 


"Seein'  Red,  White 
W  Blue 

(Popeye  Cartoon) 

(Paramount) 

Bluto  the  blacksmith  tries  to  evade 
the  draft,  but  Popeye  catches  him  at 
it,  and  the  two  then  chase  each  other 
around  for  a  time  until  Popeye  falls 
into  a  Japanese  spy  nest.  Bluto  comes 
to  the  rescue,  and  after  he  and  Pop- 
eye  have  vanquished  the  enemy,  Bluto 
is  more  than  ready  to  join  up.  The 
film  is  below  usual  Popeye  standard. 
Running  time,  7  mins.  Release,  Feb. 
19. 


"The  Mummy  Strikes" 

(Superman  Cartoon) 

(Paramount) 

Precedent  topples  in  this  "Super- 
man" episode,  as  reporter  Kent  scoops 
Lois,  instead  of  vice  versa.  Dr.  Wil- 
son is  killed  as  he  works  in  the  re- 
constructed tomb  of  King  Tush,  at 
the  museum.  Kent  discovers  a  poison 
needle  hidden  in  the  tomb,  and  in  so 
doing  releases  the  magic  beam  which 
returns  King  Tush  and  his  four  giant 
guards  to  life.  Kent,  buried  in  a 
mass  of  pillars  and  tomb  walls,  re- 
appears from  under  the  debris  garbed 
as  Superman,  saves  Lois  from  the 
giants,  and  beats  her  to  the  story. 
Superman  fans  will  find  this  thrilling. 
In  color.  Running  time,  8  mins.  Re- 
lease, Feb.  19. 


"Trading  Blows" 

(Sportlight) 

(Paramount) 

The  Army,  the  Navy  and  the  Ma- 
rines are  training  their  fighting  men 
to  trade  blows.  Boxing  is  used  in  all 
branches  of  the  service  as  part  of  the 
physical  training  routine.  This  sub- 
ject is  a  sequence  of  scenes  in  vari- 
ous training  camps  throughout  the 
country,  showing  the  men  being  taught 
to  box  and  indulging  in  occasional 
exhibition  bouts.  Famous  names  such 
as  Jack  Dempsey  and  Tommy  Lough- 
ran  are  participating  in  these  physical 
training  programs,  and  are  shown  in 
the  film,  which  will  probably  be  of 
most  interest  to  sports  followers. 
Running  time,  9l/2  mins.  Release 
Feb.  12. 


"Sporting  Dogs" 

(Sports  Parade) 

(Warner  Bros.) 

Dogs  are  the  featured  players  in 
this  short  subject,  which  shows  vari- 
ous kinds  of  hunting  dogs  being 
trained  and  afterwards  accompanying 
their  masters  on  expeditions  into  the 
fields  and  woods.  They're  all  attrac- 
tive and  enthusiastic  pups,  and  au- 
diences will  be  interested  in  watching 
their  activities.  Running  time,  10 
mins.    Release,  March  20. 


"Pigs  in  a  Polka" 

(Merrie  Melodies) 

(Warner  Bros.) 

Leon  Schlesinger's  animated  ani- 
mals satirize  themselves  in  this  take- 
off on  the  three  little  pigs  and  the  big 
bad  wolf.  The  announcer  explains  to 
an  unseen  audience  that  this  is  a 
dramatic  production  to  be  performed 
to  the  music  of  Brahms'  "Hungarian 
Dances."  The  three  little  pigs  and 
the  wolf  then  enact  the  story,  very 
dramatically,  synchronizing  their  act- 
ing to  the  colorful  Brahms  dances.  It 
is  done  with  real  humor,  and  is  gen- 
uinely entertaining.  In  color.  Run- 
ning time,  7  mins.    Release,  Feb.  6. 


"Women  in  Sports" 

(Sports  Parade) 

( W arner  Bros.) 

Women  today  are  showing  them- 
selves capable  of  replacing  men  in  all 
types  of  industrial  work  formerly  con- 
sidered too  strenuous  for  them,  and  in 
addition,  they  are  taking  over  sports 
once  considered  strictly  within  the 
masculine  sphere.  In  color,  this  short 
subject  shows  entertainingly  how  the 
ladies  have  entered  the  fields  of  polo, 
hockey,  horse  racing,  and  the  applica- 
tion of  commando  tactics  to  over- 
confident males.  Running  time,  10 
mins.    Release,  Feb.  20. 

"Brief  Interval" 

(Carey  Wilson  Miniature) 

(M-G-M) 

HERE'S  an  unusual  short  which 
holds  attention  throughout.  It  is 
mystic  in  approach,  and  fairly  effec- 
tive. A  famous  surgeon  is  about  to 
operate  on  the  badly  injured  hand  of 
his  pianist  son.  He  succumbs  just  as 
he  is  about  to  operate,  leaving  the 
job  to  his  other  son,  an  inexperienced 
young  surgeon,  who  without  ever  hav- 
ing witnessed  or  studied  about  a  simi- 
lar operation,  performs  a  brilliant  feat 
of  operating.  The  question  left  with 
the  audience^  is,  what  force  guided  his 
hands  in  doing  something  which  only 
the  dead  father  knew  how  to  do? 
Running  time,  11  mins.  Release,  Jan. 
16. 


"Benjamin  Franklin,  Jr." 

(Our  Gang  Comedy) 

(M-G-M) 

Neighborhood  kids  have  a  meeting 
to  discuss  their  complaints  against  the 
hardships  of  wartime  sacrifice.  They 
decide  to  let  the  Gang  settle  the  ques- 
tion. One  of  the  Gang's  members 
has  been  reading  Benjamin  Franklin's 
"Poor  Richard's  Almanac"  and  from 
this  he  realizes  that  these  hardships 
and  sacrifices  are  necessary  to  win  the 
war.  _  He  convinces  the  Gang  and 
they  in  turn  convince  the  entire  group 
of  complaining  children.  The  film  is 
up  to  the  "Our  Gang"  standards.  Run- 
ning time,  11  mins.    Release,  Jan.  30. 


"Army  Show" 

(Broadway  Brevities) 

(Warner  Bros.) 

This  film  is  devoted  to  the  music 
and  songs  of  the  Army  Air  Forces 
Orchestra,  and  is  based  on  the  "Sol- 
diers With  Wings"  radio  program. 
The  music  is  excellent,  utilizing  the 
type  of  popular  Army  songs  which 
will  go  over  very  well  with  all  audi- 
ences today.  There  is  an  acting  se- 
quence against  the  background  of  each 
song.  These  sequences  are  very  short, 
but  effective.  Among  the  songs 
played  are :  "The  Army  Air  Co*^" 
"The  Bombardier  Song,"  "StaiP  '  r 
to  the  Stars,"  "He  Wears  a  Pan*"  oi 
Silver  Wings,"  "Hello,  Mom,"  and  ( 
"Glide,  Glider,  Glide."  Running  time, 
20  mins.    Release,  Feb.  27. 


"Tortoise  Wins  by  a  Hare 

(Merrie  Melodies) 

(Warner  Bros.) 

Bugs  Bunny,  determined  to  win  the 
next  race  he  runs  against  the  tortoise, 
gets  from  the  tortoise  the  information 
that  his  streamlined  shell  is  responsible 
for  his  previous  victories.  So  Bugs 
builds  himself  a  shell,  puts  on  a  cap 
to  hold  down  his  wind-resistant  ears, 
and  then  runs  the  race.  However,  he 
is  defeated  by  his  own  friends,  who 
mistake  him  for  the  tortoise,  and  make 
every  effort  to  keep  him  from  finish- 
ing first.  The  film  is  not  quite  as 
funny  as  previous  Bugs  Bunny  shorts. 
It's  in  Technicolor.  Running  time.  7 
mins.    Release,  Feb.  20. 


"Unusual  Occupations, 
No.  3" 

(Paramount) 

This  issue  includes  pictures  of  the 
weird  zoo  of  "Pop"  Schaffer,  who 
carves  animals  out  of  unusual  look- 
ing pieces  of  wood ;  especially  pre- 
pared tail  wigs  for  show  horses  made 
by  a  high  school  dramatic  arts  teach- 
er; the  carriage  building  art,  which 
is  coming  into  its  own  once  again ; 
how  sleeping  hammocks  are  made  in 
Brazil,  and  the  Canadian  Women's 
Army  Corps  in  action.  Fairly  inter- 
esting. In  color.  Running  time,  10 
mins.    Release,  Feb.  12. 


"To  Duck  or  Not  to  Duck" 

(Looney  Tunes) 

(Warner  Bros.) 

Elmer  Fudd  goes  duck  hunting,  and 
shoots  the  tail  feathers  off  a  duck. 
The  very  much  annoyed  duck  gives 
Elmer  a  lecture  on  fair  play,  and  then 
gets  him  into  a  boxing  ring,  where 
both  he  and  the  referee  commence  to 
take  unfair  advantage  of  poor  Elmer 
while  showing  him  what  not  to  do  in 
fair  fighting.  Elmer,  however,  comes 
off  the  victor.  The  film  is  moderately 
amusing.  Running  time,  7  mins.  Re- 
lease, March  6. 


"Portrait  of  a  Genius" 

(Carey  Wilson  Miniature) 

(M-G-M) 

Leonardo  Da  Vinci  is  famous  pri- 
marily as  an  artist,  and  to  a  consid- 
erable degree  as  a  scientist,  but  the 
full  extent  of  his  scientific  work  is 
perhaps  not  known  to  most  people.  It 
is  interestingly  revealed  in  this  film 
that  the  great  artist  created  machines 
which  were  forerunners  of  the  air- 
plane, the  submarine,  the  camera,  the 
machine  gun  and  many  other  inven- 
tions which  we  consider  completely 
modern.  Running  time,  11  mins.  Re- 
lease, Jan.  23. 


AcademyAwaM 

for  the  Best  Short 

Subject  cartoon... 


fuehrers 

face 


Hug  AiMJCtASL 


DISTRIBUTED  BY  RKO  RADIO  PICTURES,  INC 


12 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  8,  1943 


Doubt  Appeal 
On  Crescent 
Trust  Verdict 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

that  the  decision  may  have  vital  effects 
on  film  buying  practices  by  circuits 
which  operate  against  independent 
competition. 

It  was  the  belief  of  many  attorneys 
that  if  an  independent  operation  goes 
out  of  business  for  any  reason  even 
remotely  attributable  to  the  buying 
power  of  an  affiliated  circuit,  distribu- 
tors as  well  as  the  circuit  will  be 
in  danger  of  being  faced  with  con- 
spiracy charges  as  a  result  of  Federal 
Judge  Davies'  ruling.  It  was  also 
the  opinion  of  many  that  under  the 
decision  any  dominant  circuit  may  be 
"regarded  as  an  illegal  combination. 

Findings  Important 

Effects  of  the  findings,  it  was  stated, 
may  also  have  a  direct  bearing  on  the 
five  consenting  companies  after  the 
expiration  of  the  consent  decree  next 
November  and  are  almost  certain  to 
affect  Department  of  Justice  proce 
dure  in  connection  with  the  pending 
anti-trust  suits  here,  and  against  the 
Schine  Circuit  at  Buffalo,  where  the 
one-year  'standstill'  agreement  expires 
in  May,  and  in  the  Griffith  Circuit  at 
Oklahoma  City.  Other  pending  anti- 
trust actions  also  are  regarded  as  be- 
ing affected  by  the  Nashville  ruling. 

The  decision  held  that  "the 
defendants  have  violated  the 
Sherman  Act  by  combining  with 
each  other  and  with  each  of  the 
distributors,  Paramount,  Fox 
and  Warner,  in  making  fran- 
chises for  the  purpose  and  ef- 
fect of  maintaining  their  thea- 
tre monopolies  and  preventing 
independent  theatres  from  com- 
peting with  them." 

Paramount,  20th  Century-Fox, 
Vitagraph,  Loew's  and  RKO  were 
eliminated  as  defendants  in  the  action 
by  stipulation  with  the  Government 
as  a  result  of  their  entry  into  the 
New  York  Federal  consent  decree  in 
1940. 

The  ruling  directed  that  a  decree 
be  entered  ordering  "dissolution  of 
the  combination"  and  requiring  "each 
corporate  defendant  exhibitor  to  di- 
vest himself  of  the  ownership  of  any 
stock  or  other  interest  in  any  cor- 
porate defendants  or  affiliated  corpor- 
ation with  the  exception  of  Strand 
Enterprises,  Inc.,"  and  requiring  "the 
individual  defendants  found  guilty 
herein  of  violating  the  Sherman  Act 
to  resign  as  officers  of  any  affiliated 
corporation." 

Injunction  Issued 

The  ruling  concluded  that  the  plain- 
tiff is  entitled  to  an  injunction  re- 
straining the  defendants  from  contin- 
uing said  conspiracies  and  from  enter- 
ing into  any  similar  enterprises,  and 
invalidating  the  existing  franchises  to 
which  the  exhibitors  are  parties,  "re- 
straining each  exhibitor  defendant 
from  conditioning  the  licensing  of 
films  in  any  competitive  situation  out- 
side of  Nashville,  and  restraining  each 
from  acquiring  financial  interest  in  ad- 
ditional theatres  outside  Nashville,  ex- 
cept after  affirmative  showing  that 
such  acquisition  will  not  unreasonably 
restrain  competition." 


Review 


"Hit  Parade  of  1943" 

(Republic) 

MELODIC  in  a  variety  of  tempos,  Republic's  "Hit  Parade  of  1943" 
will  send  audiences  out  singing  and  has  the  box  office  power  of 
three  name  bands,  John  Carroll  and  Susan  Hayward.  The  numerous  fol- 
lowers of  Freddy  Martin,  Count  Basie  and  Ray  McKinley  will  have  a 
field  day  at  this  film  which  is  filled  with  singable,  danceable  tunes  from 
sweet  to  hot  with  a  touch  of  Latin  American. 

Of  the  six  songs  by  Jule  Styne  and  Harold  Adamson,  "A  Change  of 
Heart"  and  "Do  These  Old  Eyes  Deceive  Me"  were  emphasized  and 
seem  to  be  "hit"  material.  Andy  Razaf  and  J.  C.  Johnson  collaborated 
on  a  seventh,  "Yankee  Doodle  Tan"  which  is  expertly  sung  by  the 
Golden  Gate  Quartette. 

Carroll  plays  the  attractive  song  publisher  and  vocalist  who  nonchal- 
antly steals  a  song  written  by  pretty,  talented  Susan  Hayward.  She 
decides  to  avenge  herself  by  ghost-writing  for  the  charming  Carroll  on 
a  partnership  basis  and  then  to  expose  him  when  he  is  famous  enough 
to  be  completely  humiliated.  Her  plan  progresses  until  she  falls  in  love 
with  Carroll.  All  ends  happily  when  Carroll  decides  to  attribute  author- 
ship of  the  songs  to  Miss  Hayward  and  she  persuades  him  to  keep 
credit  for  her  hit  tunes. 

Gail  Patrick  acts  suavely  as  the  sophisticated  singer  who  helps  Carroll 
to  his  initial  success  only  to  lose  him  to  Miss  Hayward.  Eve  Arden  is 
clever  as  the  young  songwriters'  wisecracking  cousin  and  Walter  Catlett 
provides  the  rest  of  the  comedy  as  Carroll's  partner. 

The  dance  numbers  are  elaborate  and  well  staged  under  the  direction 
of  Nick  Castle.    Walter  Scharf  did  an  excellent  job  as  musical  director. 

The  original  screenplay  by  Frank  Gill,  Jr.,  provides  a  well-knit  musi- 
cal show  in  which  action  never  lags.    Albert  S.  Rogell  directed,  and 
Abert  J.  Cohen  was  associate  producer. 
Running  time,  86  minutes.    "G."*  Lucille  Greenberg 


Consolidated  Films 
1942  Net  Income 
Equals  $504,351 


i  uiai  assets 
H.  J.  ^ 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

solidated  balance  sheet  showed  cur- 
rent assets  of  $6,309,311,  of  which 
$602,816  was  cash,  and  current  lia- 
bilities of  $833,368,  leaving  working 
capital  of  $5,475,943.  Total  assets 
amounted  to  $11,680,453. 

In  his  annual  report, 
president,  states  that  all  of  Consoli- 
dated's  bank  loans,  aggregating  $800,- 
000,  were  paid  by  the  company  in  No- 
vember, 1942,  and  all  notes  discounted 
with  banks,  aggregating  $260,000, 
were  paid  during  the  year.  The  re- 
port states  that  all  plants  of  the  com- 
pany have  orders  on  hand  in  excess  of 
capacity  and  that  extension  of  plants 
is  under  way.  Manpower  is  a  con- 
tinuing principal  problem  of  the  com- 
pany, Yates  said. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classificatioi 


Distributors  Win  2  Appeal 
Board  Arbitration  Ru  lings 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

findings  before  a  decision  in  favor 
of  a  complainant  can  be  made.  In 
this  assumption  the  arbitrator  was 
wrong. 

When  an  arbitrator  has 
reached  a  conclusion  free  from 
doubt  in  his  own  mind  that  a 
complainant  has  not  qualified 
under  Section  10,  these  specific 
findings  are  not  only  unneces- 
sary but  inadvisable. 

"We  have  here  instead  of  an  expe- 
ditious and  inexpensive  proceeding,  a 
long  series  of  hearings  and  a  volumi- 
nous record.  It  is  unnecessary  for  us 
to  consider  the  specific  findings. 
Nothing  in  this  opinion  should  be  con- 
sidered as  an  approval  of  any  of  them 
other  than  the  one  on  which  the  dis- 
missal was  based." 

The  board  affirmed  the  arbitrator's 
dismissal  of  the  complaint.  Plaintiff 
had  charged  that  the  product  of  the 
consenting  companies  was  sold  to  Fox 
Milwaukee's  Valley  Theatre,  Mena- 
sha,  contrary  to  provisions  of  Sec- 
tion 10.  The  arbitrator  held  that  the 
plaintiff  failed  to  qualify  under  the 
section  due  to  the  fact  that  it  had  not 
operated  the  Brin  during  the  period 
prescribed  by  the  decree. 


35  District  Heads 
Named  in  Theatre 
Red  Cross  Drive 


'Moscow*  April  Premiere 

Hollywood,  March  7. — "Mission  to 
Moscow"  will  have  its  premiere  at  the 
New  York  Hollywood  Theatre  in 
mid-April,  Warner  executives  decided 
here  last  week. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
William  N.  Skirball;  Dallas,  R.  J. 
O'Donnell ;  Denver,  Rick  Robertson  ; 
Des  Moines,  A.  H.  Blank;  Detroit, 
E.  C.  Beatty. 

Indianapolis,  Harry  Katz ;  Kansas 
City,  Elmer  Rhoden ;  Los  Angeles,  R. 
H.  Poole;  Memphis,  M.  A.  Light- 
man;  Milwaukee,  Harold  Fitzgerald; 
Minneapolis,  John  J.  Friedl ;  New 
Haven,  I.  J.  Hoffman;  New  Orleans, 
E.  V.  Richards,  Jr.;  New  York 
Harry  Lowenstein  and  Fred  Schwartz  ; 
Oklahoma  City,  L.  C.  Griffith; 
Omaha,  Joseph  Kinsky ;  Philadelphia, 
Jay  Emanuel;  Pittsburgh,  M.  A.  Sil- 
ver; Portland,  Albert  J.  Finke;  St. 
Louis,  Fred  Wehrenberg ;  Salt  Lake 
City,  John  Rugar  and  Tracy  Barham ; 
San  Francisco),  B.  V.  Sturdivant; 
Seattle,  Frank  Newman  and  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  W.  F.  Crockett  and 
John  Payette. 

The  New  York  metropolitan  area 
group  of  the  War  Activities  Commit- 
tee met  late  last  week  to  make  ar- 
rangements for  the  drive  here.  The 
meeting  was  addressed  by  American 
Red  Cross  officials  and  plans  were 
made  to  hold  a  rally  for  all  metropoli- 
tan theatre  managers  at  Loew's  Zieff- 
feld,  March  16. 


Reublic's  8  Mos. 
Income  $1,000,000 

Republic  Pictures  Corp.  estimates 
its  net  operating  income  for  the  first 
eight  months,  ended  Dec.  31,  1942,  of 
its  current  fiscal  year  at  $1,000,000 
before  Federal  taxes,  H.  J.  Yates  in- 
formed stockholders  of  Consolidated 
Film  Industries  on  Friday. 

Consolidated  owns  47  per  cent  of 
the  outstanding  capital  stock  of  Re- 
public and  owns  one-half  of  the  stock 
of  Cajo  Co.,  Inc.,  which  owns  36  per 
cent  of  the  Republic  capital  stock  out- 
standing. 

Republic  reported  net  operating  in- 
come of  $428,549  for  the  fiscal  year 
ended  April  30,  1942,  before  reserves 
for  contingencies.  Loan  indebtedness 
of  Republic  to  Consolidated  amounted 
to  $4,269,095  as  of  Dec.  31,  last,  after 
a  reduction  in  the  amount  of  $626,475 
during  1942.  Its  indebtedness  to  Con- 
solidated for  laboratory  work  and 
accessories  at  the  end  of  1942,  addi- 
tionally, was  reduced  by  $111,666  dur- 
ing 1942. 

Yates  reported  that  Consolidated 
makes  loans  to  Republic  weekly  to 
finance  production  and  distribution, 
secured  by  the  pictures,  distribution 
income  and  studio  mortgages.  "Pres- 
ent indications  are,"  the  report  states, 
that  a  further  substantial  reduction  in 
Republic's  loan  indebtedness  to  Con- 
solidated may  be  expected  for  1943. 
Consolidated  continues  to  receive  a 
large  volume  of  film  laboratory  and 
accessory  work  from  Republic." 


Company  Heads  Will 
Attend  Coe  Luncheon 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
Schaefer,  J.  R.  Grainger,  O.  Henry 
Brigs,  Si  Fabian,  Harry  Lowenstein 
and  Harry  Brandt. 

Also ;  from  outside  the  industry  . 
Thomas  J.  Watson,  Dr.  George  F. 
Zook,  George  N.  Shuster,  Dr.  Everett 
R.  Clinchy,  Rabbi  David  DeSola 
Poole,  Rev.  Robert  I.  Gannon,  Rt. 
Rev.  Henry  St.  George  Tucker,  Mrs. 
Harold  V.  Mulligan,  Mrs.  John  L. 
Whitehurst  and  Dr.  Harry  Woodburn 
Chase,  chancellor  of  New  York  Uni- 
versity, who  will  introduce  Coe.  Dr. 
Paul  H.  Nystrom  will  preside. 


'Hitler'  to  Globe 

"Hitler.  Dead  or  Alive"  will  open 
at  the  Globe  Theatre  sometime  in 
April,  Ben  Judell,  the  film's  producer, 
announced  yesterday. 


ACADEMY  of  MOTION  PICTURE  ARTS  and  SCIENCES 


Congratulations 
to  all  of  the 

ACADEMY 

AWARD 
WINNERS 

EASTMAN  FILM 
BRULATOUR  SERVICE 


J.  E.  BRULATOUR,  INC. 

FORT  LEE  -  CHICAGO  -  HOLLYWOOD 


14 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  8,  1943 


ANOTHER 
REPUBLIC 
EftN 


They're  All 

BIG  PICTURES 


Gene's  doing  his  stuff  as  a  sergeant 
in  Uncle  Sam's  Air  Corps  these  days 
—  but  his  best  musical  Westerns 
b  being  re-issued  —  one  a  month, 
every  month.  Watch  for  them ! 


They're  All 

REPUBLIC  PICTURES 


Off  the  Antenna 

NT  EXT  Friday  night  will  mark  the  first  of  the  broadcasts  to  the  nation 
•  by  Elmer  Davis,  director  of  the  Office  of  War  Information.  The  weekly 
series  will  be  heard  over  NBC,  CBS,  the  Blue  and  WHN  and  WNEW  from 
10:45  to  11  p.  m.  Mutual  will  broadcast  the  talks  the  following  Saturdays  at 
4  p.  m.  and  WMCA  at  2  :45  p.  m. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Edward  Tomlinson,  Blue  commentator,  starts  this  week 
on  a  six-week  lecture  tour  of  15  major  cities.  .  .  .  Carroll  D.  Alcott,  WLW , 
Cincinnati,  news  commentator,  is  completing  plans  with  Henry  Holt  &  Co.  for 
publication  of  his  book,  "My  W ar  With  Japan."  . . .  William  Schudt,  Jr.,  Eastern 
aivision  field  manager  of  CBS  station  relations,  is  expected  back  at  work  to- 
day after  a  two  weeks'  siege  of  pneumonia.  .  .  .  William  Anderson  of  the 
Columbia  sales  promotion  department  is  recuperating  from  an  appendectomy. 

•  •  • 

NBC  will  conduct  a  10-week  advertising  campaign  in  Washington, 
D.  C,  newspapers  to  promote  its  managed  and  operated  outlet  WRC,  the 
network  announced.  All  daily  papers  will  be  used  in  the  campaign  start- 
ing today. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  "Jergens  Journal  with  Walter  Winchell"  and  "Parker 
Family"  have  been  renewed  for  52  weeks  over  the  Blue  by  the  Andrew 
Jergens  Co.  .  .  .  WBZ-WBZA,  Boston  and  Springfield,  have  announced  plans 
to  cover  the  Spring  Flower  Show  from  Horticultural  Hall,  Boston,  March 
13  through  March  20.  .  .  .  Fred  Allen  celebrated  his  100th  Texaco  broadcast 
yesterday.  .  .  .  KDKA,  Pittsburgh,  is  sponsoring  a  "Victory  Garden"  program, 
Monday,  Wednesday  and  Friday  at  12:15  p.  m.  .  .  .  WNEW's  "We  Refuse 
to  Die"  show  will  be  rebroadcast  over  several  hundred  stations  soon  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Czech  government  in  exile,  it  was  announced.  .  .  .  RKO  has 
signed  a  52  week  contract  to  sponsor  George  Putnam  with  the  news  at  11 
p.  m.  over  WEAF  on  Saturday  nights. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  Dorothy  Miller,  secretary  to  Ted  Enns,  national  sales  man- 
ager for  KSO-KRNT ,  Des  Moines,  la.,  will  leave  soon  to  join  the  WAVES. 
Mel  Hansen,  farm  commentator,  has  left  Des  Moines  to  report  in  Florida  as 
a  Navy  ensign.  .  .  .  John  Meagher,  WGN ,  Chicago,  special  events  and  publicity 
writer,  is  a  cadet  pilot  in  the  Navy  Air  Corps,  while  James  G.  Matheny,  engi- 
neer at  the  WGN  transmitter  for  15  years,  has  been  commissioned  a  first  lieu- 
tenant in  the  Army  Air  Corps. 


Philharmonic  Men 
Refuse  to  Sign  Up 

Open  revolt  by  the  members 
of  the  New  York  Philharmonic 
orchestra  was  reported  yes- 
terday by  Calmen  Fleisig, 
chairman  of  the  orchestra 
shop  committee  of  Local  802 
of  the  Musicians  Union.  He 
said  that  members  had  unani- 
mously voted  to  refuse  to  sign 
contracts  for  next  season  un- 
less the  14  dismissed  membeif 
are  reinstated.  They  said  thv 
would  play  "without  the  board 
of  directors"  if  necessary.  The 
dismissal  of  the  players  fol- 
lowed the  appointment  of  Dr. 
Arthur  Rodzinski  as  conduc- 
tor of  the  orchestra. 


Simplified  Report 

Issued  by  Ascap 

The  American  Society  of  Com- 
posers, Authors  and  Publishers  an- 
nounced the  issuance  of  a  simplified 
report  for  radio  stations  having  a 
local  blanket  commercial  license,  the 
first  time,  it  was  said,  that  ASCAP 
has  made  a  change  in  the  local  blanket 
commercial  license  reports.  The  new 
forms  will  be  used  for  the  first  time 
on  the  March  reports,  it  was  said. 


Relief  Boxes  Robbed 

Halifax,  N.  S.,  March  7. — Thieves 
broke  open  Russian  Relief  collection 
boxes  at  Famous  Players-Canadian's 
Capitol  and  Orpheus  here  but  the  loss 
was  slight  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
contents  of  the  boxes  had  been  turned 
over  to  the  relief  fund  a  short  while 
earlier. 


Shuberts  Agree  to 
New  AT  AM  Contract 

Possibility  of  a  strike  by  the  Asso- 
ciation of  Theatrical  Agents  and 
Managers  against  the  Lee  and  J.  J. 
Shubert  theatres  was  averted  on  Fri- 
day when  an  agreement  on  contracts 
for  Chicago,  Philadelphia  and  Boston 
theatres  was  reached.  The  union  had 
charged  that  the  Shuberts  had  violated 
basic  agreements  in  the  three  cities 
and  Detroit. 

Since  the  Shuberts  disavowed  own- 
ership of  the  Cass  and  Lafayette  thea- 
tres, Detroit,  the  League  of  New 
York  Theatres  has  agreed  to  assist  in 
determining  ownership  and  manage- 
ment of  the  two  houses  and  in  set- 
tling the  dispute  with  the  ATAM. 


Replacement  Parts 
For  Radios  Planned 

Washington,  March  7. — Pro- 
duction of  a  "victory  line"  of 
replacement  parts  which  will 
keep  every  type  of  civilian  re- 
ceiving set  in  operation  is 
about  to  be  undertaken  by  the 
radio  manufacturers,  it  was 
disclosed  today  by  the  War 
Production  Board. 

The  new  production  will  be 
limited  to  a  few  basic  varie- 
ties of  each  component,  but 
sufficient  to  meet  the  needs 
of  sets  of  every  make  and  vin- 
tage. The  number  of  types  of 
electrolytic  condensers  will  be 
reduced  from  350  to  nine  and 
the  number  of  tubes  from  700 
to  114. 


Sales  Staff  Transfers 
Announced  at  WQXR 

Norman  S.  McGee,  formerly  WQ- 
XR's  director  of  agency  relations,  has 
been  named  assistant  vice-president  in 
charge  of  sales,  it  was  announced.  The 
new  post  was  created,  it  was  reported, 
because  of  the  resignation  of  Bennet 
H.  Korn  of  the  sales  department  to 
join  the  Army  and  the  impending  in- 
duction of  Russel  D.  Walker,  another 
salesman. 


Sues  to  Halt  Lease 
Of  WOW  in  Omaha 

Omaha,  March  7.— Seeking  to  pre- 
vent the  lease  of  station  WOW  here 
to  Radio  Station  WOW,  Inc.,  by  the 
Woodmen  of  the  World  Life  Insur- 
ance Society,  one  of  its  members,  Dr. 
Homer  J.  Johnson  of  Lincoln  has 
brought  suit  in  District  Court  here. 
He  charges  that  by  leasing  the  station 
to  the  new  corporation,  the  society 
stands  to  lose  more  than  $3,000,000 
in  the  next  15  years. 

Under  the  lease  contract,  it  is  said, 
WOW,  Inc.,  agreed  to  pay  about  $97,- 
a  year  for  the  first  three  years  and 
$68,000  annually  for  the  following  12 
years. 


Knight  Blue  Eastern 
Production  Manager 

Raymond  Knight  has  been  appointed 
Blue  production  manager  in  the  East 
and  _  Stuart  Buchanan,  assistant  pro- 
duction manager,  Phillips  Carlin,  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  programs,  an- 
nounced. They  succeed  Harry  Frazee 
and  Ron  Ferguson,  resigned. 

Fulton  Lewis  Wins 
DuPont  Radio  Award 

Fulton  Lewis,  Jr.,  Washington  com- 
mentator for  the  Mutual  network  won 
the  annual  Alfred  I.  du  Pont  award 
of  $1,000,  being  chosen  the  radio  com- 
mentator who  has  performed  out- 
standing public  service  during  the 
year.  The  announcement  was  made  at 
a  dinner  at  the  St.  Regis  Hotel  Sat- 
urday which  was  broadcast  over  Mu- 
tual. 


Mutual  Billings  for 
February  $826,085 

Mutual  Broadcasting  System  bill- 
ings for  last  month  totaled  $826,085,  a 
decrease  of  11.9  per  cent  from  the 
corresponding  month  in  1942.  Bill- 
ings for  1943  amounted  to  $1,818,189. 
a  decrease  of  7.4  per  cent  from  the 
corresponding  period  last  year,  when 
the  total  was  $1,962,697. 


New  Army  Theatre 
Opened  in  Chicago 

Chicago,  March  7.— The  Eighth  St. 
Theatre  here  has  been  renamed  the 
War  Department  Theatre  No.  1  and 
is  now  operated  as  a  post  theatre  of 
the  Air  Corps  Radio  School  located 
at  the  Stevens  and  Congress  hotels. 
Admission  price  is  15  cents.  There  is 
little  patronage  by  civilians,  although 
they  may  be  admitted  by  paying  five 
cents  above  the  prices  prevailing  at 
the  nearest  first  run  houses,  it  was 
stated. 


Theatremen  Active 

West  Chester,  Pa.,  March  7.— Al 
Hoberman  and  Ray  Powell,  managers 
of  the  Garden  and  Warner  Theatres 
here,  respectively,  were  appointed  to 
the  1943  publicity  committee  of  the 
West  Chester  Civic  Association. 


WHAT'S  COOICIN'? 
BOX  OFFICE  CAKE! 


You  may  think  your  box  office  is  fairly  healthy... the  line  is  there  — well  maybe  not  such  a 
long  line... the  ticket  machine  is  clucking  like  a  contented  hen— well,  part  time  anyway 
—  "Cluck,  cluck,  cluck!"  (Long  silence.)  .  .  .  and  you  are  sitting  pretty  with  your  slice  of  the 
local  amusement  dollar  — well  maybe  not  such  a  big  slice.  Hist!  How  about  a  change  of 
diet  —  f  rinstance  —  Cake! 

For  when  box  offices  get  off  their  feed  .  .  .  they  just  can't  hold  any  extra  dollars  on  their 
stomachs. . .  They  belch  and  blurp  and  blow  . . .  and  do  a  lot  of  other  impolite  things  .  . . 
gangrene  finally  sets  in  ...  so  do  the  creditors. 

It  takes  no  Einstein  to  deduce  .  .  .  that  if  you  had  Hollywood's  sure-enough,  all-time, 
champ  money-getter  on  your  screen  . . .  and  only  a  small  fraction  of  your  potential  patrons 
knew  it  was  there  . . .  there'd  be  no  new  mink  coat 
bought  out  of  the  proceeds,  for  Momma. 

But  with  a  beautiful,  gaily-colored,  lovely-lighted  sign 
display  in  that  lobby . . .  and  good,  fool-proof,  show- 
selling  ad  wallops  hung  all  over  that  front... and  on 
that  marquee  . . .  and  on  that  screen  . . .  and  all  over 
town  . . .  That's  cake . . .  box  office  cake . . .  box  office 
mouths  water  for  it... and  they  should... It  produces 
a  certain  flow  in  their  digestive  tracts ...  A  flow  ...  a 
flush... a  flood  of  that  stuff  that  leaves  the  theatre... 
between  the  pages  of  bankbooks,  in  bags,  in  bales, 
in  armored  cars . . .  That's  why  it's  called  "Box  office 
cake"  ...  It  stops  bellyaches. 


/ 


WARNERS'  JIMMY  CAGNEY  IN  WARNERS'  'YANKEE  DOODLE  DANDY' 


Ret" 


oof 


,ber 


oof 


WARNERS' 
WARNERS' 
WARNERS' 
WARNERS' 
WARNERS' 
WARNERS' 
WARNERS' 
WARNERS' 
WARNERS' 

WARNERS' 
WARNERS' 


'AIR  FORCE' 

'CASABLANCA' 

'YANKEE  DOODLE  DANDY' 

THE  HARD  WAY' 

'NOW,  VOYAGER' 

'GENTLEMAN  JIM' 

'GEO.  WASHINGTON  SLEPT  HERE' 

'DESPERATE  JOURNEY' 

'ACROSS  THE  PACIFIC 

'EDGE  OF  DARKNESS' 
'MISSION  TO  MOSCOW 


JACK  L.WARNER,  Executive  Proc/tk 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


First  in 

/Radio)  N 

Accura|i 

f 

and 

Impartial 

=hh.  53. 


NO.  45 


NEW  YORK,  U.  S.  A.,  TUESDAY,  MARCH  9,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Para.  Reports 
$14,525,000 
Profits  for  '42 


Largest  Earning  in  More 
Than  13  Years 


Paramount  Pictures,  Inc.,  of 
which  Barney  Balaban  is  president, 
yesterday  estimated  its  net  profit  for 
1942  at  $14,- 
525,000  after 
interest  and  all 
char  ges  in- 
cluding re- 
serves provid- 
ing for  con- 
tingencies and 
estimated  pro- 
vision for  all 
Federal  nor- 
mal and  excess 
profits  taxes. 

The  result, 
which  is  the 
largest  the  com- 
pany has  reported  in  more  than  13 
years  past,  includes  $1,200,000  repre- 
(Continued  on  page  11) 


Barney  Balaban 


Para.  Will  Redeem 
1  st  Preferred  Stock 


The  redemption  on  May  10  of  all 
of  Paramount's  outstanding  first  pre- 
ferred stock  and  scrip  at  $100.67  a 
share  was  authorized  by  the  com- 
pany's board  of  directors  at  its  meet- 
ing yesterday. 

There  are  51,171  and  a  fraction 
shares  of  the  company's  first  pre- 
ferred, including  scrip,  now  outstand- 
ing. This  does  not  include  the  shares 
previously  called  for  redemption  on 
April  1.  The  shares  called  for  re- 
demption May  10  are  convertible  into 
common  stock  at  the  rate  of  seven 
shares  of  common  for  one  of  preferred 
through  April  26. 

The  previous  redemption  call  re- 
sulted in  a  conversion  of  43,112  shares 
of  preferred  into  common. 


Red  Kann  Resumes 
'Insider's  Outlook' 

Red  Kann  resumes  his  "In- 
sider's Outlook"  in  today's 
Motion  Picture  Daily  with  a 
pertinent  discussion  of  box- 
office  values  as  reflected  in 
the  application  for  deferment 
of  Mickey  Rooney.  See  Page  2. 


'Comedy'  $21,000 
As  BVay  Grosses 
Cut  by  Rain,  Snow 


Weekend  grosses  at  Broadway  the- 
atres were  cut  by  inclement  weather 
Saturday,  theatremen  reported,  as  they 
looked  ahead  to  the  Lenten  season 
which  starts  tomorrow  and  continues 
until  April  24. 

"The  Human  Comedy,"  with  ex- 
cellent press  notices,  was  expected  to 
gross  an  estimated  $21,000  for  its  first 
week  ending  tonight  at  the  Astor. 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  and  the 
stage  presentation  garner  an  estimated 
$64,000  in  the  first  four  days  at  the 
Radio  City  Music  Hall. 

At  the  Paramount,  "Hitler's  Chil- 
dren"  with   Xavier    Cugat   and  his 
band  on  the  stage  was  heading  foi 
(Continued  on  page  11) 


Warners  Purchase 
Aldine,  Philadelphia 


Philadelphia,  March  8. — The 
downtown  theatrical  district  continues 
a  beehive  of  real  estate  activity  as  a 
result  of  William  Goldman's  purchas- 
ing the  Keith's  and  Karlton  theatres 
away  from  the  Warner  theatre  circuit. 
To  forestall  further  inroads  on  the 
circuit's  theatre  holdings,  it  was  dis- 
closed that  Warners  has  purchased  the 
first-run  Aldine,  former  United  Art- 
ists house,  which  it  operates  on  a 
lease.  It  is  reported  that  Warners 
paid  $600,000  for  the  purchase  of  the 
Aldine. 

To  compensate  in  part  for  the  loss 
of  its  two  continued-run  houses  to 
(Continued  on  page  11) 


60-Day  Tax  Return 
Extension  Allowable 

Washington,  March  8.— The 
Internal  Revenue  Bureau  will 
grant  taxpayers  extensions  up 
to  60  days  in  filing  their  in- 
come tax  returns  if  they  can 
give  justifiable  reasons  for 
the  delay,  according  to  Senator 
Gillette  of  Iowa. 

Meanwhile,  the  House  Ways 
and  Means  Committee  tenta- 
tively approved  today  the 
source  collections  feature  of  a 
pay-as-you-go  tax,  including  a 
20  per  cent  withholding  levy 
on  taxable  incomes. 


U.A.  Expected 
Not  to  Appeal 
Crescent  Case 


The  probability  is  that  United  Art- 
ists will  not  appeal  from  the  decision 
in  the  Department  of  Justice's  anti- 
trust suit  against  the  Crescent  Cir- 
cuit handed  down  in  Federal  court  at 
Nashville  last  week,  attorneys  stated 
yesterday. 

Benjamin  Pepper  of  O'Brien,  Dris- 
coll  &  Raftery,  counsel  for  the  com- 
pany, pointed  out  that  the  decision 
held  that  United  Artists  had  not  en- 
tered into  any  illegal  conspiracy  with 
the  circuit  or  its  affiliates  in  any 
major  situation  or  circumstance.  The 
two  instances  in  which  the  court 
found  the  company  guilty  of  violations 
of  the  anti-trust  laws,  at  Gogersville, 
Tenn.,  and  Athens,  Ala.,  were  of  such 
(Continued  on  page  11) 


15,000  Theatres  Seen  in 
Red  Cross  Drive  April  1-7 


Indications  point  to  at  least  15,000 
theatres  taking  audience  colllections 
for  the  American  Red  Cross  War 
Fund  drive  in  houses  throughout  the 
nation  April  1-7,  national  campaign 
headquarters  announced  yesterday.  Al- 
though pledge  blanks  have  been  out 
only  a  few  days,  reports  reaching  the 
national  committee  here  show  prac- 
tically 100  per  cent  exhibitor  re- 
sponse, it  was  stated.  Barney  Bala- 
ban is  national  chairman  of  the  indus- 
try drive. 

Many  district  chairman  have  wired 
that  they  are  confident  of  enlisting 
practically  every  theatre  in  their  area 
for  audience  collections. 

"Even  those  theatremen  who  are 


hesitant  about  taking  up  audience 
collections  are  raising  no  objections  to 

A  mass  meeting  of  New  York 
City  theatre  managers  for  the 
Red  Cross  drive  will  be  held  at 
9:30  a.m.  Thursday  at  Loew's 
Ziegfeld  Theatre.  Barney  Bala- 
ban, national  Red  Cross  drive 
chairman,  will  speak. 


this  drive  for  they  feel  that  the  Red 
Cross  is  close  to  the  hearts  of  every- 
one," Balaban  said. 

"We  have  heard  from  every  affili- 
ated circuit  and  from  most  of  the  in- 
(Continued  on  page  11) 


WPB  Order 
Aids  Industry 
On  Raw  Stock 


Restricts  Civilians'  Film 
From  Military 


Washington,  March  8. — The 
War  Production  Board  today  ad- 
vised film  manufacturers  that  they 
are  not  required  to  supply  the 
Army  and  Navy  from  film  pro- 
duced by  them  for  civilian  use,  and 
amended  its  film  limitation  order 
to  make  clear  that  the  only  way  the 
military  and  certain  other  preferred 
purchasers  can  obtain  film  from 
manufacturers  is  on  schedules  of 
production  and  distribution  ap- 
proved by  the  Director  General  for 
Operations. 

The  board  explained  that  some  man- 
ufacturers had  misinterpreted  the  ori- 
ginal order  as  requiring  them  to  turn 
over  motion  picture  or  other  film  they 
were  producing  for  civilian  consump- 
tion on  any  order  sent  in  by  the 
Army  or  Navy. 

Representatives  of  film  manufactur- 
ers and  distribution  officials  in  New 
York  stated  yesterday  that  the  WPB's 
clarification  of  its  film  limitation  order 
(Continued  on  page  11) 


RaymondBlankDies; 
Son  of  A.  H.  Blank 


Des  Miones,  March  8. — Raymond 
Blank,  33,  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  H. 
Blank,  died  here  yesterday  of  a  heart 
attack.  Funeral  services  will  be  held 
at  1 :30  p.  m.,  Wednesday,  at  Dunn's 
Funeral  Home  here. 

Raymond  Blank  was  an  executive 
of  the  Tri-States  and  Central  States 
circuits  and  advertising  manager  of 
Central  States.  His  father  is  presi- 
dent of  both  circuits.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Blank  were  en  route  to  Des  Moines 
(Continued  on  page  11) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "Hello,  Frisco, 
Hello,"  "Buckskin  Frontier," 
and  "Rhythm  of  the  Islands," 
Page  6.  Hollywood  production 
news,  Page  6.  Hollywood 
notes.  Page  8.  Key  city  box- 
office  reports,  Page  8. 


2 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Tuesday,  March  9,  1943 


'Most  Severe'  Raid 
Drill  Due  for  N.  Y. 

A  surprise  air  raid  drill 
which  will  be  "the  most  se- 
vere" the  city  has  had  will 
be  held  soon,  Mayor  F.  H.  La- 
Guardia  announced  Sunday  in 
his  weekly  radio  broadcast 
over  WNYC.  The  mayor  said 
that  the  Axis  military  defeats 
have  increased  the  likelihood 
of  a  token  bombing  of  the  At- 
lantic coast.  Plans  for  the 
drill,  the  Mayor  said,  await 
Army  and  state  civilian  de- 
fense agency  approval. 


Harold  Smith  Named 
Secretary  of  IFRC 

Harold  Smith,  assistant  to  Carl  E. 
Milliken,  head  of  the  MPPDA  for- 
eign department,  yesterday  was  named 
secretary  of  the  International  Film 
Relations  Committee,  organization  of 
home  office  foreign  department  pub- 
licity managers.  Smith  succeeds 
Harry  Smith,  also  of  the  MPPDA, 
who  resigned  recently  to  become  sec- 
retary of  the  Society  of  Motion  Pic- 
ture Engineers. 

Clarence  Schneider  of  Columbia 
was  named  chairman  of  the  IFRC  re- 
cently. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 

Bob  HOPE   Dorothy  LAMOUR 

in  Samuel  Goldwyn's 

"THEY  GOT  ME  COVERED" 

Released  thru  RKO  Radio  Pictures 
Gala  Stage  Revue    .   Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


See  what  really  happens  to 

"HITLER'S  CHILDREN" 

IN  PERSON 

XAVIER  CUGAT  orShVsV'ra 

HENNY  YOUNGMAN 

PARAMOUNT  SqtuareI 


jack  BIMMY iw«'MlANF 
cMEANEST  MAN  ,nthE WORLD 

w.,h  ROCHESTER 

A  JOth  C«nli«ry-Fox  Plcturt 

PLUS  A  BIG  DAW  7thAve- 
STAGE  SHOW  KUA  Y  &  50th  St. 


B  WAY  & 
47th  St. 


PALACE 


TERESA  WRIGHT  •  JOSEPH  COTTEN 

"SHADOW  OF  A  DOUBT" 

—  and  — 
"WHEN  JOHNNY  COMES 
MARCHING  HOME"  with 
PHIL  SPITALNY  and  his  All  Girl  Orch. 


f»**-1l:li< 


ON  SCREEN 

PARAMOUNT'S 
"STAR  SPANGLED 
RHYTHM" 

7  SON©  HITS 


IN  PERSON 

"SALUTE 

FROM 

HAWAII" 

with 
Ray  Kinney 


Insider's  Outlook 


■  By  RED  KANN« 


Hollywood,  March  8 
C  OME  are  holding  their  breath. 
^  Others,  having  held  it  for 
months  and  to  a  point  where  the 
explosion  area  has  been  invaded, 
are  letting  go. 

Those  holding  on  are  persuaded 
to  do  so  because  they  are  perfectly 
aware  this  industry  is  vulnerable 
to  attack  despite  the  undeniable 
truth  of  the  matter  which  is  that  at- 
tack is  without  justification  more 
often  than  otherwise. 

As  they  finally  give  out,  the 
others  are  observing  it's  about  time 
courage  came  out  of  its  quiet  corner 
for  a  floodlight  appearance  sur- 
rounded by  the  determination  and 
the  intention  to  learn  what's  cook- 
ing. 


It  may  turn  out  to  be  that  nothing 
is  cooking  unless  it  proves  to  be 
the  industry  that  is  cooked.  But 
behind  Metro's  petition  for  defer- 
ment of  Mickey  Rooney  is  a  de- 
termination and  an  intention  of 
size.  Hollywood  finally  is  demon- 
strating it  wants  to  know  where  it 
gets  off  on  those  male  stars  which 
it  views  essential  if  pictures  are 
to  be  continued  with  the  personali- 
ties the  public  pays  to  see. 


The  argument  deals  largely  with 
equities  and  morale.  The  equities 
deal  with  the  little  understood  pol- 
icy of  the  government  in  declaring 
a  wide  assortment  of  technical  men 
working  behind  cameras  essential 
while  those  men  who  appear  before 
cameras  are  not.  To  Hollywood  in 
general,  this  makes  little  sense.  It 
may  make  sense  to  those  in  Wash- 
ington who  have  reached  this  de- 
cision and  perhaps  to  others  un- 
known, but  your  own  observer  is 
not  included. 


It's  a  dollars-and-cents  argument, 
as  well,  but  not  wholly  so.  The 
studios  want  to  keep  going.  They 
are  encouraged  in  this  by  state- 
ments of  record  emanating  from 
those  in  high  places  in  government. 
There,  the  view  appears  to  recog- 
nize the  need  for  entertainment  and 
the  uplift  in  morale  which  is  an  in- 
divisible factor  of  the  necessary 
business  of  keeping  a  people  at  war 
amused.  They  have  been  discour- 
aged, however,  by  the  discrepancies 
between  such  official  and  unofficial 
acknowledgment  of  the  power  of 
films  and  the  hamstringing  which 
interferes  with  the  continued  ap- 
plication of  that  power. 


And  so,  the  dice  had  to  be 
thrown.  Metro  is  doing  it  and 
hoping,  of  course,  that  a  seven  or 
an  eleven  turns  up.  Moreover,  it 
has  gone  the  full  limit  by  selecting 


Mickey  Rooney  as  its  test  and  by 
asserting  in  the  full,  sharp  light  of 
day  that  it  seeks  to  have  him  de- 
clared essential  for  the  length  of 
the  war.  The  company  could  have 
selected  some  one  less  major  in  its 
ranks,  but  it  did  not.  It  could  have 
been  seeking  a  partial  deferment  in 
order  to  complete  a  Rooney  sched- 
ule, but  it  did  not  do  that  either. 
In  fact,  the  studio  says  little  pub- 
licly about  its  leap  into  the  un 
known,  but  the  pattern  of  its  in 
tention  is  very  clear. 


That  pattern  is  significant  enough 
to  cover  all  of  Hollywood  and 
Hollywood  recognizes  this  even  if 
it  does  not  completely  approve.  It 
ought  to  be  reported,  too,  that  the 
decision  to  move  did  not  develop  as 
the  result  of  any  known  agreement 
among  producers  to  use  Metro  as 
the  experimental  guinea  pig.  No 
group  met  and  picked  this  one  com- 
pany or  Rooney  out  of  a  hat  for 
the  target  practice  which  no  doubt 
will  come  out  of  this  development 
Yet,  while  no  group  met  and  no 
joint  decisions  were  arrived  at,  it 
follows,  naturally  the  result  is  of 
far-reaching  interest  and  impor- 
tance. For,  as  this  one  solitary  in 
stance  goes,  no  doubt  so  will  go 
others.  Therefore,  it  is  obvious 
the  Rooney  case  is  the  test  case  for 
the  entire  production  industry. 


Thus,  too,  it  comes  about  that 
those  who  are  holding  their  breaths 
and  fear  criticism  and  attack  in 
newspaper  columns  and  maybe  in 
Congressional  halls  are  finding  the 
going  heavier  in  the  light  of  their 
conviction  the  istorm  clouds  are 
about  to  let  their  fury  go.  They 
represent  the  appeasement  side. 
They  are  aligned  with  the  strong 
movement  in  this  industry,  but  cer- 
tainly not  peculiar  to  it,  which  man- 
ages to  hold  on  to  its  philosophy  of 
unwarranted  compromise  with  per- 
sistent strength  and  persuasion. 

But  it  also  comes  about  that  there 
are  many  indeed  who  are  throwing 
hats,  long  anchored,  into  the  air  as 
they  declare  with  relief  the  line  of 
retreat  has  been  dented  out  and 
the  armor  surrounding  hush-hush 
bruised. 


Regardless  of  the  outcome,  one 
major  significance  undeniably  is 
that  the  industry,  as  constituted  for 
this  purpose  in  Metro,  finally  has 
taken  a  stand.  The  test  inaugu- 
rated has  been  festering.  It  could 
not  possibly  have  been  warded  off 
indefinitely  awaiting  government 
indecision  to  resolve  itself  into  de- 
cision. 

Someone  had  to  throw  this  ball, 
sometime,  from  some  direction. 
This,  then,  is  it. 


Personal 
Mention 


ARTHUR  SACHSON  and  Jules 
Lapidus  of   Warner   Bros,  are 
touring  New  England. 


C.  J.  Scollard  of  Paramount  has 
left  for  Detroit.  £-: 

Julius  J.  and  Philip  G.  Epstein 
are  due  in  New  York  today  from  the  . 
Coast. 

• 

Aviation  Cadet  S.  Larry  Kimen- 
ker  of  the  Army  Air  Force,  formerly 
with  Loew's-Poli,  Hartford,  Conn.,  is  ' 
on  a  furlough  in  Hartford. 

• 

Henry  Lewenthal  of  the  Warner 
playdate  department  will  be  inducted 
into  the  Army  on  Thursday. 

• 

Harry  Alexander,  20th  Century- 
Fox  branch  manager  in  Albany,  and 
Ben  Dare,  Fred  Sliter  and  Dan 
Houlihan  of  that  exchange,  have 
returned  from  Boston. 

• 

D.  John  Phillips,  formerly  of 
Paramount,  has  been  inducted  into  the 
Army  and  leaves  for  Camp  Upton 
on  Friday. 

• 

Private    Dudley    Fenn,  former 
manager  of  the  Stuart  Theatre,  Lake- 
ville,    Conn.,    is    stationed   with  the 
Army  Air  Force  at  Miami  Beach. 
• 

Bernard   and   Charles  Golding, 
twin  sons  of  Louis  Golding,  Fabian 
Theatres  area  manager  in  Albany,  will 
be  inducted  into  the  Army  today. 
• 

Nathan  Sablosky,  Philadelphia 
exhibitor,  becomes  the  father  of  a 
son,  born  to  Mrs.  Sablosky,  at  the 
Jewish  Memorial  Hospital. 

• 

David  Milgram,  head  of  the  Affili- 
ated Theatres  Circuit  in  Philadelphia, 
has  returned  from  the  Mayo  Clinic, 
Rochester,  Minn. 

• 

J.  T.  Hoffman,  formerly  with 
Eastman  Kodak  Co.,  Rochester,  N.  Y., 
has  been  promoted  to  Captain  in  the 
Marine  Corps. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sara  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life  ]  g 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c 


A  SALUTE  TO  THE 
EXHIBITORS  OF  AMERICA! 


At  this  moment,  as  the  results  of  the  March  of  Dimes  drive  pour  in, 
I  wish  it  were  possible  for  me  to  shake  the  hand  of  every  exhibitor  and 
theatre  worker  who  participated  in  this  grand  effort.  I  would  like  to  thank 
and  congratulate  each  of  you  personally  on  the  splendid  job  you've  done. 

While  the  returns  are  not  all  in,  indications  are  that  the  total  collected 
may  exceed  that  of  last  year— a  remarkably  fine  showing. 

And  such  a  result  could  only  have  been  attained  through  the  generous, 
earnest  work  of  exhibitors  throughout  the  country. 

As  chairman  of  the  national  committee  and  on  behalf  of  my  associates, 
I  thank  you  exhibitors  of  America  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart.  Again 
you  have  reflected  credit  upon  our  entire  industry. 

You  did  the  work;  you  produced  the  results;  to  you  goes  that  satis- 
faction which  comes  from  helping  those  who  need  help. 

The  National  Foundation  For  Infantile  Paralysis  asks  me  to  extend  its 
deep  gratitude. 

And,  through  Mr.  Basil  O'Connor,  I  have  the  privilege  of  conveying 
to  you  —  each  and  everyone  of  you  —  the  deep,  personal  appreciation  of 
President  Roosevelt,  sponsor  of  this  fine  charity. 

Please  hurry  your  final  accounting  to  your  state  chairman,  so  we  may 
complete  the  job  and  tender  the  final  checks  as  quickly  as  possible.  The 
total  will  be  announced  when  the  certified  accountants  have  completed 
their  work. 

NICHOLAS  M.  SCHENCK 

National  Chairman,  Motion  Picture 
Committee  1043  March  of  Dimes 

"THANKS 
TO  ALL!" 

-  P.  S. —  And  now  let's  all  work  together  again  for 
the  success  of  the  Red  Cross  Drive. 


WIS  is  for 

BLOCKING-  . 
traffic  QtthtKoxyl 


AND  this  /s 
•for  JAMMING- 
the  Roxy  Lobby; 


EDMUND  GWENN •MATT  BRIGGS •  ANNE  REVERE 
MARGARET  SEDDON  •  HELENE  REYNOLDS 

Directed  by  SIDNEY  LANFIELD 
Produced  by  WILLIAM  PERLBERG 

Screen  Play  by  Allan  House  and  George  Seaton  •  Based  on  the  Play 
"The  Meanest  Man  In  The  World"  as  Produced  by  George  M.  Cohan 


oil 


-4  u  A-^tr 


AND  this  is 


mm 


At*!  lO* 


S/gn  up  Ou/c/c — RED  CROSS  WEEK— Apr.  1-7 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  March  9,  1943 


41  Features 
Are  Shooting; 
Eight  Started 


Hollywood,  March  8. — Studios  fin- 
ished two  pictures  and  started  eight 
last  week,  the  over-all  score  standing 
at  41  features  shooting,  22  in  prepara- 
tion and  73  in  cutting  rooms. 

The  status,  by  studios  and  titles : 
Columbia 

In  work :  "Somewhere  in  Sahara," 
"Attack  By  Night." 

Started :  "Appointment  in  Berlin" 
(George  Sanders,  Marguerite  Chap- 
man, Oale  Sondergaard,  Alec  Craig), 
"Right  Guy"  (Claire  Trevor,  Jess 
Barker,  Edgar  Buchanan,  Ann  Sav- 
age, Tom  i\eal),  "Two  Senoritas  from 
Chicago"  (Jinx  Falkenberg,  Joan 
Davis,  Robert  Haynes). 

M-G-M 

In  work :  "A  Guy  Named  Joe," 
"Right  About  Face,"  "Best  Foot  For- 
ward," "Girl  Crazy,"  "Man  from 
Down  Under." 

Started:  "Madame  Curie"  (Greer 
Garson,  Walter  Pidgeon,  Albert  Bas- 
serman,  Henry  Travers,  Reginald 
Owen). 

Paramount 

Finished:  "Riding  High,"  "Five 
Graves  to  Cairo." 

In  work :  "Hostages,"  "Let's  Face 
It,"  "So  Proudly  We  Hail,"  "Lady 
in  the  Dark." 

RKO 

In  work :  "Leopard  Man,"  "Gilder- 
sleeve's  Bad  Day,"  "Lady  Takes  a 
Chance,"  "Fallen  Sparrow,"  "Sky's 
the  Limit." 

Samuel  Goldwyn 

Started:  "North  Star"  (Ann  Bax- 
ter, Walter  Brennan,  Walter  Huston, 
Ann  Harding,  Jane  Withers,  Dana 
Andrews,  Dean  Jagger,  Erich  von 
Stroheim). 

Republic 

In  work :  "Prodigal's  Mother," 
"Swing  Your  Partner,"  "Rides  of  the 
Rio  Grande." 

Started:  "False  Faces"  (Rex  Wil- 
liams, Bill  Henry,  Veda  Ann  Borg). 
20th  Century-Fox 

In  work :  "Sweet  Rosie  O'Grady," 
"Jitterbugs,"    "Heaven    Can  Wait," 
"Jane  Eyre,"  "Stormy  Weather." 
Universal 

In  work :  "You  Go  to  My  Heart," 
"Never  a  Dull  Moment,"  "You  Can't 
Ration  Love"  (formerly  "Oh,  Say, 
Can  You  Swing?"),  "Phantom  of  the 
Opera,"  "Corvettes  in  Action." 
Warner  Bros. 

In  work :  "Saratoga  Trunk,"  "This 
Is  the  Army." 


Reviews 


British  War  Film 
For  Release  Here 

Negatives  and  prints  of  "Desert 
Victory,"  feature-length  film  pro- 
duced by  the  British  Army  film  photo- 
graphic unit  and  the  Royal  Air  Force 
film  production  unit,  are  en  route  to 
the  United  States,  the  British  In- 
formation Services  announced  yester- 
day. The  film,  it  was  said,  was  made 
under  fire  on  the  North  African 
battlefield  and  shows  the  Eighth 
Army's  victory  at  El  Alamein  and 
advance  to  Tripoli.  It  is  scheduled 
for  release  here,  but  arrangements 
have  not  been  set. 


"Hello,  Frisco,  Hello" 

(20th  Century-Fox) 

A  LICE  FA  YE  tunefully  returns  to  the  screen  in  "Hello,  Frisco, 
Hello,"  a  lavish  musical  in  Technicolor  depicting  San  Francisco 
show  business  of  the  early  1900's.  An  eye-appealing  spectacle  with 
songs  and  costumes  of  a  colorful  period,  the  film  has  the  marquee  power 
of  Miss  Faye,  John  Payne,  Jack  Oakie,  Lynn  Bari,  Laird  Cregar  and 
June  Havoc. 

All  of  the  gustiness  of  the  era  is  brought  to  the  screen  in  scenes  of  the 
Barbary  Coast.  From  hula  girls  in  Pacific  Street  dance  halls  to  the 
extravagant  decorations  of  Nob  Hill,  the  San  Francisco  life  is  shown. 
Among  the  nostalgic  tunes  revitalized  in  the  film  are  "Has  Anybody 
Here  Seen  Kelly,"  "Lindy  Lou,"  "Bedelia"'  and  "I've  Got  a  Gal  in 
Every  Port." 

Miss  Faye  sings  in  her  attractive  fashion,  while  Jack  Oakie  and  June 
Havoc  are  excellent  in  their  particular  styles.  The  story  by  Robert  Ellis, 
Helen  Logan  and  Richard  Macauley  concerns  a  successful  showman 
who  goes  from  the  Barbary  Coast  to  Nob  Hill,  only  to  come  back  to  his 
friends  and  the  faithful  girl  he  loves. 

Musical  direction  of  this  newest  20th  Century-Fox  Technicolor  musi- 
cal is  capably  handled  by  Hermes  Pan  and  Val  Raset.  Bruce  Humber- 
stone  directed  with  a  sure  hand.    Milton  Sperling  is  the  producer. 

Running  time,  98  minutes.  "G."* 


"Buckskin  Frontier" 

( U .A -Sherman) 

Hollywood,  March  8 

CTORY  takes  precedence  over  action  in  this  Harry  Sherman  special, 
^  but  there  is  plenty  of  the  latter  for  fans  who  love  a  fight,  and  the 
emphasis  on  the  narrative  side  of  the  enterprise  profits  the  whole.  The 
picture  is  among  the  best  of  Sherman's  works,  a  solid  and  satisfying 
contribution  to  the  screen  literature  of  the  Old  West. 

Richard  Dix,  Jane  Wyatt  and  Albert  Dekker  have  the  top  roles,  treat- 
ing the  triangle  with  respect  due  the  medium,  and  the  cast  includes  Lee 
J.  Cobb,  Victor  Jory,  Lola  Lane,  Max  Baer,  Joe  Sawyer,  Harry  Allen, 
Francis  McDonald,  George  Reeves  and  Bill  Westell. 

The  story  concerns  the  resistance  of  a  prairie  isolationist  (1870 
model)  to  a  project  for  extending  the  Missouri  Central  Railroad  to  its 
proposed  junction  with  a  line  being  built  Eastward  from  the  West  to 
meet  it.  Cobb  as  the  leader  of  the  resistance,  which  is  orderly  but  stub- 
born until  Jory,  an  opposition  railroader  takes  a  hand  in  it,  and  Dix  as 
the  builder,  turn  in  strong  performances,  as  does  Dekker,  as  a  foreman 
who  changes  sides  in  mid-story.  There  is  a  rousing  rough-house  fight 
early  in  the  picture,  an  expansive  gun  battle  toward  the  end  and  another 
fistic  encounter  at  the  finish,  the  story  holding  steadily  between  these 
high  points. 

The  script  by  Norman  Houston  is  from  "Buckskin  Empire,"  by  Harry 
Sinclair  Drago,  and  Lesley  Selander  directed  with  a  watchful  eye 
against  lag  of  interest.  Lewis  J.  Rachmil  acted  as  associate  producer  for 
Sherman. 

Running  time,  76  minutes.    "G."*  William  R.  Weaver 


"Rhythm  of  the  Islands" 


( Universal) 

Hollywood,  March  8 

TP  HE  value  of  the  names  to  the  individual  exhibitor  is  the  measure  of 
this  hour-long  idyl  plus  song  and  gag. 

The  names  are  Allan  Jones,  Jane  Frazee,  Andy  Devine,  Ernest  Truex, 
Marjorie  Gateson,  Mary  Wickes,  Acquanetta,  Nestor  Paiva,  John  Max- 
well, Maceo  Anderson,  the  Step-Brothers  and  the  Horton  Dancers. 

The  place  is  a  South  Sea  Island,  before  South  Sea  Islands  became 
military  objectives,  and  the  script  by  by  Oscar  Brodney  and  M.  M.  Mus- 
selman,  from  an  original  by  Brodney,  is  about  two  white  adventurers1 
who  pose  as  a  native  chief  and  beach-comber  by  way  of  making  a  liv- 
ing from  the  tourist  trade  until  a  visitor  comes  along  to  whom  they  can 
sell  the  island.  This  happens,  pleasantly  enough,  with  Devine  and  Miss 
Wickes  furnishing  the  comedy,  Jones  and  Miss  Frazee  the  songs. 

Roy  William  Neill  directed  for  associate  producer  Bernard  W.  Burton. 
Seven  songs,  from  various  sources,  and  two  or  three  dance  routines  are 
executed  in  the  course  of  the  proceedings. 

It  is  a  film  with  which  to  fill  an  hour  of  running  time. 

Running  time,  60  minutes.  "G."*  William  R.  Weaver 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


British  Raw  Stock 
Plans  Presented 

London,  March  8.  —  An  in- 
dustry delegation  today  pre- 
sented its  raw  stock  economy 
proposal   to   the   Board  of 
Trade,  as  recently  outlined. 
The  calling  of  a  press  confer- 
ence for  Thursday  suggests 
that  day  may  be  the  deadline 
on  the  Government's  plans. 
The  matter  is  expected  to  be/T«k 
discussed  at  the  annual  meet!  J 
ing  of  the  Cinematograph  Ex-^^ 
hibitors  Association  tomorrow. 


Arbitration  Appeal 
On  L.A.  Clearance 


An  appeal  has  been  filed  from  an 
award  entered  at  the  Los  Angeles  ar- 
bitration tribunal  last  month  eliminat- 
ing all  clearance  held  by  the  Glen  and 
Dale,  Los  Angeles,  over  the  Eagle, 
the  plaintiff  theatre,  American  Arbi- 
tration Association  headquarters  here 
announced  yesterday.  Appeals  were 
tiled  by  both  intervening  theatres  and 
Paramount.  The  case  involved  all 
five  consenting  distributors. 

At  the  Buftalo  tribunal,  the  clear- 
ance complaint  of  S.  G.  Theatre 
Corp.'s  Grenada,  Buffalo,  against  the 
five  consenting  distributors  and  Shea's 
Kensington  and  North  Park  was  with- 
drawn, presumably  following  a  settle- 
ment. 


21  Stories  Bought  by 
PRC,  Greenblatt  Says 

Producers  Releasing  Corp.  has  pur- 
chased 21  stories  for  1943-44  produc- 
tion, with  nine  of  next  season's  pro- 
gram expected  to  be  completed  or  in 
work  by  May  1,  Arthur  Greenblatt, 
vice-president  in  charge  of  sales  for 
PRC  announced  on  his  return  from 
the  Coast  over  the  week-end.  Green- 
blatt said  he  will  remain  here  for 
th  ree  weeks,  and  will  then  leave  on 
an  exchange  trip. 


Coe  Speaks  Today 
To  Sales  Executives 

Approximately  1,000  persons  have 
made  reservations  for  the  luncheon 
sponsored  by  the  Sales  Executives 
Club  of  New  York  at  the  Hotel 
Roosevelt  today  at  which  Charles  F. 
Coe,  vice-president  and  general  coun- 
sel of  the  MPPDA,  will  be  the  prin- 
cipal speaker,  the  sponsoring  organi- 
zation announced  yesterday. 

Civic,  religious  and  educational 
leaders  will  attend,  as  well  as  industry 
executives  and  metropolitan  area  ex- 
hibitors. 


Roy  Brown  Rites  in  N.  /. 

Trenton,  N.  J.,  March  8.— Funeral 
services  were  held  today  for  Roy  J. 
Brown,  56,  legal  representative  here 
for  the  RKO  theatre  circuit,  who  died 
last  Thursday  at  Mercer  Hospital  fol- 
lowing a  heart  attack.  He  is  survived 
by  his  widow,  and  a  son,  James,  who 
is  in  the  Army. 


Club  Plans  Hospital  Aid 

Baltimore,  March  8.— A  commit- 
tee from  the  Variety  Club  tent  here 
is  studying  a  plan  to  provide  furnish- 
ings for  a  new  children's  wing  re- 
cently added  to  West  Baltimore  Gen- 
eral Hospital. 


SOME  MORE  OF 
rHAT  OLD  BLACK  MAGIC" 
FROM  pARAMOUNT 


One  Year  Ago  Just  A  Name  In  The  Phone  Book— 
And  Today  He's 

Doubling  N.Y.  Rialto's  long-run  record  in  6  epic  weeks 
Topping  "Glass  Key"  by  70%  at  Toledo  Paramount 
"Torrid"  at  Stanley,  Pitt.-"A  smash"  at  Para.,  Newark 
Pulling  1000  fan  letters  a  day,  in 


with  HELEN  WALKER  *  MABEL  PAIGE  *  Sheldon  Leonard  '  Marie  McDonald  •  Directed  by  Frank  Tuttle  •  Screen  Play  by  Darrell  Ware  and  Karl  Tnberg 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  March  9,  1943 


Boston  Gross 


Good  Despite 
Snow,  Sleet 


Boston,  March  8. — Strong  product 
overcame  sn®w  and  sleet,  and  "Ran- 
dom Harvest"  is  expected  to  garner  a 
total  of  $36,000  in  a  second  week  at 
Loew's  State  and  Orpheum,  $16,000 
and  $20,000,  respectively.  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy,"  backed  by  James 
Cagney  winning  the  Academy  award, 
is  heading  for  a  smash  $31,000  in  a 
second  week  at  the  Metropolitan.  A 
gross  of  similar  proportions  is  seen 
for  "Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  and  a  strong 
stage  show  at  the  RKO  Boston.  The 
Keith  Memorial  is  maintaining  a  high 
level  for  "They  Got  Me  Covered," 
with  a  special  preview  of  "Hitler's 
Children." 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  10 : 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (2,900)  (35c-50c-60c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $16,000.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S    ORPHEUM— (3,000)  (35c-50c- 
60c)    7   days,    2nd    week.     Gross:  $20,000. 
(Average,  $19,500) 
"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

KRO  BOSTON— (2,679)  (55c-65c-75c-85c- 
99c)  7  days.  Stage:  Connee  Boswell,  Joe 
Venuti  and  orchestra,  Hal  LeRoy,  Watson 
Sisters,  other  acts.  Gross:  $31,000.  (Aver- 
age, $27,000) 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 
"Calaboose"  (U.A.) 

RKO  KEITH  MEMORIAL — (2,907)  (44c- 
55c-65c-85c)  7  days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $26,- 
000.    (Average,  $20,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

M  &  P  METROPOLITAN— (4,367)  (30c- 
40c-55c-65c)  7  days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $31,- 
000.    (Average,  $24,000) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (20th- Fox) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

M  &  P  PARAMOUNT— (1,797)  (33c-44c- 
65c)  7  days.  Gross:  $7,800.  (Average,  $8,- 
000) 

"The  Black  Swan'  (Zftth-Fox) 
"Street  of  Chance'  (Para.) 

M  &  P  FENWAY— (1,320)  (33c-44c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $5,000.  (Average,  $6,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.B.) 

M  &  P  SCOLLAY— (2,500)  (33c-44c-65c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $5,500.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.B.) 

M  &  P  MODERN— (705)   (33c-40c-60c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $4,000.    (Average,  $3,500) 
"This  Gun  For  Hire"  (Para.) 
"The  Great  Impersonation"  (Univ.) 

TRANSLUX— (900)      (17c-28c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  $5,000) 
"Fantasia"  (RKO) 

MAJESTIC— (1,525)    (28c-40c-65c)   7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $2,500. 
"The  Pied  Piper"  (20th- Fox) 
"Magnificent  Ambersons"  (RKO) 

M  &  F  ESOUIRE  (Uptown)— (941)  (35c- 
50c)  7  days.  Gross:  $2,000.  (Average, 
$2,500) 


Berg  Resigns  from  Para. 

Herb  Berg,  member  of  the  Para- 
mount home  office  publicity  depart- 
ment and  trade  paper  contact  since 
1936,  resigned  yesterday,  effective  at 
the  end  of  the  week. 


MITCHELL  MAY,  Jr. 

CO.,  INC. 

INSURANCE 


• 

Specializing 
in  requirements  of  the 

Motion  Picture  Industry 

75  Maiden  Lane,  New  York 
510  W.  6th  St.,  Los  Angeles 


'Casablanca'  Smash 
$18,000,  Toronto 


Toronto,  March  8. — "Casablanca" 
was  expected  to  soar  to  $18,000  at 
Shea's  Theatre  against  holdover  op- 
position despite  the  Saturday  night 
setback  of  a  severe  blizzard  which 
tied  up  most  traffic.  "In  Which  We 
Serve"  appeared  headed  for  $11,00  in 
its  fourth  week  at  Loew's  Theatre, 
while  the  second  week  of  "The  Com- 
mandos Strike  at  Dawn"  at  the  Im- 
perial Theatre  had  a  $10,500  look. 
The  Tivoli  and  Eglinton  paired  up  in 
the  showing  of  "China  Girl"  and 
prospective  takes  were  $7,000  and 
$6,200,  respectively.  "Journey  for 
Margaret,"  in  the  second  week  at  the 
Uptown,  stood  to  gross  $9,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  Feb.  1 1 : 

"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 

EGLINTON— (2,086)     (18c-30c-42c-60c)  6 
days.  Gross:  $6,200.  (Average,  $4,500) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

IMPERIAL— (3,373)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $10,500.  (Average, 
$10,500). 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S— (18c-30c-42c-60c-78c)  6  days.  4th 
week.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average.  $10,000). 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

SHEA'S  —  (2,480)     (18c-30c-42c-6Oc-9Oc)  6 
days.    Gross:  $18,000.  (Average,  $11,000). 
"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 

TIVOLI—  (1,434)     (18c-30c-48c)     6  days. 
Gross:  $7,000.  (Average,  $4,200). 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

UPTOWN— (2,761)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Average. 
$9,500) 


Top  Montreal  Gross 
Goes  to  'Casablanca' 


Montreal,  March  8. — "Casablanca," 
at  the  Palace,  is  expected  to  gross 
$10,000  for  its  first  week  despite 
weekend  competition  from  the  Forum's 
Ice  Follies  Show.  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy,"  it  is  anticipated,  will  net 
about  an  average  $7,000  at  Loew's  in 
its  third  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  1 1 : 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

ORPHEUM— (1,100)  (30c-40c-60c)  7  days. 
4th  week.  Gross:  $4,000.  (Average,  $3,500) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

LOEW'S— (2.900)  (35c-53c-67c)  7  days.  3rd 
week.  Gross:  $7,000.  (Average,  $7,000) 
"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 
"The  Great  GUdersleeve"  (RKO) 

PRINCESS — (2,200)    (30c-40c-52c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $5,000.  (Average,  $3,500) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 
"Moonlight  in  Havana"  (Univ.) 

CAPITOL—  (2,700)    (30c-45c-62c)    7  days. 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $6,000.  (Average,  $4,500) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

PALACE— (2,700)  (30c-45c-62c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $14,500.    (Average,  $7,000) 


Producers  Approve 
Script  Review  Plan 


Los  Angeles,  March  8. — A  letter 
defining  a  formula  for  submitting 
scripts  to  the  Office  of  War  Informa- 
tion is  being  circulated  among  pro- 
ducers for  individual  signatures,  fol- 
lowing which  it  will  be  mailed  to 
Lowell  Mellett,  chief  of  the  OWI  Mo- 
tion Picture  Bureau,  it  was  learned. 

The  plan,  under  which  each  studio 
and  producer  desiring  to  do  so  will 
signify  individual  approval  of  the 
formula,  which  was  worked  out  by  a 
committee  appointed  recently  by  the 
East-West  industry  conferees,  is  ex- 
pected to  obtain  100  per  cent  coopera- 
tion on  a  voluntary  basis. 


Hollywood  Notes 


By  WILLIAM  R.  WEAVER 

Hollywood,  March  8 

EXHIBITOR  W.  R.  Frank,  32 
years  in  the  industry  and  operat- 
ing 16  theatres  in  Minnesota  in  part- 
nership with  his  quarter-century  asso- 
ciates, O.  C.  Woemper  and  Val  Near- 
pass,  is  taking  quarters  at  the  General 
Service  studios  to  produce  "Dr.  Paul 
Joseph  Goebbels"  from  a  screenplay 
by  Alfred  Zeisler  and  Herbert  Phil- 
lips. Zeisler,  who  probably  will  di- 
rect the  picture  also,  ended  a  career 
of  nine  years  as  a  producer-director 
for  UFA  in  Berlin  when,  following 
'the  Hitler-Goebbels  seizure  of  the 
German  motion  picture  industry  in 
1934,  conditions  of  operation  became 
intolerable.  Frank,  who  returned  to 
Minnesota  on  Tuesday,  will  spend  half 
his  time  in  Hollywood  hereafter.  He 
was  associated  with  William  Dieterle 
in  production  of  "All  That  Money 
Can  Buy"  and  "Syncopation,"  and 
with  Samuel  Bronston  in  production 
of  "The  Adventures  of  Martin  Eden." 
• 

Lloyd  Bacon  and  Warner  Brothers 
ended  \7l/>  years  of  association  at 
iveekend  when  the  director's  resigm- 
tion  was  accepted  by  the  studio  under 
an  arrangment  described  as  "amica- 
ble." Two  days  previously  he  had 
been  announced  to  direct  "Night 
Shift."  His  spokesman  said  he  would 
announce  a  new  affiliation  in  a  few 
days.  .  .  .  Ronald  Reagan's  return 
from  service  in  the  Army  to  play  a 
part  in  Warners'  "This  Is  the  Army" 
does  not  represent,  as  it  may  appear, 
a  precedent  promising  the  loan  of 
soldiers  to  the  screen,  as  wider  the 
British  system.  It  does  represent 
simply  a  resassignment  of  a  soldier 
from  one  post  of  duty  to  another,  for 
the  "This  Is  the  Army"  company  is 
in  fact  an  Army  unit  in  service. 
• 

Castings  for  "This  Is  the 
Army,"  which  were  stymied  for 
a  time,  are  beginning  to  flow. 
Warner  Bros,  has  added  Una 
Merkel,  Georgie  Tobias  and 
Alan  Hale  to  the  roster.  .  .  . 
Twentieth  Century-Fox  pur- 
chased "The  Lodger,"  the  Bel- 
loc  Lowndes  thriller  of  nostal- 
gic memory,  as  a  vehicle  for 
Laird  Cregar,  with  Robert 
Bassler  assigned  to  produce.  . . . 
Paramount  has  signed  Stanley 
Ridges  for  the  role  in  "The 
Story  of  Dr.  Wassell"  vacated 
by  the  late  Lynne  Overman. 
• 

In  the  wake  of  the  previewing  of 
"The  Human  Comedy"  a  wave  of 
anectode  retelling  the  tales  of  Wil- 
liam Saroyan,  who  wrote  the  story 
of  the  picture  and  broke  his  M-G-M 
contract  because  he  wasn't  allowed  to 
direct  it,  is  sweeping  the  town.  Best 
liked  at  the  moment  is  a  new  one 
which  asserts  that  his  Army  superiors 
asked  him  to  do  a  training-film  script 
dealing  with  A.W.O.L.  and  he  went 
that  way  two  weeks  in  process  of  ob- 
taining material,  returning  then  with 
completed  script  in  hand  and  collect- 
ing a  Stretch  of  K.P.  duty  as  compen- 
sation. It  would  be  a  canard,  spon- 
sored or  not  by  the  earnest  and  inven- 
tive young  man  of  talent,  but  the  town 
is  past  caring,  having  made  tip  its  pro- 
fessional mind  that  he'll  be  welcomed 
back  to  the  production  community  and 
allowed  to  dictate  the  terms  of  his 
next  studio  contract  on  the  strength  of 
the  picture  which  bears  his  signature. 


Chicago  Gross 
Off;  'Rhythm' 
Fair,  $30,000 


Chicago,  March  8.— "Star  Span- 
gled Rhythm,"  which  is  headed  for 
about  $30,000  at  the  State  L 
stands  out  in  a  week  which  so  far 
encountered  another  cold  wave 
five  inches  of  snow.  "Time  to  Kill" 
with  "Funzafire"  and  Benny  Meroff 
Orchestra  on  the  stage  is  doing  well 
at  the  Oriental  with  $21,000  expected. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  ending 
March  11 : 

"Palm  Beach  Story"   (Para.)   7  days,  3rd 
week 

"Dr.  Gillespie's  New  Assistant"  (M-G-M)  7 
days,  2nd  week 

APOLLO— (1,400)     (40c-55c-75c).  Gross: 
8,500.     (Average,  $8,500) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (Col.) 

CH1CAGO-C4.000)  (40c-55c-75c)  7  days. 
Stage:  Veloz  &  Yolanda.  Gross:  $37,000. 
(Average,  $42,000) 

"The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (20th- 

Fox)  7  days,  2nd  week 
"My  Heart  Belongs  to  Daddy"  (Para.)  7 

days 

GARRICK— (1,000)    (40c -55c -75c).  Gross: 
$6,500.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (20th-Fox) 

ORIENTAL — (3,200)  (27c-31c-50c-59c)  7 
days.  Stage:  "Funzafire"  and  Benny  Me- 
roff Orchestra.  Gross:  $21,000.  (Average, 
$22,000) 

"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 
"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

PALACE—  (2,500)  (45c-55c-75c)  7  days, 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $19,000.  (Average,  $16,- 
000) 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

ROOSEVELT— (1,500)  (40c-55c-75c)  7 
days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $14,000.  (Average, 
$16,000) 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

STATE- LAKE — (2,700)     (40c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $30,000.    (Average,  $19,700) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,700)  (40c-55c-75c) 
7  days,  6th  week.  Gross:  $17,000.  (Aver- 
age, $15,500) 


Bad  Weather  Hurts 
Gross  in  Baltimore 


Baltimore,  March  8. — Allowing  for 
a  rain  storm  on  Saturday  and  the  fact 
that  several  of  the  pictures  are  hold- 
overs, business  is  expected  to  score 
substantial  receipts  for  the  week. 
"Lucky  Jordan"  opened  strong  with 
$10,000  expected  for  five  days  at 
Keith's,  while  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy,"  for  the  first  time  at  popular 
prices,  will  draw  $15,000  for  its  second 
week  at  the  Stanley. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  11 : 

"Random   Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

CENTURY— (3,000)     (40c-50c     and  55c 
weekends)  7  days,  3rd  week.    Gross:  $12,- 
500.    (Average,  $12,000) 
"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 

KEITH'S— (2,406)  (15c-28c-33c-44c  and  55c 
weekends)  5  days.    Gross:  $10,000.  (Aver- 
age, $10,000)  ,  , 
"The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (20th- 

Fox) 

NEW  (1,581)  (15c-28c-35c-5Sc)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,500.  (Average,  $8,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

STANLEY— (3,280)  (28c-39c-44c-5Sc)  / 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $14,500.  (Average, 
$13,000) 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

HIPPODROME— (2,205)  (28c-39c-44c-55c- 
66c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Stage:  Adrian 
Rollino  Trio,  Ramona,  Jackie  Green,  Whit- 
son  Bros.,  Six  Grays.  Gross:  $15,500.  (Av- 
erage, $14,000) 

"Lady  Bodyguard"  (Para.) 

MARYLAND— (1,300)    (39c-66c)    7  days. 
Stage:    The    Great    Gester,    Cappy  Barra 
Boys,     Three     Sailors,     Juggling  Jewels. 
Gross:  $9,500.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Army  Sursreom"  (RKO) 

MAYFAIR— (1,000)  (20c-40c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $7,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 


IT  ^^J(j^QJ^Y 


RECOMMENDED  TRIM  AND  RANGE  OF  ARC  CURRENT  FOR  LAMPS 
USING     COPPER     COATED,    HIGH     INTENSITY,     PROJECTOR  CARBONS 

New  Victory  Carbons  —  Size  and  Type 


"1  Kw"  High  Intensity,  A.C. 
"1  Kw"  High  Intensity,  D.C. 

Simplified  High  Intensity,  D.C. 

with  adjustable  feed  ratio 
Simplified  High  Intensity,  D.C. 

with  fixed  feed  ratio 
Simplified  High  Intensity,  D.C. 


52-6 
40-42 


42-45 
42-45 


56-65 


7  mm  x  9  inch  H.I.,  A.C.  Carbons  in  both  holders 
7  mm  x  12  inch  or  14  inch  "Suprex"  Positive 

6  mm  x  9  inch  "Orotip"  C  Negative 

7  mm  x  12  inch  or  14  inch  "Suprex"  Positive 

6  mm  x  9  inch  "Orotip"  C  Negative 

7  mm  x  12  inch  or  14  inch  "Suprex"  Positive 

7  mm  x  9  inch  "Orotip"  C  Negative 

8  mm  x  12  inch  or  14  inch  "Suprex"  Positive 
7  mm  x  9  inch  "Orotip"  C  Negative 


You  can  obtain  maximum  efficiency  and  economy  from 
your  Victory  Carbons  by  observing  the  following  simple 
rules. 

USE  CARBON  TRIM  RECOMMENDED  FOR  YOUR  PROJECTION  EQUIPMENT. 

The  Victory  Carbon  trims  indicated  in  the  above  table 
were  established  by  comprehensive  laboratory  and  field 
tests  to  ascertain  the  best  results  obtainable  in  all  types 
of  equipment 

OPERATE  CARBONS  AT  SPECIFIED  ARC  CURRENT. 

Better  projection  and  greater  economy  are  obtained 
when  recommended  arc  currents  are  maintained.  The 
maximum  allowable  arc  current  is  stamped  on  each 
Victory  Carbon  at  the  left  of  the  trade-mark. 

CHECK  FEED  RATIO  CAREFULLY. 

Changes  of  arc  current  alter  the  ratio  of  burning  rate  be- 


tween positive  and  negative  carbons.  On  lamps  equipped 
with  adjustable  feed  and  formerly  operated  above  45 
amperes  arc  current,  this  ratio  should  be  adjusted  to 
meet  the  new  current  conditions. 

A  bulletin  describing  operation  of  the  new  Victory  High 
Intensity  Carbons  is  available  for  distribution  and  will 
be  sent  promptly  upon  request. 


SAVE 


T   H  E 


COPPER 


Most  of  the  coppei  used  for  plating  copper  coated 
projector  carbons  drops  to  the  floor  of  the  lamp  house 
when  the  carbons  are  burned.  Continue  to  save  these 
copper  drippings  and  turn  them  over  to  your  supply 
dealer  as  designated  by  our  government. 


FOP^VICTORY 
J  BUY 


NATIONAL  CARBON  COMPANY,  INC 

Unit  of  Union  Carbide  and  Carbon  Corporation 

tun 


Carbon  Sales  Division,  Cleveland,  Ohio 

GENERAL  OFFICES- 
30  East  42nd  Stre&t,  New  York,  N.  Y; 

BRANCH  SALES  OFFICES 
New  York,  Pittsburgh,  Chicago,  St.  Louis,  San  Francisco 


"I  pieJlpTALLEGIANCE... 


ft 


APRIL  1st  thru  7th 

1943 
MOTION  PICTURE 
INDUSTRY 


(If  you  operate  more  than  one 
theatre,  please  list  them,  indi- 
vidually, on  the  reverse  side.) 


TO  THE  THEATRES  DIVISION,  WAR  ACTIVITIES  COMMITTEE, 
MOTION  PICTURE  INDUSTRY,  1501  Broadway,  New  York 

1^  AGER  to  support  the  indispensable  services  rendered  by  the  American  Red  Cross 
to  our  fighting  men,  I  pledge  my  complete  co-operation  in  the  Red  Cross  War 
Fund  Week  to  be  conducted  by  the  Motion  .Picture  Industry,  April  1-7,  inclusive. 

In  order  that  the  audience  collections  to  be  made  in  my  theatre  at  every 
performance  during  the  week  will  bring  the  greatest  results  we  have  ever  achieved, 
we  will  exhibit  both  the  special  Red  Cross  Trailer  and  the  one  reel  Red  Cross  Short 
to  be  provided  free.  We  will  publicize  the  week  in  our  advertising  and  make 
suitable  displays. 

It  is  understood  that  my  local  Red  Cross  Chapter  is  to  receive  100%  of  all 
the  funds  collected,  the  receipt  for  which  I  will  forward  promptly  to  the  War 
Activities  Committee  for  the  purposes  of  an  Industry-wide  record. 


SIGN  AND  RETURN 
AT  ONCE  TO  YOUR 
DISTRICT  RED 
CROSS  WAR  FUND 
CHAIRMAN 


(Signed). 


.  Theatre 
Address 


SIGN  TODAY!  FOR  YOUR  COUNTRY!  FOR  YOUR  BOYS! 


Send  it  at  once  to  your  District  Chairman! 


Albany  Lou  Golding 

«  |  (W.  K.Jenkins 

Atlanta j  Oscar  C.  Lam 

Boston   M.  J.  Mullin 

Buffalo  A.  Charles  Hayman 

Charlotte  H.  F.  Kincey 

Chicago  Edwin  Silverman 

Cincinnati  Ike  Libson 

Cleveland  William  N.  Skirball 

Dallas  R.  J.  O'Donnell 

Denver  Rick  Ricketson 

Des  Moines  A.  H.  Blank 


Detroit  E.  C.  Beatty 

Indianapolis  Harry  Katz 

Kansas  City  Elmer  Rhoden 

Los  Angeles  R.  H.  Poole 

Memphis  M.  A.  Lightman 

Milwaukee  Harold  Fitzgerald 

Minneapolis  John  J.  Friedl 

New  Haven  I.  J.  Hoffman 

New  Orleans  E.  V.  Richards,  Jr. 

New  York  City  j  Harry  Lowenstein 

'         (Fred  Schwartz 


+ 


Oklahoma  City  L.  C.  Griffith 

Omaha  Joseph  Kinsky 

Philadelphia  Jay  Emanuel 

Pittsburgh  M.  A.  Silver 

Portland  Albert  J.  Finke 

St.  Louis  Fred  Wehrenberg 

Salt  Lake  City   J° hn 

'  ( Tracy  Barham 

San  Francisco  B.  V.  Sturdivant 

Seattle  Frank  Newman 




TRAILER  BY  CAPT.  EDDIE  RICKENBACKER!  GRATIS  POSTERS!  CAMPAIGN  BOOK!  PUBLICITY  MATS! 


Tuesday,  March  9,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Para.  Reports 
$14,525,000 
Profits  for '42 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
senting    Paramount's    interest    as  a 
^^ockholder  in  undistributed  earnings 

 \  non-consolidated   subsidiaries  and 

^proximately  $450,000  of  non-recur- 
ring income.  Ihe  estimate  compares 
jj,  with  ly41  earnings  of  $10,251,242, 
which  included  $1,045,000  of  undis- 
tributed earnings  of  non-consolidated 
subsidiaries. 

The  company  estimated  its  earnings 
for  the  final  1942  quarter,  ended  Jan. 
2,  1943,  at  $5,247,000,  which  included 
receipt  of  dollar  remittances  from 
Britain,  Australia,  New  Zealand  and 
India.  Earnings  for  the  correspond 
ing  quarter  of  the  preceding  year 
amounted  to  $2,801,242,  not  including 
$255,000  of  dividends  received  from 
non-consolidated  subsidiaries  in  excess 
of  the  company's  net  interest  in  the 
earnings  of  such  subsidiaries  for  the 
quarter. 

Equal  to  $4.70  a  Share 

The  fourth  quarter  earnings  reflect, 
in  addition  to  the  foreign  revenue  not 
previously  incorporated  in  1942  earn- 
ings, approximately  $290,000  of  non- 
recurring income,  but  do  not  include 
$753,000  in  non-consolidated  subsidi- 
aries' dividends  received  in  excess  of 
the  company's  net  interest  in  such 
earnings  for  the  quarter,  such  excess 
representing  a  partial  distribution  of 
share  of  earnings  of  previous  quarters. 

The  earnings  for  the  year,  after  de- 
duction of  $728,706  of  preferred  divi- 
dends, is  equivalent  to  $4.70  per  share 
on  the  outstanding  common  stock, 
compared  with  $3.41  per  share  the 
preceding  year. 


Broadway  Grosses 
Cut  by  Rain,  Snow 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
$69,000  for  the  second  week  and  en- 
ters a  third  week  tomorrow.  "The 
Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  was  ex- 
pected to  earn  about  $56,000  for  its 
second  week  at  the  Roxy  with  the 
"Truth  or  Consequences"  radio  show 
as  the  stage  attraction.  "The  Young 
Mr.  Pitt"  with  Grace  Moore  as  the 
stage  headliner  opens  at  the  theatre 
tomorrow. 

For  Friday  through  Sunday  at  the 
Rialto  "Frankenstein  Meets  the  Wolf 
Man"  garnered  an  estimated  $9,000. 
"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday" 
grossed  an  estimated  $7,500  for  Sat- 
urday and  Sunday  as  it  began  its  third 
week  at  the  Rivoli.  "Air  Force" 
earned  about  $15,700  for  five  days  of 
a  fifth  week  at  the  Hollywood  and 
will  be  held.  For  three  days  of  a  fifth 
week  at  the  Strand,  "Casablanca" 
grossed  an  estimated  $21,100  and  will 
be  followed  on  Friday  by  "The  Hard 
Way"  with  Jane  Wyman  heading  the 
stage  show.  For  Friday  through  Sun- 
day of  a  fourth  week  at  the  Globe, 
"Saludos  Amigos"  grossed  an  esti- 
mated $6,500. 


'Parade*  Opens  in  N.O. 

Republic's  "Hit  Parade  of  1943" 
will  have  its  first  opening  at  the  Sa- 
enger  Theatre  in  New  Orleans,  March 
26,  it  was  announced. 


15,000  Theatres 
In '43  Red  Cross 
Drive  April  1-7 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
dependent  groups,  and  exhibitor  en- 
thusiasm tor  mis  drive  transcenus 
anyming  that  War  .activities  Com- 
mittee workers  have  seen  since  tne 
war  Dcgin,"  said  Claude  i-ee,  campaign 
director. 

c  C.  Moskowitz,  Loew  executive, 
said  that  the  143  .Loew  theatres  win 
douDie  any  previous  collection  tney 
ever  made.  inat  group  garnereu 
$z^U,000  in  toe  recent  IViarcn  01 
uimes  drive,  Moskowitz  declared. 

Major  Thompson  oi  KHU  ineatres 
made  a  similar  prediction  tor  his  cir- 
cuit. Ike  Libson,  district  chairman 
lor  Cincinnati,  Kimer  Rhoden,  Kan- 
sas City,  and  John  J.  triedl,  Minne- 
apolis, report  excellent  response  in 
tneir  areas. 

bam  Tinanski,  Boston  district 
chairman  of  YVAC,  stated  that  houses 
in  his  section  have  signed  up  1UU  pei 
cent.  In  Chicago,  on  the  strength  01 
a  talk  by  John  .balaban,  members  01 
the  Chicago  Operators  Union  voted 
to  contribute  one  day's  pay  to  the 
drive,  and  will  make  an  additional  do- 
nation of  $2,500  from  their  general 
lund.  Total  contribution  from  this 
source  alone  is  expected  to  reach 
$15,000.  The  Stagehands  Union  and 
Musicians  Union  in  Chicago  will  also 
contribute  to  the  drive,  it  was  an- 
nounced. 


Warners  Purchase 
Aldine,  Philadelphia 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
Goldman,  the  Warner  circuit  also 
leased  the  bhubert  theatre.  Orig- 
inally a  showplace  for  the  legitimate 
stage  attractions,  the  bhubert  in  re- 
cent years  has  played  everything  from 
burlesque  to  Yiddish  productions. 
However,  the  house  has  never  been 
used  before  for  motion  pictures.  The 
keen  rivalry  between  the  Warner  and 
Goldman  independent  circuit,  which 
has  now  broke  out  into  the  open,  is 
expected  to  be  capped  in  the  courts. 
The  anti-trust  suit  filed  last  Decem- 
ber by  Goldman  against  Warners  and 
the  major  distributors  over  inability 
to  secure  suitable  product  for  his 
downtown  Erlanger  Theatre,  is  sched- 
uled to  come  up  for  trial  in  April  in 
the  U.  S.  District  Court  here. 


U.  A,  Expected  Not  to 
Appeal  Cresent  Case 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
a  minor  nature  that  grounds  for  ap- 
peal in  either  are  uncertain,  it  was 
stated.  Pepper  stated,  however,  that 
a  study  of  the  decision  and  findings 
has  not  been  completed  yet  and  no 
final  decision  will  be  made  on  an  ap- 
peal for  some  time. 

Universal  and  Columbia  were  given 
clean  bills  of  health  in  the  decision, 
which  found  Crescent  and  six  affili- 
ated theatre  companies  guilty  of  anti- 
trust law  violations.  The  five  con- 
senting companies  were  not  defend- 
ants in  the  action,  although  their 
transactions  with  the  Crescent  com- 
panies figured  in  the  testimony  and  the 
findings.  They  were  eliminated  as 
defendants  by  stipulation  with  the  De- 
partment of  Justice  when  they  entered 
into  the  Federal  consent  decree  which 
expires  next  November. 


WPB  Order 
Aids  Industry 
On  Raw  Stock 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

with  respect  to  the  filling  of  Army 
and  Navy  demands  for  raw  stock 
,hould  have  an  appreciable  beneficial 
effect  on  industry  supplies. 

The  executives  would  not  venture 
an  estimate  of  the  amount  of  raw 
stock  that  has  been  diverted  from  the 
industry  channels  heretofore  to  meet 
Army  and  Navy  orders  over  and 
above  available  supplies  for  the  lat- 
ter's  uses  but  asserted  that  it  was 
"substantial." 

It  was  pointed  out,  however,  that 
the  new  procedure  will  not,  of  course, 
increase  the  amount  of  raw  stock 
available  to  the  industry.  It  will 
merely  add  to  the  assurance  that  the 
footage  allocated  to  the  industry  will 
be  on  hand  when  it  is  needed  and 
the  industry  will  not  have  to  wait  for 
its  film  because  of  the  periodically 
heavy  demands  of  the  Army  and  Navy 
for  stock,  observers  said. 


Conn.  Theatres  on 
Seven  Day  Schedule 


Hartford,  March  8. — With  a  col- 
lective sigh  of  relief,  theatre  managers 
throughout  the  state  of  Connecticut 
today  threw  their  house  doors  open  for 
the  first  Monday  in  the  past  six 
weeks.  Gov.  Baldwin  announced  last 
week  that  business  establishments,  in- 
cluding theatres,  could  again  open  on 
Mondays,  since  the  fuel  oil  situation 
had  eased. 

Warner  Bros,  theatres  in  the  state 
ran  newspaper  advertisements  Satur- 
day announcing  the  return  to  a  full- 
seven-day  schedule,  as  did  the  Loew 
Poli  circuit.  Grosses  in  the  affected 
houses  had  declined  about  10  per  cent 
during  the  Monday  closing  period, 
theatre  managers  estimated. 


Raymond  Blank  Dies 
Son  of  A.  H.  Blank 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

from  the  Coast,  where  they  vaca- 
tioned, at  the  time  of  their  son's  death. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  H.  Blank,  who 
were  visiting  in  Los  Angeles,  arrived 
here  by  plane. 


Leonard  Goldenson,  Paramount 
vice-president  in  charge  of  theatre  op- 
erations; Sam  Dembow,  Jr.,  of  Para- 
mount, and  W.  C.  Gehring,  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox Western  division  manager, 
planned  to  attend  the  funeral  of  Ray- 
mond Blank. 


Lou  Costello  III 

Hollywood,  March  8. —  Lou  Cos- 
tello, Universal  comedian,  was  con- 
fined to  his  home  today,  suffering 
from  influenza  and  exhaustion  from  a 
recent  entertainment  tour  of  service 
camps. 


Ray  Murray  Joins  M-G-M 

Ray-  Murray,  former  trade  paper 
representative,  replaced  Jeff  Livings- 
ton, who  handled  shorts  publicity  at 
M-G-M,  it  was  announced.  Livings- 
ton enters  the  Army  aviation  corps. 


KING  OF  THE  COWBOYS 
In  a  mighty  song-packed 
adventure  .  .  .  made  to  thrill 
you  with  its  exciting  action 
and  vivid  romance . . . 

and  SMILEY  BURNETTE  in 


Smiley' s 
funnier 
than  ever 
before! 


with  BOB  NOUN  AND  THE 
SONS  OF  THE  PIONEERS 
VIRGINIA  GREY 

HARRY   I.  SHANNON 

ON*  MUNSON 

DICK  PURCEL1 

•lid  THE  ROBERT 

MITCHELL  BOVCH0IR 

Associate  Producer -Director 
I0SEPH  KANE  Bam 
Original  screen  ■■■■ 

play  by 
ROY  CHANSLOR 

and  OLIVE  COOPER 


Buy  War  Bonds  and  Stamp*. 


It's  a 

REPUBLIC  PICTURE 


On  May  15th,  1943 


Columbia  Pictures  will  release 
a  great  motion  picture  comedy 


0 


Joel 


Jean 


Charles 


McCREA  •  ARTHUR  •  COBURN 


in 


THE  MORE  THE  MERRIER 


Screen  Play  by  Robert  Russell  and  Frank  Ross;  Richard  FJournoy  and  Lewis  R.  Foster 
Story  by  Robert  Russell  and  Frank  Ross 

Directed  by 
GEORGE  STEVENS 


Only  "The  More  The  Merrier" has  a  DINGLE... 
NO  OTHER  MOTION  PICTURE  CAN  MAKE  THIS  CLAIM! 


Alert, 


MOTION  PICftmE 


VOL.  53.  NO.  46 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  WEDNESDAY,  MARCH  10,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Coe  Sounds 
Keynote  for 
Film  Goodwill 


Addresses  900  on  Behalf 
Of  Trade  Program 

By  SHERWIN  A.  KANE 

The  help  of  the  entire  industry  is 
needed  in  bringing  its  story  to  the 
public,  a  story  which  will  "fill  the  the- 
atres and  keep 
them  filled," 
Charles  F.  Coe, 
MP  PDA  presi- 
dent and  gen- 
e  r  a  1  counsel, 
told  a  gathering 
of  industry  rep- 
resentatives in 
an  i  n  f  ormal 
discussion  fol- 
lowing his  ad- 
dress  at  a 
luncheon  spon- 
sored by  the 
Sales  Execu- 
tives Club  of 
New  York  at 
the  Hotel 

Roosevelt  yesterday. 

More  than  900  persons,  representing 
numerous  civic,  educational,  religious 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Charles  F.  Coe 


35 -Theatre  Circuit 
Formed  in  So.  Calif. 

Los  Angeles,  March  9. — Eastland 
Theatres,  headed  by  Jack  Y.  Berman ; 
Edwards  Theatres,  headed  by  James 
Edwards,  and  Vinnicoff  Theatres, 
headed  by  Harry  Vinnicoff,  have 
formed  a  new  independent  circuit  com- 
prising 35  houses  owned  by  the  in- 
corporators, according  to  papers  filed 
in  Sacramento. 

The  circuit,  which  already  is  doing 
business  under  the  amalgamated  set- 
up, includes  neighborhood  houses  in 
this  vicinity  and  the  San  Gabriel  val- 
ley, it  was  reported. 


Plan  Drive  to  'Sell' 
Public  in  Cincinnati 

Cincinnati,  March  9. — A  move- 
ment is  being  launched  by  suburban 
exhibitors  here  to  inaugurate  an  insti- 
tutional advertising  campaign  designed 
"to  publicize  the  essentiality  of  motion 
pictures,  and  sell  the  public  on  attend- 
ing their  neighborhood  theatres,"  it  is 
learned.  Exhibitors  will  be  asked  to 
contribute  on  the  basis  of  five  cents 
per  seat  to  finance  the  venture. 

The  media  to  be  used  in  the  cam- 
paign has  not  been  definitely  de- 
termined. 


Korda  Associates 
With  M-G-M  for 
British  Production 


The  British  production  facilities  of 
M-G-M  and  Sir  Alexander  Korda 
have  been  merged  following  extended 
negotiations  between  the  latter  and 
Louis  B.  Mayer,  M-G-M  production 
head,  it  was  announced  yesterday  by 
M-G-M. 

The  two  interests  will  be  associated 
in  British  production  as  a  result  of 
the  merger,  it  was  stated.  No  details 
of  the  respective  production  assets  in- 
volved were  disclosed,  and  the  produc- 
tion plans  for  England  still  are  in- 
complete, it  was  stated.  Production 
decisions  will  be  made  during  the  cur- 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


Henry  Simpson  CEA 
President;  Clift,  V.P. 

London,  March  9. — Henry  Simp- 
son, Lancashire  exhibitor,  today  was 
elected  president  of  the  Cinemato- 
graph Exhibitors  Association  and 
Sidney  Clift,  operator  of  a  small  cir- 
cuit, was  elected  vice-president. 

Speakers  at  the  meeting  paid  tribute 
to  the  services  of  W.  J.  Speakman, 
retiring  president,  during  one  of  the 
most  difficult  years"  of  the  CEA. 

After  the  meeting,  Lord  Riverdale 
thanked  the  industry  for  its  collection 
of  202,491  pounds  for  the  Royal  Air 
Force  Benevolent  Fund.  High  mili- 
tary officials  were  among  the  guests 
at  a  reception  for  the  new  officers  fol- 
lowing the  session. 


New  Jersey  Holds 
State-Wide  Blackout 

Newark,  March  9. — A  state- 
wide practice  blackout  was 
held  throughout  New  Jersey 
tonight.  Lasting  one-half 
hour,  the  initial  signal  came 
at  9  P.M.  Theatre  attendance 
fell  off  considerably  during 
the  evening,  managers  report- 
ed. 

Civilian  Defense  officials 
announced  that  sometime  late 
this  month  or  early  April,  the 
nearest  possible  thing  to  an 
actual  air  raid,  without  the 
bombing  of  cities,  will  be  held 
in  this  state,  New  York  and 
Delaware  by  order  of  the  U.S. 
Army. 


Arnold  Judge  Soon; 
Senators  Approve 


Washington,  March  9. — Assistant 
Attorney  General  Thurman  Arnold  is 
expected  to  leave  the  Department  of 
Justice  within  a  few  days  to  take  his 
new  post  as  associate  justice  of  the 
District  of  Columbia  Court  of  Appeals 
after  five  years  of  service  as  head  of 
the  anti-trust  division,  during  which 
time  he  initiated  the  Government's 
anti-trust  suit  against  the  principal 
companies. 

Arnold's  appointment  to  the  bench 
was  confirmed  today  by  the  Senate. 

The  new  justice  has  been  with  the 
Department  almost  exactly  five  years, 
joining  it  on  March  18,  1938. 


The  Moon  Is  Down 


[20th  Century-Fox] 

Hollyzuood,  March  9 

SQUARING  away  with  the  grim  realities  of  the  times,  "The  Moon 
Is  Down"  is  stern,  unrelenting  and  gripping  drama  of  a  phase 
of  the  war  thus  far  largely  untouched  by  Hollywood  although 
others  in  the  same  format  are  on  the  way. 

This  attraction,  drawn  from  the  book  and  play  by  John  Steinbeck 
and  whipped  into  screen  form  by  NunnaHy  Johnson,  deals  with  oc- 
cupied Norway,  its  Quislings,  the  heel  of  the  brutal  Nazi  boot  and  the 
resentful,  but  always  courageous,  resistance  of  the  people.  In  effect, 
therefore,  this  outlines  the  technique  of  the  resistance  of  all  subjugated 
people,  but  focalized  through  the  thinking  and  the  actions  of  the  solitary 
village  in  which  the  drama  unfolds.  The  locale  happens  to  be  Norway. 
It  could  have  been  France,  Czechoslovakia,  Greece,  Holland  and  all 
of  the  others  trampled  under  the  Hitler  domination. 

The  invasion  forces  land,  their  way  paved  by  collaboration  from 
within.  There  is  a  brief,  but  pitifully  futile,  initial  resistance  by  the 
local  militia.  The  population  is  converted  into  slave  labor  at  the  mine 
and  the  whiphand  maintained  by  withholding  food  from  the  women 
and  children  unless  stepped-up  production  is  delivered. 

Then  comes  the  smouldering  opposition,  fanned  by  brutality  and  op- 
pression, into  open  opposition  taking  evidence  in  acts  of  sabotage. 
British  planes  drop  sticks  of  dynamite  with  instructions  outlining  their 

(Continued  on  page  3) 


Cut  in  British 
Playing  Time 
Seen  Averted 


Gov't  Expected  to  Adopt 
Trade  Proposals 


By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  March  9. — The  threat 
of  having  to  reduce  playing  time 
which  faced  British  exhibitors  as 
a  device  to  economize  on  raw  stock 
is  believed  averted,  trade  observers 
said  here  today.  It  was  stated  as 
an  authoritative  forecast  that  the 
Government,  through  the  Board  of 
Trade,  are  likely  to  accept  the  in- 
dustry's proposals  and  estimates  of 
raw  stock  saving  on  a  trial  basis. 

The  eventuality  remains,  how- 
ever, that  the  matter  will  be  re- 
opened on  Government  insist- 
ence should  the  industry's  guar- 
antees of  conservation  be  un- 
fulfilled. 

Rationing  of  raw  stock  to  distribu- 
tors and  producers  would  follow  the 
industry's  failure  to  bring  about  the 
promised  savings  through  the  pro- 
posed voluntary  method,  trade  ob- 
servers maintain. 

An  official  statement  in  the  matter 
is  expected  this  week. 


Film  Executives  to 
Attend  Blank  Rites 


Des  Moines,  March  9. — Numerous 
industry  officials  will  attend  the  funeral 
services  here  tomorrow  for  Raymond 
Blank,  33-year-old  son  of  A.  H. 
Blank,  operator  of  the  circuit  with 
which  the  son  held  an  executive  po- 
sition. 

Among  those  here  for  the  services 
are :  Barney  Balaban,  Paramount 
president ;  Leonard  Goldenson,  Para- 
mount vice-president  in  charge  of  the- 
atre operations ;  John  Balaban,  head 
of  Balaban  &  Katz,  Chicago ;  Sam 
Dembow,  Paramount  home  office  the- 
atre   official  ;    W.    C.  Gehring,  20th 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "Dixie  Du<ran," 
Page  3,  "Assignment  in  Brit- 
tanv."  "Hp  Hirer!  the  Boss" 
and  "Harrison's  Kid,"  Page  6. 
Key  city  box-office  reports, 
Pages  .3  and  6. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday.  March  10,  1943 


Coast  Flashes 


Personal  Mention 


Hollywood,  March  9 

LAVISHNESS  in  dress  "to  re- 
flect contemporary  American  con- 
ditions" will  be  curtailed  in  motion 
pictures  at  the  suggestion  of  the  Of- 
fice of  War  Information,  it  was 
learned  today.  The  move  is  further 
designed  to  conserve  the  use  of  fine 
fabrics  and  assorted  trimmings  for  di- 
version of  basic  materials  to  the  war 
needs,  it  was  reported. 


The  Hollywood  Victory  Committee 
has  approved  a  trip  of  five  motion  pic- 
ture stars  to  Canada  to  take  part  in 
the  Canadian  war  bond  drive  in  April 
and  May.  Broadcasts  are  planned 
from  Montreal,  Ottawa  and  Toronto, 
it  was  said. 

Col.  Buys  Time  on 
53  Radio  Stations 

Columbia  Pictures,  in  connection 
with  an  advertising  campaign  for  its 
forthcoming  feature,  "The  More  the 
Merrier,"  has  purchased  time  on 
newscasts  or  other  sustaining  pro- 
grams on  53  radio  stations  in  as  many 
principal  cities,  the  company  an- 
nounced yesterday. 

The  announcement  said  that  Col- 
umbia will  continue  the  practice  with 
other  future  releases,  and  sponsorship 
of  several  of  the  programs  has  been 
bought  for  52  weeks.  In  New  York, 
the  program  used  will  be  the  11  p.m. 
newscasts  of  Ned  Calmer  nightly  on 
WABC,  it  was  stated. 

PRC  to  Hold  Meets 
Here  and  in  Chicago 

Producers  Releasing  Corp.  an- 
nounced a  series  of  regional  sales 
meetings  to  discuss  the  national  cam- 
paign for  "Corregidor."  The  first  will 
be  held  at  the  Edison  Hotel  here  Sat- 
urday, Arthur  Greenblatt,  vice-presi- 
dent in  charge  of  sales,  said,  with  the 
second  planned  for  Chicago  the  fol- 
lowing Saturday. 

BIS  Chief  to  Speak 
At  Coast  Luncheon 

Hollywood,  March  9.  —  Industry 
leaders  have  been  invited  to  hear 
Harold  Butler,  director  general  of  the 
British  Information  Services,  at  a 
luncheon  at  the  20th  Century-Fox 
studio  Thursday.  He  is  to  discuss  film 
aspects  of  his  supervision  of  British 
information  interests  in  this  country. 


Toronto  Theatre  Dividend 

Toronto,  March  9. — Marcus  Loew's 
Theatres,  Ltd.,  is  maintaining  its  divi- 
dend stride  with  a  declaration  of  1^4 
per  cent  on  the  preferred  shares  for 
the  quarter  ending  March  31.  Arrears 
on  the  7  per  cent  cumulative  stock 
were  cleaned  up  toward  the  close  of 
1942  and  current  payment  is  now  in 
order.  The  company  operates  the 
Yonge  Street  and  Uptown  theatres  in 
Toronto. 


W.B.  Showing  March  22 

Warner  Bros,  yesterday  announced 
that  "Edge  of  Darkness"  will  be  trade- 
shown  in  key  cities  March  22. 


SAM  KATZ  leaves  the  Coast  to- 
morrow for  Chicago  and  will  later 
visit  New  York. 

• 

Gil  Golden  was  in  Washington 
yesterday. 

Christine  Kirk  of  the  Associated 
Theatres  of  Indiana  office,  Indianapo- 
lis, has  recovered  from  a  major  opera- 
tion. 

Terry  Turner  has  left  for  Toron- 
to and  other  key  cities  en  route  to 
the  Coast. 

• 

Irving  Coopersmith,  manager  of 
Warner's  Lindley  Theatre,  Philadel- 
phia, has  returned  from  the  Mayo 
Clinic,  Rochester,  Minn. 

• 

Paul  Graetz  is  in  Washington. 
• 

Neil  Hellman,  Albany  exhibitor, 
plans  to  leave  for  Florida  soon. 
• 

Robert    Wall,    son    of  Edward 
Wall,  Paramount's  Albany  publicity 
representative,  is  now  in  the  Army. 
• 

Morris  Mechanic,  owner  of  the 
New  Theatre  in  Baltimore,  is  visit- 
ing in  New  York. 


Charles  Skouras  and 
Aides  in  Mexico  City 

Los  Angeles,  March  9. — Charles 
Skouras'  trip  to  Mexico  City  is  pri- 
marily for  the  purpose  of  buying  un- 
rationed  stocks  of  candy  and  gum  for 
the  National  Theatres'  candy  business, 
it  is  learned. 

In  the  party,  which  is  scheduled  to 
return  Thursday,  are  also  Charles 
Buckley,  Fred  Stein  and  Billy  Lyris, 
all  circuit  executives.  Lou  Anger, 
National  Theatres  executive  here,  said 
reports  Skouras'  trip  had  to  do  with 
Latin  American  expansion  of  the  cir- 
cuit are  "premature." 


'Hangman'  Acquired 
For  M-G-M  Release 

M-G-M  has  announced  the  acquisi- 
tion of  "The  Hangman,"  independent- 
ly produced  by  Seymour  Nebenzahl. 
The  company  said  it  would  film  addi- 
tional scenes  and  several  "name" 
players  would  be  added  to  the  cast 
before  the  film  is  released. 

Cohan  New  20th-Fox 
Mg'r  in  Minneapolis 

Jack  Cohan  has  been  appointed 
manager  of  the  20th  Century-Fox  ex- 
change in  Minneapolis,  the  company 
announced  yesterday.  Formerly  for 
15  years  he  was  a  salesman  at  that  ex- 
change. Cohan  succeeds  Lt.  Joseph 
Podoloff,  now  on  active  duty  in  the 
U.  S.  Naval  Reserve. 

Red  Cross  Rally  for 
Managers  March  18 

A  rally  of  Metropolitan  area  thea- 
tre managers  for  the  Red  Cross  drive 
has  been  called  for  Thursday,  March 
18,  9  :30  a.m.,  at  Loew's  Ziegfeld  The- 
atre. Barney  Balaban,  national  Red 
Cross  drive  chairman,  will  address  the 
group. 


CLAUDE  McKEAN,  Warner 
Bros,  branch  manager  in  Indi- 
anapolis, and  Mrs.  McKean  cele- 
brated their  silver  anniversary  re- 
cently. 

• 

Robert  Fels  of  Warner  Bros,  re- 
ports to  Fort  Dix  on  Monday  for 
Army  service. 

• 

Jack  Mulhall,  formerly  Warner 
Bros.  Theatres  executive  in  Philadel- 
phia, now  with  the  Army  in  North 
Africa,  has  been  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  lieutenant  colonel. 

• 

Chakles  Bierbauer,  manager  of 
the  Colonial,  Allentown,  Pa.,  has  re- 
covered from  a  long  illness. 

• 

Norman  J.  Ayers,  Warner's  New 
England  district  manager,  was  an  Al- 
bany visitor. 

• 

Pvt.  Buddy  Ottenberg,  formerly 
with  the  Warner  circuit  in  Philadel- 
phia, and  Diana  Robinson  announced 
their  engagement. 

• 

Larry  McKay,  manager  of  the  Ar- 
cadia Theatre,  Philadelphia,  and 
Mrs.  McKay,  celebrated  their  sev- 
enth wedding  anniversary  yesterday. 


Isadore  Zevin  Trial 
Put  Off  to  March  30 

Federal  Judge  Henry  W.  Goddard 
yesterday  postponed  until  March  30 
the  trial  of  Isadore  Zevin,  former 
bookkeeper  for  George  E.  Browne, 
former  president  of  the  International 
Alliance  of  Theatrical  Stage  Em- 
ployes, who  is  under  indictment 
charged  with  perjury  before  a  Federal 
Grand  Jury. 

The  alleged  perjury  was  committed 
before  a  special  Grand  Jury  investigat- 
ing the  whereabouts  of  a  fund  of 
approximately  $2,000,000  collected 
from  members  of  the  IATSE  and 
controlled  by  Browne  and  William 
Bioff,  Browne's  former  personal  rep- 
resentative, it  is  charged. 

3,723  Blood  Donors 
In  N.Y.C.  Campaign 

The  New  York  City  theatre  drive 
for  blood  donor  donations  to  the  Red 
Cross  blood  bank  in  three  weeks  has 
signed  3,723  persons,  75  per  cent  of 
whom  actually  have  given  their  blood 
for  this  cause,  the  War  Activities 
Committee  announced  yesterday.  At 
the  request  of  the  Red  Cross,  small 
groups  of  houses  have  been  conduct- 
ing test  solicitations,  and  before  the 
campaign  is  over,  all  houses  in  the 
Metropolitan  area  are  expected  to 
have  taken  part  in  the  campaign,  the 
WAC  stated. 


Grace  George  Gets 
Role  in  Cagney  Film 

Grace  George  has  been  set  as  the 
first  casting  for  "McCloud's  Folly," 
William  Cagney  production  for  United 
Artists  which  will  star  James  Cagney 
in  his  first  picture  for  that  company, 
U.  A.  announced  here  yesterday.  This 
will  be  Miss  George's  screen  debut. 
The  film  is  expected  to  go  in  work  at 
the  end  of  this  month,  it  was  said. 


Meakin  Has  System 

Washington,  March  9.  — 
Hardie  Meakin,  managing  di- 
rector of  RKO  Keith's,  has  no 
trouble  holding  out  seats  for 
high  capital  officials  who  want 
to  see  his  show.  What  with 
crowds  jamming  the  doors  of 
most  Washington  theatres, 
empty  seats  stir  arguments 
among  the  cash  customers.  S<» 
Meakin  ropes  off  a  few  sea: 
in  the  mezzanine  and  displays 
a  sign,  reading: 

"Reserved  for  the  White 
House!" 

Meakin  says  he  hasn't  had  a 
complaint  yet,  not  even  from 
a  Republican. 


W.B.  Asks  Dismissal 
Of  Ethel  Levey  Suit 

Warner  Bros,  in  an  answer  filed  in 
Federal  Court  yesterday  denied  hav- 
ing portrayed  in  the  film,  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy,"  incidents  from  the 
life  of  Ethel  Levey,  actress  and  for- 
mer wife  of  the  late  George  M. 
Cohan,  without  her  knowledge,  and 
asked  that  her  $500,000  damage  action 
be  dismissed.  Plaintiff,  who  was 
Cohan's  wife  from  1899  to  1907, 
claimed  that  her  right  to  privacy  had 
been  violated. 


'Spirit  of  '43'  Gets 
Wide  Playing  Time 

Donald  Duck  has  given  his  tax  mes- 
sage to  the  maximum  number  of  thea- 
tre-goers, the  War  Activities  Commit- 
tee, reported  yesterday,  with  the  an- 
nouncement that  the  Walt  Disney 
short,  "The  Spirit  of  '43,"  has  played 
in  6,000  houses  to  date  and  before  June 
15  will  have  played  in  every  regular- 
ly-operating theatre  in  the  nation. 

Barney  Balaban  Off 
To  AttendBlankRites 

Barney  Balaban,  president  of  Para- 
mount, left  by  plane  yesterday  to  at- 
tend the  funeral  today  of  Raymond 
Blank,  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  H. 
Blank,  who  died  in  Des  Moines  Sun- 
day following  a  heart  attack. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
Presfdent;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan1 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan,! 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


Wednesday,  March  10,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


Academy  Awards  in 
Mid-WeekNewsreels 


Mid-week  newsreels  give  complete 
coverage  to  the  awarding  of  "Oscars" 
at  the  Academy  of  Motion  Picture 
Arts  and  Sciences  dinner  held  in  Hol- 
jjhr  »ood  last  Thursday.  Mme.  Chiang 
'  •  i  Shek's  visit  to  her  alma  mater, 
Wellesley  College,  is  featured  in 
Paramount  and  Pathe  newsreels. 

An  Allied  offensive  in  New  Guinea 
and  a  Russian  drive  in  Northern  Rus- 
sian territory  are  features  of  the  war 
"■scenes  portrayed.  For  sports  enthusi- 
asts, the  Army-Navy  basketball  game 
provides  added  thrills. 


Unable  to  Agree  on 
Chicago  Arbitrator 

Chicago,  March  9. — The  selection  of 
an  arbitrator  to  hear  the  clearance 
complaint  of  Marchesi  Brothers'  Car- 
roll Theatre,  Mt.  Carroll,  111.,  against 
Loew's  and  Vitagraph  at  the  local  ar- 
bitration tribunal  has  been  referred  to 
the  administrative  committee  of  the 
American  Arbitration  Association  due 
to  the  inability  of  the  parties  to  agree 
on  any  member  of  the  panel  sub- 
mitted. 

This  is  reported  to  be  one  of  the 
few  instances  of  its  kind  since  the  in- 
auguration of  the  industry  arbitration 
system.  The  administrative  commit- 
tee is  authorized  to  designate  the  ar- 
bitrator in  such  cases. 


Chance  Game  Tiff 
In  N.  Y.  Legislature 

Albany,  March  9. — A  public  hear- 
ing was  held  in  the  Legislature  today 
on  a  law  calling  for  the  legalization 
of  chance  games  in  New  York  State. 
The  Assembly  and  Senate  Codes 
committees  heard  arguments  both  for 
and  against  the  bill,  but  rendered  no 
decision. 

The  Assembly  has  passed  the  Ehr- 
lich  bill  calling  for  swinging  door 
exits  in  buildings  which  have  only 
revolving  doors.  In  the  Senate,  Sen- 
ator Halpern  has  introduced  a  bill 
providing  that  fees  charged  by  em- 
ployment agencies  shall  not  exceed 
10  per  cent  of  the  first  month's  in- 
come. 


Kyser  Draft  Appeal 
Supported  by  Davis 

Washington,  March  9. — Kay  Ky- 
;er's  appeal  from  1-A  classification  by 
lis  draft  board  was  supported  today 
}y  Elmer  Davis,  director  of  the  Of- 
fice of  War  Information,  in  a  letter 
:o  General  Lewis  B.  Hershey,  direc- 
:or  of  selective  service.   Davis  asked 

•j'hat  circumstances  surrounding  the  lo- 

'•.al  draft  board's  refusal  to  reclassify 
he  orchestra  leader,  who  is  consult- 
int  to  the  Radio  Advisory  Commit- 
ee  and  an  aide  in  bond  selling  drives 
or  the  OWI,  be  investigated  by  Gen- 
ral  Hershey. 

Davis  wrote  that  Kyser  is  "doing 
nore  useful  work  now"  than  he  would 

■us  leader  of  a  battalion  band,  a  post 

he  might  get  if  drafted. 

W.E.  Votes  50c  Dividend 

A  dividend  of  SO  cents  per  share, 
ayable  March  31,  was  voted  at  a 
leeting  of  the  directors  of  the  West- 
rn  Electric  Co.  yesterday,  it  was  an- 
ounced. 


"The  Moon  Is  Down" 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

most  effective  use.  Bridges  are  destroyed  and  power  lines  blown  up 
in  the  organized,  but  never-in-the-open  campaign  to  resist  the  invader 
and  to  slow  down  his  output.  Some  of  the  patriotic  saboteurs  are  dis- 
covered and  executed,  of  course.  Others  spring  into  their  ranks.  Still 
others  are  never  located. 

As  the  silent  rebellion  takes  on  scope,  the  resistance  of  the  enemy 
similarly  stiffens  until  the  point  is  reached  where  the  mayor  and  nine 
others  face  execution  by  hanging.  Before  they  go  to  their  doom,  the 
final  defiance  of  the  people — actually,  it  is  symptomatic  of  new  defiances 
to  develop  without  end  until  the  enemy  is  driven  from  the  land — takes 
form  in  wholesale  dynamitings  throughout  the  entire  village.  As  the 
heroic  band  dies,  the  people,  assembled  en  masse,  sing  the  Norwegian 
national  anthem.    It's  a  sock  finish. 

On  the  dialogue  side — and  there  is  much  of  it — are  fine  expositions 
of  the  theories  of  National  Socialism  and  the  practices  of  democracy. 
Sir  Cedric  Hardwicke  is  excellent  as  the  commanding  officer  and  well 
nigh  dominates  throughout.  Henry  Travers,  as  the  mayor,  who  sees 
his  duty  and  his  fate  clearly,  runs  closely  on  acting  honors.  Other 
performances  are  of  high  calibre,  too,  reflecting  careful  and  intelligent 
direction  by  Irving  Pichel. 

Running  time,  85  minutes.    "G"*  Red  Kann 


Dixie  Dugan" 

(20th  Century-Fox) 

T  OIS  ANDREWS  makes  her  film  debut  in  the  title  role  of  "Dixie 
'  Dugan"  and  that  fact  should  be  of  box-office  assistance  to  this 
comedy.    Life  in  the  nation's  capitol  and  various  aspects  of  civilian 
defense  are  the  focal  points  of  the  film's  limited  humor. 

Miss  Andrews  plays  a  pretty  young  girl  who  wants  to  do  her  part  in 
taking  over  a  man's  work  during  the  war.  She  starts  out  by  trying  to 
be  a  cabbie  without  knowing  how  to  drive  and  ends  by  evolving  a  plan 
to  free  women  from  household  duties  for  war  work.  In  between,  she 
causes  her  boyfriend,  played  by  Eddie  Foy,  Jr.,  and  a  few  other  people 
plenty  of  worry. 

James  Ellison  takes  the  part  of  Miss  Andrews'  boss  in  the 
MOWPFW,  a  government  bureau  to  mobilize  women  for  war,  who 
doesn't  like  to  have  women  working  for  him.  Charlie  Ruggles  and 
Charlotte  Greenwood  play  Miss  Andrews'  parents  and  civilian  defense 
workers.  Raymond  Walburn  acts  as  a  phony  judge  who  boards  with 
the  family,  and  Ann  Todd  as  the  wise  kid  sister  rounds  out  the  house- 
hold. Helene  Reynolds  plays  Ellison's  fiancee.  The  film  was  produced 
by  Walter  Morosco  and  directed  by  Otto  Brower. 

Running  time,  66  minutes.  "G"* 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Blackout,  Weather 
Hit  Cleveland  Gross 


Cleveland,  March  9. — A  city-wide 
blackout  and  icy  weather  snowed 
under  some  attractions  although  "Re- 
veille With  Beverly,"  aided  by  Lou 
Walters'  "Latin  Quarter  Revue"  on 
stage,  was  in  line  to  garner  $23,500 
at  the  Palace.  "Arabian  Nights" 
opened  slowly  at  Hippodrome  but 
gathered  momentum,  with  a  strong 
$18,000  in  sight. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  10-11 : 

"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

RKO  ALLEN— (3,000)  (35c-40c-45c-55c)  1 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $6,500.  (Average, 
$5,000) 

"Arabian,  Nights"  (Univ.) 

WARNER'S     HIPPODROME  —  (3.800) 
(35c-40c-45c-55c)    7   days.      Gross:  $18,000. 
(Average,  $13,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER'S  LAKE— (800)  (35c-40c-45c- 
55c)  7  days,  5th  week.  Gross:  $3,500.  (Av- 
erage, $2,000) 

"Reveille  With  Beverly"  (Col.) 

RKO    PALACE— (3,700)  (45c-50c-55c-65c- 
75c-85c)    7    days.      Stage:    Lou  Walters' 
"Latin    Quarter   Revue."     Gross:  $23,500. 
(Average,  $17,000) 
"Crystal  Ball"  (Para.) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (3,450)  (35c-40c-45c-55c) 
7  days.  Gross:  $12,500.  (Average,  $14,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STTLLMAN—  (2,700)  (35c-40c- 
45c -S5c)  7  days.  Gross:  $9,500.  (Average, 
$6,500) 


4  Air  Force'  Smash 
In  Capital  Opening 


Washington,  March  9.  —  "Air 
Force,"  given  a  special  opening,  gave 
Warners'  Earle  top  business  for  the 
week,  with  an  estimated  $27,000  ex- 
pected. Another  big  grosser  is  "Ran- 
dom Harvest,"  which  in  a  second  week 
at  Loew's  Palace  appears  headed  for 
$23,000.  "Powers  Girl"  with  a  stage 
show  looks  like  a  fine  $24,500  at  the 
Capitol. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  11 : 

"Powers  Girl"  (U.A.) 

LOEW'S  CAPITOL— (3,434)  (28c-39c-44c- 
66c)  7  days.    Stage:  Hal  Sherman.  Gross: 
$24,500.     (Average,  $19,000) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

LOEW'S  COLUMBIA— (1,234)  (30c-50c)  7 
days,  3rd  downtown  week.     Gross:  $7,500. 
(Average,  $5,200) 
"Air  Force"  (W.B.) 

EARLE— (2,210)  (30c-40c-50c-75c-90c)  7 
days,  Stage:  Bob  Hall;  Paul  Remos  and 
Toy  Boys.  Gross:  $27,000.  (Average,  $15,- 
500) 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

RKO-KEITH'S— (1,800)  (40c-50c-65c)  9 
days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Average, 
$11,200) 

"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

METROPOLITAN— (1,600)      (30c-44c)  9 
days,  4th  downtown  week.     Gross:  $9,000. 
(Average,  $4,250) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  PALACE— (2,242)  (28c-55c)  7 
days.  2nd  week.  Gross:  $23,000.  (Average, 
$15,750) 


Pittsburgh  Grosses 
Cut  by  Snow,  Slush; 
'Rhythm'  $22,000 

Pittsburgh,  March  9. — When  a 
heavy  snowfall  here  turned  to  slush,  it 
hurt  theatre  attendance.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  "Star-Spangled  Rhythm"  at 
the  Penn,  which  brought  $22,000, 
grosses  have  been  disappointingly  low 
this  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  9-11 : 

"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

FULTON— (1,700)    (30c-40c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $4,500.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"Frankenstein  Meets  the  Wolf  Man" 

(Univ.) 

HARRIS— (2,200)     (30c-40c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $7,500.     (Average,  $9,200) 
"Star-Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

PENN— (3,400)      (30c-40c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $22,000.     (Average,  $17,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

RITZ— (1,100)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days,  4th 
week  (moveover  after  one  week  at  Penn, 
two  at  Warner).  Gross:  $3,000.  (Aver- 
age, $2,600) 

"Reveille  With  Beverly"  (Col.) 
"Eyes  of  the  Underworld"  (Univ.) 

SENATOR-(1,750)    (30c-40c-55c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $2,500.     (Average,  $2,400) 
"Tarzan  Triumphs"  (RKO) 

STANLEY  —  (3,800)  (30c-44c-55c-65c). 
Stage:    6    days    of    vaudeville,  including 
Harpo   Marx   orchestra.       Gross:  $16,000. 
(Average,  $20,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

WARNER-(2,000)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
3rd  week  (moveover  after  two  weeks  at 
Penn).    Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $6,500) 

'China  Girl'  Tops  in 
Cincinnati,  $16,000 


Cinncinnati,  March  9.— Despite 
snow  and  excessive  cold  over  the 
weekend,  business  held  up  well,  with 
"China  Girl"  slated  for  $16,000  at  the 
RKO  Albee,  while  "The  Hard  Way" 
should  collect  $12,000  at  the  RKO 
Palace.  "Star  Spangled  Rhythm" 
looks  good  for  a  $5,500  fourth  week 
at  the  RKO  Shubert,  and  "They  Got 
Me  Covered"  should  have  a  $6,000 
moveover  week  at  the  RKO  Grand, 
with  the  same  figure  going  to  "Im- 
mortal Sergeant"  on  a  second  down- 
town week  at  Keith's. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  10-13: 

"China  Girl"  (ZOth-Fox) 

RKO  ALBEE— (3,300)   (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $16,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.B.) 

RKO  PALACE— (2,700)  (33c -40c -44c -5  5c) 
7  days.  Gross:  $12,000.  (Average,  $12,000) 
'Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

RKO  SHUBERT— (2,150)  (33c-40c-44c-55c) 
7  days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $5,500.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

RKO  CAPITOL— (2,000)    (40c -44c -50c -60c) 
7  days,  5th  week.     Gross:  $5,300.  (Aver- 
age, at  33c-40c-44c-55c,  $5,500) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

RKO  GRAND— (1,500)  (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $6,000.  (Average, 
$5,000) 

"Dr.  Gillespie's  New  Assistant"  (M-G-M) 
"Sherlock  Holmes  and  the  Secret  Weapon" 
(Univ.) 

RKO  LYRIC— (1,400)  (30c-33c-44c)  7  days. 
Gross:   $4,500.  (Average,  $4,000) 
"The  Mysterious  Doctor"  (W.B.) 
"Kid  Dynamite"  (Mono.) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)   (20c-30c)  4  days. 
Gross:  $1,450.    (Average.  $1,400) 
"CarefuL  Soft  Shoulders"  (20th-Fox) 
"Fiehting  Frontier"  (RKO) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1.000)  (20c-30c)  3  days. 
Gross:  $800.    (Average.  $800) 
"Immortal    Sergeant"  (2<tth-Fox) 

KEITH'S— (1.500)  r.3.V-40c-44c-55c)  7  davs. 
2nd  week.    Gross:  6*000.    (Average.  S'i.roO) 


Fire  Razes  Mo.  House 

Aurora,  Mo.,  March  9.— The  Prin- 
cess, Commonwealth  circuit  house 
here,  was  destroyed  by  fire. 


Us*! 


11 

Hi 


Pledge  Please ! 
Red  Cross  Drive 
April  1-7 


"Um'Um-m'm'm'm'm-m-m!" 


s 


M-G-M's  NEW  ASTOR  CHAMP! 

Business  tops  all  of  Leo's  Mightiest! 


BARNES  SHOUTS  BRAVO! 

"Exciting,  memorable.  Saroyan  is  right  at  the  top  of  the  list.  A  show 
you  will  want  to  see.  A  great  writer  has  cut  to  the  quick  of  human  experi- 
ence and  the  screen  has  translated  his  eloquence  and  love  of  humanity 
to  a  stirring  photoplay."  —HOWARD  BARNES,  Herald  Tribune 

CAMERON  CONQUERED! 

"Heart-stirring  story  of  American  life.  Abounds  in  humor,  pathos, 
sentimentality,  romance  and  the  simple  every-day  things.  Wholeheartedly 
endorsed  without  reservations."  —KATE  CAMERON,  Daily  News 

BLACKFORD  BALLYHOOS! 

"Fine,  simple,  understandable,  human.  Mickey  Rooney  and  Frank  Morgan 
in  two  of  their  greatest  characterizations.  A  lovely,  living  thing  that  you 
will  take  to  your  heart  and  cherish.  Go  to  the  Astor  and  get  the  story  the 
way  Clarence  Brown's  picture  tells  it.  See  it,  hear  it  and  feel  it." 

— G.  E.  BLACKFORD,  Journal- American 

CROWTHER  PREDICTS  CROWDS! 

"Can't  help  but  attract  wide  attention.  Due  for  extensive  popularity.  Fine 
motion  picture  expression."  — BOSLEY  CROWTHER,  N.  Y.  Times 

WOWS  WERNER! 

"  'THE  HUMAN  COMEDY'  will  get  right  inside  of  you,  pull  at  your 
heart  strings,  evoke  a  satisfying  chuckle  or  stir  a  memory  of  things  you 
thought  you  had  long  forgotten.  A  refreshing  experience.  Fine  and  stir- 
ring. Something  in  it  for  everyone."    —EDITH  WERNER,  Daily  Mirror 

MEMO  FROM  MISHKIN! 

"An  admirable  achievement."  —LEO  MISHKIN,  Telegraph 

WONDERFUL  SAYS  WINSTEN! 

"Avery  remarkable  thing.  Humanly  rich.  It's  tonic.  Truly  wonderful.  This 
picture  stands  up  and  bids  for  immortality."— ARCHER  WINSTEN,  Post 

COOK  CAPTIVATED! 

"A  glowing  gem  of  a  picture  and  the  Astor  has  taken  it  over  for  what 
probably  will  be  weeks  and  weeks.  You  might  as  well  make  up  your 
mind  now  to  get  to  'THE  HUMAN  COMEDY.'  Movie  conversations 
are  going  to  be  full  of  it."  —ALTON  COOK,  World-Telegram 

CORBY  CONVINCED! 

"A  boon  which  will  probably  be  extended  right  at  this  stand  for  a  record 
run.  Go  to  see  'THE  HUMAN  COMEDY'."-JANE  CORBY,  B'klyn  Eagle 


"Ho-hum! 
When  all 
is  said 
and  done 
there's  only 
one  Metro- 
Goldwyn- 
Mayer 


WILLIAM  SAROYAN'S  "THE  HUMAN  COMEDY"  .  Produced  and  Directed  by 
CLARENCE  BROWN  •  Starring  MICKEY  ROONEY  •  with  FRANK  MORGAN  •  James 
Craig  •  Marsha  Hunt  •  Fay  Bainter  •  Ray  Collins  •  Van  Johnson  •  Donna  Reed 
Jack  Jenkins  •  Dorothy  Morris  •  John  Craven  •  Ann  Ayars  •  Mary  Nash  •  Henry 
O'Neill  •  From  the  Story  by  William  Saroyan  .  Screen  Play  by  Howard  Estabrook 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  March  10,  1943 


'Children'  and 
'Covered'  Lead 
Phila.  Gross 


Philadelphia,  March  9. — In  spite 
of  rain  all  day  Saturday  and  the  lilt- 
ing of  restrictions  on  pleasure  driving, 
business  at  the  downtown  houses  got 
off  to  a  fast  start  for  the  week.  More- 
over, the  week  offered  four  major 
openings.  "Hitler's  Children"  at  the 
Stanley  looks  like  the  biggest  draw 
of  the  week  with  $32,000,  in  addition 
to  the  $6,000  taken  in  at  the  Earle  on 
Sunday. 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  follows  close 
behind  at  the  Mastbaum  with  $30,000 
in  sight. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  9-12: 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

ALLHNE-  (900)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $15,500.    (Average,  $y,000) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

ARCADIA — (600 J  (35c-46c-57c-6«c)  7  days, 
2nd  run.  Gross:  $3,450.  (Average,  $2,800) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

BOYD--(3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  6th  week.  Gross:  $15,500.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Margin  for  Error"  (Z0th-Fox)  (6  days) 
"Hitler's  Children,"  (RKO) 

EARLE — (3,000)  (46c-S7c-7Sc)  stage:  6 
days  of  vaudeville  including  Guy  Lom- 
bardo's  orchestra,  Carmen  Lombardo,  Rose 
Miarie  Lombardo,  Billy  Leach,  Vic  Hyde, 
Three  Swifts,  Ross  Sisters.  Gross:  $25,000. 
(Average,  $18,000) 
"Time  To  Kill"  (20th-Fox) 

FAY'S — (2,190)  (29c-35c-46c-57c)  Stage: 
7  days  vaudeville  including  Louis  Jordan's 
orchestra,  Willie  Bryant,  Spider  Bruce  & 
Co.,  Ford,  Bowie  and  Bennie,  Edith  Wilson, 
Reynolds  &  White.  Gross:  $8,200.  (Aver- 
age, $6,000) 

"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

FOX— (3,000)     (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $14,800.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 

KARLTON— (1,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $4,500.  (Aver- 
age, $3,S0O) 

"Casablanca"   (W.  B.) 

KEITH'S— (2,200)  (35c-41c  -46c  -  57c  -68c  -  75c) 
7  days,  2nd  run,  3rd  week.  Gross :  $6,500. 
(Average,  $4,500) 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

MASTAUM— (4,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.    Gross:  $30,000 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

STANLEY— (3,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $32,000.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 

STANTON— (1,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,800. 
(Average,  $6,500) 


Got  Me'  at  $13,500 
Leads  Indianapolis 


Indianapolis,  March  9. — "They 
Got  Me  Covered"  with  "Seven  Miles 
From  Alcatraz"  is  doing  a  $13,500 
business  for  the  week  at  the  Indiana 
despite  unseasonably  cold  weather.  At 
the  Circle  "Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  and 
"Johnny  Doughboy"  were  expected  to 
gross  $10,000.  "Random  Harvest"  in 
its  third  week  at  Loew's  was  headed 
for  $8,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  9-11 : 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 
"Johnny  Doughboy"  (Rep.) 

CIRCLE— (2,800)     (30c-40c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $10,000.     (Average,  $10,000) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 
"Seven  Miles  From  Alcatraz"  (RKO) 

INDIANA— (3,200)    (30c-40c-50c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $13,500.     (Average,  $7,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S— (2,800)     (30c-40c-50c)     7  davs. 
3rd  week.    Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th-Fox) 
"Margin  for  Error"  (2flth-Fox) 

LYRC— (2,000)  (30c-40c-50c1  7  days.  Moved 
from  Indiana.  Gross:  $3,500.  (Average, 
$3,500) 


Reviews 


"Assignment  in  Brittany" 

(M-G-M) 

A  N  American  public  always  eager  to  hear  well  of  the  French  will 
welcome  "Assignment  in  Brittany,"  a  fine  testament  to  the  bravery 
and  suffering  of  the  Free  French  in  active  service  and  in  the  occupied 
sections  of  their  nation.  In  addition  to  this  more  lofty  purpose  there 
is  box-office  power  in  the  introduction  of  Pierre  Aumont  to  American 
audiences  and  in  the  presence  of  Susan  Peters.  Showmanship  exploita- 
tion possibilities  of  this  thrilling  spy  story  are  manifold. 

Based  upon  the  Helen  Macinnes  novel  of  the  same  name,  the  screen- 
play by  Anthony  Veiller,  William  H.  Wright  and  Howard  Emmett 
Rogers  is  a  triumph  of  sustained  action  in  a  plot  filled  with  suspense. 
Aumont  is  a' dashing  figure  in  a  double  role  as  Captain  Metard  of  the 
Free  French  forces  and  as  Bertrand  Corlay,  a  traitor.  Susan  Peters 
is  charming  as  Corlay's  disillusioned  fiancee,  who  falls  in  love  with 
Metard  masquerading  as  the  unfaithful  Frenchman. 

The  story  concerns  the  adventures  of  Aumont  distinguished  as  Cor- 
lay, a  native  of  a  French  coastal  town  who  is  hospitalized  in  England. 
Finding  his  reception  strange,  Aumont  discovers  that  Corlay  is  a  hate- 
ful character  who  sympathized  with  the  Nazis  and  even  worked  with 
them.  Aumont's  job  is  to  locate  a  secret  German  submarine  base  and 
report  his  findings  by  wireless  to  England.  After  several  adventures, 
he  succeeds  in  his  mission  and  the  British  destroy  the  base.  The  roman- 
tic complications  are  also  solved. 

Direction  by  Jack  Conway  is  clean-cut  and  sure.  J.  Walter  Ruben 
was  associate  producer. 

Running  time,  98  minutes.     "A"*  Lucille  Greenberg 


*"A"  denotes  adult  classification. 

"He  Hired  the  Boss'~ 

(20th  Century-Fox) 

'jTHE  mild-mannered  clerk  takes  his  share  of  abuse  in  "He  Hired  the 
*■  Boss,"  but  he  makes  the  title  come  true  before  the  last  reel  is  run. 
Stuart  Erwin  brings  his  amiable  talents  to  this  friendly  comedy  as  the 
white  collar  worker  who  finally  breaks  the  bonds  and  tells  off  the  boss. 
Erwin's  popularity  and  the  family  appeal  of  the  film  should  account  for 
good  results  where  pictures  of  this  type  have  clicked. 

Erwin  plays  the  average  citizen  who  works  at  a  small  job  and  is  sav- 
ing a  marry  a  pretty  girl  in  the  same  office.  Evelyn  Venable  is  the 
girl  and  Thurston  Hall  the  head  of  the  export  firm  employing  the  couple. 

All  at  once,  Erwin's  life  seems  to  be  tumbling  about  his  ears.  First 
he  can't  get  a  raise,  then  he  is  rejected  by  the  Army  and  is  rehired  at 
a  lower  salary.  This  is  too  much  for  Miss  Venable  and  she  tells  her 
fiancee  he  is  a  weakling.  Erwin  seeks  solace  in  drink  and  finds  confi- 
dence to  express  his  anger  to  Hall.  He  is  fired  but  there  is  a  reconcilia- 
tion with  Miss  Venable.  The  tables  have  turned  and  the  luck  starts 
going  in  Erwin's  direction.  Then  he  puts  Hall  in  his  place,  but  allows 
him  to  stay  to  direct  the  company. 

Various  elements  of  civilian  defense  are  fitted  into  this  film  depicting 
average  people  in  everyday  situations.  Thomas  Z.  Loring,  the  director, 
gets  the  most  out  of  the  laughs  without  sacrificing  his  characters.  Sol 
Wurtzel  is  the  producer. 

Running  time,  73  minutes,  "G."* 


"Harrigan's  Kid 

(M-G-M) 

Hollywood,  March  9 

V/"  OUR  customers  don't  have  to  be  devotees  of  the  Sport  of  Kings  to 
1  respond  to  this  story  of  thoroughbreds,  equine  and  human,  but  they 
are  due  special  notification  that  this  is  their  dish  if  they  are.  It's  a 
story  about  race  track  people,  good  and  bad,  and  it  has  a  horse-race 
finish,  but  it  is  also  a  study  of  sportsmanship  as  a  regenerative  influence. 
There  are  no  women  in  the  picture. 

The  principal  character,  a  cocky  jockey,  is  played  by  Bobby  Readick, 
a  newcomer  to  pictures  who  acts  like  a  veteran.  Frank  Craven,  as  the 
honest  trainer  who  tutors  the  boy  in  the  code  of  honour,  and  William 
Gargan,  as  a  former  jockey  turned  crooked,  are  the  other  principals 
whose  names  carry  meaning  in  billing. 

The  screenplay  by  Alen  Friedman  and  Martin  Berkeley,  adapted  by 
Henry  Blankfort  from  a  story  by  Borden  Chase,  is  about  a  boy  trained 
to  throw  races  who  is  transformed  into  an  honest  rider  by  an  honest 
employer.  It  is  a  simple  tale,  simply  told,  with  the  power  of  simplicity 
making  itself  felt  steadily  throughout. 

Charles  F.  Riesner,  directing  for  producer  Irving  Starr,  capitalized 
his  material  to  the  full. 

Running  time,  85  minutes.    "G"*  William  R.  Weaver 


Eleven  New  Firms 
Incorporate  in  N.Y. 

Albany,  March  9. — Eleven  motion 
picture  and  theatrical  companies  have 
been  incorporated  to  do  business  in 
New  York  state,  according  to  Thomas 
J.  Curran,  Secretary  of  State. 


are : 

Howard  Beach  Theatre,  Inc., 
Brooklyn,  200  shares  of  stock,  no 
stated  par  value,  by  D.  A.  Jaffe,  Rose 
Blustein  and  Jean  Spactor,  Brooklyn. 

Michaels-Keith,  Inc.,  Buffalo,  200 
shares,  by  Robert  Boasberg,  Irene 
Hynes  and  Charles  J.  McDonough, 
Buffalo. 

Colonial  Pictures  Corp.,  200  shares, 
no  stated  par  value,  by  Harry  Reese, 
Maplewood,  N.  J.,  Sylvia  Sandler, 
Bronx,  and  Sylvia  Fluss,  Brooklyn. 

The  Big  Top,  Inc.,  200  shares,  by 
Joseph  Lichtman,  Jerry  Mahoney  and 
Emanuel  Friedman,  New  York. 

New  Theatre  Company 

Marian  Theatres  Corp.,  100  shares, 
no  stated  par  value,  by  Albert  Strauss, 
Richard  S.  Temko  and  Leon  Kauff- 
man. 

Wells  and  Astaire,  Inc.,  Manhat- 
tan, 100  shares,  by  Lillian  J.  Ostwer- 
weil,  Eleanor  and  W.  K.  Wells. 

Sussex  Playhouse,  Inc.,  $20,000 
capital  stock,  by  George  Biedermann, 
Ossining,  Robert  Anderson  and  Wal- 
ter Sitomer,  New  York  City. 

Inter-American  Arts,  Inc.,  200 
shares,  no  stated  par  value  by  Louis 
K.  Bleecker,  Charles-  I.  Berger  and 
Morris  Fish,  all  of  New  York  City. 

Moldavia  Amusement  Corp.,  150 
shares,  no  stated  par  value,  by  Moses 
Kobrinetz,  Robert  Seelav  and  Milton 
W.  Deutsch,  New  York  City. 

F.  B.  Operating  Corp.,  200  shares, 
no  stated  par  value  by  Theresa 
Powers,  Mildred  Lebon  and  Lillian 
Bloom,  New  York  City. 

Form  Producing  Firm 

Byron  Productions,  Inc.,  100  shares, 
no  stated  par  value,  with  Sylvia 
Lowy,  Anne  Glatterman  and  Howard 
E.  Reinheimer,  who  filed  the  papers, 
as  directors  and  Isabel  Kahn  and  Lee 
Moselle  as  subscribers. 

Reeves  Sound  Laboratories,  Inc., 
changed  its  corporate  name  to  Reeves 
Sound  Studios,  Inc.,  and  filed  a 
change  of  purposes  with  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  through  Irving  Cohen. 

Troob-Blumenthal,  Inc.,  changed  its 
name  to  Film  Distributors  Corp.  in 
papers  submitted  by  Samuel  J.  Siegal. 

Elkins  Productions,  Inc.,  originally 
incorporated  in  papers  filed  by  Friend 
and  Reiskind  of  New  York  City,  and 
the  River  Theatre  Corp.,  Orangetown, 
originally  filed  through  Jacob  K. 
Wexler,  Pearl  River,  were  dissolved. 

Eaton  Theatre  Corp.,  New  York, 
filed  a  reclassification  of  shares  and 
change  of  directors. 

Fontana-Hollywood  Co.  of  N.  Y., 
Inc.,  changed  its  corporate  name  to 
Fontana-Hollywood  Corp. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


On  Univ.  Assignment 

Maurice  Bergman  announced  that 
Jack  Jackson  has  been  engaged  on  a 
special  assignment  to  handle  the  pre- 
miere of  Walter  Wanger's  "We've 
Never  Been  Licked"  in  Dallas. 


Wednesday,  March  10,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Short  Subject  Reviews 


'Socks  Appeal" 


{Columbia) 

College  life  goes  slapstick  in  this, 
without  achieving  comic  results.  Ter- 
ry, in  love  with  Kitty,  and  Baxter 
trying  to  break  into  their  life,  forms 
the  basis  of  the  plot.  Terry  runs  a 
•  "  1-the-baby-wash-the  -  dog  -  press 
.>  _jr-suits  service  for  the  campus  and 
townspeople,  and  Kitty  works  for  him. 
Baxter,  in  an  attempt  to  get  a  date 
with  Kitty,  ruins  some  tudexos  which 
Terry  is  having  cleaned  for  the  dance 
.that  night.  At  the  dance,  the  suits 
begin  to  fall  apart,  their  owners  jump 
on  Terry  who  then  accuses  Baxter, 
and  Terry  and  Baxter  don  boxing 
gloves  and  fight  it  out.  Running  time, 
\iy2  mins.    Release,  Feb.  19. 


"Community  Sing" 

(No.  7— Series  7) 

(Columbia) 

Theatre  audiences  will  enjoy  sing- 
ing these  songs,  particularly  "Thanks 
for  the  Buggy  Ride"  and  "Please," 
which  Bing  Crosby  made  popular. 
Other  numbers  in  this  "Community 
Sings"  series  are  "Ain't  Misbehavin'," 
"Thanks,"  and  "Everybody  Loves  the 
Navy,"  this  last  to  the  tune  of  "The 
Beer  Barrel  Polka."  Running  time, 
9  mins.    Release,  Feb.  18. 


"There's  Something 
About  a  Soldier" 

(Color  Rhapsody) 

(Columbia) 

When  all  the  men  rush  to  the  re- 
cruiting office  after  news  of  the  war 
is  flashed  from  the  Capitol,  a  little 
boy  and  his  dog  join  the  crowd. 
Everyone  is  taken,  even  the  dog,  but 
the  recruiting  officer  tells  the  boy 
to  wait  until  he  grows  up.  Heart- 
broken, he  watches  the  other  soldiers 
on  parade,  and  is  finally  made  happy 
when  the  recruiting  officer  gives  him  a 
"Buy  Victory  Bonds"  sign  to  carry 
at  the  rear  of  the  parade,  along  with 
his  4-F  classification.  It's  average  in 
entertainment  for  the  series.  Running 
time,  6>2  minutes.    Release,  Feb.  26. 


"Diving  Daredevils" 

( Sports  Reel ) 

(Columbia) 

Some  fancy  high  dives  performed 
by  the  country's  experts  are  inter- 
spersed with  a  group  of  comic  divers 
who  just  can't  get  off  the  board  in  the 
conventional  manner.  The  film  alter- 
nates between  the  thrilling  and  the 
ridiculous,  and  is  good  entertainment 
in  both  cases.  Running  time,  10  mins. 
Release,  Feb.  26. 


"King  of  the  Archers" 

(Hollywood  Novelty) 

(Warner  Bros.) 

Howard  Hill,  the  world's  greatest 
archer,  demonstrates  his  remarkable 
skill  with  a  bow  and  arrow.  He  is 
aided  by  his  pupils,  a  number  of  co- 
eds from  the  University  of  California. 
While  few  people  are  interested  in 
archery,  no  one  will  fail  to  enjoy 
watching  this  master  go  through  his 
paces.  The  shots  he  undertakes  are 
obviously  difficult,  and  his  success 
with  bow  and  arrow,  and  with  a  blow- 
gun,  is  remarkable.  Running  time.  If) 
mins.    Release,  Feb.  6. 


"Vitamin  G-Man" 

(A  Phantasy  Cartoon) 

(Columbia) 

An  idea  that  might  have  been  enter- 
taining receives  dull  treatment  here 
and  fails  to  measure  up.  A  student 
detective  takes  his  final  examination 
in  which  the  faculty  endeavors  to  con- 
fuse and  befuddle  him.  However,  he 
comes  through  with  flying  colors,  and 
ends  up  with  his  first  and  second  de- 
grees from  the  college,  and  his  third 
degree  from  the  police.  Release,  Feb. 
5.    Running  time,  6%  mins. 


"Farmer  at  War" 

(OWI-WAC) 

(Columbia) 

This  subject,  produced  by  the  Office 
of  War  Information,  points  up  a  new 
spirit  of  cooperation  as  a  factor  aid- 
ing the  American  farmer  in  his  double 
task  of  supplying  both  the  United 
States  and  her  Allies  with  the  neces- 
sary farm  foods.  Filmed  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, with  actual  farmfolk  as 
"actors,"  the  picture  emphasizes  the 
difficult  task  now  facing  the  farmer 
because  of  the  shortage  of  farmhands 
and  necessary  machinery,  and  how, 
through  a  "help  your  neighbor"  policy, 
he  is  meeting  the  demand  for  increased 
food  production.  Running  time,  9 
mins.;  release,  March  11. 


Legion  of  Decency 
Approves  7  Films 

The  National  Legion  of  Decency  in 
its  current  listing  approves  all  seven 
new  features  classified,  four  for  gen- 
eral patronage  and  three  for  adults. 
The  films  and  their  classifications 
follow : 

Class  A-l,  Unobjectionable  for 
General  Patronage :  "Fall  In,"  "The 
Human  Comedy,"  "The  Mysterious 
Doctor,"  "Western  Cyclone."  Class 
A-2,  Unobjectionable  for  Adults: 
"After  Midnight  with  Boston 
Blackie,"  "Ladies  Day,"  "Slightly 
Dangerous." 


COLORFUL    SPECTACLE  - 


-  AS    BIG   AS    THE  WEST 


ROY  ROGERS  king  of  the  cowboys  m  IDAHO 


SMILEY  BURNETTE  •  bob  nolan  and  the  sons  of  the  pioneers  •  Virginia  grey  •  HARRY  J.  SHANNON  •  ONA  MUNSO.N  •  DICK  PURCEU 

and  THE  ROBERT  MITCHELL  BOYCHOIR  •  JOSEPH  KANE,  Director  •  Original  screen  play  by  Roy  Chanslor  and  Olive  Cooper 


A  REPUBLIC  PICTURE 


BUY  U.S.  WAR  SAVINGS  BONDS 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  March  10,  194 


Coe  Sounds 
Keynote  for 
Film  Goodwill 


{Continued  from  page  1 ) 

and  business  and  industrial  organiza- 
tions, as  well  as  industry  executives 
and  metropolitan  area  exhibitors,  at- 
tended the  luncheon.  Coe's  address 
was  the  second  of  a  series  on  the  in- 
dustry's viewpoints  and  war  activities 
which  he  will  make  in  principal  cities 
throughout  the  country.  The  first  was 
made  in  Boston  on  Feb.  16  and  his 
address  here  yesterday  paralleled  that 
one  in  all  major  aspects. 

In  the  industry  forum  which  fol- 
lowed the  luncheon  Coe  explained  the 
purposes  of  his  series  of  speeches  and 
reviewed  the  events  leading  up  to  the 
formulation  of  his  public  relations  pro- 
gram. 

The    time    has    passed."  h 
said,  "when   the  industry  has 
anything  to  apologize  for.  It 
is  doing  a  great  job  both  in  the 
world  of  entertainment  and  in 
its  contribution  to  the  war  ef- 
fort.   The  need  to  bring  that 
story  to  the  public  should  be 
apparent  to  every  one  in  the  in- 
dustry, and  the  value  of  so  do- 
ing must  be  equally  apparent." 
Coe  reviewed  the  beginnings  of  his 
program,  which  he  said  stemmed  from 
the  work  of  the  East  and  West  Coast 
branches    of    the    Industry  Service 
Bureau  in  "ferreting  out  attacks  upon 
the   industry   and  answering  them." 
Eventually,  he  said,   it  was  decided 
that  rather  than  remaining  in  this  more 
or  less  defensive  position,  more  could 
be  accomplished  for  the  industry  by 
taking  the  initiative  and  bringing  the 
industry's   own   story   to   the  public 
through   industry  people. 

Hays  Board  Approved 
He  prepared  addresses  and  had  them 
recorded  for  the  MPPDA  board  of 
directors,  which  approved  them  and 
voted  the  budget  sought  by  Coe  to 
conduct  the  work,  he  said.  The  origi- 
nal plan  of  presenting  the  recordings 
to  radio  stations  had  to  be  abandoned 
as  a  result  of  the  ban  placed  upon 
transcriptions  by  the  American  Feder- 
ation of  Musicians. 

Thereupon,  Coe  related,  the  pro- 
gram of  public  addresses  was  decided 
upon  ;  the  addresses  to  be  followed  up 
by  a  staff  of  experienced  public  rela- 
tions men  who  are  assigned  to  bring 
the  talks  to  the  attention  of  news- 
papers, civic,  educational  and  religious 
groups  in  the  territories  in  which  they 
are  made.  Further  circulation  of  the 
main  points  of  the  addresses  is  ob- 
tained by  distribution  of  pamphlets 
which  have  been  prepared  and  are 
made  available  to  theatres. 

Coe  made  it  clear  that  trade 
practice  complaints  and  purely 
internal  problems  will  have  no 
place  in  the  program. 

"Exhibitors,  as  a  group,"  he 
said  "are  highly  competent  and 
successful    business    men.  I 
would  not  presume  to  tell  them 
how  to  run  their  theatres,  nor 
do  I  assume  that  I  can  do  their 
jobs  better  than  they  can." 
He  said  that  once  the  industry  suc- 
ceeds in  placing  itself  before  the  public 
in  its  real  light  the  practical  effects 
will  be  evidenced  in  every  theatre  in 
the  country. 

"The  varied  groups  represented  at 


Off  the  Antenna 

RECENT  observations  by  radio  experts  point  increasingly  to  the  im- 
portance of  television  following  the  war.  David  Grimes,  vice-presi- 
dent in  charge  of  engineering'  for  Philco,  stated  at  a  meeting  of  the  New 
York  Society  of  Security  Analysts  that  television  will  have  greater  im- 
pact on  American  life  than  any  other  applications  of  electronics.  Simi- 
larly, Noran  E.  Kersta,  manager  of  the  NBC  television  department,  said 
that  television  will  come  into  its  own,  during  a  recent  visit  in  San 
Francisco. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Herbert  L.  Pettey,  general  manager  of  WHN,  has  re- 
turned from  a  vacation  in  Mexico  City:  .  .  .  Arthur  Lake,  "Dagz&ood"  of  the 
CBS  '  Blondie"  series,  announces  the  birth  of  a  son.  .  .  .  Mr.  and  Mrs.  David 
Hall  are  the  parents  of  a  boy,  born  Monday  at  Harkness  Pavillion.  Hall  is 
NBC's  script  writer  for  serious  music  programs.  .  .  .  Jack  Benny,  ill 
with  pneumonia  after  a  strenuous  tour  of  Army  camps  and  Navy  bases,  will 
be  off  the  air  for  at  least  three  more  weeks.  .  .  .  Marjorie  Hannon  of  the  CBS 
series,  "Bachelor's  Children  ''  lias  the  measles. 

•  •  • 

WQXR  has  made  an  upward  adjustment  in  advertising  rates,  Hugh 
Kendall  Boice,  vice-president  in  charge  of  sales,  has  announced.  The 
rate  increase,  the  first  since  July  1940,  goes  into  effect  on  April  1. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  WLW,  Cincinnati,  has  arranged  with  BBC  for  an 
extensive  schedule  of  programs  from  London  by  shortwave  to  New  York 
and  direct  relay  to  Cincinnati.  .  .  .  "Men,  Machines  and  Victory"  will  be 
heard  on  Tuesdays  at  7:45  p.  m.  instead  of  Fridays  over  the  Blue  begin- 
ning March  23.  .  .  .  Rochester  Gas  &  Electric  Corp.  is  sponsoring  a  new 
series,  "Great  Dates  In  History"  over  WHAM,  Rochester.  .  .  .  The 
WMCA  annual  series  of  Lenten  messages  by  New  York  clergymen  will 
be  heard  starting  Friday.  .  .  .  NBC  announced  that  S.  C.  Johnson  &  Son, 
Inc.,  has  renewed  "Fibber  McGee  and  Molly":  General  Foods  Crop,  has 
renewed  "Portia  Faces  Life,"  both  for  52  two  weeks,  and  Vick  Chemical 
Co.  has  renewed  "Dr.  I.  Q."  for  26  weeks. 


this  luncheon  today,"  he  said,  "are  the 
ones  who  elect  our  public  officials  and 
who  guide  the  making  of  our  laws. 
They  were  given  a  new  slant  on  our 
industry  today.  More  and  more  of 
them  will  be  given  it  through  this 
program  as  time  goes  by." 

By  way  of  proving  his  earnestness 
in  ascribing  the  program's  aims  en- 
tirely to  a  betterment  of  the  industry's 
over-all  public  relations,  Coe  told  his 
listeners  that  he  would  resign  from 
the  MPPDA  "the  moment  there  is 
any  interference  with  its  basic  aims  or 
functions." 

Those  on  Dais 

On  the  dais  at  the  luncheon  were : 
Dr.  Paul  H.  Nystrom,  president  of 
the  Sales  Executives  Club;  Dr.  Har- 
ry Woodburn  Chase,  chancellor  of 
New  York  University,  who  introduced 
Coe;  Will  H.  Hays,  Adolph  Zukor, 
Nicholas  M.  Schenck,  Spyros  Skou- 
ras,  N.  Peter  Rathvon,  Jack  Cohn, 
Earle  W.  Hammons,  Colvin  Brown, 
George  Schaefer,  John  J.  O'Connor, 
O.  Henry  Briggs,  Francis  Harmon, 
Si  Fabian,  Louis  Nizer,  George  Dem- 
bow,  Norton  Ritchey,  Jules  Brula- 
tour,  Harry  Brandt,  Irving  Dollinger, 
Stanleigh  P.  Friedman,  Jack  Alicoate, 
Abel  Green,  Charles  E.  Lewis,  Wil- 
liam G.  Formby  and  Mrs.  Volney 
Taylor,  national  film  chairman  of  the. 
General  Federation  of  Women's 
Clubs. 

Also:  Mrs.  Harold  V.  Milligan,  president. 
National  Council  of  Women;  Rt.  Rev.  Henry 
St.  George  Tucker,  presiding  bishop  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  U.  S.;  Dr.  George 
N.  Shuster,  president.  Hunter  College;  Mrs. 
James  F.  Looram,  chairman,  film  bureau,  In- 
ternational Federation  of  Catholic  Amunae; 
Mrs.  Guy  P.  Gannett,  president.  National 
Federation  of  Music  Clubs;  K.  N.  Merritt, 
president,  general  sales  manager.  Railway 
Express  and  president,  National  Federation 
of  Sales  Executives  Clubs;  Dr.  George  F. 
Zook,  president.  American  Council  on  Educa- 
tion; Thomas  J.  Watson,  president,  Inter- 
national Business  Machines  Corp. 

Also-  Paul  West,  president,  Association  of 
National  Advertisers;  Clifton  D.  Jackson, 
executive  vice-president.  National  Federa- 
tion of  Sales  Executives  Clubs:  Dr.  Everett 
R.  Cl'nchy,  president,  National  Conference 
of  Christ'ans  and  Jews;  Reginald  Cleveland. 
N.  Y.  Times;  Vernon  Brooks,  N.  Y.  World- 
Telegram;  Mrs.  Alice  Throckmorton  McLean, 
president,     American    Women's  Volunteer 


Services;  Gilbert  T.  Hodges,  N.  Y.  Sun; 
Daniel  E.  Prevost,  N.  Y.  Herald  Tribune; 
Mme.  Yolanda  Mero-Irion,  chairman.  Wo- 
men's National  Radio  Committee;  Rev.  John 
J.  McClafferty,  executive  secretary,  National 
Legion  of  Decency,  and  Rabbi  David  DeSola 
Poole,  chairman.  Committee  of  Army  &  Navy 
Religious  Activities  of  the  Jewish  Welfare 
Board. 

Many  Executives  Attend 

Among  those  in  the  audience  were:  David 
Bernstein,  William  F.  Rodgers,  J.  R'bert 
Rubin,  Tom  J.  Connors,  A.  W.  Smith.  Jr., 
W.  C.  Michel,  Hugh  Owen,  Malcolm  Kings- 
berg.  Leon  G"ldberg,  Josenh  Seidelman.  Ned 
E.  Depinet.  Ed  Fay,  E.  K.  O'Shea,  E.  M. 
Saunders.  Edward  Aaron.  Howard  Dietz  Si 
Seadler,  Joseph  R.  Vogel,  C.  C.  Moskowitz, 
I  eopold  Friedman,  Joseph  Moskowitz.  Oscar 
Doob,  Mort  Blumenstock,  Louis  Phillips. 
Paul  Lazarus.  Sr..  Arthur  Israel,  Carl  E. 
Milliken.  Arthur  De  Bra,  David  Palf reyman, 
Walter  Trumbull,  Arthur  Dickinson.  S.  Bar- 
ret McCo-rmick,  Robert  M.  Gillham,  Hal 
Home.  Paul  Lazarus.  Jr.,  Lou  Smith.  Glen- 
don  Allvine,  Leon  Netter,  Robert  Weitman 
Maurice  Bergman,  Chester  Bahn.  Sam  E. 
Morris.  W.  J.  Heineman,  J.  Nob'e  Braden. 
Tames  Murphy.  Marvin  Schenck.  Leon  Bam- 
berger, I  eo  Brecher,  Gordon  White,  Samuel 
Rinzler,  E.  M.  Schnitzer.  Alec  Moss,  Wil- 
liam Ferguson  and  Dave  Levy. 


Springfield  Houses 
Oppose  Competition 

Springfield,  Mass.,  March  9. — 
Theatremen  plan  to  carry  their  fight 
to  the  Mayor  and  City  Council  in  an 
effort  to  halt  the  city  property  com- 
mittee from  renting  the  Municipal 
Auditorium  for  the  presentation  of 
vaudeville  shows  with  name  bands  on 
Sunday  in  comoetitinn  with  their 
houses. 

Appearing  for  the  theatres  at  a 
meeting  with  the  city  property  com- 
mittee at  which  their  reauest  was 
turned  down  were :  Nathan  E.  Gold- 
stein, Harry  Smith,  Edward  Smith. 
William  Powell,  Edward  Harrison, 
George  Freeman,  Ray  Title  and  Andy 
Sette. 


Heads  Drive  for  Bonds 

Hazleton,  Pa.,  March  9. — Samuel 
Friedman,  district  manager  of  the 
Comerford  Circuit  here,  was  chair- 
man of  the  $150,000  war  bond  drive 
conducted  by  the  Hazelton  Lodge, 
B'nai  B'rith. 


Korda  and  M-G-M 
Form  Association 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
rent  conferences  at  the  Culver  Cit; 
studios  prior  to  Korda's  departure  fo 
London  in  about  a  month. 


No  U.  A.  Conflict 

Hollywood,  March  9. — Alexa 
Korda  continues  as  an  owner-membe 
of  United  Artists  and  there  is  no  con 
flict  in  the  producer's  deal  witl 
M-G-M  and  his  status  with  Unitec 
Artists,  Edward  C.  Raftery,  U.  A 
president,  said  here. 

United  Artists'  distribution  facili- 
ties continue  to  be  available  to  Korda 
should  he  want  them,  Raftery  said 
adding  that  "under  certain  conditions' 
Korda  has  the  right  to  release  througl 
other  channels. 

"We  have  no  quarrel  with  Korda,' 
he  said. 


Film  Executives  to 
Attend  Blank  Rites 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

Century-Fox  Western  division  mana 
ger ;  M.  A.  Levy,  20th-Fox  district 
manager,  Minneapolis ;  J.  E.  Scott 
20th-Fox  Omaha  branch  manager ;  J 
J.  Fitzgibbons,  president,  Famous 
Players  Canadian  Corp.,  Toronto ;  Jo- 
seph Jacobs,  Columbia  Omaha  branch 
nanager ;  L.  E.  Goldhammer,  RKO 
listrict  manager,  Minneapolis ;  Harry 
Shumow,  M-G-M  branch  manager, 
Omaha;  John  J.  Friedl  and  John 
Branton,  Minnesota  Amusement  Co., 
Minneapolis ;  Ralph  and  Mrs.  Field, 
Pioneer  Theatre  Corp.,  Minenapolis ; 
Ralph  C.  Libeau,  Paramount  district 
manager,  Kansas  City,  and  Arthur 
Goldberg,  Chicago. 

All  Tri-States  Theatres,  operated 
by  A.  H.  Blank,  will  remain  closed 
until  3  p.  m.  tomorrow. 

The  deceased  was  secretary  of  Tri- 
States  and  Central  States  circuits  and 
advertising  manager  of  the  latter  com- 
pany. He  died  of  a  heart  attack  dur- 
ing his  sleep  on  Sunday.  The  funeral 
services  will  be  held  at  1  :30  p.  m.  to- 
morrow at  Dunn's  funeral  home.  Rabbi 
Eugene  Mannheimer  will  officiate  and 
burial  will  be  in  W oodland  Cemetery 
here.  In  addition  to  his  parents,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  A.  H.  Blank,  he  is  survived 
by  a  brother,  Raymond  Blank. 


U.  S.  Senator  Wiley 
Warns  on  Publicity 

Washington,  March  9. — Cal1ing  on 
Congress  to  maintain  a  scrutiny  '•{ 
Government  publicity,  Sen.  Alexander 
Wiley,  of  Wisconsin,  today  wame  1 
that  control  of  radio  and  press  is  fol- 
lowing that  of  the  Axis  countries  aivl 
"vigilance"  was  required  to  insure  the 
perpetuation  of  free  speech. 


Rochester  Scale  Increase 

Rochester,  March  9. — Weekend  ad- 
mission prices  at  the  Century  Theatre 
here  have  been  raised  to  50  cents.  The. 
action  follows  a  price  rise  by  Loew's 
Rochester,  bringing  both  houses  into 
line  with  the  RKO  Palace  and  Re 
gent. 


MOTION  PIClTOfc 

DAILY 


V  W  1  I 


Alert, 


tion 


Picture 
Industry 

a — 


VOL.  53.  NO.  47 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  THURSDAY,  MARCH  11,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Deferment  for 
Eight  Players 
Asked  by  OWI 

Kyser's  Appeal  Only  One 
Taken  to  F.  D.  R. 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

'  Washington,  Mar.  10. — A  de- 
cision by  President  Roosevelt  as  to 
whether  morale-building  activities 
comprise  a  basis  for  draft  defer- 
ment is  expected  as  a  result  of  the 
appeal  of  Kay  Kyser  from  a  local 
board's  refusal  to  reclassify  him. 

Supported  by  Elmer  Davis, 
director  of  the  Office  of  War  In- 
formation, Kyser's  case  has 
been  sent  to  the  White  House, 
reportedly  the  first  appeal  by 
any  prominent  entertainer  to 
reach  the  President. 

It  was  disclosed  today  that  the 
OWI  in  the  past  has  asked  for  draft 
deferments  for  seven  other  radio  stars 
who  have  served  the  agency,  although 
it  was  said  the  practice  has  been  dis- 
continued. The  group  included  Bob 
Hope,  Edgar  Bergen,  Nelson  Eddy, 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


IFuneral  Services  for 
IRaymondBlankHeld 


Des  Moines,  March  10. — Rites  for 
Raymond  Blank,  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
A.  H.  Blank,  who  died  here  Sunday 
following  a  heart  attack,  were  held 
today  in  one  of  the  largest  funerals 
ever  seen  in  this  city.  All  theatres  of 
the  Tri-States  and  Central  States  Cir- 
cuits, of  which  Blank  was  an  execu- 
tive, were  closed  during  the  services. 

Rabbi  Eugene  Mannheimer,  who  of- 
ficiated at  the  services,  paid  tribute  to 
Blank's  high  character  and  interest  in 
life. 


///.  Allied  Booking 
For  48  Theatres 

Chicago,  March  10. — Six  ad- 
ditional houses  have  joined 
the  booking  combine  of  Allied 
of  Illinois,  making  a  total  of 
48  theatres  now  booked 
through  Allied,  according  to 
Edward  Mager,  head  of  the 
organization's  department. 
The  new  additions  are  the 
California,  White  Palace, 
Homan,  States,  Park  Manor 
and  Sun. 


Audiences  Accept 
Theatre  Collection 
Drives,  Doob  Says 


Audience  collections  for  recognized 
patriotic  and  charitable  causes  have  no 
adverse  effect  on  theatre  patronage  in 
the  experience  of  the  Loew's  circuit, 
Oscar  A.  Doob,  national  publicity 
chairman  of  the  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee, and  advertising  and  publicity 
director  of  Loew's  Theatres,  told  a 
gathering  of  trade  press  publishers 
and  editors  and  advertising-publicity 
directors  at  the  Hotel  Astor  yesterday. 

Doob,  with  Claude  Lee  of  Para- 
mount, assistant  to  Barney  Balaban, 
as  chairman  of  the  industry  Red  Cross 
drive,  to  be  conducted  during  the  week 
of  April  1  through  7,  discussed  plans 
for  the  campaign.  Trade  press  co- 
operation with  the  War  Activities 
Committee  in  the  past  was  praised 
by  the  drive  leaders  and  its  continu- 
ance was  pledged  by  the  publishers. 

He  emphasized  the  importance  of 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


Disney  Studio  Gets 
Defense  Plant  Rating 


Hollywood,  March  10. — The  first 
studio  to  obtain  a  full  defense  plant 
rating  is  Walt  Disney  Productions, 
it  was  revealed  today,  as  the  delivered 
footage  figure  from  that  firm  for  Feb- 
ruary showed  98.24  per  cent  of  its 
production  went  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment, Navy  and  Coast  Guard,  while 
only  1.76  per  cent  went  to  theatres. 

The  studio,  which  was  the  first  to 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


House  Group  Votes 
20%  Pay  Check  Tax 

Washington,  March  10.  — 
The  House  Ways  and  Means 
Committee  today  voted  to  be- 
gin on  July  1  an  at-the-source 
system  of  collecting  income 
taxes  by  20  per  cent  deduc- 
tions from  pay  checks.  The 
program  would  not  change  in 
any  way  the  requirement  for 
filing  returns  by  March  15  on 
last  year's  income.  The  bill 
now  goes  to  the  floor  of  the 
House. 


Action  on  Salary 
Control  Measure 
Seen  by  Weekend 

Washington,  March  10.  ■ —  The 
House  of  Representatives  tomorrow 
will  take  up  for  consideration  the  Dis- 
ney "freeze"  plan  for  salaries,  offered 
as  a  substitute  for  President  Roose- 
velt's Oct.  3  salary  control  order,  and 
is  expected  to  dispose  of  the  measure 
Friday.  The  measure  seeks  to  limit 
salaries  at  their  pre-Pearl  Harbor 
level  or  $25,000  after  that  date. 

The  bill  to  increase  the  national 
debt  limit,  of  which  repeal  of  the 
President's  order  is  a  part,  will  be 
taken  up  under  an  authorization  of  the 
House  Rules  Committee  for  two  hours 
of  debate. 

It  is  not  expected  that  the  House 
will  dispose  of  the  legislation  in  one 
day,  unless  it  becomes  evident  that  no 
real  effort  to  amend  the  measure  will 
be  made,  which  is  considered  highly 
unlikely. 


British  Gov  H  to  Ask  Trade 
To  Oversee  Raw  Stock  Cut 


20th  Holds  Two-Day 
Sales  Meet  in  N.  Y. 

Twentieth  Century-Fox  will  hold  a 
two-day  sales  meeting  today  and  to- 
morrow at  the  Hotel  Astor. 

William  J.  Kupper,  executive  as- 
sistant to  Tom  J.  Connors,  and 
Andrew  W.  Smith,  Jr.,  Eastern 
sales  manager,  will  preside  at  the 
opening  session.  Among  the  home 
office  executives  scheduled  to  attend 
are  Martin  Moskowitz,  Clarence  Hill, 
William  J.  Clark,  Ray  Moon,  Jack 
Sichelman,  Roger  Ferri,  Harry  Mer- 
say.  Jack  Bloom,  Eugene  McEvoy,  in 
addition  to  Arthur  Abeles,  New  York 
branch  manager,  and  his  staff. 


By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  March  10. — Formation  of 
an  industry  committee  of  six  members, 
representing  exhibitors,  distributors 
and  other  branches,  to  keep  watch  on 
the  operation  of  the  proposed  volun- 
tary raw  stock  conservation  program 
will  be  asked  by  the  Government,  it 
was  learned  today. 

It  now  appears  certain  that  the 
Government,  through  the  Board  of 
Trade,  will  accept  the  voluntary  pro- 
gram on  a  trial  basis.  An  official 
statement  is  expected  tomorrow. 

The  Government's  acceptance  of  the 
industry  program  has  averted  the 
necessity  of  reducing  playing  time,  as 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


Britain  Starts 
Defreezing  of 
8  Million  Fund 


Added  to  42  Million  Paid 
Companies  Last  Year 


First  payments  out  of  an  estimat- 
ed $8,000,000  balance  of  major  dis- 
tributors' frozen  British  revenue 
withheld  in  London  since  Novem- 
ber pending  completion  of  an  audit- 
ing by  the  British  Treasury  to  de- 
termine the  specific  frozen  balances 
of  each  distributor  were  received 
in  New  York  this  week,  it  was 
learned  yesterday. 

The  first  payments,  it  is  report- 
ed, have  been  made  to  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox and  Universal.  Addi- 
tional payments  to  the  other 
companies  will  be  made  indi- 
vidually as  the  audits  of  the  ac- 
counts of  each  are  completed. 
All  payments  are  expected  to  be 
made  by  the  end  of  the  month. 

When  the  British  Treasury  last 
November  agreed  to  the  release  of 
all  of  the  companies'  frozen  sterling 
balances,  accumulated  since  the  start 
of  the  war,  it  was  specified  that  reve- 
nues during  the  period  from  Aug.  29 
to  Oct.  24,  1942,  would  not  be  re- 
leased pending  an  auditing  of  each 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


Stockholders  Reelect 
Board  of  Univ.  Corp. 

All  directors  of  Universal  Corpora- 
tion, parent  company  of  Universal 
Pictures  Co.,  Inc.,  were  reelected  at 
the  company's  annual  meeting  of 
stockholders  held  here  yesterday. 

Directors  are :  Nate  J.  Blumberg, 
Paul  G.  Brown,  D.  C.  Collins,  J. 
Cheever  Cowdin,  Preston  Davie, 
Matthew  Fox,  Ottavio  Prochet, 
Charles  D.  Prutzman,  J.  Arthur  Rank, 
Budd  Rogers,  Daniel  M.  Sheaffer  and 
W.  H.  Taylor,  Jr. 

The  annual  meeting  of  stockhold- 
ers of  Universal  Pictures  Co.  is  sched- 
uled to  be  held  at  Wilmington,  Del., 
Monday.  All  of  the  present  directors 
of  that  company  have  been  proposed 
for  reelection. 


In  Today's  Issue 

Review  of  "It  Ain't  Hay," 
Page  4.  Key  city  box-office 
reports,  Pages  4  and  9.  Motion 
Picture  Daily  booking  chart, 
Page  12. 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  March  10,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


RECENT  observations  by  radio  experts  point  increasingly  to  the  im- 
portance of  television  following  the  war.  David  Grimes,  vice-presi- 
dent in  charge  of  engineering  for  Philco,  stated  at  a  meeting  of  the  New 
York  Society  of  Security  Analysts  that  television  will  have  greater  im- 
pact on  American  life  than  any  other  applications  of  electronics.  Simi- 
larly, Noran  E.  Kersta,  manager  of  the  NBC  television  department,  said 
that  television  will  come  into  its  own,  during  a  recent  visit  in  San 
Francisco. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Herbert  L.  Pet  ley,  general  manager  of  WHN,  has  re- 
turned from  a  vacation  in  Mexico  City.  .  .  .  Arthur  Lake,  "Dogwood"  of  the 
CBS  "Blondie"  series,  announces  the  birth  of  a  son.  .  .  .  Mr.  and  Mrs.  David 
Hall  are  the  parents  of  a  boy,  born  Monday  at  Harkness  Pavillion.  Hall  is 
NBC's  script  writer  for  serious  music  programs.  .  .  .  Jack  Benny,  ill 
with  pneumonia  after  a  strenuous  tour  of  Army  camps  and  Navy  bases,  will 
be  off  the  air  for  at  least  three  more  weeks.  .  .  .  Marjorie  Hannon  of  the  CBS 
series,  "Bachelor's  Children,"  has  the  measles. 

•  •  • 

WQXR  has  made  an  upward  adjustment  in  advertising  rates,  Hugh 
Kendall  Boice,  vice-president  in  charge  of  sales,  has  announced.  The 
rate  increase,  the  first  since  July  1940,  goes  into  effect  on  April  1, 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  WLW,  Cincinnati,  has  arranged  with  BBC  for  an 
extensive  schedule  of  programs  from  London  by  shortwave  to  New  York 
and  direct  relay  to  Cincinnati.  .  .  .  "Men,  Machines  and  Victory"  will  be 
heard  on  Tuesdays  at  7:45  p.  m.  instead  of  Fridays  over  the  Blue  begin- 
ning March  23.  .  .  .  Rochester  Gas  &  Electric  Corp.  is  sponsoring  a  new 
series,  "Great  Dates  In  History"  over  WHAM,  Rochester.  .  .  .  The 
WMCA  annual  series  of  Lenten  messages  by  New  York  clergymen  will 
be  heard  starting  Friday.  .  .  .  NBC  announced  that  S.  C.  Johnson  &  Son, 
Inc.,  has  renewed  "Fibber  McGee  and  Molly";  General  Foods  Crop,  has 
renewed  "Portia  Faces  Life,"  both  for  52  two  weeks,  and  Vick  Chemical 
Co.  has  renewed  "Dr.  I.  Q."  for  26  weeks. 


Coe  Sounds 
Keynote  for 
Film  Goodwill 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
and  business  and  industrial  organiza- 
tions, as  well  as  industry  executives 
and  metropolitan  area  exhibitors,  at- 
tended the  luncheon.  Coe's  address 
was  the  second  of  a  series  on  the  in- 
dustry's viewpoints  and  war  activities 
which  he  will  make  in  principal  cities 
throughout  the  country.  The  first  was 
made  in  Boston  on  Feb.  16  and  his 
address  here  yesterday  paralleled  that 
one  in  all  major  aspects. 

In  the  industry  forum  which  fol- 
lowed the  luncheon  Coe  explained  the 
purposes  of  his  series  of  speeches  and 
reviewed  the  events  leading  up  to  the 
formulation  of  his  public  relations  pro- 
gram. 

The    time    has    passed."  h" 
said,  "when   the  industry  has 
anything  to  apologize  for.  It 
is  doing  a  great  job  both  in  the 
world  of  entertainment  and  in 
its  contribution  to  the  war  ef- 
fort.   The  need  to  bring  that 
story  to  the  public  should  be 
apparent  to  every  one  in  the  in- 
dustry, and  the  value  of  so  do- 
ing must  be  equally  apparent." 
Coe  reviewed  the  beginnings  of  his 
program,  which  he  said  stemmed  from 
the  work  of  the  East  and  West  Coast 
branches    of    the    Industry  Service 
Bureau  in  "ferreting  out  attacks  upon 
the   industry   and   answering  them." 
Eventually,  he  said,  it  was  decided 
that  rather  than  remaining  in  this  more 
or  less  defensive  position,  more  could 
be  accomplished  for  the  industry  by 
taking  the  initiative  and  bringing  the- 
industry's   own   story   to   the  public 
through   industry  people. 

Hays  Board  Approved 
He  prepared  addresses  and  had  them 
recorded  for  the  MPPDA  board  of 
directors,  which  approved  them  and 
voted  the  budget  sought  by  Coe  to 
conduct  the  work,  he  said.  The  origi- 
nal plan  of  presenting  the  recordings 
to  radio  stations  had  to  be  abandoned 
as  a  result  of  the  ban  placed  upon 
transcriptions  by  the  American  Feder- 
ation of  Musicians. 

Thereupon,  Coe  related,  the  pro- 
gram of  public  addresses  was  decided 
upon  ;  the  addresses  to  be  followed  up 
by  a  staff  of  experienced  public  rela- 
tions men  who  are  assigned  to  bring 
the  talks  to  the  attention  of  news- 
papers, civic,  educational  and  religious 
groups  in  the  territories  in  which  they 
are  made.  Further  circulation  of  the 
main  points  of  the  addresses  is  ob- 
tained by  distribution  of  pamphlets 
which  have  been  prepared  and  are 
made  available  to  theatres. 

Coe  made  it  clear  that  trade 
practice  complaints  and  purely 
internal  problems  will  have  no 
place  in  the  program. 

"Exhibitors,  as  a  group,"  he 
said  "are  highly  competent  and 
successful    business    men.  I 
would  not  presume  to  tell  them 
how  to  run  their  theatres,  nor 
do  I  assume  that  I  can  do  their 
jobs  better  than  they  can." 
He  said  that  once  the  industry  suc- 
ceeds in  placing  itself  before  the  public 
in  its  real  light  the  practical  effects 
will  be  evidenced  in  every  theatre  in 
the  country. 
"The  varied  groups  represented  at 


this  luncheon  today,"  he  said,  "are  the 
ones  who  elect  our  public  officials  and 
who  guide  the  making  of  our  laws. 
They  were  given  a  new  slant  on  our 
industry  today.  More  and  more  of 
them  will  be  given  it  through  this 
program  as  time  goes  by." 

By  way  of  proving  his  earnestness 
in  ascribing  the  program's  aims  en- 
tirely to  a  betterment  of  the  industry's 
over-all  public  relations,  Coe  told  his 
listeners  that  he  would  resign  from 
the  MPPDA  "the  moment  there  is 
any  interference  with  its  basic  aims  or 
functions." 

Those  on  Dais 

On  the  dais  at  the  luncheon  were : 
Dr.  Paul  H.  Nystrom,  president  of 
the  Sales  Executives  Club ;  Dr.  Har- 
ry Woodburn  Chase,  chancellor  of 
New  York  University,  who  introduced 
Coe;  Will  H.  Hays,  Adolph  Zukor, 
Nicholas  M.  Schenck,  Spyros  Skou- 
ras,  N.  Peter  Rathvon,  Jack  Cohn, 
Earle  W.  Hammons,  Colvin  Brown, 
George  Schaefer,  John  J.  O'Connor, 
O.  Henry  Briggs,  Francis  Harmon, 
Si  Fabian,  Louis  Nizer,  George  Dem- 
bow,  Norton  Ritchey,  Jules  Brula- 
tour,  Harry  Brandt,  Irving  Dollinger, 
Stanleigh  P.  Friedman,  Jack  Alicoate, 
Abel  Green,  Charles  E.  Lewis,  Wil- 
liam G.  Formby  and  Mrs.  Volney 
Taylor,  national  film  chairman  of  the 
General  Federation  of  Women's 
Clubs. 

Also:  Mrs.  Harold  V.  Milligan,  president. 
National  Council  of  Women;  Rt.  Rev.  Henry 
St.  George  Tucker,  presiding  bishop  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  U.  S.;  Dr.  George 
N.  Shuster,  president,  Hunter  College;  Mrs. 
James  F.  Looram,  chairman,  film  bureau,  In- 
ternational Federation  of  Catholic  Amunae; 
Mrs.  Guy  P.  Gannett,  president.  National 
Federation  of  Music  Clubs;  K.  N.  Merritt, 
president,  general  sales  manager.  Railway 
Express  and  president.  National  Federation 
of  Sales  Executives  Clubs;  Dr.  George  F. 
Zook,  president,  American  Council  on  Educa- 
tion; Thomas  J.  Watson,  president,  Inter- 
national Business  Machines  Corp. 

Also-  Paul  West,  president,  Association  of 
National  Advertisers;  Clifton  D.  Jackson, 
executive  vice-president.  National  Federa- 
tion of  Sales  Executives  Clubs:  Dr.  Everett 
R  Cl'nchy,  president,  National  Conference 
of  Christ'ans  and  Jews;  Reginald  Cleveland. 
TV.  Y.  Times:  Vernon  Brooks,  N.  Y.  World- 
Telegram;  Mrs.  Alice  Throckmorton  McLean, 
president,     American    Women's  Volunteer 


Services;  Gilbert  T.  Hodges,  N.  Y.  Sun; 
Daniel  E.  Prevost,  N.  Y.  Herald  Tribune; 
Mme.  Yolanda  Mero-Irion,  chairman,  Wo- 
men's National  Radio  Committee;  Rev.  John 
J.  McClafferty,  executive  secretary,  National 
Legion  of  Decency,  and  Rabbi  David  DeSola 
Poole,  chairman.  Committee  of  Army  &  Navy 
Religious  Activities  of  the  Jewish  Welfare 
Board. 

Many  Executives  Attend 

Among  those  in  the  audience  were:  David 
Bernstein,  William  F.  Rodgers,  J.  R'bert 
Rubin,  Tom  J.  Connors.  A.  W.  Smith.  Jr.. 
W.  C.  Michel,  Hugh  Owen,  Malcolm  Kings- 
berg.  Leon  Goldberg,  Josenh  Seidelman.  Ned 
E.  Depinet.  Ed  F'ay,  E.  K.  O'Shea,  E.  M. 
Saunders.  Edward  Aaron.  Howard  Dietz.  Si 
Seadler,  Joseph  R.  Vogel,  C.  C.  Moskowitz, 
I  eopold  Friedman,  Joseph  Moskowitz.  Oscar 
Doob,  Mort  Blumenstock,  Louis  Phillips. 
Paul  Lazarus.  Sr..  Arthur  Israel,  Carl  E. 
Milliken.  Arthur  De  Bra,  David  Palfreyman, 
Walter  Trumbull,  Arthur  Dickinson,  S.  Bar- 
ret McCormick,  Robert  M.  Gillham,  Hal 
Home,  Paul  Lazarus.  Jr.,  Lou  Smith.  Glen- 
don  Allvine.  Leon  Netter,  Robert  Weitman 
Maurice  Bergman,  Chester  Bahn.  Sam  E. 
Morris.  W.  J.  Heineman,  J.  Nob'e  Braden. 
Tames  Murphy,  Marvin  Schenck.  Leon  Bam- 
berger, T  eo  Brecher,  Gordon  White,  Samuel 
Rinzler,  E.  M.  Schnitzer.  Alec  Moss,  Wil- 
liam Ferguson  and  Dave  Levy. 

Springfield  Houses 
Oppose  Competition 

Springfield,  Mass.,  March  9.— 
Theatremen  plan  to  carry  their  fight 
to  the  Mayor  and  City  Council  in  an 
effort  to  halt  the  city  property  com- 
mittee from  renting  the  Municinal 
Auditorium  for  the  presentation  of 
vaudeville  shows  with  name  bands  on 
Sunday  in  comnetition  with  their 
houses. 

Appearing  for  the  theatres  at  a 
meeting  with  the  city  property  com- 
mittee at  which  their  reauest  was 
turned  down  were :  Nathan  E.  Gold- 
stein. Harry  Smith,  Edward  Smith. 
Willi  am  Powell,  Edward  Harrison, 
George  Freeman,  Ray  Title  and  Andy 
Sette. 


Heads  Drive  for  Bonds 

Hazleton,  Pa.,  A4arch  9.— Samuel 
Friedman,  district  manager  of  the 
Comerford  Circuit  here,  was  chair- 
man of  the  $150,000  war  bond  drive 
conducted  by  the  Hazelton  Lodge, 
B'nai  B'rith. 


Korda  and  M-G-M 
Form  Association 

(.Continued  from  page  1) 

rent  conferences  at  the  Culver  City 
studios  prior  to  Korda's  departure  for 
London  in  about  a  month. 


No  U.  A.  Conflict  /"V 

Hollywood,  March  9. — Alexa^??; 
Korda  continues  as  an  owner-member 
of  United  Artists  and  there  is  no  con- 
flict in  the  producer's  deal  with 
M-G-M  and  his  status  with  United 
Artists,  Edward  C.  Raftery,  U.  A. 
president,  said  here. 

United  Artists'  distribution  facili- 
ties continue  to  be  available  to  Korda,' 
should  he  want  them,  Raftery  said, 
adding  that  "under  certain  conditions" 
Korda  has  the  right  to  release  through 
other  channels. 

"We  have  no  quarrel  with  Korda," 
he  said. 


Film  Executives  to 
Attend  Blank  Rites 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

Century-Fox  Western  division  mana- 
ger ;  M.  A.  Levy,  20th-Fox  district 
manager,  Minneapolis ;  J.  E.  Scott, 
20th-Fox  Omaha  branch  manager;  J. 
J.  Fitzgibbons,  president,  Famous 
Players  Canadian  Corp.,  Toronto  ;  Jo- 
seph Jacobs,  Columbia  Omaha  branch 
manager;  L.  E.  Goldhammer,  RKO 
district  manager,  Minneapolis ;  Harry 
Shumow,  M-G-M  branch  manager, 
Omaha ;  John  J.  Friedl  and  John 
Branton,  Minnesota  Amusement  Co., 
Minneapolis;  Ralph  and  Mrs.  Field, 
Pioneer  Theatre  Corp.,  Minenapolis ; 
Ralph  C.  Libeau,  Paramount  district 
manager,  Kansas  City,  and  Arthur 
Goldberg,  Chicago. 

All  Tri-States  Theatres,  operated 
by  A.  H.  Blank,  will  remain  closed 
until  3  p.  m.  tomorrow. 

The  deceased  was  secretary  of  Tri- 
States  and  Central  States  circuits  and! 
advertising  manager  of  the  latter  com- 
pany. He  died  of  a  heart  attack  dur- 
ing his  sleep  on  Sunday.  The  funeral 
services  will  be  held  at  1  :30  p.  m.  to- 
morrow at  Dunn's  funeral  home.  Rabbi 
Eugene  Mannheimer  will  officiate  and 
burial  will  be  in  Woodland  Cemetery 
here.  In  addition  to  his  parents,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  A.  H.  Blank,  he  is  survived 
by  a  brother,  Raymond  Blank. 


U.  S.  Senator  Wiley 
Warns  on  Publicity 

Washington,  March  9. — Cal'ing  on 
Congress  to  maintain  a  scrutiny  of 
Government  publicity,  Sen.  Alexandn- 
Wiley,  of  Wisconsin,  today  war^e  1 
that  control  of  radio  and  press  is  fol- 
lowing that  of  the  Axis  countries  and 
"vigilance"  was  required  to  insure  the 
perpetuation  of  free  speech. 


Rochester  Scale  Increase\ 

Rochester,  March  9. — Weekend  ad- 
mission prices  at  the  Century  TheatreB 
here  have  been  raised  to  50  cents.  The !  " 
action  follows  a  price  rise  by  Loew'sli 
Rochester,  bringing  both  houses  intcH 
line  with  the  RKO  Palace  and  Re  ■ 
gent. 


r ILE  COPY 


: — ! — 


MOTION  PfctTOi 

DAILY 


First  in 


and 

Impartial 


VOL.  53.  NO.  47 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  THURSDAY,  MARCH  11,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Deferment  for 
Eight  Players 
Asked  by  OWI 

Kyser's  Appeal  Only  One 
Taken  to  F.  D.  R. 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  Mar.  10. — A  de- 
cision by  President  Roosevelt  as  to 
whether  morale-building  activities 
comprise  a  basis  for  draft  defer- 
ment is  expected  as  a  result  of  the 
appeal  of  Kay  Kyser  from  a  local 
board's  refusal  to  reclassify  him. 

Supported  by  Elmer  Davis, 
director  of  the  Office  of  War  In- 
formation, Kyser's  case  has 
been  sent  to  the  White  House, 
reportedly  the  first  appeal  by 
any  prominent  entertainer  to 
reach  the  President. 

It  was  disclosed  today  that  the 
OWI  in  the  past  has  asked  for  draft 
deferments  for  seven  other  radio  stars 
who  have  served  the  agency,  although 
it  was  said  the  practice  has  been  dis- 
continued. The  group  included  Bob 
Hope,  Edgar  Bergen,  Nelson  Eddy, 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


Funeral  Services  for 
RaymondBlankHeld 


Des  Moines,  March  10. — Rites  for 
Raymond  Blank,  son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
A.  H.  Blank,  who  died  here  Sunday 
following  a  heart  attack,  were  held 
today  in  one  of  the  largest  funerals 
ever  seen  in  this  city.  All  theatres  of 
the  Tri-States  and  Central  States  Cir- 
cuits, of  which  Blank  was  an  execu- 
tive, were  closed  during  the  services. 

Rabbi  Eugene  Mannheimer,  who  of- 
ficiated at  the  services,  paid  tribute  to 
Blank's  high  character  and  interest  in 
life. 


If  3 


III.  Allied  Booking 
For  48  Theatres 

Chicago,  March  10. — Six  ad- 
ditional houses  have  joined 
the  booking  combine  of  Allied 
of  Illinois,  making  a  total  of 
48  theatres  now  booked 
through  Allied,  according  to 
Edward  Mager,  head  of  the 
organization's  department. 
The  new  additions  are  the 
California,  White  Palace, 
Homan,  States,  Park  Manor 
and  Sun. 


Audiences  Accept 
Theatre  Collection 
Drives,  Doob  Says 


Audience  collections  for  recognized 
patriotic  and  charitable  causes  have  no 
adverse  effect  on  theatre  patronage  in 
the  experience  of  the  Loew's  circuit, 
Oscar  A.  Doob,  national  publicity 
chairman  of  the  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee, and  advertising  and  publicity 
director  of  Loew's  Theatres,  told  a 
gathering  of  trade  press  publishers 
and  editors  and  advertising-publicity 
directors  at  the  Hotel  Astor  yesterday. 

Doob,  with  Claude  Lee  of  Para- 
mount, assistant  to  Barney  Balaban, 
as  chairman  of  the  industry  Red  Cross 
drive,  to  be  conducted  during  the  week 
of  April  1  through  7,  discussed  plans 
for  the  campaign.  Trade  press  co- 
operation with  the  War  Activities 
Committee  in  the  past  was  praised 
by  the  drive  leaders  and  its  continu- 
ance was  pledged  by  the  publishers. 

He  emphasized  the  importance  of 
(.Continued  on  page  4) 


Disney  Studio  Gets 
Defense  Plant  Rating 


Hollywood,  March  10. — The  first 
studio  to  obtain  a  full  defense  plant 
rating  is  Walt  Disney  Productions, 
it  was  revealed  today,  as  the  delivered 
footage  figure  from  that  firm  for  Feb- 
ruary showed  98.24  per  cent  of  its 
production  went  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment, Navy  and  Coast  Guard,  while 
only  1.76  per  cent  went  to  theatres. 

The  studio,  which  was  the  first  to 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


House  Group  Votes 
20%  Pay  Check  Tax 

Washington,  March  10.  — 
The  House  Ways  and  Means 
Committee  today  voted  to  be- 
gin on  July  1  an  at-the-source 
system  of  collecting  income 
taxes  by  20  per  cent  deduc- 
tions from  pay  checks.  The 
program  would  not  change  in 
any  way  the  requirement  for 
filing  returns  by  March  15  on 
last  year's  income.  The  bill 
now  goes  to  the  floor  of  the 
House. 


Action  on  Salary 
Control  Measure 
Seen  by  Weekend 


Washington,  March  10.  —  The 
House  of  Representatives  tomorrow 
will  take  up  for  consideration  the  Dis- 
ney "freeze"  plan  for  salaries,  offered 
as  a  substitute  for  President  Roose- 
velt's Oct.  3  salary  control  order,  and 
is  expected  to  dispose  of  the  measure 
Friday.  The  measure  seeks  to  limit 
salaries  at  their  pre-Pearl  Harbor 
level  or  $25,000  after  that  date. 

The  bill  to  increase  the  national 
debt  limit,  of  which  repeal  of  the 
President's  order  is  a  part,  will  be 
taken  up  under  an  authorization  of  the 
House  Rules  Committee  for  two  hours 
of  debate. 

It  is  not  expected  that  the  House 
will  dispose  of  the  legislation  in  one 
day,  unless  it  becomes  evident  that  no 
real  effort  to  amend  the  measure  will 
be  made,  which  is  considered  highly 
unlikely. 


British  Gov  H  to  Ask  Trade 
To  Oversee  Raw  Stock  Cut 


20th  Holds  Two-Day 
Sales  Meet  in  N.  Y. 

Twentieth  Century-Fox  will  hold  a 
two-day  sales  meeting  today  and  to- 
morrow at  the  Hotel  Astor. 

William  J.  Kupper,  executive  as- 
sistant to  Tom  J.  Connors,  and 
Andrew  W.  Smith,  Jr.,  Eastern 
sales  manager,  will  preside  at  the 
opening  session.  Among  the  home 
office  executives  scheduled  to  attend 
are  Martin  Moskowitz,  Clarence  Hill, 
William  J.  Clark,  Ray  Moon,  Jack 
Sichelman,  Roger  Ferri,  Harry  Mer- 
say,  Jack  Bloom,  Eugene  McEvoy,  in 
addition  to  Arthur  Abeles,  New  York 
branch  manager,  and  his  staff. 


By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  March  10. — Formation  of 
an  industry  committee  of  six  members, 
representing  exhibitors,  distributors 
and  other  branches,  to  keep  watch  on 
the  operation  of  the  proposed  volun- 
tary raw  stock  conservation  program 
will  be  asked  by  the  Government,  it 
was  learned  today. 

It  now  appears  certain  that  the 
Government,  through  the  Board  of 
Trade,  will  accept  the  voluntary  pro- 
gram on  a  trial  basis.  An  official 
statement  is  expected  tomorrow. 

The  Government's  acceptance  of  the 
industry  program  has  averted  the 
necessity  of  reducing  playing  time,  as 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


Britain  Starts 
Defreezing  of 
8  Million  Fund 


Added  to  42  Million  Paid 
Companies  Last  Year 


First  payments  out  of  an  estimat- 
ed $8,000,000  balance  of  major  dis- 
tributors' frozen  British  revenue 
withheld  in  London  since  Novem- 
ber pending  completion  of  an  audit- 
ing by  the  British  Treasury  to  de- 
termine the  specific  frozen  balances 
of  each  distributor  were  received 
in  New  York  this  week,  it  was 
learned  yesterday. 

The  first  payments,  it  is  report- 
ed, have  been  made  to  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox and  Universal.  Addi- 
tional payments  to  the  other 
companies  will  be  made  indi- 
vidually as  the  audits  of  the  ac- 
counts of  each  are  completed. 
All  payments  are  expected  to  be 
made  by  the  end  of  the  month. 

When  the  British  Treasury  last 
November  agreed  to  the  release  of 
all  of  the  companies'  frozen  sterling 
balances,  accumulated  since  the  start 
of  the  war,  it  was  specified  that  reve- 
nues during  the  period  from  Aug.  29 
to  Oct.  24,  1942,  would  not  be  re- 
leased pending  an  auditing  of  each 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Stockholders  Reelect 
Board  of  Univ.  Corp. 

All  directors  of  Universal  Corpora- 
tion, parent  company  of  Universal 
Pictures  Co.,  Inc.,  were  reelected  at 
the  company's  annual  meeting  of 
stockholders  held  here  yesterday. 

Directors  are :  Nate  J.  Blumberg, 
Paul  G.  Brown,  D.  C.  Collins,  J. 
Cheever  Cowdin,  Preston  Davie, 
Matthew  Fox,  Ottavio  Prochet, 
Charles  D.  Prutzman,  J.  Arthur  Rank, 
Budd  Rogers,  Daniel  M.  Sheaffer  and 
W.  H.  Taylor,  Jr. 

The  annual  meeting  of  stockhold- 
ers of  Universal  Pictures  Co.  is  sched- 
uled to  be  held  at  Wilmington,  Del., 
Monday.  All  of  the  present  directors 
of  that  company  have  been  proposed 
for  reelection. 


In  Today's  Issue 

Review  of  "It  Ain't  Hay," 
Page  4.  Key  city  box-office 
reports,  Pages  4  and  9.  Motion 
Picture  Daily  booking  chart, 
Page  12. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  March  11,  1943 


Personal  Mention 


4Men  in  Shadow'  Is 
Lone  New  Play  on 
BVay  This  Week 

The  opening  of  Max  Gordon's  "Men 
in  Shadow"  last  night  at  the  Morosco 
Theatre  and  the  closing  notice  posted 
at  the  Ritz  Theatre  for  Leonard  Sill- 
man's  "New  Faces  of  1943"  are  the 
only  changes  in  the  legitimate  theatre 
offerings  this  week.  It  is  expected 
that  the  latter  show  will  close  with 
Saturday  night's  performance,  its  49th 
on  Broadway. 

Katharine  Cornell  has  announced 
plans  for  the  nationwide  tour  of  her 
current  production  of  Chekhov's 
"Three  Sisters."  Cities  listed  are 
Buffalo,  Toronto,  Detroit,  Cleveland, 
Pittsburgh  and  Chicago.  The  revival, 
staged  by  Guthrie  McClintic,  will  have 
set  a  record  for  any  Chekhov  play 
in  this  country,  having  played  122 
performances,  it  was  announced. 

"Away  We  Go,"  the  Theatre 
Guild's  musical  version  of  Lynn 
Rigg's  stage  play,  "Green  Grow  the 
Lilacs,"  will  be  presented  for  the  first 
time  at  the  Schubert  Theatre,  New- 
Haven,  on  Thursday  evening.  The 
score  has  been  written  by  Richard 
Rodgers,  and  the  book  and  lyrics  by 
Oscar  Hammerstein,  2nd.  A  cast  of 
over  60  singers  and  dancers  is  headed 
by  Betty  Garde,  radio  actress ;  Alfred 
Drake,  Joseph  Buloff,  Joan  Roberts, 
Lee  Dixon,  Celeste  Holm  and  How- 
ard da  Silva.  The  musical  is  sched- 
uled for  a  limited  engagement  at  the 
Colonial  Theatre,  Boston,  following 
its  New  Haven  opening,  and  will 
reach  New  York  some  time  in  April. 


Kastner  Leaves  OWI; 
Will  Join  Columbia 

Lacy  Kastner,  who  has  resigned  as 
head  of  overseas  film  distribution  for 
OWI,  will  become  special  home  of- 
fice representative  in  Columbia's  for- 
eign department,  Joseph  A.  McCon- 
ville,  Columbia  vice-president  and 
foreign  manager,  announced  yesterday 

Kastner,  formerly  European  genera1 
manager  for  United  Artists  until  he 
joined  the  OWI  a  year  ago,  will  con- 
tinue to  serve  as  a  distribution  con- 
sultant for  OWI. 

It  is  reported  that  Charles  Gold- 
smith of  the  M-G-M  home  office  for- 
eign department  will  be  named  super- 
visor of  OWI  film  distribution  by 
Robert  Riskin,  head  of  the  unit. 


Burrows  Treasurer 
Of  Bronston  Prods. 

George  D.  Burrows,  who  recently 
left  Guaranty  Trust  Co.  to  become 
treasurer  of  Monogram  Pictures 
Corp.,  is  also  treasurer  of  Samuel 
Bronston  Productions,  it  is  revealed. 
The  latter  company  recently  anounced 
a  program  for  release  through  United 
Artists. 


Manny  Reiner  in  Iceland 

,  Manny  Reiner,  on  leave  of  absence 
from  Paramount  for  the  duration,  has 
arrived  in  Reykjavik,  Iceland,  on  a 
mission  for  the  Office  of  War_  Infor- 
mation, according  to  word  received  by 
Oscar  A.  Morgan,  Paramount  short 
subjects  and  news  department  sales 
manager. 


SPYROS     SKOURAS     left  for 
Havana  last  night. 

• 

Corp.   Vernon    P.    Carr,  former 
manager    of    Tri-State's  Roosevelt 
Theatre,    Des    Moines,    and  Jean 
Dodge  plan  to  be  married  tomorrow. 
• 

Frank  Downey,  M-G-M  Detroit 
branch  manager,  and  W.  E.  Bamford, 
Chicago  branch  manager,  are  in  town. 
• 

Ben  Kalmenson  returns  today 
from  the  Coast. 

Marilyn  Schlanger,  daughter  of 
Ted  Schlanger,  Warner  Theatre  cir- 
cuit .zone  chief  in  Philadelphia,  has 
undergone  an  appendectomy  at  the 
Graduate  Hospital. 

• 

Monty  Banks  is  in  town  from 
California. 


Perm.  'Outlaw'  Film 
Censorship  Upheld 

Philadelphia,  March  10. — "It  can't 
happen  here,"  said  Mrs.  Edna  R.  Car- 
roll, chairman  of  the  Pennsylvania 
State  Board  of  Motion  Picture  Cen- 
sors, in  observing  the  unsavory  fuss 
and  fanfare  that  attended  the  opening 
of  "The  Outlaw"  in  San  Francisco. 
After  being  submitted  for  review  on 
several  occasions,  Mrs.  Carroll  dis- 
closed that  the  seal  of  approval  was 
given  the  picture  last  fall.  She  indi- 
cated that  the  picture  was  "heavily 
scissored"  for  exhibition  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

Mrs.  Carroll  further  warned  that 
the  producers  will  not  be  able  to  use 
pictures  or  stills  of  the  objectionable 
parts  deleted  for  advertising  and  pub- 
licizing "The  Outlaw"  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. She  said  that  the  producers  of 
the  picture  cannot  advertize  or  pub- 
licize anything  that  is  not  in  the  pic- 
ture as  approved  by  the  censor  board. 

Tully  Marshall  Dies; 
Film  Stage  Veteran 

Hollywood,  March  10. — Tully 
Marshall,  79,  film  and  stage  charac- 
ter actor  for  the  past  45  years,  died 
at  his  home  in  Encino  yesterday.  He 
first  appeared  in  films  in  1916,  and 
worked  for  most  of  the  major  studios. 
He  last  appeared  in  Paramount's 
"This  Gun  for  Hire"  and  Warner 
Bros.'  "Moontide,"  last  year.  Mrs. 
Marian  Fairfax  Marshall,  his  widow, 
survives. 


British  Houses  Show 
Social  Disease  Film 

London,  March  10. — All  film 
houses  in  Great  Britain  have  agreed 
to  the  appeal  of  Ernest  Brown,  min- 
ister of  health,  to  show  a  new  15- 
minute  propaganda  film  on  social  dis- 
eases. Brown  screened  the  subject  for 
the  Cinematograph  Exhibitors  Asso- 
ciation general  council.  The  showing 
of  such  a  film  in  theatres  is  a  distinct 
departure. 


Named  ABPC  Officials 

London,  March  10.  —  Associated 
British  Picture  Corp.  has  appointed 
Roland  Lee,  theatre  controller,  and 
Sidney  Lewis,  public  relations  director 


EARL  J.  HUDSON,  president  of 
United  Detroit  Theatres,  is  in 
town. 

• 

H.  M.  Richey  has  returned  from 
Washington. 

• 

Irving  Mandel,  Monogram  Chica- 
go  franchise   holder,   is  vacationing 
with  his  family  at  Miami  Beach. 
• 

William  K.  Saxton,  Loew's  cir- 
cuit manager  in  Baltimore  has  been 
discharged  from  Sinai  Hospital,  but 
plans  to  return  later  this  month  for 
another  major  operation.  ♦ 
• 

Martin  Glazer,  formerly  press 
representative  for  the  M  &  P  Para- 
mount, Boston,  now  in  the  Army,  has 
been  visiting  in  Boston. 

• 

Don  Hancock  was  a  Montreal 
visitor  recently. 


20th-Fox  Changes 
Made  in  Chicago 

Chicago,  March  10. — Changes  made 
at  the  local  20th  Century-Fox  ex- 
change include  the  promotion  of  Tom 
Gilliam  to  sales  manager  under  the 
supervision  of  Clyde  Eckhardt,  branch 
manager,  and  the  appointment  of 
Arnold  Monnette  as  office  manager. 

Cleve  Adams,  sales  veteran  at  one 
time  with  RKO,  has  been  added  to 
the  sales  staff  covering  country 
towns,  with  Milton  Simon  transferred 
to  city  territory.  Jack  Eckhardt  has 
been  made  head  booker  and  Joseph 
Hanna,  formerly  with  20th  Century- 
Fox  in  Pittsburgh,  has  been  added  to 
the  booking  department. 

Book-Film  Ads  Run 
For  'Human  Comedy' 

Two  ads — one  on  the  book  page  and 
the  other  on  the  amusement  page — 
were  used  yesterday  in  the  Nciv  York 
Herald  Tribune  giving  critics'  quotes 
on  both  the  film  and  book  versions 
of  "The  Human  Comedy"  in  each  ad. 
M-G-M,  producer  of  the  picture,  and 
Harcourt  Brace  &  Co.,  publisher  of 
the  book,  sponsored  the  ads  separate- 
ly, it  was  reported.  Howard  Dietz, 
advertising  and  publicity  director  for 
M-G-M,  handled  the  unusual  ad  for 
his  company. 


M-G-M  Tradeshows 
'Wardens'  March  17 

M-G-M  announced  the  tradeshow- 
ing  of  ."Air  Raid  Wardens"  in  most 
exchange  centers  March  17,  and  in  the 
following  cities  on  March  16:  Boston, 
Chicago,  Denver,  Kansas  City,  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  Pittsburgh,  Port- 
land, and  St.  Louis. 

Trade  showings  of  "Du  Barry  Was 
a  Lady"  and  "Pilot  No.  5"  originally 
scheduled  for  these  dates,  have  been 
postponed,  it  was  stated. 


M-G-M  Sets  '9  Marines' 

Hollywood,  March  10.— M-G-M  is 
assigning  nine  directors  and  nine  writ- 
ers to  handle  nine  sequences  for  "Nine 
Marines,  which  will  include  the  en- 
tire talent  roster,  it  was  announced. 
The  story  is  by  Robert  Hopkins.  Ed- 
win Knopf  will  produce. 


CIAA  Stays  Apart 
In  New  OWI  Setup 

Washington,  March  10. — All  prop- 
aganda efforts  of  the  Federal  agen- 
cies with  the  exception  of  the  Coordi- 
nator of  Inter-American  Affairs  now 
are  consolidated  in  the  Office  of  War 
Information,  it  was  disclosed  today  at 
the  White  House.  ^ 

The  White  House  announced  thaST- 
President  Roosevelt  signed  an  execu- 
tive order  directing  the  OWI  to 
"plan,  develop  and  execute  all  phases 
of  the  Federal  program  involving  the 
dissemination  of  information"  and 
transferring  to  that  agency  the  propa- 
ganda activities  heretofore  conducted 
by  the  Office  of  Strategic  Services. 

The  order  provides,  however,  that 
Nelson  Rockefeller  shall  continue  in 
control  of  all  such  activities  in  Latin 
America. 

Gov.  Edison  Praises 
N.  J.  Exhibitors 

Trenton,  |N.  J.March  10.— New 
Jersey's  theatres  were  praised  for 
their  part  in  the  nation's  war  effort 
in  a  lette  by  Gov.  Edison  to  the  Allied 
Theatre  Owners  of  New  Jersey.  The 
message  lauded  the  promotion  of  the 
sale  of  war  bonds  and  stamps  and  au- 
dience collections  for  various  charita- 
ble campaigns. 

The  Governor  said  that  presenta- 
tion of  motion  pictures  relating  to  the 
war  aided  morale  and  patriotism. 


Union  Cinemas  Net 
$520,000  for  1942 

London,  March  10. — Union  Cinemas 
now  a  part  of  the  Associated  British 
group,  today  reported  net  profit  of 
$520,000  for  1942.  Of  a  total  balance 
of  $768,000  at  the  end  of  the  year, 
$400,000  was  credited  to  general  re- 
serve. 


Elman  Leaving  for  West 

Chicago,  March  10. — Henri  Elman 
plans  to  leave  tomorrow  for  a  tour 
of  the  Western  territory  in  behalf  of 
"All  America  News,"  Negro  news- 
reel.  He  will  also  confer  at  the  Pro- 
ducers Releasing  studio  on  new  prod- 
uct. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sara  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
I  eign;  single  copies  10c. 


ffI  don't  care  if  it  h  the 
Fifteenth  week . . .  I  still  love  it! 


HUMPHREY  BOGART  -  INGRID  BERGMAN  •  PAUL  H EN R EI D  ,„  CASABLANCA 


„h  CLAUDE  RAINS  •  CONRAD  VEIDT  •  SYDNEY  GREENSTR  EET  •  PETER  LOR  RE  a  HAL  B.  WALLIS  prod'n,  directed  er  Michael  Cub™ 


4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  March  11,  1943 


Review 


"It  Ain't  Hay" 

{Universal) 

\  BBOTT  and  COSTELLO — Univer sal's  ace  comedy  team  and  top- 
ranking  box  office  stars  in  the  1942  Motion  Picture  Herald-Fatm? 
poll — plus  a  well  knit  story  by  Damon  Runyon  combine  to  make  this 
comedy  a  double-barreled  attraction,  destined  to  draw  large  audiences 
wherever  played. 

Costello  as  usual  gets  himself  in  and  out  of  tough  spots  with  comical 
naivete  as  Abbott  finds  himself  at  the  desperation  point.  Eugene  Pal- 
lette  takes  much  of  the  punishment  as  an  efficiency  expert  whose  efforts 
Abbott  constantly  spoils.  Others  in  the  cast  are  Cecil  Kellaway,  Grace 
McDonald,  Patsy  O'Connor  and  Leighton  Noble.  The  last  three  pro- 
vide most  of  the  musical  entertainment  which  rounds  out  the  production. 
Runyonesque  racetrack  touts  are  slickly  portrayed  by  Eddie  Quillan, 
Richard  Lane,  and  David  Hacker. 

The  screenplay  by  Allen  Boretz  and  John  Grant  keeps  the  action  roll- 
ing and  doesn't  allow  for  any  lapse  in  attention.  Erie  C.  Kenton  directed 
with  the  same  feeling.  There  are  several  musical  numbers  with  simple 
settings,  the  music  end  being  handled  by  Charles  Previn. 

Costello  feeds  a  peppermint  stick  to  Cecil  Kellaway's  hack  horse  and 
when  the  animal  becomes  ill  tries  to  cure  him.  The  horse  dies  and  in 
attempting  to  replace  him,  Costello,  in  a  case  oi  mistaken  identity,  takes 
Teabiscuit,  champion  race  horse  of  the  year,  from  the  stables  of  Samuel 
S.  Hinds.  Interspersed  in  this  general  plot  are  the  many  predicaments 
to  which  the  pair  have  become  accustomed.  Finally,  the  mixup  is 
straightened  out  and  Abbott  and  Costello  win  $10,000  in  the  big  race, 
enough  to  buy  Kellaway  a  new  horse  and  hack  and  to  finance  a  soldier 
show  for  Noble.  The  latter  and  Miss  McDonald  provide  the  romantic 
interest.  Patsy  O'Connor,  who  plays  Kellaway's  daughter,  is  an  appeal- 
ing youngster. 

Alex  Gottlieb  was  the  producer.  The  songs  were  by  Harry  Revel  with 
lyrics  by  Paul  Francis  Webster. 

Running  time,  80  minutes.   "G.''*  Lucille  Greenberg 


Audiences  Accept 
Theatre  Collection 
Drives,  Doob  Says 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

each  participating  theatre  doing  its  job 
in  the  right  way  during  the  Red 
Cross  drive.  A  conservative  estimate 
of  the  difference  in  collections  result- 
ing from  indifferent  effort  on  the  part 
of  individual  theatres,  he  said,  is 
$500,000.  That  amount  can  be  lost, 
he  asserted,  unless  a  genuine  effort 
is  made  by  each  theatre  to  conduct  its 
audience  collections  under  the  right 
conditions  and  with  sufficient  work- 
ers. 

Doob  reported  that  2,000,000  feet  of 
film  had  been  authorized  for  the  10,- 
000  prints  of  the  Red  Cross  drive's 
appeal  trailer,  and  that  no  more  can 
be  obtained  even  though  a  shortage 
of  prints  is  indicated  at  this  time. 

Balaban  was  unable  to  attend -the 
meeting,  having  gone  to  Des  Moines 
for  the  funeral  of  Raymond  Blank. 
Among  those  present  were :  Colvin 
Brown,  Jack  Alicoate,  Terry  Ram- 
saye,  Chester  Bahn,  Abel  Green,  Jack 
Harrison,  William  Formby,  Charles 
E.  Lewis,  Arthur  Mayer,  Robert 
Gillham,  Ed  Schreiber,  Harry  Gold- 
berg, Francis  Harmon,  Ed  Dowden, 
S.  Barret  McCormick,  Ernest  Emer- 
ling,  Harry  Mandel,  Alec  Moss,  Mau- 
rice Bergman,  Paul  Lazarus,  Jr.,  and 
Vincent  Trotta. 

8  Million  Payment 
Started  by  Britain 

{Continued  from  page  1) 

company's  accounts  to  determine  the 
final  amount  of  frozen  balances  of 
each  as  of  Oct.  24,  the  expiration  date 
of  the  last  exchange  agreement.  The 
Universal  and  20th  Century-Fox 
audits  were  the  first  to  be  completed, 
and  the  audits  of  accounts  of  the  other 
companies  are  nearing  completion. 

The  release  of  frozen  funds  to  the 
companies  last  November  aggregated 
$42,000,000.  The  balances  now  being 
released  represent  earnings  in  the 
period  from  Aug.  29  to  Oct.  24. 

British  to  Ask  Trade 
To  Oversee  Stock  Cut 

{Continued  from  page  1) 

revealed  in  Motion  Picture  Daily. 
The  proposals  embrace  the  bicycling 
of  newsreels,  more  generous  use  of 
prints  and  adjustment  of  releases,  the 
latter  by  agreement  of  the  Cinemato- 
graph Exhibitors  Association  and  the 
Kinematograph  Renters  Society.  The 
proposed  six-member  committee,  in 
addition  to  maintaining  vigilance, 
would  serve  as  liaison  with  the  Board 
of  Trade. 

Disney  Studio  Gets 
Defense  Plant  Rating 

{Contiiwed  from  page  1) 
operate    under    a  labor-management 
principle,  will  obtain  draft  deferments 
for  its  key  men,  and  will  get  first 
call  on  workers  when  available. 


Studios  Prepare  Forms 

The  first  move  to  prepare  forms 
seeking  deferment  of  men  in  previous- 
ly declared  essential  classifications, 
including  those  37  to  45,  was  made  at 
a  conference  of  studio  managers,  pro- 
ducer labor  contacts,  and  WMC  of- 
ficials on  the  Coast  today. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


'Journey'  Dualled  in 
K.C.  Nets  $12,000 


Kansas  City,  March  10. — "Journey 
for  Margaret"  coupled  with  "North-, 
west  Rangers"  is  grossing  an  esti- 
mated $12,000  for  the  week  at  Loew's 
Midland  to  lead  first  runs.  The  third 
and  last  week  of  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy"  at  the  Newman  was  heading 
for  $9,000.  Competition  included  55,- 
000  paid  admissions  to  a  circus. 
Weather  was  stormy  after  the  week's 
opening,  and  cold. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  10-12: 

"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 

ESQUIRE— (800)  (35c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$4,000.    (Average,  $4,000) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 
"Northwest  Rangers"  (M-G-M) 

MIDLAND— (3,600)     (35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $12,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

NEWMAN— (1,900)   (35c-50c)  7  days,  3rd 
week.    Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered''  (RICO 
"Mrs.  Wiggs  of  the  Cabbage  Patch"  (Para.) 

ORPHEUM— (1.900)  (35c-SOc)  6  days,  3rd 
week.  Gross:  $7,000.  (6-day  average, 
$6,500) 

"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (20th-Fox) 

TOWER  —  (2,200)    (35c)    7    days.  Stage 
show.    Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $6,750) 
"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 

UPTOWN— (2,0001  (35c -50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$4,800.    (Average,  $5,000) 

Hoover  in  Prologue 
For  'Next  of  Kin' 

J.  Edgar  Hoover,  director  of  the 
FBI,  will  appear  in  a  prologue  and 
epilogue  to  "Next  of  Kin,"  British 
film,  which  Universal  will  release  in 
this  country,  it  was  announced. 
Hoover  will  be  heard  in  a  warning 
against  loose  talk  in  wartime.  ' 


'China  Girl'  $15,000 
At  2  Seattle  Houses 


Seattle,  March  10. — "China  Girl" 
at  the  Paramount  and  Music  Hall 
started  strong  and  appeared  destined 
for  an  average  $15,000  at  the  two 
houses.  "Random  Harvest"  in  the 
third  week  continued  above  average  at 
the  Fifth  Avenue,  and  "Reveille  wit! 
Beverly"  at  the  Liberty  started  off 
solidly.    Weather  was  mild  and  clear 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
?nding  March  12 : 

"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 
"Lady  Bodyguard"  (Para.) 

BLUE  MOUSE— (950)   (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.    (Moved  from  Paramount.) 
Gross:  $4,600.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

FIFTH   AVENUE  —  (2,500)  (40c-50c-65c- 
80c)    7    days,    3rd    week.     Gross:  $10,200. 
(Average,  $9,000) 
"Reveille  with  Beverly"  (Col.) 
"Junior  Army"  (Col.) 

LIBERTY— (1,800)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7  days. 
Gross  :^r  $9,800.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Reap*  the  Wild  Wind"  (Para.) 

MUSIC    BOX  —  (950)    (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Return  engagement.  Gross: 
$4,300.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"China  Girl"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"The  Big  Street"  (RKO) 

MUSIC  HALL— (2,275)  (40c-50c-65c-8Oc)  7 
days.    Gross:  $7,000.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 

"When  Johnny  Comes  Marching  Home" 

(Univ.) 

ORPHEUM  —  (2,450)     (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $9,100.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Rhythm  Parade"  (Mono.) 

PALOMAR— (1,500)    (3Oc-42c-58c-70c)  7 
days.     Stage:     Vaudeville.     Gross:  $8,000. 
(Average,  $7,500) 
"China  Girl"  (ZOth-Fox) 
"The  Big  Street"  (RKO) 

PARAMOUNT— (3,050)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $9,000) 


Simpler  Styles  Asked 
Of  Coast  Designers 

Hollywood,  March  10.  — 
Simple  styles  to  glamorize 
actresses  and  yet  appeal  to 
women  were  asked  of  Holly- 
wood designers  at  a  meeting 
called  by  Fred  Beetson,  Asso- 
ciation of  Motion  Picture  Pro- 
ducers vice-president.  A  WPB 
edict  read  at  the  session 
asked  designers  to  originate  (: 
material-saving  apparel  for  \ 
screen  exhibition  which  will 
set  the  style  for  the  rest  of 
the  country. 


Schubart  Conducts 
Army  Film  Survey 


A.  A.  Schubart,  manager  of  ex- 
change operations  for  RKO,  has  been 
named  by  the  War  Department  to 
conduct  a  survey  of  Army  film  dis- 
tribution with  a  view  to  the  prepara- 
tion of  a  report  on  improvements  in 
the  system  through  which  raw  stock 
economies  might  be  effected. 

Announcement  of  the  appointment 
was  made  yesterday  through  Colonel 
K.  B.  Lawton,  director  of  the  Army 
pictorial  division,  Signal  Corps.  It 
was  stated  that  the  appointment  was 
made  on  the  recommendation  of  the 
industry  War  Activities  Committee. 

Schubart  will  leave  today  on  a  tour 
of  the  Eastern  and  Middle  Western 
Army  posts  and  installations  where 
film  libraries  have  been  established 
within  the  last  two  years.  He  will  be 
accompanied  by  Lt.  D.  R.  Williams  of 
the  Office  of  the  Chief  Signal  Officer, 
Following  the  tour,  for  the  purpose  of 
studying  the  Army's  film  distribution 
methods. 


Deferments  Sought 
For  Eight  Players 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

Lanny  Ross,  Red  Skelton,  Freeman 
Gosden  and  Harold  Peary.  Kyser's 
case,  however,  was  the  only  one  to 
reach  the  appeal  stage  and,  it  was 
explained,  the  OWI  is  supporting  him 
because  the  matter  has  stretched  out 
for  some  months  and  withdrawal 
would  be  unfair. 

Douglas  Meservey,  head  of  the 
OWI  Radio  Committee,  said  Kyser 
pent  $104,000  of  his  own  money  last 
year  to  cover  some  of  the  expenses  of 
putting  on  his  programs  from  camps, 
and  is  largely  responsible  for  the  suc- 
cess of  programs  to  get  public  sup- 
port for  various  drives  through  use 
of  radio. 


Increases  Awarded 
AT  AM  by  Arbitrator 

Wage  increases  of  approximately  15 
per  cent  for  house  and  company  man- 
Tgers  in  New  York  legitimate  thea- 
tres and  10  per  cent  for  press  agents 
were  awarded  by  Prof.  Paul  F.  Bri-~s- 
enden,  arbitrator  between  the  League 
of  New  York  Theatres  and  the  As- 
sociation of  Theatrical  Agents  and 
Managers,  it  was  announced. 

The  increases  are  retroactive  to 
Labor  Day,  1942,  when  the  old  con- 
tract expired. 


Emblazoned  in 
Breathtaking 


Magnificent  Is  thWWord  for  It! 
Thrilling  Is  the  Sight  of  It! 


RANDOLPH  SCOTT 
GLENN  FORD 
CLAIRE  TREVOR 
EVELYN  KEYES 


ireen  play  by  Robert  Carson  •  Produced  by 
ARRY  JOE  BROWN*  Directed  by  CHARLES  VIDOR 
A  COLUMBIA  PICTURE 


OPEN  UP  THAT  GOLDEN  GATE! 
SHOWMEN,  HERE  IT  COMES ! 


******* 


Rush  your  Pledge  for  RED  CROSS  WEEK— Apr.  1-7 


in  Technicolor 


with 

LAIRD  CREGAR  •  JUNE  HAVOC 
WARD  BOND  •  AUBREY  MATHER 

Directed  by  BRUCE  HUMBERSTONE 
Produced  by  MILTON  SPERLING,  1st  Lt.,  U.S.M.C.R. 

Screen  Play  by  Robert  Ellis  and  Helen  Logan  and  Richard  Macauley 
Lyrics  and  Music  "You'll  Never  Know"  by  Mack  Gordon  and  Harry  Warren 
Musical  Sequences:  Dances  Staged  by  Val  Raset  •  Costumes  Designed  by  Helen  Rose 
Supervised  by  Fanchon 


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Picture 
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MOTION  PICTuif 

DAILY 


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First  in 


and 

Impartial 


VOL.  53.    NO.  48 


NEW   YORK,  U.S.A.,   FRIDAY,  MARCH   12,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Vital  Post-War 
Role  for  Films, 
Leaders  Told 


British  Visitor  Addresses 
Coast  Studio  Heads 


Hollywood,  March  11. — The 
post-war  function  of  the  screen,  ac- 
cording to  the  British  concept,  is 
"to  reconquer  the  minds  of  the  peo- 
ple in  the  Axis-dominated  coun- 
tries," Harold  Butler,  director  gen- 
eral of  the  British  Information 
Services  in  the  United  States,  told 
industry  leaders  today  at  a  luncheon 
in  his  honor  at  the  20th  Century- 
Fox  studio. 

Butler  said,  "The  motion  picture  is 
a  vital  agency  not  only  in  winning 
the  war  but  also  in  shaping  the  peace 
after  victory.  We  must  win  the  psy- 
cological  war  as  well  as  the  military 
to  win  a  peace  worth  having. 

He  was  introduced  by  Y.  Frank 
Freeman,  president  of  the  Associa- 
tion of  Motion  Picture  Producers? 
William  Goetz,  head  of  the  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox studio,  was  host. 

Among  those  present  beside  Goetz 
and  Freeman  were :  Harry  M.  War- 
ner, Walter  Wanger,  Alexander  Kor- 
da,  Joseph  I,  Breen,  Fred  W.  Beetson, 
Mary  McCall,  Jr.,  and  many  others. 


British  Lords  Reject 
Appeal  by  Columbia 

London,  March  11. — The  House  of 
Lords,  highest  appeal  authority  in 
England,  has  rejected  Columbia's  ap- 
peal from  a  high  court  order  directing 
it  to  surrender  office  records  and  docu- 
ments for  inspection  in  connection  with 
the  company's  action  against  Two 
Cities  Films. 

The  action  charged  that  Two  Cities 
had  failed  to  fulfill  a  production  com- 
mitment for  Columbia.  Two  Cities 
obtained  a  court  order  directing  Col- 
umbia to  produce  its  office  records  for 
examination  in  connection  with  the 
suit  and  the  order  was  appealed  by 
the  latter  successively  to  the  highest 
authority. 


Kirsch  Again  Named 
III.  Allied  President 

Chicago,  March  11.— Jack  Kirsch 
was  reelected  president  of  Allied 
Theatres  of  Illinois,  Inc.,  at  the  an- 
nual meeting  held  at  the  Blackstone 
Hotel  here  today. 

Following    a    luncheon,    about  70 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


Skouras  to  Decide 
On  20th-Fox  Buys 
Of  Cuban  Theatres 


A  decision  as  to  whether  or  not  20th 
Century-Fox  will  acquire  first  run 
theatre  outlets  in  Cuba  is  expected  to 
be  made  during  the  current  visit  there 
of  Spyros  Skouras,  company  presi- 
dent, it  is  learned. 

Due  to  differences  between  the  com- 
pany and  Cuban  exhibitors  over  sales 
terms,  20th-Fox  has  sold  no  product 
in  Cuba  since  last  September.  Irving 
Maas,  acting  head  of  the  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox foreign  department,  is  now 
in  Hanava  to  make  an  investigation  at 
first  hand  of  both  the  sales  terms  dif- 
ferences and  the  advisability  of  ac- 
quiring theatre  outlets  for  the  com- 
pany there. 

It  is  believed  that  Maas  will  report 
to  Skouras  on  the  latter's  arrival  in 
Havana  and  that  a  decision  will  he 
made  at  that  time.  Skouras's  Cuban 
visit,  however,  is  described  by  the 
company  as  being  primarily  a  vaca- 
tion trip. 


Griffis  Back  from 

6  Mos.  in  Europe 

Stanton  Griffis,  chairman  of  the 
Paramount  executive  committee,  has 
returned  to  New  York  following  a  six 
months  visit  to  European  countries 
on  behalf  of  a  government  agency. 
Griffis  visited  Britain,  Sweden,  Fin- 
land, Spain  and  Portugal. 

He  was  in  Lisbon  shortly  after  the 
crash  of  the  Yankee  Clipper  there, 
which  took  the  lives  of  several  show 
people,  among  them  Arthur  A.  Lee. 
Griffis  visited  with  survivors  of  the 
crash  before  returning  to  New  York 
by  Pan  American  clipper. 


British  Raw  Stock 
Cut  Order  Delayed 

London,  March  11.— The 
Government  order  to  be  is- 
sued by  the  Board  of  Trade 
for  a  25  per  cent  reduction 
in  raw  stock  consumption  by 
the  industry  this  year  as  com- 
pared with  1942  is  expected 
within  a  fortnight.  Delay  in 
issuance  of  the  order  is  re- 
ported due  to  the  problems 
involved  in  setting  up  the  ma- 
chinery. The  Board  of  Trade 
obviously  is  anxious  to  have 
the  industry  adjust  the  mat- 
ter of  economies  as  far  as 
possible  without  Government 
interference. 


Broadway  Grosses 
Good  as  Lent  Starts; 
'Got  Me',  $97,000 


The  Lenten  season  which  started 
Wednesday  had  no  adverse  effect  on 
Broadway  grosses  in  the  past  two 
days,  managers  reported.  However, 
they  did  expect  somewhat  lower 
grosses  on  week  days  with  week  end 
receipts  continuing  strong.  The  Fed- 
eral income  tax  deadline  on  Mon- 
day was  also  expected  to  have  a  slight- 
ly adverse  effect  on  grosses. 

With  start  of  a  stage  show  policy 
coinciding  with  the  opening  of  "Stand 
By  For  Action,"  yesterday,  the  Capitol 
reported  longest  waiting  lines  since 
"Gone  With  the  Wind."  Bob  Crosby 
and  his  band  head  the  vaudeville  bill. 
"Young  Mr.  Pitt"  with  Grace  Moore 
heading  the  stage  bill   opened  very 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


Admission  Scales  in  Many 
Houses  Up,  Reports  Show 


Reports  from  various  sections  of  the 
country  indicate  that  theatres  are  in- 
creasing matinee  and  evening  admis- 
sion prices,  partly  to  offset  increased 
operating  costs. 

In  Chicago  additional  price  in- 
creases were  made  by  local  theatres 
during  the  past  week.  Evening  top  at 
the  Grand  was  boosted  from  55  to  65 
cents ;  Schoenstadt's  Piccadilly  in- 
creased the  Saturday  price  from  33  to 
44  cents,  and  general  increases  were 
adopted  by  15  houses  of  the  Indiana- 
Illinois  Circuit.  Class  B  houses  going 
from  a  44  to  a  50-cent  top,  and  Class 
C  houses  from  35  to  40  cents,  both 
including  tax. 

Early  bird  prices  are  being  elimi- 


nated Saturdays  throughout  the  city. 

Two  downtown  San  Francisco  sub- 
sequent run  houses  operated  by  Fox 
West  Coast,  the  State  and  El  Capitan, 
have  raised  their  evening  admission 
prices  from  45  to  55  cents,  reportedly 
without  any  complaints,  and  as  a  re- 
sult most  neighborhood  circuits  are 
expected  to  follow  suit. 

Indianapolis  houses  downtown  have 
put  an  increased  price  schedule  into 
effect.  Stiffening  of  first  run  prices 
in  Milwaukee  has  been  made,  with 
the  Riverside  raising  its  tariff  from 
44  and  65  cents  to  50  and  75  cents, 
while  the  Warner  dropped  its  early 
bird  admission  of  33  cents  and  raised 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


Independents 
On  Coast  Face  . 
Wage  Demand 

Chadwick  Balks  as  SWG, 
Cowboys  Ask  Raise 


Hollywood,  March  11. — A  pre- 
cipitous rise  in  cost  of  independent 
production  due  to  labor  demands 
was  signed  today  as  smaller  studios 
face  a  siege  on  three  fronts.  Most 
far  reaching  is  the  demand  that  in- 
dependents sign  a  Screen  Writers 
Guild  contract  calling  for  the  same 
salaries  and  conditions  as  major 
studios  and  which  I.  E.  Chadwick, 
president  of  IMPPA,  said  would 
not  be  met.  Major  scale  of  writers 
starts  at  $125  week  for  novices. 

The  dispute  between  cowboys  and 
independent  western  producers  over 
wage  increase  from  $11  SAG  scale  to 
$16.50  daily  went  to  the  Federal  Con- 
cilitor  today,  as  producers  agreed  to 
put  the  difference  in  escrow  pending 
adjudication.  The  other  case  before 
Livingston  is  a  demand  of  Sound  Tech- 
nicians Local  695,  IATSE,  that  studios 
use  a  fourth  man  on  sound  crews,  with 
resultant  $100  weekly  increase  of  crew 
wages. 


Files  2nd  Appeal  in 
Missouri  Arbitration 


Louis  Sosna,  operator  of  the  Sosna 
Theatre,  Mexico,  Mo.,  has  filed  a  sec- 
ond appeal  at  the  St.  Louis  arbitration 
tribunal  in  his  some  run  complaint 
against  Paramount,  RKO,  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox and  Vitagraph. 

The  case  was  before  the  appeal 
board  the  first  time  last  Fall  after 
Ethen  A.  Shepley,  arbitrator,  found 
that  the  offers  of  a  run  for  their  prod- 
uct made  to  the  Sosna  by  Paramount, 
RKO  and  20th-Fox  were  not  calcu- 
lated to  defeat  the  purpose  of  Section 
6  of  the  decree.  Sosna  appealed  that 
finding  and  the  appeal  board  directed 
the  three  companies  to  make  new  of- 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Critics'  Quotes,  Page  6. 
Hollywood  production  notes, 
Page  4.  Key  city  box-office 
reports,  Page  4.  Theatre 
changes,  Page  5. 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  March  12,  1945 


Mono.  Plans  Change 
In  Production  Policy 


Personal  Mention 


Hollywood,  March  11.— Monogram 
plans  a  smaller  number  of  pictures  for 
I943.44  with  low  expenditure  films 
eliminated,  W.  Ray  Johnston,  presi- 
dent, announced  here.  Plans  for  the 
new  production  policy  will  be  dis- 
cussed at  a  meeting  of  franchise  hold- 
ers in  Chicago  next  Monday  and 
Tuesday. 

Scheduled  to  leave  here  tomorrow 
for  the  meeting,  in  addition  to  John- 
ston, are  Trem  Carr,  executive  direc- 
tor in  charge  of  production;  Samuel 
Broidy,  vice-president  and  general 
sales  manager ;  Howard  Stubbins,  Los 
Angeles  franchise  holder,  and  George 
B.  West,  franchise  holder  in  Cincin- 
nati and  Kansas  City. 

King  Heads  Phila.  Club 

Philadelphia,  March  11.  —  Jay 
King,  manager  of  Warners'  York- 
town  Theatre,  was  elected  president 
of  the  Warner  Club  here.  He  suc- 
ceeds Al  Zimbalist. 


E. 


HEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 

Bob  HOPE  Dorothy  LAMOUR 

In  Samuel  Goldwyn's 

"THEY  GOT  ME  COVERED" 

Released  thru  RKO  Radio  Plet""* 
Gala  Staoe  Revue    .  »mPjon*  °r#e„stT2nn 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


C.  Grainger,  president  of  the 
Shea  circuit,  leaves  with  Mrs. 
Grainger  and  daughter  for  Florida 
tomorrow.  Before  leaving  he  visited 
his  son,  Edmund,  Jr.,  recently  gradu- 
ated from  Georgetown  University,  at 
Atlantic  City,  where  he  is  a  private 
in  the  Technical  Training  Corps  of 
the  Army  Air  Forces. 

• 

Charles  Elder,  former  Paramount 
Des  Moines  booker,  now  in  the  Navy, 
was  a  Des  Moines  visitor. 

• 

Charles  Schlaifer,  20th  Century- 
Fox  advertising  manager,  leaves  for 
Chicago  tonight. 

• 

Harry  Miller,  former  New  York 
salesman  for  M-G-M,  has  been  pro- 
moted to  major  in  the  Marines. 
• 

Garry  Buckley,  son  of  Chris 
Buckley  of  the  General  Stark  The- 
atre, Bennington,  Vt.,  is  now  sta- 
tioned at  Burlington,  Vt.,  after  com- 
pleting a  civilian  pilot  training  course. 
• 

Joseph  Horanzy  of  the  Warner 
Embassy,   New  Britain,   Conn.,  will 
be  inducted  into  the  Army  next  week. 
• 

Richard  and  Robert  Schaefer, 
sons  of  Lou  Schaefer,  manager  of 
the  Paramount,  New  Haven,  are  lieu- 
tenants in  the  Marines  and  Army,  re- 
spectively. 

• 

Irving  Sherman,  Columbia  assist- 
ant advertising  sales  manager,  is 
father  of  a  second  child,  born  to  Mrs. 
Sherman  at  Royal  Concourse  Hos- 
pital this  week.  The  boy  has  been 
named  Elliott  William. 


See  what  really  happens  to 

"HITLER'S  CHILDREN" 

IN  PERSON 

XAVIER  CUGAT 

HENNY  YOUNGMAN 

PARAMOUNT 


H 


ARRY  C.  ARTHUR  of  St. 
Louis  is  visiting  in  California. 


Major  Frank  E.  Cahill,  Jr.,  for- 
merly in  charge  of  Warner  Bros, 
sound  projection  activities  and  now 
on  duty  with  the  Army  Signal  Corps, 
was  in  New  York  yesterday. 


Arthur  Sachson 
New  England. 


is    back  from 


Guy  Maxey,  office  manager  at  the 
Warner  exchange  in  Seattle,  is  cele- 
brating his  20th  year  with  the  com- 
pany. 

• 

Roy  Haines  is  in  New  Orleans  to- 
day. 

• 

Sam  Levin,  former  manager  of  the 
Belpark  Theatre,  Chicago,  now  sta- 
tioned in  the  Panama  Canal  Zone,  has 
been  promoted  to  captain. 

• 

Thomas  P.  Comerford  and  Mi- 
chael B.  Comerford,  sons  of  the  late 
Michael  Comerford,  former  mana- 
ger of  the  Comerford  Circuit,  are  now 
ensigns  in  the  Navy. 

• 

Lt.  Albert  E.  Weinberg,  son  of 
William  Weinberg,  manager  of  the 
Ken  Theatre,  Chicago,  is  credited 
with  being  member  of  a  bomber  crew 
that  downed  three  Jap  planes  in  re- 
cent air  action. 

• 

Corp.  James  Mahoney,  former 
Connecticut  district  manager  for  In- 
terstate Theatres,  Boston,  is  at  Camp 
Breckenridge,  Ky. 


Cincinnati  Officials 
Back  Chance  Games 

Cincinnati,  March  11.  — 
Charging  that  the  Court  of 
Appeals  lacked  original  juris- 
diction in  issuing  an  injunc- 
tion restraining  city  officials 
from  continuing  to  issue  per- 
mits for  chance  games,  City 
Solicitor  John  D.  Ellis  has 
asked  dismissal  of  a  suilj^  ) 
brought  by  a  local  taxpayer  to  . 
compel  city  officials  to  en- 
force the  city  and  state  gam- 
bling laws. 

Meanwhile,  chance  games 
still  are  being  conducted,  with 
appreciable  competition  to 
theatres. 


Loew's  Circuit  Shifts 
In  Boston,  Cleveland 

Boston,  March  11. — Announcement 
of  transfers  of  three  Loew  managers 
between  Boston  and  Cleveland  has 
been  made  by  Joseph  R.  Vogel,  Loew's 
circuit  executive,  through  Charles  E. 
Kurtzman,  Northeastern  division  man- 
ager. 

Adolph  H.  Buehrig  of  Cleveland  is 
now  manager  of  the  State  here. 
Howard  Burkhardt  of  the  Orpheum 
here  is  now  manager  of  the  State, 
Cleveland.  Harry  Greenman,  man- 
ager of  the  local  State,  is  now  at  the 
Orpheum. 

In  addition,  Vaughn  O'Neill  has 
been  transferred  from  the  State, 
Cleveland,  to  Syracuse. 


and  his 
ORCHESTRA 


TIMES 
SQUARE 


ROBERT  DONAT  fn 

"THE  YOUNG  MR.  PITT" 

Released  by  20th  Cen»ury-Fox 

£££ }  GRACE  MOORE 

7th  Ave. 
&  50th  St. 


PLUS  A  BIG  D  A  YY 
STAGE  SHOW  K.W./V  ■ 


B'WAY  & 
47th  St. 


PALACE 


HENRY  FONDA       MAUREEN  O'HARA 

'IMMORTAL  SERGEANT' 


—  and  — 
'HE'S  MY  GUY' 


JOAN  DAVIS 


DICK  FORAN 


ON  SCREEN  ■ 
CLAUDETTE  COLBERT 
JOEL  McCREA  in 

'PalmBeactiStory' 


Plane  Crash  Victims 
To  Be  Memorialized 

The  Theatre  People's  Dedication  to 
a  Cause,  a  special  service  sponsored 
by  the  American  Theatre  Wing,  will 
be  held  at  3  p.m.  today  at  the  Winter 
Garden  Theatre.  The  mass  meeting  is 
in  tribute  to  show  people  who  lost 
their  lives  in  the  Clipper  crash  at 
Lisbon  and  to  the  players'  determina- 
tion to  carry  on. 

Among  those  expected  to  appear  are 
Lynn  Fontanne,  Lawrence  Tibbett, 
Bert  Lytell,  Walter  Vincent  and  Fred 
Waring's  Chorus.  On  the  committee 
for  the  event  are  Abe  Lastfogel,  Wal- 
ter Greaza,  John  Golden,  Ole  Olsen, 
Jack  Pulaski,  Joseph  Schoenfeld  and 
Bert  Lytell. 

See  Robson's  Recovery 

St.  John,  N.  B.,  March  11. — Clar- 
ence M.  Robson,  general  supervisor 
for  the  Odeon  circuit,  who  was  strick- 
en recently,  has  been  given  a  fair 
chance  for  recovery  by  physicians,  it 
is  reported.  He  has  been  removed  to 
his  home  in  Toronto. 


FOREVER 
AND  A  DAY 


can  of  78  GREAT  HOLLYWOOD  STARS 
DUtributed  by  RKO  Radio  Pictures  « 


2EELT 


Gillespie  Joins  Columbia 

James  F.  Gillespie,  for  the  past 
three  years  with  the  United  Artists' 
home  office  exploitation  department, 
has  joined  Columbia  as  Southern  field 
representative  with  headquarters  in 
Atlanta,  it  was  announced. 

Talent  Scout  in  Boston 

Joseph  Holton,  assistant  to  Joseph 
Pincus,  head  of  the  New  York  talent 
department  of  20th  Century-Fox,  has 
left  for  Boston  to  scout  the  casts  of 
several  shows  there,  it  was  said. 


Discuss  Making  3rd 
'Boys  Town*  Picture 

Omaha,  March  11. — Father  Flana- 
gan, returning  here  from  a  visit  to 
Hollywood,  said  that  a  third  "Boys 
Town"  picture  is  under  discussion. 

Father  Flanagan  said  that  in  talking 
with  John  Considine,  M-G-M  produc- 
er, he  agreed  that  there  might  be  a 
third  picture  if  it  had  a  patriotic 
theme,  "something  that  would  inspire 
the  youth  of  America."  The  famous 
boys'  home  founded  by  Father  Flana- 
gan is  11  miles  west  of  Omaha. 


Omaha  Union  Head  Dies 

Omaha,  March  11. — Services  were 
held  at  Lincoln,  Neb.,  for  William  J. 
Barrett,  65,  charter  member  and  busi- 
ness agent  of  Local  42,  IATSE.  A 
stagehand  at  the  Brandeis,  he  died 
suddenly  at  his  home. 


N.  Y.  Red  Cross  Show 
Committees  Named 

Marvin  Schenck,  Gus  Eysell,  Bert 
Lytell,  James  Sauter,  Charles  Miller, 
John  Krimsky,  Harry  Levine,  Robert 
Goldstein,  Harry  Romm,  Alan  Cor- 
relli,  J.  E.  Mclnerney,  Leon  Leonidoff, 
Douglas  Leigh,  Ben  Boyar,  Jesse 
Kaye,  Nat  Karson,  Lou  Wolfson  and 
John  Hertz,  Jr.,  are  committee  heads 
working  for  the  Red  Cross  show  to  be 
held  at  Madison  Square  Garden  April 
5,  it  was  announced.  Judge  Benjamin 
Shalleck  is  executive  chairman,  and 
Robert  M.  Weitman  and  Ed  Sullivan 
head  the  entertainment  committee. 


Father  of  Dorothy  Dooley 

Richard  F.  Dooley,  father  of  Dor- 
othy Dooley,  secretary  to  Frank  C. 
Walker  at  New  York  headquarters  of 
the  Comerford  Circuit,  died  here  re- 
cently. Other  survivors  are  the  widow, 
three  daughters  and  two  sons,  John, 
with  the  Navy  at  Hawaii,  and  Law- 
rence, in  the  Army  training  camp  in 
Missouri. 


Former  S.  F.  Critic 

San  Francisco,  March  11. — George 
Warren,  one-time  drama  critic  of  the 
Chronicle  here  and  former  manager  of 
the  McVickers  Theatre  in  Chicago  for 
the  Shuberts,  died  here.  He  was  well 
known  as  an  Omaha  and  Chicago 
drama  critic  before  coming  here. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar-1 
tin  Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Lift 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl,| 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan; 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon 
don."  All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
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eign;  single  copies  10c. 


JUST  RIGHT 


WITH  the  emphasis  on  getting  the  most 
out  of  every  foot  of  available  film,  it  is  a 
big  help  to  know  that  one  of  the  three 
Eastman'  negative  films  is  just  right  for 
every  shot — in  the  studio  or  on  location, 
indoors  or  out.  Eastman  Kodak  Company, 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

J.  E.  BRULATOUR,  INC.,  Distributors 
Fort  Lee  Chicago  Hollywood 


PLUS-X  SUPER-XX 

for  general  studio  use  when  little  light  is  available 

BACKGROUND-X 

for  backgrounds  and  general  exterior  work 

EASTMAN  NEGATIVE  FILMS 


4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  March  12,  1943 


'HardWay'Hits 
$56,500  at  3 
L.A.  Houses 


Los  Angeles,  March  11. — Warner's 
"The  Hard  Way"  gathered  a  total  of 
$56,500  at  three  theatres  this  week. 
"Hitler's  Children"  is  still  doing  sen- 
sational bnsiness,  getting  $38,500,  a 
record  for  the  second  week  at  the 
Pantages  and  Hillstreet. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  10 : 

"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 
"Seven  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M) 

CHINESE — (2,500)      (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $13,00.    (Average,  $13,500) 
"Cat  People"  (RICO) 
"Gorilla,  Man"  (WB) 

HAWAII— (l,C0O)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days, 
8th  week.     Gross:  $3,800. 
"Hitler's  Children,"  (RICO)   2nd  week 
"One  Dangerous  Night"  (Col.) 

HILLSTREET— (2,700)   (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $23,000.     (Average,  $14,900) 
"Reunion  in  France"  (M-G-M) 
"Seven  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M) 

LOEWS  STATE— (2,500)  (33c-44c-55c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $19,500.  (Average, 
$19,000) 

"Hitler's  Children"   (RKO)    (2nd  week) 
"One  Dangerous  Night"  (Col.) 

PANTAGES— (3,000)     (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $15,500.    (Average,  $12,900) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Hollywood)— (1,407)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days,  6th  week.    Gross:  $8,- 
000.     (Average,  $10,100) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (Downtown)— (3,595)  (33c- 
44c-55c-75c)  7  days,  6th  week.    Gross:  $14,- 
500.    (Average,  $16,750) 
"Reunion,  in,  France"  (M-G-M) 
"Seven  Sweethearts"  (M-G-M) 

RIT — (1,376)     (33c-44c-55c-85c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $9,000.     (Average,  $9,400) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W3.) 

WARNER     BROS.     (Hollywood)— (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)    7    days.     Gross:  $19,500. 
(Average,  $13,250) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.B.) 

WARNER    BROS.     (Downtown)— (3,400) 
(33c-44c-65c-85c)    7    days.     Gross:  $19,500. 
(Average,  $14,350) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (Wiltern)— (2,200)  (33c- 
44c-55c-65c-85c)  7  days.  Gross:  $17,500.  (Av- 
erage, $10,050) 


Vaudeville  Back  at 
Warfield  in  Frisco 

San  Francisco^  March  11. — The 
Warfield  Theatre  here  will  resume 
vaudeville  March  18  after  an  eight- 
year  policy  of  films  only.  The  first 
stage  show  will  be  headlined  by  the 
dance  team  of  Veloz  and  Yolanda. 
Walter  Roesner,  once  bandmaster  of 
the  old  Capitol  Theatre  in  New  York 
and  later  at  the  5,000-seat  Fox  Thea- 
tre here,  will  direct  the  orchestra. 


GQP  to  Push  Ruml 
Plan  in  Congress 

Washington,  March  11. — 
House  Republican  leader  Jo- 
seph Martin  said  today  that 
"an  overwhelming  majority  of 
Republicans  would  support 
the  Carlson  bill  which  em- 
braces the  Ruml  Plan."  He 
predicted  that  the  G.  O.  P. 
could  muster  enough  support 
in  Congress  to  pass  the  skip- 
a-year  tax  proposal. 

Leaders  of  the  skip-a-year 
plan  described  as  a  great  dis- 
appointment to  taxpayers  the 
income  tax  collection  plan  ap- 
proved yesterday  by  the  House 
Ways  and  Means  Committee. 


'Harvest'  Still 


Tops  in  Third 
Buffalo  Week 


Buffalo,  March  11. — "Random 
Harvest"  is  still  attracting  record 
crowds  here  and  is  expected  to  gross 
$17,000  in  a  big  third  week  at  the 
Great  Lakes.  Weather  here  has  been 
bad  and  transportation  facilities  have 
suffered. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  13 : 

"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 
"Margin  for  Error"  (20th-Fox) 

BUFFALO^(3,489)      (35c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $16,800.    (Average,  $15,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

GREAT  LAKES— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days, 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $17,000.  (Average,  $10,- 
800) 

"'Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 
"Northwest  Rangers"  (M-G-M) 

HIPPODROME— (2,100)   (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

TWENTIETH  CENTURY— (3,000)  (35c- 
55c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $12,500.  (Av- 
erage, $8,500) 

"Reveille  with  Beverly"  (Col.) 

"Ellery  Queen  Meets  Enemy  Agent"  (Col.) 

LAFAYETTE— (3,000)  (35c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $6,300.    (Average,  $7,500) 


'Rhythm'  $14,500 
In  Minn'plis  Week 


Minneapolis,  March  11. — "Star 
Spangled  Rhythm"  is  recording  heavy 
business  at  the  State  in  what  appears 
to  be  a  $14,500  week.  Biggest  busi- 
ness is  at  the  Orpheum  where 
'Whistling  in  Dixie"  with  a  stage 
show  appeared  headed  for  a  $16,000 
gross. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  12 : 

"Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (2flth-Fox) 
"We  Are  the  Marines"  (20th-Fox) 

WORLD— (350)  (30c-40c-50c-60c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $2,000.  (Average,  $2,500) 
"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

CENTURY— (1,600)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $5,200.  (Average,  $7,000) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 

GOPHER— (998)    (30c)    7   days.  Gross: 
$4,200.    (Average,  $3,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

LYRIC— (1,250)   (30c-40c-50c)  7  days,  3rd 
week.    Gross:  $4,800.     (Average,  $4,000) 
"Star   Spangled   Rhythm"  (Para.) 

STATE^(2,3CO)     (30c-40c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:   $14,500.     (Average,  $10,000) 
"Whistling  in,  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 

ORPHEUM— (2.800)  (30c-44c-55c)  7  days. 
Stage:  Charlie  Spivak's  orchestra,  Marty 
May,  Willie  Smith.  Gross:  $16,000.  (Aver- 
age, $8,500) 

"Northwest  Rangers"  (M-G-M)  4  days 
"Power  of  the  Press"  (Col.)  t  days 

ASTER— (900)  (20c-30c).  Gross:  $1,900. 
(Average,  $2,250) 


'Reunion'  and 


'Hitler's'  Lead 


San  Francisco 


San  Francisco,  March  11. — "Re- 
union in  France"  took  the  lead  with 
a  $23,000  week  in  sight  at  the  Fox, 
closely  followed  by  "Hitler's  Children" 
with  a  vaudeville  bill  at  the  Golden 
Gate,  which  drew  $22,000.  "In  Which 
We  Serve"  continued  strong  with 
$11,000  in  a  second  week  at  the  Unit- 
ed Artists.  Business  and  weather  were 
both  good. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  9-12: 

"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 
"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 

ORPHEUM— (2,440)  (2Oc-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $13,000.  (Average, 
$10,500) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

WARFIELD— (2,680)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $14,000.  (Average, 
$14",000) 

"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

GOLDEN   GATE— (2,850)    (44c-55c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.   Stage:  Vaudeville.  Gross: 
$22,000.     (Average,  $19,500) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,200)  (20c-35c-50c- 
65c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $11,000  (Av- 
erage, $8,000) 

"Andy  Hardy's,  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 
"Tish"  (M-G-M) 

ST.  FRANCIS— (1,400)  (20c-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.     (Moved  over  from  Fox) 
Gross:  $9,500.    (Average,  $6,500) 
"Reunion  in,  France"  (M-G-M) 

FO'X—  (5,000)     (20c-35c-S0c-65c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $23,000.    (Average,  $18,000) 
"Somewhere  in  France"  (French) 

CLAY— (400)    (15c-35c-45c)    7    days,  2nd 
week.     Gross:  $1,200.     (Average,  $1,000) 
"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 
"Ice-Capades  Revue"  (Rep.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,740)  (2Oc-35c-50c-65c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $13,000.  (Average, 
$13,000) 


'Children'  $12,000 
Big  for  New  Haven 


New  Haven,  March  11. — "Hitler's 
Children,"  dualled  with  "Cinderella 
Swings  It"  at  the  Loew-Poli,  is  ex- 
pected to  gross  $12,000  in  an  eight-day 
run  and  will  be  moved  to  the  College 
for  a  second  week.  "Random  Har- 
vest" was  still  going  strong  in  a  third 
week  at  the  College  with  a  big  $5,000 
expected  for  eight  days.  "In  Which 
We  Serve"  is  doing  $7,500  business  at 
the  Roger  Sherman. 

Estimated    reecipts    for    the  week 
ending  March  11 : 
"Random  Harvest"  (RKO) 

COLLEGE— (1,627)    (40c-50c)   8  days,  3rd 
week.    Gross:  5,000.    (Average,  $2,900) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 
"Cinderella  Swings  It"  (RKO) 

LOEW-POLI— (3,005)    (40c-50c)    8  days. 
Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Star    Spangled    Rhythm"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT — (2,373)  (40c-S0c)  6  days, 
3rd  week.  Gross:  $4,000.  (Average,  $5,000) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

ROGER  SHERMAN— (2,067)  (40c-50c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $7,500.     (Average,  $6,000) 

Chicago  Censors  Saw 
108  Films  in  Feb. 

Chicago,  March  11. — During  Feb- 
ruary the  Chicago  Police  Censor 
Board  inspected  108  films  with  a  total 
of  349,000  feet.  There  were  no  rejec- 
tions and  only  nine  cuts,  compared 
with  20  cuts  in  January  when  only  92 
pictures  totaling  348,000  feet  were  in- 
spected. 

Two  films,  Universal's  "Franken- 
stein Meets  the  Wolf  Man"  and  Mon- 
ogram's "The  Ape  Man"  were  classi- 
fied for  adults  only. 


Hollywood 


By  WILLIAM  R.  WEAVER 

Hollywood,  March  11 

METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER  is 
taking  steps  to  rekindle  the  fire 
of  popularity  which  used  to  keep  the 
Our  Gang  'Comedies  in  a  place  F  ) 
prominence  on  theatre  screens  at£ 
marquees.  The  format  and  material 
which  have  been  in  use  for  22  years 
are  to  be  stowed  away  with  yester- 
day's grandeurs.  From  now  on  the 
comedies  are  to  present  the  juniors 
in  take-offs,  so  to  speak,  on  the  other 
shorts  which  the  studio  produces, 
starting  with  a  treatment  of  the 
"Crime  Doesn't  Pay"  series. 

In  further  attention  to  its  program, 
the  studio  has  contracted  Robert 
Benchley  to  write  and  star  in  a  series 
of  shorts  for  the  Jerry  Bressler  unit. 
It  was  in  shorts — in  fact  in  bed,  in 
"How  to  Sleep,"  which  won  an 
Academy  Award — that  Benchley 
started  his  screen  career. 

Twentieth  Century-Fox  is  to  open 
"The  Young  Mr.  Pitt"  similtaneous- 
ly  in  40  West  Coast  theatres  on 
March  25,  following  a.  premiere,  for 
charity,  at  Graumaw's  Chinese  on  the 
24th.  .  .  .  Rosemary  De  Camp  has 
been  added  to  the  cast  of  Warners' 
"This  Is  the  Army,"  to  zvhich  the 
Army  {literal)  has  assigned  Ronald 
Reagan  (soldier)  in  line  of  duty.  .  .  . 
Inez  Copper,  Eddie  Norris  and  John 
Miljan  are  cost  for  "Wings  Over  the 
Pacific,"  modern  war  drama,  zvhich 
Lindsley  Parson  will  produce  for 
Monogram. 

• 

Hollywood  is  a  small  town.  Wil- 
liam Saroyan  was  born  and  raised 
in  a  small  town.  When  he  came  to 
Hollywood,  wrote  a  picture  for 
M-G-M  and  then  walked  away  be- 
cause the  studio  wouldn't  let  him 
direct  it,  he  wrote  a  piece  for  a  local 
periodical  flaying  his  erstwhile  em- 
ployer. M-G-M  produced  the  pic- 
ture and  billed  it  on  the  screen  as 
"William  Saroyan's  'The  Human 
Comedy.' "  The  periodical  for 
which  the  author  had  written  the 
piece  about  the  studio  reviewed  it 
as  William  Saroyan's.  That  periodi- 
cal's competitor  reviewed  it  also, 
hailing  it  at  length  as  perhaps  the 
greatest  picture  of  all  time,  but  I 
didn't  mention  Saroyan's  name. 
Hollywood  is  a  small  town. 
• 

Irving  Cummings'  second  picture  I 
for  Paramount  under  a  two-picture  | 
commitment  (his  first  was  "Louisiana I 
Purchase")  will  be  "Salty  0'Rourke,"j 
a  race  track  story  originally  set  fori 
the  now  enlisted  Alan  Ladd.  Veronica! 
Lake  and  Franchot  Tone  are  to  co-I 
star  in  that  studio's  "Hour  Before  I 
Dawn,"  which  has  to  do  with  espion-1 
age  in  England.  .  .  .  Jacques  Tourneur I 
is  to  direct  RKO-Radio's  "SeventhI 
Victim,"  a  chiller  in  the  "Cat  People"! 
category. 

• 

Tiventieth  Century-Fox  has  ax-i 
quired  "Koncgstein  Prison,"  an  article I 
published  in  Life,  for  incorporation  in  I 
"The  General,"  present  title  of  them 
studio's  projected  filming  of  the  ad-M 
ventures  of  General  Henri  Giraud.  .  .  M 
MGM  has  cast  Philip  Dorn  andt 
Donna  Reed  for  leads  in  "Malta,'% 
which  Joseph  Pasternak  is  to  ,pro4 
duce  .  .  .  Warners  have  added  Faya 
Emerson  to  the  cast  of  "This  Is  thq  ' 
Army." 


NOW  PLAYING  MIDWEST 
THEATRE  CIRCUITS 


EXCLUSIVE  WORLD  DISTRIBUTION  BY 
GLOBE   FILM  COMPANY 

James  N.  Jovaney,  Gen.  Mgr. 
1246  S.   WABASH   AVE.,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 

Special  representatives  with  exploita- 
tion experience  wanted  in  key  cities 


Friday,  March  12,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


5 


Theatre 


W.  B.  Circuit  Shifts 

Philadelphia,  March  11. — Ted 
Schlanger,  Warner  Circuit  zone  head 
here,  announced  a  number  of  man- 
agerial changes,  as  a  result  of  Irving 
Blumberg,  manager  of  the  Midway, 
moving  up  as  director  of  advertising 
pnd  publicity.  David  Seaman,  man- 
— r  of  the  Forum,  takes  over  the 
Midway,  with  Andrew  Schectman 
moving  from  the  Allegheny  to  the 
Forum ;  Nat  Warshaw,  Frankford,  to 

'^Allegheny,  and  Bob  DiFino,  assistant 
manager  of  the  Earle,  to  manager  of 
Frankford ;  Phil  Wexler,  former 
treasurer  at  the  house,  to  assistant 
manager  of  the  Earle;  Howard 
Kuemmerle,  manager  of  the  Grange, 
to  Lindley  in  a  similar  capacity,  and 
Walter     Krisbell,    former  rotating 

I  manager,  to  Grange  as  manager. 
Other  circuit  changes  have  Birk 
Binnard,  manager  of  the  Capitol, 
York,  Pa.,  transferring  to  the  Ritz, 
Wilmington,  in  a  similar  capacity,  and 
George  Lascaris  named  assistant  man- 
ager of  the  Warner,  Wilmington,  suc- 
ceeding Joseph   Stuart,   now   in  the 

•  Army. 


Sells  Iowa  House 

Fort   Dodge,   Iowa,    March    11. — 
Ralph  Greene,  owner  of  the  Dodge 
Theatre  here,  has  sold  the  house  to 
the  Berger  Amusement  Co.  of  Min- 
I  neapolis. 


Changes 


Altec  Service  Gains  6 

Welworth  Theatres  Co.,  of  Minne- 
apolis, Minn.,  in  renewing  agreements 
for  Altec  Service  in  North  and  South 
Dakota  and  Minnesota,  has  added  six 
theatres  in  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota, 
Altec  announced.  Repair-replacement 
parts  and  agreements  for  sound  and 
projector  equipment  have  been  made 
part  of  the  deal.  R.  Hilton  negotiated 
for  Altec  Service. 


Purchases  Seattle  House 

Seattle,  March  11. — Paut  Aust,  for 
many  years  owner  and  manager  of  the 
Broadway,  neighborhood  theatre  here, 
has  purchased  the  State  Theatre  in 
Santa  Barbara  from  B.  F.  Shearer  of 
this  city,  and  will  assume  active  man- 
agement of  the  house. 


Sublet  Majestic,  Springfield 

West  Springfield,  Mass.,  March 
11. — The  Majestic  Amusement  Corp. 
of  Springfield  has  sublet  the  Majestic 
Theatre  here  to  M.  Edward  Tilson  of 
New  York  City,  for  a  term  of  18 
years,  3  months  and  25  days,  at  a 
weekly  rate  of  $150  from  Jan.  3,  1943, 
to  April  29,  1961. 


Fire  Damages  Repaired 

Holyoke,  Mass.,  March  11. — The 
Globe  Theatre  here,  which  was  swept 
by  fire,  will  undergo  repairs  totaling 
$5,000. 


Yaekel  Joins  Schine 

Fremont,  O.,  March  11. — William 
Yaekel  has  resigned  as  manager  of 
the  Northio  Paramount  here  to  accept 
a  managerial  post  with  the  Schine 
circuit.  Richard  Peffley,  formerly 
with  the  Kentucky  and  State,  Dan- 
ville, Ky.,  succeeds  him  at  the  Para- 
mount. Dwight  Kirk,  formerly  man- 
ager of  the  Sorg,  Middletown,  O., 
succeeds  Peffley. 


Changes  in  Cincinnati 

Cincinnati,  March  11. — Lake  P. 
Jones  has  resigned  as  manager  of  the 
RKO  Lyric  to  accept  a  similar  post 
at  the  suburban  20th  Century,  a  unit 
of  the  Willis  Vance  circuit.  Art  Pi- 
colla,  manager  of  the  RKO  Shubert, 
has  been  transferred  to  the  Lyric,  and 
Joseph  Jansberry  has  been  shifted 
from  the  RKO  Family  to  the  Shubert. 
P.  Hogan,  assistant  at  the  Family, 
has  been  advanced  to  manager. 


Singer  Change  in  Omaha 

Omaha,  March  11. — William  New- 
kirk,  formerly  a  Chicago  theatre  man- 
ager, has  been  named  treasurer  of  the 
Brandeis,  first-run  Singer  circuit 
house  here.  He  takes  the  place  of 
Wendell  Brown,  transferred  to  the 
Singer  Orpheum  at  Sioux  City,  la. 


Levitt  at  Easton 

Easton,  Pa.,  March  11. — John  M. 
Levitt  has  been  named  manager  of  the 
Easton  Theatre  here.  He  was  form- 
erly associated  with  a  number  of  the- 
atres in  Eastern  Pennsylvania. 


Dussler  Sells  Theatre 

Greenfield,  Iowa,  March  11. — W. 
H.  Dussler,  owner  of  the  Grand  The- 
atre here  for  the  past  six  years,  has 
sold  the  equipment  and  business  to 
George  Morgan  of  Gatherlburg,  Neb. 
Dussler  retains  ownership  of  the 
building. 

Employs  Women  Managers 

Boston,  March  11. — E.  M.  Loew, 
president  of  the  E.  M.  Loew  Theatre 
circuit,  has  signed  four  women  man- 
agers. They  are:  Mrs.  Lucius  Smith, 
Winchester  Theatre,  Winchester, 
Mass. ;  Miss  Ethel  Donati,  National 
Theatre,  Boston,  Mass. ;  Mrs.  Lola 
McGhee,  Strand  Theatre,  Beverly, 
Mass. ;  and  Miss  Lea  Morin,  Dor- 
chester Theatre,  Dorchester,  Mass. 


New  Rochester  Manager 

Rochester,  March  11. — D.  F.  Bar- 
reca  of  New  York  has  been  named 
manager  of  Schine's  Riviera  here. 


Young  SO  PEG  Organizer 

Sidney  Young,  president  of  Screen 
Office  and  Professional  Employes 
Guild,  Local  109,  CIO,  will  replace 
David  Golden,  who  is  in  the  Army, 
as  organizer  for  the  local,  effective 
March  22,  it  was  announced.  Young 
is  employed  at  the  20th  home  office. 


New  Des  Moines  Booker 

Des  Moines,  March  11.  —  John 
Morphet  of  St.  Louis  is  now  head 
booker  for  Universal  here,  replacing 
William  Dippert,  now  in  the  Army. 


AN    INSPIRING    TRIBUTE    TO    THE    AMERICAN  SPIRIT 


SMILEY  BURNETTE  •  bob  nolan  and  the  sons  of  the  pioneers  •  Virginia  grey  •  HARRY  J.  SHANNON  •  ONA  MUNSON  •  DICK  PURCEU 


and  THE  ROBERT  MITCHEU  BOYCHOIR  •  JOSEPH  KANE,  Director  •  Original  screen  play  by  Roy  Chanslor  and  Olive  Cooper 

A  REPUBLIC  PICTURE  BUY  U.S.  WAR  SAVINGS  BONDS 


6 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Friday,  March  12,  1943 


Salary  Ceiling 
Bill  Vote  by 
House  Today 

Disney  Plan  Part  of  Debt- 
Limit  Measure 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  March  11. — Fate 
of  the  move  to  repeal  President 
Roosevelt's  salary  control  order 
will  be  decided  tomorrow  when  the 
House  of  Representatives  gets 
down  to  voting  on  the  various  pro- 
visions of  the  bill  to  increase  the 
national  debt  limit. 

The  House  today  spent  more  than 
three  hours  in  discussion  of  the 
measure  which,  opponents  charged, 
would  give  support  to  the  demand  of 
John  L.  Lewis  for  a  $2  a  day  increase 
for  his  coal  miners. 

Representative  Disney  of  Oklahoma, 
author  of  the  plan  to  freeze  high  sal- 
aries at  their  pre-war  level  but  to 
permit  increases  in  lower  salaries  to 
not  more  than  $25,000  after  taxes, 
told  the  House  the  bill  would  clarify 
a  very  unsatisfactory  situation  created 
by  the  President's  order,  issued  after 
Congress  had  clearly  indicated  its  op- 
position to  salary  control. 

Disney  said  his  plan  was  "pro-Con- 
gress but  not  anti-President"  but  at 
the  same  time  declared  the  salary 
order  constituted  a  "crime"  against  the 
laws  of  the  country  since  Congress 
had  deemed  authority  to  issue  the 
order  non-existent  under  the  Price 
Control  Act. 

Representative  E.  E.  Cox  of 
Georgia  also  led  the  fight  for  repeal, 
denouncing  the  order  as  "un-Ameri- 
can." 


Files  2nd  Appeal  in 
Missouri  Arbitration 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

fers  of  a  run  to  the  plaintiff's  theatre 
and  remanded  the  case  to  Shepley 
with  instructions  to  review  the  new 
offers  and  determine  whether  they 
complied  with  Section  6.  Vitagraph, 
in  the  meantime,  stipulated  an  agree- 
ment with  the  plaintiff  on  the  run  of 
its  product. 

After  new  offers  had  been  made  by 
the  three  distributors,  Shepley  again 
held  that  the  requirements  of  Section 
6  had  been  met  and  dismissed  the  com- 
plaint against  the  three.  Sosna's  pres- 
ent appeal  is  from  that  decision. 


'Moon'  to  Be  Shown 
For  Little  Norway 

A  special  showing  of  "The  Moon 
Is  Down"  will  be  held  by  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox at  Little  Norway,  Toronto, 
tomorrow  night. 

The  junket  is  one  of  the  few  which 
have  been  held  for  a  film  since  the 
United  States  entered  the  war. 

Sir  Cedric  Hardwicke,  who  appears 
in  the  film,  and  Lady  Hardwicke  will 
attend,  and  invitations  have  been  ex- 
tended to  the  Premiere  of  Ontario  and 
the  Mayor  of  Toronto. 

Newspaper  and  magazine  represen- 
tatives and  20th  Century-Fox  publicity 
men  will  attend  from  New  York. 


Critics 9  Quotes 


"THE  HUMAN  COMEDY" 

In  his  first  story  for  the  screen,  William  Saroyan  has  written  a  heart-stir- 
ring story  of  small-town  American  life  as  seen  through  the  eyes  of  a  high 
school  boy.  "The  Human  Comedy"  abounds  in  humor,  pathos,  sentimentality, 
romance  and  the  simple  every-day  things  that  make  up  one's  daily  stint  of 
breathing,  seeing  and  doing. — Kate  Cameron,  New  York  Daily  Neivs. 

If  you  see  movies  at  all,  you  might  as  well  make  up  your  mind  now  to  get 
to  "The  Human  Comedy."  Movie  conversations  are  going  to  be  so  full  of  it, 
curiosity  alone  won't  allow  you  to  stay  away.  And  it  will  be  a  rich  experi- 
ence remaining  in  memory  and  constantly  bursting  out  in  your  own  talk.— 
Alton  Cook,  New  York  World-Telegram. 

Frankly,  I  cannot  say  whether  or  not  you  will  like  "The  Human  Comedy." 
There  is  no  precedent.  But  I  can  assure  you  that  if  you  do,  you  will  like  it 
very  much  indeed  and  want  to  see  it  more  than  once.  If  you  don't,  you  will 
wonder  what  all  the  shouting  has  been  about.  .  .  .  Anyway,  it's  tonic,  a  wish- 
fancy,  truly  wonderful  and  throughly  Saroyan.  .  .  .  This  picture  stands  up  and 
bids  for  immortality. — Archer  Winsten,  New  York  Post. 

Distinctly,  "The  Human  Comedy"  is  not  a  balanced  philosophical  or  social 
diet,  and  only  a  Saroyan  in  his  most  gloriosky  mood  could  advance  it  as  such. 
If  you  surrender  to  this  mood,  however,  "The  Human  Comedy"  is  a  wonder- 
ful movie,  except  where  some  slip  of  this  philosophy  gets  its  tail  caught  in  the 
wringer  or  some  Saroyan  de  Bergerac  holds  the  stage  too  loud  and  long. — 
John  T.  McManus,  PM. 

For  here,  cheek  by  jowl  and  overlapping,  are  set  some  most  charming  bits 
of  fine  emotion  picture  expression  and  some  most  maudlin  gobs  of  cinematic 
goo.  Here,  in  an  almost  formless  tribute  to  the  goodness  and  sweetness  of 
man's  soul,  are  spliced  some  quick,  penetrating  glimpses  with  long  stretches 
of  banality. — Bosleye  Crowther,  New  York  Times. 

"REUNION  IN  FRANCE"  (M-G-M) 

Miss  Crawford  looks  beautiful  and  big-eyed,  the  sets  are  lavish  and  the 
cast  includes  some  expert  actors  (Reginald  Owen,  Albert  Basserman  and  John 
Carradine),  but  "Reunion  in  France"  is  never  more  than  a  pretty  story  book 
account  of  that  country. — Laura  Lee,  Philadelphia  Bulletin. 

"Reunion  in  France"  is  a  Joan  Crawford  version  of  the  fall  of  France.  As 
history  is  made,  Miss  Crawford  looks  big-eyed,  weeps,  sighs,  registers  dis- 
illusionment, at  length  throws  her  elegantly  gowned  self  into  the  French 
underground  movement — all  with  unclear  effect. — Time. 

"Reunion  in  France"  presents  its  lame  arguments  in  a  romantic  melodrama 
which  is  neither  clever  nor  convincing — but  merely  a  showcase  for  the  film's 
handsome  stellar  trio.- — Elsie  Finn,  Philadelphia  Record. 

Two  reels,  the  first  two,  of  "Reunion  in  France,"  aren't  bad.  But  the  rest 
of  it  has  the  ring  of  a  lead  penny,  and  the  slick  sheen  of  a  polished  phoney 
and  the  fishy  feel  of  a  damp  paw. — Harold  V.  Cohen,  Pittsburgh  Post-Ga- 
zette. 

"MEANEST  MAN  IN  THE  WORLD"  (20th  Century-Fox) 

Whatever  "The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  started  out  to  be,  it  remains 
a  minor  incident  in  the  screen  career  of  radio's  Jack  Benny.  There  is  a  well- 
founded  comedy  plot,  the  potentialities  of  which  found  full  flower  when  it 
seerved  as  a  stage  vehicle  for  the  late  George  M.  Cohan.  Not  so  here. — 
Ernest  L.  Schier,  Washington  Post. 

Goofy,  gay,  and  jammed  with  gags,  Jack  Benny's  "Meanest  Man  in  the 
World,"  runs  less  than  an  hour  on  the  screen,  and  effects  at  least  as  "many 
laughs  as  there  are  momenets  of  film  footage.  It's  one  for  the  whole  family 
— harmless  and  happy. — Irene  Thirer,  New  York  Post. 

Despite  the  dilapidated  vehicle,  Jack,  even  as  a  rocking  chair  Romeo,  does 
manage  to  hit  the  high  spots  with  his  particular  brand  of  comedy.  But  even 
with  Rochester  at  his  best,  with  bright  patches  of  character  acting,  "The 
Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  has  lost  all  the  sparkle,  all  the  zest,  and  all  the 
hilarity  of  first-class  comedy. — Carl  Guldager,  Chicago  Daily  News. 

But  for  all  its  deficiencies,  "The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  is  not  to  be 
denied  its  laughs,  which  are  the  wholesome,  unsophisticated  kind  that  should 
register  better  off  Broadway. — T.  M.  P.,  New  York  Times. 

Parts  of  the  picture  are  really  very  funny  and  .  .  .  not  without  laughs  and 
well-thought-out  situations  and  amusing  dialogue,  but  most  of  the  comedy 
just  didn't  jell. — Louella  O.  Parsons,  Los  Angeles  Examiner. 

"ICE-CAP ADES  REVUE"  (Republic) 

"Ice-Capades  Revue"  is  one  of  Republic's  more  ambitious  productions,  and 
Mr.  John  Alton's  camera  work  is  often  praiseworthy.  But  that  last  final 
touch  that  makes  an  outstanding  and  lavish  extravanza  is  missing.  The  cinema 
is  not  yet  up  to  snuff  when  it  comes  to  the  skating  spectacles. — Karl  Krug, 
Pittsburgh  Post-Gazette. 

For  those  who  missed  the  real  thing,  the  screen  duplicate  is  a  pretty  fail 
substitute.  It  gives  the  skaters  more  of  a  work-out  than  they  got  in  the 
first  edition ;  the  production  numbers  have  been  effectively  staged,  and  one 
of  them,  an  old-fashioned  cameo  to  "The  Man  With  the  Polka  Dot  Tie," 
is  so  good  and  so  richly  comic  that  it  could  have  been  advantageously  in- 
corporated in  the  flesh-and-blood  version. — Harold  V.  Cohen,  Pittsburgh 
Post-Gazette. 

A  passably  enjoyable  effort,  "Ice-Capades  Revue"  is  indeed  but  a  screen 
shadow  of  its  former  self  which  shone  brilliantly  last  winter — the  finest  o' 
the  annual  ice  shows — Chicago  Herald- American. 


Broadway  Grosses 
Good  as  Lent  Starts; 
'Got  Me,'  $97,000 


c$ 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

strong  at  the  Roxy  on  Wednesday. 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  and  the 
stage   presentation   started  a  secoii 
week  yesetrday  at  the  Radio 
Music  Hall  after  earning  an  estimated 
$97,000  for  the  first  seven  days. 

"Air  Force"  opened  strong  on  a 
sixth  week  at  the  Hollywood  on  Wed- 
nesday with  an  estimated  $20,100  for 
the  fifth  week.  "The  Hard  Way" 
with  Ina  Ray  Hutton  and  her  band, 
Jane  Wyman,  Irene  Manning  and 
Jerry  Lester  on  the  stage  opens  today 
at  the  Strand.  "Casablanca"  completed 
its  run  at  the  theatre  with  an  esti- 
mated $38,000  for  the  fifth  week. 

"Frankenstein  Meets  the  Wolf  Man" 
ended  its  first  week  at  the  Rialto  last 
night  with  about  $15,000  for  the  week 
and  will  be  held  for  at  least  three 
weeks.  For  its  fourth  week  ending 
last  night  at  the  Globe,  "Saludos 
Amigos"  grossed  about  $9,000  and  will 
be  followed  on  March  18  by  "Chet- 
niks."  "Forever  and  a  Day"  opens 
at  the  Rivoli  Theatre  today. 


Kirsch  Again  Named 
III.  Allied  President 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
members  heard  reports  of  the  activi- 
ties during  the  past  year.    The  Allied 
booking  department,  which  now  books 
for  48  theatres,  was  discussed. 

Van  Nomikos  was  elected  vice- 
president,  and  Richard  Salkin  secre- 
tary-treasurer. Verne  Langdon, 
Joseph  Stern,  Jack  Rose,  Ludwig 
Sussman,  Ben  Bartelstein,  Charles 
Nelson,  Samuel  Roberts,  Harry 
Reckas,  Ben  Lasker  and  Abe  Gum- 
biner  were  reelected  to  the  board  of 
directors,  and  Lou  Harrison  and  Abe 
Goldstein  were  elected  directors  to  re- 
place Nate  Wolf,  deceased,  and  Karl 
Goodman,  who  is  preparing  to  join  the 
Army.  Harry  Nepo  was  renamed 
sergeant-alarms. 


War  Film  Shown  by 
Minneapolis  Club 

Minneapolis,  March  11. — The  Va- 
riety Club  of  the  Twin  Cities  has  ob- 
tained permission  to  show  the  OWI's, 
"Invasion  of  North  Africa"  at  special 
midnight  theatre  premieres  during  the 
next  week  for  benefit,  of  its  charities, 
it  was  announced. 

John  J.  Friedl,  president  of  Minne- 
sota Amusement  Co.,  has  been  named 
chairman  of  the  club's  committee 
which  is  planning  the  most  extensive 
benefit  program"  in  its  history. 


Admissions  in  Many 
Houses  Up,  Is  Report 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

its  evening  scale  from  60  to  65  cents. 

In  Hamilton,  O.,  the  Northio  Para- 
mount has  limited  to  2:30  p.m.  its 
15-cent  Sunday  and  holiday  prices  for 
children  with  an  advance  to  20  cents 
after  that  hour.  Weekday  scale  for 
children  remains  unchanged. 


"The  Seventh  Edition  of  the  Blue- 
book  shows  a  marked  improve- 
ment over  the  Sixth,  which  I  am 
sure  everyone  thought  was  the 
best  book." 

—Fred  G.  Matthews, 

President,  Motiograpk,  Inc. 


Price  $7.25  postpaid 


7th  Edition 

of  F.  H.  RICHARDSON'S 

BLUEBOOK  of 


PROJECTION 


W  ITH  the  Seventh  Edition, 
this  famous  standard  textbook  on 
motion  picture  projection  and 
sound  reproduction  brings  to 
theatre  projectionists,  to  men  in 
the  armed  forces  assigned  to  pro- 
jection, to  theatre  managers  and 

all  persons  concerned  with  the  screening  of  35-mm.  film,  up-to-the-minute  guidance.  The  new 
edition  is  new  in  its  method  of  presenting  the  subject,  new  in  organization  of  material,  new  in 
much  of  the  operating  data.  Additionally,  the  Seventh  Edition  contains  four  chapters  on  Theatre 
Television,  prepared  for  the  practical  instruction  of  motion  picture  protectionists.  The  chapters 
on  sound  now  include  one  devoted  to  control-track  and  stereophonic  reproduction.  And  sup- 
plementing the  regular  text  are  20  charts  for  handy  reference  in  locating  and  correcting  sound 
system  defects.  Each  chapter  is  preceded  by  a  list  of  study  questions  with  cross-reference  to  the 
text  so  that  the  answers  may  be  readily  found.  The  text  is  thoroughly  indexed  for  easy  access 
to  all  instructions.    This  is  a  limited  printing!    Send  your  order  today  to  — 


QUIGLEY  BOOKSHOP 

Rockefeller  Center,  at  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  New  York 


8 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Friday,  March  12,  1943 


Archbishop  Spellman 
To  Talk  from  Africa 

Archbishop  Francis  J.  Spell- 
man  of  New  York  will  be 
heard  in  a  special  broadcast 
from  North  Africa  over  CBS 
Sunday  at  9  a.m.,  the  network 
announced  yesterday.  He  re- 
cently visited  England  and 
the  Vatican. 


'Gas'  Increased  for 
Hauling  Air  Setups 

Washington,  March  11. — Issuance 
of  C  gasoline  books  to  broadcasting 
engineers  and  technicians  was  author- 
ized today  by  the  Office  of  Price  Ad- 
ministration to  permit  the  transporta- 
tion of  heavy  equipment  to  and  from 
temporary  broadcasting  facilities. 

The  concession  was  granted,  OPA 
officials  said,  because  these  facilities 
often  are  set  up  for  special  broadcast 
at  points  remoted  from  the  studios, 
such  as  army  camps.  The  C  books, 
it  was  emphasized,  will  be  granted 
only  for  the  hauling  of  non-portable 
equipment  where  alternate  means  of 
transportation  are  inadequate. 

Today's  order,  effective  March  17, 
follows  a  recent  ruling  that  engineers 
and  technicians  are  eligible  for  C 
books  to  travel  to  and  from  perma- 
nent facilities  located  in  suburban  or 
rural  areas. 


Rodzinski  AFM  Trial 
Postponed  to  Mid-Ap 

A  hearing  on  charges  against  Dr. 
Artur  Rodzinski,  recently  signed  to 
conduct  the  New  York  Philharmonic 
Orchestra  for  next  year,  has  been 
postponed  until  mid-April  by  the  ex- 
ecutive board  of  Musicians  Union 
Local  802,  William  Feinberg,  secre- 
tary, announced.  The  postponement 
was  on  the  request  of  Dr.  Rodzinski, 
who  stated  that  his  commitments  with 
the  Cleveland  Symphony  prevent  him 
from  coming  to  New  York  now. 

The  charges  against  the  conductor 
were  filed  by  Calmen  Fleisig,  chair- 
man of  the  orchestra's  grievance  com- 
mittee, following  the  Philharmonic 
board's  failure  to  renew  contracts  of 
14  of  the  musicians.  Fleisig  alleged 
that  Rodzinski  had  defamed  the  char- 
acters and  jeopardized  the  careers  of 
the  dismissed  players. 


Mass,  Official  Lauds 
Theatre  Cooperation 

Springfield,  Mass.,  March  11. — 
Practically  all  suggested  changes  for 
fire  safety  have  been  made  by  theatres 
here  and  in  the  suburbs,  Val  S.  La- 
Liberte,  inspector  for  the  State  Board 
of  Public  Safety,  stated  in  expressing 
satisfaction  with  cooperation  given 
him  by  house  managers  and  exhibitors. 
Most  of  the  changes  had  to  do  with 
flam-proofing  drapes  and  scenery, 
which  has  to  be  done  every  six 
months  to  be  effective,  he  said. 


Win  Production  Awards 

The  Army-Navy  E  award  for  out- 
standing service  on  the  production 
front  has  been  given  to  three  major 
Western  Electric  Co.  works,  and  to 
De  Vry  Corp.  of  Chicago,  manufac- 
turers of  motion  picture  projectors, 
it  was  announced  by  the  War  De- 
partment. 


Off  the  Antenna 


DEVELOPMENTS  around  the  country  continue  to  indicate  the  in- 
creased use  of  radio  by  motion  picture  advertisers,  as  previously  reported 
in  Motion  Picture  Daily.  A  radio  campaign  for  Warner  Bros.'  "Air 
Force"  is  currently  covering  the  entire  Pacific  Northwest.  In  Kansas  City, 
the  Warwick  Theatre  has  just  instituted  a  daily  news  broadcast  over  WHB. 
A  transcribed  feature,  "Hot  From  Hollywood,"  is  distributed  free  to  about  80 
stations  by  Thomas  Valentino,  Inc.,  for  its  motion  picture  company  clients. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Walter  H.  Churchill,  who  recently  joined  WSPR,  Spring- 
field, Moss.,  as  an  engineer,  has  announced  the  birth  of  a  son.  .  .  .  George 
Hicks,  the  Blue's  roving  special  features  reporter,  has  arrived  in  Great  Britain. 
.  .  .  Gertrude  Lanso,  publicity  director  oft  he  Yankee  Network,  zvas  married 
recently  to  Li.  W.  Brevoort  Potts,  Jr.,  of  the  Air  Corps.  .  .  .  Marjorie  Ochs, 
manager  of  WEEFs  sound  effects  department,  demonstrated  sound  effects 
during  a  Civilian  Defense  show  at  the  Arlington  Town  Hall,  Boston. 

•  •  • 

The  first  instance  of  a  steadily  maintained  air  show  to  be  shortwaved 
to  troops  abroad  has  been  announced  by  the  Hollywood  Victory  Com- 
mittee which  disclosed  that  Fibber  McGee  and  Molly  will  transcribe 
"Headlines  from  Home"  weekly.  The  program  will  include  entertain- 
ment and  information. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  "Chamber  Music  Society  of  Lower  Basin  Street"  will 
be  substituted  by  Andrew  Jergens  Co.  for  the  "Parker  Family"  on  the  Blue, 
effective  April  4.  .  .  .  The  initial  Pabst  Blue  Ribbon  Beer  program  is  sched- 
uled for  March  27  over  CBS.  .  .  .  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Co.,  a 
pioneer  in  radio  advertising,  will  sponsor  its  first  coast-to-coast  broadcast 
on  March  24  over  the  Blue  in  observance  of  its  75th  anniversary.  Richard 
Crooks,  Helen  Traubel  and  Edwin  C.  Hill  will  be  among  those  on  the  pro- 
gram. ...  A  new  comedy  series,  "The  Busy  Mr.  Bingle"  will  be  heard  over 
Mutual  on  Thursdays  starting  March  18. 


Chicago  Variety  Club 
Appoints  Committees 

Chicago,  March  11. — Clyde  Eck- 
hardt,  Tom  Gorman  and  Jack  Kirsch 
have  been  named  to  a  committee  to 
organize  a  membership  drive  for  the 
local  Variety  tent. 

Other  appointments  are :  Irving 
Mack,  chairman  of  Ladies'  Nights 
programs  to  be  held  every  Saturday 
beginning  March  13 ;  Jack  Rose, 
chairman  of  the  finance  committee, 
Archie  Treboldt,  vice  chairman  of  the 
same  committee ;  Larry  Stein,  chair- 
man of  the  publicity  committee,  and 
Biggie  Levin  and  Clifton  Utley  to 
arrange  for  guest  speakers  at  special 
luncheons. 


Gershwin  Festival 
Sets  S.  F.  Record 

San  Francisco,  March  11. — The 
recent  Gershwin  Festival  here,  featur- 
ing Paul  Whiteman's  orchestra,  Bing 
Crosby,  Dinah  Shore  and  the  King's 
men,  grossed  more  than  $40,000  it  is 
reported.  This  is  said  to  be  the  big- 
gest business  ever  recorded  by  a  mu- 
sical event  in  this  city.  The  previous 
record  reported  was  $27,000  for  a 
Mary  Garden  concert  some  years  ago. 


107  Blue  Hours  to  War 

The  Blue  Network  devoted  107 
hours  and  52  minutes  to  the  war  ef- 
fort in  February,  the  web  announced 
yesterday._  Of  this  amount,  82  hours 
and  42  minutes  were  sustaining.  This 
compares  with  February,  1942,  when 
the  total  amount  was  29  hours. 


Dinner  for  George  Ross 

Cincinnati,  March  11. — The  local 
Variety  Club  will  give  a  farewell  din- 
ner Monday  for  George  Ross,  Na- 
tional Screen  Service  salesman  here, 
who  has  been  appointed  branch  man- 
ager in  Kansas  City.  Edward  Sonz, 
Gilbert  Bein  and  Arthur  Manheimer 
are  on  the  dinner  committee. 


Copyright,  Damage 
Suits  to  Be  Tried 

A  copyright  infringement  suit 
against  Universal  Pictures,  Robbins 
Music  Corp.,  Universal  Music  Corp., 
and  Aldo  Franchetti,  involving  the 
song,  "Perhaps,"  sung  by  Deanna 
Durbin  in  the  film,  "Love  At  Last," 
was  placed  on  the  Federal  Court  non- 
jury reserve  calendar  by  order  of  Fed- 
eral Judge  Henry  W.  Goddard.  The 
case  will  be  brought  to  trial,  it  is 
expected,  within  six  weeks. 

The  $150,000  breach  of  contract  suit 
instituted  by  David  Blum  against 
Harry  Sherman,  producer,  was  placed 
on  the  jury  reserve  calendar  in  Fed- 
eral Court  by  Judge  Goddard. 


'Claudia'  in  Springfield 

Springfield,.  Mass.,  March  11. — 
"Claudia"  will  play  here  for  three  days 
starting  March  29  at  the  Court  Square 
Theatre,  sponsored  by  the  Playgoers 
of  Springfield,  it  was  announced.  "The 
Corn  Is  Green"  has  been  booked  for 
April  18  at  the  same  house,  it  was 
reported. 


Booked  in  Northampton 

Northampton,  Mass.,  March  11.— 
The  city-owned  and  operated  Academy 
of  Music  will  house  the  play  "Claudia" 
on  March  22.  If  the  booking  is  suc- 
cessful, Mayor  Walter  O'Donnell 
stated,  other  shows  will  follow.  The 
house  has  been  exhibiting  motion  pic- 
tures, and  will  continue  to  do  so,  it 
was  reported. 


Gets  $14,255  Judgment 

Supreme  Court  Justice  Aaron  J. 
Levy  has  granted  summary  judg- 
ment for  $14,255  against  Collective 
Film  Producers,  Inc.,  and  Roman  Re- 
bush,  in  favor  of  Joe  Avramuch,  and 
declared  Avramuch  the  owner  of  un- 
mortgaged rights,  title  and  interest  in 
six  motion  picture  films  produced  by 
the  defendants. 


Ober stein  Appears 
Before  AFM  Board 

Eli  Oberstein,  head  of  the  Classic 
Record  Company,  yesterday  appeared 
before  the  trial  board  of  Local  802, 
American  Federation  of  Musicians,  to 
testify  on  the  report  that  he  had  been 
licensed  to  record  five  new  tunes. 
Oberstein  denied,  according  to  union 
spokesman,  any  knowledge  of  thf 
origin  of  his  latest  announced  relea/" j 

The  local  ha?  not  taken  any  act;. 
it  was  reported,  except  to  study  the 
testimony  in  relation  to  the  recordings 
ban.  This  was  the  third  time  that 
Oberstein  appeared  before  the  board. 
In  a  previous  hearing  he  stated  he  had 
bought  the  masters  in  question  in 
Mexico. 


N.  Y.  Assembly  Unit 
Approves  Games  Bill 

Albany,  March  11. — The  Assembly 
codes  committee  today  reported  favor- 
ably a  bill  introduced  by  Assembly- 
man Wilson  of  Yonkers  which  would 
give  local  governing  bodies  home  rufe 
powers  to  legalize  chance  games  when 
petitioned  by  five  per  cent  of  the 
voters. 

The  action  came  as  a  surprise  to 
upstate  church  groups  which  had 
fought  all  chance  game  bills  at  a 
public  hearing  Tuesday,  and  these 
groups  plan  to  carry  their  fight  to  the 
floor  of  the  Legislature,  it  was  re- 
ported. 


Wage  Offer  Weighed 
By  4  AFRA  Locals 

The  American  Federation  of  Radio 
Artists  has  submitted  the  counter 
proposal  by  transcription  companies 
for  a  five  per  cent  cost-of-living  wage 
rise  in  transcription  code  mi§imums 
to  its  New  York,  Chicago,  San  Fran- 
cisco and  Hollywood  locals,  it  was 
stated.  AFRA  had  originally  asked 
for  a  10  per  cent  boost.  Approval  of 
the  offer  is  up  to  the  four  locals  and 
the  national  board,  Mrs.  Emily  Holt, 
executive  secretary,  said. 


Three  Added  to  NBC 
News  Staff  by  Brooks 

Don  Hollenbeck,  formerly  on  the 
staff  of  the  U.  S.  Office  of  War  In- 
formation in  London,  has  joined  the 
NBC  news  staff  there,  William  F. 
Brooks,  network  director  of  news  and 
special  events,  announced  yesterday. 
La  Selle  Gilman  will  also  join  the 
web's  newstaff,  broadcasting  from 
Honolulu,  it  was  announced.  Len 
Morgan,  formerly  of  the  Chicago  Sun, 
has  joined  the  New  York  news  staff. 


2  Honored  for  Heroism 

Chicago,  March  11. — Two  former 
B  &  K  employes  have  been  decorated 
for  Army  Air  Force  heroism,  it  was 
reported.  Richard  K.  Wirt,  with  the 
Eighth  Air  Force  in  Britain,  received 
the  Air  Medal  for  shooting  down 
two  Nazi  planes,  while  Lt.  William 
Campbell  was  awarded  the  D.F.C.  for 
his  part  in  evacuating  President 
Quezon  from  the  Philippines. 


Catholic  Charities  on  Air 

The  Rivoli  Theatre  will  devote  its 
12  to  12:15  p.  m.  broadcast  over 
WINS  this  Sunday  to  the  1943  Fund 
Appeal  for  Catholic  Charities  in  the 
Archdiocese  of  New  York,  Montague 
Salmon,  managing  director,  announced. 


I  IUU    v«?  w 


Alert. 


to  the 
Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


*  -X  53.  NO.  49 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  MONDAY,  MARCH  15,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Only  Military 
Films  Subject 
To  U.S.  Review 


47  Producers  Sign  Letter 
To  Mellett  on  Matter 


Hollywood,  March  14. — The  so- 
called  "agreement''  between  pro- 
ducers and  the  OWI  regarding  sub- 
mission of  scripts  obligates  the  stu- 
dios to  submit  only  pictures  requir- 
ing Army-Navy  clearance  instead 
of  "all  scripts"  as  proposed  by 
Lowell  Mellett,  according  to  the 
text  of  a  round-robin  letter  signed 
by  47  individual  producers  for 
transmission  to  Mellett. 

Circulated  among  producers  for 
signature  following  Mellett  appear- 
ance before  East-West  executive  con- 
ferences in  February  and  subsequent 
sessions  with  the  committee  appointed 
by  that  group,  the  letter  was  reported 
formalizing  the  procedure  for  sub- 
mission of  all  scripts  to  the  OWI  as 
proposed  in  Mellett's  letter  which  pre- 
cipitated a  controversy  which  was  be- 
lieved ended  with  recent  conferences. 


Lee's  Body  Found; 
To  Be  Brought  Here 


The  body  of  Arthur  A.  Lee,  indus- 
try veteran  who  was  killed  in  the 
crash  of  the  Yankee  Clipper  at  Lisbon, 
Feb.  22,  has  been  recovered,  Lee's 
New  York  office  was  informed  by  the 
State  Department  late  last  week. 

The  family  has  requested  that  the 
remains  be  returned  to  this  country 
for  burial,  it  was  stated. 


RKO-W.B.  Settle 
'Casablanca'  Tiff 

RKO  Theatres,  which  ob- 
jected to  the  continued  run 
of  "Casablanca"  on  Broadway, 
contending  it  was  entitled  to 
the  film  after  the  Hollywood 
Theatre,  has  reached  an  agree- 
ment with  Warner  Bros,  and 
will  play  the  picture  in  New 
York,  scheduled  for  March  25, 
it  was  revealed.  The  film,  after 
playing  10  weeks  at  the  Holly- 
wood, was  moved  to  the  Strand, 
where  it  was  held  five  weeks. 
"Air  Force"  will  not  be  moved 
to  the  Strand  on  completion 
of  its  Hollywood  run,  accord- 
ing to  Warner  Bros. 


Keener  Competition  Abroad 
After  War  Seen  by  Griff  is 


Stanton  Griffis 

England,  Sweden, 


By  SHERWIN  A.  KANE 

Post-war  competition  for  foreign 
film  markets  will  be  sharpened,  apart 
from  other  factors,  by  an  increase 
in  production 
i  n  European 
countries 
which  is  now 
under  way, 
Stanton  Grif- 
fis, chairman 
of  the  Para- 
mount execu- 
tive commit- 
tee, said  on 
Friday,  follow- 
ing his  return 
from  a  six 
months'  trip 
abroad. 

Griffis  visited 
Finland,  Spain,  and  Portugal,  partly 
on  business  for  Paramount  but  also 
on  confidential  missions.  He  reported 
that  in  the  course  of  an  extensive  sur- 
vey of  American  and  British  newsreel 
distribution  abroad  he  learned  that 
American  newsreels  are  banned  from 
Finland  and  American  feature  films 
are  rigidly  censored.  In  Spain,  all 
newsreels  are  supervised  by  the  gov- 
ernment and  only  one  official  reel,  pre- 
sumably affording  equal  footage  to 
Axis  and  Allied  nations  alike,  is  ex- 
hibited. 

The  Paramount  executive  reported 
that  domestic  production  is  on  the  in- 
crease in  Sweden  and  Spain  and  that 
native  films  already  have  won  huge 
audiences.  The  total  grosses  of  Swed- 
ish-made films,  he  said,  equal  those  of 
American  films  in  that  country  and 
the  native  product,  budgeted  at  $100,- 
000  to  $125,000  per  picture,  meets  with 
good  audience  response  in  Norway, 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Expect  Speedy 
Senate  Action 
On  Wage  Limit 

Quick  action  by  the  Senate  on 
repeal  of  President  Roosevelt's  sal- 
ary-control order  is  in  sight,  fol- 
lowing passage  of  the  debt-increase 
bill  by  the  House  on  Friday  by  a 
vote  of  268  to  131. 

The  final  House  vote  on  the  legisla- 
tion came  after  several  attempts  to 


Washington,  March  14. — The 
House  Ways  and  Means  Com- 
mittee has  approved  a  plan  to 
reduce  by  as  much  as  4  per  cent 
the  tax  obligations  of  persons 
paying  income  taxes  before  they 
become  due,  thus  encouraging 
individuals  to  go  on  a  pay-as- 
you-go  basis. 


eliminate  or  amend  the  Disney  plan 
to  permit  salaries  to  continue  at  their 
pre-war  level  or  be  increased  to  not 
more  than  $25,000  after  taxes  had  been 
easily  defeated. 

The  test  of  the  strength  of  repeal 
supporters  came  on  a  motion  by  Rep. 
Cooper  to  strike  out  the  Disney  plan, 
which  was  defeated  by  a  vote  of  145 
to  212.  Thereafter,  no  difficulty  was 
experienced  in  voting  down  proposals 
by  Rep.  Gearhart  to  permit  the  Presi- 
dent to  fix  a  ceiling  as  of  some  date 
between  Jan.  1  and  Sept.  15,  1942,  and 
by  Rep.  Howard  Smith  to  establish 
a  floor  under  salaries  by  prohibiting 
ceilings  less  than  the  amount  paid  for 
the  work  involved  on  Dec.  7,  1941. 


USO  Expands  Camp  Show 
Operation  in  Great  Britain 


White  House  Program 
For  'Forever'  Tuesday 

President  Roosevelt  will  accept  for 
the  National  Foundation  for  Infantile 
Paralysis  a  pledge  of  the  net  receipts 
in  the  United  States  of  RKO  Radio's 
"Forever  and  a  Day"  at  a  ceremony 
at  the  White  House  tomorrow. 

Attending  the  ceremony  will  be :  N. 
Peter  Rathvon,  RKO  president ;  Basil 
O'Connor,  head  of  the  Foundation ; 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  March  14. — The  organiza- 
tion and  machinery  of  USO-Camp 
Shows  in  Britain  have  been  reshaped 
and  strengthened  since  the  visit  here 
late  last  fall  of  Abe  Lastfogel,  now 
president  of  USO-Camp  Shows,  Inc., 
and  the  scope  of  operations  has  been 
expanded,  with  the  film  industry  as- 
sisting. 

William  Dover,  formerly  with  film 
companies  in  Hollywood,  has  been  ap- 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


Crescent  Case 
Seen  Affecting 
'Big  5'  Decree 

Dep't  of  Justice  Regards 
Decision  as  Precedent 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  March  14.  —  De- 
partment of  Justice  officials  stated 
at  the  weekend  following  comple- 
tion of  their  study  of  the  Nash- 
ville Federal  court  decision  in  the 
Crescent  Circuit  anti-trust  suit  that 
the  case  undoubtedly  will  serve  as  a 
precedent  in  the  other  pending  Gov- 
ernment anti-trust  suits  against  the 
industry. 

The  importance  of  the  Nashville  de- 
cision as  a  precedent  wil  be  increased, 
it  was  stated,  if  no  appeal  is  taken. 

In  other  official  quarters,  it 
was  said  that  the  Nashville  de- 
cision, particularly  if  supported 
by  corresponding  decisions  in 
other  pending  Government  anti- 
trust suits  against  the  industry, 
will  materially  strengthen  the 
position  of  any  action  which  the 
Government  may  take  with  re- 
spect to  the  "Big  5"  companies' 
consent  decree  on  its  expiration 
next  Nov.  20. 

Department  officials  have  consistent- 
ly   refused    to    discuss    their  future 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


3  Distributors  Hit 
By  Appellate  Board 


The  arbitration  appeal  board  in  a 
decision  made  public  on  Friday  cen- 
sures Paramount.  RKO  and  Vita- 
graph  for  adhering  strictly  to  the 
provisions  of  the  consent  decree  in  re- 
fusing to  offer  the  Lakeview  Theatre, 
New  Orleans,  a  first  run  of  their 
product  in  the  plaintiff  theatre's  area. 

The  board  concluded  that  while  it 
believes  the  "complainant  has  received 
less  than  fair  dealing  at  the  hands  of 
these  distributors,"  it  is  unable,  under 
the  limitations  of  the  some  run  sec- 
tion of  the  decree,  to  order  the  distrib- 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


In  Today's  Issue 

How  do  key  city  grosses 
compare  with  1942?  See  Page 
6.  Reviews  of  "The  Despera- 
does," and  "Our  Lady  of 
Paris,"  Page  4. 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  15,  1943 


3 


Grosses  for  Drama 
Booming  in  Boston; 
Phila.  Lacks  Shows 


Boston,  March  14. — Grosses  for 
legitimate  productions,  many  of  them 
pre-Broadway  tryouts,  have  been  ex- 
cellent here  this,  season,  according  to 
reports.  A  number  of  pre-Broadway 
openings  are  scheduled. 

'-'Away  We  Go,"  the  Theatre  Guild's 
first  musical  comedy,  opens  tomor- 
row, while  the  Wilbur  will  house  "The 
Family"  on  the  same  evening.  "Danc- 
ing in  the  Streets,"  Vinton  Freedley's 
musical  comedy,  written  by  Howard 
Dietz,  Matt  Taylor,  John  Cecil  Holm 
and  Vernon  Duke,  is  due  March  22  at 
the  Shubert ;  "Secret  Weapon,"  March 
18  at  the  Plymouth  ;  ""Tomorrow  the 
World,"  March  29  at  the  Wilbur; 
"Three  Sisters,"  April  5  at  the  Shu- 
bert, and  "Cry  Havoc"  is  booked  for 
May  24.  "Claudia"  is  expected  to  re- 
turn to  the  Colonial  on  April  5. 

"Vickie"  was  the  sole  opening  last 
week,  at  the  Copley,  with  J.  C.  Nu- 
gent, Sally  O'Neill,  Fritzi  Scheff  and 
Raymond  Hackett  heading  the  cast. 

"Kiss  and  Tell,"  currently  at  the 
Wilbur,  is  playing  to  standing  room, 
it  is  reported,  and  is  scheduled  to 
move  to  the  Biltmore  Theatre,  New 
York,  on  Wednesday. 


Few  Philadelphia  Bookings 

Philadelphia,  March  14. — Enjoy- 
ing its  biggest  season  of  modern  times, 
the  legitimate  stage  in  Philadelphia  is 
gravely  concerned  over  the  few  book- 
ings ahead  that  threatens  many  dark 
spring  weeks  for  the  three  Shubert 
houses.  Forrest  Theatre,  housing  the 
"Ziegfeld  Follies"  for  a  record  four- 
week  run,  ending  March  20,  has  only 
the  scheduled  opening  of  "Sons  O' 
Fun"  on  March  29.  The  "Follies," 
playing  to  capacity  audiences,  set  a 
new  record  in  advance  sales,  account- 
ing for  $62,000  at  the  box-office  be- 
fore the  curtain  was  raised  on  Feb.  23. 

The  Walnut  St.  Theatre,  holding 
over  "Springtime  for  Henry,"  starring 
Edward  Everett  Horton,  for  four 
weeks  ending  March  20,  also  has  only 
a  possible  opening  in  the  new  company 
for  "Cry  Havoc"  that  may  arrive  here 
on  April  5.  The  Locust  St.  Theatre, 
dark  since  the  first  of  the  month,  re- 
opens tomorrow  for  a  return  engage- 
ment of  "Priorities  of  1943"  and  is  the 
only  house  with  a  definite  follow-up 
in  "Porgy  and  Bess,"  coming  in 
March  29  for  three  weeks. 


Laurie  Named  Rep. 
Canada  Sales  Head 

Toronto,  March  14. — A.  W.  Perry, 
general  manager  of  Empire  Universal 
Films,  Limited,  announced  the  ap- 
pointment of  A.  J.  Laurie  as  general 
sales  manager  in  Canada  of  Republic 
Pictures.  Harry  Painter,  formerly 
special  representative  of  Republic, 
takes  complete  charge  of  the  Toronto 
branch  of  Empire  Universal,  which 
distributes  both  Universal  and  Repub- 
lic product. 


Universal  Directors 
Slated  for  Reelection 

All  directors  of  Universal  Pictures 
Co.,  Inc.,  are  scheduled  to  be  reelected 
at  the  company's  annual  meeting  of 
stockholders  in  Wilmington,  Del.,  to- 
day. The  new  board  is  slated  to  meet 
early  in  April  at  which  time  all  pres- 
ent officers  are  expected  to  be  re- 
elected. 


Personal  Mention 


L 


OUIS  B.  MAYER  is  expected  in 
New  York  today. 


Jules  Lapidus,  Warner  Bros.  East- 
ern division  sales  manager,  returns 
from  New  England  today. 

0 

Dr.  J.  B.  Fishman,  Fishman  Thea- 
tres general  manager,  New  Haven,  is 
ill  with  the  grippe. 

• 

Richard  Beck  of  Warner  Theatres, 
Chicago,  became  the  father  of  a  daugh- 
ter, Bonita  Marie,  born  to  Mrs. 
Beck  March  10. 

Charles  Schlaifer  and  Robert 
Montgomery  of  20th  Century-Fox  re- 
turn from  Chicago  today. 

• 

William  C.  Gehring,  20th  Century- 
Fox  Western  sales  manager  has  re- 
turned from  the  midwest. 

• 

Erwin  Sedlack  manager  of  the 
Frolic  Theatre,  Chicago,  is  vacation- 
ing at  Miami  Beach. 


LT.  WALTER  READE,  JR.,  son 
of  the  circuit  operator,  is  on  fur- 
lough at  Pinehurst,  N.  C,  after  having 
graduated  from  the  Signal  Corps  Of- 
ficer's Candidate  School,  Fort  Mon- 
mouth, N.  J. 

Harry  C.  Arthur  is  expected  here 
late  this  week  from  California. 

Irving  Pearlman  of  Easaness  cir- 
cuit, Chicago,  has  joined  the  Navy. 

Pvt.  Louis  Weiner,  formerly  New 
England  publicity  representative  for 
United  Artists,  is  stationed  with  the 
Army  Air  Forces  Navigation  School, 
San  Marcos,  Tex. 

• 

Norman  H.  Moray  left  over  the 
weekend  for  Chicago  en  route  to  the 
Coast. 

• 

Pvt.  Ira  Beck,  formerly  with 
Loew's,  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  has  been 
transferred  to  Hendricks  Field,  Se- 
bring,  Fla. 


Red  Cross  Pageant 
At  Garden  Tonight 

A  huge  rally  for  the  American  Red 
Cross  volunteer  workers  will  be  held 
at  the  Madison  Square  Garden  to- 
night with  more  than  100  film  and 
stage  players  participating  in  a  "Red 
Cross  at  War"  pageant. 

The  spectacle  is  supervised  by  Gus 
Eyssell,  managing  director  of  the  Ra- 
dio City  Music  Hall,  and  John  Golden, 
and  produced  by  Leon  Leonidoff  and 
the  Music  Hall  staff.  Edward  G.  Rob- 
inson will  be  narrator  and  Gertrude 
Lawrence  will  have  the  principal  fem- 
inine role. 

Among  the  scheduled  speakers  are 
Mrs.  Eleanor  Roosevelt,  Princess 
Martha  of  Norway,  Mayor  F.  H.  La 
Guardia,  Corp.  Barney  Ross  and 
others.  The  rally  will  serve  as  a 
springboard  for  the  New  York  Red 
Cross  solicitation  campaign. 


Publicity  Group  to  Meet 

Harry  Mandel,  chairman  of  the  New 
York  area  War  Activities  publicity 
committee,  has  called  a  meeting  of  the 
committee  for  11a.m.  today  in  the  12th 
floor  projection  room  at  Paramount  to 
discuss  plans  for  the  Red  Cross  drive 
in  theatres,  April  1-7.  Claude  Lee, 
national  campaign  manager  for  the 
theatre  drive ;  Eddie  Dowden,  New 
York  City  publicity  chairman,  and 
others  will  speak. 


Warner  Stars  Take 
Part  in  Mexico  Rally 

Hollywood,  March  14.  —  Errol 
Flynn,  Dennis  Morgan  and  four  other 
Warner  Bros,  stars  will  fly  to  Mexico 
City  to  take  part  in  the  launching  of 
the  Mexican  Red  Cross  drive  Satur- 
day. Bette  Davis,  already  there,  is 
expected  to  take  part,  and  Edgar  Ber- 
gen will  be  master  of  ceremonies. 
Highlight  of  the  day's  celebration  will 
be  a  showing  of  "Yankee  Doodle 
Dandy"  under  government  auspices  at 
the  Palace  of  Fine  Arts. 


Hector  Joins  Firm 

Dr.  L.  Grant  Hector  has  joined  the 
National  Union  Radio  Corp.  of  New- 
ark and  Lansdale,  Pa.,  as  director  of 
engineering,  S.  W.  Muldowney,  pres- 
ident, announced. 


Third  Buying  Group 
Formed  in  Toronto 

Toronto,  March  14. — A  new  book- 
ing and  buying  group  has  been  formed 
in  the  Toronto  zone  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Ontario  Council  of  Independent 
Exhibitors,  of  which  Benjamin  Freed- 
man,  owner  of  the  Royal  Theatre, 
Long  Branch,  is  president.  The  pool 
is  known  as  Allied  Theatres  and  the 
co-operative  arrangement  includes  pro- 
gram advertising  announcements  in  the 
two  Toronto  evening  newspapers. 

This  is  the  third  such  independent 
group  in  Toronto,  the  others  being  Ex- 
hibitors Booking  Association  and  As- 
sociated Theatres  Limited. 


Zern  Joins  W.B. 

Advertising  Staff 

Ed  Zern  joins  Warner  Bros,  adver- 
tising staff  today  and  will  work  under 
Gilbert  Golden  in  preparing  trade  ad- 
vertising, national  magazine  copy, 
newspaper  ads  and  radio  copy,  Mort 
Blumenstock,  in  charge  of  advertising 
and  publicity  for  the  company  in  the 
East,  announced. 

Zern  formerly  was  employed  by  N. 
W.  Ayer  &  Sons  as  writer  and  con- 
tact man  on  leading  accounts,  and  was 
given  an  award  by  Advertising  & 
Selling  for  a  campaign  he  prepared 
for  the  Comptometer  Co. 


Roy  Disney,  Weshner 
To  Coast  Conference 

Roy  Disney  and  David  Weshner,  the 
latter  in  charge  of  the  campaign  on 
"Victory  Through  Air  Power,"  are 
scheduled  to  leave  for  the  Coast  at  the 
end  of  the  week  to  confer  with  Walt 
Disney  and  Major  George  P.  de  Se- 
versky  on  promotion  plans  for  the 
film. 

It  was  explained  at  the  Disney  of- 
fice that  Weshner's  assignment  does 
not  affect  the  status  of  Antoinette 
Spitzer  as  Eastern  publicity  director. 

Herbert  Berg  Joins  U.A. 

Herbert  Berg  has  joined  the  United 
Artists  publicity  department  as  trade 
paper  contact,  Paul  N.  Lazarus,  Jr., 
advertising  and  publicity  director  an- 
nounced Friday.  He  formerly  '  was 
with  Paramount. 


Canada  Holidays  Cut 
To  Five  in  Wartime 

Toronto,  March  14.  —  As  a 
war  order,  official  holidays  in 
Canada  have  been  reduced  to 
five  throughout  the  year  by 
the  Dominion  Government, 
this  number  being  less  than 
half  of  the  peace-time  holiday 
list.  Legal  holidays  for  the 
duration  will  be  New  Year's 
Day,  Good  Friday,  the  first 
Monday  in  July  (DominidifS 
Day),  Labor  Day  and  Chris  the 
mas  Day.  In  addition,  the  Pro- 
vince of  Quebec  has  been 
granted  the  privilege  of  ob- 
serving five  religious  holidays, 
Epiphany,  Ascension,  All 
Saints  Day  and  the  Feast  of 
Conception. 


Schaefer  Head  of 
Fund  for  Yeshiva 


George  J.  Schaefer  has  accepted 
the  chairmanship  of  the  motion  pic- 
ture industry's  scholarship  fund  at  Ye- 
shiva College  for  the  fourth  year,  it 
was  announced.  The  fund,  instituted 
in  1939  by  the  late  W.  G.  Van  Schmus, 
Barney  Balaban,  George  P.  Skouras, 
Jack  Cohn,  Nate  J.  Blumberg,  the 
Warner  brothers,  Schaefer  and  others, 
establishes  grants  at  the  college  for 
needy  American  students  and  refu- 
gee scholars  from  Europe. 

The  film  industry  scholarship  com- 
mittee, in  addition  to  Schaefer,  in- 
cludes Leon  Goldberg,  treasurer ;  Jacob 
Salzman,  secretary;  Barney  Balaban, 
G.  S.  Eysell,  Leonard  Goldenson, 
Irving  H.  Greenfield,  Joseph  Hazen, 
Arthur  Israel,  Sol  Lesser,  Joseph 
Moskowitz,  Louis  Nizer,  Charles 
Prutzman,  Herman  Robbins,  Samuel 
Rosen,  Abe  Schneider,  A.  W.  Schwal- 
berg,  Mendel  Silberberg,  George  P. 
Skouras  and  Joseph  Vogel. 


'Hit  Parade'  Preview 

An  exhibitor  preview  of  Republic's 
"Hit  Parade  of  1943"  will  be  held  at 
8  :4S  p.m.  Wednesday  at  Loew's  Zieg- 
feld Theatre,  it  was  announced.  The 
film  stars  John  Carroll  and  Susan 
Hayward. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  A  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres.  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  15,  1943 


Theatres  in  Mexico 
Close  in  Tax  Fight 

Mexico  City,  March  14. — 
Theatres  in  the  state  of  More- 
los,  prosperous  section  south 
of  here,  have  suspended  oper- 
ations in  protest  against  im- 
position of  state  taxes.  These 
include  additional  levies  of 
two  cents  on  orchestra  and 
one  cent  on  balcony  and  gal- 
lery tickets  and  a  10  per  cent 
import  tax  on  all  films  shipped 
in  for  commercial  showings. 
The  industry  contends  the  ad- 
mission tax  is  contrary  to  or- 
ders of  President  Manuel  Avila 
Camacho  against  such  forced 
contributions  for  defense.  Dis- 
tributors have  stopped  deliv- 
eries. 


Says  Theatre  Drive 
Vital  to  Red  Cross 


The  industry's  Red  Cross  drive,  to 
be  held  during  the  week  of  April  1 
through  7,  is  of  vital  success  to  the 
1943  Red  Cross  program,  Norman  H. 
Davis,  chairman  of  the  organization, 
said  in  a  weekend  message  sent  to 
every  Red  Cross  chapter  in  the  United 
States. 

The  3,000  Red  Cross  chapters 
throughout  the  country  will  cooperate 
with  the  theatres  in  the  drive  by  fur- 
nishing workers  and  aiding,  even  in 
communities  in  which  local  quotas  al- 
ready have  been  reached  by  April  1, 
in  bringing  in  a  surplus  to  help  reach 
the  national  Red  Cross  goal  of  $125,- 
000,000  for  1943.  Many  communities, 
according  to  present  indications,  will 
not  be  able  to  reach  their  quotas  un- 
assisted by  the  industry's  April  week. 

It  was  pointed  out  that  the  ex- 
hibitor activity  in  the  drive  will  bring 
them  into  contact  with  outstanding 
members  of  their  communities,  who 
are  Red  Cross  representatives,  and 
will  contribute  to  a  better  understand- 
ing between  theatres  and  their  towns- 
people. 

In  New  York,  Marvin  Schenck  has 
been  named  chairman  of  the  entertain- 
ment committee  for  the  Red  Cross 
show  at  Madison  Square  Garden  April 
5.  The  show  will  feature  top  flight 
talent  from  Hollywood,  Broadway  and 
radio.  All  proceeds  will  be  credited 
to  the  industry  drive. 


White  House  Program 
For  'Forever9  Tuesday 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
S.  Barret  McCormick,  RKO  Radio 
advertising  and  publicity  director ;  Sir 
Cedric  Hardwicke,  Roland  Young, 
Brian  Aherne,  Ruth  Warrick,  C.  Au- 
brey Smith,  Victor  Saville  and  Lloyd 
Richards.  The  film  was  the  result  of 
a  voluntary  undertaking  by  the  Holly- 
wood British  colony,  underwritten  by 
RKO,  which  is  distributing  the  film. 


Bomb  Conviction  Upheld 

Jackson,  Miss.,  March  14. — The 
State  Supreme  Court  has  affirmed  a 
10-year  sentence  given  Leo  Schwartz, 
former  union  secretary,  convicted  on  a 
charge  of  assault  with  intent  to  kill  in 
connection  with  the  explosion  of  a  fire 
bomb  in  a  Meridian,  Miss.,  theatre. 


Reviews 


"The  Desperadoes" 

(Columbia) 

Hollywood,  March  14 

HPHEY'LL  leave  the  theatres  quite  satisfied  that  "The  Desperadoes' 
gave  them  a  run  for  their  money. 

Columbia  went  all  the  way  into  town  to  surround  a  routine  western 
yarn  with  knockout  production  values  and  then  added  Technicolor  to 
make  it  gorgeously  eye-filling. 

While  the  story  is  not  all  that  it  might  be,  the  usual  conflict  of  two 
men  after  the  same  girl  is  on  hand.  So  are  the  blazing  revolvers,  hard 
riding  and  a  kick-off  climax  of  walloping  values  provided  by  a  stam 
pede  of  horses  followed  by  a  final  pistol  duel  in  Red  Valley's  hard  licker 
emporium. 

The  picture  gets  off  to  a  rambling  and  slow  start  and  gains  speed  in 
a  peach  of  a  barroom  brawl.    Then  it  settles  down  to  its  earlier  pace 
and  rides  hard  into  its  last  stretches  for  the  happy  finish  that  seems  per 
manently  part  of  the  fixtures  in  this  kind  of  an  outdoor  show. 

You  get  Glenn  Ford,  fastest  man  on  the  draw  in  Utah  with  a  price  on 
his  head.  Also  Randolph  Scott  as  the  sheriff  and  his  former  pal  up 
Wyoming  way.  The  girl  is  Evelyn  Keyes,  and  that  spells  conflict.  The 
villainy  revolves  (1)  around  a  bank  robbery,  engineered  by  the  town's 
banker  and  Miss  Kee's  father,  (2)  the  sheriff's  efforts  to  find  the  cul- 
prits, and  (3)  counter  efforts  by  the  criminal  group  to  fix  the  theft  and 
three  sideline  murders  on  Ford. 

Of  course,  they  don't  get  away  with  it.  Justice  in  the  raw-boned  west 
of  the  80's  prevails  once  again,  the  bad  boys  are  either  bumped  off  or 
jailed.    And  Ford  gets  the  gal. 

Running  through  the  action,  when  there  is  action,  is  a  comedy  vein 
that  tickled  a  preview  audience  at  the  Pantages  here,  and  with  plenty  of 
reason.  The  shooting,  jaw-cracking  and  flying  furniture  are  interspersed 
with  lots  of  laughs  which  help  matters  a  great  deal. 

Performances  of  the  principals  are  good,  on  the  standard  side.  In  ad 
dition  to  Ford,  Scott  and  Miss  Keyes,  key  roles  are  played  by  Edgar 
Buchanan,  Claire  Trevor,  who  does  the  adventuress  with  established 
acting  ability;  Raymond  Walburn,  Guinn  Williams,  Porter  Hall  and 
Bernard  Nedell. 

Charles  Vidor's  direction  meets  requirements  nicely.  Harry  Joe 
Brown  produced. 

Running  time,  85  minutes.    "G."*  Red  Kann 


Hollywood 


Our  Lady  of  Paris 

(Hirliman  Florida  Productions) 

A  DEEP  faith  in  the  strength  of  the  French  people  to  regain  their 
freedom,  as  signified  in  their  magnificent  Notre  Dame  de  Paris,  is 
the  timely  message  of  the  commentary  for  "Our  Lady  of  Paris."  This  is 
a  documentary  film  on  the  artistic  beauties  of  the  famed  Cathedral  which, 
in  its  centuries  of  existence,  has  seen  much  wrong  and  oppression,  each 
time  conquered  by  the  prayers  and  courage  of  the  French  people. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  interest  for  church  groups  and  students  of 
art  in  this  film,  which  does  not  direct  its  appeal  to  the  average  theatre 
audience.  The  religious  significance  of  many  of  the  masterpieces  photo- 
graphed is  explained  in  the  interesting  narration  written  and  delivered 
by  the  Rev.  Robert  W.  Gardner  of  the  Catholic  Foreign  Missions  Soci- 
ety, Maryknoll,  N.  Y.  First  shown  for  the  Pope  in  Rome,  a  copy  of  the 
film  is  preserved  in  the  archives  of  the  Vatican.  Father  Gardner  relates 
that  despite  the  grandeur  of  the  Cathedral,  it  is  still  a  simple  church 
made  beautiful  not  alone  by  its  grandeur,  but  also  by  "the  living  presence 
of  a  God." 

In  addition  to  the  scenes  photographed  in  the  interior  of  Notre  Dame, 
there  are  views  of  the  external  architecture  and  the  surrounding  terri- 
tory on  the  banks  of  the  Seine.  There  are  also  several  shots  of  the  sculp- 
ture on  the  facade  and  roof.  Interwoven  with  the  commentary  of  re- 
ligious moment  are  the  many  historical  events  associated  with  the  ancient 
edifice.  The  marriage  of  Mary  Queen  of  Scots,  the  coronation  of  Na- 
poleon and  the  ravages  of  the  French  Revolution  are  mentioned,  among 
others. 

The  photography  is  fairly  satisfactory,  considering  the  difficulties  of 
photographing  the  religious  articles  and  the  masterpieces  of  art  in  the 
Cathedral.  There  is  an  original  recording  by  the  Notre  Dame  Cathedral 
organ. 

"Our  Lady  of  Paris"  was  filmed  by  a  group  of  French  cameramen 
shortly  before  the  outbreak  of  the  war.  George  A.  Hirliman,  listed  as 
the  producer,  completed  the  film  for  release  here. 

Running  time,  56  minutes.   "G,."*  Lucille  Greenberg 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


By  WILLIAM  R.  WEAVER 

Hollywood,  March  14 

GONE  are  the  days  when  Los 
Angeles  realtors  met  Iowans  at 
the  depot  offering  acreages  guaranteed 
to  grow  anything  from  avocados  to 
oil  wells  at  five  crops  the  year.  Come 
are  the  days  when  citizens  of  Bei'^,k| 
Hills  officed  on  Sunset  Strip  othe^fl 
studios  seek  out  those  transplanted 
agrarians  to  buy  back  the  soil.  The 
Selective  Service  order  for  reclassifi- 
cation of  the  4-H's  wrought  the 
switch.  It  is  not  to  be  said  that  the 
case  of  the  talent  agent  over  38  who 
abated  his  angling  for  an  Army  com- 
mission on  the  day  the  18-38  limita- 
tion was  announced  and  went  shop- 
ping for  a  farm  the  morning  after  the 
news  of  the  reclassification  came 
through  is  typical,  but  neither  is  it 
a  solo  performance.  Some  of  those 
victims  from  the  corn  belt  figure  to 
laugh  last  at  the  sharks  that  bit  them. 


The  Army  maintains  four  establish- 
ments here  charged  with  the  produc- 
tion of  pictures  directly  or  by  assign- 
ment of  contract.  A  Special  Services 
detachment  is  making  training  films 
at  the  Sunset  Boulevard  studios, 
owned  by  20th  Century-Fox.  An  Air 
Force  detachment  is  making  some 
more  at  the  Hal  Roach  studio  in 
Culver  City.  The  western  branch  of 
the  Photographic  Center  is  officed  in 
Beverly  Hills,  issuing  contracts  to 
producers  for  the  making  of  more.  A 
Provisional  Task  Force,  Services  of 
Supply,  is  stationed  at  the  Warner 
studio  in  Burbank  arid  this  one — the 
"This  Is  the  Army"  Detachment — 
maintains  a  publicity  department.  This 
is  the  one  of  the  four  that  gets  read 
about  and  known. 


When  time  came  for  the  an- 
nouncement that  Metro-Goldwyn- 
Mayer  is  to  make  a  picture  dealing 
with  the  Federal  Bureau  of  In- 
vestigation, the  studio  depart- 
ment of  press  intelligence  was  in- 
structed to  issue  the  news  in 
written  form  only,  and  in  no  case 
verbally,  for  reasons  of  accuracy 
and  so  forth.  So  the  department  of 
press  intelligence  (publicity,  other- 
wise) did  so,  and  the  story  got  a 
fraction  of  the  newsmention  an 
upper-bracket  casting  gets  in  this 
largely  'phone-rigged  news  center. 


Ralph  Wheelwright,  long-time  M- 
G-M  public  relations  man,  is  back 
from  Washington  with  clearance  for 
production  by  that  studio  of  his  "Suzy- 
Q,"  which  is  the  story  of  the  Flying 
Fortress  of  that  name  attached  to  the 
19th  Bombardment  Group.  It's  to  be 
produced  by  Robert  Z.  Leonard  and 
Orville  O.  Dulle.  That  studio  has  cast 
Desi  Arnaz  as  the  romantic  lead  in 
'Harem  Scarem,"  the  Abbott-Costello 
comedy,  and  given  Hobart  Cavanaugh, 
whose  bit  in  "The  Human  Comedy" 
is  a  click  for  laughs,  a  role  in  "The 
Man  from  Down  Under." 


Ted  Lewis  and  band  have  signed 
with  Columbia  to  make  a  musical  to 
be  entitled  "When  My  Baby  Smiles 
At  Me,"  which  has  served  the  high- 
hatted  tragedian  of  song  as  a  theme 
number  for  a  quarter  century. 


TODAY  IS 
.  INCOME 


IFSra 


PARAMOUNT 


STAR  SPANGLED  RHYTHM 


First  in  history  to  go  six 
weeks  at  both  L.A.  and 
Hollywood  Paramounts 


REAP  THE  WILD  WIND 


"Great!",  says  Variety, 
in  first  key  dates  at 
popular  prices 


HAPPY  GO  LUCKY 


First  pre-release  tops  "Major  and 
Minor"  and  "The  Forest  Rangers" 
at  New  Orleans  Saenger ! 


PARAMOUNT  FIRST 


In  Gallup  Poll  of  best 
pictures  of  1942 


Alan  Ladd  *  LUCKY  JORDAN 


Doubled  N.  Y.  Rialto's  long- 
run  record.  "Astounding"  at 
Buffalo  Hipp.,  says  Variety 


PARAMOUNT  FIRST 


In  Boxoffice  survey,  with 
most  hits  in  '42 


They  TAX  Your  Seating  Capacity! 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  15,  1943 


Ala.  Exhibitors  Seek 
License  Limit  Law 

Birmingham,  March  14. — The 
Interim  Committee  on  Fi- 
nance and  Taxation  of  the 
Alabama  Legislature  has  un- 
der consideration  a  request 
from  exhibitors  that  the  Leg- 
islature limit  the  amount  of 
license  tax  a  municipality  can 
levy. 

Thomas  E.  Orr,  represent- 
ing the  Alabama  Theatre 
Owners  Association,  pointed 
out  all  houses  now  pay  a  10 
per  cent  Federal  admission 
tax  and  the  two  per  cent  state 
sales  levy.  In  addition,  some 
municipalities,  notably  Mobile, 
are  now  levying  a  privilege 
license  based  on  10  per  cent  of 
gross  receipts. 


Univ.  Drops  Appeal 
On  4Kin'  to  MPPDA 


An  appeal  to  the  MPPDA  board 
of  directors  by  Universal  from  a  rul- 
ing of  the  Production  Code  Admin- 
istration ordering  the  deletion  of  pro- 
fanity from  the  dialogue  of  "Next  of 
Kin,"  British  documentary  to  be  dis- 
tributed here  by  Universal,  was  with- 
drawn by  the  company  before  the 
board  acted  on  the  appeal  at  its  meet- 
ing last  Friday. 

As  a  result,  all  profanity,  including 
the  words  "hell"  and  "damn,"  which 
the  board  did  not  order  deleted  from 
"In  Which  We  Serve,"  will  be  elimin- 
ated from  the  "Next  of  Kin"  dialogue. 

Universal  entered  its  appeal  from 
the  P.C.A.  ruling,  it  was  learned,  pri- 
marily to  determine  from  the  MPPDA 
board  whether  the  latter's  action  in 
the  "In  Which  We  Serve"  case  sig- 
nified a  relaxation  of  P.C.A.  rules  in 
the  case  of  war  films.  Assured  by  the 
board  on  Friday  that  such  was  not 
the  case,  Universal  withdrew  its  ap- 
peal without  action  having  been  taken 
on  it.  Accordingly,  the  P.C.A.'s  orig- 
inal ruling  for  deletion  of  all  profan- 
ity in  the  film  stands  and  will  be  com- 
plied with. 


Files  New  Suit  on 
Roy  Rogers  Name 

Roy  Rogers,  theatrical  actor,  whose 
$500,000  damage  and  injunction  action 
was  dismissed  in  N.  Y.  State  Supreme 
Court  last  October,  has  filed  an  amend- 
ed complaint  naming  Republic  Pic- 
tures Corp.,  Republic  Productions,  Inc., 
Republic  Pictures  Corp.  of  California, 
and  Leonard  Slye,  Republic's  cowboy 
star,  as  defendants. 

The  amended  complaint,  as  the  orig- 
inal complaint,  alleges  that  Slye, 
known  as  Dick  Weston  and  Roy  Rog- 
ers in  motion  pictures  violated  a  1935 
agreement  which  limited  the  use  by 
him  of  the  name  "Roy  Rogers"  to  mo- 
tion pictures  only. 


$7,000  Damage  Award 

Buffalo,  March  14. — A  Supreme 
Court  jury  has  reported  a  verdict  of 
$7,000  damages  for  Mrs.  Lucinda  Hel- 
wig  of  Dunkirk  against  Old  Vienna, 
Inc.,  Buffalo  motion  picture  and 
chance  game  establishment.  Physi- 
cians testified  Mrs.  Helwig  probably 
never  will  recover  from  injuries  she 
alleged  were  received  when  she  fell  in 
the  theatre  two  years  ago. 


Key  Grosses  Hold  High 

Level  in  Recent  Weeks 


KEY  city  box-office  receipts  maintained  a  high  level  early  this  year,  with 
a  conspicuous  increase  over  the  New  Year's  holiday,  as  shown  in  the 
accompanying  compilation,  which  is  based  on  Motion  Picture  Daily's 
weekly  reports  of  grosses.    For  the  week  ending  Jan.  1-2,  a  total  of  151 

theatres   reported  an   aggregate   of  $2,831,500,   compared  with  $1,815,500 

reported  by  150  houses  for  the  week  ending  Jan.  2-3,  1942.  For  the  week 
ending  Jan.  8-9,  1943,  a  total  of  154  theatres  showed  a  total  of  $2,424,300, 
against  $1,700,000  for  138  theatres  in  the  corresponding  week  last  year. 

Grosses  have  been  exceptionally  high  for  the  past  month,  it  is  indicated, 

running  substantially  ahead  of  last  year's  figures.  As  an  instance,  the  total 
of  $2,005,200  was  reached  by  149  theatres  reporting  for  the  week  ending 
Feb.  26-27,  as  compared  with  $1,815,300  for  161  theatres  in  the  corresponding 

week  in  1942.  The  only  week  shown  in  1942  which  compares  with  the  increased 
grosses  this  year  was  the  Labor  Day  holiday  period  in  the  week  ending 
Sept.  11-12,  when  the  aggregate  was  $2,048,300  for  143  theatres. 

The  following  tabulation  indicates  the  total  gross  each  week  and  the  num- 
ber of  theatres  reporting  since  the  beginning  of  the  1942  calendar  year : 

No.  of  Total 

Week  Ending  Theatres  Gross 

fan.  2-3,  1942   150  1,815,500 

Jan.  9-10   138  1,700,000 

Jan.  16-17   150  1,600,600 

Jan.  23-24   •   142  1,575,100 

Tan.  30-31    130  1,474,700 

Feb.  6-7    148  1,641,400 

Feb.  13-14    146  1,518,600 

Feb.  20-21    136  1,500,000 

Feb.  27-28    161  1,815,300 

March  6-7    137  1,435,500 

March  13-14    129  1,366,600 

March  20-21    141  1,447,900 

March  27-28    153  1,539,100 

April  3-4   152  1,516,400 

April  10-11    157  1,861,000 

April  17-18    150  1,740,500 

April  24-25    148  1,580,900 

May  1-2    142  1,459,500 

May  8-9    140  1,483,000 

May  15-16    148  1,638,300 

May  22-23    141  1,653,000 

May  29-30    146  1,585,800 

June  5-6    139  1,564,000 

June  12-13    135  1,539,100 

June  19-20    140  1,557,300 

June  26-27    131  1,403,800 

July  3-4    149  1,612,200 

July  10-11    150  1,685,900 

July  17-18    136  1,543,400 

July  24-25   130  1,529,300 

July  31-Aug.  1    136  1,652,700 

Aug.  7-8    140  1,818,900 

Aug.  14-15    140  1,693,500 

Aug.  21-22    141  1,822,900 

Aug.  28-29    134  1,686,300 

Sept.  4-5    138  1,773,300 

Sept.  11-12   •   143  2,048,300 

Sept.  18-19    137  1,568,200 

Sept.  25-26    155  1,863,300 

Oct.  2-3    145  1,830,900 

Oct.  9-10    148  1,885,000 

Oct.  16-17    144  1,746,600 

Oct.  23-24    148  1,774,200 

Oct.  30-31    135  1,588,600 

Nov.  6-7   135  1,635,400 

Nov.  13-14    143  1,727,900 

Nov.  20-21    140  1,746,200 

Nov.  27-28    128  1,465,400 

Dec.  4-5    138  1,794,000 

Dec.  11-12    149  1,633,500 

Dec.  18-19   151  1,656,700 

Dec.  25-26    139  1,395,000 

Jan.  1-2,  1943    151  2,831,500 

Jan.  8-9    154  2,424,300 

Jan.  15-16   149  1,820,500 

Jan.  22-23    127  1,648,600 

Jan.  29-30    127  1,789,500 

Feb.  5-6    126  1,743,000 

Feb.  12-13    132  1,919,000 

Feb.  19-20    139  1,885,900 

Feb.  26-27    149  2,005,200 

March  5-6    142  1,933,400 

March  12-13    151  1,944,600 

(Copyright,  1943,  Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.) 


Ky.  Court  Outlaws 
Games  at  Theatres 

Frankfort,  Ky.,  March  14.— 
Declaring  the  1938  legislative 
act  legalizing  chance  games 
unconstitutional,  the  Court  of 
Appeals  has  reinstated  an  in- 
dictment charging  Malco- 
Memphis  Theatres,  Inc.,  of 
Owensboro,  with  violating  the 
state  lottery  law. 

The  Appellate  Court  re 
versed  a  Circuit  Court  ruling 
which  had  dismissed  the  in- 
dictment charging  a  violation 
by  giving  away  an  automobile 
March  20,  1941,  in  a  drawing 
held  at  a  theatre. 


Capra  War  Films 
Release  in  Britain 


Seven  films  produced  by  Lt.  Col. 
Frank  Capra  for  the  War  Depart- 
ment will  be  released  in  Great  Britain, 
Australia,  New  Zealand  and  South 
Africa,  as  a  result  of  negotiations  by 
Robert  Riskin,  chief  of  the  Overseas 
Motion  Picture  Bureau  of  the  Office 
of  War  Information,  with  the  Special 
Services  Branch  of  the  War  Depart- 
ment, it  was  announced  by  Riskin. 

Riskin  said  that  the  films  will  be 
distributed  in  those  territories  by  one 
of  the  commercial  companies  or  in  col- 
laboration with  the  British  Ministry  of 
Information. 

The  first  three  of  the  series  of  seven 
pictures  are  "Prelude  to  War,"  "The 
Nazi  Strikes"  and  "The  Battle  of 
Britain,"  all  feature  length. 


'Dinner'  Copyright 
Action  Is  Dismissed 

Federal  Judge  Clarence  G.  Galston 
Friday  dismissed  the  copyright  in- 
fringement suit  by  Vincent  McCon- 
nor  against  George  S.  Kaufman  and 
Moss  Hart,  playwrights,  involving  the 
play,  "The  Man  Who  Came  To  Din- 
ner." 

The  plaintiff  alleged  that  "The  Man 
Who  Came  To  Dinner"  was  in  in- 
fringement of  his  play,  "Sticks  and 
Stones,"  also  known  as  "The  Murder 
Issue,"  and  had  asked  for  injunctive 
relief  and  damages. 

The  Kaufman- Hart  play,  after  a 
successful  run  on  Broadway,  was  pub- 
lished as  a  book  by  Random  House. 
Inc  and  filmed  by  Warner  Bros.,  all 
of  whom  were  named  co-defendants. 

Harold  E.  Reinheimer  was  counsel 
for  Hart  and  Kaufman. 


WAC  Sets  4  New 
Subjects  for  April 

Four  new  War  Activities  Commit- 
tee short  subjects  have  been  set  for  re- 
lease in  April,  the  distribution  division 
of  the  WAC  announced.  They  are : 
"Food  for  Fighters,"  week  of  April  1 ; 
"The  Aldrich  Family  Gets  In  the 
Scrap,"  April  8 ;  "Right  of  Way," 
April  15,  and  "Plan  for  Destruction," 
April  22.  The  schedule  will  be  changed 
slightly  for  the  New  York  Metropoli- 
tan area,  it  was  said. 


Altec  Shifts  in  Phila. 

A.  D.  Brooks  has  been  appointed 
Philadelphia  district  supervisor  for 
Altec  Service,  succeeding  D.  A.  Pet- 
erson, promoted  to  the  district  man- 
agership, it  was  announced. 


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Motion  Picture  Sound  Engineering  — 
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Here  is  a  library  of  factual 
information  that  meets  an 
urgent  need.  Authoritative 
manuals  expressly  prepared 
for  theatremen  as  practical 
aids  in  their  daily  routine. 
Glance  over  the  titles!  There 
are  books  here  that  should 
be  on  your  desk  now — books 
that  will  save  you  time, 
effort  and  expense  in  the 
voluminous  information  they 
will  put  at  your  fingertips. 


SEVENTH  EDITION  of  the  famous  F.  H. 
Richardson's  BLUEBOOK  OF  PROJECTION, 
standard  textbook  of  35-mm.  motion  pic- 
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Over  700  pages.  Includes  special  chapters 
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Theatre  Management  Record 
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8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  15,  1943 


USO  Expands 
British  Camp 
Shows  Scope 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

pointed  executive  administrator  of  the 
European  theatre  of  operations.  The 
setup  now  provides  for  the  creation 
of  a  pool  of  top-line  vaudeville,  radio 
and  film  stars,  many  of  whom  are 
now  coming  over.  Between  SO  and  60 
entertainers  will  constantly  be  avail- 
able for  entertaining  American  troops, 
it  was  said. 

It  is  planned  to  create  nine  individ- 
ual units  of  six  artists  each,  cover- 
ing all  British  territory  on  an  18- 
weeks  routing,  visiting  all  U.  S.  Army 
and  Air  Force  stations  and  many  Brit- 
ish camps. 

A  film  industry  subcommittee  headed 
by  Sam  Eckman,  managing  director  here 
for  M-G-M,  is  assisting  with  handling 
stars,  and  distributor  branches  in  the 
provinces  are  cooperating.  A  constant 
flow  of  U.  S.  artists  will  insure  variety 
and  it  is  believed  that  if  contractual 
obligations  will  permit  Jack  Benny, 
Bob  Hope,  Bing  Crosby  and  Burns 
and  Allen  may  come  here. 

Britain  is  considered  the  number 
one  priority  center  for  USO-Camp 
Shows.  It  is  likely  that  arrangements 
will  be  made  with  the  BBC  for  broad- 
casts by  the  American  entertainers, 
not  only  of  the  camp  shows  but  of 
special  programs  for  the  entertain- 
ment of  United  States  and  British  ser- 
vice men  here  and  for  shortwave 
transmission  to  distant  battle  stations. 


3  Distributors  Hit 
By  Appellate  Board 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 
utors  to  offer  the  Lakeview  a  first 
run. 

The  Section  6  complaint  was  filed 
nearly  a  year  ago  by  the  Lakeview, 
charging  that  it  was  unable  to  buy 
the  first  run  of  the  three  distributors 
although  it  was  for  two  and  one-half 
months  the  only  theatre  in  its  local- 
ity. Subsequently  the  United  The- 
atres circuit  opened  the  Beacon  in 
competition  with  the  Lakeview  and 
the  newer  theatre  obtained  the  first 
runs. 

The  distributors  were  criticized  for 
their  action  by  the  New  Orleans  ar- 
bitrator who  entered  an  award  in 
favor  of  the  Lakeview.  The  award 
was  appealed  by  the  distributors  and 
the  appeal  board  remanded  the  case 
to  New  Orleans  for  the  arbitrator  to 
determine  whether  the  new  offers  met 
the  requirements  of  Section  6.  The 
arbitrator  held  that  they  did  not  and 
the  distributors  again  appealed. 

Product  Split  Suggested 

In  its  second  decision,  the  appeal 
board  again  directs  the  distributors 
to  offer  the  Lakewiew  runs  not  cal- 
culated to  defeat  the  purpose  of  Sec- 
tion 6.  As  an  alternative  to  first  run, 
the  board  suggests  that  the  distribu- 
tors split  their  product  between  the 
Lakeview  and  Beacon. 

At  Buffalo,  a  case  involving  with- 
holding of  a  print  of  "Pride  of  the 
Yankees,"  in  which  the  Webster  The- 
atre, Rochester,  sought  $1,000  dam- 
ages from  RKO,  was  withdrawn  by 
stipulation,  presumably  after  a  settle- 
ment had  been  reached. 


Off  the  Antenna 


A RADIO  War  Conference  will  be  sponsored  by  the  National  Association 
of  Broadcasters  April  27  to  29  inclusive  at  the  Palmer  House,  Chicago 
Neville  Miller,  NAB  president,  announced.  Government  officials,  station 
operators  and  members  of  allied  industries  will  be  invited  to  attend.  Pre- 
liminary registration  will  be  on  April  26.  The  final  meeting  of  the  NAB 
1942-43  board  of  directors  will  be  held  the  same  evening. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Paul  White,  CBS  director  of  public  affairs,  will  speak 
before  the  New  York  Rubber  Group  of  the  American  Chemical  Society  on 
March  19  and  at  the  convention  of  the  Federal  Reserve  District  Bankers  in 
Minneapolis  on  March  21 ...  .  Don  Pontius,  Midwest  sales  promotion  coordi- 
nator for  Mutual,  in  Chicago,  announced  the  birth  of  a  daughter  named  Mary 
Alice.  .  .  .  Edward  R.  Murrow,  CBS  London  correspondent,  is  reported 
ivorking  on  a  new  book.  .  .  .  Florence  C.  Ballow,  WICC,  Bridgeport,  pro- 
gram and  publicity  director,  was  married  recently  to  Leslie  B.  Robinson.  .  .  . 
Don  McNeill,  m.c.  of  the  Blue's  "Breakfast  Club,"  has  been  carrying  on  his 
part  of  the  broadcast  from  Wesley  Memorial  Hospital,  Chicago,  where  he  is 
being  treated  for  a  throat  infection. 

•  •  • 

A  total  of  323,100  in  war  bonds  was  sold  in  six  days  by  WGN,  Chicago, 
as  tickets  of  admission  to  a  special  matinee  of  "Ice-Capades  of  1943"  at 
the  Chicago  Arnea  next  Saturday,  the  station  announced.  All  bonds  pur- 
chased in  connection  with  the  show  are  to  go  to  a  fund  to  build  a  new 
cruiser  to  be  name  U.S.S.  Chicago. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  WBZ-WBZA,  Boston  and  Springfield,  Mass.,  will 
inaugurate  a  series  of  salute  programs  to  various  Massachusetts  cities  and 
towns  next  Saturday.  .  .  .  NBC  on  Friday  originated  a  series  of  five  dramatic 
broadcasts  titled  "You  Are  the  Red  Cross."  ...  A  regular  Monday  night  pro- 
gram will  be  heard  over  KPO,  San  Francisco,  from  the  rehearsal  room  of  the 
Golden  Gate  Theatre  in  that  city  to  aid  the  Federal  employment  service  drive 
to  recruit  workers  for  vital  war  industries.  .  .  .  Groucho  Marx  will  be  starred 
on  the  Pabst  "Blue  Ribbon  Town"  program  starting  on  CBS  March  27. 


Keener  Competition  Abroad 
After  War  Seen  by  Griffis 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

Finland  and  Germany,  as  well,  the 
only  country  to  which  Sweden  is  able 
to  export  its  films.  Swedish  theatres 
exhibit  the  German  Ufa  newsreel, 
Griffis  reported,  but  show  practically 
no  German  feature  films.  The  Ufa 
reel  has  a  "tremendous  influence"  in 
Sweden,  he  asserted,  due  to  the  fact 
that  it  is  first  into  the  country  with 
its  releases. 

Felt  German  Rudeness 

Finland  is  flooded  with  German 
films,  Griffis  reported,  but  ascribed 
that  fact  to  another  one,  that  Finland 
also  is  flooded  with  the  German  mili- 
tary. He  said  that  apart  from  inci- 
dental rudeness  in  public  places  he  was 
not  interfered  with  by  German  sol- 
diers while  in  Finland. 

The  Portuguese  public  refuses 
to  accept  German  films,  he  said, 
and  recounted  that  a  theatre 
opened  there  by  the  Nazis  was 
soon  forced  to  close  for  lack 
of  audiences  even  though 
"thousands  of  passes  were  dis- 
tributed." The  United  Newsreel 
and  other  American  and  Brit- 
ish reels  are  shown  in  Portugal 
and  American  films  predominate 
there,  he  said. 

Although  the  official  Spanish  news- 
reel  purports  to  be  "neutral,"  Griffis 
said,  the  Axis  slant  inevitably  is  in 
evidence  in  the  reel.  American  fea- 
tures predominate,  however,  and  even 
Hollywood  films  that  are  two  or  three 
years  old  draw  heavy  patronage.  The- 
atre business  in  all  of  the  countries 
visited,  he  said,  is  "tremendous." 

Spain  produced  43  films  last  year, 
Griffis  reported,  compared  with  about 
75  American  films  shown  there.  The 
native  product  finds  a  good  export 
market   in   Latin   America   he  said. 


Germany  supplies  Spain  with  much 
raw  stock  and  Griffis  believes  that 
the  United  States  should  devise  a 
raw_  stock  quota  supply  system  for 
Spain  and  other  neutrals  to  counter- 
act the  goodwill  being  won  by  Ger- 
many in  such  countries  by  virtue  of 
making  such  supplies  available  to 
them. 

Sees  Partial  Gain 

Griffis  expressed  the  opinion  that 
the  revenues  lost  to  American  dis- 
tributors after  the  war  through  the 
upbuilding  of  European  production 
now,  and  the  consequent  claim  of 
such  product  on  native  playing  time, 
may  be  made  up  in  part  by  the  reopen- 
ing of  Central  European  markets  to 
American  films. 

He  stated  he  has  no  definite  plans 
for  the  immediate  future,  but  does  not 
expect  to  take  as  active  a  part  in 
Paramount  affairs  as  he  has  in  the 
past.  _  He  established  entertainment 
facilities  for  American  troops  in  out- 
of-the-way  stations  while  abroad  and 
observed  that,  from  personal  experi- 
ence films  and  other  forms  of  enter- 
tainment are  the  best  things  that  can 
be  provided  for  service  men  in  the 
many  areas  where  recreation  is  practi- 
cally non-existent. 


Korda  "Not  Eager 
To  Sell  UA  Stock" 

Hollywood,  March  14— In  answer 
to  published  reports  that  he  intends 
disposing  of  his  United  Artists  stock, 
Alexander  Korda  announced,  "I  don't 
know  what  the  reports  are  all  about. 
I  am  not  an  eager  seller  of  my  stock." 

Reports  had  circulated  here  that 
David  O.  Selznick  would  bid  for  a 
one-quarter  interest  if  stock  was  of- 
fered for  sale  and  UA  failed  to  buy  it 
up. 


WPB  Film  Session 
Put  Off  to  March  23 

The  meeting  of  the  motion 
picture  industry  advisory  com- 
mittee with  War  Production 
Board  officials  scheduled  in 
Washington  for  tomorrow  has 
been  postponed  a  week,  to 
March  23,  it  was  reported  in 
New  York.  This  is  the  third 
postponement  of  the  session. 


(ft. 

Crescent  Case 
Seen  Affecting 
'Big  5'  Decree 


(Continued  frotn  page  1) 
course  in  that  matter  and  are  not  ex- 
pected to  make  their  views  known 
until  the  time  for  action  arrives,  but 
apparently  have  been  waiting  to  see 
how  the  courts  would  act  in  the  re- 
gional cases  which  have  been  brought. 

Department  official's,  however,  ex- 
pressed the  belief  that  the  Government 
position  in  the  New  York,  Buffalo 
and  Oklahoma  City  actions  has  been 
strengthened  by  the  Nashville  decision 
and  that  that  decision  may  have  a  very 
definite  influence  on  the  course  to  be 
taken  by  the  Department  in  connection 
with  the  consent  decree's  expiration. 


Possibility  of  Other 
Decisions  Scouted 

Industry  attorneys  in  New  York 
pointed  out  that  there  is  practically  no 
possibility  of  the  Nashville  decision 
being  supported  by  "corresponding  de- 
cisions" in  the  other  Government  anti- 
trust actions  now  pending  which 
could  "strengthen  the  position"  of  the 
Department  of  Justice  in  connection 
with  its  future  course  on  the  consent 
decree. 

Of  the  three  Government  cases 
still  pending,  it  was  pointed  out, 
only  the  Oklahoma  City  case 
against  Griffith  Amusement  Co. 
and  the  "Little  Three"  distribu- 
tors could  be  brought  to  trial 
in  advance  of  the  decree's  ex- 
piration and  there  would  be 
virtually  no  possibility  of  a  de- 
cision being  handed  down  in 
that  case  by  next  Nov.  20,  when 
the  decree  expires,  even  if  it 
were  to  be  tried  this  Spring  or 
Summer. 

The  Government  are  restrained 
from  proceeding  in  the  Schine  action 
at  Buffalo  before  May,  1944,  under  the 
two-year  standstill  agreement  entered 
into  by  the  Department  last  May 
Likewise,  the  Department  cannot  pro- 
ceed against  the  five  consenting  com 
panies  in  the  New  York  action  in  ad 
vance  of  the  decree's  expiration  and 
any  procedure  against  the  "Little 
Three"  separately,  however  unlikely, 
could  not  produce  a  decision  before 
Nov.  20,  it  was  asserted. 

Industry  attorneys  agreed,  however, 
that  the  Nashville  decision  will 
strengthen  the  Department's  position 
with  respect  to  its  future  course  after 
expiration  of  the  decree,  if  that  deci- 
sion is  not  appealed.  It  is  also  felt 
that  the  Department  may  be  encour- 
aged by  the  Nashville  decision  to  ad- 
vance its  preparations  for  trial  of  the 
Oklahoma  City  case  if  no  appeal  is 
taken  at  Nashville. 


■ 


-.Jr 


TION  PICTURE 


to  the 
Picture 
Industry 


tion 


First  in 
Fi 


NO.  50 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  TUESDAY,  MARCH  16,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


J  l 


W.  B.  Circuit 
Buys  3  Phila. 
Area  Houses 


Australia,  Latin- America 
Acquisitions  Also  Made 

The  Warner  circuit  home  office 
here  yesterday  revealed  three  thea- 
tre acquisitions  in  the  Philadelphia 
area  where  the  circuit  has  been 
buying-  theatres  in  the  past  few 
weeks,  following  the  purchase  of 
two  first-run  downtown  houses  by 
William  Goldman,  independent 
operator. 

Home  office  officials  also  an- 
nounced the  purchase  by  the 
firm  of  the  newly-built  Teatro 
Central,  1,800-seat  house  in  Lima, 
Peru,  giving  the  company  a 
dominant  situation  in  the  South 
American  city,  it  was  said.  A 
centrally  located  business  site 
in  Sydney,  Australia,  has  also 
been  bought  by  Warners  for 
construction  of  a  theatre,  it  was 
announced. 

Recently,  the  circuit  purchased  the 
Aldine,  downtown  Philadelphia  first- 
run  house,  and  it  reportedly  has  nego- 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


Univ.  First  Quarter 
Profit  $1,135,763: 
Directors  Reelected 


Universal  Pictures  Co.,  Inc.,  yes- 
terday reported  consolidated  net 
profit  of  $1,135,763  for  the  first  quar- 
ter of  the  company's  current  fiscal 
year,  after  providing  for  Federal  in- 
come and  excess  profits  taxes. 

The  company's  consolidated  profit 
before  providing  for  Federal  taxes  was 
$2,152,163  for  the  quarter  ended  Jan. 
30,  1943.  For  the  corresponding  peri- 
od a  year  ago  Universal  reported  net 
profit  of  $845,941  after  taxes  and  $1,- 
518,315  before. 

All  directors  of  Universal  Pictures 
Co.  were  reelected  at  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  stockholders  of  the  company  at 
Wilmington,  Del.,  yesterday,  at  which 
Charles  D.  Prutzman,  vice-president 
and  general  counsel,  presided. 

Directors  are :  Nate  J.  Blumberg, 
Paul  G.  Brown,  J.  Cheever  Cowdin, 
D.  C.  Collins,  Preston  Davie,  Samuel 
I.  Posen,  Ottavio  Prochet,  Prutzman, 
Budd  Rogers,  Daniel  M.  Sheaffer,  W. 
H.  Taylor,  Jr. 

The  board  will  meet  April  1,  at 
which  time  all  officers  of  the  company 
are  expected  to  be  reelected. 


Mono.  Meet  Weighs 
New  Product  Policy 


Chicago,  March  15. — Acceptance  of 
a  program  of  more  costly  productions 
for  1933-34  was  indicated  today  at  a 
meeting  of  Monogram  franchise  hold- 
ers and  executives,  headed  by  W.  Ray 
Johnston,  president.  The  record  made 
by  "Silver  Skates"  has  brought  about 
discussion  of  a  new  production  policy 
which  calls  for  a  smaller  number  of 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Milstein-Small  Suit 
Reported  as  Settled 

The  Federal  Court  action  brought 
by  J.  J.  Milstein  against  Edward 
Small  Productions,  Inc.,  to  recover 
$60,000  in  commissions  allegedly  due 
him  by  that  company  is  reported  to 
have  been  settled  out  of  court  for  a 
substantial  sum. 

Milstein  formerly  was  Eastern 
representative  for  Edward  Small  Pro- 
ductions. His  suit  against  the  company 
was  based  on  a  contract  which  called 
for  a  salary  of  $300  weekly  plus  5  per 
cent  of  the  profits. 


Post- War  Purchase 
Plan  Set  by  R.C.A. 


A  purchasing  plan  for  after  the  war 
deliveries  of  sound  equipment  and  pro- 
jectors is  to  be  inaugurated  today  by 
RCA,  the  company  announced. 

The  plan  offers  a  purchase  priority 
for  theatres  which  order  new  equip- 
ment now  to  be  shipped  as  soon  as 
possible  after  the  war.  The  orders  are 
placed  on  the  priority  list  according  to 
their  date  of  mailing.  Purchasers  are 
required  to  pay  either  10  per  cent  of 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Troops  Count  Hours 
For  Pictures:  Clark 

The  American  soldier  in 
North  Africa  finds  his  best 
entertainment  in  films,  Major 
Kenneth  Clark,  former 
MPPDA  public  relations  head, 
and  now  chief  public  relations 
officer  for  General  Eisen- 
hower's Fifth  Army,  states  in 
a  letter  to  Joseph  H.  Hazen, 
Warner  Bros,  vice-president, 
received  yesterday. 

"You  would  feel  good  all 
over  if  you  could  see  our 
troops  literally  barging  from 
the  rafters  to  see  the  16mm. 
versions  supplied  by  the  in- 
dustry," Clark  wrote.  "You 
can't  imagine  how  the  troops 
look  forward  to  movies  and 
shows.  I've  heard  them  liter- 
ally count  the  hours." 


Col.  Reports  Net 
Of  $750,000  for 
First  Six  Months 


Columbia  Pictures  Corp.  yesterday 
reported  net  profit  of  $750,000  for  the 
first  half  of  the  company's  current 
fiscal  year,  the  period  ending  Dec.  26, 
1942. 

The  result  compares  with  net  profit 
after  all  charges  and  taxes  of  $737,000 
for  the  corresponding  period  of  the 
preceding  fiscal  year. 

Columbia's  operating  profit,  before 
Federal  income  and  excess  profits 
taxes,  amounted  to  $2,350,000  for  the 
first  six  months  of  the  current  fiscal 
year,  compared  with  $1,514,000  for  the 
corresponding  period  of  the  previous 
year.  Federal  taxes  were  $1,600,000 
this  year  compared  with  $777,000  the 
preceding  year. 


Majority  of  Industry  Bills 
In  N.  Y.  Legislature  Killed 


Stoltz  Named  U.A. 
Exploitation  Director 

Arnold  Stoltz  has  been  appointed 
director  of  exploitation  for  United 
Artists,  Paul  N.  Lazarus,  Jr.,  adver- 
tising and  publicity  director,  an- 
nounced yesterday.  Stoltz  in  1941  won 
the  Silver  Grand  Award  for  exploita- 
tion, sponsored  by  Motion  Picture 
Herald,  through  the  Managers'  Round 
Table. 

Stoltz  will  join  the  company  next 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


By  RICHARD  J.  CONNORS 

Albany,  March  15. — The  majority 
of  the  Assembly  bills  directly  relating 
to  the  industry  have  been  killed  by 
Assembly  committees  which  have  now 
turned  over  the  legislation  remaining 
alive  to  the  Rules  Committee. 

Among  the  measures  killed  was  As- 
semblyman Edgar  Moran's  bill  that 
New  York  City  theatres  provide  a  seat 
for  doormen  taking  tickets ;  the  Ar- 
chinal  chance  game  legalization ;  two 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


Mellett  Gets 
Studio  Letter 
On  Script  Plan 

Procedure  Seen  Avoiding 
Censor  Implication 


Washington,  March  15. — Al- 
though the  proposals  of  Hollywood 
producers  that  they  submit  to  the 
Office  of  War  Information  only 
those  scripts  which  deal  with  Army 
and  Navy  subjects  have  been  re- 
ceived here,  Lowell  Mellett,  chief 
of  the  OWI  motion  picture  bureau, 
refused  to  comment  today  on  the 
proposals. 

Mellett  explained  that  an  agreement 
to  submit  Army  and  Navy  scripts  to 
the  OWI  simultaneously  with  their 
submission  to  the  departments  was 
reached  last  week  when  he  was  in 
Hollywood.  At  that  time,  he  said,  he 
did  not  discuss  the  question  of  non- 
military  scripts. 

Text  of  Letter 

Hollywood,  March  15. — The  text 
of  the  producers'  letter  to  Lowell  Mel- 
lett follows  : 

"Referring  to  the  discussion  which 
representatives  of  certain  of  the  un- 
dersigned producers  recently  had  with 
you  concerning  your  memorandum  of 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


CIAA  Seeks  Breen's 
Services  as  Advisor 


Washington,  March  15. — The  Of- 
fice of  the  Coordinator  of  Inter-Amer- 
ican Affairs  has  asked  the  MPPDA 
to  permit  Joseph  I.  Breen,  Production 
Code  administrator,  to  serve  the  CIAA 
in  an  advisory  capacity  for  a  tempo- 
rary period,  it  is  learned. 

The  request  was  made  to  Will  H 
Hays,  MPPDA  president,  by  Nelson 
Rockefeller,  Coordinator  of  Inter- 
American  Affairs,  recently.  It  in- 
volves Breen's  serving  the  CIAA  in 
Washington  for  a  month  or  two  at 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Insider's  Outlook,"  by  Red 
Kann,  Page  2.  Stage  shows  aid 
B'way  grosses.  Page  8.  Reviews 
of  "Ladies  Day"  "I  Walked 
With  a  Zombie"  and  "The 
Black  Raven,"  Page  6.  Kay 
city  box-office  reports,  Page  6. 


2 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Tuesday,  March  16,  1943 


2%  Admission  Tax 
Killed  in  Nebraska 

Lincoln,  Neb.,  March  15.— 
The  Nebraska  legislature's 
revenue  committee,  by  a  vote 
of  6  to  0,  killed  a  bill  that 
would  have  levied  a  two  per 
cent  sales  tax  on  all  retail 
business,  including  theatre 
and  other  amusement  admis- 
sions. The  measure,  backed 
by  the  state's  educational  in- 
terests, would  have  raised 
$7,000,000  a  year  to  replace 
school  property  levies. 


M-G-M  Buys  Screen 
Rights  to  'The  Pirate' 

M-G-M  has  announced  the  pur- 
chase of  screen  rights  to  "The  Pi- 
rate," now  in  its  17th  week  on 
Broadway.  The  comedy,  written  by 
S.  N.  Behrman,  and  presented  by  the 
Playwrights  Company  in  association 
with  the  Theatre  Guild,  stars  Alfred 
Lunt  and  Lynn  Fontanne. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 

Bob  HOPE   Dorothy  LAMOUR 

In  Samuel  Goldwyn's 

"THEY  GOT  ME  COVERED" 

Released  thru  RKO  Radio  Pictures 
Gala  Stage  Revue    .   Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


See  what  really  happens  to 

"HITLER'S  CHILDREN" 

IN  PERSON 

XAVIER  CUGAT 

HENNY  YOUNGMAN 


and  his 
ORCHESTRA 


PARAMOUNT 


TIMES 
SQUARE 


ROBERT  DONAT  <" 

"THE  YOUNG  MR.  PITT" 

Released  by  20th  Century-Fox 

MSE }  GRACE  MOORE 

PLUS  A  BIG  Df>  W  7th  Ave. 
STAGE  SHOW  RVA  I  &  50th  St. 


PALACE 


B'WAY  & 
47th  St. 


HENRY  FONDA       MAUREEN  O'HARA 

IMMORTAL  SERGEANT' 

—  and  — 
'HE'S  MY  GUY* 
JOAN  DAVIS         •         DICK  FORAN 


Loew's  STATE  r 

IN  PERSON  1 
m*^—^—^  Will  Osborne 
ON  SCREEN         1  &Qrch. 


CLAUDETTE  COLBERT 

JOEL  McCREA  in  EXTRA! 

'PalmBeaciiStory'  j?uTkey 


Outlook  Insider's 


■  By  RED  KANN- 


Hollywood,  March  15 
TF  Hollywood  cannot  get 
*■  military  immunity  for  the 
limited  number  of  actors  it 
must  have,  the  hope  is  voiced 
it  can  get  them  for  pictures 
anyway,  but  by  a  different 
route.  That  route  is  assign- 
ment to  production  under  or- 
ders and  ties  in  with  various 
relief  funds  of  the  armed  serv- 
ices. 

The  idea  is  interesting,  has 
the  merit  of  making  consider- 
able sense  and  is  a  carbon  off- 
shoot of  the  enormously  suc- 
cessful "This  Is  the  Army" 
show. 

Let's  trace  the  blueprint. 
■ 

Ronald  Regan  was  taken  off 
active  duty  and  ordered  into 
the  film  version  of  Irving  Ber- 
lin's musical  under  military 
procedure.  He  is  now  on  that 
assignment  along  with  the  sol- 
dier members  of  the  cast ;  and 
both  are  still  in  the  army,  of 
course.  Later,  Reagan  returns 
to  his  post  and  the  whole  unit 
either  breaks  up  or  possibly 
ships  as  is  to  England.  This  is 
not  a  military  secret. 

When  the  authorities  deter- 
mined Lieut.  Jimmy  Stewart 
was  the  man  for  a  short  deal- 
ing with  the  air  corps,  he  got 
his  orders,  too.  The  job  was 
done,  back  into  service  he  went 
and  the  nation  lost  no  battles. 

When  Gregory  Ratoff  sought 
Robert  Taylor  as  his  lead  in 
"Russia,"  his  appeal  went  from 
Soviet  Ambassador  Litvinoff 
to  OWI  chief  Elmer  Davis  to 
Navy  Secretary  Frank  Knox. 
Result:  Taylor,  fresh  in  the 
navy,  was  released  for  the 
duration — the  duration  of  the 
picture. 

■ 

In  the  face  of  these  incidents, 
which  might  be  construable  as 
precedents,  can  their  applica- 
tion be  interpreted  as  sweep- 
ing enough  to  include  the  Clark 
Gables,  the  Henry  Fondas  and 
the  Tyrone  Powers  among  the 
actors  and,  to  broaden  it,  the 
Frank  Capras,  the  John  Fords 
and  the  William  Wylers  among 
the  directors? 

If  a  couple  of  hundred  men 
can  be  detached  from  duty  to 
tour  the  nation  in  an  army 
show  and  if  a  soldier  football 
team  can  be  assigned  barn- 
storming for  army  relief,  why 
can't  some  of  Hollywood's  pro- 
fessionals make  a  like  offering 
in  the  manner  in  which  they 
are  best  fitted  ? 

■ 

This  launches  deliberation 
over  a  method.  That  leads  to 
contributions — in  cash — which 
a  performer  of  importance  can 
make  to  any  military  fund  that 
may  be  designated  by  doing  a 
couple  of  pictures  a  year  for 


his  peacetime  employer.  All 
that  he  would  draw  would  be  his 
monthly,  army,  navy,  etc.,  pay. 

But  all  that  the  producer 
paid  him  as  a  civilian  who  also 
happens  to  be  an  actor  would 
be  turned  over  to  the  agency  of 
designation.  Beyond  this,  of 
necessity,  ought  to  go  a  will- 
ingness by  the  distributor  to 
fork  over  the  profits  of  such 
attractions  to  the  same  or  some 
other  fund. 

It  is  not  at  all  as  fantastic 
as  it  may  sound.  Warner  is 
doing  that — exactly  that — on 
"This  Is  the  Army."  In  fact,  it 
is  going  further  by  lifting  dis- 
tribution charges. 

■ 

Millions  could  be  raised  by  a 
formula  of  this  general  charac- 
ter. The  public  would  continue 
to  get  the  favorites  it  pays  to 
see.  Entertainment  that  would 
keep  morale  flourishing  would 
be  assured. 

And  an  additional  fire  stirred 
up  under  the  industry's  war 
time  activities. 

■ 

Meanwhile,  two  develop- 
ments capture  attention  here. 
One  is  the  application  to  defer 
Kay  Kyser  who,  despite  some 
published  reports,  is  reliably 
understood  to  have  had  no 
hand  in  the  development  which 
is  before  the  President  for  de- 
termination. The  best  credited 
story  has  it  that  Elmer  Davis 
is  responsible  for  the  appeal  in 
view  of  Kyser's  unflagging 
work  in  radio  and  in  army 
camps  and  a  reluctance  to  in- 
terrupt it.  Actually,  this  is 
significant  recognition  of  the 
part  a  well  known  personality 
can  fill  off  the  field  of  battle. 

Two  is  the  observation  cred- 
ited to  Litvinoff  by  Drew 
Pearson  in  his  "Washington 
Merry-Go-Round"  column.  "I 
don't  understand  this  country. 
You  take  the  men  who  can  do 
most  for  morale  and  send  them 
off  to  shoot  a  rifle.  In  my 
country,  we  exempt  leading  ac- 
tors from  military  service." 
■ 

In  turn,  this  recalls  what 
Ramond  Gram  Swing  said  in 
one  of  his  broadcasts  some 
weeks  ago. 

"Leningrad  was  under  con- 
stant artillery  fire  and  it  was 
repeatedly  bombed  from  the 
air.  But  the  city  kept  its  mor- 
ale and  kept  it  on  a  high  level. 
Two  orchestras  continued  to 
play  regularly,  three  theatres 
and  twenty-three  movies  did  not 
close  their  doors  for  a  day." 

_  If  an  invaded  country  and  a 
city  at  siege  recognize  the  im- 
perative need  to  keep  their  en- 
tertainment channels  open,  it 
may  be  argued  long  and  well 
that  the  point  at  issue  reduces 
itself  to  this : 

Why  not  in  America? 


Personal 
Mention 


NATE  J.  BLUMBERG,  president 
Universal,  and  Mrs.  Blumberg 
leave  Hollywood  for  New  York 
March  26. 

• 

Edward  C.  Raftery,  United  Artists 
president,  is  scheduled  to  arrive,jW_ ,tn 
the  Coast  next  weekend. 


Vflr 


Monroe  Greenthal  is  in  California 
from  Washington. 

Arthur  W.  Kelly  is  on  the  Coast. 

Gradwell  L.  Sears  and  Paul  N. 
Lazarus,  Jr.,  plan  to  leave  for  the 
Coast  in  about  a  week. 

• 

Joseph  M.  Schenck  and  William 
Goetz  are  expected  here  early  next 
week. 

• 

Tom  J.  Connors  and  Edmund 
Reek  are  in  Florida. 

James  Mulvey  returns  today  from 
California. 

J.  J.  Milstein  leaves  for  the  Coast 
tomorrow. 

E.  K.  O'Shea  is  in  Dallas. 

W.  A.  Scully  is  expected  from 
Florida  next  Monday. 

Mort  Blumenstock  was  in  Wash- 
ington yesterday. 

• 

Margaret   Holzer   of   the  RKO 
home  office  contract  department  has 
resigned  to  join  the  WAVES. 
• 

Robert  Mochrie,  general  sales 
manager  of  RKO,  is  in  the  South. 


Mayer  Is  Due  Here 
After  Visit  in  Capital 

Louis  B.  Mayer,  Loew's  vice-presi- 
dent in  charge  of  production,  is  ex- 
pected here  today  or  tomorrow  from 
Washington,  where  he  arrived  yester- 
day from  California.  Mayer  is  accom- 
panied by  I.  H.  Prinzmetal,  M-G-M 
studio  attorney,  and  Howard  Strick- 
ling,  studio  publicity  director. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c. 


PARAMOUNT  FIRST 

In  Gallup  Poll -In  Boxoffice 
Hit  Survey -For  1942 


Sweeping  the  Country  AGAIN 
n  Its  Popular  Price  Engagements! 


First  4  days  tops  "Forest  Rangers"  at  Providence  Strand. 
First  week  tops  2nd  week  of  advanced-price  run  in  Richmond. 

Only  4%  under  advanced-price  gross  at  Miami  Paramount. 
"Major  &  Minor" ,  "Wake  Island"  in  Harrisonburg,  Va.  (Pop.  9000) 
"Great"  at  Seattle  Music  Box,  says  Variety. 
Held  over  at  the  Denham,  Denver. 


6 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Tuesday,  March  16,  1943 


Reviews 


"Ladies'  Day" 

(RKO) 

A  S  the  title  implies,  "Ladies'  Day"  has  as  its  theme  the  great  American 
sport  and  has  most  of  its  action  on  the  baseball  diamond.  Lupe 
Velez  as  a  fiery  film  star,  and  Eddie  Albert  as  a  champion  pitcher,  play 
the  leads  in  this  unpretentious,  yet  entertaining  comedy.  The  perform- 
ances of  the  two  leading  players  and  the  timely  sports  theme  should  aid 
the  box-office  draw. 

The  comedy  is  supported  by  such  wel  known  figures  as  Patsy  Kelly, 
Max  Baer,  Jerome  Cowan  and  Iris  Adrian.  The  entire  cast  is  correctly 
zany  as  a  team  of  ball  players,  their  managers  and  wives.  The  lively 
screenplay  was  handled  well  by  Charles  E.  Roberts  and  Dane  Lussier 
from  a  play  by  Robert  Considine,  Edward  Clark  Lilley  and  Bertrand 
Robinson. 

Albert's  weaknes  for  the  ladies  has  proved  a  detriment  to  his  game 
and,  when  he  marries  Miss  Velez,  his  teammates  and  their  wives  see  the 
World  Series  flying  out  the  window.  They  start  a  campaign  to  get  the 
picture  star  out  of  the  way  and  succeed  through  a  kidnaping  and  other 
maneuvers  until  the  last  series  game.  At  that  point,  Albert  acts  in  re- 
verse and  plays  badly  because  he  misses  his  wife.  When  she  appears 
on  the  scene,  he  pitches  the  best  game  of  his  career  and  the  day  is  saved. 

Miss  Velez  turns  in  a  characteristically  peppery  performance,  and  Al- 
bert is  amusing  as  the  mild-mannered  hero.  The  direction  by  Leslie 
Goodwins  is  in  keeping  with  the  fast  moving  plot.  Bert  Gilroy  was 
producer. 

Running  time,  62  minutes.  "G."*  Lucille  Greenberg 


"I  Walked  with  a  Zombie" 

(RKO) 

Hollywood,  March  IS 

HP  HIS  is  a  nice  dish  of  horror,  brewed  to  the  taste  of  fans  who  like 
■*■  this  sort  of  thing,  and  judging  by  past  box-office  performances  there 
are  many.  "I  Walked  with  a  Zombie"  is  laid  in  a  West  Indies  isle 
whose  owners'  forebears  had  dealt  cruelly  in  Negro  slaves.  The 
descendants  of  the  slaves  practice  their  voodoo,  the  wife  of  the  owner 
is  one  of  the  "living  dead,"  there  is  a  mystery  about  the  relations  of 
two  half-brothers,  and  drums  and  calypso  singing  permeate  the  atmos- 
phere. 

Well  done  is  this  second  of  RKO's  horror  group  being  produced  by 
Val  Lewton.  The  film  is  based  on  a  series  of  non-fiction  articles  dealing 
with  "the  walking  dead"  and  voodooism  written  by  Inez  Wallace  in  the 
American  Weekly  magazine.  Curt  Siodmak  and  Ardel  Wray  fashioned 
the  screenplay  with  deftness.  Jacques  Tourneur,  who  directed,  utilized 
every  opportunity  to  enhance  the  eerie  atmosphere  of  the  theme. 

James  Ellison  and  Tom  Conway,  as  half-brothers ;  Frances  Dee,  as  a 
Canadian  nurse  called  to  nurse  the  "zombie"  wife  of  one  of  the  brothers; 
Edith  Barrett,  as  the  mother  of  the  boys,  head  the  cast.  Others  are 
Teresa  Harris,  James  Bell,  Christine  Gordon,  Sir  Lancelot  (the  noted 
calypso  singer),  Darby  Jones  and  Jeni  LeGon. 

Running  time,  68  minutes.    "G".*  Vance  King 

"The  Black  Raven" 

(Producers  Releasing) 

Hollywood,  March  15 

A  N  inn  on  the  American  side  of  the  Canadian  border  in  a  rainstorm 
is  the  effective  setting  for  the  four  murders  which  occur  to 
depopulate  the  cast  and  fascinate  the  observers  of  this  melodrama, 
something  of  a  departure  from  formula  and  a  lot  of  picture  for  the 
money  spent.  It  is  no  threat  to  house  records  but  keeps  its  61  minutes 
interesting. 

George  Zucco,  Wanda  McKay,  Noel  Madison,  Byron  Foulger,  Charles 
Middleton,  Robert  Middlemas,  Glenn  Strange  and  I.  Stanford  Jolley 
are  the  players,  Zucco,  Madison  and  Middlemas  having  the  best  of  it  in 
terms  of  performance. 

Fred  Myton  wrote  the  screenplay,  which  places  an  assortment  of 
characters  in  the  inn  under  circumstances  which  lead  to  murder,  and 
Sam  Newfield  directed  for  producer  Sigmund  Neufeld,  the  trio  turning 
in  a  balanced  job. 

Running  time,  61  minutes.    "G".*  William  R.  Weaver 


'Casablanca'  in 


Boston  Smash 


With  $40,000 


Boston,  March  15. — Strong  at- 
tractions and  Spring-like  weather  ac- 
count for  big  grosses  here  this  week. 
"Casablanca"  dualled  with  "Silver 
Skates"  is  on  the  road  to  a  sensa- 
tional $40,000  at  the  M  &  P  ^  Metro- 
politan. "Random  Harvest"  in  a 
strong  third  week  is  expected  to  ac- 
count for  $20,000  at  the  Orpheum  and 
$16,000  at  the  State. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  17 : 

"Random  Harvest  (M-G-M) 

LOEWS  STATE— (2,900)  (35c-50c-60c) 
7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $16,000.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEWS  ORPHEUM — (3,000)  (35c-50c- 
60c)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $20,000. 
(Average,  $19,500) 

"Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (20th-Fox) 

RKO  BOSTON— (2,679)  (5Sc-6Sc-75c-85c- 
99c)  7  days.  Stage:  Bob  Allen  and  or- 
chestra, Beatrice  Kay,  Dave  Apollon  and 
his  Filipinos,  Gordon's  Racketeers,  other 
acts.  Gross:  $32,000.  (Average,  $27,000) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 
"Calaboose"  (U.  A.) 

RKO'  KEITH  MEMORIAL — (2,907)  (44c- 
55c-65c-85c)  7  days,  3rd  week.    Gross:  $22,000. 
(Average,  $20,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 
"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

M&P  METROPOLITAN— (4,367)  (30c-40c- 
55c-65c)  7  days.  Gross:  $40,000.  Average, 
$24,000) 

"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Univ.) 

M&P  PARAMOUNT— (1,797)  (33c-44c-6Sc) 
7  days.    Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  8,000) 
"China  Girl"  (20th-Fox) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

M&P    FENWAY— (1,320)    (33c-44c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

M&P   SCOLLAY— (2,500)    (33c-44c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $6,500.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"The  Black  Swan"  (20th-Fox) 
"Street  of  Chance"  (Para.) 

M&P    MODERN— (705)    (33c-40c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:    $4,500.    (Average,  $3,500) 
"Frankenstein  Meets  the  Wolf  Man"  (Univ.) 
"Hi,  Buddy"  (Univ.) 

TRANSLUX— (900)     (17c-28c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $7,500.    (Average,  $5,000) 
"Fantasia"  (RKO) 

MAJESTIC— (1,525)   (28c-40c-65c)   4  days, 
3rd  week.    Gross:  $800. 
"Northwest  Passage"  (M-G-M) 
"My  Favorite  Blonde"  (Para.) 

M&P  ESQUIRE  (Uptown)— (941)  (35c-50c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $3,000.    (Average,  $2,500) 


'Harvest'  Heads  for 


$14,000,  Montreal 


Montreal,  March  15. — "Random 
Harvest"  at  Loew's  is  expected  to 
take  the  lead  with  an  estimated  $14,- 
000.  "Casablanca"  is  still  in  the 
money  in  its  second  week  at  the  Pal- 
ace, with  $11,000  expected.  "In 
Which  We  Serve,"  now  in  its  fifth 
week  at  the  Orpheum,  is  still  doing 
better  than  average  business,  with 
$4,000  expected. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  18: 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

ORPHEUM— (1,100)  (30c-40c-60c)  7  days. 
5th  week.  Gross:  $4,000.  (Average,  $3,500) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S — (2,900)     (35c-53c-67c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $14,000.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 
"My  Heart  Belongs  to  Daddy"  (Para.) 

PRINCESS— (2,200)    (30c-40c-52c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $3,500) 
"Life  Begins  at  8:30"  (20th-Fox) 
"Time  to  Kill"  (20th-Fox) 

CAPITOL— (2.700)    (30c-45c-62c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $6,000.     (Average.  $4,500) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

PALACE—  (2,700)  (30c-45c-62c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $11,000.    (Average.  $7,000) 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Tenn.  Gov.  at  Premiere 

Washington,  March  15. — Gov. 
Prentice  Cooper  of  Tennessee,  that 
state's  Congressional  delegation  and 
Ruth  Hussey,  star  of  the  film,  will 
attend  the  opening  of  "Tennessee 
Johnson"  at  Loew's  Capitol  here 
Thursday  night,  it  was  announced. 


20th  Club  Meets  Today 

William  C.  Gehring  will  preside  at 
the  first  annual  meeting  of  the  newly 
organized  20th  Century-Fox  Home 
Office  Family  Club  which  will  be  held 
today.  Election  of  the  board  of  gov- 
ernors and  nominations  for  officers 
will  take  place,  it  was  reported. 


Tax  Time,  Lent 
Hurt  Chicago; 
'Rhythm'Leads 


Chicago,  March  15. — The  second 
week  of  "Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  at 
the  State-Lake  with  an  estimated^  • 
000  featured  a  week  generally  suj,'  d 
up  by  income  tax  payments  and  Lent. 
The  dual  opening  of  Noel  Coward's  , 
"In  Which  We  Serve,"  at  the  Roose- 
velt and  Apollo,  grossed  a  good  $31,- 
000. 

Estimated   receipts    for   the  week 
ending  March  11 : 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

APOLLO— (1,400)     (40c-55c-75c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $11,000.     (Average,  $8,500) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.  B.) 

CHICAGO— (4,000)    (40c-55c-75c)    7   days.  ' 
Stage:    Johnny    Long   orchestra.       Gross:  | 
$40,000.      (Average,  $42,000) 
"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

GARRICK—  (1,000)    (40c-55c-75c)    7  days. 
Gross:   $8,500.      (Average,  $7,000) 
"Queen  of  Broadway"  (PRC) 

ORIENTAL— (3,200)  (27c-31c-50c-59c)  7 
days.  Stage:  Ethel  Waters  and  Ray  Long 
orhestra.  Gross:  $18,000.  (Average. 
$22,000) 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (RKO) 
"How's  About  It?"  (Univ.) 

PALACE— (2,500)    (45c-55c-75c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $21,000.     (Average,  $16,000) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

ROOSEVELT  —  (1,500)  (40c-55c-75c) 
7  days.  Gross:  $20,000.  (Average,  $16,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

STATE -LAKE—  (2,700)  (40c-55c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $33,000.  (Average, 
$19,700) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,700)  (40c-55c-75c) 
7  days,  7th  week.    Gross:  $18,000.  (Average, 

$15,500) 


Alexander  A.  Aarons 
Dies  in  California 

Hollywood,  March  15. — Alexander 
A.  Aarons,  53,  a  producer  of  George 
Gershwin  stage  shows,  who  was  as- 
sisting in  the  preparation  of  "Rhap- 
sody in  Blue"  at  the  Warner  studio, 
died  Sunday  following  a  heart  attack 
at  his  Beverly  Hills  home.  An  as- 
sociate of  Vinton  Fredeley,  Aarons 
sponsored  the  careers  of  Fred  and 
Adele  Astaire  and  Ginger  Rogers.  He 
is  survived  by  his  widow. 

George  M.  Watters, 
Skouras  Aide,  Dies 

Hollywood,  March  15. — Funeral 
services  for  George  M.  Watters,  ex- 
ecutive aide  to  Charles  Skouras,  presi- 
dent of  National  Theatres,  who  suc- 
cumbed after  a  heart  attack  here  last 
night,  will  be  held  Wednesday.  Prior 
to  joining  Fox- West  Coast  eight  years 
ago,  he  was  a  film  writer,  coming  here 
in  1927.  He  is  survived  by  his  widow, 
a  son  and  a  daughter. 

Skouras  Testimonial 
Planned  by  Cubans 

Cuban  exhibitors  are  planning  a  tes- 
timonial dinner  to  Spyros  Skouras, 
president  of  20th  Century-Fox,  who 
is  in  Havana  on  a  combined  business 
and  pleasure  trip,  according  to  home 
office  reports  yesterday.  Skouras  pre- 
sided at  a  meeting  of  Havana  branch 
employees  yesterday,  it  was  reported. 


Montgomery  Promoted 

Lt.  Robert  Montgomery,  former 
film  actor,  has  been  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  Lieutenant  Commander. 


Tuesday,  March  16,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Ottawa  Bans  Film 
Shows  on  Sunday 

Ottawa,  March  15. — The  civic 
administration  here  has  adopt- 
ed a  by-law  prohibiting  all 
Sunday  midnight  shows  or  en- 
tertainments as  an  extension 
of  the  curfew  regulations.  A 
ban  has  also  been  placed  on 
the  screening  of  films  in  the- 
atres for  any  purpose  either 
Sunday  afternoon  or  evening 
musical  programs  under 
^.e  auspices  of  charitable, 
fraternal  or  patriotic  organi- 
zations can  be  organized  pro- 
viding specific  permission  is 
obtained  from  the  chief  of 
police. 


E.  P.  Howard  Dies; 
Ex-Movietone  Editor 


Lynbrook,  L.  I.,  March  15. — Ed- 
ward Percy  Howard,  74,  who  was  a 
New  York  newspaperman  and  news- 
reel  official  for  more  than  40  years, 
died  at  his  home  here  Sunday  of  a 
heart  ailment.  He  was  employed  by 
the  old  Morning  Journal,  Daily  News, 
Morning  Telegraph  and  other  New 
York  newspapers.  In  1925,  he  became 
news  editor  of  Fox  Movietone  News, 
leaving  that  firm  in  1928  to  become 
editor  of  Pathe  News.  He  was  a 
native  of  England. 

He  is  survived  by  his  widow,  Mrs. 
Emmie  J.  Howard ;  a  son,  Frederick, 
and  a  brother,  Frederick  Howard,  who 
resides  in  England. 


Columbia  Adds  Six 
Field  Publicity  Men 

Six  appointments  to  the  Columbia 
exploitation  staff  under  Frank  P.  Ro- 
senberg, department  head,  were  an- 
nounced by  the  company  yesterday. 

Ted  Baldwin,  George  Fraser,  Law- 
rence Curtis  and  Robert  Waldron 
have  been  assigned  to  home  office 
posts.  Jules  Serkowich  was  named 
field  representative  at  Chicago  and 
Sid  Zins  at  Cleveland.  James  F. 
Gillespie,  formerly  with  United  Art- 
ists, was  named  field  representative  at 
Atlanta  earlier. 


Workers  Are  Guests 
At  Red  Cross  Rally 

Red  Cross  volunteer  workers  were 
spurreed  to  greater  efforts  at  a  rally 
at  Madison  Square  Garden  last  night 
which  featured  speeches  by  Mrs. 
Roosevelt,  Princess  Martha  of  Nor- 
way, and  Corp.  Barney  Ross,  just 
back  from  Guadalcanal. 

A  pageant,  written  by  Moss  Hart 
and  including  a  cast  headed  by  Ger- 
trude Lawrence  and  Edward  G.  Rob- 
inson, was  presented.  It  was  staged 
by  executives  of  the  Radio  City 
Music  Hall  under  the  direction  of 
Gus  Eyssell. 


500  at  Dinner  for 
Pageant  Organizers 

A  dinner  in  tribute  to  Billy  Rose, 
Ben  Hecht,  Moss  Hart,  Kurt  Weill, 
Paul  Muni  and  Edward  G.  Robinson 
for  their  work  on  behalf  of  the  mass 
memorial,  "We  Will  Never  Die,"  at 
Madison  Square  Garden  last  week, 
was  held  last  night  at  the  Waldorf  As- 
toria Hotel.  About  500  persons  at- 
tended, including  a  number  of  film  in- 
dustry people.  Sen.  Edwin  C.  John- 
son of  Colorado,  national  chairman 
of  the  Committee  for  a  Jewish  Army 
of  Stateless  and  Palestinian  Jews, 
was  host  to  the  gathering.  Louis 
Nizer  was  toastmaster. 


Gov't  Officials  View 
New  Film  Technique 

State  Department  officials  and  Co- 
ordinator of  Inter-American  Affairs 
executives  will  view  the  Spanish-lan- 
guage version  of  "The  Moon  and  Six- 
pence" today  in  Washington,  it  was 
announced. 

The  film  is  the  first  released  by 
United  Artists  using  narration  in- 
stead of  lengthy  subtitles,  which,  it  is 
believed,  will  help  to  increase  audi- 
ence acceptability  of  Hollywood  prod- 
uct in  foreign  markets. 


Sileo  Photo  Entry 
Published  in  'Mirror9 

One  of  the  entries  of  James  Sileo, 
photographer  for  the  industry  in  the 
Press  Photographers  Show  to  be  held 
in  Rockefeller  Center  beginning  April 
3  appeared  in  the  New  York  Daily 
Mirror  on  Saturday.  The  subject,  in 
the  portraits  and  personalities  division, 
was  the  twin  daughters  of  Bob  Wile, 
editor  of  Managers'  Round  Table  of 
Motion  Picture  Herald,  showing  one 
of  the  children  pulling  the  other's  hair. 


Stoltz  Named  U.A. 
Exploitation  Director 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
Monday,  succeeding  James  Gillespie. 
For  the  last  three  and  a  half  years  he 
was  manager  of  Warners'  Avon  The- 
atre, Utica,  N.  Y.,  and  before  that 
handled  publicity  for  Loew's  Balti- 
more theatres,  the  Atlantic  City  Steel 
Pier,  and  was  associated  with  the 
Chappelow  Advertising  Agency  in  St. 
Louis. 


'Gunner9  Premiere 
To  Be  Held  in  Texas 

The  premiere  of  "Aerial  Gunner," 
a  Pine-Thomas  production  for  Para- 
mount, will  be  held  at  Harlingen 
Aerial  Gunnery  School,  Harlingen, 
Texas,  May  9. 


809  of  20th-Fox  Serving 

A  total  of  809  employes  of  20th 
Century-Fox  are  now  in  the  armed 
services,  according  to  home  office 
records.  Of  this  number  306  are 
overseas.  Latest  to  leave  will  be 
George  Kassimatis,  Arthur  Tipaldi. 
who  will  join  the  Army  and  Marines 
respectively,  and  Frances  Dausch,  who 
joins  the  SPARS. 


Youngstein  to  Coast 

Max  Youngstein,  executive  assist- 
ant to  Hal  Home,  20th  Century-Fox 
advertising  and  publicity  director, 
leaves  this  weekend  for  the  Coast 
where  he  will  be  business  manager 
of  the  Eastern  publicity  department's 
exploitation  bureau  at  the  studio, 
headed  by  Richard  Condon. 


Flood  Closes  Utica  House 

Utica,  March  15. — The  Avon,  a 
Warner  circuit  house  here,  was  closed 
Thursday  and  Friday  after  a  wate1- 
main  burst  and  the  house  became 
flooded,  it  was  reported.  The  theatre 
reopened  Saturday. 


Named  Memphis  Booker 

Memphis,  March  15.— W.  D. 
Haines  has  been  appointed  booker  at 
the  Warner  exchange  here. 


HOME-FRONT 
MOBILIZATION! 
BE  THERE! 

RED  CROSS 
EETING 

For  Exhibitors 
Theatre  Managers,  Publicity  Men 
and  Exchange  Representatives 

THURSDAY 
MORNING 

MARCH  18th  at  9:30 

at 

LOEW's  ZIEGFELD 

6th  Avenue  and  54th  Street 

SPEAKERS: 

BARNEY  BALABAN,  National  Chairman 
MRS.  N.  PETER  RATHVON,  Representing  the  Red  Cross 
FRANCIS  HARMON,  War  Activities  Committee 
CLAUDE  LEE,  Campaign  Manager 
WILLIAM  F.  RODGERS 
MAJOR  LESLIE  THOMPSON 
SAM  RINZLER,  Master  of  Ceremonies 


THERE'S  A  JOB  TO  DO 
FOR  THE  U.S.A.! 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  March  16,  1943 


Capitol  Stage  Show 
Policy  Opens  Strong; 
Grace  Moore  Draws 


Reports  indicate  that  the  newly  in- 
augurated stage  show  policy  at  the 
Capitol  Theatre  on  Broadway  is  click- 
ing. "Stand  By  for  Action"  on  the 
screen  and  Bob  Crosby  leading  the 
stage  show  at  the  house  grossed  an  es- 
timated $22,000  for  the  Saturday  and 
Sunday  week-end.  Grace  Moore,  in 
person  in  her  first  appearance  on  a 
Broadway  film  theatre  stage  at  the 
Roxy,  is  helping  "The  Young  Mr. 
Pitt,"  the  film  attraction,  to  a  healthy 
$70,000  take  for  the  first  week  ending 
tonight,  it  was  indicated.  "Heflo, 
Frisco,  Hello,"  follows  March  24. 

"The  Human  Comedy"  was  continu- 
ing very  strong  at  the  Astor  with 
$21,000  garnered  for  six  days  of  the 
second  week  ending  tonight.  For  Fri- 
day through  Sunday  at  the  Strand, 
"The  Hard  Way"  grossed  about  $28,- 
500.  Ina  Ray  Hutton  and  her  band 
and  Jane  Wyman  head  the  stage  show. 

For  Saturday  and  Sunday  at  the 
Rivoli  "Forever  and  a  Day"  earned 
an  estimated  $13,000.  "Hitler's  Child- 
ren" with  Xaviar  Cugat  and  his  band 
on  the  stage  was  heading  for  a  $55,- 
000  third  week  ending  tonight  at  the 
Paramount  and  will  be  held. 

"You  Got  Me  Covered"  and  a  stage 
presentation  was  estimated  to  have 
grossed  $56,000,  Thursday  to  Sun- 
day, inclusive  of  the  second  week  at 
the  Radio  City  Music  Hall.  "Keeper 
of  the  Flame"opens  at  the  theatre  on 
Thursday.  "Saludos  Amigos"  was  es- 
timated to  have  grossed  $6,100  for 
Friday  through  Sunday  of  a  fifth  week 
at  the  Globe.  "Chetniks"  opens  at  the 
Globe  on  Saturday.  "Air  Force"  at 
the  Hollywood  grossed  about  $14,300 
for  five  days  of  the  sixth  week  ending 
tonight  and  will  be  held. 


Mono.  Meet  Weighs 
New  Product  Policy 

{Continued  from  page  1) 

pictures,  with  less  costly  productions 
eliminated,  it  was  said. 

A  sales  meeting  tomorrow  will  be 
conducted  by  Samuel  Broidy,  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  distribution,  and 
the  board  of  directors  will  hold  their 
semi-annual  meeting  in  the  afternoon. 
The  sessions  are  at  the  Drake  Hotel. 

Among  those  here  for  the  meeting, 
in  addition  to  Johnston  and  Broidy, 
are  Norton  V.  Ritchey,  vice-president 
in  charge  of  export ;  Trem  Carr,  Mel 
Hulling,  George  B.  West,  Howard 
Stubbins  and  Sam  Katzman.  Irving 
Mandel,  Chicago  franchise  holder,  re- 
turned from  Florida  for  the  session. 


W.  B.  Cirucit  Buys 
3  Phila.  Theatres 

{Continued  from  page  1) 

tiated  a  lease  for  the  Shubert  Thea- 
tre, which  will  open  about  April  1.  A 
possible  pooling  arrangement  or  lease 
with  the  downtown  Arcadia  theatre 
there  is  also  reportedly  in  the  making, 
and  if  concluded,  according  to  reports, 
is  expected  to  compensate  the  circuit 
for  the  loss  of  the  Keith's  and  Karlton 
houses  to  Goldman. 

The  circuit  announced  the  purchase 
of  these  three  houses  in  the  Philadel- 
phia area  which  it  formerly  operated 
under  lease :  the  Circle  Theatre, 
neighborhood  house ;  the  Manor  Thea- 
tre, Norwood,  Pa.,  and  the  Stanley 
Theatre,  Bridgeton,  N.  J. 


Off  the  Antenna 


TALKS  by  Prentiss  M.  Brown,  head  of  the  Office  of  Price  Administration, 
and  Brig.  Gen.  Joe  M.  Dalton,  assistant  chief  of  staff,  U.  S.  Army,  have 
been  added  to  the  programs  dedicated  by  NBC  to  the  radio  meeting  of  the 
American  Association  of  School  Administrators,  it  was  announced.  The 
group's  convention  was  cancelled  because  of  transportation  restrictions  and 
will  be  conducted  over  NBC  in  six  programs,  featuring,  among  others,  Leopold 
Stokowski  and  Orson  Welles. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  John  W.  Haigis,  president  of  WHAI,  Greenfield,  Mass., 
is  being  mentioned  as  possible  successor  to  Rep.  Allen  T.  Treadway,  who  has 
indicated  his  unwillingness  to  rim  for  reelection.  .  .  .  G.  A.  Richards,  president 
of  WJR,  CBS  Detroit  affiliate,  received  Capt.  Eddie  Rickenbacker's  indentifica- 
tion  card  carried  on  his  Pacific  mission  for  his  bid  of  $100,000  in  war  bonds 
on  Bill  Stem's  Sports  Newsreel.  .  .  .  Dorothy  Whitehead,  secretary  of  the 
WICC,  Bridgeport,  sales  department,  has  announced  her  engagement  to  Cox 
wain  William  Dc  Rosa. 

•  •  • 

Weekly  brodacasts  from  the  Victory  Gardens  on  the  Schwab  estate  will 
be  carried  over  WEAF  starting  this  Saturday.  The  gardening  project  is 
under  the  sponsorship  of  the  station  and  the  Greater  New  York  Civilian 
Defense  Volunteer  Office,  Victory  Department. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Explanation  of  the  war  effort  functions  of  the  Navy  League 
Center  will  be  made  over  the  weekly  Skouras  Theatres  war  effort  presentation 
of  "This  Is  Our  Cause  on  Sunday  from  4:30  to  5  p.  m.  over  WINS.  . 
Zeke  Manners  (  a  hillbilly  entertainer  over  WNEW  prior  to  entering  the 
Army,  will  speak  to  his  cronies  of  WNEW  tonight  over  the  Ginny  Simms 
"Johnny  Presents"  program  on  NBC.  He  will  exchange  telephone  greetings 
from  Hollywood.  .  .  .  Fritz  Lang  will  be  interviewed  by  Adelaide  Hawley  to- 
morrow on  CBS. 


Mellett  Gets  Producers9 
Letter  on  Script  Review 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

January  5,  1943,  to  Major  General  Al- 
exander Surles,  we  would  like  to  sub- 
mit for  your  consideration  and  accept- 
ance the  following  recommendations : 
"Your  memorandum  to  General 
Surles  described  an  arrangement  you 
had  with  the  War  Department  for 
consultation  and  exchange  of  ideas  be- 
tween the  Office  of  War  Information 
and  the  War  Department  regarding 
motion  pictures  which  are  submitted 
to  the  War  Department  for  its  ap- 
proval. This  arrangement  provides 
that  the  War  Department  withhold 
its  judgment  and  approval  until  after 
submission  to  OWI  of  the  scripts,  et 
cetera,  submitted  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment and  other  discussion  and  con- 
sultation by  OWI  with  the  War  De- 
partment. 

Producers'  Suggestions 

"In  order  to  continue  the  relation- 
ship between  OWI  and  the  motion 
picture  industry  on  a  voluntary  basis 
and  to  obtain  full  advantage  of  the  ad- 
vice of  OWI,  we  suggest  the  following 
in  lieu  of  the  arrangement  described 
in  your  memorandum  to  General 
Surles.  The  War  Department  and  the 
producers  shall  continue  to  deal  with 
each  other  exactly  in  the  manner  they 
did  prior  to  the  making  of  the  ar- 
rangement described  in  your  memo- 
randum without  the  requirement  of 
consulting  and  advising  with  OWI. 
The  respective  producers  will  simul- 
taneously with,  or  prior  to,  their  sub- 
mission of  title,  story,  outline,  shoot- 
ing script  and  completed  film  to  the 
War  Department  make  the  same  sub- 
missions to  OWI. 

"If  OWI_  wishes  to  make  any 
recommendations  or  give  advice  con- 
cerning the  title,  script  or  picture  in 
any  instance,  it  will  offer  its  recom- 
mendation and  advice  to  the  producer 
of  the  picture,  which  will  receive  and 
give  consideration  to  the  same.  If 


consultation  appears  advisable,  it  will 
take  place  between  OWI  and  the  pro- 
ducer. 

"The  effect  of  this  arrange- 
ment will  be  to  avoid  any  im- 
plication that  OWI  is  directing 
or  exercising  directly  or  indi- 
rectly any  powers  of  censorship, 
while  affording  OWI  access  to 
the  same  information  as  the 
War  Department  receives  and 
at  the  same  time  it  receives  it, 
so  that  effective  use  may  be 
made  by  the  producers  of  the 
advisory  facilities  of  OWI. 
"The  undersigned  producers  will  be 
pleased  to  proceed  in  the  manner  here- 
in outlined  with  respect  to  pictures 
which  they  submit  to  the  Navy  De- 
partment for  Navy  approval." 

The  producers  signing  the  letter 
were :  Columbia,  Goldwyn,  Loew's, 
Paramount,  Republic,  RKO,  20th 
CenturyFox,  Universal,  Warners, 
Cagney,  Chaplin,  Alexander  Korda, 
Sol  Lesser,  Mercury,  Mary  Pick- 
for  Company,  Hunt  Stromberg, 
Vanguard,  Walter  Wanger,  Alexan- 
der-Stern, Angelus,  Atlantis,  Banner, 
Beaumont,  Jed  Bell,  Capitol,  Chad- 
wick,  Continental,  Edward  Finney, 
Great  Western,  Hollywood  Pictures, 
K.  B.  Pictures,  Max  King,  Landres, 
George  Merrick,  Monogram,  Motion 
Picture  Associates,  Sigmund  Neufeld, 
Producers  Releasing,  Range  Busters, 
Ted  Richmond,  S.  and  N.  Produc- 
tions, Jack  Schwarz,  Supreme,  Robert 
Tansey,  Sydney  Williams,  North 
American  Productions,  Lindsley  Par- 
sons Productions. 


CIAA  Seeks  Breen's 
Services  as  Advisor 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

most  to  advise  that  bureau  on  scripts 
for  non-theatrical  films  which  it  plans 
to  produce  for  distribution  in  Latin 
America,  it  is  understood. 

Behind  the  move,  it  is  reported  here, 
is  the  CIAA's  desire  to  avoid  a  repeti- 
tion of  incidents  which  followed  the 
showing  of  a  film  on  venereal  d*  se 
which  had  been  sent  to  Latin  LV  I 
ica  by  the  government  agency.  Al 
though  intended  for  private  showings, 
the  film  was  exhibited  in  public  in 
Honduras  and  its  exhibition  was  wide 
ly  protested  by  the  clergy  there. 

MPPDA  Willing 

MPPDA  officials  indicated  yester 
day  that  the  Rockefeller  Committee's 
request  for  the  loan  of  Breen's  ser 
vices  for  a  brief  period  would  meet 
with  no  objection  from  within  the 
MPPDA.  It  was  stated  that  the  un 
derstanding  is  that  the  advisory  ser- 
vices sought  of  Breen  would  not  re- 
quire his  extended  absence  from 
Hollywood  and  that,  in  consequence 
it  would  not  be  necessary,  even,  to 
grant  him  a  leave  of  absence  from  the 
Production  Code  Administration. 


Industry  Bills  Die 
In  N.Y.  Legislature 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

bills  by  Assemblyman  Eugene  Banni- 
gan  to  permit  the  legislature  to  pass 
laws  permitting  lotteries  under  relig- 
ius  charitable  auspices,  etc. ;  and  an 
other  Bannigan  bill  prohibiting  the  re 
sale  of  tickets  of  admission  within 
900  yards  of  theatres  or  places  of 
amusement. 

Sent  to  the  rules  committee  for  fur 
ther  consideration  was  Miss  Todd's 
bill  to  change  present  enforcement  of 
safety  laws  with  respect  to  places  of 
public  accommodation  from  the  juris 
diction  of  State  police  and  cities  into 
the  Industrial  Commissioner's  juris- 
diction. New  York  City  would  still 
enforce  its  own  safety  code  under  the 
Todd  bill,  however.  Also  dispatched 
to  the  Rules  Committee  was  a  bill  by 
Assemblyman  Daniel  Burrows  provid- 
ing for  suspension  of  licenses  of  places 
of  public  amusement  which  deny  equal 
accommodations  to  persons  of  all 
races,  colors  and  creed. 


Vogel  Leaving  WHN 
Publicity  Post  Apr.  1 

A-Mike  Vogel  has  resigned  as  ad- 
vertising and  publicity  director  of  Sta- 
tion WHN,  effective  April  1,  it  was 
revealed  Friday.  Vogel  said  he  would 
announce  his  future  plans  at  that  time. 


Post- War  Purchase 
Plan  Set  by  R.C.A. 


{Continued  from  page  1) 
the  estimated  cost  of  the  equipment 
ordered  in  cash  or  to  make  a  down 
payment  and  weekly  or  monthly  de 
posits  thereafter  until  a  total  of  20  per 
cent  of  the  estimated  purchase  price  is 
on  deposit  with  the  company.  RCA 
will  pay  interest  on  the  amounts  thus 
deposited. 

The  position  of  purchasers  on  the 
priority  list  does  not  become  perma- 
ment  until  the  purchase  agreement  has 
been  executed  and  the  down  payment 
made.  The  company  states  that  due 
to  the  wartime  ban  on  manufacture 
of  new  equipment  it  believes  that  the 
post-war  demand  will  exceed  manu 
facturing  capacity  for  almost  two 
years  after  the  war. 


Alert, 

Intelligent 

Ih^pe^i 

to  the^lc 

tion 

Picture 

Industry 

MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


r  ILL  KsKJt"  T 


First  in 


and 

Impartial 


-siL.  53.  NO.  51 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  WEDNESDAY,  MARCH  17,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Hope  Held  for 
More  'Gas'  for 
Film  Salesmen 


OP  A  Allows  Added  Fuel 
For  Maintenance  Men 


Washington,,  March  16. — Fail- 
ure of  the  Office  of  Price  Adminis- 
tration to  include  film  salesmen  in 
its  new  order  relaxing  some  of  the 
restrictions  on  the  issuance  of  C 
gasoline  rations  does  not  mean  that 
the  subject  is  closed,  it  was  learned 
today  as  OPA  officials  indicated 
that  there  is  a  possibility  that  the 
matter  may  be  reconsidered  some 
time  in  the  future. 

The  new  order  provided  that  begin- 
ning March  20  those  engaged  in  the 
repair  and  maintenance  of  theatre  and 
other  non-portable  motion  picture 
equipment  will  be  eligible  for  C  ra- 
tion books.  The  order,  however,  spe- 
cifically prohibits  the  granting  of  C 
rations  to  persons  engaged  in  promo- 
tion, merchandise  or  sales  work. 


Mono.  Schedules  40 
New  Season  Films; 
Extends  Franchises 


Rep.  Opens  Coast 
Sales  Meet  Today 


Hollywood,  March  16. — The  first 
of  a  series  of  three  Republic  regional 
sales  conferences  will  be  held  at  the 
studio  in  North  Hollywood  tomorrow 
and  Thursday,  it  was  announced. 
Other  meetings  are  scheduled  for  Chi- 
cago next  Monday  and  Tuesday  and 
in  New  York  on  March  25  and  26. 

H.  J.  Yates,  Sr.,  and  James  R. 
Grainger,  president  of  Republic  Pic- 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


'Dai/  Pro/its  Pledge 
Accepted  by  F.D.R. 

Washington,  March  16. — 
President  Roosevelt  in  a  spe- 
cial ceremony  today  accepted 
a  pledge  giving  all  domestic 
profits  from  RKO's  "Forever 
and  a  Day"  to  the  National 
Foundation  for  Infantile  Par- 
alysis. Among  those  present 
at  the  session  at  the  White 
House  were  N.  Peter  Rathvon, 
president  of  RKO;  Sir  Cedric 
and  Lady  Hardwicke,  Victor 
Saville,  a  director  of  the  pic- 
ture, Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  Aubrey 
Smith  and  S.  Barret  McCor- 
mick,  RKO  advertising  and 
publicity  director. 


Chicago,  March  16. — Reduction  in 
Monogram's  1943-'44  program  to  40 
pictures  with  a  higher  expenditure 
for  a  number  of  the  planned  produc- 
tions was  revealed  here  today  after  the 
meeting  of  the  company's  executives 
and  franchise  holders  at  the  Drake 
Hotel. 

At  the  same  time  a  new  deal  with 
the  franchise  holders  was  announced 
by  W.  Ray  Johnston,  president.  Con- 
tracts with  the  franchise  holders  will 
be  extended  five  years,  giving  them 
nine  years  to  go.  Johnston  said  the 
new  agreements  provide  for  greatly 
reduced  distribution  costs,  starting 
with  the  new  season  product. 

The  new  program  will  consist 
of  24  dramas  and  16  westerns. 
For  the  present  season  the  com- 
pany announced  32  dramas  and  the 
same  number  of  westerns.   Less  costly 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


WPB  Section  Head 
To  Address  SMPE 

A.  G.  Smith,  acting  chief  of  the 
Amusement  Section  of  the  War  Pro- 
duction Board,  will  explain  the  activ- 
ities of  the  WPB  in  the  motion  pic- 
ture industry  at  a  meeting  of  the  At- 
lantic Coast  section  of  the  Society  of 
Motion  Picture  Engineers  at  8  p.m., 
March  25,  at  the  Hotel  Pennsylvania, 
Dr.  Alfred  N.  Goldsmith,  chairman 
of  the  Atlantic  section,  announced. 
The  meeting  is  one  in  a  series  on 
"Wartime  Conservation  in  Theatre 
Projection"  presented  with  the  co- 
operation of  Richard  Walsh,  presi- 
dent of  the  IATSE. 


1,000  to  Attend  Red 
Cross  Rally  Today 

A  meeting  of  exhibitors, 
theatre  managers,  publicists 
and  exchange  representatives 
of  the  metropolitan  area  will 
be  held  at  Loew's  Ziegfeld 
Theatre  at  9:30  a.m.  tomor- 
row to  discuss  plans  for  par- 
ticipation in  Red  Cross  Week 
for  theatres,  April  1-7.  More 
than  1,000  persons  are  ex- 
pected to  attend. 

Among  the  speakers  expect- 
ed are  Barney  Balaban,  na- 
tional chairman  of  the  indus- 
try drive;  James  L.  Feiser, 
national  vice-chairman  of  the 
Red  Cross;  Mrs.  N.  Peter 
Rathvon,  for  the  Red  Cross; 
Francis  Harmon,  of  the  WAC ; 
Claude  Lee,  campaign  mana- 
ger; William  F.  Rodgers,  vice- 
president  of  M-G-M,  and  L.  E. 
Thompson  of  RKO.  Samuel 
Rinzler,  co-chairman  of  the 
local  WAC,  will  preside. 


Coast  Exhibitors  to 
Ask  Print  Cut  Relief 


Hollywood,  March  16. — Steps  were 
taken  by  the  board  of  directors  of 
the  Pacific  Coast  Conference  of  In- 
dependent Theatre  Owners  at  its  an- 
nual meeting  today  to  correct  condi- 
tions which  it  regards  as  harmful 
to  subsequent  run  theatres  resulting 
from  a  20  per  cent  reduction  of  prints 
allocated  to  this  territory  in  line  with 
the  industry's  raw  stock  conservation 
program. 

The  board  directed  its  clearance  and 
zoning  committee  to  confer  with  dis- 
tribution officials  here  on  the  matter 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


Bar  Proceeding  on  New 
Factors  in  Pending  Case 


Cal.  Assembly  Passes 
Agency  License  Bill 

Hollywood,  March  16. — Bert  Allen- 
berg,  president  of  the  Actors  Man- 
agers Guild,  said  today  that  his  organ- 
ization was  not  yet  contemplating  ac- 
tion against  a  bill  unanimously  passed 
by  the  California  Assembly  and  sent 
to  the  Senate  which  requires  artists' 
managers  to  post  a  $1,000  surety  bond 
and  calling  for  a  $25  license  fee,  tak- 
ing the  firms  from  the  employment 
agency  classification. 


New  factors  entering  into  a  con- 
troversy between  exhibitors  and  dis- 
tributors subsequent  to  the  filing  of  an 
arbitration  complaint  should  be  dis- 
posed of  in  the  one  proceeding,  the 
arbitration  appeal  board  held  in  af- 
firming an  award  against  Vitagraph  in 
a  some  run  complaint  brought  by  the 
Tracy  Theatre,  Storm  Lake,  la.,  it 
was  revealed  yesterday. 

The  complaint  charged  that  after 
having  first  run  of  Warner  product  in 
its  locality  for  a  number  of  years  the 
distributor  last  year  sold  the  run  to 
the  Lake  Theatre,  a  competitor,  and 
offered  the  Tracy  second  run  which 
(Continued  on  page  6) 


Senate  Group 
Moves  to  Bar 
Salary  Cuts 

Discards  Disney  Measure 
Sets  New  Date  Level 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  March  16. — The 
Senate  finance  committee  today  dis- 
carded the  House-approved  repeal 
of  President  Roosevelt's  salary  con- 
trol order  to  write  a  formula  of  its 
own  which  would  prevent  reduction 
in  salaries  or  wages  below  the 
highest  level  reached  between  Jan. 
1  and  Sept.  IS,  1942. 

The  unanimity  with  which  the 
committee  acted  was  seen  as 
presaging  easy  passage  of  the 
repeal  provision  by  the  Senate, 
leaving  President  Roosevelt 
without  any  Congressional  sup- 
port for  his  proposal  to  limit  all 
income. 

Chairman  George  of  the  Senate 
finance  committee  appointed  a  sub- 
committee to  consider  the  new  formula 
which  would,  in  effect,  place  a  floor 
under  salaries  and  wages  in  contrast 
with  the  Disney  plan  of  the  House  bill 
to  place  the  ceiling  at  pre-war  level. 


Walker  to  Present 
Award  to  Matlack 


Portland,  Ore.,  March  16. — Post- 
master General  Frank  C.  Walker  will 
present  the  Quigley  Award  for  Show- 
manship for  1942  to  Jack  Matlack 
here  tomorrow  at  a  luncheon  in  the 
Rose  Room  of  the  Benson  Hotel.  Mat- 
lack  is  publicity  director  for  the  J.  J. 
Parker  Theatres. 

At  the  luncheon,  Postmaster  E.  T. 
Hedlund  of  Portland  will  introduce 
Palmer  Hoyt,  publisher  of  the  Port- 
land Oregonian,  who  will  present 
Postmaster  General  Walker.  News- 
paper, radio  and  film  industry  repre- 
sentatives will  attend.  A  transcription 
of  the  ceremony  will  be  made  by  the 
radio  networks. 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Heard  Around,"  by  Sam 
Shain,  Page  2.  Reviews  of 
"This  Land  Is  Mine,"  "The 
Falcon  Strikes  Back,"  and 
"Air  Raid  Wardens,"  Pages  5 
and  6.  Hollywood  production 
notes.  Page  5. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  March  17,  1943 


-  Heard  Around  - 

ON  next  Friday  at  10  a.  m.  .  .  .  friends  of  Sidney  R.  Kent — late  president  of 
20th  Century-Fox  Film  Corp. — will  gather  in  the  little  chapel— back  of  the 
big  altar — at  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral — for  a  memorial  mass  on  the  first  anni- 
versary of  the  passing  of  this  beloved  leader  of  the  industry. 

•  •  • 

We  hear  that  Sir  Alexander  Korda  .  .  .  has  designated  Arthur  W.  Kelly, 
vice-president  of  United  Artists — to  be  his  board  representative  in  that  com- 
pany— with  President  Edward  Raftery,  as  alternate — while  Korda  is  in  Eng- 
land— and  that  Korda  has  granted  Kelly  the  right  to  vote  for  him — on  all 
matters  of  interest  in  connection  with  United  Artists  business — except  the  dis- . 
posal  of  Korda 's  stock. 

•  •  • 

That  was  a  mighty  nice  gesture  by  Nicholas  M.  Schenck  recently — tak- 
ing page  advertisements  in  the  trade  papers — to  thank  exhibitors  for 
their  splendid  work  on  behalf  of  the  "March  of  Dimes"  drive — of  which 
Schenck  was  national  chairman — because  too  often  the  important  part 
which  exhibitors  play  in  such  industry  campaigns  is  taken  for  granted. 

•  •  • 

And  speaking  of  drives  .  .  .  don't  forget  the  Red  Cross  campaign  of  which 
Barney  Balaban  is  chairman — with  the  giant  show  now  being  arranged  for 
Madison  Square  Garden  on  April  5 — sure  to  be  a  sellout — many  of  the  Heroes 
Row  boxes  already  being  sold — among  the  first  purchasers  being  Barney 
Balaban,  $5,000;  Nicholas  Schenck,  $5,000;  Major  Albert  Warner,  $5,000; 
Spyros  Skouras,  $5,000,  and  Si  Fabian,  $1,500. 

•  •  • 

Ernie  Hampton,  booker  ...  in  Warner's  San  Francisco  exchange — is  the 
company's  champion  on  old  pictures — having  booked  236  dates  on  11  films  in 
a  period  of  nine  weeks — a  feat  all  the  more  unusual  because  only  one  print  of 
each  film  is  available  at  the  exchange. 

•  •  • 

Of  course  the  Variety  Clubs  . .  .  have  their  local  charitable  causes  which 
each  club  fosters  and  supports  .  .  .  but  wouldn't  it  be  appropriate  for  the 
industry  as  a  whole  to  "adopt"  some  public  charity  on  a  national  basis — 
which  in  time  could  become  considered  as  its  very  own? 

•  •  • 

An  accidental  scoop  .  .  .  was  garnered  by  the  New  York  Times  advertising 
department — when  a  Loew  advertisement  heralding  the  Academy  winners, 
Greer  Garson  and  Jimmy  Cagney — whose  films  were  current  at  Loew's  the- 
atres— which  was  intended  for  the  afternoon  papers — was  inadvertently  sent 
to  the  New  York  Times — whose  editorial  department  had  not  yet  published 
the  news  of  the  awards — and  appeared  the  morning  following  the  Hollywood 
announcements. 

•  •  • 

"Desert  Victory,"  British  Government  film  .  .  .  on  Marshal  Rommel's  defeat 
in  Libya — will  be  distributed  by  20th  Century-Fox  .  .  .  Jack  Flynn  and  Ted 
O'Shea,  M-G-M  sales  chiefs,  have  been  awarded  new  five-year  contracts. 

— Sam  Shain 


Personal 
Mention 

SPYROS   SKOURAS  is  expected 
to  arrive  from  Cuba  today. 
• 

Herman  Robbins  will  return  from 
Florida  on  Monday. 

• 

John  Nolan,  Comerford  Theatres 
executive,  is  in  St.  Vincent's  Hos- 
pital here  recovering  from  a  minor 
illness. 

Feed  Meyers,  Universal  Eastern  di- 
vision manager,  is  in  Albany  today 
and  will  visit  Cleveland. 

• 

Robert  Lynch,  M-G-M  branch 
manger  in  Philadelphia,  has  left  for 
Florida. 

J.  J.  Shubert  was  in  Cincinnati 
last  week. 

Howie  Mayer,  Columbia  studio 
publicity  director,  is  en  route  to  the 
Coast  from  the  East. 

• 

Nate  E.  Platt,  B  &  K  production 
manager,  Chicago  is  at  Miami  Beach. 
• 

Harry  Turberg  and  Harry  Silver, 
co-managers  of  the  Northio  Theatre, 
Hamilton,  O.,  have  returned  from  Hot 
Springs,  Ark. 

Nick  Pazar  of  the  Warner  circuit 
in  Philadelphia  leaves  this  week  to 
enter  the  Army  Air  Corps. 

• 

Joseph  Stern  of  Chicago  is  in  Hot 
Springs. 

B.   B.   Kreisler    is    expected  in 
Pittsburgh  today  from  Albany. 
• 

Morton  Spring  of  Loew's  is  ex- 
pected here  next  Monday  from  Cali- 
fornia. 

Gabriel  Pascal  plans  to  leave  for 
England  this  week. 


'Winslow*  Press  Preview 

A  preview  of  Universal's  latest 
serial,  "Don  Winslow  of  the  Coast 
Guard"  will  be  held  March  22  at  the 
U.  S.  Coast  Guard  Station  in  Manhat- 
tan Beach,  it  was  announced.  Follow- 
ing a  dinner,  Lt.  Comm.  Jack  Demp- 
sey  and  Lt.  Comm.  Frank  V.  Marti- 
nek  win  address  the  enlisted  men  be- 
fore the  showing  of  the  picture. 


Prague,  Okla.,  to  See 
'Hangmen  Die'  First 

Arnold  Pressburger's  production, 
"Hangmen  Also  Die,"  will  have  its 
premiere  at  Prague,  Oka.,  March  27, 
United  Artists,  distributor  of  the  film, 
announced.  The  mayors  of  Washing- 
ton, Kan. ;  London,  Tex.,  and  Mos- 
cow, Tex.,  will  officiate  at  the  hang- 
ing-in-effigy  ceremonies  of  Hitler, 
Mussolini  and  Hirohito,  to  be  held  in 
conjunction  with  the  premiere.  Ar- 
thur Jeffrey,  of  the  U.A.  home  office 
staff,  leaves  today  to  handle  the  ar- 
rangements. 


Actors  Group  Selects 
Nominating  Unit 

Patricia  Collinge  was  chosen  as 
chairman  and  Philip  Loeb  and  Ruth 
Hammond  as  members  of  the  nomi- 
nating committee  of  Actors  Equity  at 
a  Council  meeting  yesterday.  An  en- 
tire new  slate  of  officers  is  to  be  chos- 
en, 10  Council  members  for  five  year 
terms  and  one  for  three  years.  The 
ticket  will  be  presented  at  the  annual 
meeting,  which  will  be  held  in  late 
May  or  early  June. 

Donald  Sharpe,  former  council 
member  of  Equity  in  Australia,  ad- 
dressed yesterday's  meeting  on  the 
union's  progress  in  that  country. 

Sears,  Lazarus  to 
Coast  Conferences 

Gradwell  L.  Sears,  vice-president 
in  charge  of  distribution  for  United 
Artists,  and  Paul  N.  Lazarus,  Jr., 
director  of  advertising  and  publicity, 
plan  to  leave  for  the  Coast  on  Friday 
to  confer  with  producers  and  see  new 
pictures,  it  was  announced. 


Mickey  Rooney  in  4-F 

Hollywood,  March  16. — Mickey 
Rooney  was  placed  in  4-F  yesterday 
by  Selective  Service  officials,  follow- 
ing a  physical  examination.  He  had 
presented  himself  at  the  Los  Angeles 
induction  center  voluntarily  for  the 
check-up  to  determine  his  acceptabil- 
ity into  the  armed  forces,  it  was  re- 
ported. 


Alert  Stops  Work 
At  Coast  Studios 

Hollywood,  March  16.— 
Production  halted  here  this 
afternoon  as  air  raid  alarm 
sirens  sent  thousands  of  stu- 
dio workers  to  prearranged 
safety  zones  and  shelters, 
where  they  remained  untiLthe 
all-clear  sounded.  The  drill 
came  off  in  orderly  manner. 


'Corregidor'  Opens  in 
Rochester  March  31 

The  world  premiere  of  "Corregi- 
dor,"  Producers  Releasing  film,  will 
be  held  at  the  RKO  Century  in 
Rochester  March  31,  it  was  announced 
following  a  meeting  of  franchise  hold- 
ers and  sales  representatives  of  the 
company  at  the  Hotel  Edison  here. 


Disney  Men  in  Mexico 

Hollywood,  March  16. — Jack  Cut- 
ting and  William  Cottrell  of  Walt 
Disney  Productions  are  in  Mexico 
City  conferring  with.  Francis  Alstock 
of  the  Office  of  the  Coordinator  of  In- 
ter-American Affairs,  and  are  gather- 
ing material  for  a  number  of  films  the 
studio  plans  for  the  CIAA,  it  was 
learned. 


Dinerman' s  Mother  Dies 

Cincinnati,  March  16. — Word  was 
received  here  today  of  the  death  in 
New  York  of  Mrs.  Rebecca  Diner- 
pian,  mother  of  E.  "V.  Dinerman, 
RKO  divisional  advertising  and  pub- 
licity director.  Dinerman  left  for 
New  York. 


Sherman  Motion  Put  Off 

The  motion  of  Harry  Sherman,  film 
producer,  to  take  the  deposition  of 
David  Blum,  in  the  latter's  suit 
against  Sherman  for  breach  of  con- 
tract, has  been  adjourned  in  Federal 
Court  until  March  19. 


Pioneer  Showman  Dies 

Trenton,  N.  J.,  March  16.  —  Fu- 
neral services  were  held  here  for 
Michael  Crowe,  who  died  at  the  Don- 
nelly Municipal  Colony  after  a  long 
illness. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kami,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  -"Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c 


EXTRA! 

Dallas 
Premiere 
Terrific! 

First  5 
Days  Top 
Miniver"! 


i JOHN?!?**,*. 


Rush  Pledge 
for  Red  Cross 
Week— April  1-7! 


LITHO  USA 


Wednesday,  March  17,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


5 


Production  Off 
With  35  Films 
Now  in  Work 


Hollywood,  March  16. — Produc- 
tion slumped  this  week  to  35  pictures 
'  7core  the  cameras  as  eight  finished 
"51  only  tw0  started.  Twenty-four 
aie  being  prepared  and  54  are  being 
edited. 
The  tally  by  studio : 

Columbia 

In  work :  "Appointment  in  Berlin," 
"Right  Guy,"  "Two  Senoritas  from 
Chicago,"  "Somewhere  in  Sahara," 
"Attack  by  Night." 

M-G-M 

In  work :  "The  Man  from  Down 
Under,"  "A  Guy  Named  Joe,"  "Right 
About  Face,"  "Best  Foot  Forward," 
"Girl   Crazy,"   "Madame  Curie." 

Started:  "Russia,"  with  Robert 
Taylor,  Susan  Peters. 


In  work  : 


Goldwyn 

"The  North  Star." 


Monogram 

Finished:  "Wings  over  the  Pacific," 
"Sarong  Girl." 

In  work:  "Wild  Horse  Stampede." 

Paramount 

In  work :  "Hostages,"  "Let's  Face 
It,"  "So  Proudly  We  Hail,"  "Lady 
in  the  Dark." 

RKO 

Finished:  "The  Leopard  Man," 
"Gildersleeve's  Bad  Day." 

In  work :  "A  Lady  Takes  a  Chance," 
"The  Fallen  Sparrow,"  "The  Sky's 
the  Limit." 


Republic 

"Riders  of 


the  Rio 


Finished : 
Grande." 

In  work :  "Prodigal's  Mother," 
"Swing  Your  Partner,"  "False  Faces." 

Started:  "Man  from  Thunder  Riv- 
er," with  Bill  Elliott,  George  Hayes, 
Anne  Jeffreys. 

20th  Century-Fox 

Finished:  "Stormy  Weather." 

In  work:  "Sweet  Rosie  O' Grady," 
"Jitterbugs,"  "Heaven  Can  Wait," 
"Jane  Eyre,"  "Bomber's  Moon." 

Universal 

Finished:  "You  Go  to  My  Heart," 
"You  Can't  Ration  Love." 

In  work :  "Never  a  Dull  Moment," 
"Phantom  of  the  Opera,"  "Corvettes 
in  Action." 

Warners 

In  work  :  "Saratoga  Trunk,"  "You're 
in  the  Army  Now." 


Legion  of  Decency 
Approves  8  Films 

The  National  Legion  of  Decency  in 
its  current  listing  has  approved  eight 
new  features,  six  for  general  patron- 
age and  two  for  adults,  while  one  was 
listed  "objectionable  in  part."  The 
films  and  their  classifications  are: 

Class  A-l,  Unobjectionable  for 
General  Patronage:  "The  Black 
Raven,"  "The  Blocked  Trail,"  "Bor- 
der Patrol,"  "The  Desperadoes,"  "The 
Ghost  and  the  Guest,"  "Land  of  Hunt- 
ed Men."  Class  A-2,  Unobjection- 
able for  Adults :  "Taxi  Mister,"  "This 
Land  Is  Mine."  Class  B — Objection- 
able in  Part:  "Hello,  Frisco,  Hello.". 


Reviews 

"The  Falcon  Strikes  Back" 

(RKO) 

Hollywood,  March  16 

'"TOM  CONWAY,  who  played  The  Falcon's  brother  opposite  George 
*  Sanders  in  "The  Falcon's  Brother"  and  is  George  Sanders'  brother 
in  fact,  takes  over  the  series  (and  the  Falcon  designation)  in  this  number 
and  runs  away  with  the  assignment.  The  picture  measures  up  to  the 
best  of  its  predecessors  and  perhaps  a  bit  beyond. 

The  story  is  gotten  into  by  way  of  a  gun,  at  point  of  which  an  apparent 
damsel  in  distress,  who  turns  out  to  be  neither,  enlists  the  hero's  aid  in 
locating  a  brother  who  doesn't  exist.  The  Falcon  is  then  framed  for  a 
$250,000  war  bond  robbery,  escaping  detention  to  go  in  search  of  the 
criminals  and  succeeding  finally — after  a  couple  of  murders  have  oc- 
curred to  complicate  matters — in  rounding  up  the  bond  thieves  and  an 
eccentric  who's  been  doing  the  killing  independently  for  reasons  of 
vengeance. 

Humor  is  to  the  fore  throughout,  and  at  no  expense  to  the  melo- 
dramatic values,  a  circumstance  which  stacks  up  as  a  tribute  to  the  skill 
of  producer  Maurice  Geraghty,  director  Edward  Dmytryk,  screenplay- 
wrights  Edward  Dein  and  Gerald  Geraghty  and  the  author,  Stuart 
Palmer. 

The  cast  includes  Harriet  Hilliard,  Jane  Randolph,  Edgar  Kennedy, 
Cliff  Edwards,  Rita  Corday,  Erford  Gage,  Wynne  Gibson,  Richard  Loo, 
Andre  Chariot,  Cliff  Clark  and  Ed  Gargan. 

Running  time,  65  minutes.    "G".*  William  R.  Weaver. 


"Air  Raid  Wardens" 

(M-G-M) 

Hp  HE  full  bag  of  Laurel  and  Hardy  tricks  is  unloaded  in  "Air  Raid 
■■  Wardens,"  a  comedy  built  around  the  pair's  efforts  to  aid  in  civilian 
defense.  Their  adventures  in  bungle,  evolving  in  the  capture  of  Nazi 
spies,  are  replete  with  the  team's  characteristic  antics,  and  exhibitors 
have  the  Laurel  and  Hardy  marquee  value  as  a  focal  point  in  selling  the 
film. 

There  is  little  attempt  in  the  screenplay  to  deviate  from  the  usual  pre- 
scription of  the  pair's  low  status  in  the  community  and  their  ability  to 
get  into  trouble.  The  original  screenplay  is  by  Martin  Rackin,  Jack 
Jevne,  Charles  Rogers  and  Harry  Crane. 

Edgar  Kennedy  is  present  in  the  cast  and  is  constantly  at  the  boiling 
point  in  his  relations  with  the  other  comedians.  Donald  Meek  is  quietly 
sly  as  the  inoffensive  appearing  German  agent.  Horace  McNally  plays 
the  town  editor  and  defender  of  the  stars'  attempts  to  be  air  raid 
wardens. 

Laurel  and  Hardy  are  turned  down  by  the  Army,  Navy  and  Marines 
and  return  to  town,  dejected.  Their  spirits  improve  when  they  join  the 
air  raid  wardens,  a  particularly  important  job  because  of  the  construction 
of  a  war  plant  in  the  town.  However,  they  make  so  many  mistakes  that 
they  are  expelled  from  the  service.  By  following  two  men  stealing  wire 
from  their  store,  they  uncover  a  gang  of  Nazi  spies,  prevent  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  plant  and  are  heroes. 

Edward  Sedgwick  directed  and  B.  F.  Zeidman  produced. 

Running  time,  67  minutes.   "G".*  Lucille  Greenberg 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


FDR  Names  Clark 
To  Succeed  Arnold 

Washington,  March  16. — 
President  Roosevelt  today 
nominated  Tom  C.  Clark,  for- 
merly assistant  to  Thurman 
Arnold,  to  succeed  Arnold  as 
assistant  attorney  general  in 
charge  of  the  anti-trust  divi- 
sion of  the  Department  of 
Justice. 

Clark  assisted  Arnold  in  the 
development  and  prosecution 
of  a  number  of  important 
suits  and  has  been  forecast  as 
his  logical  successor  ever 
since  Arnold  was  nominated 
to  the  District  of  Columbia 
Federal  Court  of  Appeals. 

His  nomination  went  to  the 
Senate  today  and  is  expected 
to  receive  prompt  considera- 
tion. 


Ohio  Censors)  Order 
Few  Deletions  in  Feb. 

Columbus,  March  16.  —  The  Ohio 
censors,  in  reviewing  a  total  of  120 
films,  comprising  314  reels  in  Febru- 
ary, ordered  eliminations  in  9  films  or 
17  reels,  it  was  reported. 

In  January,  134  films  or  426  reels 
were  reviewed,  and  eliminations  or- 
dered in  13  films  or  17  reels. 


$75,000  Eastman 

Gift  to  Red  Cross 

Rochester,  March  16. — A  gift  of 
$75,000  has  been  made  to  the  Red 
Cross  War  Fund  here  by  the  Eastman 
Kodak  Co.,  it  was  announced 


Song  Suit  Examination 

John  G.  Paine,  general  manager  of 
AS  CAP,  and  Lewis  MacConnach, 
secretary  of  NBC,  will  be  examined 
Friday  by  attorneys  for  William  Law, 
who  is  suing  the  two  companies, 
charging  that  NBC  used  his  song, 
"On  Iowa,"  numerous  times  since 
1936,  paid  ASCAP  for  its  use,  but 
he  never  received  any  of  the  money. 


Mayer,  Martz  Honored 

Rochester,  March  16. — Three  par- 
ties were  held  here  honoring  Lou 
Mayer  of  the  RKO  Temple  and  Har- 
old Martz  of  the  Regent,  leaving  to 
take  new  theatre  posts.  Hosts  were 
the  operators'  and  stagehands'  unions, 
Jay  Golden  and  Harold  Mason. 


Fly  Calls  for  Webs 
To  Share  Issues  Time 

Washington,  March  16.  —  Broad- 
casters should  afford  both  sides  on 
controversial  questions  the  same 
equal  division  of  time  that  is  required 
in  the  case  of  political  candidates, 
FCC  Chairman  James  L.  Fly  said. 

Fly,  questioned  regarding  the  Com- 
mission's position  on  a  provision  in 
legislation  now  pending  before  Con- 
gress, said  the  stations  should  con- 
sider themselves  a  mechanism  to  as- 
sure complete  and  balanced  presenta- 
tions of  issues  to  the  public.  How- 
ever, he  added,  the  Commission  had 
taken  no  stand  on  the  pending  legis- 
lation. 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  March  17,  1943 


$2,586,000  Dividend 
To  Kodak  Employes 

Rochester,  N.  Y.,  March  16. 
— A  wage  dividend  of  $2,586,- 
000  has  been  distributed  to 
34,265  employes  of  the  East- 
man Kodak  Co.  in  the  West- 
ern Hemisphere,  it  was  an- 
nounced. A  total  of  22,875  of 
more  than  25,000  workers  em- 
ployed in  Rochester  received 
$1,753,750. 


Rep.  Opens  Coast 
Sales  Meet  Today 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

tures,  are  here  from  New  York  for 
the  sessions.  M.  J.  Siegel,  president 
of  Republic  Productions,  and  general 
sales  manager,  heads  the  studio  con- 
tingent. Grainger  is  scheduled  to  dis- 
cuss plans  for  release  of  "Hit  Parade 
of  1943."  Production  plans,  includ- 
ing the  continued  build-up  of  Roy 
Rogers,  Western  star,  will  be  out- 
lined. 

Attending  the  meeting  here  are 
Francis  Bateman,  Western  district 
sales  manager ;  J.  T.  Sheffield,  Seat- 
tle franchise  holder,  and  these  branch 
managers :  Ed  Walton,  Seattle ;  Gene 
Gerbase,  Denver ;  J.  H.  Sheffield, 
Portland;  Sid  Weisbaum,  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  A.  J.  Frey,  Los  Angeles. 


Mono.  Schedules  40 
New  Season  Films 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

productions  will  be  eliminated,  it  was 
said. 

A  five-year  contract  was  awarded 
Belita,  skating  star  of  "Silver  Skates." 
Her  next  picture  will  be  "Lady,  Let's 
Dance,"  starting  in  April,  with  Scott 
R.  Dunlap  producing.  Two  other  top 
productions  will  be  made,  it  was  an- 
nounced. Eight  of  the  16  westerns  are 
to  star  Johnny  Mack  Brown. 

With  Johnston  presiding,  the  sea- 
sions  were  addressed  by  Samuel 
Broidy,  Trem  Carr,  Oscar  Hanson, 
Harry  Kaufman,  John  Manghan, 
Harry  Thomas  and  Norton  V. 
Ritchey.  The  board  of  directors  held 
its  mid-year  meeting  late  today. 


United  Nations  Men 
Get  Film  Product 

The  plan  to  supply  United  Nations 
fighting  men  with  modern  motion  pic- 
ture equipment  and  product  through- 
out the  world  is  speedily  and  suc- 
cessfully materializing,  Maurice  Lan- 
caster, of  the  March  of  Time  London 
office,  said  here  following  a  trip  to  the 
Far  East  and  Australia. 

Accompanied  by  cameraman  Bob 
Navarro,  Lancaster  visited  Gandhi 
and  Nehru  in  India  and  General  Mc- 
Arthur,  among  others.  Both  March 
of  Time  employes  expect  to  return 
to  their  native  England  shortly,  they 
said. 


Review 


"This  Land  Is  Mine" 

(RKO) 

Hollywood,  March  16 

A  BOUT  40  of  the  50  reviewers  who  saw  this  film  in  a  hot  projection 
room  at  the  studio  were  caught  in  the  act  of  wiping  tears  from 
their  eyes  when  the  lights  went  up.  That  report  on  the  reaction  of  a 
hard  audience  under  tough  conditions  may  sum  up  and  boil  down  the 
matter  of  the  film's  usefulness  as  an  item  of  entertainment  on  the  screen. 
The  names  with  which  to  get  the  audience  into  the  theatre  to  experience 
this  entertainment  are  Charles  Laughton,  Maureen  O'Hara  and  George 
Sanders,  plus  whatever  selections  from  the  long  list  of  supporting  talent 
may  possess  drawing  power  in  individual  situations. 

There  are  things  other  than  names  to  exploit  with,  however.  There  is 
the  fact  that  the  film  depicts  life  and  death  in  a  Nazi-occupied  country, 
and  that  it  argues  for  moral  resistance  and  physical  sabotage  on  the 
part  of  Nazi-dominated  populations.  There  is  the  fact  that  it  explores 
Nazi  doctrine  and  exposes  its  fallacies,  and  that  it  undertakes  to  depict 
for  free  people  the  psychological  reflexes  of  a  people  from  whom  freedom 
has  been  taken.  There  is  also  the  title,  which  applies  specifically  to  no 
plot  of  ground  and  no  nation,  but  to  a  state  of  mind  which  the  narrative 
asserts  is  the  rock  of  resistance  upon  which  the  invasion  barge  of 
aggressors  must  destroy  itself. 

The  picture  is  a  Jean  Renoir-Dudley  Nicholas  production,  Renoir 
directing  from  Nichols'  screenplay.  It  is  by  no  means  a  smooth  job.  It 
opens  brilliantly,  presenting  the  arrival  of  the  occupying  Nazis  in  a 
town  in  an  unnamed  country,  and  it  closes  spectacularly,  presenting 
Laughton  as  a  coward  who  finds  courage  in  the  shadow  of  death  and 
forfeits  a  chance  for  personal  freedom  in  favor  of  enunciating  the  credo 
of  liberty  for  the  encouragement  of  his  fellow  men.  In  between  thesa 
high  points  the  story  shuttles  back  and  forth,  up  and  down,  between  and 
across  lanes  of  interest,  subjecting  the  audience  to  a  succession  of 
puzzlements  and  frustrations  which — quite  possibly  by  Nichols'  design 
— throws  the  powerful  finale  into  the  high  relief  of  contrast.  From  which 
it  benefits. 

There  are  other  veerings  from  the  norm  which  stack  up  as  flaws  for 
those  who  elect  to  rate  them  such  in  the  face  of  audience  evidence. 
George  Sanders  is  wasted  in  a  role  a  minor  player  might  have  handled 
more  convincingly.  Una  O'Connor  overacts  from  start  to  finish,  making 
a  mother  role  a  caricature  that  penalizes  her  associates  and  detracts  from 
the  impact  of  the  central  characterization  furnished  by  Laughton.  Even 
he,  who  comes  through  like  a  Notre  Dame  quarterback  to  pitch  not 
one  but  two  touchdown  passes  in  the  final  minutes  of  play,  fluffs  a 
couple  of  scenes  in  midpicture,  and  at  times  the  dialogue  talks  itself  out. 
But  these  are  flaws.  The  whole  of  the  picture  is  what's  to  be  sold,  and 
it  sells  itself  on  the  screen. 

Others  in  the  cast  are  Walter  Slezak,  Kent  Smith,  Philip  Merivale, 
Thurston  Hall,  George  Coulouris,  Nancy  Gates,  Ivan  Simpson,  John 
Donat,  Frank  Alten,  Leo  Bulgakov,  Wheaton  Chambers  and  Cecil 
Weston. 

Running  time,  103  minutes.    "G".*  William  R.  Weaver 


'Kiss  and  TelV  on 
Broadway  Tonight 

"Kiss  and  Tell,"  produced 
by  George  Abbott,  opens  to- 
night at  the  Biltmore  The- 
atre. It  is  the  only  drama 
opening  of  the  week.  Heading 
the  cast  are  Jessie  Royce  Lan- 
dis,  Robert  Keith,  Joan  Caul- 
field,  Judith  Parrish  and  Lulu 
Mae  Hubbard. 


Bar  Proceeding  on 
New  Facts  in  Case 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

it  refused  to  consider.  The  arbitra- 
tor held  that  the  offer  of  a  second 
run  to  complainant  violated  Section  6 
of  the  decree. 

Vitagraph  appealed  and  the  appeal 
board  found  that  the  second  run  offer 
was  not  improper  at  the  time  it  was 
made  but  became  so  because,  in  the 
meantime,  the  complainant  had  ac- 
quired a  stock  interest  in  the  Lake  and 
notified  Warners  that  the  Lake  did 
not  want  its  product  first  run  but  the 
Tracy  did.  The  distributor,  however, 
declined  to  offer  anything  but  second 
run. 

The  appeal  board  held  that  "it 
would  serve  no  useful  purpose  to  com- 
pel complainant  to  bring  a  new  pro- 
ceeding" after  he  had  acquired  the  in- 
terest in  the  Lake,  and  that  the  case 
should  be  considered  in  the  light  of 
that  situation.  The  board,  therefore, 
ruled  that  since  no  other  theatre  de 
sired  the  first  run,  Vitagraph's  offer 
of  a  second  run  to  the  Tracy  was 
equivalent  to  a  refusal  to  license  on 
any  run,  contrary  to  Section  6. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


'Parade*  View  Tonight 

Republic  will  hold  an  exhibitor  pre- 
view of  "Hit  Parade  of  1943"  tonight 
at  8:45  o'clock  at  Loew's  Ziegfeld 
Theatre,  it  was  announced. 


All-Night  House  for 
Phila*  War  Workers 

Philadelphia,  March  16. — Warner 
Bros,  circuit  here  is  keeping  one  down- 
town house  open  all  night  one  night 
a  week  to  accommodate  war  workers. 
The  plan  was  inaugurated  recently 
when  the  Fox  Theatre  started  its  last 
show  at  3  :30  a.m. 

Labor-management  committees  long 
have  advocated  that  at  least  one  house 
remain  open  during  the  early  hours 
so  that  war  workers  may  see  films 
without   being  inconvenienced. 


Lab  Union  Resumes 
Pathe  Contract  Talks 

Negotiations  between  Laboratory 
Technicians  Union  Local  702  and 
Pathe  Laboratories  have  been  resumed. 
John  J.  Francavilla,  acting  president, 
announced.  Previously  it  had  been 
expected  that  a  federal  conciliator 
might  be  requested  to  settle  the  dis- 
pute. 


Albany  Area  Houses 
Raise  Weekend  Scale 

Albany,  March  16.  —  Weekend 
prices  were  increased  by  first  run 
houses  operated  by  the  Fabian  and 
Warner  circuits  here.  The  price  rise 
was  uniformly  five  cents.  Next  week- 
end the  circuits  plan  to  raise  their 
scale  the  same  amount  in  Troy  and 
Fabian  plans  to  raise  the  scale  five 
cents  in  Schenectady  as  well,  it  was 
reported. 


Coast  Exhibitors  to 
Ask  Print  Cut  Relief 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
and  to  enlist  their  aid  in  preventing 
such    current    practices    as  holding 
prints  for  tentative  clearances  in  the 
territory  for  seven  days. 

New  members  elected  to  the  PCC- 
ITO  board  at  the  meeting  are :  Hugh 
W.  Bruen,  Jack  Y.  Herman,  Harry 
Rackin,  Gerald  Gallagher,  Albert  A. 
Galston,  Mrs.  Jenne  Dodge  and  Nick 
Diamos.  The  executive  committee 
reported  on  efforts  being  made  to 
have  theatre  managers  and  projection- 
ists classified  as  essential  workers  by 
the  War  Manpower  Commission.  Co- 
operation with  the  Theatre  Defense 
Bureau  in  an  effort  to  eliminate 
"gate-crashing"  with  police  aid  was  I  1 
pledged.  i 


Gaghen  New  Phila.  Critic 

Philadelphia,  March  16. — Gerry 
Gaghen,  manager  of  the  Thomas  A. 
Labrum,  theatrical  advertising  agency 
here,  is  the  new  theatre  and  radio  edi- 
tor of  the  Philadelphia  Daily  News, 
succeeding  Sidney  Gathrid,  resigned. 

Named  Labor  Treasurer 

Rochester,  March  16. — Harmon  J. 
Smith  of  the  operators'  union  is  the 
new  treasurer  of  the  Central  Trades 
and  Labor  Council  here. 


Second  Cincinnati 
Area  Alert  Friday 

Cincinnati,  March  16. — A  second 
blackout  in  the  metropolitan  Cincin- 
nati area,  comprising  Hamilton  Coun- 
ty, several  communities  in  northern 
Kentucky,  and  a  few  near  the  Indiana 
state  line,  will  be  held  Friday  night, 
it  is  announced. 

Set  Central  Ohio  Blackout 

Columbus,  March  16. — A  blackout 
covering  20  counties  in  central  Ohio 
will  be  held  this  month,  the  date  to  be 
determined  later  by  Ralph  H.  Stone, 
State  Defense  Director,  k  was  learned. 
An  alert  in  30  counties  of  the  Lake 
Shore-Ohio  Valley  area  was  held  re- 
cently. 


MOTION  PICtURE 


Alert, 


to  the^ction 
Picture 
Industry 


First  in 


teJ)L.  53.  NO.  52 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  THURSDAY,  MARCH  18,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Walker  Gives 
Quigley  Award 
For  War  Effort 


Presentation  to  Matlack 
Made  in  Portland 


Portland,  Ore.,  March  17. — 
Postmaster  General  Frank  C. 
Walker  here  today  presented  the 
first  annual 
Quigley 
Award  for 
War  Show- 
m  a  n  s  hip  to 
Jack  Matlack, 
in  behalf  of 
Martin  Quig- 
ley and  at  the 
request  of 
Lowell  Mel- 
lett,  chief  of 
t  h  e  Motion 
Picture 
Bureau  of  the 
Office  of  War 
Informa- 
tion. The 
presentation     was    made     at  a 

(Continued  on  page  14) 


Frank  C.  Walker 


Kodak  Co.  '42  Net 
Profit$21,183,515 


Rochester,  March  17. — Net  profit 
of  $21,183,515  for  1942  was  reported 
by  Eastman  Kodak  Co.  today.  The 
result  compares  with  net  profit  of 
$21,588,790  for  1941. 

The  company's  total  sales  for  1942 
amounted  to  $219,759,664.  Provision 
for  United  States  and  foreign  income 
taxes  amounted  to  $12,130,738,  and 
$27,000,000  was  provided  for  Federal 
excess  profits  taxes.  In  the  preceding 
year  the  latter  amount  totaled  $15,- 
500,000.  The  increase  in  sales  over 
1941  was  21  per  cent.  Sales  to  the 
Government  and  prime  contractors 
accounted  largely  for  the  increase,  it 
was  stated. 

Provision  in  the  amount  of  $3,500,- 

( Continued  on  page  14) 


20th-Fox  Advances 
Annual  Meet  to  May 

Date  of  the  annual  meeting  of  20th 
Century-Fox  stockholders  has  been 
changed  by  the  company's  board  of 
directors  from  the  third  Tuesday  in 
April  of  each  year  to  the  third  Tues- 
day in  May.  The  annual  meeting  to 
elect  directors,  therefore,  will  be  held 
Mav  18  this  vear. 


Taxes  Major  Issue 
Facing  House  and 
Senate  Next  Week 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  March  17. — Taxes 
will  be  the  major  subject  of  consid- 
eration in  both  houses  of  Congress 
next  week. 

The  Finance  Committee  plans  to 
report  the  debt-increase  bill,  carrying 
repeal  of  President  Roosevelt's  sal- 
ary-control order,  so  that  the  Senate 
may  take  it  up  Monday.  The  only 
point  in  the  measure  on  which  any 
controversy  is  expected  is  the  method 
by  which  the  repeal  is  to  be  effected. 

The  Senate  Committee  has  thrown 
out  the  House  plan  to  freeze  salaries 
at  pre-Pearl  Harbor  levels  or  $25,000 
after  taxes  in  favor  of  a  provision 
which  would  not  permit  the  reduction 
of  pre-war  salaries  but  would  retain 
for  the  President  the  authority  to 
prohibit  "inflationary"  increases. 

The  House  also  is  expected  to  take 
up  taxes  on  Monday  with  a  big  fight 
looming  on  the  Ruml  plan. 


EXHIBITORS  CAN'T 
GET  DECREE  SHIFT 

But  Recommendations  Can  Be  Made  to  the 
Department  of  Justice,  Wright  Declares; 
Three  Future  Courses  Are  Indicated 


Paul  Whiteman  New 
Blue  Music  Director 


Paul  Whiteman  yesterday  was 
named  director  of  music  for  the  Blue 
Network  by  Mark  Woods,  president. 
The  appointment  is  effective  immedi- 
ately and  places  Whiteman  in  charge 
of  all  musical  programs  in  a  supervis- 
ory capacity. 

After  a  conference  with  Woods  and 
Phillips  Carlin,  Blue  vice-president  in 
charge  of  programs,  Whiteman  left 
New  York  for  the  West  Coast,  where 
he  will  have  his  headquarters  at  the 
network's  studios  for  the  next  three 
months.  After  that,  he  will  be  at  the 
Blue  offices  in  New  York. 

Whiteman  will  supervise  planning 
of  musical  programs. 


Washington,  March  17. — Expectation  that  exhibitors  would  have  the 
opportunity  of  petitioning  the  Federal  court  for  changes  in  the  industry 
consent  decree  or  for  any  other  action  affecting  the  decree's  future  were 
disposed  of  today  by  Robert  L.  Wright,  special  assistant  to  the  Attorney 

General. 


AFM  Refuses 
New  Proposals 
In  Disc  Fight 


Chicago,  March  17. — James  C. 
Petrillo  and  the  executive  board  of 
the  American  Federation  of  Musi- 
cians today  refused  to  submit  new 
proposals  to  the  recording  industry, 
in  its  ban  on  the  making  of  records 
by  union  members,  charging  failure 
to  consider  the  original  proposals  in 
good  faith  and  the  lack  of  a  basis 
for  collective  bargaining  by  their 
failure  to  submit  counter  proposals. 

In  a  letter  to  all  transcribers  and 
recorders,  the  union  claims  that  all 
who  benefit  from  the  displacement  of 
human  labor  should  share  the  cost  to 
displaced  workers  and  that  relief  is 
being  claimed  solely  because  they  have 
been  victimized  by  the  same  thing 
which  benefits  others. 

Many  unemployed  musicians  are  not 
eligible  for  Government  relief,  accord- 
ing to  their  statement,  and  such  re- 
lief is  claimed  to  be  wholly  inade- 
quate. 


Raw  Stock  Allotment  for  Argentina 

Has  U.  S.  Gov't  Approval,  Is  Report 

Washington,  March  17. — Due  to  the  close  working  cooperation 
between  the  State  Department  and  the  Office  of  Coordinator  of 
Inter-American  Affairs  it  is  believed  here  that  the  latter's  sugges- 
tion that  a  raw  stock  allotment  be  made  to  Argentina  by  the  War 
Production  Board's  motion  picture  section  has  the  approval  of  the 
State  Department. 

CIAA  officials  disclosed  that  representations  have  been  made  to 
Harold  Hopper,  chief  of  the  WPB  motion  picture  section,  regard- 
ing the  desirability  of  granting  Argentina  the  raw  stock  requested 
by  that  country,  the  amount  of  which  was  not  revealed. 

It  was  explained  that,  despite  Argentina's  status  as  the  only 
American  republic  which  has  not  joined  the  United  Nations,  co- 
operation with  that  country  in  the  maintenance  of  its  economy  is 
regarded  as  desirable  as  a  means  of  counteracting  Axis  influence. 


Changes  would  be  possible 
after  the  three-year  trial  period 
of  the  decree  expires  next  Nov. 
20.  Wright  pointed  out,  how- 
ever, that  exhibitors  are  re- 
stricted to  bringing  their  com- 
plaints or  suggestions  for 
changes  to  the  attention  of  the 
Department  of  Justice,  since 
they  are  not  parties  to  the  de- 
cree. 

Wrights'  view  is  in  line  with  that 
of  Federal  Judge  Henry  W.  Goddard 
at  the  public  hearings  on  the  decree 
prior  to  its  entry  in  the  New  York 
district  court  in  1940.  Judge  Goddard 
ruled  then  that  while  exhibitors 
were  entitled  to  a  full  hearing  on  their 
views  with  respect  to  the  decree,  not 
being  parties  to  it  they  had  no  stand- 
ing in  court  and  the  court  would  have 
to  be  guided  by  the  stands  taken  by 
the  D.  of  J.  and  consenting  companies. 

Allied  States'  board  of  directors  re- 

(Continued  on  page  14) 


Independents  Face 
SWG  Pay  Ultimatum 


Hollywood,  March  17. — Indepen- 
dent producers  have  until  March  26  to 
accede  to  demands  of  the  Screen 
Writers  Guild  for  minimum  pay  and 
flat  work  rates  as  a  result  of  a  meet- 
ing between  representatives  of  the 
Guild  and  the  Independent  Motion 
Picture  Producers  Association  last 
night,  at  which  the  producers  flatly 
rejected  the  Guild  request. 

The  Guild  ultimatum  was  that  its 

(Continued  on  page  2) 


Five  Reviews  Today 

Reviews  of  "Heart  of  a  Na- 
tion," "Hoppy  Serves  a  Writ," 
"Fighting  Sea  Monsters," 
Page  8.  "The  Silver  Fleet" 
and  "The  Kid  Rides  Again," 
Page  14.  Key  city  box-office 
reports.  Pages  8  and  11.  Brit- 
ish group  set  up  on  raw  stock, 
Page  11. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  March  18,  1943 


Para.  Appeals  on 
Boston  Run  Award; 
N.  O.  Action  Filed 


Paramount  yesterday  filed  notice  of 
appeal  at  the  Boston  arbitration  tribu- 
nal from  an  award  of  an  arbitrator 
there  which  held  that  the  distributor 
had  not  complied  with  the  provisions 
of  Section  6  of  the  decree  in  making 
an  offer  of  a  run  to  the  Welldon  The- 
atre, complainant  in  the  some  run  case 
against  the  company. 

A  designated  run  complaint  was 
filed  at  the  New  Orleans  tribunal  by 
Anthony  Demharter,  operator  of  the 
Peacock  Theatre,  against  Paramount, 
RKO,  20th  Century-Fox  and  Vita- 
graph.  It  charged  that  the  run  of  60 
days  after  New  Orleans  downtown 
first  runs  which  the  Peacock  had  since 
1935  was  given  to  the  Rivoli  and 
Dreamland,  units  of  the  United  The- 
atres Chain,  by  the  four  distributors 
recently. 

Drops  Minnesota  Case 

At  Minneapolis,  the  clearance  com- 
plaint of  the  Engler  Bros.'  Royal  and 
Hopkins,  Hopkins,  Minn.,  against  the 
five  consenting  companies  was  with- 
drawn without  prejudice  following  a 
settlement  agreement. 

A  clearance  complaint  has  been  filed 
at  the  Los  Angeles  tribunal  by  Lewis 
&  Co.,  operator  of  the  Los  Feliz  The- 
atre, against  RKO,  Loew's  and  Vita- 
graph.  The  complaint  charges  that 
the  49  days  clearance  accorded  Los 
Angeles  first  runs  over  the  Los  Feliz 
is  unreasonable  and  asks  that  it  be  re- 
duced to  35  days  when  the  latter  thea- 
tre charges  a  35-cent  top  and  to  21 
days  when  the  top  is  40  cents. 


Independents  Face 
SWG  Pay  Ultimatum 

{Continued  from  page  1) 

members  would  not  accept  work  in  in- 
dependent studios  unless  an  agree- 
ment was  reached  for  payment  of  $1,- 
000  for  completed  Western  screen- 
plays and  features  up  to  a  $35,000 
budget,  $1,500  for  Western  scripts  and 
features  over  $35,000  and  $125  mini- 
mum weekly  pay. 

The  producer  turndown,  exclusively 
reported  in  the  Motion  Picture 
Daily  last  Friday,  was  ignored  en- 
tirely by  Guild  negotiators  led  by 
Mary  McCall,  Jr.,  president,  who  re- 
fused to  differentiate  between  West- 
erns and  features  for  bargaining  pur- 
poses. The  MPPDA  group  led  by 
I.  E.  Chadwick,  president,  announced 
that  the  association  would  meet  on 
March  25  to  consider  the  question. 

Current  average  pay  for  feature 
scripts  is  $750,  less  for  Westerns,  with 
writer's  weekly  pay  a  matter  of  indi- 
vidual bargaining. 


"A"  Driving  Ban  in 
East  Off  March  22 

Washington,  March  17.— The 
OPA  tonight  lifted  the  ban  on 
pleasure  driving  in  the  East 
effective  March  22.  However 
the  "A"  gasoline  ration  was 
cut  in  half  at  the  same  time. 

OPA  Administrator  Pren- 
tiss M.  Brown  estimated  that 
"A"  card  holders  would  be 
held  down  to  about  90  miles 
per  month  of  driving  by  the 
new  edict. 


Personal  Mention 


N 


ORTON  V.  RITCHEY  has  re- 
turned from  Chicago. 


Sam  Kestenbaum  of  Producers 
Releasing  is  in  Rochester. 

Dixon  Harwin  is  in  town  from 
the  Coast. 

• 

Edward  Martin  of  Warner  Bros.' 
exchange  in  Calgary  has  enlisted  in 
the  Royal  Canadian  Air  Force. 

Frank  N.  Phelps  of  Warner  The- 
atres is  in  Philadelphia. 

• 

Phil  Dunas,  Columbia  Chicago 
branch  manager,  is  vacationing  at 
Palm  Beach. 

• 

Sam  Frank,  chairman  of  the  South 
Jersey  Allied  unit,  and  Mrs.  Minnie 
K.  Platt  of  Philadelphia,  have  an- 
nounced their  engagement. 

Al  Reh,  Jr.,  son  of  Al  Reh,  man- 
ager of  Warner's  Mastbaum  Theatre, 
Philadelphia,  leaves  this  week  for  the 
armed  forces. 

• 

Pvt.  Theodore  Tuttle,  formerly  of 
the  Proven  Pictures  Theatre,  Hart- 
ford, is  stationed  at  Parris  Island, 
S.  C. 


A 


RNOLD  PRESSBURGER  plans 
to  leave  for   California  tomor- 


Monty  Banks  expects  to  leave  for 
the  Coast  tonight. 

• 

W.  Stewart  McDonald,  Warner 
Circuit  executive,  has  returned  from 
Philadelphia. 

Phil  Engel  of  Warner's  Boston 
office    is    visiting    Providence,  New 
Bedford  and  Fall  River  this  week. 
• 

Pvt.   James   Farrel,   formerly  of 
the    Webb    Playhouse,  Wethersfield, 
Conn.,  is  at  Fort  Devens,  Mass. 
• 

Carl  Shalit,  Columbia  district 
manager  in  Detroit,  was  an  Indi- 
anapolis visitor. 

• 

Pvt.  Alden  G.  Hazel,  formerly  at 
the  State  Theatre,  New  Britain,  Conn., 
is  now  stationed  with  the  Army  Air 
Force  at  Fort  Myer,  Fla. 

• 

Robert  Shure,  son  of  Joseph  J. 
Shure,  Fabian  circuit  division  book- 
er in  Albany,  has  enlisted  in  the  ski 
troops. 

• 

Bernard  Teitel  of  Chicago  has 
been  inducted  into  the  Army  follow- 
ing his  graduation  from  the  Univer- 
sity of  Illinois. 


Hollywood  to  Honor 
China's  First  Lady 

Hollywood,  March  17. — David  O. 
Selznick,  co-chairman  of  the  local 
committee  to  welcome  Madame 
Chiang  Kai-shek,  will  produce  the 
program  to  be  given  in  her  honor  at 
Hollywood  Bowl  on  April  4.  William 
Dieterle  will  direct  the  production, 
which  was  written  by  Robert  Rich- 
ards and  designed  by  Wiliam  Perr- 
reira.  Herbert  Stothart  composed  the 
original  musical  score. 


WLB  Approves  Rise 
At  Consolidated  Lab, 

Wage  increases  of  10  and  five  per 
cent  for  Consolidated  Film  Labora- 
tories employes  have  been  approved 
by  the  War  Labor  Board,  John  J. 
Francavilla,  acting  president  of  Labo- 
ratory Technicians  Local  702,  an- 
nounced. Effective  the  week  of  March 
10,  the  10  per  cent  increases  will  go 
to  workers  earning  less  than  $50  a 
week  and  five  per  cent  to  those  earn- 
ing over  $50. 


WMC  Considers  Lab. 
Workers  Deferment 

Washington,  March  17. — Motion 
picture  laboratory  employes  were  said 
to  be  among  those  being  considered 
by  the  Essential  Activities  Commit- 
tee of  the  War  Manpower  Commission 
for  classification  as  eligible  for  draft 
deferment.  The  committee  held  a 
long  session  today  and  may  continue 
tomorrow. 

WMC  spokesmen  refused  to  specu- 
late on  the  committee's  decision,  but 
pointed  out  that  technical  occupations 
in  a  number  of  industries  had  been 
classified  as  essential. 


Shuberts  File  Reply 
To  Suit  on  'Firefly' 

The  Shuberts,  in  an  answer  filed  in 
Federal  Court  here  asked  dismissal 
of  a  copyright  infringement  action 
filed  by  Otto  A.  Harbach  and  Rudolf 
Friml,  based  on  their  operetta,  "The 
Firefly." 

The  answer  points  out  that  weekly 
royalties,  based  on  a  Sept.  5,  1942, 
contract,  are  being  held  in  escrow  for 
the  defendants  and  that  they  refused 
to  accept  them ;  that  the  copyright 
held  by  plaintiffs  is  invalid  and  the 
lyrics  and  music  of  the  operetta  are 
now  in  the  public  domain  and  can  be 
used  by  any  producer,  and  that  be- 
cause G.  Schirmer,  who  obtained  the 
original  copyright  in  1912,  is  not  a 
party  to  the  action,  the  moving  papers 
filed  are  defective. 


Rep.  Planning  Bigger 
Build-up  for  Rogers 

Hollywood,  March  17. — An  in- 
creased campaign  to  exploit  Roy 
Rogers,  Republic  Western  star,  was 
announced  today  at  the  company's  re- 
gional sales  meeting  at  the  studio. 

Rogers  will  tour  theatres  and  serv- 
ice camps  starting  in  the  Northwest 
on  May  1,  it  was  said,  following  with 
a  tour  of  the  Midwest  and  ending  in 
New  England  in  the  Fall. 

In  the  future  all  Rogers  pictures 
will  be  specials,  the  meeting  was  told. 


Para,  to  Handle  BIS 
Film  Instead  of  RKO 

Paramount  will  distribute  the  British 
Information  Service's  short  subject, 
"Letter  from  Ireland,"  in  this  country 
instead  of  RKO  Radio,  as  originally 
announced,  the  British  agency  stated. 
Paramount  announced  a  change  in  title 
to  "Letter  from  Ulster." 


Rain  Dampens  Gross 
On  St.  Patrick's  Day 

A  rainy  St.  Patrick's  Day 
dampened  Broadway  theatre- 
men's  hopes  for  big  holiday 
business  yesterday.  The  tradi- 
tional parade,  starting  at  1 
p.  m.,  went  up  Fifth  Avenue 
from  44th  St.,  to  110th  St.,  but 
there  were  fewer  spectators 
than  usual.  It  was  reported, 
however,  that  the  holiday  ac^e 
counted  for  better  grosse 
than  might  otherwise  have 
been  garnered  for  the  day. 


Red  Cross  Trailer 
Ready;  Rally  Today 


As  American  Red  Cross  Theatre 
Week  in  theatres,  April  1-7,  ap- 
proaches, National  Screen  Service  ex- 
changes throughout  the  country  will 
distribute  to  exhibitors  on  request  a 
special  50-foot  trailer  which  may  be 
used  in  situations  where  communities 
have  already  met  their  quota,  the  War 
Activities  Committee  announced  yes- 
terday. The  trailer  is  designed  to  re- 
move any  onus  that  might  arise  from 
the  aura  of  a  "repeat  collection"  after 
the  initial  community  quota  has  been 
met,  it  was  said. 

Barney  Balaban,  national  chairman 
for  the  theatre  Red  Cross  campaign, 
will  address  more  than  1,000  members 
of  the  industry  in  the  metropolitan 
area  at  a  rally  at  Loew's  Ziegfeld  at 
9  :30  a.m.  today,  along  with  WAC  and 
Red  Cross  executives.  An  outline  for  j 
plans  for  the  drive  in  this  area  will  be 
given. 

Liberty  magazine  and  fan  magazines 
of  the  Fawcett  group  of  publications 
will  give  advertising  space  to  the  the- 
atre drive,  the  WAC  stated. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary.  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  eopyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as  i 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y..  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for-  | 
eign;  single  copies  10c. 


Benoit-Levy  to  Speak 

Jean  Benoit-Levy,  president  of  the 
Film  Directors  Society  of  France,  and 
producer  of  "La  Maternelle"  and 
"Ballerina,",  here  on  a  visit,  will  ad- 
dress the  Philadelphia  Motion  Picture 
Forum  at  the  Bellevue-Stratford  Ho- 
tel on  Monday,  it  was  announced. 


a  Story  Incomparable,  of  a  People  Unconquerable 


Thursday.  March  18,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


5 


Newsreel  Releases 
Feature  Eden  Visit 


The  current  visit  of  Britain's  An- 
thony Eden  to  Washington,  where  he 
is  conferring  with  Government  offi- 
cials, is  featured  in  ail  midweek  news- 
reel  releases. 

Pathe,  Xews  of  the  Day,  Uni- 
versal and  Movietone  highlight  the 
return  of  Marine  hero  Corp.  Barney 
■"^-■s  to  his  native  Chicago.  The  same 
^S?r  show  tests  of  the  Army's  new 
Helicopter  plane,  as  well  as  the  trial 
,  of  a  new  life  raft  to  be  used  by  the 
Coast  Guard. 

An  interview  with  Basil  Izzi,  Amer- 
ican seaman  who  was  rescued  after 
being  adrift  for  83  days,  is  featured  by 
Movietone  and  Paramount.  Pathe  and 
News  of  the  Day  show  the  appoint- 
ment to  the  OPA  of  Mrs.  Philip 
Cowlie,  housewife,  who  will  voice  the 
housewife's  opinion  on  OPA  regula- 
tions. 

Paramount,  Universal,  Movietone 
and  News  of  the  Day  review  invasion 
tactics  practiced  by  troops  in  Southern 
camps.  Movietone  features  the  solo 
sports  event  of  the  week,  the  Knights 
of  Columbus  track  meet  held  in  Madi- 
son Square  Garden. 


Israel  Davis  Dies; 
Pioneer  in  Britain 

London,  March  17. — Israel  Davis, 
pioneer  British  theatre  operator,  died 
here  this  week  at  the  age  of  84.  He 
was  credited  with  having  built  the  first 
exclusively  film  theatre  in  London.  He 
opened  the  Marble  Arch  Pavilion  in 
1914,  the  city's  first  "palatial"  film 
theatre,  and  at  the  close  of  the  first 
World  War  built  the  Shepherd's  Bush 
Pavilion. 

Four  of  his  theatres  were  sold  to 
Gaumont-British  for  a  reported  $2,- 
200,000  in  the  late  1920's.  His  wife 
also  was  active  in  his  theatre  opera- 
tions and  is  credited  with  contributing 
to  his  success.  Their  eldest  son  was 
a  Gaumont-British  director. 


52-Hour  Week  Bill 
For  Women  in  Ohio 

Columbus,  March  17. — A  substitute 
bill  fixing  the  minimum  work  week 
for  women  at  52  hours  and  retaining 
the  10-hour  work  day  has  been  recom- 
mended for  passage  by  the  Senate 
Commerce  and  Labor  Committee.  The 
age  limit  has  been  lowered  from  18 
to  16  for  minors  and  21  to  18  for  girls. 
The  bill  would  permit  women  and 
minors  employed  in  theatres  to  work 
after  10  p.m. 


Wave  of  Vandalism 
Hits  Conn.  Theatres 

New  Haven,  March  17. — Exhibitors 
are  trying  to  cope  with  a  wave  of  van- 
dalism in  theatres,  especially  in  larger 
Connecticut  cities  and  industrial  towns. 
Seat-cutting,  bulb-stealing,  egg  throw- 
ing, and  unnecessary  noise  are  some 
of  the  more  common  difficulties. 
Downtown  theatres  now  have  special 
police  service  at  night. 


Montreal  Theatre  Holdup 

Montreal,  March  17.  —  Loew's 
Theatre  here  was  robbed  of  between 
$200  and  $300  in  midafternoon  by  a 
by  a  man,  said  to  be  wearing  an  Air 
Force  uniform. 


Reviews 

((The  Heart  of  a  Nation" 

{A.  F.  E.  Corp.) 

A SIMPLE  French  family  and  its  history  from  the  German  siege  of 
Paris  in  1871  to  the  present  Nazi  occupation  is  depicted  in  "The 
Heart  of  a  Nation."  This  is  the  film  which  reportedly  was  buried  by 
the  roadside  during  the  general  flight  from  Paris  to  Bordeaux  in  1940 
and  smuggled  out  of  France  and  shipped  to  America  more  than  two 
years  later. 

The  dramatic  background  is  explained  in  a  prologue  by  Charles  Boyer 
and  should  be  an  important  factor  in  attracting  devotees  of  French 
films  wherever  this  picture  is  played.  Added  box-office  appeal  is  pro- 
vided by  the  starring  players,  Michele  Morgan  and  Raimu,  both  skillful 
performers,  and  the  story  of  a  France  known  and  loved  throughout  the 
world.  Boyer's  prologue  is  in  English  and  English  sub-titles  are  pro- 
vided. 

A  cavalcade  of  French  history  through  three  wars  is  unfolded  in  the 
story  of  the  Froment  family  of  Montmartre.  The  Frenchman's  love  for 
peacetime  pursuits  is  presented  side  by  side  with  his  unpreparedness  for 
each  act  of  German  aggression. 

Before  the  elder  Froment  goes  to  his  death  in  1871  in  an  attempt 
to  break  the  German's  siege  of  Paris  during  the  Franco-Prussian  War, 
he  leaves  a  message  of  hope  to  his  brother,  played  by  Raimu,  that  his 
children  will  be  educated.  One  of  the  sons  becomes  a  pioneer  in  Africa, 
the  other  becomes  a  schoolteacher  and  marries.  Eventually,  the  latter's 
son  renounces  his  study  of  medicine  to  become  an  aviator  and  is  killed 
in  the  First  World  War.  The  teacher's  grandson  becomes  a  doctor  and 
as  the  story  ends,  enters  the  army  to  defend  France  in  this  war. 

Others  in  the  cast  are  Louis  Jouvet,  Suzy  Prim,  Lucien  Nat,  Renee 
Devillers,  Jean  Mercanton,  Harry  Krimer  and  Pierre  Jordan.  Julien 
Duvivier  directed  this  Paul  Graetz  production. 

The  frank  picturization  of  Bohemian  surroundings  in  the  pre-World 
War  I  Montmartre  and  Raimu's  sly  innuendos  make  the  film  entertain- 
ment for  adults. 

Running  time,  111  minutes.    "A."*  Lucille  Greexberg 


*"A"  denotes  adult  classification. 


"Hoppy  Serves  a  Writ" 

(  United  Artists) 

OHERIFF  CASSIDY  of  Texas  is  not  one  to  be  duped  and  when 
^  stagecoach  bandits  cross  the  border  into  Oklahoma,  he's  right  after 
them  in  this  latest  of  the  Hopalong  series  with  Bill  Boyd  in  the  title  role. 
Boyd  adopts  the  name  of  "Mr.  Jones"  and  enters  Oklahoma  to  attempt 
recovery  of  the  money  which  the  gang  has  stolen,  as  a  sideline  to  their 
cattle  rustling  activities. 

His  deputies,  Andy  Clyde  and  Jay  Kirby,  disregard  Boyd's  orders  to 
stay  behind  and  follow  the  sheriff  to  give  him  any  needed  aid.  Clyde 
is  taken  by  the  gang  but  learns  valuable  information  while  a  captive. 
When  the  sheriff  and  Kirby  rescue  him,  he  reveals  the  bandits'  plan  to 
steal  cattle.  Boyd  gets  there  first  and  herds  the  cattle  into  Texas, 
where  he  has  jurisdiction.  The  outlaws  follow  to  get  their  cattle  back 
and  are  trapped  by  the  sheriff  and  his  men  in  a  fierce  gun  fight. 

The  western  fans  will  like  this  Cassidy  picture.  Boyd  does  well  in 
the  role  of  the  quiet  spoken  sheriff  who's  mighty  efficient  as  the  guardian 
of  the  law. 

Supporting  roles  are  played  by  Victor  Jory,  George  Reeves,  Jan 
Christy,  Hal  Taliaferro  and  Forbes  Murray.  The  screenplay  was  by 
Gerald  Geraghty.  George  Archainbaud  directed  this  Harry  Sherman 
production. 

Running:  time,  67  minutes.  "G."* 


« 


Fighting  Sea  Monsters" 

(Astor  Pictures  Corp.) 

T  NTERESTING  shots  of  marine  life  in  the  tropical  waters  of  Central 
America  feature  "Fighting  Sea  Monsters."  The  film  was  made  by  a 
group  of  Hollywood  cameramen  combining  fishing  and  photography.  Of 
appeal  to  fishing  enthusiasts  because  of  its  subject,  the  film,  however, 
falls  short  of  photographic  excellence  and  sustained  continuity. 

There  are  several  absorbing  scenes  of  the  specimens  inhabiting  the 
deep  waters,  namely  sharks,  squids  and  many  unfamiliar  species.  There's 
a  thrilling  moment  when  one  of  the  divers  comes  close  to  being  attacked 
by  a  shark,  with  additional  tenseness  provided  by  the  capture  of  dan- 
gerous sharks  and  marlins. 

Some  of  the  commentary,  written  by  Ira  Knaster,  has  amusing  touches. 
Ted  Webber  is  narrator.  Captain  John  C.  Craig  was  producer  and 
Herbert  T.  Edwards  associate  producer. 

Running  time,  61  minutes.  "G"* 


Hollywood 


By  WILLIAM  R.  WEAVER 

Hollywood,  March  17 

CERTIFICATES  of  Safety  are  to 
be  awarded  to  and  displayed  by 
209  theatres  here  in  token  of  con- 
formity with  fire  and  war  hazard  reg- 
ulations in  manner  and  degree  ap- 
proved by  the  Theatre  Defense  Bu- 
reau, which  functions  under  Rodney 
Pantages  with  a  Committee  of  District 
Co-ordinators,  23  in  number,  main- 
taining monthly  inspection  of  protec- 
tive equipment,  staff  drills  and 
cooperation  in  the  war  effort  via  sale 
of  war  bonds  and  stamps.  So  that 
the  public  may  not  miss  the  signifi- 
cance of  the  emblem  indicating  certi- 
fication of  theatre  preparedness,  a 
campaign  of  information  is  to  be  in- 
stituted in  newspapers,  on  the  radio 
and  a  speakers'  bureau. 

• 

Columbia  has  acquired  film  rights 
to  "Mr.  Winkle  Goes  to  War,"  a 
novel  by  Theodore  Pratt,  and  will  use 
the  property  as  Harold  Lloyd's  first 
production  for  the  studio.  Although 
Lloyd  has  declared  he  does  not  in- 
tend to  appear  in  the  picture,  the  stu- 
dio points  out  that  the  title  character 
is  made-to-measure  for  the  comedian 
turned  producer  and  does  not  discour- 
age the  thought  that  he  may  change 
his  mind.  .  .  .  M-G-M  has  borrowed 
Alan  Marshall  from  David  O.  Selznick 
for  a  principal  role  in  "White  Cliffs 
of  Dover,"  the  Alice  Duer  Miller 
novel  in  which  Irene  Dunne  is  to  star 
with  Clarence  Brown  directing  for 
Sidney  Franklin,  winner  of  this  year's 
Irving  Thalberg  trophy  bestowed  by 
the  Academy  of  Motion  Picture  Arts 
and  Sciences. 

• 

Margaret  O'Brien,  the  six-year- 
old  in  "Journey  for  Margaret,"  is 
to  be  starred  by  M-G-M  in  "Lost 
Angel,"  a  story  about  a  child  prod- 
igy, which  Robert  Sisk  is  to  produce 
with  Roy  Rowland  directing.  That 
studio  has  signed  Harry  James  and 
his  band  for  another  picture — he's 
working  now  in  "Best  Foot  For- 
ward"— which  may  be  "Broadway 
Melody  of  1943." 


Johnston  to  Coast  Friday 

Chicago,  March  17. — W.  Ray 
Johnston,  president  of  Monogram,  and 
Trem  Carr,  executive  director  in 
charge  of  production,  plan  to  leave  for 
Hollywood  on  Friday.  They  are  re- 
maining here  for  conferences  follow- 
ing the  two-day  meeting  of  company 
franchise  holders  and  executives. 


Bernhard  Visits  Coast 

Hollywood,  March  .  17. — Joseph 
Bernhard,  vice-president  and  general 
manager  of  Warner  Bros.  Pictures, 
on  leave  to  the  Navy,  has  left  here 
for  San  Diego  and  San  Francisco  on 
Navv  business. 


Harvey  in  New  Post 

George  W.  Harvey,  veteran  indus- 
try advertising  and  publicity  man, 
has  been  named  publicity  manager  for 
Paramount  short  subjects  and  news- 
reel.  He  succeeds  D.  John  Phillips, 
who  has  entered  the  Army. 


rG"  denotes  general  classification. 


Soviet  Film  at  Stanley 

"Diary  of  a  Nazi,"  released  by  Art- 
kino  Pictures,  will  open  at  the  Stanley 
Theatre  here  March  24,  it  was  an- 
nounced. 


CENTU 


"ITS  A  CINCH  FOR  BIG  MONEY!" 

—  Red  Kann,  Qvigley  Publications 

"SUREFIRE  BOXOFFICE  FOR  EXTENDED 

RUNS  EVERYWHERE!"  — Variety 

"SOCK  DRAMATIC  ENTERTAINMENT 
DESTINED  FOR  SOLID  GROSSES!" 

—  Film  Daily 


TO  UNPRECEDENTED  MIL- 
LIONS WHO  READ  IT  IN 
READER'S  DIGEST;  AS  A 
SERIAL  IN  SCORES  OF  KEY 
CITY  NEWSPAPERS  AND  AS 
THE  BIGGEST  BEST-SELLING 
NOVEL  IN  RECENT  YEARS. 


with 


SIR  CEDRIC  HARDWICKE  •  HENRY  TRAVERS  •  LEE  J.  COBB 
DORRIS  BOWDON  •  MARGARET  WYCHERLY  •  WILLIAM  POST,  Jr. 
PETER  VAN  EYCK  •  HENRY  ROWLAND  •  E.  J.  BALLANTINE 

Directed  by  IRVING  PICHEL  •  Produced  and  Written  for  the  Screen  by  NUNNALLY  JOHNSON 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  March  18,  1943 


'Keeper'  and 
'Sergeant'  Big 
Phila.  Grosses 


Philadelphia,  March  17. — The  in- 
come tax  deadline  and  early  arrival  of 
Spring  weather  on  Sunday  following 
a  day  of  snow  held  down  business, 
particularly  for  holdover  films.  Two 
new  openings  fared  excellently, 
"Keeper  of  the  Flame"  figured  at 
reaching  $22,000  at  the  Boyd  and 
"Immortal  Sergeant"  doing  similar 
business  at  the  Fox  in  addition  to  a 
$4,000  for  the  dual  Sunday  showing 
at  the  Earle  to  make  it  a  total  of 
$26,000  for  the  week.  "Once  Upon  A 
Honeymoon",  for  its  continued  run  at 
the  Karlton,  looks  like  a  heavy  $7,000 
while  "Lucky  Jordan"  shows  strength 
in  its  third  week  at  the  Stanton,  point- 
ing to  $8,500. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  16-19 : 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

ALDIN E — (900)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average. 
$9,000) 

"Tennessee  Johnson"  (M-G-M) 

ARCADIA—  (600)  (35c-46c-57c-68c)  7  days, 
2nd  run.  Gross:  $3,000.  (Average,  $2,800) 
"Keeper  of  tile  Flame"  (M-G-M) 

BOYD — (3,000)    (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $22,000.    (Average.  $14,000) 
"Meanest  Man,  in  the  World"  (20th-Fox) 
(6  days) 

"The  Immortal  Sergeant"  (RKO)  (1  day) 

EARLE — (3,000)  (46c-57c-75c).  _  Stage:  6 
days  of  vaudeville  including  Chico  Marx's 
orchestra  with  Harpo  Marx  substituting. 
Skip  Nelson.  Kim  Kimberly,  Frank  Gaby, 
Toy  &  Wing,  Kay  Stuart,  George  Marin, 
MelTorme.  Gross:  $29,800.  (Average,  $18,000) 
"The  Payoff"  (PRC) 

FAY'S — (2,190)  (29c-35c-46c-57c).  Stage: 
7  days  of  vaudeville  including  Erskine 
Hawkins'  orchestra,  Ida  James,  Billy  Eck- 
stein, "Spider"  Bruce,  Sarah  Vaughn,  Floyd 
Christie  &  Co.,  the  Three  Poms.  Gross: 
$10,000.  (Average.  $6,000) 
"The  Immortal  Sergeant"  (RKO) 

FOX  —  (3,000)    (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $22,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

KARLTON  —  (1,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $7,000.  (Aver- 
age, $3,500) 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

KEITH'S — (2,200)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c) 
7  days.  2nd  run.  Gross:  $6,500.  (Average. 
$4,500) 

"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

MASTBAUM— (4,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $16,700 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

STANLEY  —  (3,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)    7    days,    2nd    week.     Gross:  $16,200. 
(Average.  $14,000) 
"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 

STANTON  —  (1.700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Average, 
$6,500) 


3  Incorporations 
Filed  in  New  York 

Alba  ny,  March  17. — Tigara  Pro- 
ductions, Inc.,  Manhattan,  has  been 
incorporated  to  conduct  a  theatrical 
business  in  New  York  state.  The  firm 
which  has  200  shares  of  authorized 
capital  stock,  lists  Rudolph  Allen,  S. 
E.  Sydney  and  E.  Lynwood,  all  of 
New  York,  as  directors. 

Phoenix  Amusement  Co.,  which  was 
incorporated  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  has 
filed  its  statement  and  designation  with 
the  Secretary  of  State.  The  New 
York  office  is  in  Gloversville,  with 
John  A.  May  as  vice-president. 
Authorized  capital  stock  of  the  firm 
is  $40,000  in  $100  par  value  shares. 

Ddot  Theatre  Corp.,  New  York,  has 
been  incorporated  with  200  shares  of 
stock,  no  stated  par  value.  Directors 
are  Michael  Todd,  Bertha  Todd  and 
Lillian  Leff  of  New  York. 


'Amazing',  $17,500, 
In  Cincinnati  Week 
'Happy',  at  $12,000 


Cincinnati,  March  17.  —  "The 
Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  is  in  line 
for  an  estimated  $17,500  at  the  RKO 
Albee  as  the  top  grosser  for  the  week. 
Milder  weather  is  a  help  to  business 
all  along  the  line.  "Happy  Go 
Lucky"  looks  like  $12,000  for  the 
RKO  Palace,  and  $5,000  is  seen  for 
"The  Hard  Way"  at  the  RKO  Shu- 
bert,  where  it  is  playing  a  moveover 
week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  17-20: 

"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 

RKO  ALBEE— (3,300)    (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $17,500.    Average,  $14,000) 
"Happy  Go  Lucky"  (Para.) 

RKO  PALACE— (2.700)  (33c-40c-44c-55c) 
7  days.  Gross:  $12,000.  (Average.  $12,000) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.  B.) 

RKO  SHUBERT— (2,150)  (33c-40c-44c-55c) 
7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $5,000.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

RKO  CAPITOL— (2,000)  (40c-44c-50c-60c) 
7  days,  6th  week.  Gross:  $5,000.  (Average, 
$5,500) 

"They  Got  Me   Covered"  (RKO) 

RKO  GRAND— (1,500)  (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $6,000.  (Average, 
$5,000) 

"China   Girl"  (20th-Fox) 

RKO  LYRIC— (1,400)  (30c-33c-44c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $4,000.  (Average, 
$4,000) 

"A  Night  for  Crime"  (PRC) 
"Fighting   Devil  Dogs"  (Rep.) 

RKO  FAMILY—  (1,000)   (20c -30c)  4  days. 
Gross:  $1,300.     (Average,  $1,400) 
"Power   of   the   Press"  (Col.) 
"Keep  'Em  Smiling:"  (Astor) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)   (2Oc-30c)  3  days. 
Gross:  $800.    (Average,  $800) 
"American  Empire"   (U.  A.) 

KEITH'S— (1,500)  (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $6,500.     (Average,  $5,000) 


'Margaret'  $9,000 
In  Slow  Indianapolis 


Indianapolis,  March  17.  —  The 
deadline  for  income  tax  payments  and 
the  beginning  of  Lent  were  reflected 
in  box-office  here.  At  Loew's,  "Jour- 
ney for  Margaret"  and  "City  Without 
Men"  were  headed  toward  a  $9,000 
week  to  lead  the  field.  The  Circle, 
with  "Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  and 
"Chetniks,"  and  the  Indiana,  with  "The 
Hard  Way"  and  "Truck  Busters," 
were  each  expected  to  gross  in  the 
neighborhood  of  $8,500. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  16-18: 

"Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (2Cth-Fox) 
"Chetniks"  (Zftth-Fox) 

CIRCLE^(2,800)     (30c-40c-50c)     7  days 
Gross:  $8,500.     (Average,  $8,000) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.  B.) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.  B.) 

INDIANA— (3,200)    (30c-40c-50c)    7  days 
Gross:  $8,500.     (Average,  $10,000) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 
"City  Without  Men"  (Col.) 

LOEW'S — (2,800)     (30c-40c-50c)     7  days 
Gross:  $9,000.     (Average,  $7,000) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 
"Seven  Miles  from  Alcatraz"  (RKO) 

LYRIC— (2,000)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
(Moved  from  Indiana)  Gross:  $3,500  (Av- 
erage, $4,500) 


Columbus  Club  Dance 

Columbus,  March  17.— The  Colum- 
bus Variety  Club  will  hold  a  Victory 
Barn  Dance  at  the  Columbus  Audi- 
torium from  9  p.  m.  to  3  a.  m.,  April 
2,  the  morning  closing  hour  being  de- 
signed for  accommodation  of  late  shift 
war  workers.  Three  orchestras  will 
provide  continuous  dance  music,  and 
participants  are  invited  to  appear  in 
costumes  befiting  the  occasion. 


'Shadow'  at  Strong 
$18,500  in  Capital 

Washington,  D.  C,  March  17. — 
"Random  Harvest"  and  "Air  Force", 
in  their  third  and  second  weeks,  re- 
spectively, are  keeping  Washington's 
film  fans  clicking  through  the  gates, 
and  "Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  at  RKO- 
Keith's  looks  like  a  strong  $18,500. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  18 : 

"Crystal  Ball"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S  CAPITOL— (3,434)  (28c-39c-44c- 
66c)    7    days.        Stage:    Murtah  Sisters. 
Gross:  $22,000.     (Average.  $19,000) 
"Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (20th-Fox) 

LOEW'S  COLUMBIA— (1,234)  (30c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  downtown  week.     Gross:  $6,500. 
(Average,  $5,200) 
"Air  Force"  (W.  B.) 

EARLE— (2,210)  (30-40c-50c-75c-9Oc)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Stage:  Bob  Hall,  Paul 
Remos,  Toy  Boys.  Gross:  $19,000.  (Aver- 
age, $15,500) 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

RKO-KEITH'S— (1.800)  (40c-50c-65c)  7 
days.  Gross:  $18,500.  (Average,  $11,200^ 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

METROPOLITAN— (1,600)      (30c-44c)  7 
days,   3rd   downtown  week.      Gross:  $10,- 
C00.      (Average,  $4,250) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  PALACE— (2,242)  (28c-55c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $18,000.  (Average. 
$15,750) 

Game  Law  Protested 
By  Ohio  Theatremen 

Columbus,  O.,  March  17. — A  sub- 
committee of  the  House  Judiciary 
Committee  has  been  appointed  to  sim- 
plify anti-gambling  legislation  which 
has  drawn  protests  from  theatremen 
and  others  who  denounced  the  meas- 
ures because  their  wording  can  be 
interepreted  to  include  chance  games 
in  theatres,  it  was  reported. 

Ernest  Schwartz,  president  of  the 
Cleveland  Motion  Picture  Exhibitors' 
Association,  among  others,  contends 
that  games  in  which  War  Bonds  con- 
stitute prizes  is  "harmless  gambling," 
and  should  not  be  construed  in  any 
other  way,  it  was  reported. 


Cincinnati  Police 
Report  on  Games 

Cincinnati,  March  17.  —  Despite 
pending  court  action  seeking  to  com- 
pel city  officials  to  prohibit  continu- 
ance of  chance  games  by  refusing  to 
issue  playing  permits,  Police  Chief 
Eugene  T.  Weatherly  has  reported  to 
City  Manager  C.  O.  Sherrill  that  236,- 
263  persons  attended  210  city-licensed 
games  in  February.  Gross  was  $176,- 
032.55,  and  prizes,  $42,895.05,  leaving 
net  of  $133,137.50  to  sponsors,  it  was 
reported.  Average  net  cost  per  play- 
er was  56.4  cents. 

On  the  basis  of  the  February  fig- 
ures, the  gross  for  the  year  would 
exceed  $2,000,000,  it  is  estimated. 

Overcrowding  Rule 
Issued  in  Rochester 

Rochester,  March  17. — A  ruling 
prohibiting  overcrowding  in  theatres 
here  has  just  been  issued  by  the  city 
safety  commissioner. 

The  new  ruling  says :  "Not  more 
than  two  rows  of  persons  are  allowed 
to  stand  behind  the  last  row  of  seats. 
Further,  no  persons  are  to  be  allowed 
to  congregate  in  large  numbers  in  the 
lobby,  waiting  for  the  succeeding  per- 
formance. The  inspector  will  be  the 
sole  judge  and  each  house  will  be 
treated  as  a  separate  case.  Under  no 
circumstances  will  ropes  or  bands  of 
any  kind  be  allowed  to  keep  the 
patrons  confined  in  line  or  any  space." 


'Journey'  $19,000 
As  Gross  Continues 


Good  in  Baltimore 


Baltimore,  March  17.  —  The  first 
week  of  Lent  failed  to  upset  film  at- 
tendance. A  strong  list  of  new  at- 
tractions plus  substantial  holdovers 
and  pleasant  weather  proved  to  be  a 
happy  combination  for  the  box-o£ 
fices.  "Journey  for  Margaret" 
counted  upon  for  $19,000  at  the  Cen- 
tury. "Something  to  Shout  About," 
aided  by  a  stage  show,  is  expected  to 
be  good  for  $20,000  at  the  Hippo- 
drome. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  18 : 

"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

CENTURY— (3,000)     (40c-50c     and  55c 
weekends)  7  days.     Gross:  $19,000.  (Av- 
erage, $12,000) 
"Lucky   Jordan"  (Para.) 

KEITH'S— (2,406)      (15c-28c-33c-44c  and 
55c  weekends)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$15,000.      (Average,  $10,000) 
"Young   Mr.   Pitt"  (20th-Fox) 

NEW— (1,581)     (15c-28c-35c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $10,500.     (Average,  $8,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

STANLEY— (3,280)  (28c-39c-44c-55c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $14,000.  (Average, 
$13,000) 

"Something-  to  Shout  About"  (Col.) 

Hippodrome— (2,205)  (28c-39c-44c-66c)  7 
days.  Stage:  Barry  Wood;  Anthony, 
Allyn  &  Hodge,  Hollywood  Blondes,  Jan 
Murray,  Carlton  Emmy.  Gross:  $20,000. 
(Average,  $14,000) 
"Truck  Busters"  (W.  B.) 

MARYLAND— (1,300)  (39c-66c)  7  days. 
Stage:  John  Boles,  Torelli's  Society  Circus, 
Oscar  Davis,  Maryetta  Evans  &  Co.,  Three 
Rays  of  Sunshine.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Aver- 
age, $7,500) 

"How's  About  It?"  (Univ.) 

MAYFAIR— (1,000)  (20c-40c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $6,500.     (Average,  $6,000) 


'Harvest'  Terrific 


In  Toronto  Week 


Toronto,  March  17.  —  "Random 
Harvest"  at  Loew's  was  standing  out 
alone  in  the  current  week  with  long 
lines  in  evidence,  the  expected  gross 
for  the  first  week  being  the  capacity 
figure  of  $20,500.  "Casablanca"  was 
holding  up  well  in  its  second  week  at 
Shea's  and  stood  to  gross  $13,500. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  18 : 

"Uncensored"  (British) 
"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 

EGLINTON  — (1,086)    (18c-30c-48c-60c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $4,500.    (Average.  $4,500) 
"Once  Upon  a  Honeymoon"  (RKO) 

IMPERIAL— (3,373)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $10,000.    (Average,  $10,500) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S— (2.074)    (18c-30c-42c-6Oc-78c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $20,500.    (Average.  $10,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

SHEA'S  —  (2,480)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
'lays,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $13,500.  (Average, 
$11,000) 

"Lady  Bodyguard"  (Para.) 

"The  Major  and  the  Minor"  (Para.) 

TIVOLI  —  (1,434)     (18c-30c-48c)    6  days. 
Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"The  Powers  Girl"  (U.  A.) 
"Sherlock  Holmes  &  the  Secret  Weapon" 

(Univ.) 

UPTOWN— (2,761)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.     Gross:  $10,000.     (Average,  $9,500) 


SPG  Canteen  Co-Sponsor 

The  Screen  Publicists  Guild  has  be- 
come  co-sponsor  of  the  Silver  Screen  \ 
Canteen,  established  by  the  Screen  Of- 
fice and  Professional  Employes  Guild,  > 
it  was  announced.  The  Canteen  is  j 
open  each  Thursday  night  at  the  Mid-  ! 
town  Music  Hall.  Corp.  Bernard  I 
Brandt  was  master  of  ceremonies  and  I 
Roland  Young  guest  star  last  week.  1 


As  the  fame  of  this  terrific  attraction  spre 
to  every  corner  of  the  land,  hanging  up  new 
long-run  records  from  New  York  to  Los  Angel e 
and  piling  up  phenomenal  grosses  that  stamp 
it  irrevocably  and  finally  as  one  of  the 
great  money-makers  of  all  time,  we 


DISSOLVE  TO: 


CLOSE  SHOT —IN  TECHNICOLOR 

of  another  musical  sensation  with  all  the  class, 
pace  and  showmanship  that  Paramount,  and  only 
Paramount,  gives  you— "blazing  with  color,  laughs 
and  rhythm— topped  by  five  great  stars  including 
the  favorites  of  "Fleet's  In"— and  advertised  in 
full  color  in  the  country's  greatest  mass  media! 


The  Next  Great  PARAMOUNT  Musical -!J|P!nnicoIor 

AAtiPrthed+Coli&ira  All  35.000.000  Income  Tax-Pavers 


Thursday,  March  18,  1943 


MOTION  PICTURE  DAILY 


11 


British  Trade 
Group  Set  Up 
On  Raw  Stock 


By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 
^irfjNDON,  March  17. — A  joint  indus- 

-__ommittee  consisting  of  two  repre- 
sYAatives  each  of  organized  exhibi- 
tors, distributors  and  the  newsreels 
met  with  the  Board  of  Trade  today  to 
discuss  the  mechanism  and  application 
of  the  Government  order  on  raw  stock 
economies  which  is  expected  to  be 
issued  March  24. 

Personnel  of  the  committee  consists 
of  W.  R.  Fuller  and  W.  J.  Speakman, 
representing  the  Cinematograph  Ex- 
hibitors Association ;  Sam  W.  Smith 
and  Frank  Hill,  Kinematograph  Rent- 
ers Society  (distributors),  and  Sir 
Gordon  Craig  and  Mr.  Longmaddox, 
representing  the  Newsreel  Association. 

The  new  committee,  formed  at  the 
request  of  the  Government,  will  super- 
vise the  operation  of  the  industry's 
voluntary  conservation  program  and 
will  act  as  liaison  with  the  Board  of 
Trade  in  the  matter. 

It  is  understood  that  raw  stock 
allocations  were  agreed  upon  at  to- 
day's meeting  and  that  it  was  proposed 
to  start  inter-trade  conferences  imme- 
diately on  plans  for  bicycling  news- 
reels  and  a  revision  of  the  London 
release  system  with  the  aim  of  effect- 
ing print  economies. 

A  further  meeting  of  the  joint  in- 
dustry committee  with  the  Board  of 
Trade  is  scheduled  in  two  weeks. 


'Hitler's  Children' 
Milwaukee's  Best 


Milwaukee,  March  17. — "Hitler's 
Children"  and  "The  Great  Gilder- 
sleeve"  appeared  headed  for  a  new 
house  record  at  the  Warner,  likely  to 
hit  $14,500.  "Stand  By  for  Action" 
and  "Three  Hearts  for  Julia"  ap- 
peared good  for  a  strong  $12,000  at 
Fox's  Wisconsin. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  18-20: 

"Cat  People"  (RKO) 

RIVERSIDE— (2,700)     (50c-75c)    7  days. 
Stage:    Count    Basie    and    his  orchestra. 
Gross:   $13,800.     (Average,  $12,000) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 
"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

WARNER  —  (2,400)     (44c-65c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $14,500.    (Average,  $8,600) 
"Whistling-  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 
"Tennessee  Johnson"  (M-G-M) 

PALACE— (2,400)  (44c-65c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$7,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th- Fcx) 
"The  Forest  Rangers"  (Para.) 

STRAND— (1,400)  (44c-65c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.  (Continued  run.)  Gross:  $1,800. 
(Average,  $2,000) 

"Stand  By  For  Action"  (M-G-M) 
"Three  Hearts  for  Julia"  (M-G-M) 

WISCONSIN— (3,200)  (44c-65c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $8,300) 


Mother  of  8  Works 
In  Cleveland  House 

Cleveland,  March  17.— Mrs. 
Arlene  Skiles,  former  cashier, 
has  been  promoted  to  assist 
Anne  Bachner,  manager  of 
Warner's  Doan  Theatre  here. 
Only  37  years  of  age,  Mrs. 
Skiles  is  the  mother  of  eight 
children,  including  one  son 
who  was  an  usher  at  Warner's 
Uptown  Theatre  before  join- 
ing the  Navy. 


ReturnRunof'Wind' 
Surprises  Pittsburgh 


Pittsburgh,  March  17. — During  a 
week  which  brought  for  the  most  part 
indifferent  grosses,  "Gone  With  the 
Wind"  pulled  a  box-office  surprise  in 
its  return  visit  to  the  Fulton,  and 
grossed  $8,000,  after  previous  runs  all 
around  town.  The  gross  would  have 
been  greater,  the  theatre  management 
estimates,  except  for  the  slow  turnover 
and  the  necessity  for  starting  the  last 
show  too  early  to  catch  the  majority 
of  the  night  crowd. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  16-18: 

"Gone  With  the  Wind"  (M-G-M) 

FULTON— (1,700)     (30c-40c-55c)    7  days, 
3rd  run.    Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Saludos,  Amigos"  (RKO) 
"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

HARRIS— (2,200)     (30c-40c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $7,000.    (Average,  $9,200) 
"Star-Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

PENN — (3,400)    (30c-40c-55c)   7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:   $16,000.    (Average.  $17,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy" 

RITZ— (1,100)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days,  5th 
week.  (Moveover  after  1  week  at  Penn  and 
2  at  Warner).  Gross:  $3,000.  (Average, 
$2,600) 

"How  Green  Was  My  Valley"  (20th-Fox) 
"My  Gal  Sal"  (2(Wh-Fox) 

SENATOR— (1,750)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  run  (re-issue).  Gross:  $1,800.  (Aver- 
age, $2,400) 

"Tennessee  Johnson"  (M-G-M) 

STANLEY  —  (3,800)  (30c-44c-55c-65c). 
Stage:  6  days  of  vaudeville,  with  Earl  Car- 
roll's "Vanities".  Gross:  $22,000.  (Average, 
$20,000) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

WARNER—  (2,000)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days, 
4th  week  (moveover  after  two  weeks  at 
Penn).    Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $6,500). 


CleveVd  Variety  Club 
To  Honor  C.  Rich 

Cleveland,  March  17. — Charles 
Rich,  chief  barker  of  the  Variety  Club 
here  and  recently  appointed  district 
manager  for  Warner  Bros,  in  this 
area,  will  be  given  a  testimonial  din- 
ner by  exhibitors  and  members  of  the 
club  at  the  Hotel  Hollenden  next 
Monday,  it  was  announced  by  the 
Club. 


Omaha  Grosses  High; 
'Margin'  Fine  $15,800 

Omaha,  March  17. — First-run  the- 
atre grosses  here  continued  on  a  high 
level.  Charles  Spivak  on  the  stage  and 
"Margin  for  Error"  on  screen  pulled 
$15,800  to  the  Orpheum  for  the  week's 
best.  The  weather  was  alternately 
warm  and  stormy. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  17-18: 

"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 
"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

BRANDEIS  —  (1,200)  (30c-35c-44c-50c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $4,900.  (Average, 
$4,500) 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.)  2d  week 
"Nightmare"  (Univ.) 

OMAHA— (2,000)     (30c-35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $8,400.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"Margin  for  Error"  <2flth-Fox) 

ORPHEUM— (40c-50c-55c-65c)  7  days. 
Stage:  Charles  Spivak  and  orchestra.  Gross: 
$15,800.    (Average,  $14,500) 


'Doodle'  $20,000, 
'Holliday',  'Keeper' 
Also  Big  in  Buffalo 

Buffalo,  March  17. — "The  Amaz- 
ing Mrs.  Holliday"  and  "Eyes  of  the 
Underworld"  appeared  headed  for  a 
very  big  $16,000  at  the  Lafayette. 
"Keeper  of  the  Flame"  is  drawing  well 
at  the  Buffalo  and  probably  will  gross 
in  the  neighborhood  of  $17,000.  "Yan- 
kee Doodle  Dandy"  at  popular  prices 
is  expected  to  give  the  Great  Lakes 
a  big  $22,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  20: 

"Keeper  of  the  Flame"  (M-G-M) 
"Fall  In"  (U.  A.) 

BUFFALO— (3,489)     (35c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $17,000.    (Average,  $15,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.  B.) 

GREAT  LAKES— (3,000)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $22,000.    (Average,  $10,800) 
"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 
"Northwest  Rangers"  (M-G-M) 

HIPPODROME— (2,100)  (35c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $12,000.  (Average,  $8,000) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

TWENTIETH  CENTURY— (3,000)  (35c- 
55c)  7  days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $9,200. 
(Average,  $8,500) 

"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 
"Eyes  of  the  Underworld"  (Univ.) 

LAFAYETTE—  (3.000)  (35c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $16,000.    (Average.  $7,500) 


Lent,  Weather  Hurt 
Receipts  in  St.  Louis 

St.  Louis,  March  17. — Unfavorable 
weather  combined  with  the  opening  of 
the  Lenten  season  to  cut  down  at- 
attendance  here  this  week,  despite  the 
lack  of  competing  entertainment  from 
the  American  Theatre,  which  was 
dark.  "Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn" 
in  its  second  week  at  Loew's  State 
dropped  nearly  $4,000  from  the  pre- 
vious week's  gross,  but  continued  to 
lead  the  field  with  an  estimated  $14,- 
600. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  18 : 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 
"Power  of  the  Press"  (Col.) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (3,162)  (30c -40c -50c -55c) 
7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $14,600.  (Aver- 
age, $15,000) 

"Frankenstein  Meets  the  Wolf  Man"  (Univ.) 
"Over  My  Dead  Body"  (20th-Fox) 

FOX— (5,038)  (30t-40c-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$12,500.     (Average,  $15,000) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 
"Hi  Ya,  Chum"  (Univ.) 

AMBASSADOR— (3,154)     (30c-40c-50c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $12,200.    (Average,  $11,500) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  ORPHEUM— (1,900)  (30c-40c- 
50c)  7  days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $8,200. 
(Average,  $6,000) 

"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 
"When   Johnny   Comes   Marching  Home" 
(Univ.) 

MISSOURI— (3,514)    (30c-40c-50c)   7  days, 
3rd  week.    Gross:  $5,300.    (Average,  $7,000) 
"Idaho"  (Rep.) 
"Hi,  Neighbor"  (Rep.) 

ST.  LOUIS— (4,000)  (35c-40c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $3,500.     (Average,  $4,400) 


Omaha  Para.  Reopens 

Omaha,  March  17.— Tri-States 
Theatres  will  reopen  the  Paramount 
Theatre  here  as  a  first-run  tomorrow. 
Stanley  Blackburn  will  be  manager, 
and  Faye  Nielsen,  assistant,  of  the 
2,900-seater. 


Loses  Suit  Against  Union 

Philadelphia,  March  17. — Judge 
George  A.  Welsh  in  U.  S.  District 
Court  here  has  dismissed  the  suit  of 
Philip  Trainer,  Chester,  Pa.,  projec- 
tionist, in  his  long  court  fight  to  force 
the  operators'  union,  Local  516,  of 
Chester,  Pa.,  to  restore  his  voting 
rights  in  the  IATSE  union.  Trainer 
had  claimed  he  was  deprived  of  his 
"right  of  free  speech"  in  union  affairs, 
though  he  paid  penalties  totalling  $202 
after  having  been  expelled  from  the 


'Silver  Skates' 
$27,000  Gross 
For  Cleveland 


Cleveland,  March  17. — With  but 
one  exception,  all  films  in  key  houses 
are  zooming.  "Silver  Skates"  dis- 
played a  pair  of  nimble  heels  at  Pal- 
ace, with  Gene  Krupa's  orchestra, 
doing  an  estimated  $27,000.  "Com- 
mandos Strike  at  Dawn"  showed  con- 
siderable strength  at  Hippodrome  and 
stood  to  gross  $20,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  17-18: 

"Arabian  Nights"  (Univ.) 

RKO  ALLEN— (3,000)  (35c-40c-45c-55c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,000.  (Average, 
$5,000) 

"Commandos  Strike  At  Dawn"  (Col.) 

WARNER'S  HIPPODROME— (3,800)  (35c- 
40c-45c-55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $20,000.  (Aver- 
age, $13,000) 

"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

WARNER'S  LAKE— (800)  (35c-40c-45c- 
55c)  7  days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $3,500.  (Aver- 
age, $2,000) 

"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

RKO  PALACE— (3,700)  (45c-50c-55c-65c- 
75c-85c)  7  days.  Stage:  Gene  Krupa's  or- 
chestra. Gross:  $27,000.  (Average,  $17,000) 
"Powers  Girl"  (U.  A.) 

LOEW'S  STATE^(3,450)  (35c-40c-45c-55c) 
7  days.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average,  $14,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  STILLMAN— (2,700)  (35c-40c- 
45c -55c)  7  days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $9,000. 
(Average,  $6,500) 


'Rhythm'  $17,000  in 
Kansas  City  Week 


Kansas  City,  March  17. — "Star 
Spangled  Rhythm"  is  leading  the  field 
of  first  runs,  having  broken  records 
Saturday  and  Sunday,  at  the  Newman 
and  collecting  approximately  $17,000 
on  the  week.  "Casablanca,"  accom- 
panied by  "Calaboose,"  is  grossing  ap- 
proximately $16,000  at  the  Orpheum 
and  will  be  held. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  17-18: 

"Chetniks"  (2ffth-Fox) 

ESQUIRE— (800)  (3Sc-50c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$4,000.     (Average,  $4,000) 
"Tennessee  Johnson"  (M-G-M) 
"Three  Hearts  for  Julia"  (M-G-M) 

MIDLAND— (3,600)      (35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $12,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

NEWMAN—  (1,900)      (35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $17,000.     (Average  $9,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 
"Calaboose"  (U.  A.) 

ORPHEUM— (1,900)     (35c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $16,000.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Johnny  Doughboy"  (Rep.) 
"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

TOWER— (2,200)    (35c)    7    days.  Stage 
show.     Gross:  $7,500.     (Average,  $6,750) 
"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

UPTOWN  —  (2,000)  (35c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $5,000.     (Average,  $5,009) 


Drop  Fight  Against 
Auditorium  Shows 

Springfield,  Mass.,  March  17. — Lo- 
cal theatremen  have  decided  to  drop 
their  fight  against  the  use  of  the  city- 
owned  Auditorium  for  Sunday  vaude- 
ville shows,  following  a  public  hearing 
by  the  city  council.  While  local  ob- 
servers believe  that  the  council  wiH 
be  obliged  to  set  up  a  new  rental  pol- 
icy, nothing  definite  was  decided. 

The  theatremen  stated  that  it  was 
unfair  competition  to  rent  the  Audi- 
torium for  $300  instead  of  $450.  Ray- 
mond King,  their  attorney,  cited  the 
$4,00,000  assessed  valuation  of  theatres 
in  this  city.  On  the  opposing  side 
were  labor  leaders,  hotel  representa- 
tives and  city  council  members. 


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AFTER 
MIDNIGHT 
WITH  BOSTON 
BLACKIE 
Chester  Morris 
D — 64  mins. 

THE 
DESPERADOES 
(Technicolor) 
Randolph  Scott 
Claire  Trevor 
O — 85  mins. 

MURDER  IN 
TIMES  SQUARE 
Edmund  Lowe 
Marguerite 
Chapman 
D — 65  mins. 

SHE  HAS  WHAT 
IT  TAKES 
Jinx  Falkenburg 
Tom  Neal 

M 

SADDLES  AND 
SAGEBRUSH 
Rusell  Hayden 
Ann  Savage 

March 
19 

March 
26 

M 

1  ^ 

< 

3-  VO 

la 

< 

April 
30 

Thursday,  March  18,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


13 


War  Activities 
Gain  Goodwill 
For  Exhibitors 


Chicago,  March  17. — Besides  co- 
operating in  the  industry  war  effort 
j£^[ts,   downstate   Illinois  exhibitors 

-  doing  an  excellent  job  of  winning 

V^dwill  for  the  industry  as  a  whole, 
according  to  Edward  G.  Zorn,  presi- 
dent of  the  United  Theatre  Owners 
of  Illinois. 

They  are  doing  this,  he  said,  through 
community  tieups  and  newspaper  pub- 
licity on  the  work  of  the  War  Activi- 
ties Committee.  He  cited  the  recent 
"March  of  Dimes"  drive  as  an  ex- 
ample. 

Five  of  the  counties  included  in  the 
UTO  of  Illinois  reported  collections 
of  $4,043  this  year  as  compared  with 
$2,577  last  year  in  the  infantile 
paralysis  drive. 


$80,000  in  Nations  Drive 

Chicago,  March  17. — Illinois,  col- 
lections in  the  United  Nations  drive 
were  slightly  over  $80,000,  of  which 
$62,500  was  collected  in  the  Chicago 
area,  according  to  John  Balaban,  chair- 
man of  the  theatre  collection  drive  in 
this  area. 


Omaha  Area  Gives  $10,000 

Omaha,  March  17. — Theatres  in 
the  Omaha  territory  collected  $10,090 
during  the  United  Nations  Week 
drive  in  January,  it  is  reported  by 
Joseph  Kinsky,  Tri-States  district 
manager,  state  chairman.  Collections 
were  not  made  in  Omaha  proper,  but 
$2,500  contributed  during  a  combined 
war  and  community  drive  last  Fall 
was  turned  over  to  the  theatre  cam- 
paign. 


Sell  $2,551,215  Bonds 

New  Haven,  March  17. — A  total  of 
$2,551,215  in  war  bonds  and  stamps 
was  sold  during  the  month  of  Janu- 
ary by  the  17  Loew-Poli  theatres. 
The  local  Warner  circuit  sold  $13,- 
675  in  bonds  alone  during  the  week 
ending  Feb.  6. 


Over  Top  for  Bomber 

Rochester,  N.  Y.,  March  17. — Top- 
ping a  $300,000  goal,  a  total  of  $925,- 
000  was  raised  in  the  "Buy  a  Bomber" 
bond  campaign  here  in  which  local 
theatre  managers  played  a  leading 
role. 


Rochester  Funds  to  Red  Cross 

Rochester,  March  17.  —  A  scrap 
copper  show  staged  at  Loew's  Roches- 
ter here  netted  1,200  pounds  of  the 
metal,  as  well  as  $16  in  pennies. 
Lester  Pollock,  manager  of  the  house, 
stated  that  proceeds  realized  were 
given  to  the  Junior  Red  Cross. 


Trans-Lux  Collections 

Trans-Lux  Theatres,  New  York, 
collected  a  total  of  $3,765  for  the  in- 
dustry March  of  Dimes  drive,  it  w 
announced. 


Westfield  Gives  $500 

Westfield,  Mass.,  March  17. — Film 
theatres  here  collected  $500  for  the 
"March  of  Dimes"  fund. 


Employes  Contribute 

Des  Moines,  March  17. — Late  re- 
ports on  the  theatres'  "March  of 
Dimes"  campaign  showed  that  em- 
ployes of  the  11  local  film  exchanges 
contributed  $419.  F.  R.  Moran,  Re- 
public manager,  was  chairman  of  the 
committee. 


Scrap  Drive  in  Cincinnati 

Cincinnati,  March  17. — Approxi- 
mately 200,000  pounds  of  scrap  metals, 
including  two  automobiles,  were  col- 
lected by  70  suburban  theatres  at  scrap 
metal  matinees  recently.  The  Mt. 
Lookout  Theatre  was  credited  with 
the  largest  single  collection,  10,000 
pounds. 


St.  Louis  Total  Large 

St.  Louis,  March  17. — Receipts  from 
the  March  of  Dimes  drive  conducted 
by  theatres  here  totaled  $26,000  and  it 
was  expected  that  a  total  of  more  than 
$28,000  would  be  reached. 


1,500  at  Metal  Matinee 

New  Haven,  March  17. — An  all- 
cartoon  show,  under  the  combined 
sponsorship  of  all  downtown  theatres 
held  at  the  College  Theatre  resulted 
in  the  collection  of  more  than  a  ton 
of  scrap  metals,  with  an  attendance 
of  1,500,  Robert  Portle,  manager  of 
the  house,  reported. 


8,000  Pounds  in  Charlotte 

Charlotte,  March  17.  —  Approxi- 
mately 8,000  pounds  of  copper  salvage 
were  collected  at  special  shows  given 
by  38  theatres  in  the  Charlotte  ex- 
change area  recently,  the  War  Activi- 
ties Committee  has  reported.  Pro- 
ceeds from  sale  of  the  metal  collec- 
tions were  turned  over  to  charities. 


Warner  Drive  in  Philadelphia 

Philadelphia,  March  17.  —  More 
than  four  tons  of  copper  were  collected 
as  a  result  of  special  after-school 
matinees  held  at  43  Warner  neighbor- 
hood houses  in  this  city,  Ted  Schlang- 
er,  Warner  zone  chief,  reported. 


So.  N.  J.  Exhibitor  Dies 

Camden,  N.  J.,  March  17.- — Funeral 
services  were  held  here  for  Kolman 
Goldstein,  64,  owner  of  theatres  in 
Southern  New  Jersey,  who  died  of  a 
heart  attack  in  Atlantic  City.  Sur- 
viving are  his  wife,  Fannie ;  a  son  and 
two  daughters. 


A  SCENE  FROM  AT  DAWN  WE  DIE 


m.h  JOHN  CLEMENTS  •  GODFREY  TEARLE  •  HUGH  SINCLAIR  •  GRETA  GYNT  •  JUDY  KELLY 


GEORGE  KING — Director  •  Original  Story  by  DOROTHY  HOPE  •  Screen  Play  by  ANATOLE  de  GRUNWALD  •  Script  by  KATHERINE  STRUEBY 

A  REPUBLIC  PICTURE  BUY  U.  S.  WAR  SAVINGS  BONDS 


14 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  March  18,  1943 


Bar  Exhibitors 
From  Seeking 
Decree  Change 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

cently  authorized  Abram  F.  Myers, 
chairman  and  general  counsel,  to  pre- 
pare a  program  of  proposals  and 
recommendations  for  changes  in  the 
decree,  representing  the  organization's 
views  on  what  should  be  done  after 
expiration  of  the  trial  period.  The 
program,  it  was  stated,  will  be  based 
on  Allied  proposals  made  to  Judge 
Goddard  at  the  time  of  the  entry  of 
the  decree  and  on  Allied's  trade  prac- 
tice proposals  advanced  in  the  industry 
unity  conferences  last  year. 

This  program,  it  is  now  indi- 
cated by  Wright's  statement, 
must  be  submitted  when  com- 
pleted to  the  Department  of 
Justice,  rather  than  to  the  Fed- 
eral Court,  in  order  to  win  con- 
sideration. 

Wright  called  attention  to  the  sev- 
eral possible  courses  of  action  which 
may  be  taken  with  respect  to  the  fu- 
ture of  the  decree  under  the  provisions 
of  Section  23  of  the  document.  Para- 
graphs D  and  E  of  the  section  read 
as  follows : 

"Jurisdiction  of  this  cause  is  re- 
tained for  the  purpose  of  enabling 
any  of  the  parties  to  this  decree  to 
apply  to  the  court  at  any  time 
more  than  three  years  after  the 
date  of  the  entry  of  this  decree  for 
any  modification  thereof : 

"Enabling  any  consenting  de- 
fendant to  apply  to  the  court  at 
any  time  more  than  three  years 
after  the  date  of  the  entry  of  this  ' 
decree,  to  vacate  this  decree,  or 
any  modification  thereof,  or  to  va- 
cate or  modify  any  provision 
thereof,  on  the  ground  that  under 
the  economic  or  competitive  con- 
ditions existing  at  the  time  of  such 
application,  this  decree  or  any 
modification  thereof,  or  any  pro- 
vision thereof,  is  inappropriate  or 
unnecessary,  or  oppressive  or  un- 
duly burdensome,  regardless  of 
whether  or  not  such  economic  or 
competitive  conditions  are  new  or 
unforeseen.  The  right  of  each 
consenting  defendant  to  make  any 
such  application  and  to  obtain 
such  relief  is  expressly  reserved 
by  them  and  is  hereby  expressly 
•granted." 

Wright  pointed  out  that  the  decree, 
in  this  way,  is  a  permanent  docu- 
ment and  remains  in  force  after  Nov. 
20,  although  the  following  future 
courses  are  made  possible : 

(1)  The  Department  or  the  con- 
senting companies  may  file  a  petition 
with  the  New  York  Federal  court  for 
changes  in  the  decree ;  (2)  the  De- 
partment need  take  no  action  what- 
ever, in  which  case  it  will  be  free 
thereafter  to  initiate  theatre  divorce- 
ment action  or  to  bring  its  entire 
original  anti-trust  suit  to  trial;  (3) 
the  Department  can  agree  with  the 
consenting  companies  to  an  extension 
of  the  present  decree  with  or  without 
changes. 

On  the  consenting  companies'  side, 
the  expiration  of  the  three-year  de- 
cree period  releases  them  from  their 
agreement  not  to  engage  in  general 
programs  of  theatre  expansion,  in  re- 
turn for  which  the  D.  of  J.  agreed  not 
to  prosecute  its  theatre  divorcement 
action  during  that  period. 


Reviews 


"The  Silver  Fleet" 

(General  Film  Distributors) 

London,  March  1.  (By  Mail) 
JLTOLLAND  and  its  underground  movements  were  the  subject  of  an 
A  *  early  and  successful  film  made  by  Messrs.  Powell  and  Pressburger, 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft."  Whereas  the  one  dealt  with  the  care  taken 
of  crashed  British  fliers  by  the  natives,  the  new  film — directed  by  the 
authors,  Messrs.  Vernon  Sewell  and  Gordon  Wellesley — is  concerned 
with  the  sabotage  and  escapes  organized  against  the  Nazis  by  the  Dutch 
themselves.  Like  other  Powell  pictures,  it  is  sincere,  vivid  and  factual. 
Whilst  not  devoid  of  the  melodramatic  and  the  spectacularly  heroic,  and 
so  devised  that  its  development  can  always  be  anticipated  well  in  advance, 
it  is  capably  handled  and  has  dramatic  interest  right  through.  War 
films  are  not  necessarily  box-office  films  in  Britain,  but  this  has  enter- 
tainment qualities  of  its  own  and  should  find  a  public  in  all  English 
speaking  territories. 

Ralph  Richardson,  a  name  with  which  British  exhibitors  can  play, 
appears  as  a  Dutch  patriot  who  manufactures  submarines  under  Nazi 
direction,  poses  as  an  abysmal  quisling,  sends  one  U-boat  to  England 
and  persuades  a  gang  of  super  Nazis  into  another  which  he,  himself 
inside,  blows  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 

It  is  a  heroic  theme  and  it  has  been  treated  on  heroic  lines  with  the 
patriotic  motif  stressed  and  the  emotional  role  of  the  hero  dominant. 
Richardson  is  polished  in  the  role  of  this  modern  "Piet  Hein"  (an  old 
Dutch  patriot  hero)  and  Esmond  Knight,  a  blind  actor,  contributes  an 
arresting  portrayal  as  the  Gestapo  chief. 

Backgrounds,  settings,  and  atmosphere  lack  exaggeration,  and  the 
camerawork  is  excellent,  notably  in  exteriors,  and  dockside  passages. 
.  Despite  its  critical  weaknesses  the  film  is  a  serious  effort  and  should 
register  on  its  dramatic  merits. 

Running  time,  88  minutes.    "G".*  Aubrey  Flanagan 


Billy  the  Kid  in  The  Kid  Rides  Again" 

(Producers  Releasing) 

F>  USTER  CRABBE  as  Billy  the  Kid  has  the  responsibility  of  clearing 
his  besmirched  name  in  a  hostile  community  as  "The  Kid  Rides 
Again".  He  has  to  do  some  hard  riding  but  with  the  assistance  of  Al  St. 
John,  the  town's  saddlemaker,  he  clears  himself  and  rounds  up  the  guilty 
gang  led  by  I.  Stanford  Jolley.  This  film  directs  its  appeal  to  followers 
of  action  pictures. 

There  is  no  striving  for  realism  in  the  screenplay  by  Fred  Myton. 
The  laughs  are  provided  in  St.  John's  lines  and  the  action  is  at  its  peak 
in  a  gun  fight  between  Crabbe  and  Jolley  and  another  with  the  hero  and 
one  of  the  gang  members. 

Crabbe  breaks  jail  to  return  to  the  town  where  he  was  judged  guilty 
of  a  crime  he  didn't  commit.  He  finds  that  the  Jolley  gang  was  rustling 
cattle  from  ranch  owners  and  then  buying  over  the  mortgages  when  the 
wronged  owners  couldn't  meet  payments.  In  the  scheme  he  breaks 
up,  the  mob  had  caused  a  run  on  the  bank  by  robbing  it.  Their  motive 
was  to  make  Ed  Peil,  Sr.,  its  president,  submit  a  mortgage  on  an  estate. 
Crabbe  steps  in  and  straightens  out  matters  all  around. 

The  film  was  produced  by  Bert  Sternbach  and  directed  by  Sherman 
Scott. 

Running  time,  60  minutes.  "G"* 


'G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Kodak  Co.  '42  Net 
Profit  $21,183,515 

(Continued  from  page  1 ) 

000  was  made  to  special  reserve  for 
possible  shrinkage  in  inventory  values 
and  for  unusual  costs  and  expenses 
that  may  arise  because  of  the  war, 
such  as  the  reconversion  of  plants  to 
peace  time  operations. 

Capital  stock  dividends  totaled  $13,- 
988,013,  and  common  stock  dividends, 
equal  to  $5.50  per  share,  totaled 
$13,618,071. 


Killed  in  Plane  Crash 

Rochester,  March  17. — An  airplane 
crash  in  Oklahoma  claimed  the  life 
of  Aviation  Cadet  George  N.  Sabella, 
formerly  of  Eastman  Kodak  Co.,  it  is 
reported. 


Extras  Preparing 
For  Wage  Parleys 

Hollywood,  March  17.— Class  B 
members  of  the  Screen  Actors  Guild, 
comprising  extras,  have  been  asked 
by  the  SAG  board  to  appoint  various 
group  representatives  on  a  committee 
to  confer  with  directors  on  the  forth- 
coming arbitration  of  proposed  wage 
increase  demands  on  the  producers. 
The  Class  B  members  were  also  asked 
to  suggest  workable  plans  whereby 
the  extras  will  have  a  voice  in  their 
own  affairs  inside  the  Guild. 


Another  Hope  Camp  Tour 

Bob  Hope  will  make  another  tour 
of  Army,  Navy  and  Marine  camps 
throughout  the  country  starting  early 
next  month,  it  was  announced  bv 
RKO. 


Walker  Gives 
Quigley  Award 
For  War  Effort 


(Continued  from  page  I) 

luncheon  attended  by  civic  notables 
and  others  at  the  Hotel  Benson^- 

Mrs.  J.  J.  Parker  of  the  PM 
Theatres  was  host  at  the  luncnv^n. 
Matlack  recently  became  manager  of 
the    Broadway    Theatre,    a  Parker 
house  here. 

In  presenting  the  certificate  of 
award,  Walker  lauded  Matlack's  per- 
formance as  a  manager  and  exhibitor 
in  furthering  the  war  effort. 

"Patriotic  America  is  eager 
to  recognize,  to  encourage  and 
to  reward  service  to  our  great . 
cause  in  the  war,"  Walker  said. 
"All  our  great  industries  are  in 
the  cause.  Important  among 
them  is  the  motion  picture.  The 
motion  picture  in  production,  in 
distribution  and  in  exhibition  is 
deeply  in  the  war  effort.  That  . 
is  a  matter  of  satisfaction  and 
pride  to  me  for  I,  as  you  know, 
have  been  associated  with  ex- 
hibition these  many  years,  in 
one  of  the  great  industrial 
areas  of  the  nation — today  an- 
other big  war  workshop,  like 
the  Northwest.  I  know  that 
here,  as  elsewhere  across  the 
land,  the  pictures  and  the  pic- 
ture theatres  are  close  to  the 
people. 

"Mr.  Matlack  has  been  chosen  by  an 
array  of  some  50  executives  sitting  as 
judges  on  the  many  entries  in  the 
First  Annual  War  Showmanship  com- 
petition of  the  Quigley  Awards,  con- 
ducted by  Motion  Picture  Herald.  It 
is  a  great  honor." 

Publisher  Presents  Walker 

E.  T.  Hedlund,  postmaster  of  Port- 
land, presided  at  the  function,  intro- 
ducing Palmer  Hoyt,  publisher  of  the 
Portland  Oregonian  and  chairman  of 
the  Oregon  War  Bond  Staff,  who  pre- 
sented Walker.  The  list  of  guests 
also  included  Ambrose  O'Connell, 
vice-chairman,  Democratic  National 
Committee ;  Earl  Riley,  Mayor  of 
Portland ;  Marshall  Dana,  associate 
editor,  Oregon  Journal;  Nan  Hony- 
man,  former  Congresswoman,  Port  of 
Portland ;  Howard  Latourette,  Na- 
tional Democratic  Committeeman, 
Oregon ;  Harold  Hunt,  drama  editor, 
Oregon  Journal;  Herbert  Larson, 
drama  editor,  Portland  Oregonian; 
Harold  Lake,  comptroller,  and  book- 
er, J.  J.  Parker  Theatres ;  Arden 
Pangborn,  manager,  Stations  KGW, 
KEX;  Albert  Finke,  Oregon  State 
Chairman,  War  Activities  Committee  ; 
Dorothv  Lee,  State  Senator,  acting 
for  Governor  Earl  Snell,  and  Charles 
Couche,  representing  Stations  KOIN, 
KAL. 

"It  is  an  honor  to  win  this  award." 
Matlack  said  in  his  speech  of  accept- 
ance, "because  it  gave  me  the  privi- 
lege of  serving  my  country — of  con- 
tributing to  the  war  effort." 

Matlack  won  his  award  in  the  com- 
petition for  war  showmanship  con- 
ducted by  the  Managers'  Round  Table 
section  of  Motion  Picture  Herald  for 
the  year  1942.  Fifty  executives  of  the 
industry  judged  the  entries  at  the  an- 
nual Quigley  Award  Luncheon  in  New  \ 
York  March  2.  The  competition  for 
the  award  for  1943  is  now  in  progress. 


Alert, 

InteWgei 

to  the^l 

cjtion 

Picture 

Industry 

DO  NOT  REFvTOSte 

MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


NO.  53 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  FRIDAY,  MARCH  19,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


MPPDA  Board 
Is  Expected  to 
Reaffirm  Code 


Avowal  of  Standards  Due 
At  Annual  Meeting 


Reaffirmation  of  the  Production 
Code,  probably  with  specific  refer- 
ence to  the  use  of  profanity  in  dia- 
logue, is  expected  to  be  made  by 
the  MPPDA  board  of  directors  at 
its  annual  meeting-  March  29,  it 
was  learned  yesterday.  The  reelec- 
tion of  all  MPPDA  directors  and 
officers  is  scheduled  at  the  meeting. 

Whether  or  not  the  request  of  Nel- 
son Rockefeller,  Coordinator  of  In- 
ter-American Affairs,  for  the  tem- 
porary services  of  Joseph  I.  Breen, 
Production  Code  administrator,  in  a 
consultative  capacity,  will  be  present- 
ed to  the  meeting  for  action  is  un- 
certain. There  appears  to  be  no  op- 
position within  MPPDA  to  complying 
with  the  request,  inasmuch  as  it  is 
understood  that  Breen's  services 
would  be  advisory  only  and  would  re- 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


Kastner  to  Africa 
For  Columbia  Soon 

Lacy  Kastner,  newly  appointed  Col- 
umbia home  office  foreign  department 
representative,  will  visit  North  Africa, 
Spain  and  Portugal  in  the  near  future, 
the  company  announced  yesterday. 

Kastner's  visit  to  North  Africa  will 
be  for  the  purpose  of  setting  up  dis- 
tribution arrangements  for  Columbia 
product. 


See  MPTOA  Board 
Meeting  Off  to  May 

The  annual  meeting  of  the 
MPTOA  board  of  directors, 
tentatively  scheduled  for  late 
next  month,  is  expected  to  be 
postponed  until  early  May  due 
to  expressions  by  a  number 
of  directors  pointing  out  that 
the  date  originally  planned 
for  the  meeting  conflicts  with 
Holy  Week.  The  poll  of  di- 
rectors on  their  preferences 
as  to  time  and  place  of  the 
meeting  has  not  yet  been 
completed  but  indications  are 
that  it  will  be  held  either  in 
St.  Louis,  home  city  of  Fred 
Wehrenberg,  MPTOA  board 
chairman,  or  in  New  York, 
probably  the  first  week  in 
May. 


Drastic  Action  on 
Safety  Violation 
Seen  for  Ontario 


Toronto,  March  18. — Drastic  action 
is  to  be  taken  by  the  Ontario  Govern- 
ment against  exhibitors  and  managers 
who  persist  in  violating  regulations 
on  theatre  overcrowding,  the  mainte- 
nance of  proper  exits  and  safety  pre- 
cautions, it  is  learned  today. 

A  reliable  informant  intimated  of- 
ficial action  on  a  wide  scale  will  be 
inaugurated  following  continued  re- 
ports that  aisles  and  entrances  to  the 
houses  were  filled  and  doorways 
blocked  despite  recent  warnings. 

Although  Sam  Applebaum,  owner 
of  the  Palace  Theatre  in  New  Toron- 
to, was  fined  $100  and  costs  when 
convicted  in  this  city  of  permitting 
an  exit  door  in  the  house  to  be 
blocked,  the  probability  henceforth,  it 
was  said,  is  that  prosecutions  will  be 
accompanied  by  penalties  including  jail 
terms  and  cancellation  of  theatre  li- 
censes, because,  it  was  reported,  fines 
have  not  proved  deterrent. 

The  anticipated  action  follows  the 
taking  over  of  the  inspection  branch 
of  the  government  by  the  Hon.  A.  St. 
C.  Gordon  as  new  provincial  treasu- 
rer, succeeding  the  Hon.  Mitchell 
Hepburn,  resigned. 


Report  10%  Increase 
In  Admission  Scales 

Today's  issue  of  Motion  Pic- 
ture Herald  reports  that  ad- 
mission prices  "long  held  at 
low  levels,"  have  broken  up- 
ward an  average  of  10  per 
cent  in  recent  months. 

"Independent  exhibitors  and 
circuit  managers  point  out 
that  the  increase  over  last 
year's  levels  was  inevitable 
because  of  the  increased  cost 
of  labor  and  materials,  and 
higher  film  rentals,"  the  re- 
port states. 


Charninsky  to  Get 
Quigley  Award  from 
Governor  of  Texas 


'Nation'  Premiere 
At  Abbey  Theatre 

The  old  Warner  Theatre  at  51st 
St.  and  Broadway  will  be  reopened 
April  7  as  the  Abbey  Theatre  for  the 
premiere  of  "The  Heart  of  a  Nation," 
Paul  Graetz  production  released  by 
A.F.E.  Corp.,  it  was  announced. 


Dallas,  March  18. — Gov.  Coke 
R.  Stevenson  of  Texas  will  present 
the  Quigley  Award  for  1942  to 
Louis  Charninsky,  manager  of  the 
Capitol  Theatre  here,  on  Monday. 

Charninsky  will  be  honored  at  a 
luncheon  on  Monday  by  the  Variety 
Club  of  Dallas  in  recognition  of  his 
winning  the  award.  The  event  will  be 
held  at  the  Hotel  Adolphus. 

Charninsky  was  chosen  by  some  50 
industry  executives  acting  as  judges 
on  the  many  entries  in  the  Quigley 
Grand  Awards  competition  conducted 
by  Motion  Picture  Herald  through  the 
Managers'  Round  Table. 


Feature  Releases  of  11  Distributors! 
Show  15%  Drop  So  Far  This  Season 

A  decrease  of  about  15  per  cent  in  the  number  of  feature  re- 
leases to  date  for  this  season,  as  compared  with  the  season  before, 
is  indicated,  particularly  among  the  major  companies. 

This  situation  will  continue  this  spring  and  summer,  according 
to  the  schedule  of  release  dates  set  by  the  companies.  An  analysis 
of  schedules  and  commitments  indicates  that  the  trend  toward  a 
smaller  numbers  of  pictures,  sold  more  intensively  and  played  off 
over  a  longer  period,  is  continuing. 

A  total  of  260  features  had  been  released  by  11  companies  up  to 
March  15,  a  survey  shows,  compared  with  312  on  the  same  date 
last  year.  Present  release  plans  indicate  about  80  pictures  set  for 
release  through  early  June,  but  most  companies  are  not  setting 
releases  for  more  than  a  month  in  advance.  A  reduction  in  re- 
leases has  been  made  chiefly  by  the  "Big  5"  company  signatories 
to  the  Government  consent  decree,  who  are  selling  in  blocks,  it  is 
reported. 


Balaban  Urges 
Theatre  Effort 
For  Red  Cross 


Speakers  Address  1,400 
At  Industry  Rally 


The  film  industry's  Red  Cross 
drive  to  be  held  April  1  through 
April  7  is  essentially  a  theatre  job, 
Barney  Bala- 
ban, national 
Red  Cross 
War  Fund 
Week  chair- 
man, told  a 
rally  of  more 
than  1,400 
metro  poli- 
tan  area  ex- 
hibitors, thea- 
tre managers, 
distribu- 
tion repre- 
sentatives and 
public  rela- 
tions workers 

at  Loew's  Ziegfeld  Theatre  here 
yesterday  morning. 

Other  speakers  were  James  L.  Fies- 
er,  vice-president  at  large  for  the 
American  Red  Cross;  William  F. 
Rodgers,  chairman  of  the  distributors' 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


Barney  Balaban 


Report  WMC  Weighs 
Essential  Film  Jobs 


Washington,  March  18. — Members 
of  the  essential  activities  committee  of 
the  War  Manpower  Commission  are 
reportedly  considering  placing  some 
positions  in  the  motion  picture  indus- 
try in  essential  classifications,  it  was 
learned  today,  although  up  to  a  late 
hour  the  group  had  not  concluded  its 
deliberations. 

The  number  of  requests  for  defer- 
ment classifications  in  all  industries, 
it  was  said,  has  increased  materially 
since  issuance  last  month  of  a  list  of 
non-essential  occupations  barred  to 
men  of  draft  age. 


In  Today's  Issue 

Review  of  "The  Last  Will  of 
Dr.  Mabuse,"  Page  6.  Key 
city  box-office  reports,  Page  8. 
Hollywood  notes,  Page  6. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  March  19,  1943 


Red  Cross  to  Buy 
400  Projectors 


Priority  for  the  purchase  of  400 
16mm.  projectors  has  been  granted 
to  the  Hospital  Motion  Picture  Serv- 
ice of  the  American  Red  Cross  for  a 
greatly  expanded  program  of  film 
showings  in  hospitals,  it  is  learned. 

There  are  now  100  projection  units 
at  base  hospitals  in  this  country  and 
on  the  war  fronts,  according  to  Ed- 
ward Doyle,  director  of  the  service,  in 
Washington.  Before  the  end  of  the 
year  it  is  planned  to  have  between 
300  and  400  units  in  operation. 

The  16mm.  projectors  will  be  used 
for  showings  in  wards  to  bed-ridden 
patients  and  further  use  in  hospitals 
where  35mm.  equipment  is  not  avail- 
able. Meantime,  the  Red  Cross  is  op- 
erating 158  film  programs  on  35mm. 
in  hospital  auditoriums  in  the  United 
States. 

The  Red  Cross  recently  announced 
an  arrangement  whereby  current  films 
for  hospitals  will  be  made  available 
by  the  film  companies. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 

SPENCER  TRACY 
KATHARINE  HEPBURN 
"KEEPER  OF  THE  FLAME" 

A    Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer  Picture 
Gala  Stage  Revue    .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-460O 


See  what  really  happens  to 

"HITLER'S  CHILDREN" 

IN  PERSON 

XAVIER  CUGAT  orchestra 

HENNY  YOUNGMAN 

PARAMOUNT  square 


ROBERT  DONAT  fti 

"THE  YOUNG  MR.  PITT" 

Released  by  20th  Century-Fox 

'Sn  S  I  GRACE  MOORE 

PLUS  A  BIG  DHYY  7th  Ave. 
STAGE  SHOW  l\VA  I   &  50th  St. 


B'WAY  & 
47th  St. 


PALACE 


ORSON  WELLES  •  DOLORES  DEL  RIO 

"JOURNEY  INTO  FEAR" 

with  JOSEPH  COTTEN 
 and  

"SILVER  SKATES" 

KENNY  BAKER  PATRICIA  MORISON 
EXTRA! — Disney's  'In  der  Fuehrer's  Face' 


Loew's  STATE 


ON  SCREEN 

GREER  GARSON 

IN  M-G-M'S 


T 


IN  PERSON 
Louis  Prima 

&  Orch. 

PLUS  AN 

ALL  STAR 


'Random  Harvest'  a  Stage  Show 
A  ■ 


Personal  Mention 


T  OHN  J.  FITZGIBBONS,  head 
J  of  Famous  Players  Canadian,  is 
in  town. 

• 

Louis  B.  Mayer  is  expected  here 
today  from  Washington. 

• 

Harry  Goldberg  this  week  gave  his 
third  pint  of  blood  to  the  Red  Cross. 
• 

C.  J.  Latta,  Warner  Theatres  Al- 
bany zone  manager,  and  Max  Fried- 
man, buyer  and  booker  for  that  ter- 
ritory, have  returned  to  Albany  from 
New  York. 

• 

Spyros  Skouras  and  Irving  Maas 
returned  from  Cuba  last  night. 
• 

Haskell  Masters  is  in  town  from 
Toronto. 

• 

Pvt.  Russell  Ordway,  formerly  of 
the  Allyn  Theatre,  Hartford,  is  sta- 
tioned with  the  Army  Air  Forces 
Signal  Corps  at  Atlantic  City. 
• 

Nick  Tavadore,  manager  of  the 
Uphams  Corner  Theatre,  Boston,  was 
a  Hartford  visitor. 


WA.  SCULLY,  Universal  vice- 
•  president  and  general  sales 
manager,  is  expected  back  from 
Florida  this  weekend. 

• 

Julie  Hittner  of  the  20th-century 
Omaha  exchange  has  joined  the 
Marine  Corps  Auxiliary. 

• 

Pvt.  Jack  Tekrazio,  formerly  at 
the  State  Theatre,  Hartford,  was  in 
Hartford  on  furlough  from  the  Army 
Air  Force. 

• 

George  Rabbott,  exhibitor  in 
Naugatuck,  Conn.,  has  returned  from 
St.  Petersburg,  Fla. 

• 

Ben  Simon,  20th  Century-Fox 
manager  in  New  Haven,  is  vacation- 
ing in  Philadelphia. 

• 

Howard  Burlingame  of  Loew's 
Poli,  Hartford,  has  been  inducted  into 
the  Army. 

• 

Adolph  G.  Johnson,  operator  of 
the  Strand,  Hamden,  Conn.,  is  vaca- 
tioning in  Miami  Beach. 


N,  O.  Clearance-Run 
Complaint  Dismissed 

The  combined  clearance  and  some 
run  complaint  of  Mrs.  W.  L.  Pater- 
nostro,  operator  of  the  Delta  Theatre, 
Lake  Charles,  La.,  against  Paramount 
and  RKO  has  been  dismissed  follow- 
ing hearings  at  the  New  Orleans  arbi- 
tration tribunal,  the  American  Arbi- 
tration Association  announced  yester- 
day. 

The  arbitrator  found  that  the  clear- 
ance of  the  Victory,  Arcade  and  Para- 
mount, St.  Charles,  over  the  Delta  is 
not  unreasonable  and  that  the  run 
offers  made  complainant's  theatres  by 
the  distributors  were  not  calculated 
to  defeat  the  purposes  of  Section  6 
of  the  decree. 


Sunday  Film  Plan  in 
Canada  Abandoned 

Toronto,  March  18. — The  Depart- 
ment of  National  Defense  has  aban- 
doned a  plan  for  Sunday  film  shows 
in  key  cities  of  Canada  following  ob- 
jections from  religious  organizations 
and  the  reported  adoption  of  a  policy 
by  major  distributors  to  refuse  prod- 
uct for  special  performances,  it  is 
learned. 


Carolina  Exhibitors 
To  Meet  March  29 

Charlotte,  N.  C,  March  18. — The 
annual  convention  of  the  Theatre 
Owners  of  North  and  South  Carolina 
will  be  held  here  March  29,  it  was 
announced.  The  board  of  directors  of 
the  group  will  meet  at  the  Hotel 
Charlotte  a  day  before. 


Royalty  Will  Attend 
Reception  for  Film 

Crown  Prince  Olaf  and  Crown  Prin- 
cess Martha  of  Norway  head  a  list 
of  United  Nations  representatives 
scheduled  to  attend  a  reception  at  the 
Waldorf-Astoria  next  Wednesday  at 
which  96  seats  for  the  Rivoli  Theatre 
premiere  of  "The  Moon  Is  Down" 
will  be  auctioned  off.  The  proceeds 
of  the  auction  will  be  given  to  the 
Prince  and  Princess  for  distribution 
among  Norwegian  charities,  it  was 
said. 

Among  the  auctioneers  at  the  recep- 
tion will  be  two  stars  of  the  film.  Sir 
Cedric  Hardwicke  and  Dorris  Bow- 
don,  who  is  flying  in  from  the  Coast 
for  the  event. 


Garden  'Fairs'  Set 
For  RKO  Theatres 

As  an  incentive  to  Victory  Garden- 
ers, RKO  throughout  the  country  this 
summer  will  hold  "fairs"  at  which 
amateur  farmers  and  farmerettes  will 
compete  for  War  Bond  prizes  to  be 
offered  the  growers  of  prize  crops,  it 
was  announced.  Each  theatre  will 
have  its  individual  set  of  judges  and 
will  run  their  "fairs"  themselves,  it 
was  stated. 


Memorial  Mass  for 
Sidney  Kent  Today 

Friends  of  Sidney  R.  Kent,  who 
died  a  year  ago,  will  attend  a  me- 
morial mass  today  for  the  late  presi- 
dent of  20th  Century-Fox.  The  mass 
will  be  celebrated  in  the  St.  Patrick's 
Cathedral  chapel,  at  10  a.  m. 


Jltt  itottoriam 
Hard?  19,  1042 


N.  C.  License  Fee 
On  Population  Basis 

Charlotte,  N.  C,  March  18. 
— The  North  Carolina  General 
Assembly  has  passed  a  bill 
placing  theatres  on  a  license 
fee  basis  prorated  according 
to  population  and  seating  ca- 
pacity instead  of  a  percentage 
of  the  gross  basis  as  hereto- 
fore, it  was  reported. 


Skouras  Theatres 
Staging  Food  Play 


Skouras  Theatres  in  cooperation 
with  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture will  sponsor  a  stage  play  in 
its  theatres  designed  to  dramatize  ra- 
tioning and  food  conservation  for  the 
housewife.  The  plan  reportedly  was 
conceived  by  George  P.  Skouras, 
president  of  the  circuit. 

The  "premiere"  will  be  for  an  in- 
vited audience  March  31  at  the 
Academy  of  Music,  with  Mrs.  Eleanor 
Roosevelt  scheduled  as  a  guest  speak- 
er. High  Government  officials  are 
expected  to  attend.  The  play  will  be 
along  the  lines  of  the  "Living  News- 
paper" technique,  with  Elia  Kazan  di- 
recting. After  evening  performances, 
running  an  hour  and  15  minutes,  in 
seven  theatres,  to  invited  audiences, 
the  show  will  be  shortened  for  presen- 
tation by  amateur  companies  at  mati- 
nees in  other  houses. 


Kenneth  Clark  Now 
Lieutenant  Colonel 

_  Major  Kenneth  Clark,  former  pub- 
lic relations  representative  for 
MPPDA,  has  been  given  the  rank  of 
Lieutenant  Colonel,  according  to  word 
received  by  New  York  friends.  Clark- 
is  public  relations  officer  for  General 
Eisenhower's  Fifth  Army  in  North 
Africa. 


Shift  Gerlick  to  Omaha 

Omaha,  March  18. — Jules  Gerlick 
has  been  transferred  here  by  Colum- 
bia from  the  Minneapolis  office  and 
will  handle  Iowa  territory  sales. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc..  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address.  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c 


S.  R.  KENT 


jREAT  AMERICAN  COWBOYS 

BatM.  JOHN  PUBLIC  AND 
FAMILY  UNANIMOUSLY 


v  % 


S  GREAT 


3 1  Jt'fC  W  i>  J  /  j  j  y 


iu 


R  •  JIMMY  OODD  •  LYNN  MERRICK  •  ANN  JEFFREYS 


SONS  OF  THE  PIONEEf 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  March  19,  1943 


Review 


"The  Last  Will  of  Dr.  Mabuse" 

(Krellberg) 

THIS  picture  should  be  of  interest  to  patrons  of  art  theatres,  although 
its  depictions  of  horror  limit  it  to  adult  audiences.  The  title  char- 
acter is  described  in  a  foreword  as  a  counterpart  to  Adolf  Hitler,  and  the 
tie-in  obviously  is  an  exploitation  point  for  exhibitors. 

Early  scenes  in  the  picture  are  masterful  in  their  treatment  of  terror 
and  mystery.  Dr.  Mabuse,  a  criminally  insane  author  of  a  manual  of 
perfect  crime,  sets  forth  his  plan  to  establish  a  world  based  on  violence. 
He  hypnotizes  his  keeper  to  supervise  the  plan  as  secret  chief  of  a  super- 
gang.  As  the  plot  develops,  the  undertaking  is  destroyed  through  the 
efforts  of  a  police  inspector,  and  audience  interest  mounts  with  the 
suspense.  . 

This  film  was  made  in  1935  by  Fritz  Lang  in  Paris.  The  actors, 
who  perform  well,  are  not  known  in  this  country.  Lang's  direction  is 
good,  as  is  the  screenplay  by  Rene  Sti.  Herman  Weinberg  wrote  the 
English  subtitles. 

Running  time,  94  minutes.  "A''* 


Balaban  Urges 
Theatre  Effort 
For  Red  Cross 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
division  of  the  War  Activities  Com- 
mittee ;  Claude  F.  Lee,  campaign  as- 
sistant to  Balaban ;  Francis  S.  Har- 
mon, WAC  executive  vice-chairman  ; 
Mrs.  N.  Peter  Rathvon,  and  L.  E. 
Ihompson,  who  represented  N.  Peter 
Rathvon,  head  of  the  employer,  em- 
ploye and  corporate  contributions 
committee.  Samuel  Rinzler,  WAC 
exhibitor  co-chairman  for  the  New 
York  exchange  area,  presided. 

Balaban  reassured  exhibitors  on  au- 
dience reactions  to  war  time  collec- 
tions. 

"While  it  is  natural  for  the  exhibi- 
tor to  feel  concern  in  behalf  of  his 
patrons,"  Balaban  said,  "wartime  ex- 
perience has  proven  that  the  public  is 
less  concerned  about  the  collections 
than  some  of  us." 

He  pointed  out  that  the  cam- 
paign is  primarily  a  theatre 
task,  "since  the  bulk  of  the 
money  is  to  come  from  the  au- 
diences in  independent  and  cir- 
cuit theatres."  Referring  to  the 
subject  of  collections  being  held 
in  cities  which  have  reached 
their  Red  Cross  qota  by  the 
time  the  theatre  campaign  be- 
gins, Balaban  said:  "As  long  as 
there  remains  a  deficit  in  the 
national  quota,  the  responsibili- 
ty of  us  all  is  to  the  whole  need, 
even  if  it  carries  a  local  com- 
munity beyond  its  own  mini- 
mum quota." 

Rodgers  said  the  distribution  branch 
of  the  industry  was  ready  to  give  full 
assistance  whenever  asked,  and  ex- 
pressed his  certainty  for  the  drive's 
success. 

Fieser  told  the  meeting  that  exhibi- 
tor efforts  in  winding  up  the  nation- 
wide campaign  "can  make  it  a  success 
or  a  failure." 

Similar  rallies  on  behalf  of  the  in- 
dustry Red  Cross  drive  are  being  held 
in  key  cities  throughout  the  country. 


Lapidus  Holds  Meeting 

Philadelphia,  March  18. — Jules 
Lapidus,  newly  appointed  Eastern 
sales  manager  for  Warner  Bros.,  com- 
pleted the  first  tour  of  his  territory 
with  a  meeting  at  the  local  exchange 
today.  Arthur  Sachson,  assistant  gen- 
eral sales  manager  of  the  company, 
attended. 


*"A"  denotes  adult  classification. 


Discmen  to  Discuss 
AFM  Ban  Answer 


Recording  and  transcription  indus- 
try leaders  will  meet  today  or  to- 
morrow to  discuss  the  refusal  of 
James  C.  Petrillo  and  the  American 
Federation  of  Musicians  executive 
board  to  remove  the  recordings  ban, 
it  was  indicated  yesterday. 

Although  the  letters  explaining  the 
union's  stand,  reported  to  have  beei'i 
sent  from  Chicago  on  Wednesday 
night  had  not  been  received  by  the 
companies  yesterday,  it  was  expected 
they  would  arrive  today,  following 
which  there  will  be  a  discussion  of  the 
contents. 

Generally,  there  was  surprise  that  no 
new  proposition  had  been  offered  by 
the  AFM.  The  companies  had  ex- 
pected some  sort  of  counter-proposal 
after  they  turned  down  the  union's 
original  tax  plan  to  assist  unemployed 
musicians. 


PRC  Holds  Meet  in 
Chicago  Tomorrow 


Producers  Releasing  will  hold  a  re- 
gional sales  meeting  at  the  Blackstone 
Hotel  in  Chicago  tomorrow  to  discuss 
plans  for  new  product.  O.  Henry 
Briggs,  president,  and  Arthur  Green- 
blatt,  vice-president  in  charge  of  sales, 
will  conduct  the  session. 

Representatives  will  attend  from 
Chicago,  Dallas,  Denver,  Kansas  City, 
Little  Rock,  Los  Angeles,  Milwaukee, 
Minneapolis,  New  Orleans,  Oklahoma 
City,  Omaha,  San  Francisco,  Seattle 
and  St.  Louis. 

Leo  J.  McCarthy,  assistant  general 
sales  manager,  and  John  S.  Yiung, 
president  of  Pathe  Laboratories,  Inc., 
will  attend  the  session. 


Rogers  Case  Put  Off 

Argument  on  a  motion  by  Roy  Rog- 
ers, cowboy  star  of  Republic  Pictures, 
whose  real  name  is  Leonard  Slye,  for 
dismissal  of  a  $500,000  suit  for  dam- 
ages brought  by  Roy  Rogers,  stage 
actor,  was  adjourned  until  Tuesday  by 
Supreme  Court  Justice  Benedict  D. 
Dineen  here. 


MPPDA  Directors 
To  Reaffirm  Code 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

quire  only  a  few  weeks  absence  from 
his  regular  duties. 

It  is  reported  that  the  CIAA  wishes 
to  consult  Breen  on  scripts  for  some 
^00  non-theatrical  subjects  which  it 
plans  to  produce  for  Latin  American 
distribution,  with  a  view  to  obtaining 
the  benefit  of  his  experience  on  sub- 
jects or  portrayals  which  have  been 
or  are  likely  to  be  unpopular  with 
audiences  in  Latin  America.  Breen 
would  work  either  here  or  in  Wash- 
ington. 

The  reaffirmation  of  the  Production 
Code  is  expected  to  be  made  to  make 
further  appeals  from  PCA  rulings 
on  profanity  in  dialogue  unnecessary. 

The  board's  action  in  permitting  the 
words  "hell"  and  "damn"  to  remain 
in  the  dialogue  of  "In  Which  We 
Serve"  and  "We  Are  the  Marines," 
following  appeals  from  PCA  orders 
for  their  deletion,  permitted  the  im- 
pression to  spread  that  a  wartime 
liberalization  of  the  Production  Code 
met  with  the  approval  of  the  board. 


Dickinson  Circuit 
Gets  2  Mo.  Houses 

Kansas  City,  March  18. — With  ac- 
quisition of  two  theatres,  the  Dickin- 
son Circuit  in  this  territory  now  has 
16  houses.  The  circuit  has  purchased 
the  Roanoke  Theatre  property  here. 
Dwight  Borin  of  Lincoln,  Neb.,  will 
manage  the  house.  The  other  new 
acquisition  is  the  Mullikin,  Spring- 
field, Mo. 


Rally  to  Honor  Levin 

A  rally  to  honor  the  late  Serg. 
Meyer  Levin,  Colin  Kelly's  bomba- 
dier,  will  be  held  Sunday  night  at  the 
Kingsway  Theatre,  Brooklyn.  War 
bonds  will  be  sold  to  raise  funds  for 
the  purchase  of  a  bomber  which  will 
be  named  "The  Immortal  Sergeant," 
it  was  announced. 


'Boys'  Unit  for  USO 

-  A  volunteer  unit  of  singers,  come- 
dians and  dancers  from  the  Broadway 
show,  "Something  for  the  Boys,"  has 
been  formed,  to  entertain  at  training 
camps,  USO-Camp  shows  announced. 


Stock  Deals  of  Film 
Company  Officials 
Reported  by  SEC 


Philadelphia,  March  18.  —  Pur- 
chase of  1,000  shares  of  Radio  Keith 
Orpheum  common  stock  by  Ned  E. 
Depinet,  president  of  RKO  Radio  Pic- 
tures, a  subsidiary,  was  reported  by 
the  Securities  &  Exchange  Comnr»  - 
sion  in  its  January  summary  of  trff'- 
of  corporation  officers,  directors  iftftf 
principal  stockholders  in  the  securi- ' 
ties  of  their  companies. 

Also  recorded  was  the  sale  of  10,- 
000  shares  of  20th  Century-Fox  com- 
mon stock  by  the  Chase  National 
Bank.  This  was  the  largest  film  trans- 
action of  the  month  shown  in  the  re- 
port. At  the  close  of  January,  the 
report  stated,  the  bank  held  197,858 
shares  of  20th  Century-Fox  common 
stock  and  671,916  shares  of  the  com- 
pany's preferred. 

Other  RKO  Purchases 

The  report  on  Radio  Keith  Orpheum 
showed  purchases  of  100  shares  of 
preferred  by  Leon  Goldberg,  New 
York  officer,  through  a  joint  account, 
and  50  shares  by  J.  Miller  Walker, 
also  a  New  York  officer,  all  three  ac- 
quisitions representing  total  holdings. 
In  the  same  company,  Rockefeller 
Center  was  shown  to  have  sold  1,200 
shares  of  common,  leaving  it  with 
562,429  shares. 

Several  amended  or  delayed  reports 
for  December  were  received,  includ- 
ing revisions  from  the  three  Warner 
Bros. 

These  reports  showed  that  Albert 
Warner  received  43,500  shares  of  com- 
mon and  9,363  shares  of  preferred 
from  a  trust  in  December,  and  in  Jan- 
uary purchased  14,902  shares  of  com- 
mon, holding  199,650  shares  at  the 
close  of  the  month ;  Harry  M.  War- 
ner reported  receipt  of  52,000  shares 
of  common  and  9,539  shares  of  pre- 
ferred in  December,  and  Jack  L.  War- 
ner reported  similar  receipt  of  6,900 
shares  of  common  and  4,801  of  pre- 
ferred, and  purchases  of  11,840  shares 
of  common  in  January,  giving  him  a 
total  of  186,600  shares  at  the  end  of 
the  month. 

A  report  from  Monogram  Pictures 
for  December  showed  that  an  option 
for  22,823  shares  of  common  stock 
held  by  Trem  Carr,  Hollywood,  ex- 
pired without  having  been  exercised. 

Matthew  Fox  Compensation 

Other  December  reports  showed  the 
receipt  of  3,000  Universal  Corp.  com- 
mon voting  trust  certificate  warrants 
by  Matthew  Fox,  Washington,  D.  C, 
director,  as  compensation,  giving  him 
a  total  of  15,000,  and  the  acquisition 
of  200  shares  of  Universal  Pictures 
common  by  S.  Machnovitch,  New- 
York  officer,  through  Universal  Corp., 
which  held  231,327  shares  at  the  close 
of  the  year. 

Reports  on  the  holdings  of  men  be- 
coming officers  or  directors  of  cor- 
porations showed  that  Sidney  Buch- 
man,  Hollywood,  held  no  Columbia 
Pictures  securities  when  he  became  an 
officer  January  21,  but  that  other  new- 
ly elected  officers  held  stock,  as  fol- 
lows :  Joseph  A.  McConville,  New 
York,  202  shares  of  common  through 
a  partnership ;  Abraham  Montague, 
New  York,  5  shares  of  common  di- 
rect, and  202  shares  through  a  part- 
nership, and  Nate  B.  Spingold,  New 
York,  10,178  shares  through  a  holding 
company  and  100  shares  in  joint  own- 
ership. 


No  Decision  Yet  on 
'Army'  Going  Abroad 

Washington,  March  18. — 
War  Department  officials  said 
today  that  reports  that  "This 
Is  the  Army,"  all-soldier 
show,  will  go  to  England  after 
completing  its  picture  for 
Warner  Bros.  are  "un- 
founded." They  explained  that 
while  the  company  may  go 
abroad  at  some  future  time, 
no  action  has  yet  been  taken 
and  any  determination  which 
may  be  made  will  be  based  on 
conditions  and  requirements 
at  the  time. 

— 


Friday,  March  19,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Abbott-Costello  Air 
Replacement  Is  Set 


Garry  Moore  of  the  NBC  morning 
program,  "Everything  Goes,"  will 
head  the  program  replacing  the  Ab- 
bott and  Costelio  show  from  March 
25  to  the  expiration  of  the  contract 
in  early  summer,  NBC  has  an- 
nounced. Others  scheduled  to  ap- 
pear on  the  new  show  are  Jimmy  Du- 
rante, Xavier  Cugat  and  his  orches- 
r~-  Georgia  Gibbs  and  Howard  Pe- 
Vf  announcer.  The  program, 
sponsored  by  the  R.  J.  Reynolds  To- 
bacco Co.  will  originate  from  New 
York.  Abbott  had  announced  that  he 
would  not  continue  on  the  air  until 
his  partner  recovered  from  his  ill- 
ness. The  "Everything  Goes"  pro- 
gram will  be  discontinued. 


Langham,  Guillotte 
Promoted  at  CBS 

Several  personnel  changes  have 
been  announced  by  CBS.  Roy  S. 
Langham,  head  of  the  web's  produc- 
tion division,  has  been  appointed  to 
succeed  Gerald  F.  Maulsby,  former 
assistant  to  the  director  of  broadcasts, 
now  with  the  Office  of  War  Infor- 
mation. Horace  G.  Guillotte,  man- 
ager of  network  operations,  replaces 
Langham.  Louise  Grant  has  replaced 
Merritt  Coleman,  now  schedule  su- 
pervisor of  the  engineering  depart- 
ment, as  staff  assistant. 


Off  the  Antenna 


A REPORT  from  Mexico  City  reveals  that  XEQ  broadcast  directly  from 
the  crest  of  an  active  volcano  in  what  is  claimed  to  be  the  first  radio 
feat  of  its  kind.  The  story  of  the  eruption  was  aired  from  the  scene,  about 
150  miles  from  Mexico  City,  for  an  hour  and  15  minutes.  The  coverage  was 
accomplished  under  a  special  permit  of  the  Ministry  of  National  Defense. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Helen  Siovssat,  CBS  director  of  talks,  was  made  an 
honorary  member  of  the  New  Jersey  State  Police  following  a  talk  before 
policemen  and  civilian  defense  zvorkers  in  Newark  .  .  .  Songstress  Anita  of 
the  "Tommy  Riggs  and  Betty  Lou"  NBC  show  has  announced  her  marriage 
to  Lieut.  Frank  Ellis  of  the  Army  Air  Forces.  .  .  .  Bill  Bacher,  producer  of 
the  CBS  ] olson-W oolley  program,  is  now  on  the  W est  Coast.  .  .  .  Bob  Nolan, 
producer  of  "Radio  Reader's  Digest,"  is  the  author  of  a  volume  of  poems, 
"Bilge  Bubbles,"  to  be  published  soon. 

•  •  • 

Coincident  with  the  Charlie  McCarthy-Edgar  Bergen  NBC  broadcast 
from  Mexico  City  on  Sunday,  Rudy  Vallee  and  his  U.  S.  Coast  Guard 
Band,  Ginny  Simms,  Rosita  Moreno,  Betty  Hutton  and  Shirley  Dins- 
dale  will  perform  for  Mexican  troops  at  Ensenada,  Mexico.  The  latter 
program  is  the  first  to  be  staged  by  American  entertainers  for  Mexican 
servicemen  and  will  be  shortwaved  to  all  of  Latin  America  by  the  Office 
of  Coordinator  of  Inter-American  Affairs. 


Program  Notes:  "Hollywood  Radio  Theatre,"  a  half -hour  recorded  pro- 
gram of  dramas  starring  film  players  will  be  sponsored  weekly  by  J.  C.  Eno, 
Ltd.,  over  WJZ  beginning  April  15.  .  .  .  Mutual's  "Confidentially  Yours"  is  now 
heard  on  103  additional  stations.  .  .  .  Oliver  Norton,  manager  of  the  NBC 
Central  Division  local  and  spot  sales  department,  announced  that  Grove 
Laboratories  has  placed  $250,000  worth  of  advertising  in  news  commentaries 
for  52  weeks  on  nine  NBC  stations.  .  .  .  Sir  Cedric  Hardwicke  will  be  a 
guest  on  Bill  Stern's  Sports  Newsreel  March  27. 


FCC  to  Apply  Merit 
Rule  to  Applications 


Washington,  March  18. — The  re- 
cent action  of  the  Federal  Communi- 
cations Commission  to  keep  alive  all 
applications  submitted  for  television  or 
FM  facilities  will  not  insure  preferen- 
tial treatment  to  applicants  when  their 
cases  are  considered  after  the  war. 

When  the  end  of  the  war  makes  pos- 
sible further  construction,  it  was  said, 
applicants  whose  requests  for  new  or 
changed  facilities  were  rejected  by  the 
Commission  heretofore,  may  submit  a 
request  to  have  their  applications  re- 
vived. 


Law  Permits  Indpl's 
Tax  for  Orchestra 

Indianapolis.  March  18.  —  Gov. 
Henry  F.  Schricker  has  signed  a  bill 
permitting  Indianapolis  to  help  support 
the  Indianapolis  Symphony  Orchestra 
through  taxation. 

Under  its  provisions,  the  city  may 
assess  a  tax  to  raise  a  fund  of  $50,000 
a  year  for  the  orchestra.  In  return,  the 
orchestra  would  be  required  to  give 
several  concerts  each  year  at  nominal 
admissions,  and  to  give  concerts  for 
the  public  schools  as  part  of  the  cur- 
riculum. 


A  SCENE  FROM  AT  DAWN  WE  DIE 


„-„h  JOHN  CLEMENTS  •  GODFREY  TEARLE  •  HUGH  SINCLAIR  •  GRETA  GYNT  •  JUDY  KELLY 

GEORGE  KING — Director  •  Original  Story  by  DOROTHY  HOPE  •  Screen  Play  by  ANATOLE  de  GRUNWALD  •  Script  by  (CATHERINE  STRUEBY 

A  REPUBLIC  PICTURE  BUY  U.  S.  WAR  SAVINGS  BONDS 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  March  19,  1943 


Short  Subject  Reviews 


'Andy  Hardy' 
$45,500  at  3 
L.A.  Houses 


Los  Angeles,  March  18. — "Andy 
Hardy's  Double  Life,"  at  three  the- 
atres, piled  up  $45,500  during  the  week 
to  become  the  town's  top  grosser.  It 
was  backed  by  a  considerable  adver- 
tising campaign. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  ending 
March  17: 

"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 
"Quiet  Please,  Murder"  (20th-Fox) 

CHINESE— (2,500)       (33c-44c-55c-7Sc)  7 
days.    Gross:  $14,000.    (Average,  $13,500) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 
"Gorilla  Man"  (W.  B.) 

HAWAII—  (1,000)  (33c-44c-5Sc-75c)  7  days, 
9th  week.    Gross:  $4,000.    (Average,  $3,280) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (3rd  week)  (RKO) 
"No  Place  for  a  Lady"  (CoL) 

HILLSTREET — (2,700)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $15,800.    (Average,  $14,950) 
"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 
"Quiet  Please,  Murder"  (2((th-Fox) 

LOEWS  STATE— (2,500)  (33c-44c-55c-75c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $22,000.     (Average,  $19,500) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO)  (3rd  week) 
"No  Place  for  a  Lady"  (Col.) 

PAiNTAGES — (3,000)     (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $8,200.     (Average,  $12,950) 
"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

PARAMOUNT    (HOLLYWOOD)— (1,407) 
(33c-44c-55c-75c)    7   days.      Gross:  $13,000. 
(Average,  $10,100) 
"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 
"Lady  Bodyguard"  (Para.) 

PARAMOUNT  (DOWNTOWN)— (3,595) 
(33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $20,000. 
(Average,  $16,800) 

"Andy  Hardy's  Double  Life"  (M-G-M) 
"Quiet  Please,  Murder"  (20th- Fox) 

RITZ— (1,376)     (33c-44c-55c-85c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $9,500.     (Average,  $9,400) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (HOLLYWOOD)— (3,- 
400)    (33c-44c-65c-85c)    7    days,    2nd  week. 
Gross:  $11,500.     (Average,  $13,200) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER  BROS.   (DOWNTOWN)— (3,- 
400)    (33c-44c-65c-85c)    7    days,    2nd  week. 
Gross:  $12,800.    (Average,  $14,350) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (WILTERN)— (2,200) 
(33c-44c-55c-65c-85c)  7  davs.  Gross:  $9,400. 
(Average,  $10,050) 


'Rhythm',  4  Air  Force' 
Top  Seattle  Grosses 


Seattle,  March  18.  —  "Star 
Spangled  Rhythm"  in  a  dual  run  at 
the  Fifth  Avenue  and  Music  Hall 
theatres  opened  to  capacity  weekend 
houses  and  appeared  destined  to  lead 
the  town  with  a  big  $22,000  total.  'Air 
Force"  at  the  Orpheum  is  also  big, 
with  a  gross  of  $12,000  in  sight. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  19 : 

"Hit'er's  Children"  (RKO) 
"Lady  Bodyguard"  (Para.) 

BLUE  MOUSE— (950)   (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.    (Moveover  from  Paramount) 
Gross:  $3,900.    (Average,  $4,500) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

FIFTH  AVENUE— (2,500)  (40c-50c-65c- 
80c)  7  days.  Gross:  $12,500.  (Average. 
$9,000) 

"One  Dangerous  Night"  (Col.) 
"The  Daring  Young  Man"  (Col.) 

LIBERTY— (1,800)      (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $7,200.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

MUSIC    BOX— (950)     (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.  4th  week.  (Moved  from  Fifth  Avenue) 
Gross:  $4,350.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

MUSIC    HALL— (2,275)  (40c-50c-65c-80c) 
1  days.    Gross:  $9,500.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"Air  Force"  (W.  B.) 

ORPHEUM— (2,450)     (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
davs.    Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Idaho"  (Rep.) 
"Counter  Espionage"  (Col.) 

PALOMAR— (1,500)     (30c-42c-58c-70c)  7 
davs.      Stage:   Vaudeville   headed  by  Lee 
Donn.     Gross:  $8,250.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 
"Life  Begins  at  8:30"  (ZOth-Fox) 

PARAMOUNT— (3,050)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $8,750.     (Average,  $9,000) 


"Air  Crew" 

(This  Is  America  Series,  No.  5) 

(RKO-Pathe) 

THIS  release  in  the  "This  Is 
America"  series,  which  is  well 
done,  entertaining  and  instructive, 
traces  the  curriculum  of  three  typical 
recruits  at  the  Naval  Air  Station  in 
Jacksonville,  Fla.  The  film  includes 
some  excellent  shots  of  the  men  at 
work  in  class  and  at  play,  ranging 
from  an  intricate  machine  class  to  a 
'more  informal  buggy  ride  with  a 
group  of  WAVES.  It  maintains  a 
particular  air  of  naturalness  and  in- 
formality throughout,  credit  for  which 
goes  to  the  performance  of  the  "lead- 
ing men"  and  the  interesting  com- 
mentary. The  film  was  written  by 
Richard  Fleischer  and  Ardis  Smith, 
and  produced  by  Frederick  Ullman, 
Jr.,  with  a  fitting  musical  score  by 
Al  Goodman. 

Running  time,  18  minutes.  Release, 
March  12. 


"America's  Food  Crisis" 

(March  of  Time) 

(20th  Century-Fox) 

This  latest  March  of  Time  release 
presents  a  timely  and  factual  message 
entertainingly.  The  film  disproves  the 
rumor  that  lend-lease  shipments  are 
responsible  for  the  current  system  of 
point  rationing  and  the  food  shortage 
in  this  country.  A  review  of  the  prob- 
lems facing  the  farmer  and  the  Gov- 
ernment solutions  offered  is  made. 
Scenes  inside  a  plant  producing  dehy- 
drated food  for  soldiers  are  shown 
and  glimpses  of  land  in  North  Africa 
being  cultivated  for  farm  use  are  de- 
picted. 

Running  time,  19  minutes.  Release, 
March  26. 


"Ski  Soldiers" 

(A  Sports  Reel) 

(Columbia) 

Theatregoers  will  like  this  reel 
showing  the  thorough  training  of 
America's  ski  troops  as  well  as  the 
finer  points  of  an  exciting  sport.  Pho- 
tographed at  an  undisclosed  location 
in  the  Rockies,  the  film  follows  raw 
recruits  from  the  start  of  instruction 
by  famed  skiers  to  the  troops'  de- 
velopment as  experts.  Bill  Stern  is 
narrator.  Running  time,  10  mins.  Re- 
lease, March  26. 


"Community  Sing" 

(No.  8— Series  7) 

(Columbia) 

A  happy  blending  of  songs  is 
achieved  in  this  community  sing  short 
designed  to  provide  a  friendly  atmo- 
sphere in  the  theatres.  "McNamara's 
Band"  is  the  first  song  flashed  on  the 
screen  and  is  followed  by  "If  I  Didn't 
Care,"  "You  Are  My  Sunshine"  and 
"Angels  of  Mercy."  Don  Baker  is  at 
the  organ  with  the  Song  Spinners  giv- 
ing vocal  assistance.  Running  time, 
10  mins.    Release,  March  26. 


Skelton  Leads  Feb. 
Hooper  Coast  Rating 

^  Red  Skelton  was  the  first  of  the 
Top  10  programs  in  the  February 
Hooper  Pacific  Ratings  Report,  it 
was  announced.  Skelton  has  been 
first  for  several  months.  Bob  Hope 
and  Fibber  McGee  and  Molly  were 
listed  as  second  and  third  respec- 
tively. 


"Hungry  India" 

(Popular  Variety  Review) 

( Universal) 

A  realistic  view  of  an  India,  spot- 
lighted in  the  news  since  the  war  be- 
gan, is  given  in  this  revealing,  inter- 
esting short.  The  storybook  magnifi- 
cence of  the  fabulous  country  is  dis- 
regarded and  a  picture  of  the  Indians' 
struggle  for  existence  is  shown  in- 
stead. Bob  Denton,  narrator,  explains 
that  this  is  the  India  which  the  Ameri- 
can doughboys  are  seeing  now.  Run- 
ning time,  9  mins.    Release,  March  1. 


"She's  A-l  In  The  Navy" 

(Popular  Person-Oddity) 

(Universal) 

This  is  an  absorbing  account  of  the 
strange  professions  and  habits  of  five 
people  and  a  species  of  seagull.  Clyde 
Kittell  comments  on  the  careers  of  a 
woman  sea  captain,  a  man  who  is  all 
officials  of  the  town  rolled  into  one, 
a  manufacturer  of  salt,  a  fish  doctor 
and  a  bridle  maker.  He  also  tells  of 
the  Scissorbill  seagulls,  called  the 
"most  careless  birds  in  the  world." 
Running  time,  9  mins.  Release,  Feb.  8. 


"Seeing  Hollywood" 

(Screen  Snapshots  No.  8) 

(Columbia) 

Interest  in  the  private  lives  of  film 
stars  is  sure  to  make  this  short  popu- 
lar with  audiences.  The  shots  of  the 
actors  and  actresses  are  in  a  frame 
provided  by  the  attempts  of  Alan 
Mowbray  to  build  up  the  motion  pic- 
tures he  has  taken  to  his  studio  chief, 
played  by  John  T.  Murray.  Players 
included  in  the  film  are  Gene  Autry, 
Brian  Aherne,  the  Ritz  Brothers, 
Marx  Brothers,  Lou  Holtz,  Tyrone 
Power,  Annabella,  Ingrid  Bergman, 
Kay  Kyser  and  several  other  well 
known  personalities.  Running  time, 
10  mins.    Release,  March  31. 

"The  Three  Stooges  in 
Spook  Louder" 

(Columbia) 

The  Three  Stooges  are  at  it  again 
in  a  wacky  adventure  as  reducing  ma- 
chine salesmen  who  turn  their  talents 
to  guarding  the  home  of  an  eccentric 
inventor.  Before  they  capture  three 
enemy  spies,  they  go  through  their 
usual  slapstick  antics.  Stanley  Brown 
atid  Lew  Kelly  play  supporting  roles. 
Running  time,  16  mins.  Release, 
March  2. 


"Kindly  Scram" 

(Phantasy  Cartoon ) 

(Columbia) 

The  difficulties  of  a  bill  poster  in 
pasting  advertisements  around  the 
countryside  are  amusingly  presented  in 
this  Dave  Fleischer  production  in 
black  and  white.  A  mean  bull  compli- 
cates the  worker's  job,  but  is  finally 
placated  by  a  picture  of  a  beautiful 
cow.  Running  time,  6  mins.  Release, 
March  5. 


NAB  to  Hear  Radio, 
War  Leaders  at  Meet 

Manpower,  the  materials  problem, 
sales  promotion  during  wartime,  the 
clear  channel,  among  other  matters, 
will  be  discussed  by  war  and  radio 
industry  leaders  at  the  NAB  Radio 
War  Conference  to  be  held  at  the  Pal- 
mer House,  Chicago,  April  27  to  29, 
it  was  announced. 


'Lunch  Time'  Shows 
Click  at  War  Plants; 
Films  an  Innovation 


The  "Lunch  Time  Follies"  idea  for 
entertainment  and  morale  building  of 
workers  in  war  industries  has  shown 
a  big  spread  throughout  the  country, 
with  the  demand  for  talent  and  ma±$~ 
rial  doubled  in  the  last  year,  accord, 
to  reports.  ^  0(s 

Film  programs  using  16mm.  shorts,  1 
chiefly  musicals  and  comedies,  are  a 
recent  innovation  in  the  noon-hour  and 
recreation  period  programs,  especially 
at  plants  where  projection  equipment  , 
is  available,  it  is  learned. 

Supervisors  of  large  plants  regard 
the  shows  as  valuable  from  two  view- 
points :  they  provide  a  happy  break 
in  the  day's  work  and  are  a  means  of 
conveying  messages,  such  as  the  need 
for  increasing  production,  reducing  ab- 
senteeism, plant  safety,  and  the  like. 

Started  Last  Year 

The  idea  started  with  a  "test"  show 
produced  by  the  American  Theatre 
War  Wing  Service  at  the  Todd  ship- 
yards in  Brooklyn  last  year.  Since 
last  June  the  Theatre  Wing  has  pro- 
duced 40  such  shows  for  plants  in  the 
East,  and  now  plans  to  expand  the 
program  to  the  rest  of  the  country. 

Other  large  industrial  centers,  par- 
ticularly the  West  Coast,  Chicago  and 
Detroit,  adopted  the  idea,  and  in  Cali- 
fornia theatrical  agents  are  providing 
regular  weekly  programs  for  ship- 
yards and  aircraft  plants.  The  Doug- 
las Aircraft  Corp.  has  the  biggest 
schedule,  it  is  reported,  running  from 
noon  to  midnight  and  calling  for  six 
shows  a  day.  In  some  plants  the  work- 
ers produce  their  own  skits  and  re- 
vues. 


MacGregor  Is  Chief 
Of  WGN  Programs 

Chicago..  March  18.  — Frank  P. 
Schreiber,  business  manager  of  WGN, 
annouced  that  Kenneth  W.  MacGregor 
has  been  made  program  manager  and 
Lewis  James  has  been  named  his  suc- 
cessor as  production  chief,  effective  im- 
mediately. MacGregor's  activities  will 
consist  of  over-all  programming,  while 
James  will  supervise  production  of  all 
station-originated  shows,  both  of  them 
operating  directly  with  the  WGN  pro- 
gram board. 

Song  Suit  Against 
20th-Fox  Dismissed 

An  action  for  an  iniunction  brought 
against  20th  Century-Fox  by  Edward 
B.  Marks  Music  Corp.,  based  on  the 
fong,  "Song  of  the  Islands,"  featured 
in  the  film  of  that  title  has  been  dis- 
missed in  N.  Y.  Supreme  Court  by 
Tu«+ice  Samuel  Bernstein. 

The  action  charged  that  after  the 
plaintiff  had  licensed  20th  Centurv- 
Fnx  for  $3  500  to  use  the  song  and  its 
title  in  a  film,  another  and  similar 
song  was  substituted. 


JACK  SHAINDLIN 

Musical  Direction 
Completed  : 

"One  Day  of  War  Russia  1943" 

March  of  Time 
In  Prenaration — Allen  Jenkins  in 

"Show  Business" 

Columbia 


DO  NOISE 


Alert, 


tion 


Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


First  in 


and 

Impartial 


53.  NO.  54 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  MONDAY,  MARCH  22,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Republic  Plans 
68  Pictures  in 
Coming  Season 

Four  Serials  Scheduled; 
Chicago  Meet  Today 


Hollywood,  March  21. — Repub- 
lic plans  a  schedule  of  68  pictures 
for  1943-'44,  it  is  reliably  reported, 
the  number  be- 
ing the  same  as 
for  the  current 
season.  The 
company  plans 
to  increase  its 
top  pictures  for 
the  new  season 
from  six  to 
eight,  with  10 
in  the  second 
group  and  14 
in  the  third, 
making  a  total 
of  32  features. 
In  addition,  the 
32  Westerns  and 


H.  J.  Yates 


company  plam- 
four  serials. 
H.  J.  Yates  and  James  R.  Grainger, 

(.Continued  on  page  6) 


Showdown  on  FDR 
Wage  Limit  Is  Near 


Washington,  March  21. — The  final 
Congressional  test  of  President  Roose- 
velt's income-limitation  program  is  ex- 
pected to  come  tomorrow  or  Tuesday 
when  the  Senate  votes  on  repeal  of 
his  Oct.  3  salary  control  order. 

Provisions  to  be  substituted  for  the 
House-approved  Disney  plan  to  freeze 
high  salaries  at  their  pre-war  level 
were  perfected  by  the  Senate  Finance 
Committee  Friday.  They  contemplate 
repeal  of  the  Oct.  3  order  and  the  sub- 

(Continncd  on  page  2) 


Kaufman  and  Eight 
Others  Indicted  in 
Film  Extortion  Case 


Louis  Kaufman,  business  agent  of 
the  Newark  local  of  the  IATSE,  and 
eight  Chicago  gangsters,  heirs  to  Al 
Capone's  gang  kingdom,  were  indict- 
ed by  a  Federal  grand  jury  here  Fri- 
day, charged  with  mail  fraud,  conspir- 
acy and  violation  of  the  Federal  anti- 
racketeering  act. 

The  indictments,  alleging  extortion 
of  more  than  $1,000,000  from  major 
film  companies  and  some  $1,500,000 
in  assessments  from  the  IATSE's 
42,000  members,  resulted  from  an  in- 
vestigation started  three  years  ago 
which  landed  George  E.  Browne, 
former  IATSE  president,  and  Wil- 
liam Bioff,  his  West  Coast  personal 
representative,  in  Federal  prisons  for 
long  terms  for  extortion. 

One  of  those  indicted,  Frank  Nitto, 
alias  Frank  (the  Enforcer)  Nitti,  first 
cousin  of  Capone,  who  took  over  his 
mob,  was  found  dead  in  a  Chicago 
suburb  shortly  after  the  indictments 
were  disclosed.  The  authorities  listed 
the  death  as  suicide. 

In  addition  to  Kaufman  and  Nitto, 
(Continued  on  page  6) 


Quigley  Award  to 
Charninsky  Today 

Dallas,  March  21. — Louis  Charnin- 
sky, manager  of  the  Interstate  Cir- 
cuit's Capitol  Theatre  here,  will  be 
presented  the  Quigley  Silver  Grand 
Award  for  theatre  showmanship  in 
1942  by  Gov.  Coke  R.  Stevenson  of 
Texas  here  tomorrow.  The  Variety 
Club  of  Dallas  will  give  a  luncheon 
in  Charninsky's  honor  at  the  Hotel 
Adolphus.  Local  industry  leaders  will 
attend. 


Labor  Unit  Endorses 
Rickenbacker  Film 

The  New  York  Central 
Trades  and  Labor  Council, 
AFL,  has  endorsed  the  appeal 
trailer,  narrated  by  Captain 
Eddie  Rickenbacker,  for  the 
industry's  Red  Cross  drive, 
April  1  through  7.  The  action 
was  taken  on  a  motion  by  Jos- 
eph Tuvan,  representing  the 
International  Ladies'  Garment 
Workers  Union,  after  the 
council  had  been  assured  that 
Rickenbacker's  comments 
were  confined  to  the  Red 
Cross  appeal  and  made  no 
reference  to  labor. 


Balaban  Red 
Cross  Talk  on 
Natl  Hookup 


Barney  Balaban,  national  chairman 
of  the  industry's  Red  Cross  drive,  and 
Walter  S.  Gifford,  national  chairman 
of  the  Red  Cross  War  Fund,  will  ad- 
dress all  Red  Cross  district  chairmen 
throughout  the  country  over  a  tele- 
phone hookup  tomorrow.  They  will 
report  on  the  progress  of  the  forth- 
coming theatre  collection  drive. 

Balaban  will  speak  from  War  Ac- 
tivities Committee  headquarters  and 
Gifford  from  his  office  at  the  Ameri- 
can Telephone  and  Telegraph  Co. 
The  addresses  will  be  made  at  11  a.  m. 
and  again  at  noon  for  different  sec- 
tions of  the  country. 

The  talks  will  be  heard  by  exhibi- 
(Continued  on  page  6) 


Memorial  Services 
Held  for  S.  R.  Kent 

A  memorial  mass  for  the  late  Sid- 
ney R.  Kent,  celebrated  last  Friday, 
on  the  first  anniversary  of  his  death, 
•nt  the  Lady  Chapel  of  St.  Patrick's 
Cathedral,  was  attended  by  approxi- 
mately 50  friends  of  the  former  20th 
Century-Fox  president. 

Among  those  who  attended  were : 
Spyros  Skouras,  president  of  20th 
Century-Fox  ;  Larry  Kent,  bis  broth- 
er, William  F.  Rodgers,  George  J. 

(Continued  on  page  2) 


Argentine  Product  Suffers 
Virtual  Boycott  in  Mexico 


Du  Mont  Proposes 
Exchange  of  Stock 

A  proposal  to  exchange  the  present 
Class  A  and  Class  B  common  stock 
of  Allen  B.  Du  Mont  Laboratories, 
Inc.,  television  company,  on  a  basis 
of  10  shares  of  new  stock  for  each 
share  of  old  will  be  submitted  by  di- 
rectors of  the  company  to  a  stock- 
holders meeting  May  3,  an  announce- 
ment said. 

It  was  stated  that  the  proposal  is 
made  in  order  to  make  possible  great- 
er public  participation  in  the  purchase 
of  the  television  company's  securities. 
There  are  now  outstanding  only  56,000 
(Continued  on  page  2) 


By  LUIS  BECERRA  CELIS 

Mexico  City,  March  21. — A  virtual 
boycott  of  Argentinian  films,  which 
until  recently  enjoyed  wide  popu- 
larity here,  is  becoming  increasingly 
apparent  throughout  Mexico,  accord- 
ing to  reports. 

Already  Argentinian  pictures  are 
few  and  far  between  on  the  screens 
of  Mexican  theatres  and  distributors 
and  exhibitors  here  are  freely  pre- 
dicting that  before  long  not  a  single 
film  from  that  country  will  be  ex- 
hib'ted  anywhere  in  Mexico. 

The  principal  reason  for  the  wan- 
ing popularity  of  Argentinian  product 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


OWI  'Satisfied' 
With  Plan  for 
Scripts:  Mellett 

Matter  Won't  Be  Pressed 
Further,  He  Says 


Washington,  March  21. — Most 
studios  are  now  submitting  non- 
military  scripts  voluntarily  to  the 
Office  of  War  Information,  and  are 
doing  so  in  increasing  numbers, 
Lowell  Mellett,  chief  of  the  OWI 
motion  picture  bureau,  stated  to- 
day, asserting  that  OWI  is  per- 
fectly satisfied  with  the  present  ar- 
rangement and  has  no  intention  of 
pressing  the  matter  further. 

Mellett  declared  that  a  satisfactory 
arrangement  is  in  effect  now  covering 
the  submission  of  scripts  of  Army  and 
Navy  pictures  by  producers  to  the 
OWI.  He  asserted  that  the  studios' 
letter  of  last  week  outlining  plans  to 
submit  their  scripts  of  military  films 
to  the  OWI  at  the  same  time  they 
were  submitted  to  the  War  Depart- 
ment had  nothing  to  do  with  the  sub- 
mission of  non-military  scripts. 

Mellett  explained  that  the  letter 
was  the  result  of  conversations  he  had 
with  studio  officials  during  his  recent 
visit  to  the  Coast  to  speak  before  the 

(Continued  on  page  2) 


Skouras  Closes  Deal 
With  Havana  Circuit 


A  new  season  product  deal  has  been 
closed  by  20th  Century-Fox  with  the 
Smith  &  Valcare  circuit,  dominant 
Havana  first  run  chain,  following  a 
stalemate  over  terms  which  had  con- 
tinued since  last  September,  it  is 
learned. 

The  agreement  was  reached  during 
the  vist  of  Spyros  Skouras  20th  Cen- 
truy-Fox  president,  and  Irving  Maas, 
acting  foreign  department  head,  in 
Havana  last  week. 

The  stalemate  over  new  season's 
terms  had  grown  so  acute  that  the 
company  made  a  study  of  possible 
theatre  acquisitions  in  Havana  as  first 
run  outlets  for  its  product. 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Heard  Around,"  by  Sam 
Shain,  Page  6.  Review  of 
"Aerial  Gunner,"  Page  2. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  22,  1943 


Personal 
Mention 


DAVID  H.  COPLAN,  United  Art- 
ists Canadian  division  manager, 
leaves  for  Toronto  tonight  after  a 
New  York  visit. 

• 

Walter  E.  Branson,  Western  di- 
vision manager  for  RKO,  has  re- 
turned from  the  West. 

• 

Bert  M.  Stearn,  United  Artists 
Western  division  manager,  is  en 
route  to  the  Midwest. 

• 

S.  Barret  McCormick,  director  of 
RKO  advertising  and  publicity,  has 
left  for  the  Coast. 

• 

E.  K.  O'Shea  has  returned  from 
Dallas. 

• 

Patricia  O'Shea  had  a  birthday 
Friday. 

• 

James  Coston  has  returned  to  Chi- 
cago from  California. 

• 

A.  B.  Craver,  Charlotte,  N.  C,  ex- 
hibitor, is  the  father  of  a  third  son, 
born  to  Mrs.  Craver  at  the  Presby- 
terian Hospital  in  that  city.  The 
child  has  been  named  Alan  Dean. 
• 

Roy  Haines,  Warner  Bros.  West- 
ern and  Southern  sales  manager,  re- 
turns today  from  a  visit  to  his  terri- 
tory. 

• 

J.  _  Noble  Braden  of  the  American 
Arbitration  Association,  has  left  for 
the  Coast. 

• 

Jules  Rubens,  head  of  Great  States 
Circuit,  Chicago,  was  a  visitor  here  at 
the  weekend. 

Harry  A.  Samwick  has  left  for 
Florida. 

• 

John  Dombi  of  the  Brooklawn, 
Fairfield,  Conn.,  is  now  a  technical 
corporal  at  Ft.  Meade,  Md. 


Pvt.  George  Ramsdell,  formerly 
with  the  Allyn  Theatre,  Hartford,  is 
now  stationed  with  the  Army  at  Bur- 
bank,  Calif. 

Calvin  Winslow  of  the  Eastwood 
Theatre,  East  Hartford,  Conn.,  has 
joined  the  Marine  Corps. 


Review 


"Aerial  Gunner" 

{Paramount) 

Hollywood,  March  21 

WITH  Chester  Morris,  Richard  Arlen,  Jimmy  Lydon  and  Dick 
Purcell  portraying  members  of  a  bomber  crew,  and  with  the  re- 
sources of  the  Army's  aerial  gunnery  training  division  at  disposal  and 
generously  utilized,  this  William  Pine-William  Thomas  production  is  a 
natural  for  single  bill  territory.  It  represents  an  advance  for  the  pro- 
ducing twosome  whose  melodramas  have  elevated  par  for  that  field  of 
entertainment,  and  it  does  everything  with  planes  that  the  super-specials 
have  done,  plus  a  good  many  things  with  the  matter  of  military  training 
methods  which  they  have  not. 

The  screenplay  by  Maxwell  Shane  opens  with  return  of  a  bomber 
from  a  successful  mission  in  the  Pacific,  the  wounded  pilot  then  telling 
the  story  of  the  gunner,  his  personal  enemy  and  rival  since  boyhood, 
who  sacrificed  his  life  so  that  the  bomber  could  return  to  its  base.  The 
story  traces  the  pair,  and  their  associates,  from  prior  to  enlistment  on 
through  training  and  to  battlefront.  It  is  a  balanced  narrative,  packed 
with  conflict,  fistic,  romantic  and  psychological,  and  different  enough 
from  the  pattern  worn  thin  by  overuse  for  service  pictures. 

Pine  directed  the  picture,  as  well  as  co-producing  it  with  Thomas, 
and  set  something  of  a  record  for  first  endeavors  in  that  department 
of  production  by  turning  out  a  job  that  would  reflect  credit  upon  a 
veteran. 

Lita  Ward,  Keith  Richards,  Billy  Benedict  and  Ralph  Sanford  are 
others  in  the  cast. 

Running  time,  78  minutes.  "G".* 


William  R.  Weaver 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


OWl  'Satisfied9  with 
Script  Plan:  Mellett 

{Continued  from  page  1) 

Academy  of  Motion  Picture  Arts  and 
Sciences.  The  subject  of  non-mili- 
tary pictures  was  not  touched  upon  at 
the  time,  he  said. 

The  whole  purpose  of  the  talks  and 
the  subsequent  proposal  of  the  studios, 
Mellett  said,  was  to  develop  a  plan  for 
simultaneous  consideration  of  scripts 
by  the  OWI  and  the  services  at  each 
stage. 


Memorial  Services 
Held  for  S.  R.  Kent 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

Schaefer,  Will  H.  Hays,.  James  Mul- 
vey,  W.  C.  Michel,  Hermann  Place, 
Sydney  Towell,  Wilfred  Eadie,  Felix 
Jenkins,  A.  W.  Smith,  Jack  McKeon, 
Police  Commissioner  Edward  Mul- 
rooney,  Johnny  O'Connor,  John  Barry, 
John  Doran,  Steve  Fitzgibbon,  Wil- 
liam J.  Kupper,  Irving  Maas,  Francis 
L.  Harley,  Leslie  Whelan,  Hugh 
Strong  and  I.  M.  Lincer. 


Showdown  on  FDR 
Wage  Limit  Is  Near 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
sequent  regulations  issued  by  OES 
Director  James  F.  Byrnes  and  elimina- 
tion of  the  Price  Stabilization  Act 
provision  that  the  President  "may  ad- 
just wages  or  salaries  to  the  extent 
that  he  finds  necessary  in  any  case  to 
correct  gross  inequalities,"  substitut- 
ing therefore  a  prohibition  against  any 
action  "for  the  purpose  of  reducing 
wages  or  salaries  for  any  particular 
work  below  the  highest  wages  or 
salaries  paid  therefor  between  Jan  1 
and  Sept.  IS,  1942." 


Marine  League  to 
Honor  Pete  Smith 

A  plaque  will  be  presented  to  Pete 
Smith,  M-G-M  shorts  producer,  for 
"Marines  in  the  Making"  at  a  lunch- 
eon at  the  Town  Hall  Club  today 
given  by  the  Daughters  of  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution.  Major  Harry  M. 
Miller  will  accept  the  plaque  on 
Smith's  behalf  from  Judge  Alexander 
F.  Ormsby,  Marine  Corps  League 
commandant.  Arthur  DeBra  of  the 
MPPDA  will  speak. 


Du  Mont  Proposes 
Exchange  of  Stock 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

shares  of  Class  A  stock  and  a  like 
number  of  shares  of  Class  B.  All  of 
the  Class  B  shares  are  owned  by 
Paramount  Pictures,  Inc.  The  Du 
Mont  company,  it  was  stated,  now  is 
devoting  all  of  its  facilities  to  war 
production  work. 


W.B.  to  Show  'Edge' 

Warner     Bros.'     announced  that 
-b-dge  of  Darkness"  will  be  trade- 
shown  nationally  today. 


'Edge  of  Darkness' 
Has  Power,  Scope 

Hollywood,   March   21.  —  A 
prediction  which  events  won't 
deny  is  that  Warner  Bros. 
"Edge  of  Darkness"  will  be 
one  of  the  stock  attractions 
of  the  year.  It  is  biting,  hard- 
hitting, stark  drama  of  the 
Norwegian  underground 
movement  handled  with  pow> 
er,   scope,   and  edge-of-seaC 
impact  that  registers  betweeW 
the  eyes. 

As  the  first  Errol  Flynn 
film  since  "Gentleman  Jim," 
this  attraction  is  "in" — and 
how  it's  "in"! 

Ann  Sheridan  co-stars,  but 
the  outstanding  performance 
— and  brilliant — is  by  Helmut 
Dantine,  who  played  the 
wounded  Nazi  aviator  in  "Mrs. 
Miniver,"  as  the  German  com- 
mandant. Blue  chip  support 
is  provided  by  Walter  Huston, 
Ruth  Gordon,  Judith  Ander- 
son, Roman  Bohnen,  Nancy 
Coleman,  Morris  Carnovsky 
and  John  Beal. 

—RED  KANN 


PRC  Chicago  Meet 
Talks  Sales  Policy 

Chicago,  March  21. — Producers 
Releasing  franchise  holders  and  home 
office  executives  met  at  the  Black- 
stone  Hotel  here  over  the  weekend  to 
discuss  sales  policies  for  new  product. 

Among  those  attending  the  meet- 
ing, it  was  announced,  were :  O. 
Henry  Briggs,  president ;  Arthur 
Greenblatt,  vice-president  in  charge 
of  sales ;  Leo  McCarthy,  Joseph 
Strothers,  Marcus  Ruben,  Abbot 
Schwartz,  Meyer  Stern,  Beverly 
Miller,  Noah  Bloomer,  H.  E.  Mc- 
Kenna,  E.  B.  Walker,  Jack  Adams, 
Jack  Adams,  Jr.,  J.  H.  Ashby,  Lloyd 
V.  Lamb,  Sam  Decker,  B.  F.  Busby, 
Nat  Kaplan,  Sam  Abrams,  Lee  Gold- 
berg and  George  Topper. 

MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHA1N,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center. 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan. 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c 


r^e  BMKfiME  SHOW  FOR  Wfme  SHOWMEN ! 


S.R.O.  FOR  HORROF 


Two  Bad  Boys  Make  Good 
As  B.O.  Records  Fall 


St.  Louis — It  was  S.R.O.  when 
Universal's  "FRANKEN- 
STEIN  MEETS  THE  WOLF- 
MAN"  finally  opened  at  the 
ace  house  here  after  one  of  the 
finest  exploitation  jobs  ever 
done  on  a  horror  picture.  Les 
Kaufman,  publicity  and  adver- 
tising manager  of  the  Fox, 
didn't  miss  a  single  trick.  The 
whole  repertoire  was  used. 
Newspapers  fell  in  line  and 
gave  splendid  cooperation.  Out- 
standing however,  was  excep- 
tional lobby  job,  partially  illus- 
trated on  these  pages. 


80  Year  Old  Grandmother  Dan 
Wolfman  to  Sit  in  on  Poker  Gam 


Here's  the  old  boy  himself, 
all  laid  out,  but  rarin'  to  go. 
The  public  got  a  great  kick 
out  of  this  display. 


Above,  another  display  that 
got  public  attention.  Electrical 
gadgets  sputtered  and  sizzled 
just  like  the  real  thing. 


St.  Louis  chuckled  and  thl 
roared  when  it  was  disclosed  tl 
winner  of  War  Bond  offered  < 
any  woman  who  would  sit  in  t 
Fox  Theatre  all  alone  at  midnij 
to  view  "FRANKENSTE1 
MEETS  THE  WOLFMAN''  v 
none  other  than  80  year  oj 
Margaret  McHale,  a  grandmoth 

In  her  letter  applying  for  p 
ticipation  in  contest,  she  wrote: 

"In  fact,  if  Frankenstein  a: 
the  Wolfman  were  there  in  p 
son,  it  wouldn't  make  any  diff 
ence  to  me.  You  could  get  Dract 
too,  and  I'd  sit  down  with  all; 
them  and  we'd  have  a  good  poM 
game.  I'm  not  squeamish  anc 
like  to  play  poker." 

(Signed)  Margaret  McHa 


To  the  right:  the  block-long 
line  waiting  to  jam  into  the 
Fox,  St.  Louis  ace  house,  for 

Universal's  "FRANKENSTEIN  MEETS  THE  WOLFMAN 


Your  audiences  will  be  glad  to  help! 
RUSH  YOUR  PLEDGE  FOR  RED  CROSS  WEEK— April  1-7 


CLYDE  B.  BROWN,  manager  of  the  big  5,000  seat  Fox  theatre,  St.  Louis,  seeks 
a  moment  of  quiet  among  the  tomb-stone  display  that  lead  to  the  much 
publicized  "Chamber  of  Horror,"  used  in  selling  "FRANKENSTEIN  MEETS 
THE  WOLFMAN"  to  outstanding  business. 


A  specially  constructed  animated  front 
put  on  the  Battle  of  the  Century  be- 
tween Frankenstein  and  the  Wolfman. 


MASHES  RECORDS  IN  N.Y.,  BOSTON,  CHICAGO 


WESTERN  - 
UNION 


■  ud  fej  ban  MITiXDAiD  TlUX  u  **j£  srf  Mp>.  — -  -   ■  -■        ■  —  ^  ■n..-  |  |  h  ,  ,  |  iMh  M[  , 


BOSTON  MASS  MAR  15 

FRANKENSTEIN  MEETS  THE  WOLFMAN  OPENED  ASH 
WEDNESDAY  BREAKING  ALL  HOUSE  RECORDS 
INCLUDING  HOLIDAY  AND  WEEKEND  BUSINESS 
AND  THEN  BROKE  NEW  RECORD  ON  FOLLOWING 
SATURDAY  NOW  IN  SIXTH  DAY  AND  BUSINESS 
IS  TERRORIFIC  ON  THIS  HORRORIFIC. 

LEWIS  NEWMAN  MGR  TRANS  LUX  THEATRE 


This  will  tell  the  story  about  Boston. 


Now  in  its  third  week  at  the  Woods  Theatre,  Chicago,  with 
business  showing  no  signs  of  falling  off  from  the  record 
breaking  opening  gross. 


ne  Rialto,  N.  Y.  "FRANKENSTEIN 
S  THE  WOLFMAN"  holds  over  after 
g  a  new  high  for  horror  pictures. 


^ring  ILONA  MASSEY  •  PATRIC  KNOWLES  .  *;*  bela  lugosi 

LIONEL  A  TWILL  •  MARIA  OUSPENSKAYA  •  and  LON  CHANEY  JS$B"Sw 

Original  Screen  Play,  Curtis  Siodmak  •  Directed  by  ROY  WILUAM  NBll  •  Produced  by  GEORGE  WAGGNER 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  22,  1943 


Ohio  River  Rising; 
Theatres  Unaffected 

Cincinnati,  March  21.— The 
Ohio  River  was  55  feet  high 
today,  two  feet  above  flood 
stage,  and  rising.  No  theatre 
closings  were  reported,  as  yet. 
Film  deliveries  were  uninter- 
rupted so  far  despite  many 
roads  being  blocked. 


Republic  Plans 
68  Pictures  in 
Coming  Season 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

president  of  Republic  Pictures,  who 
attended  a  regional  sales  meeting  here 
last  week,  have  left  for  Chicago  where 
the  second  of  a  series  of  three  meet- 
ings will  be  held.  M.  J.  Siegel,  presi- 
dent of  Republic  Productions,  will 
also  attend. 

The  final  meeting,  for  Eastern  ex- 
changemen,  will  be  held  in  New  York 
next  Thursday  and  Friday. 


Meeting  in  Chicago 

Chicago,  March  21. — Republic's 
Midwest  and  Southern  exchange  heads 
will  meet  at  the  Drake  Hotel  here 
tomorrow  and  Tuesday.  The  com- 
pany's four  district  sales  managers 
will  attend,  including  Francis  Bate- 
man,  West  Coast;  Maxwell  Gillis, 
Eastern ;  Sam  Seplowin,  Midwest,  and 
Merritt  Davis,  Southern. 

Robert  F.  Withers,  Kansas  City 
franchise  holder,  and  the  following 
branch  managers  are  scheduled  to  be 
present:  William  Baker,  Chicago, 
S.  P.  Gorrel,  Cleveland;  George  H. 
Kirby,  Cincinnati ;  I.  W.  Pollard,  De- 
troit ;  F.  R.  Moran,  Des  Moines ;  L. 
W.  Marriott;  Indianapolis;  J.  G. 
Frackman,  Milwaukee ;  Carl  F.  Reese, 
Minneapolis  ;  Harry  Lefholtz,  Omaha  ; 
Nat  Steinberg,  St.  Louis;  Winfield 
Snelson,  Atlanta  ;  Harold  Laird,  Tam- 
pa ;  J.  H.  Dillon,  Charlotte;  L.  V. 
Seicshnaydre,  New  Orleans ;  N.  J. 
Colquhoun,  Memphis ;  Lloyd  Rust, 
Dallas,  and  Russell  I.  Brown,  Jr., 
Oklahoma  City. 


Griffith  Named  in 
Fourth  Run  Case 


The  fourth  designated  run  com- 
plaint to  be  filed  at  the  Oklahoma  City 
arbitration  tribunal  charging  consent- 
ing distributors  with  licensing  theatres 
of  the  Griffith  Amusement  Co.  cir- 
cuit on  runs  sought  by  independent 
operators  was  made  public  Friday  by 
the  American  Arbitration  Associa- 
tion. 

The  complaint  was  brought  by 
Juanita  B.  Berry,  operator  of  the 
Oklahoma,  Norman,  Okla.,  against  the 
five  consenting  companies.  It  charges 
that  second  run  licenses  formerly  held 
by  the  theatre  have  been  granted  to 
Griffith's  University,  Sooner,  Varsity 
and  Boomer. 


Kate  Smith  in  'Army* 

Hollywood,  March  21. — Kate  Smith 
will  appear  in  Warner  Bros.'  film  of 
"This  Is  the  Army,"  all-soldier  show, 
it  was  announced. 


-  Heard  Around  - 


CHARLES  SKOURAS,  president  of  National  Theatres  .  .  .  together 
with  some  of  his  associates  in  the  management  of  that  circuit — have 
proposed  to  buy  a  block  of  stock  in  the  chain — for  about  $2,000,000 — in  con- 
nection with  the  pending  transaction  whereby  20th  Century-Fox  intends  to 
purchase  the  Chase  Bank's  interest  in  the  theatre  company — and  if  that  stock 
transfer  can  be  arranged — the  men  in  the  management  who  are  now  participat- 
ing in  the  profits,  we  hear,  have  offered  to  give  up  that  privilege. 

•  •  • 

Do  you  know  .  .  .  that  the  average  weekly  attendance  at  motion  pictures  is 
now  estimated  to  be  90,000,000 — which  is  an  all-time  high — and  represents  the 
first  fairly  accurate  picture  of  attendance — because  it  has  been  not  until  October, 
1941,  when  the  Federal  admission  tax  began  at  9  cents  instead  of  20  cents — 
that  it  has  been  possible  to  gauge  the  number  of  10,  15  and  20-cent  tickets  sold 
in  the  17,500  theatres  of  the  country — and  ivhile  it  is  true  that  during  1928, 
which  was  teh  first  year  of  sound,  it  was  estimated  that  the  zveekly  average  at- 
tendance was  100,000,000,000 — that  figure  was  more  or  less  a  trick  one — but  the 
90,000,000  figure  is  based  not  only  on  the  admission  tax  statistics  as  revealed 
by  the  Internal  Revenue  Department  in  Washington — but  also  on  the  seating 
capacity  of  the  country's  theatres,  which  is  estimated  at  from  10,000,000  to 
11,000,000,000,  and  on  film  rentals. 

•  •  • 

Independent  Cincinnati  exhibitors  .  .  .  are  developing  plans  for  a  "key 
committee" — to  comprise  three  showmen  who  will  pass  on  pictures  for 
their  entire  group  before  purchase — and  the  first  major  company  which 
will  be  approached  for  discussion  on  such  a  plan,  the  boys  say,  will  be 
Warner  Bros. 

•  •  • 

Distributors  now  can  retrieve  ...  all  of  the  raw  stock  used  by  them  in 
army  theatre  bookings — each  quarter — through  a  credit  system  which  has 
been  arranged  by  government  authorities — whereby  the  stock  used  in  prints 
distributed  to  the  military  theatres  by  the  distributors — is  made  up  to  them 
by  increasing  their  allotments  for  the  following  quarter  in  the  amount  of  raw 
stock  used  up  the  preceding  three  months — such  an  order  having  come  through 
from  Washington  about  a  week  ago. 

•  •  • 

Fabien  Sevitzky,  Indianapolis  Symphony  Orchestra  conductor  .  .  .  received 
a  bulky  envelope  from  Van  Vector,  Chicago  composer — which  was  expected 
to  contain  program  notes  on  the  composer's  new  "Music  for  the  Marines" — 
which  the  orchestra  will  premiere  March  27 — but  instead  contained  the  com- 
poser's income  tax  return  with  a  check  made  out  to  Uncle  Sam — so  Sevitsky 
immediately  sent  the  material  on  to  the  Collector — and  now  hopes  that  the 
government  official  will  return  the  favor  and  forward  Van  Vector's  program 
notes. 

•  •  • 

Dooley  Wilson,  who  appeared  in  "Casablanca"  .  .  .  has  been  booked  in  a 
singing  act — for  four  weeks  and  will  appear  at  theatres — in  Baltimore, 
Philadelphia  and  Washington  .  .  .  Jane  Frazee,  Universal  player — soon 
starts  on  a  personal  appearance  tour  arranged  by  the  William  Morris 
Agency — her  first  being  the  RKO  Boston,  April  15  .  .  .  Jimmy  Durante 
will  appear  at  the  Capitol  on  Broadway  .  .  .  early  in  May  following  his 
present  Copacabana  Club  engagement. 

•  •  • 

If  you  want  to  know  .  .  .  whether  "The  Family,"  Oscar  Serlin's  new  show 
which  opened  in  Boston  recently — is  another  "Life  with  Father" — says  Elinor 
Hughes  in  the  Boston  Herald — the  answer  is  "No" — but  it  is  a  "distinguished 
production  beautifully  directed  and  excellently  played"  .  .  .  and  the  reviewer 
who  signs  himself  D.  W.  S.  in  that  same  paper — says  of  "The  Trial  of  Mary 
Dugan" — "In  the  time  that  has  elapsed  the  play  could  easily  have  become 
hopelessly  outdated  but  we  are  pleased  to  say  that  such  is  not  the  case."  .  .  . 
and  on  the  new  Theatre  Guild  production  "Away  We  Go" — Miss  Hughes 
writes  the  Theatre  Guild  has  made  no  mistake  with  this  production — and 
Broadway  has  a  very  agreeable  experience  in  store  for  it. 

•  •  • 

"The  New  York  Times"  .  .  .  appears  to  be  the  object  of  a  boycott  by  the 
New  York  department  stores — following  a  rate  raise  in  advertising  by  that 
neivspaper — which  the  Times  claimed  zvas  necessary  because  of  the  rise  in  the 
neivsprint  costs  .  .  .  also,  the  Daily  News  and  Herald-Tribune,  as  zvell  as  the 
Times,  have  announced  increased  rates  on  amusement  advertising. 

•  •  • 

Harry  M.  Warner,  personally,  made  .  .  .  that  deal  with  former  Ambas- 
sador Joseph  E.  Davies — for  the  filming  of  "Mission  to  Moscow" — and 
followed  the  progress  of  the  picture  right  through  to  its  conclusion— and 
is  personally  bringing  the  first  print  to  New  York  next  month  for  the 
premiere — in  preparation  for  which  Mort  Blumenstock  has  been  in 
Washington  several  times  to  talk  things  over  with  Davies. 

•  •  • 

It  is  interesting  to  note  .  .  .  the  fine  press  which  the  Mickey  Rooney  draft 
incident  received  around  the  country — the  majority  of  editorial  comment  es- 
pecially from  film  editors  and  critics — being  highly  favorable—  and  declaring 
such  stars  as  esential  to  morale — and  we  hear  that  some  of  these  boys  and  girls 
even  communicated  their  opinions  directly  to  the  government. 

•  •  • 

And  talking  about  Loew's  .  .  .  have  you  notice  the  elaborate  "honor  roll" 
— in  the  lobby  of  the  Loeiv  office  building  on  Broadzvay? — that  company  now 
having  close  to  2,000  employes  in  service. 

— Sam  Shain 


Balaban  Red 
Cross  Talk  on 
Natl  Hookup 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

tors,  distributors,  Red  Cross  personnel 
and  field  publicity  men,  bathered  in 
local  Red  Cross  headquarters. 

Campaign  officials  reported  tW .  . 
10,000  pledges  of  participation  in  \^ J 
drive  have  been  received  from  thea- 
tres. Claude  Lee,  campaign  director, 
is  endeavoring  to  obtain  raw  stock  al- 
lotments for  additional  prints  of  the 
appeal  trailer  to  meet  increased  re- 
quirements. 

It  was  stated  that  despite  the  fact 
that  many  communities  will  equal  or 
surpass  their  quotas  during  the  Red 
Cross  war  fund  drive  this  month,  the 
lational  total  of  $125,000,000  will  not 
be  reached  and  the  Red  Cross  is 
counting  on  the  theatre  drive  during 
the  first  week  in  April  for  the  success 
of  the  entire  campaign. 

Exhibitor  members  of  MPTOA 
were  urged  by  Ed  Kuykendall,  presi- 
dent, in  a  bulletin  to  give  the  drive 
"their  full  support  and  unhesitating 
cooperation." 

Producing  Benefit  Show 

Mervyu  LeRoy  has  been  designated 
by  the  Hollywood  Victory  Committee 
to  produce  and  direct  the  Hollywood 
portion  of  the  Red  Cross  benefit  show 
at  Madison  Square  Garden,  April  5. 
Leon  Leonidoff  of  Radio  City  Music 
Hall  will  supervise  production  of  the 
New  York  unit  for  the  show. 


Kaufman  and  Eight 
Others  Indicted  in 
Film  Extortion  Case 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

those  indicted  are :  Louis  Compagna, 
Paul  De  Lucia,  Phil  D'Andrea,  Fran- 
cis Maritote,  Ralph  Pierce,  Charles 
Gioe  and  John  Rosselli. 

Browne  and  Bioff  supplied  most  of 
the  evidence  against  those  indicted, 
it  is  believed. 

Most  of  the  money  extorted  went 
to  Chicago  gangsters,  according  to 
U.  S.  Attorney  Mathias  F.  Correa. 
A  minor  part  of  the  loot,  Correa  said, 
went  to  Browne,  Bioff  and  Nick  Cir- 
cella,  alias  Nick  Deane  of  Chicago, 
who  is  serving  an  eight-year  Fed- 
eral sentence  for  extorting  money  from 
the  film  companies  under  threats  of 
calling  a  nationwide  operators'  strike. 

Asks  $100,000  Bail 

Rosselli,  arraigned  before  Judge 
Samuel  Mandelbaum,  was  held  in 
$100,000  bail  for  a  tentative  trial  on 
March  29.  Correa  said  he  would  ask 
the  same  high  bail  for  all  defendants 
to  prevent  their  being  free  to  intimi- 
date possible  witnesses. 

Correa  said  that  when  the  remnants 
of  the  Chicago  mob  acquired  domina- 
tion over  the  IATSE  they  introduced 
gangdom  methods  including  three 
murders  of  labor  leaders  which  are 
listed  as  "unsolved." 

Named  as  confederates  in  the  in- 
dictments are  Browne,  Bioff  and 
Isadore  Zevin,  Browne's  $100-a-week 
secretary,  who  is  under  indictment  for 
perjury,  allegedly  committed  before 
the  grand  jury. 


ROY  ROGERS 

K/WG  Of  THf  COIVBOH 

and  SMILEY  BURNETTE 


in 


with  BOB  NOLAN  ondTHE  SONS  OF  THE  PIONEERS 
VIRGINIA  GREY 

HARRY  J.  SHANNON  •  ONA  MUNSON  •  DICK  PURCELL 
and  THE  ROBERT  MITCHELL  BOYCHOIR 

JOSEPH  KANE -Director 

Original  Screen  Play  by  ROY  (HANSLOR  and  OLIVE  COOPER 

A     REPUBLIC  PICTURE 
buv  u.  s.  lubr  snuincs  Bonos 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  22,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


PLANS  for  the  more  active  participation  by  the  National  Association  of 
Broadcasters  in  the  field  of  radio  programs  are  to  be  considered  at  the 
initial  meeting  of  the  newly  formed  Program  Directors'  executive  committee 
Wednesday  and  Thursday  at  NAB  Washington  headquarters.  Neville  Miller, 
NAB  president,  will  preside  and  other  officials  will  be  present.  The  functions 
of  the  new  group,  it  was  said,  will  be  handled  in  close  cooperation  with  the 
code  and  sales  managers'  committees. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Ken  French  of  WHEC,  Jack  of  WHAM  and  Mori, 
Nusbaum  of  WSAY,  all  Rochester,  N:  Y.,  are  on  a  civic  committee  aiding 
a  WAAC  recruiting  drive.  .  .  .  Joe  E.  Brown,  in  a  broadcast  from  Sydney, 
Australia,  on  NBC's  morning  World  News  Roundup,  said  he  had  performed 
at  Guadalcanal,  among  200  appearances  he  has  made  in  the  South  Pacific.  .  .  . 
Kate  Smith  sponsored  the  107th  Liberty  Ship  to  be  launched  at  the  B ethlehem- 
Fairfield  Shipyard,  Baltimore,  on  Friday.  .  .  .  Bill  Stern,  NBC  sports  director, 
is  chairman  of  the  Neiv  York  sports  division  of  the  American  Red  Cross. 

•  •  • 

As  of  yesterday,  WFMD,  Frederick,  Md.,  became  a  member  of  CBS 
as  a  special  supplementary  station  to  the  basic  network.  Owned  and 
operated  by  Monocacy  Broadcasting  Corp.,  the  station  operates  on  a 
frequency  of  930  kilocycles  with  500  watts  power,  full  time. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Leopold  Stokowski  conducts  his  final  NBC  Symphony 
concert  of  the  season  on  Sunday.  The  two  concluding  broadcasts  in  the  series 
will  be  conducted  by  Arturo  Toscanini.  ...  A  news  commentary  program 
on  XEOP,  Mexico  City,  is  conducted  by  Andre  Simone,  author  of  "J'Accuse," 
and  features  underground  European  news.  .  .  .  WSAY,  Rochester,  has  sus- 
pended broadcasts  of  talks  before  the  local  Advertising  Club  because  of  OW1 
regulations  requiring  written  scripts,  it  was  stated.  .  .  .  Sir  Cedric  Hardwicke 
was  featured  in  a  Mutual  show  Friday  night  recounting  experiences  in  Little 
Norway,  Canada,  where  "The  Moon  Is  Down,"  20th  Century-Fox  film,  was 
previewed. 


Argentine  Product  Suffers 
Virtual  Boycott  in  Mexico 


Record  Firms  Ask 
Petrillo  Conference 
On  Ban  Settlement 


James  C.  Petrillo,  president  of  the 
American  Federation  of  Musicians, 
was  invited  to  confer  with  represen- 
tatives of  1 1  recording  and  transcrip- 
tion companies  in  a  telegram  sent 
late  last  week  to  Chicago,  where  the 
AFM  executive  board  was  in  session. 
This  action  followed  Petrillo's  re- 
fusal to  remove  the  recording  ban 
after  the  companies  rejected  his  tax 
plan. 

The  recorders  stated  the  bid  was 
"tangible  evidence  of  our  good  faith." 
They  expressed  willingness  to  "enter 
into  a  written  agreement  for  a  def- 
inite term  which  will  provide  for  the 
immediate  resumption  of  recording. 

The  recorders  said  that  they  had 
been  and  would  continue  to  be  "ready 
to  confer  and  bargain"  on  wages,  hours 
and  working  conditions.  Signing  the 
telegram  were  Associated  Music  Pub- 
lishers, Columbia  Recording  Corp., 
Decca  Records,  Empire  Broadcasting 
Corp.,  Lang-Worth  Feature  Programs, 
Muzak  Corp.,  RCA  Division,  Radio 
Corporation  of  America ;  Radio  Rec- 
ording Division,  NBC ;  Standard  Ra- 
dio, Soundies  Distributing  Corp.  and 
World  Broadcasting  System. 

CBS  Reports  1942 
Net  of  $4,123,698 

CBS  for  the  52-week  period  end- 
ing Jan.  2,  1943,  had  a  net  income  of 
$4,123,698,  or  $2.40  a  share,  William 
S.  Paley,  president  of  the  network,  an- 
nounced. The  result  compares  with 
net  income  of  $4,804,734,  or  $2.80  a 
share,  for  the  53-week  period  ending 
Jan.  3,  1942. 

Per  share  calculations  for  both  the 
1942  and  1941  periods  are  based  on  the 
1.716,277  shares  of  $2.50  par  value 
stock  outstanding  at  Jan.  2,  1943. 

Cash  dividends  paid  during  1942 
amounted  to  $2,574,416,  or  $1.50  per 
share,  as  compared  with  dividends  of 
$3,432,554,  or  $2  per  share,  paid  dur- 
ing 1941.  Undistributed  profits  of  $1,- 
549,282  were  added  to  earned  surplus, 
increasing  this  account  to  $13,423,877 
as  of  Jan.  2,  1943,  the  report  stated. 

The  report  stresses  the  network's 
cooperation  with  Government  agencies 
in  furthering  the  war  effort  and  the 
work  of  the  CBS  short  wave  listen- 
ing posts. 


British  Raw  Stock 
Details  Due  Today 

London,  March  21. — Details  of  the 
Government's  raw  stock  economy 
plans  are  expected  to  be  revealed  to- 
morrow. Meanwhile,  various  industry 
sectional  meetings  are  scheduled, 
prominently  a  session  of  the  distribu- 
tors on  Tuesday,  when  allocations  and 
release  adjustments  are  to  be  dis- 
cussed, and  a  London  exhibitors'  meet- 
ing on  Thursday  when  a  reduction  in 
release  prints  is  slated  for  discussion. 

Seized  in  Attempted 
Grable  Extortion  Try 

Washington,  March  21. — Charged 
with  demanding  $30,000  in  extortion 
letters  mailed  to  Betty  Grable,  Russell 
E.  Alexanderson,  of  Omaha,  Nebr.,  is 
held  by  FBI  agents  in  Hollywood,  the 
FBI  announced  here. 


(.Continued  from  page  1) 

stems  from  the  increasing  resentment 
of  that  country's  position  as  the  only 
Western  Hemisphere  republic  not 
aligned  with  the  United  Nations.  In 
addition  there  is  resentment  against 
the  fact  that  the  Argentinian  product 
itself  avoids  all  reference  to  the  war, 
whereas  Mexican  films  are  turning 
mjore  and  more  to  anti-totalitarian 
themes  and  treatment. 

A  third  reason  for  the  unfriendly 
attitude  toward  Argentina's  films  is 
the  fact  that  they  were,  in  the  past, 
welcomed  here  and  encouraged  by  low 
tariff  rates,  whereas  the  Argentine  has 
consistently  failed  to  reciprocate  in 
this  way  where  Mexican  films  are 
concerned.  That  country  has,  instead, 
imposed  high  duties  on  Mexican  films, 
ostensibly  as  an  evidence  of  Argentini- 
an displeasure  oyer  purported  aid  giv- 
en Mexican  studios  by  the  United 
States  Coordinator  of  Inter-American 
Affairs. 

SWG  Sponsors  War 
Picture  Screenings 

Hollywood,  March  21.— A  series  of 
showings  of  pictures  on  the  war  effort 
will  be  started  by  the  Screen  Writers 
Guild  on  Wednesday  with  the  screen- 
ing of  four  Army-produced  civilian 
morale  shorts  at.  the  Filmarte  Thea- 
tre. Capt.  John  Huston  of  the  Signal 
Corps  will  be  the  principal  speaker. 


Latin-American  Cartoons 

Hollywood,  March  21.— M-G-M  is 
producing  a  series  of  six  cartoons  on 
Latin- American  subjects,  starting 
with  "The  Boy  Who  Cried  Wolf,"  a 
Mexican  folk  story,  it  was  announced 
by  Fred  Quimby,  in  charge  of  th<> 
company's  shorts  production. 


Draft  Ruling  on  Lab  j 
Employes  Expected 


Washington,  March  21. — Draft 
status  of  motion  picture  laboratory 
workers  was  undecided  over  the  week- 
end as  members  of  the  essential  ac- 
tivities committee  of  the  War  Man- 
power Commission  studied  the  facts 
presented  to  them  at  their  meeting 
last  week. 

WMC  officials  said  representat* 
of  the  film  laboratories  appeared"'t- . 
the  purpose  of  presenting  pertinent  m-> 
formation  regarding  the  need  for  re- 
tention of  laboratory  workers  and  the 
great   difficulties   encountered   in  re- 
placing men  who  have  left. 

It  was  stressed  that  the  motion  pic- 
ture industry  is  considered  an  integral 
and  vital  part  of  the  war  effort  and 
that  the  failure  to  classify  laboratory 
jobs  as  essential  might  in  a  short 
period  of  time  create  a  handicap  to 
the  orderly  production  and  distribu- 
tion of  films. 

A  spokesman  for  the  committee  said 
tonight  that  the  matter  still  was  under 
consideration  and  several  days  might 
elapse  before  a  decision  was  reached. 

Estes  to  Join  WHN 
As  Head  of  Publicity 

The  appointment  of  Bernard  Estes 
as  director  of  special  events  and  public 
relations  for  WHN,  effective  March 
29,  was  announced  by  Herbert  L. 
Pettey,  station  manager.  Estes,  for- 
merly director  of  news,  special  events 
and  publicity  for  WINS,  succeeds  A- 
Mike  Vogel.  His  WINS  post  has 
been  taken  over  by  William  Carley, 
formerly  promotion  director  of 
WMCA. 

Before  entering  the  radio  field  Estes  ' 
was  a  newspaperman  and  Associated  ! 
Press  foreign  correspondent. 

Pettey  also  announced  the  appoint- 
ment of  George  Hamilton  Combs,  sta-  i 
tion  commentator,  as  news  manager 
and  editor  of  WHN. 


Gillespie  Is  Honored 
On  Taking  New  Post  j 

James  Gillespie,  former  exploitation 
head  for  U.  A.  who  has  joined  Colum- 
bia in  an  exploitation  capacity  with 
headquarters  in  Atlanta,  was  given  a 
dinner  by  friends  at  the  Hotel  Madi- 
son, Friday  night. 

Among  those  present  were :  Charles 
Francis  Coe,  George  Wellbaum,  Jack 
Pulaski,  Harold  Erichs,  Roy  Chartier,  < 
Sam  Shain,  Neal  Kingsley,  Capt.  « 
George  Dutton,  of  the  N.  Y.  State  |  ■ 
Police ;  Murray  Rann,  Judge  Fred-  j 
erick  Goldsmith  and  Walter  Marshall,  j 

■  !  ;i 

Former  Para.  Man 

Jap  War  Prisoner  \ 

Paul  Verdayne,  British  subject  who  1  • 
was  Paramount  managing  director  at  & 
Singapore  prior  to  the  Japanese  in-  j 
vasion,  has  been  located  in  a  Jap  con- 
centration camp,  according  to  word 
received  by  Paramount  from  the  Aus-  j 
tralian  Red  Cross.    He  had  been  be- 
lieved dead. 


Feitel  New  Horne  Aide  J 

Chester  Feitel,  formerly  with  Walt  i  j(( 
Disney,  has  been  appointed  successor  j  lu 
to  Max  E.  Youngstein  as  administra- 
tive assistant  to  Hal  Horne,  director  L 
of  20th  Century-Fox  advertising  and 
publicity,  it  was  announced.  Young- 
stein is  now  at  the  studio. 


Alert, 


First  in 


DO  NOT  REMOVt 

MOTT/^m  PICTURE 


ILY 


53.  NO.  55 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  TUESDAY,  MARCH  23,  1943 


TEN  CENT*> 


Juigley  Award 
s  Presented 
ro  Charninsky 

VDonnell  Confers  Plaque 
At  Dallas  Luncheon 


Dallas,  March  22. — Outstand- 
ng  showmen  of  the  Southwest  to- 
lay  paid  tribute  to  the  outstanding 
showman  o  f 
the  year  — 
Louis  Charn- 
insky, man- 
ager of  the  In- 
terstate C  i  r  - 
cuit's  Capitol 
and  Rialto  the- 
atres here,  as 
R.  J.  O'Don- 
nell,  national 
chief  barker  of 
the  Variety 
Clubs  and  gen- 
eral manager 
of  the  Inter- 
state Circuit, 
iresented  Charninsky  the  Quigley 

{Continued  on  page  2) 


R.  J.  O'Donnell 


Walker  Lauds  Film 
Industry  War  Role 
At  Coast  Meeting 


Hollywood,  March  22. — Recogni- 
tion of  and  tribute  to  the  industry's 
wartime  contributions  were  made  by 
Postmaster  General  Frank  C.  Walker 
last  night  at  a  meeting  of  the  Holly- 
wood Victory  Committee  at  the  Bev- 
erly Wilshire  Hotel. 

Intensified  participation  in  war  ef- 
forts was  pledged  at  the  meeting  by 
450  Hollywood  professionals  and  ex- 
ecutives who  were  present. 

"You  people  of  the  motion  picture 
industry  have  done  a  fine  job,"  Walk- 
er said.  "You  must  continue  to,  do 
everything  possible  to  awaken  the 
American  mind  to  the  vastness  and  im- 
mensity of  this  war.  This  is  not  a 
Democratic  war,  nor  a  Republican 
war.  It  is  the  people's  war.  The  peo- 
(Continued  on  page  2) 


Louis  Kaufman  Held 
In  $25,000  Bail 


3eabody  '42  Radio 
Awards  Announced 


The  1942  George  Foster  Peabody 
Radio  Awards  were  given  yesterday 
:o : 

Charles  Collingwood,  CBS,  for 
'outstanding  reporting  of  the  news"  ; 
"The  Man  Behind  the  Gun,"  CBS, 
'outstanding  entertainment  in  drama"  ; 
the  Standard  Symphony,  heard  on 
NBC-Pacific  Coast  network,  "out- 
standing entertainment  in  music." 

"Afield  with  Ranger  Mac,"  WHA, 
Madison,  Wis.,  "outstanding  educa- 
tional program" ;  "Our  Hidden  Ene- 
my— Venereal  Diseases,"  KOAC, 
Corvallis,  Ore.,  "outstanding  public 
{Continued  on  page  2) 


Louis  Kaufman,  business  agent  of 
Local  244,  IATSE,  Newark,  was  held 
in  bail  of  $25,000  yesterday  by  Federal 
Judge  Samuel  Mandelbaum  when  he 
pleaded  not  guilty  to  an  indictment  al- 
leging violation  of  the  Federal  Anti- 
Racketeering  Act.  Trial  date  was  set 
for  March  29. 

Kaufman  and  eight  Chicago  gang- 
sters were  named  in  the  indictment 
which  alleges  conspiracy  to  extort 
more  than  $1,000,000  from  major  film 
companies. 


Sheehan  Firm  on 
Rickenbacker  Film 

Winfield  Sheehan  told  Mo- 
tion Picture  Daily  yesterday 
that  his  plans  for  a  film  on 
the  life  of  Eddie  Rickenback- 
er have  not  been  altered. 
Sheehan,  who  is  in  New  York, 
said  he  had  no  comment  re- 
garding the  protests  of  vari- 
ous labor  groups  against  the 
proposed  film.  The  picture  is 
to  be  released  through  20th 
Century- Fox. 


W.B.  Gets  9 
More  Houses 
In  Phila.  Area 


Studio  Rallies  Start 
Red  Cross  Drive 


Hollywood,  March  22. — The  entire 
personnel  of  10  studios  today  attended 
individual  mass  meetings  linked  by 
radio  for  the  launching  of  the  Holly- 
wood Red  Cross  fund  solicitation 
which  will  be  conducted  by  studio  col- 
onels and  industry  crafts. 

A  15-minute  program  on  KFWB 
with  drive  chairman  James  Cagney  as 


Barney  Balaban,  chairman  of 
the  industry's  Red  Cross  drive, 
and  Walter  S.  Gifford,  national 
Red  Cross  Fund  chairman,  will 
address  theatre  drive  workers 
over  a  national  telephone  hook- 
up at  11  a.  m.  and  again  at  noon 
today. 


master  of  ceremonies  was  held.  Those 
who  addressed  the  workers  included 
Y.  Frank  Freeman,  Bert  Allenberg, 
Mark   Sandrich,   Mary   McCall,  Jr., 

(Continued  on  page  2) 


Kay  Kyser  Appeal 
On  Draft  Rejected 

Rocky  Mount,  N.  C,  March  22. — 
Kay  Kyser's  appeal  for  deferred  draft 
status  as  an  essential  civilian  partici- 
pant in  the  war  effort  has  been  re- 
jected, John  Coley,  chairman  of  his 
local  draft  board,  stated  here  today. 

His  deferment,  the  band  leader  re- 
ported, was  requested  by  Elmer  Davis, 
director  of  the  Office  of  War  Infor- 
mation. Kyser  is  37  years  old,  un- 
married, and  has  been  placed  in  1-A, 
Coley  said. 


"Edge  of  Darkness 


9? 


[Warner  Bros.] 

Hollywood,  March  22 

DON'T  let  that  soft  title  mislead  you  into  under-rating  this  hard- 
as-nails  melodrama.  And  don't  let  the  casting  influence  you 
to  the  easy  assumption  that  this  is  another  fast  flight  of  fancy 
in  which  Errol  Flynn  whips  the  Axis  single-handedly  -without  raising 
a  sweat.  On  the  contrary,  this  is  the  fiercest,  fightingest,  killingest  and 
most  comprehensively  effective  picturization  of  the  plight  of  the  people 
in  the  Nazi-conquered  nations — and  of  their  resistance  and  reprisals — 
that  has  come  to  the  screen  up  to  this  point  in  the  war.  It  is  a  story  of 
terror  and  brutality  told  in  terms  of  violence  and  horror  understandable 
to  audiences  in  every  strata  of  every  population  on  the  globe. 

The  picture  opens  on  the  scene  of  carnage  which  is  the  cadaver- 
strewn  town  of  Trollness,  Norway,  after  the  800  residents  have  slaugh- 
tered the  Nazi  garrison  of  150  and  fled  to  the  hills,  leaving  as  many 
or  more  of  their  own  number  dead  in  the  streets.  It  flashes  back,  then, 
to  a  time,  months  before,  when  the  Nazi  commandant  held  the  popula- 
tion in  apparent  subjection  while  the  citizens,  under  leadership  of  a 
fisherman  played  by  Flynn,  planned  the  revolt  which,  on  receipt  of  arms 

(Continued  on  page  2) 


Acquires  5  NixonHouses; 
Purchases  Total  13 


By  M.  H.  ORODENKER 

Philadelphia,  March  22.  — 
Warner  Bros.'  circuit  has  further 
increased  its  real  estate  holdings  in 
the  Philadelphia  area,  it  was  re- 
ported today,  with  the  purchase  of 
the  Nixon-Zimmerman  neighbor- 
hood theatres  which  it  has  been  op- 
erating on  a  lease,  for  a  price  re- 
portedly between  $1,000,000  and 
$2,000,000.  The  theatres,  it  was 
learned,  include  the  Liberty,  Para- 
mount, Orpheum  and  Keystone 
here,  and  the  Edgemont  in  nearby 
Chester. 

Another  major  real  estate  transac- 
tion announced  over  the  weekend  was 
the  procurement  of  a  first  mortgage 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Monogram  Plans 
Selling  in  Blocks 


Hollywood,  March  22. — Inaugu- 
rating a  radical  departure,  Monogram 
plans  to  sell  next  season's  program 
of  24  dramas,  exclusive  of  16  West- 
erns, in  three  blocks  of  eight,  it  was 
revealed  here  today  by  Samuel  Broidy, 
vice-president  in  charge  of  distribution, 
following  his  return  from  the  com- 
pany franchise  holders'  meeting  in 
Chicago. 

The  first  new  season  block,  it  was 
said,  will  probably  include  "Lady,  Let's 
Dance,"  starring  Belita ;  "Ground 
Crew,"  starring  Jackie  Cooper  and 
Sam  Levene ;  a  musical  featuring  the 
NTG  show  from  the  Florentine  Gar- 
dens, local  night  spot,  and  a  name 
band;  "Where  Are  My  Children?," 
exploitation  special;  "Hitler's  Wo- 
men," which  Herman  Millakowsky 
will  produce ;  an  East  Side  Kids  fea- 
ture with  Leo  Gorcey;  "Fighting 
Quartermaster,"  and  a  Butch  and 
Buddy  feature  to  be  made  by  Billy 
Gilbert  and  Frank  Fay. 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "China"  and 
"Hangmen  Also  Die,"  Page  4. 
Broadway  box-office  reports, 
Page  4. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  March  23,  1943 


Studio  Rallies  Start 
Red  Cross  Drive 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

and  L.  C.  Helm,  chairman  of  the  labor 
executive  committee.  Deanna  Dur- 
bin  concluded  the  program  with  the 
singing  of  the  national  anthem. 

Each  studio  had  as  guests  overseas 
veterans,  service  nurses  and  Red 
Cross  field  directors  who  explained 
the  scope  of  Red  Cross  activities. 


CIO,  AFL  Endorse 
Red  Cross  Trailer 

The  Greater  New  York  Industrial 
Council,  CIO,  announced  support  for 
the  industry  Red  Cross  drive  appeal 
trailer,  the  commentary  for  which  is 
spoken  by  Captain  Eddie  Ricken- 
backer,  it  was  announced  by  Saul 
Mills,   secretary   of  the  council. 

The  action  followed  that  of  the 
Central  Trades  and  Labor  Council, 
AFL,  which  last  week  endorsed  the 
Red  Cross  drive  and  trailer,  as  an- 
nounced by  Thomas  Murtha,  president. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 

SPENCER  TRACY 
KATHARINE  HEPBURN 
"KEEPER  OF  THE  FLAME" 

A    Metro-Goldwyn-Maycp  Picture 
Gala  Stage  Revue    .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


See  what  really  happens  to 

"HITLER'S  CHILDREN" 

IN  PERSON 

XAVIER  CUGAT 

HENNY  YOUNGMAN 


and  his 
ORCHESTRA 


SQUARE 


ROBERT  DONAT  "> 

"THE  YOUNG  MR.  PITT" 

Released  by  20th  Century-Fox 

I  GRACE  MOORE 

PLUS  A  BIG  7thAvC" 


STAGE  SHOW 


&  50th  St. 


PALACE 


B'WAY  & 
47th  St. 


ORSON  WELLES  •  DOLORES  DEL  RIO 

"JOURNEY  INTO  FEAR" 

with  JOSEPH  COTTEN 
 and  

"SILVER  SKATES" 

KENNY  BAKER  PATRICIA  MORISON 
EXTRA! — Disney's  'In  der  Fuehrer's  Face' 


Loew'a  STATE 


ON  SCREEN 

GREER  GARSON 

IN  M-G-M'S 


IN  PERSON 
Louis  Prima 

&  Orch. 

PLUS  AN 

ALL  STAR 


'Random  Harvest' 


"Edge  of  Darkness 


99 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
supplied  by  the  British,  overwhelms  the  Nazi  garrison  in  one  of  the 
most  powerfully  staged  battle  sequences  of  its  kind  ever  put  on  film. 

13  ETWEEN  those  highpoints  the  individual  and  collective  stories 
of  the  principals  are  told,  each  and  all  with  bearing  upon  the 
central  story  of  oppression  and  upheaval. 

Ann  Sheridan  plays  a  Norwegian  girl,  a  leading  spirit  in  the  revolt 
who  is  raped  by  a  Nazi. 

Walter  Huston  plays  her  father,  a  doctor  torn  between  motives  of 
profession  and  patriotism,  who  takes  his  place  in  the  firing  line  when 
the  revolt  begins. 

Ruth  Gordon  plays  his  wife,  a  meek  woman  who  sacrifices  her  love 
of  peace  when  she  realizes  there  is  no  peace. 

John  Beal  plays  their  son,  a  weakling  who  has  collaborated  with  the 
Nazis  and  finds  it  impossible  to  free  himself  of  suspicion  when,  in  the 
final  conflict,  he  attempts  to  aid  the  Norwegians. 

Charles  Dingle  plays  his  uncle,  owner  of  the  canning  factory  which 
is  the  town's  principal  industry  and  a  willing  Quisling,  who  goes  mad 
with  power  and  is  shot  down  by  the  Nazi  troopers  who  arrive  to  find 
him  the  only  living  survivor  in  the  town. 

Morris  Carnovsky,  as  an  aged  school  teacher  who  attempts  individual 
resistance  and  is  brutally  mauled ;  Judith  Anderson,  as  a  widowed 
leader  of  the  patriots;  Helmut  Dantine  as  the  Nazi  commandant  and 
Nancy  Coleman  as  his  captive  mistress,  whom  he  shoots  when  she 
attempts  to  denounce  "the  invincible  Germany  army,"  are  others  who 
contribute  graphic  portrayals. 

'T1  HE  film,  in  whole,  is  an  unhesitant  employment  of  the  camera  "in 
*  all  its  forcefulness  for  the  purpose  of  documenting  and  underscoring 
the  ruthlessness  of  the  Nazis  in  their  attempts  to  establish  the  New  Order 
in  conquered  countries  and  the  ultimate  futility  of  the  Nazi  undertaking. 
In  the  interests  of  forthrightness  and  conviction  it  employs  methods  and 
materials  which  require  adulthood  of  its  audiences. 

Production  is  by  Henry  Blanke,  rating  with  his  best,  and  direction 
is  by  Lewis  Milestone,  who  utilized  abrupt  transitions  with  utmost 
effectiveness  as  a  means  of  maintaining  a  jagged  tempo  in  consonance 
with  the  basic  conflict.  Robert  Rossen's  screenplay,  from  the  novel  by 
William  Woods,  is  a  stark  and  commanding  piece  of  writing,  and  the 
photography  by  Sid  Hickox  is  a  powerful  factor  on  the  side  of  realism. 

Running  time,  118  minutes.  "A"*  William  R.  Weaver 


"A"  denotes  adult  classification. 


Charninsky  Given 
Quigley  '42  Award 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

Silver  Grand  Award  for  theatre 
showmanship  in  1942. 

The  award,  voted  by  a  committee 
of  50  leading  industry  executives  act- 
ing as  judges  on  behalf  of  the  Man- 
agers' Round  Table  of  Motion  Pic- 
ture Herald,  was  presented  in  the 
Palm  Garden  Room  of  the  Hotel 
Adolphus,  to  "standing  room  only." 

In  accepting  the  silver  plaque,  Char- 
ninsky said  that  despite  all  obstacles, 
"I  just  keep  on  trying."  He  said  the 
plaque  would  have  the  place  of  honor 
in  his  office,  which  is  already  crowded 
with  numerous  Quigley  Award  Com- 
mittee citations. 

Thirty-five  years  of  picture  exploi- 
tation—  never  a  dull  moment — are 
back  of  the  career  of  the  award  re- 
cipient. Last  week  he  was  awarded 
a  Quigley  award  medal  in  the  fourth 
quarter  for  his  exploitation. 


RKO  Sets  Sinatra  in 
'Higher  and  Higher' 

Frank  Sinatra's  first  film  for  RKO 
under  his  new  contract,  will  be  "High- 
er and  Higher,"  it  is  revealed.  In  that 
picture  he  will  be  co-starred  in  the 
romantic  lead  with  Michele  Morgan. 
The  musical  is  expected  to  go  before 
the  cameras  in  July. 


Peabody  '42  Radio 
Awards  Announced 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
service  program  by  a  local  station— 
1,000  watts  or  under." 

"The  Home  Front,"  WCHS, 
Charleston,  W.  Va.,  "outstanding  pub- 
lic service  program  by  a  regional  sta- 
tion—up to  10,000  watts." 

First  awarded  in  1941,  the  awards 
are  administered  jointly  by  the  Uni- 
versity of  Georgia  School  of  Journal- 
ism and  the  National  Association  of 
Broadcasters.  They  are  designed  to 
give  educational  recognition  to  meri- 
torious public  service  to  perpetuate  the 
memory  of  George  Foster  Peabody, 
benefactor  and  life  trustee  of  the 
University. 


Personal 
Mention 


MITCHELL  MAY,  Jr. 

CO.,  INC. 

INSURANCE 


Specializing 
in  requirements  of  the 
Motion  Picture  Industry 

75  Maiden  Lane,  New  York 
510  W.  6th  St.,  Los  Angeles 


JOSEPH  M.  SCHENCK  and  Wil- 
liam  Goetz   have   arrived  from 
California. 

• 

Louis  B.  Mayer  is  in  town. 

Sam  Katz  is  a  New  York  visjJfT. ' 

E.  T.  Gomersall,  Universal  West- 
ern division   manager,   has   left  for 
Chicago  on  a  visit  of  Western  cities. 
• 

Murray  Schaeffer  of  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox is  in  Chicago. 

• 

Henry  L.  Needles,  Warner  The- 
atres division  manager  in  Hartford,  is 
reported  ill. 

• 

Dixon  Harwin,  Producers  Releas- 
ing producer,  will  be  inducted  into 
the  Army  here  this  week. 

• 

Jacob  Wilk,  Warners'  Eastern 
story  editor,  has  returned  from  Hot 
Springs. 

Walker  Lauds  Film 
Industry  War  Role 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

pie  of  the  film  industry  have  been  self- 
sacrificing,  but  never  before  have  they 
had  such  a  splendid  opportunity  to  do 
good  for  the  world  and  for  America." 

An  informal  declaration  of  in- 
creased war  activity  on  the  part  of 
actors  was  made  by  Kenneth  Thom- 
son, executive  secretary  of  Screen  Ac- 
tors Guild,  who  presided  at  the  meet- 
ing.  This  will  be  implemented,  it  is 
expected,  at  a  meeting  of  SAG's  ex- 
ecutive committee  tonight. 

Abe  Lastfogel,  head  of  USO-Camp 
Shows,  reported  that  88  shows  are 
now  touring  1,355  service  camps.  The 
continued  cooperation  of  studios  in 
making  stars  available  for  the  shows 
was  pledged  by  Y.  Frank  Freeman, 
president  of  the  Producers  As- 
sociation, and  by  E.  J.  Mannix,  of 
M-G-M. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center. 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan. 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c 


sj  MASHING  ENTERTAINMENT! 


Second  to  no  film  that  has  come  out  of  this  war!" 

— Film  Daily 


John  Stein  becks 


At  last  the  great  masterpiece 
that  thrilled  untold  millions  as 
the  greatest  best- seller  in  years 
comes  to  the  screen  as  one  of 
the  greatest  boxoffice  master- 
pieces of  all  time! 


O*  CENTURY-FOX  HITS  A  Me*»  Bo*o$ce  JlUfki 


Rush  your  Pledge  for  RED  CROSS  WEEK— Apr.  1-7 


4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  March  23,  1943 


Grosses  Strong  in 
Broadway  Theatres; 
'Flame'  Opens  Big 


Weekend  grosses  at  Broadway  film 
houses  were  terrific,  theatre  managers 
reported.  "Keeper  of  the  Flame" 
opened  strong  at  the  Radio  City  Music 
Hall  last  Thursday  and  garnered  an 
estimated  $67,000  for  the  first  four 
days  of  its  run,  with  the  stage  presen- 
tation. 

The  Capitol,  which  grossed  an  esti- 
mated $60,500  for  the  first  week  of  its 
newly-inaugurated  stage  show  policy, 
continued  strong  with  an  estimated 
$36,000  gross  for  the  first  four  days 
of  a  second  week  of  "Stand  By  For 
Action"  and  Bob  Crosby  and  orches- 
tra on  the  stage. 

Grace  Moore,  in  her  first  vaudeville 
appearance  on  a  Broadway  stage,  is 
aiding  "Young  Mr.  Pitt"  at  the  Roxy 
to  an  estimated  $53,000  for  its  second 
and  concluding  week.  "Hello,  Frisco, 
Hello"  opens  Wednesday  with  Chico 
Marx  and  his  orchestra  on  the  stage. 

"The  Hard  Way,"  at  the  Strand, 
grossed  an  estimated  $26,300  for  Fri- 
day, Saturday  and  Sunday  of  its  sec- 
ond week,  with  Irene  Manning,  Jane 
Wyman,  Jerry  Lester  and  Ina  Ray 
Hutton  and  her  band  on  the  stage. 

"Hitler's  Children"  with  Xavier 
Cugat  and  his  orchestra  as  the  stage 
attraction  at  the  Paramount  Theatre 
was  heading  for  an  estimated  $48,000, 
in  its  fourth  week  ending  tonight. 
"Happy  Go  Lucky"  on  the  screen,  and 
the  Les  Brown  band,  on  the  stage, 
open  tomorrow. 

"Chetniks,"  opening  at  the  Globe, 
grossed  an  estimated  $9,500  for  the 
first  four  days.  "Forever  and  a  Day" 
garnered  an  estimated  $13,500  over 
the  weekend  at  the  Rivoli  and  appears 
headed  for  an  estimated  $19,000  sec- 
ond week  after  an  initial  week's  gross 
of  $26,300.  "The  Moon  Is  Down" 
opens  at  the  Rivoli  Friday. 

"The  Human  Comedy,"  entering  its 
fourth  week  at  the  Astor,  appears 
headed  for  an  estimated  $20,500.  "Air 
Force"  garnered  an  estimated  $11,- 
000  for  the  first  four  days  of  its 
seventh  week  and  continues.  "Frank- 
enstein Meets  the  Wolf  Man"  for 
Friday,  Saturday  and  Sunday  at  the 
Rialto  grossed  an  estimated  $5,000. 


Special  Showings  of 
'Human  Comedy'  Set 

M-G-M  will  hold  special  showings 
of  "The  Human  Comedy"  in  advance 
of  key  city  premieres  in  31  situations 
between  April  5  and  13  as  part  of  a 
novel  sales  and  promotional  policy 
which  will  launch  the  production  na- 
tionally, William  F.  Rodgers,  M-G-M 
vice-president  in  charge  of  sales,  an- 
nounced. 

A  special  campaign  designed  to  tie 
in  with  the  invitational  showings  has 
been  planned  by  Howard  Dietz, 
M-G-M  vice-president  in  charge  of 
advertising  and  publicity. 


Sherman  to  Make 
Film  for  20th-Fox 

Hollywood,  March  22. — Harry 
Sherman  announced  he  will  produce 
"Buffalo  Bill"  for  20th  Century-Fox, 
exercising  for  the  first  time  his  "out- 
side pictures"  option  in  his  Paramount 
contract  which  was  acquired  by  Unit- 
ed Artists. 


Reviews 


"China" 

(Paramount) 

Hollywood,  March  22 

n  ARAMOUNT  has  one  for  the  money  in  "China."  For  verification, 
please  note  box-office  reports  in  Motion  Picture  Daily  in  days  to  come. 

This  attraction  ventures  into  territory  largely  virginal  in  Hollywood 
in  that  it  portrays  with  sympathy  and  some  understanding  implications 
in  the  gigantic  struggle  which  China  has  been  waging  against  Japan 
during  and  since  the  years  that  preceded  Pearl  Harbor. 

The  Chinese  are  shown  for  what  they  are:  a  courageous  and  dogged 
people  against  whom  pillage,  bombing,  devastation  and  rape  merely 
serve  to  re-fabricate  their  determination  to  drive  the  enemy  from  their 
land.  In  view  of  world  events  and  the  shape  of  history,  this  is  funda- 
mental stuff.  In  these  days  when  the  visit  of  Madame  Chiang  Kai-shek 
is  re-fastening  the  attention  of  America  on  the  calibre  of  her  country's 
resistance  and  the  need  for  aid,  "China"  automatically  takes  on  an  added 
box-office  value. 

But  this  is  background.  What  makes  the  picture  a  strong  drawing 
card  is  the  personalized  story  of  adventure  played  off  in  front  of  that 
background.  It  is  a  story  of  action  and  love.  In  it  are  Alan  Ladd,  who 
seems  to  be  knocking  'em  into  loops  around  the  nation;  Loretta  Young 
and  William  Bendix.  Ladd  is  an  oil  runner,  servicing  the  Japanese 
between  Shanghai  and  forces  in  the  field  because  they  pay  well.  With 
him,  it's  straight  commerce.  Miss  Young,  American  girl  born  in 
China,  is  a  teacher  devoted  to  the  Chinese,  a  stalwart  champion  of 
their  battle  and  enlisted  in  the  ranks  of  any  maneuvers  which  will 
reduce  the  brutal  force  of  the  Nipponese  invasion.  Bendix  is  again  the 
rough-and-tumble  one,  assistant  to  Ladd  and  endowed  with  a  heart  of 
gold. 

The  adventure  strain  shows  how  Ladd  comes  into  head-on  collision 
with  Japanese  atrocity.  As  he  falls  in  love  with  Miss  Young,  his  cal- 
loused viewpoint  which  bore  no  resemblance  to  democracy  and  the  rights 
of  little  people  swings  completely  into  the  channel  of  direct  action  for 
the  very  things  he  failed  to  recognize  at  the  outset. 

Thus,  he  fights  as  he  drives  his  truck  loaded  with  young  Chinese 
girl-students  toward  safe  Chinese  strongholds.  He  is  the  instrumentality 
through  which  a  Japanese  division  is  removed  from  its  supply  of  dyna- 
mite, subsequently  used  to  blow  up  cliffs  overhanging  a  ravine  and 
allowing  a  threatened  Chinese  army  to  deploy  to  safety.  This  costs  him 
his  life,  but  audiences  very  definitely  will  get  the  feeing  he  sacrifices 
himsef  in  an  ennobling  cause. 

Top  performances  are  very  good.  Direction  by  John  Farrow,  who 
made  "Wake  Isand"  is  thoroughly  abreast  of  the  possibilities  which 
is  a  fancy  way  of  observing  it  is  highly  competent.  Richard  Blumenthal 
produced. 

Running  time,  80  minutes.  "G"*  Red  Kann 


T 


"Hangmen  Also  Die" 

(United  Artists) 

HIS  superior  "thriller"  is  augmented  by  a  theme  proclaiming  the 
courage  and  unity  of  the  Czech  people  after  four  years  under  Nazi 
rule.  The  murder  of  Reinhard  Heydrich,  Nazi  hangman,  supplies  au- 
thentic background  for  this  exciting  melodrama,  which  has  been  pro- 
duced by  Arnold  Pressburger  with  the  utmost  suspense,  acted  by  a  well- 
chosen  cast  of  players  directed  by  Fritz  Lang. 

The  murder  is  accomplished  swiftly  and  quickly  at  the  outset,  and 
identity  of  the  assassin  is  immediately  apparent,  but  the  plot  lies  in  the 
necessity  of  shielding'  him  from  the  conquerors.  The  need  of  convincing 
the  Germans  and  the  people  that  the  Gestapo  is  not  infallible  inspires 
peasant  and  teacher,  as  well  as  members  of  the  under-ground,  to  cover 
the  murderer's  tracks.  It  prevents  the  murderer  himself  from  confessing 
and  sparing  the  lives  of  500  innocent  men.  And  finally  it  helps  weave  a 
false  tangle  of  guilt  around  a  collaborator  who  thought  he  could  play 
both  sides. 

Brian  Donlevy  as  the  murderer,  Walter  Brennan  as  the  professor  held 
hostage,  Anna  Lee  as  his  daughter,  Gene  Lockhart  as  the  Quisling,  and 
Alexander  Grenach  representing  the  Gestapo,  all  turn  in  able  perform- 
ances. John  Wexley,  who  wrote  the  screenplay,  and  Bert  Brecht,  who 
contrived  the  story  with  Fritz  Lang,  were  also  to  be  commended  for  an 
exciting  idea.  Excellent  camera  work  by  James  Wong  Howe  and  good 
editing  by  Gene  Fowler,  Jr.,  are  evident. 

Running  time,  131  minutes.  "G"* 


Larger  Raw  Stock 
Exports  Expected 
To  Be  Prohibited 


Washington,  March  22. — Increases 
in  shipments  of  raw  stock  for  non- 
military  purposes  outside  the  United 
States  are  not  likely  to  receive  offi- 
cial approval  here  in  the  future,  as 
a  result  of  which  Argentina's 
ing  request  for  increased  supplies  V*,' 
little  chance  of  success,  a  well  in- 
formed source  said  tonight. 

Argentina's  application,  supported 
by  Nelson  Rockefeller,  Coordinator  of 
Inter-American  Affairs,  is  now  in  the 
hands  of  the  Board  of  Economic  War- 
fare, whose  officials  refused  to  discuss 
the  matter. 


W.B.  Gets  9  More 
Phila.  Area  Houses 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
of  $827,500  on  the  string  of  so-called 
Paramount-Freihofer  houses,  owned 
by  the  T.  N.  F.  R.  Realty  Co.,  and 
operated  by  the  Warner  Theatre  cir- 
cuit. Comprising  four  key  neighbor- 
hood houses,  the  houses  include  the 
Tower,  Nixon,  Frankford  and  Roose- 
velt. The  mortgage  was  given  hy  the 
Connecticut  Mutual  Life  Insurance 
Co.,  and  the  loan  is  for  a  15-year 
term. 

The  Warner  circuit  finally  con- 
firmed the  earlier  purchase  of  its  first- 
run  Aldine  Theatre  in  the  downtown 
district  for  $600,000,  as  reported  earli- 
er by  Motion  Picture  Daily.  As- 
sessed at  $501,300  the  900-seat  Aldine 
was  sold  by  the  Philadelphia  Saving 
Fund  Society  for  $600,000,  of  which 
$480,000  remains  as  a  purchase  money 
mortgage. 

The  acquisition  of  the  Nixon-Zim- 
merman houses  follows  the  purchase 
of  three  other  territory  houses,  in- 
cluding the  Stanley  Theatre,  Bridge- 
ton,  N.  J. ;  Circle  Theatre  here,  and 
the  Manor  Theatre,  Norwood,  Pa.  In 
addition,  the  circuit  leased  the  center- 
city  Shubert  Theatre,  to  be  operated 
as  a  film  house  for  the  first  time. 


v'G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Smith  Gets  Plaque 
For  'Marines'  Film 

Judge  Alexander  F.  Ormsby,  na- 
tional commandant  of  the  Marine 
Corps  League,  presented*  a  plaque  to 
Pete  Smith,  M-G-M  shorts  producer, 
at  a  luncheon  sponsored  by  the  Daugh- 
ters of  the  American  Revolution  at 
the  Town  Hall  Club  yesterday.  The 
presentation  was  in  tribute  to  Smith 
for  his  production  of  "Marines  in  the 
Making." 

The  plaque  was  accepted  in  Smith's 
behalf  by  Major  Harry  M.  Miller, 
former  M-G-M  employe,  now  in  the 
Marines.  Among  the  speakers  were 
Arthur  DeBra  of  the  MPPDA  and 
Sir  Cedric  Hardwicke,  who,  with 
Lady  Hardwicke,  was  an  honored 
guest.  "Marines  in  the  Making"  and 
"Plan  for  Destruction,"  another 
M-G-M  short,  were  screened.  Mrs.  Le- 
Roy  Montgomery,  national  chairman 
of  the  DAR  film  preview  committee, 
presided.  About  80  persons  were  pres- 
ent. 


'IMA. 


.  .  .  storm  Broadway  in  one  of 
the  biggest  boxoffice  onslaughts 
the  year!  Opened  a  major  of- 
nsive  on  records  at  the  Globe, 
N.  Y.,  Thursday,  March  18th. 

FLASH!  This  picture  BROKE  EVERY  EX- 
ISTING RECORD  AT  THE  ADAMS  THEATRE, 
Detroit!  How  in  second  smash  week! 


2d* 

WBk  \J  CENTURY-  FOX 

WITH  BOXOFFICE  POWER! 


Tuesday,  March  23,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


Coast  Guard  Views 
'Winslow  'Screening 


A  screening  of  the  opening  chapters 
of  Universal's  serial,  "Don  Winslow 
of  the  Coast  Guard,"  was  held  at  the 
U.  S.  Coast  Guard  Training  Station 
at  Manhattan  Beach  last  night  with 
3,000  officers  and  men  of  the  station 
and  30  newspaper,  trade  paper  and  fan 
magazine  representatives  in  the  audi- 
ence. 

y(jroductory  talks  were  made  by  Lt. 
v  -n.  Frank  V.  Martinek,  USN  re- 
tired, creator  of  the  Don  Winslow 
character,  and  Lt.  Comm.  Jack  Demp- 
sey,  in  charge  of  physical  education 
at  the  station. 


Stars  Aid  Mexican 
Red  Cross  Campaign 

Mexico  City,  March  22. — Personal 
appearances  of  10  Warner  Bros,  stars, 
and  the  benefit  premiere  of  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy,"  featured  a  two-day 
program  which  inaugurated  the  Mex- 
ican Red  Cross  drive  here  over  the 
weekend. 

Among  those  who  flew  here  from 
Hollywood  for  the  event  were :  Er- 
rol  Flynn,  Ann  Sheridan,  Dennis 
Morgan,  Nancy  Coleman,  and  others, 
who  were  met  at  the  airport  by  Bette 
Davis,  who  was  vacationing  here. 


27  Nazi  Soldiers  Die 
In  Paris  Theatre  Riot 

Twenty-seven  Nazi  soldiers 
were  killed  and  70  wounded  in 
a  riot  in  a  film  house  in  Paris 
two  months  ago,  it  is  reported 
by  Bernard  S.  Townroe,  secre- 
tary of  the  United  Associa- 
tions of  Great  Britain  and 
France,  in  London,  according 
to  newspaper  dispatches.  The 
cause,  it  was  said,  was  an  ar- 
gument that  took  place  be- 
tween two  groups  of  German 
soldiers  whose  opinions  dif- 
fered on  the  authenticity  of  a 
newsreel  showing  activity  on 
the  Russian  front. 

Last  December  the  Moscow 
radio  reported  that  more  than 
100  German  officers  and  men 
were  killed  when  a  time  bomb 
exploded  in  the  theatre,  for- 
merly known  as  the  Rex. 


Arthur  A.  Lee's  Body 
Being  Brought  Here 

A  Portuguese  ship  bearing  the  bod- 
ies of  victims  of  the  Yankee  Clipper 
crash  at  Lisbon,  Feb.  22,  left  that  city 
for  Philadelphia  over  the  weekend. 
Among  the  victims  was  Arthur  A. 
Lee,  industry  veteran,  for  whom  ser- 
vices will  be  held  on  arrival. 


Alda  Suit  vs.  ASCAP 
Marked  Off  Calendar 


The  Anti-Trust  suit  of  Alda  The- 
atres Corp.  and  others  to  enjoin 
Deems  Taylor,  as  president  of  Ascap, 
from  creating  a  monopoly  to  force  the 
sale  of  Ascap  musical  compositions  for 
films  was  marked  off  the  calendar  in 
Federal  Court  yesterday. 

The  complaint,  filed  by  Meyer  Kiv- 
ett,  attorney  for  the  defendants,  al- 
leges that  the  actions  of  Ascap  stopped 
free  competition  in  violation  of  the 
anti-trust  law  and  compelled  the  com- 
plainants to  lose  money  by  being  de- 
prived of  the  right  to  make  their  own 
selections  of  films  containing  musical 
compositions  for  exhibition  purposes. 


Rosen  Files  Suit  on 
'Mortal  Storm'  Film 

Al  Rosen  yesterday  filed  suit  in 
Federal  Court  against  Loew's,  Inc., 
producers  and  distributors  of  the  mo- 
tion picture  "The  Mortal  Storm,"  al- 
leging copyright  infringement.  Co- 
defendants  are  Frank  Borzage,  direc- 
tor of  the  film  ;  Claudine  W est,  An- 
derson Ellis  and  George  Froeschel, 
authors  of  the  screenplay ;  Victor  Say- 
ville,  producer,  and  Elmo  Vernon, 
editor  of  the  film. 

The  complaint  charges  infringement 
of  Rosen's  assigned  copyright  on  "The 
Mad  Dog  of  Europe." 


One-fifth  of  Stations 
Showed  Loss  in  '42 

Washington,  March  22.— Ap- 
proximately one-fifth  of  the 
broadcasting  stations  of  the 
country  operated  last  year  at 
a  loss,  it  was  disclosed  today 
by  F.C.C.  Chairman  James  L. 
Fly. 

Fly  told  a  press  conference 
that  of  722  stations  which 
have  so  far  filed  1942  reports, 
139  had  operating  losses  and 
105  had  earnings  under  $2,- 
500  for  the  year.  The  remain- 
ing 478  stations  reported 
profits  in  excess  of  $2,500.  Re- 
ports are  yet  to  be  received 
from  180  stations,  he  said. 


Elmer  Rogers  Dies; 
Former  Palace  M'gr 

Elmer  F.  Rogers,  72,  former  mana- 
ger of  the  Palace  Theatre,  died  Sun- 
day morning  at  his  home  in  Cranford, 
N.  J.,  after  a  short  illness.  He  was 
affiliated  with  the  Keith-Albee  inter- 
ests for  35  years  and  was  manager  of 
the  Palace  19  years,  resigning  in  1932. 
Surviving  are  a  widow,  Anna  Rogers, 
a  son,  Edward,  and  a  daughter,  Mrs. 
Gerald  Long.  A  funeral  service  will 
be  held  at  his  late  residence  today. 


A  SCENE  FROM  AT  DAWN  WE  DIE 


U  JOHN  CLEMENTS  •  GODFREY  TEARLE  •  HUGH  SINCLAIR  •  GRETA  GYNT  •  JUDY  KELLY 

GEORGE  KING  —  Director  •  Original  Story  by  DOROTHY  HOPE  •  Screen  Play  by  ANATOLE  de  GRUNWALD  •  Script  by  KATHERINE  STRUEBY 

A  REPUBLIC  PICTURE  BUY  U.  S.  WAR  SAVINGS  BONDS 


RCA 

CONGRATULATES...- 


WARNER  BROTHERS  and  COL  NATHAN  LEVINSON 
'YANKEE  DOODLE  DANDY' 

SOUND  AWARD  WINNER 


on 


rii 


WALT  DISNEY  on  "DER  FUEHRER'S  FACE" 
BEST  CARTOON 

CARLISLE  &  FAIRBANKS  on 
"SPEAKING  OF  ANIMALS  AND  THEIR  FAMILIES" 
BEST  ONE  REEL  SHORT 

WARNER  BROTHERS  on  "BEYOND  THE  LINE  OF  DUTY" 
BEST  TWO  REEL  SHORT 

WARNER  BROTHERS,  RAY  HEINDORF,  HEINZ  ROEMHELD  and  LEO  F.  FORBSTEIN 

on  "YANKEE  DOODLE  DANDY" 
BEST  SCORING  MUSICAL  PICTURE 

WARNER  BROS.,  MAX  STEINER  and  LEO  F.  FORBSTEIN  on 

"NOW,  VOYAGER" 
BEST  SCORING  OF  A  DRAMATIC  PICTURE 

WINNERS  ALL— 1942  academy  awards 


ALL  WERE  RECORDED  WITH  THE 


SOUND 


VICTORY 
BUY 


.WAR 

IONDS 


SYSTEM 


FILE  COPY 

^^TION -PICTURE: 

DAILY 


and 

Impartial 


VOL.  53.  NO.  56 


NEW  YORK.  U.S.A.,  WEDNESDAY.  MARCH  24.  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


20th-Fox  Sees 
$10,600,000 
Net  for  1942 


Earnings  Double  Those  of 
Last  Year  Estimated 


Consolidated  net  profit  of  $10,- 
600,000  for  1942,  after  all  charges 
and  provision  for  Federal  taxes, 
was  estimated 
yesterday  b  y 
20th  Century- 
Fox,  of  which 
Spyros  Skou- 
ras  is  presi- 
dent. 

The  result 
compares  with 
net  of  $4,921,- 
926  for  1941. 
Estimated  con- 
solidated net 
profit  for  the 
fourth  quarter 

Spyros    Skouras        of     1942  was 

$3,300,000,  which  compares  with 
$5,065,109  for  the  preceding  cjuar- 

(Continucd  on  page  6) 


Yates  Lauds  Small 
Exhibitor  at  Meet 


Chicago,  March  23. — "Remember 
the  small  exhiibtor,"  H.  J.  Yates  told 
Republic's  Midwest  and  Southern  ex- 
change heads  at  the  company's  region- 
al sales  meeting  at  the  Drake  Hotel 
here.  The  two-day  meeting  was  con- 
cluded today. 

Yates  told  the  meeting  that  it  was 
the  "loyal  support"  of  the  small  ex- 
hibitors that  made  the  growth  of  Re- 
public Pictures  possible. 


Jack  Dillon,  42,  Dies; 
20th-Fox  L.A.  Mg'r 

Hollywood,  March  23. — Jack  Dil- 
lon, 42,  manager  of  the  Los  Angeles 
branch  of  20th  Century-Fox  for  the 
past  10  years,  died  last  night  follow- 
ing a  short  illness.  Prior  to  entering 
the  motion  picture  business  with  the 
Selznick  interests,  he  was  employed  in 
music  publishing  houses.  He  joined 
the  old  Fox  Film  Co.  in  New  York 
and  was  made  New  England  represen- 
tative for  Movietone  News  when 
sound  was  inaugurated.  He  then 
served  20th  Century-Fox  as  manager 
of  its  New  Haven,  Washington  and 
San  Francisco  territories. 


Senators  Approve 
Salary  Ceiling  Bill 

Washington,  March  23.— 
Barring  a  Presidential  veto, 
repeal  of  salary  control  be- 
came a  certainty  today. 

Debating  the  question  less 
than  three  hours,  the  Senate 
passed  the  bill,  by  a  75  to  3 
vote,  to  increase  the  public 
debt  limit  and  sent  it  back  to 
the  House  for  a  decision 
whether  to  accept  the  Senate 
substitute  for  the  Disney  re- 
pealer. 

The  House  bill  carried  a 
provision  freezing  salaries  in 
excess  of  $25,000  at  their  pre- 
war level.  The  Senate  substi- 
tuted a  provision  that  no  sal- 
ary should  be  reduced  below 
the  highest  figure  paid  be- 
tween Jan.  1  and  Sept.  15, 
1942. 


Appeal  Board  Hits 
Refusal  to  Specify 
Decree  Violations 


Recurrent  refusals  of  exhibitor  com- 
plainants in  arbitration  proceedings  to 
state  a  specific  section  of  the  consent 
decree  under  which  their  complaints 
are  brought  drew  the  censure  of  the 
appeal  board  in  a  decision  made  public 
yesterday. 

The  decision  involved  the  complaint 
of  the  owners  of  the  Rivoli,  St.  Louis, 
who  asserted  that  on  the  expiration 
of  a  10-year  lease  last  year  they  were 
unable  to  obtain  the  runs  which  the 
Rivoli  had  been  sold  previously.  On 
refusal  to  specify  the  section  of  the 
decree  under  which  the  complaint  was 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


RAW  STOCK  TOTAL 
RAISED  FOR  3  MOS. 

WPB  Allocates  About  16,500,000  Feet  More 
For  Eleven  Companies  in  Second  Quarter; 
Ask  750-Feet  Average  for  Newsreels 

By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  March  23. — Raw  stock  allocations  to  domestic  film 
producers  for  the  second  quarter,  which  begins  April  1,  will  be  slightly 
higher  than  for  the  first  quarter  but  will  be  in  line  generally  with  the 
basic  principle  of  reducing  consumption  25  per  cent  below  1941  levels, 

members  of  the  industry  advisory  com- 


British  Gov't 
Cut  Raw  Stock 
Use  by  25% 


By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  March  23. — The  Gov- 
ernment, through  the  Board  of 
Trade,  are  expected  to  issue  their 
order  controlling  raw  stock  to- 
morrow, it  is  reported.  Under  the 
order,  a  reduction  of  20  per  cent  is 
made  for  distributors,  as  compared 
with  1942  consumption,  but  the  total 
over-all  industry  saving  is  about 
25  per  cent. 

Newsreels  will  receive  66  pei 
cent  of  their  1942  consumption, 
with  economies  to  be  effected 
through  bicycling  and  a  reduc- 
tion in  each  print  to  700  feet. 
The  order  will  not  apply  to  Gov- 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


13,000  Theatres  Pledged 
For  Red  Cross:  Balaban 


General  Precision 
'42  Net  $1,265,518 

Consolidated  net  income  of  $1,265,- 
518,  was  reported  yesterday  by  Gen- 
eral Precision  Equipment  Corp.  for 
1942  after  provision  for  Federal  taxes 
amounting  to  $1,684,928,  and  after 
provision  of  $300,000  for  contingen- 
cies. The  result  was  equal  to  $2.16 
per  share,  compared  with  $2.24  in 
1941. 

Income  included  $232,000  received 
(Continued  on  page  6) 


An  indicated  total  of  13,000  theatres 
will  participate  in  the  industry's  Red 
Cross  drive,  April  1  through  7,  and 
"with  complete  cooperation,"  thev  can 
collect  $5,000,000.  Barney 
campaign  chairman,  stated 
in  a  talk  over  a  national 
hookup  with  meetings  of 
ficials  and  workers  in  33 
centers. 

Balaban's  talk  was  followed  on  the 
telephone  hookup  by  one  from  Walter 
S.  Gififord.  head  of  the  American  Red 
Cross  War  Fund,  and  president  of 
the  American  Telephone  &  Telegraph 

(Continued  on  page  2) 


Balaban, 
yesterday 
telephone 
drive  of- 
exchange 


mittee  were  told  today  at  their  month- 
ly meeting  with  War  Production 
Board  officials. 

The  total  film  allotment  for  the 
quarter  will  be  318,595,980  linear  feet, 


For  second  quarter  raw  stock 
allocations  to  companies,  com- 
pared with  current  quarter,  see 
Page  6. 


compared  with  302,018,840  feet  for  the 
current  three  months,  and  a  slight  in- 
crease also  will  be  made  in  the  footage 
earmarked  for  factual  pictures. 

Members  of  the  committee  were  told 
that  they  will  be  able  to  continue  oper- 
ations at  about  75  per  cent  of  the  1941 
level  and  that  it  is  hoped  this  propor- 
tion may  be  maintained,  or  even  bet- 
tered, in  the  future.  Future  alloca- 
tions, however,  they  were  warned,  will 
be  dependent  upon  military  require- 
ments which  must  be  met  before  any 

(Continued  on  page  6) 


New  5 -Year  Pacts 
For  Mono.  Heads 


Hollywood,  March  23. — Declaring 
that  Monogram  business  for  the  past 
six  months  is  up  20  per  cent,  W.  Ray 
Johnston,  president  of  the  company, 
announced  that  contracts  for  himself. 
Trem  Carr,  executive  director  in 
charge  of  production  ;  Samuel  Broidy. 
vice-president  and  general  sales  man- 
ager, and  Scott  Dunlap,  producer,  had 
been  extended  for  another  five  years. 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Insider's  Outlook,"  by  Red 
Kann,  Page  2.  Reviews  of  "To- 
night We  Raid  Calais"  and 
"The  Purple  V."  Page  6.  "Sa- 
lute for  Three,"  "High  Ex- 
plosive" and  "He's  My  Guy," 
Page  8. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  March  24,  1943 


Insider's  Outlook 

By  RED  KANN 


13,000  Houses  Seen 
In  Red  Cross  Drive, 
Balaban  Tells  Nation 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

Co.  War  Activities  Committee  offi- 
cials estimated  that  more  than  2,000 
exhibitors  and  campaign  officials 
heard  the  talks. 

Balaban  emphasized  the  need  ot 
signing  up  the  remaining  theatres  be- 
fore the  start  of  the  drive.  There  are 
more  than  9,000  theatre  pledges  on 
hand  now,  he  said.  He  also  stressed 
the  importance  of  conducting  audience 
collections  properly,  at  every  perform- 
ance throughout  the  week.  The  dif- 
ference between  correct  methods  and 
indifferent  methods  of  collections,  he 
said,  can  mean  a  difference  of  SI, 000,- 
000  in  the  final  returns  to  the  Red 
Cross. 

He  said  that  the  theatres'  re- 
sponsibility in  the  drive  is  not 
lessened  even  though  their  com- 
munities have  reached  their 
Red  Cross  quotas  by  April  1. 
It  is  indicated,  Balaban  said, 
that  the  Red  Cross  national 
goal  of  $125,000,000  will  not  be 
reached  during  March  and  the 
theatres'  efforts  can  do  much  to 
close  the  gap  between  the 
March  total  and  the  full  quota, 
and  may  even  make  a  repeat 
call  for  Red  Cross  funds  un- 
necessary. 

Gifford  said  in  part:  "You  of  the 
W  ar  Activities  Committee  of  the  mo- 
tion picture  industry  are  making  a  real 
contribution  to  the  success  of  our 
campaign  and  to  the  important  and 
vital  work  of  the  Red  Cross.  On 
behalf  of  myself  and  my  associates 
in  the  Red  Cross  War  Fund,  I  thank 
you  sincerely  for  your  cooperation." 

Among  those  at  the  New  York 
meeting  in  the  Paramount  board  room 
were  :  Claude  Lee,  campaign  director  ; 
Leonard  Goldenson,  Edward  Alper- 
son.  Si  Fabian,  Sam  Pinanski,  Arthur 
Mayer,  Walter  Vincent,  Harry  Kal- 
min'e,  Sam  Rinzler,  Jack  Sichelman, 
Henry  Randell,  Herman  Gluckman, 
Sam  Dembow,  Oscar  Doob  and  Ar- 
thur Israel. 


Players  Assigned 
For  Red  Cross  Tour 

Hollywood,  March  23. — The  Hol- 
lywood Victory  Committee  has  as- 
signed the  Ritz  Brothers,  Paulette 
Goddard,  Charles  Boyer,  Janet  Blair 
and  Dick  Powell  for  the  HVC  Red 
Cross  tour.  The  group  will  leave  here 
April  2  and  open  at  the  big  show 
sponsored  by  the  film  industry  at 
Madison  Square  Garden  in  New  York 
April  5,  followed  by  Washington, 
April  7,  and  Detroit,  April  11. 


PRC  Plans  20  Films 
By  July  1:  Fromkess 

Hollywood,  March  23. — Producers 
Releasing  expects  to  have  one-half  of 
its  season  product  of  40  pictures  finish- 
ed by  July  1.  Leon  Fromkess,  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  production,  stated 
prior  to  his  departure  for  Tucson, 
Ariz.,  to  confer  with  O.  Henry  Briggs, 
PRC  president.  The  schedule  will 
include  16  of  24  feature  productions 
and  eight  of  16  westerns,  he  said. 


Hollywood,  March  23 
r\ON'T  hold  us  to  it.  But 
there  are  odds  around  that 
Lowell  Mellett  won't  go  for  the 
elimination  or  wholesale  reduc- 
tion of  OWI  shorts  reaching  ex- 
hibitors on  the  cuff  via  WAC  in 
favor  of  twice-a-week  coverage 
via  the  five  newsreels. 

You  may  recall  Motion  Pic- 
ture Daily-  reported  exclusive- 
ly a  few  weeks  ago  such  a  pro- 
posal was  in  the  air  both  in  New 
York  and  Hollywood  on  a  two- 
way  approach.  One  was  to  re- 
duce the  16  to  18  weeks  re- 
quired to  cover  the  country  on 
OWI  messages  and  thereby  get 
information  held  to  be  impera- 
tive into  public  view  faster. 

Less  clear  in  definition  ap- 
pears to  have  been  an  underly- 
ing realization  in  some  quarters 
that  something  ought  to  be  done 
about  reducing  the  overall 
mountain  of  war  and  home 
front  footage  which  audiences 
are  expected  to  wade  through 
and  absorb. 


No  one  will  argue  about  the 
need  to  keep  the  public  informed 
and  abreast  of  events.  And  sure- 
ly the  industry  has  gone  along. 
Yet  there  can  be  a  great  deal 
of  argument  about  the  extent 
to  which  that  process  ought  to 
reach,  or  needs  to  reach,  in 
order  to  do  the  most  effective 
kind  of  job. 

Even  by  lightning  calculation, 
the  final  total  pyramids  into 
quite  an  affair.  There  are  OWI's 
own  26  shorts.  Matched  against 
these  are  the  26  Arictory  Films 
commercially  produced  and  sold 
by  distributors.  Newsreels  have 
their  war  clips  and  studios  their 
high  percentage  of  features 
roaming  the  range  from  spies 
and  sabotage  to  the  under- 
ground movements  and  nurses 
on  Bataan. 

■ 

All  of  this,  in  combination 
which  is  the  way  to  approach  it, 
makes  for  a  staggering  total 
which  exhibitors,  in  increasing 
protest,  argue  is  staggering  the 
public.  The  problem,  therefore, 
calls  for  a  reappraisal  designed 
to  calculate  how  the  pattern 
ought  to  he  adjusted  if  audiences 
are  not  to  yell  "Uncle."  It  ties 
very  directly  to  established  trade 
history  which  records  how  re- 
action against  too  much  of  the 
same  diet  finally  sets  in.  It  has 
happened  to  the  musical,  the 
gangster  and  to  other  cycles  of 
films.  Because  celluloid  history 
has  a  manner  of  repeating  it- 
self, the  conclusion  on  war  foot- 
age ought  to  be  obvious,  too. 


Reducing  or  eliminating  OW'I 
output  and  Victory  Films  cer- 
tainly will  not  furnish  the  an- 
swer, but  on  the  basis  of  less 
footage  would  help.  Any  step 
along  those  lines  naturally 
would  although  the  larger  an- 
swer is  in  the  hands  of  the  stu- 
dios which  are  not  likely  to  take 
kindly  to  any  such  ideas  as  this. 
Not  in  today's  market. 

In  turn,  the  chief  advantage  in 
employing  newsreels  as  the  fixed 
outlet  for  government  messages 
shows  up  sharply  on  two  counts 
of  its  own.  One  is  the  rapidity 
with  which  the  country  may  be 
blanketed  since  the  reels  do  their 
job  in  five  to  six  weeks.  Two 
is  the  extent  of  the  almost  simul- 
taneous coverage  which  may  he 
appreciated  best  in  terms  of  the 
statistics. 

There  are  2,630  prints  struck 
off  weekly  covering  the  five 
reels  and  furnishing  a  mass  cir- 
culation without  rivalry  in  the 
industry. 

However,  to  get  back  to  those 
odds.  They  are  around  because 
of  these  impressions : 

Mellett  will  not  want  to  see 
his  organization  moved  from  a 
front  to  a  back  seat. 

He  will  not  want  to  lose  the 
identity  emphasized  in  OWTs 
own  releases  by  incorporating 
them  elsewhere. 

He  may  feel  OWI  messages 
cannot  be  told  adequately  in  the 
compressed  footage  which  is  all 
newsreels  can  offer. 

a  ■ 

The  business  of  getting  closer 
to  the  factory  is  hardly  new.  All 
sales  managers  pay  regular  visits 
from  New  York.  Not  always 
so  with  their  aides,  on  the  other 
hand. 

The  probability  now  is  this 
will  change  at  Metro  and  that 
Bill  Rodgers,  flanked  by  Jack 
Flynn,  Ted  O'Shea,  Ed  Saun- 
ders and  Ed  Aaron,  will  meet 
here  about  every  three  months 
to  soak  up  first  hand  what  gives 
out. 

■  I 

On  the  basis  of  a  quick  look, 
20th  Century-Fox  has  one 
far  off  the  beaten  track  in  "My 
Friend  Flicka."  There  is  no 
villain.  There  is  no  war.  But 
there  is  a  slender  story  of  hu- 
mans and  horses  and  relation- 
ship between  them  handled  with 
sympathy  and  understanding  that 
give  attraction  and  distinction  in 
its  particular  field.  Roddy  Mc- 
Dowall  heads  the  cast  and  is  ex- 
cellent. If  the  public  will  accept 
the  magnificent  outdoors  photo- 
graphed in  breath-taking  color 
and  the  love  of  a  boy  for  a  horse, 
"Flicka"  is  well  over  the  line 
The  wide  question  is  whether 
the  public  will. 


Personal 
Mention 

SIR   ALEXANDER   KORDA  is 
expected  here  Monday  from  Cali- 
fornia. 

Frank  Orsatti  is  in  town. 
• 

John  Flynn,  M-G-M  Western 
sales  .manager,  and  Sam  Shirley, 
M-G-M  district  manager  in  Chicago, 
were  in  Des  Moines. 

• 

Norman  Crissley,  manager  of  the 
Benn  Theatre,  Philadelphia,  under- 
went an  appendectomy. 

• 

Thomas  Friday,  counsel  for  the 
Comerford  Circuit,  has  been  accepted 
as  a  candidate  in  the  Volunteer  Of- 
ficers' Candidate  School. 

• 

Ed  Hinchy',  head  of  the  Warner 
Bros,  playdate  department,  is  touring 
New  England. 

• 

George  Smith,  Paramount  western 
sales  manager,  and  R.  C.  Libeau,  dis- 
trict manager,  in  KaKnsas  City,  were 
Des  Moines  visitors  recently. 

Wilbur  S.  Eckhard,  manager  of 
Schine's  Palace  in  Ashland,  O.,  and 
Bernice  Shenberger  of  that  city, 
were  married  last  week. 

• 

Harry  Rice,  of  the  Embassy  Thea- 
tre, San  Francisco,  is  the  father  of  a 
daughter,  named  Mary  Therese. 
• 

Frank  Lowenstein,  son  of  Harry 
H.  Lowenstein,  president  of  Allied 
Theatre  Owners  of  New  Jersey,  has 
been  inducted  into  the  Army  from  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania  and  is  now 
at  New  Cumberland,  Pa. 

• 

William  C.  Goodwin.  Altec  Serv- 
ice executive  in  Philadelphia,  and 
Mrs.  Goodwin  celebrated  their  25th 
wedding  anniversary. 

• 

Francis  Alstock  has  returned  to 
Hollywood  from  Mexico. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President:  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor: 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager: 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan. 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  *nd  $12  for- 
eign; single  copiea  10c 


With  your  boy... 

When  he  needs 
her  most 


RED  CROSS  WEEK 

Nation's  Motion  Picture  Theatres 
APRIL  I"  thru  7* 


•  Ovict  n/Wt.  H-oyA  0(5  ~iJkjL  (f&-£<?u,  ThjLG&ui 

Ul4  dLlvK.  Ujp",  lie.  ACOCgC.    l4-€  LOiX*tttcL  Ifovu 


YOUR  PLEDGE  PLEASE-PUT  THIS 


INTO 


+ 


-■„■. .:.  -SEEKS-  ' 


nnouncmg 


THE  SPECIAL 
TRADE  SHOWINGS 

Metro  -  Goldwyn  -jMayer's 

distinguished  production 
of 

William  Saroyan's 

THE  HUMAN  COMEDY' 

starring 

MICKEY  ROONEY 

with 

FRANK  MORGAN 

JAMES  CRAIG  MARSHA  HUNT 

FAY  BAINTER  RAY  COLLINS 

VAN  JOHNSON  DONNA  REED 

JACK  JENKINS  DOROTHY  MORRIS 

JOHN  CRAVEN  ANN  AYARS 

MARY  NASH  HENRY  O'NEILL 

From  tke  Story  \>y  William  Saroyan  •  Screen  Play  i>y  Howard  EstaLrooU 
Produced  and  Directed  by 

CLARENCE  BROWN 


DIRECTORY  of  TRADE  SHOWINGS 

"Tli*-  TTTTM  AN  fOMFDY" 

1  lie  n  vJ  ±Ylx  vi>      vy l Y l J ^ 1 

CITY 

ADDRESS 

Day,  Date  &  Hour  of  Screening 

ALBANY 

Delaware  Theatre 
290  Delaware  Ave. 

THUR 

4/8 

8:30  P.M. 

ATLANTA 

Rhodes  Center  Theatre 
62  So.  Rhodes  Center  N.W. 

WED. 

4/7 

8:30  P.M. 

BOSTON 

Uptown  Theatre 

2  39  Huntington  Ave. 

THUR 

4/8 

8:10  P.M. 

BUFFALO 

Erlanger  Theatre 
118  Delaware  Ave. 

SUN. 

4/11 

8:30  P.M. 

CHARLOTTE 

Visulite  Theatre 
1615  Elizabeth  Ave. 

WED. 

4/7 

8:30  P.M. 

CHICAGO 

Esquire  Theatre 
58  East  Oak  St. 

MON. 

4/12 

8:30  P.M. 

CINCINNATI 

Forrest  Theatre 

671  Forrest  (Avondale) 

THUR 

4/8 

10  P.M. 

CLEVELAND 

Hanna  Theatre 
East  14th  St. 

WED. 

4/7 

8:30  P.M. 

DALLAS 

20th-Fox  Screen  Room 
1803  Wood  Street 

MON. 

4/5 

2:30  P.M. 

DENVER 

Broadway  Theatre 
1756  Broadway 

TUES. 

4/6 

8:30  P.M. 

DES  MOINES 

Roosevelt  Theatre 
831  42nd  St. 

WED. 

4/7 

8:30  P.M. 

DETROIT 

Mercury  Theatre 
16860  Schaefer  St. 

THUR 

4/8 

8:30  P.M. 

INDIANAPOLIS 

Keith's  Theatre 

117  No.  Pennsylvania 

WED. 

4/7 

8:30  P.M. 

KANSAS  CITY 

Edison  Hall 

14th  and  Baltimore 

WED. 

4/7 

8:30  P.M. 

LOS  ANGELES 

Ambassador  Theatre 
3400  Wilshire  Blvd. 

THUR 

4/8 

8:30  P.M. 

MEMPHIS 

Linden  Circle  Theatre 
311  South  Somerville  St. 

WED. 

4/7 

8:30  P.M. 

MILWAUKEE 

Pabst  Theatre 
144  E.  Wells  St. 

WED. 

4/7 

8:30  P.M. 

MINNEAPOLIS 

Century  Theatre 
40  South  7th  St. 

THUR 

4/8 

8:30  P.M. 

NEW  HAVEN 

Whitney  Theatre 

1220  Whitney  Ave.  (Hamden) 

WED. 

4/7 

8:30  P.M. 

NEW  ORLEANS 

Center  Theatre 
912  Canal  St. 

TUES. 

4/6 

8:30  P.M. 

NEW  YORK  I 
NEW  JERSEY  \ 

Astor  Theatre 
45th  and  Broadway 

TUES. 

4/13 

10  A.M. 

OKLAHOMA  CITY 

Tower  Theatre 
42  5  N.W.  23rd  St. 

THUR. 

4/8 

8:30  P.M. 

OMAHA 

Dundee  Theatre 
4952  Dodge  St. 

THUR. 

4/8 

8:30  P.M. 

PHILADELPHIA 

Erlanger  Theatre 
21st  &  Market  Sts< 

MON. 

4/12 

8:30  P.M. 

PITTSBURGH 

Shadyside  Theatre 

5  5  1 8  Walnut  St.,  Shadyside  Dist 

WED. 

4/7 

8:30  P.M. 

PORTLAND 

Oriental  Theatre 
822  S.E.  Grand  Ave. 

TUES. 

4/6 

8:30  P.M. 

ST.  LOUIS 

Uptown  Theatre 
4938  Delmar  Blvd. 

TUES. 

4/6 

8:30  P.M. 

SALT  LAKE  CITY 

Little  Studio  Theatre 
161  South  Main  St. 

THUR. 

4/8 

8:30  P.M. 

SAN  FRANCISCO 

El  Presidio  Theatre 
2302'Chestnut  St. 

TUES. 

4/6 

8:30  P.M. 

SEATTLE 

Green  Lake  Theatre 
7107  Woodlawn  Ave. 

TUES. 

4/6 

8:30  P.M. 

WASHINGTON.D.C 

20th-Fox  Screen  Room 
932  New  Jersey,  N.W. 

TUES. 

4/6 

1  P.M. 

Pledge  Please!  Red  Cross  Drive  April  1 — 7 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  March  24,  1943 


Raw  Stock  Is 
Increased  For 
Second  Period 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
distribution  can  be  made  for  civilian 
consumption. 

The  newsreel  branch  of  the  indus- 
try again  was  urged  to  eliminate  du- 
plication and  practice  conservation  of 
film  and  it  was  recommended  that 
newsreel  issues  be  held  to  an  average 
of  750  feet  and  the  number  of  prints 
be  restricted  to  not  more  than  made  in 
the  corresponding  quarter  in  1941.  The 
only  exception  to  the  rule  would  be 
March  of  Time,  which  has  different 
requirements  and  would  be  restricted 
to  1,600  feet  and  the  same  number  of 
prints  as  used  in  1941. 

Newsreel  allocations  would  be  as 
follows:  News  of  the  Day,  11,685,006 
feet;  Paramount  News;  11,627,566 
feet;  Moyietonews,  12,121,701  feet; 
Pathe,  7,865,750  feet ;  Universal  News- 
reel,  7,085,524  feet,  and  March  of 
Time,  2,164,195  feet. 

Factual  pictures  were  held  to  be 
"due"  for  an  increase,  and  while  the 
original  limitation  order  of  last  Dec. 
31  provided  an  allocation  of  44,300,- 
000  feet  for  the  first  six  months  of 
1943,  it  is  proposed  that  24,025,000 
feet  be  allocated  for  the  coming  three 
months. 

"Class  C"  consumers  will  be  held 
to  present  restrictions,  that  is,  to  22 
per  cent  of  their  1941  consumption. 

Discussion  of  the  newsreel 
situation  developed  that  dupli- 
cation of  subject  is  less  impor- 
tant than  that  in  outlets,  and 
the  whole  question  is  to  be 
given  further  consideration,  it 
was  said. 

Lowell  Mellett,  chief  of  the  Motion 
Picture  Bureau  of  the  Office  of  War 
Information,  was  present  at  the  meet- 
ing, which  was  attended  by  :  William 
F.  Rodgers,  M-G-M ;  N.  Peter  Rath- 
von,  RKO;  J.  H.  Hazen  and  A.  W. 
Schwalberg,  Warner  Bros. ;  Oscar 
Morgan  and  Walter  Cokell,  Para- 
mount ;  John  J.  O'Connor,  Universal ; 
W.  B.  Brenner,  National  Screen  Ser- 
vice ;  W.  G.  Brennan,  Columbia ;  W. 
J.  Kupper  and  E.  I.  Sponable.  20th 
Century-Fox ;  John  R.  W ood,  Jr., 
March  of  Time,  and  M.  A.  Schlesing- 
er,  General  Talking  Pictures  Corp. 


O'Donnell,  Harris  on 
Variety  Clubs  Tour 


R.  J.  O'Donnell,  general  manager 
of  the  Texas  Interstate  Theatres  and 
National  Chief  Barker  of  the  Variety 
Clubs  of  America,  and  John  H.  Har- 
ris, founder  of  the  clubs  and  present 
Big  Boss,  will  start  a  tour  of  key 
cities  in  the  Far  West  and  Northwest, 
some  time  in  April,  it  was  announced. 
The  purpose  of  the  tour,  it  was  said, 
will  be  to  acquaint  exchange  cities  at 
present  without  Tents  about  the  Vari- 
ety Clubs,  and  to  help  industry  groups 
to  get  clubs  started. 

O'Donnell  wili  meet  Harris  in 
Hollywood,  and  they  will  visit  San 
Francisco,  Portland,  Seattle,  Salt 
Lake  City,  Denver,  Kansas  City  and 
St.  Louis.  In  May,  they  expect  to 
tour  Eastern  exchange  cities,  it  was 
announced. 


Reviews 


"Tonight  We  Raid  Calais" 

{20th  Century-Fox) 

Hollyivood,  March  23 

HP  HE  British  raid,  effectively  and  excitingly,  in  a  story  of  the  French 
underground.  But,  despite  the  title,  they  do  not  raid  Calais.  It'^ 
another  town  entirely.  This  attraction  tells  of  a  secret  mission  under- 
taken by  John  Sutton,  British  commando,  in  occupied  France  with  the 
purpose  of  identification  of  a  factory  making  shells.  The  problem  is  a 
puzzler  because  the  Germans  have  created  four  identical  dummies  to 
protect  the  real  one.  Sutton  finds  the  natives  fired  with  resentment  and 
oppositii  n  to  the  conquerors  and  give  him  all  possible  assistance. 

The  stumbling  block  is  Annabella,  who  is  soured  on  the  English  be- 
cause her  brother  lost  his  life  in  the  naval  attack  at  Oran.  However, 
when  she  turns  informer,  thinking  this  will  save  the  lives  of  her  father 
and  mother  and  witnesses  German  treachery  with  her  own  eyes  at  the 
execution  ground,  she  plots  revenge.  Through  her  instrumentality,  Sut- 
ton and  Free  French  peasant-patriots  are  freed  in  time  to  tire  fiekL 
around  the  discovered  factory,  thereby  giving  the  RAF  a  blazing  mark 
on  which  to  dump  bombs.  The  objective  achieved,  Sutton  returns  to 
England,  taking  Annabella  along. 

The  performances  are  good.  Other  leads  are  played  by  Lee  J.  Cobb, 
Beulah  Bondi,  Blanche  Yurka,  Howard  Da  Silvia,  Marcel  Dalio  and 
Ann  Codee. 

Some  story  details  are  conveniently  arranged  but  represent  no  serious 
license.    Andre  Daven  produced. 
Running  time,  70  minutes.  "G."* 


O 


"The  Purple  V" 

{Republic) 

NCE  more  an  English  aviator  parachutes  into  Germany  and  must 
escape  to  England  in  order  to  deliver  an  important  message.  Al- 
though the  theme  has  been  used  before,  "The  Purple  V"  is  packed  with 
action  and  embodies  a  cross-country  chase  and  should  have  its  greatest 
appeal  among  followers  of  action  and  adventure  films. 

John  Archer  is  convincing  as  the  RAF  pilot  who  lands  in  Germany 
but  must  escape  to  carry  back  a  message  captured  on  its  way  from  Rom- 
mel to  Hitler.  He  appeals  for  help  to  a  professor  under  whom  he  had 
once  studied.  The  teacher  and  his  son  are  killed  in  their  attempts  to 
assist,  but  Archer  gets  away  accompanied  by  the  daughter.  It  is  in  their 
near-detection  at  several  points  that  most  of  the  action  centers. 

The  leading  player  and  Fritz  Kortner  and  Mary  McLeod  as  the  teach- 
er and  daughter  provide  excellent  characterizations. 

The  screenplay  was  by  Bertram  Millhauser  and  Curt  Siodmak.  George 
Sherman  was  producer-director. 
Running  time,  58  minutes.  "G." 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Second  Quarter  Raw  Stock 

Washington,  March  23. — Raw  stock  allocations  by  the  War  Pro- 
duction Board  to  the  motion  picture  companies  for  the  second 
quarter  of  1943,  in  comparison  with  the  current  quarter,  are  as 
follows: 

Columbia  Pictures,  30,253,296  feet  as  compared  with  30,168,738  feet 
for  the  current  quarter;  M-G-M,  42,147,476  feet  against  51,237,449 
feet;  Monogram,  5,848,397  feet  against  5,617,180  feet;  Paramount, 
30,722,843  feet  against  40,664,577  feet;  Producers  Releasing,  3,177,974 
feet  against  3,052,332  feet;  RKO,  27,435,119  feet  against  32,005,224  feet; 
Republic,  18,380,444  feet  against  17,653,771  feet;  20th  Century-Fox 
31,803,298  feet  against  41,282,295  feet;  United  Artists,  15,086,803  feet 
against  14,234,304  feet;  Universal  27,448,441  feet  against  32,950,758 
feet,  and  Warner  Bros,  and  Vitagraph,  33,742,077  feet  against 
33,152,212  feet. 


20th-Fox  Sees 
$10,600,000 
Net  for  1942 


the 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

ter.  and  with  $3,372,762  for 
corresponding  1941  quarter. 

The  company  estimated  Federal  in- 
come taxes  for  1942  at  $7,460,000,  of 
which  excess  profits  tax  minus  post- 
war credit  is  $2,610,000.  Federal  in- 
come taxes  for  1941  were  $2,275,000. 

Reserves  amounting  to  $3,500,00  I 
created  since  the  start  of  the  war  for 
frozen  revenue  in  foreign  markets, 
primarily  Great  Britain,  were  returne  1 
to  the  income  account  during  1942  clue 
to  the  release  of  the  company's  frozen 
balances  in  Britain  up  to  Oct.  24  and 
remittances  from  other  countries.  Of 
that  reserve,  $2,900,000  was  included 
in  the  company's  third  quarter  earn- 
ings, and  $600,000  in  fourth  quarter 
earnings.  A  reserve  of  $600,000  was 
set  aside  in  1942  with  respect  to  the 
company's  funds  still  blocked  in  for- 
eign territories. 

However,  the  company's  re- 
port notes  that  no  reserve  is 
contemplated  with  respect  to 
funds  in  England  at  Dec.  26, 
1942,  due  to  the  "expectation 
that  substantially  all  income 
earned  in  England  in  1942  will 
soon  be  available  in  dollars." 

The  1942  report  includes  a  dividend 
of  $756,000  received  from  National 
Theatres  in  the  fourth  quarter  at  the 
rate  of  $1  per  share  on  20th  Century- 
Fox's  42  per  cent  interest  in  the  com- 
pany. Consolidated  earnings  of  Na- 
tional Theatres  for  1942  were  esti- 
mated at  $3,300,000,  compared  with 
$2,397,246  for  1941. 

The  estimated  net  of  20th  Century- 
Fox,  after  deduction  of  preferred  divi- 
dends, is  equivalent  to  $5.30  per  share 
on  the  common  stock,  compared  with 
$2.03  per  share  the  previous  year. 


General  Precision 
'42  Net  $1,265,518 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
by  the  company  in  dividends  on  185,- 
600  shares  of  20th  Century-Fox  com- 
mon stock.  The  company's  net  sales 
amounted  to  $17,317,494,  compared 
with  $14,048,798  in  1941. 

In  his  annual  report,  Earle  G. 
Hines,  president,  noted  that  Time, 
I  n  c,  purchased  a  "substantial 
amount"  of  stock  of  General  Precision 
Equipment  during  1942  and  that 
Charles  L.  Stillman,  vice-president 
and  treasurer  of  Time,  Inc.,  was 
eltcted  to  the  board  of  General  Preci- 
sion Fquipment  to  fill  the  vacancv 
created  by  the  death  of  Chester  W. 
Cuthell. 

The  report  states  that  over  98  per 
cent  of  the  output  of  the  company's 
six  manufacturing  subsidiaries  last 
year  was  for  war  purposes.  It  also 
noted  that  the  business  of  National 
Theatre  Supply,  a  subsidiary,  is  de- 
clining due  to  scarcity  of  materials. 

The  report  describes  the  company's 
investment,  with  a  subsidiary  of  Para- 
mount Pictures,  in  Scophony  Corp.  of 
America,  television  concern,  as  a 
"relatively  modest  initial  investment  in 
its  capital  stock." 


Wednesday,  March  24,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


W.B.  Denied  Motion 
For  Trust  Dismissal 


Chicago,  March  23.  —  Warner 
Bros.'  motion  to  be  dismissed  from 
the  Jackson  Park  anti-trust  case  has 
been  denied  and  Federal  Judge  Mi- 
chael Igoe  has  directed  the  company 
to  file  its  answer  to  the  complaint  by 
March  26. 

Thomas  McConnnell,  counsel  to  the 
Complainant,  said  he  plans  to  take  dep- 
ositions from  all  defendants  in  ad- 
vance of  the  trial,  which  has  been  set 
for  June  7.  Balaban  &  Katz  and  all 
major  distributors  are  defendants. 


Adelphi  Trust  Trial 
Put  Off  in  Chicago 

Chicago,  March  23. — Trial  of  the 
Adelphi  Theatre  anti-trust  case  has 
been  postponed  to  May  21  by  agree- 
ment of  the  parties.  Conferences  have 
been  scheduled  and  it  is  hoped  that  a 
plan  for  settlement  can  be  evolved 
before  that  time  as  neither  side  is  said 
to  be  fully  prepared  to  go  to  trial. 
This  five-year-old  suit  involves  ap- 
proximately 100  theatres,  charging 
violation  of  the  anti-trust  laws  by  the 
major  distributors. 


'Pilot  No.  5'  Trade  Show 

M-G-M  announced  it  will  trade 
show  "Pilot  No.  5"  in  most  exchange 
centers  April  6.  It  will  be  shown  in 
Washington  April  5.  in  Detroit  April  7. 


Will  Weigh  Revision 
Of  London  Releases 


London,  March  23. — The  full  coun- 
cil of  the  Kinematograph  Renters  So- 
ciety (distributors)  and  sales,  mana- 
gers will  confer  with  a  large  group 
of  London  and  district  exhibitors  on 
Thursday  to  discuss  adjustment  of 
London  releases. 

The  KRS  has  formulated  a  plan 
which  it  will  present  to  the  Cinemato- 
graph Exhibitors  Association,  it  is 
reported. 

Exhibitor  circles  delieve  the  distrib- 
utors will  suggest  the  division  of  Lon- 
don into  three  consecutive  areas,  with 
probably  approximately  40  first  release 
situations. 


Griffiths  on  Naval  Corp. 

London,  March  23. — D.  E.  Grif- 
fiths, now  general  manager  of  Asso- 
ciated British  Film  Distributors,  has 
been  elected  to  represent  the  Kine- 
matograph Renters  Society  on  the 
Royal  Naval  Film  Corp.,  replacing  the 
late  C  M.  Woolf. 


Joins  Buying  Combine 

Chicago,  March  23.— The  Emmett 
Theatre  here  has  joined  Allied  of 
Illinois'  buying  and  booking  combine, 
it  is  revealed. 


Brent  Suit  vs.  Agfa 
Halted  in  U  S.  Court 


Rudolph  Brent's  action  for  dam- 
ages of  $20,000  against  the  AGFA 
Raw  Film  Corp. ;  Pathe  Laboratories, 
Inc.,  of  California ;  Pathe  Laborato- 
ries, Inc.,  and  Cinema  Laboratories, 
Inc.,  was  discontinued  yesterday  in 
Federal  Court.  The  suit,  according 
to  Brent's  attorneys,  will  be  instituted 
soon  in  N.  Y.  County  Supreme  Court. 

The  action  was  brought  by  Brent, 
as  assignee  of  Aetna  Film  Corp., 
which  turned  over  7,100  feet  of  film 
of  an  all-Negro  cast  picture,  "Mystery 
of  Swing,"  which  was  to  be  held  in 
trust  until  all  Aetna's  bills  for  mate- 
rials were  paid.  AGFA  returned  only 
6,300  feet  of  film  claiming  that  800  feet 
had  been  lost  or  destroyed,  it  was 
charged. 


See  Bigger  Service  Need 

A  sharp  increase  in  service  con- 
tracts recently  obtained  by  Altec  Ser- 
vice reflects  "exhibitors'  mounting 
awareness  of  the  need  for  conserva- 
tion of  projection  room  equipment  and 
parts,"  the  company  announced. 


W.B.  Extends  Sales  Drive 

Warner  Bros,  announced  extension 
of  its  current  sales  drive  to  May  8. 
It  originally  was  scheduled  to  close 
May  1. 


Assembly  Passes 
Chance  Games  Bill 

Albany,  March  23.— The  As- 
sembly today  passed  Assem- 
blyman Malcolm  Wilson's 
chance  game  bill,  101  to  33. 
Opposition  was  almost  en- 
tirely from  upstate  rural  Re- 
publicans. The  measure  per- 
mits local  option  to  legalize 
games  in  that  five  percent  of 
the  electors  in  any  city,  town 
or  village  can  petition  the 
governing  board  of  their  lo- 
cality. Sponsorship  of  games 
would  be  granted  only  to 
charitable,  civic,  educational, 
fraternal,  veterans'  or  relig- 
ious organizations. 


Milne  Dies  in  Seattle 

E.  G.  Milne,  veteran  field  publicity 
rhan  for  RKO,  died  last  Friday  of  a 
heart  ailment  in  Seattle,  where  he 
made  his  headquarters,  the  home  of- 
fice reported.  He  formerly  was  with 
the  Pantages  circuit. 


Harris  in  RKO  Field  Post 

Maurice  (Bucky)  Harris,  formerly 
with  RKO  Theatres,  has  joined  the 
RKO  publicity  staff,  covering  Cincin- 
nati and  Indianapolis,  Terry  Turner, 
head  of  RKO  exploitation,  announced. 


A  SCENE  FROM  AT  DAWN  WE  DIE 


wm.  JOHN  CLEMENTS    GODFREY  TEARLE  •  HUGH  SINCLAIR  •  GRETA  GYNT  •  JUDY  KELLY 


(GEORGE  KING— Director  •  Original  Story  by  DOROTHY  HOPE  •  Screen  Play  by  ANATOLE  de  GRUNWALD  •  Script  by  KATHERINE  STRUEBY 

<A  REPUBLIC  PICTURE  BUY  U.  S.  WAR  SAVINGS  BONDS 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  March  24,  1943 


Appeal  Board  Hits 
Refusal  to  Specify 
Decree  Violations 


(Continued  from  payc  1) 

brought,  the  arbitrator  considered  it 
as  both  a  run  and  clearance  complaint 
and  held  that  it  had  not  been  sustained 
under  either  Section  6,  8  or  10  of  the 
decree  and  dismissed  the  proceedings. 

The  complainant  appealed  and  the 
appeal  board  affirmed  the  arbitrator's 
dismissal  of  the  case  as  a  run  com- 
plaint but  reversed  the  arbitrator  on 
the  basis  of  clearance  and  set  a  maxi- 
mum clearance  of  seven  days  for  the 
Lyric    and    Senate    on  Paramount, 
RKO,  20th   Century-Fox  and  Vita- 
graph  product  over  the  Rivoli. 
Censuring    the  complainant 
for  refusing  to  state  the  section 
of  the  decree  under  which  the 
complaint  was  brought  the  ap- 
peal board  said:   "We  cannot 
conclude  this  opinion  without 
expressing   our   complete  dis- 
approval of  the  form  of  com- 
plainants'   demand.      Such  a 
practice  cannot  be  sanctioned. 
It  unnecessarily  lengthens  the 
arbitration,   causes   delay  and 
increases  the  expense." 
Meanwhile,  in  Boston,  George  E. 
Gordon,  arbitrator,  held  that  the  30 
days'  clearance  of  the  Bijou,  Woon- 
socket,  K.  I.,  over  the  Rialto,  is  not 
unreasonable,  but  found  that  the  60  to 
90-day  clearance  of  the  Stadium  over 
the  Rialto  is  unreasonable  and  directed 
that  Loew's  RKO,  20th  Century-Fox 
and   Vitagraph    fix    the  maximum 
clearance  for  the  Stadium  at  45  days. 
It  directed  further  that'  if  the  Rialto 
eliminates  giveaways  and  bargain  ad- 
missions, the  maximum  clearance  of 
the  Stadium  over  the  Rialto  should 
be  30  days  if  the  present  price  differ- 
ential is  maintained. 

Gary  House  Appeals 
An  appeal  was  filed  at  the  Chicago 
tribunal  by  the  Gary  Theatre  from 
the  dismissal  of  its  clearance  com- 
plaint by  Benjamin  Wham,  arbitrator, 
who  confined  the  hearings  to  opening 
statements  by  attorneys  for  both  sides 
and  dismissed  the  complaint. 

The  clearance  complaint  of  the  Park 
Theatre  Co.,  operator  of  the  Deuber 
Theatre.  Canton,  0.,  has  been  dis- 
missed at  the  Cleveland  arbitration 
tribunal  by  S.  D.  L.  Jackson,  arbitra- 


British  Government 
Cut  Raw  Stock  Use 

(Continued  from  page  I) 

ernment  departments  and  any 
films  commissioned  by  them. 

Purchase  of  any  supply  of  raw  stock 
will  be  only  by  Board  of  Trade  li- 
cense. Holders  of  raw  stock  exceed- 
ing 5,000,000  feet  must  register  their 
amounts  with  the  Board  of  Trade. 

The  order  will  not  apply  to  com- 
pleted film  held  for  exhibition  or  ex- 
port. The  first  period  to  which  the 
order  applies  is  April  4  to  Aug.  14. 
but  returns  must  be  made  at  once  on 
all  films  held  as  of  Feb.  15. 

Under  the  allocation  system  the  dis- 
tributors in  the  first  period  will  re- 
ceive an  amount  equal  to  40  per  cent 
of  their  1942  consumption. 

Laboratories  will  be  required  to  ob- 
tain licenses  to  acquire  and  stock  raw 
stock.  The  producers'  allocation  per 
film  will  be  on  a  basis  of  labor  cost, 
and  trailers  will  be  subject  to  a  similar 
reduction. 


Reviews 


"Salute  for  Three" 

{Paramount)  Hollywood,  March  23 

jV/T  ARK  this  one  as  a  little  item  with  first-class  production  values  that 
far  outdistance  entertainment  content.    In  fact,  "Salute  for  Three" 
ends  up  with  no  brakes  screaming  on  the  unimaginative  and  dull  side. 

It's  old  and  familiar  stuff  worn  threadbare  and  beyond,  if  possible,  by 
repetition  down  the  years.  A  case  once  more  of  the  warbler  trying  to  cut 
her  swath  in  radio  and  her  publicity  man's  efforts  to  give  her  the  news- 
paper buildup  which  will  clinch  the  ether  contract.  This  calls  for  con- 
flict on  the  love  side,  in  keeping  with  formula,  and  a  long  series  of  mis- 
understandings which  get  in  the  way  of  the  conclusion  until  the  proper 
time  has  arrived. 

In  "Salute  for  Three,"  it  happens  again.  This  time,  however,  there  is 
martial  background  with  much  of  the  action  taking  place  in  the  Man- 
hattan Canteen.  The  setup  allows  for  band  numbers,  solos  by  Betty 
Rhodes,  the  thrush,  and  a  number  by  Cliff  Edwards,  the  picture's  comic, 
and  pretty  sad,  too. 

Plodding  performances,  devoid  of  sparkle,  are  delivered  by  Miss 
Rhodes,  MacDonald  Carey,  the  war  hero ;  Marty  May,  out  of  the  New 
York  stage:  Minna  Gombell,  Lorraine  and  Rognan  in  a  dance  specialty, 
and  Dona  Drake,  shaking  hips  and  leading  a  girl  band. 

Walter  MacEwen  produced  and  Ralph  Murphy  directed. 

Running  time,  80  minutes.  "G"* 


"High  Explosive" 

(Paramount) 

Hollyzvood,  March  23 

HESTER  MORRIS  and  Jean  Parker  are  the  names  to  draw  to  in 
behalf  of  this  exercise  in  excitement  which  concerns  the  men  who 
drive  the  trucks  which  convey  nitroglycerine  to  point  of  use,  a  dangerous 
occupation  in  pursuit  of  which  the  principals  engage  with  various  results. 
It's  an  hour  of  exhilaration  for  the  followers  of  action  films  and  a  likely 
program  companion  for  a  film  of  quiet  pattern. 

Maxwell  Shane  and  Howard  J.  Green  wrote  the  screenplay,  fabricat- 
ing it  to  the  shape  of  the  subject,  and  Frank  McDonald  directed  for  pro- 
ducers William  Pine  and  William  Thomas. 

Morris  plays  an  adventurous  nitro  expert  who  competes  with  his  em- 
ployer, played  by  Barry  Sullivan,  for  the  affections  of  Miss  Parker,  Rand 
Brooks  playing  her  brother  whose  death  by  explosion  occurs  while  he's 
making  a  delivery  assigned  to  Morris.  In  indirect  expiation,  Morris, 
piloting  a  plane  loaded  with  nitro  and  unable  to  land  in  a  fog,  flies  it 
and  himself  into  a  fire  which  threatens  a  warplant,  extinguishing  it  and 
(K  ing  in  the  process. 

Others  in  the  cast  are  Barbara  Lynn.  Ralph  Sanford,  Dick  Purcell, 
Yince  Barnett  and  Addison  Randall. 

Running  time,  62  minutes.  "G"*  William  R.  Weaver 


'He's  My  Guy" 

(Universal) 

Hollywood ,  March  23 

A  T  this  point  the  name  of  Joan  Davis  is  no  marquee  synonym  for 
"must  see,"  but  if  the  several  studios  now  engaged  in  filming  her 
clowning  give  her  the  freedom  and  footage  Universal  allocated  to  her 
uses  in  this  frolic  it's  not  a  good  bet  that  it  won't  be.  There's  no  need 
to  wait  for  that  state  of  affairs  to  develop,  however,  if  a  showman's 
program  requires  a  picture  to  give  his  customers  a  lot  of  laughs,  because 
that  is  what  this  one  does.  And  if  the  comedienne  is  going  to  be  a 
marquee  magnet  in  the  near  bye  and  bye  it's  an  idea  to  give  her  billing 
some  prominence  while  it's  still  to  be  had  at  an  economical  figure. 

The  confection  cooked  up  as  a  background  for  Miss  Davis'  forthright 
talents,  which  range  from  wisecrack  to  slapstick,  is  one  of  those  com- 
I  oundings  of  vaudeville-type  numbers  in  which  the  studio  specializes. 
It's  got  Dick  Foran  and  Irene  Hervey  in  a  central  romance  about  a  two- 
act  which  splits  up  in  a  dressing  room  and  attains  mending  in  the 
course  of  staging-  a  show  for  a  defense  plant,  which  is  framework 
enough.  Others  in  the  story,  are  Fuzzv  Knight,  Don  Douglas  Samuel 
S.  Hinds  and  Bill  Halligan. 

It  contains,  also,  Gertrude  Niesen  in  two  song-  numbers,  the  Mills 
Brothers  in  two  more,  the  Diamond  Brothers  in  another  pair,  plus 
dances,  a  pair  by  Miss  Hervey  and  Foran  and  the  Dorene  Sisters  also 
participate.  It's  the  Davis  comedy  that  keeps  the  ball  rolling,  though, 
and  that's  plenty  for  the  distance. 

Edward  F.  Cline  directed  for  associate  producer  Will  Cowan  from 
a  script  by  M.  Coates  Webster  and  Grant  Garrett  based  on  a  story  bv 
Kenneth  Higgins,  all  these  gentlemen  displaying  judgment  in  giving 
the  comedienne  her  head  and  letting  her  run. 

Running  time,  65  minutes.    "G."  William  R.  Weaver 


"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Air  Mail  May  Be 
Rationed:  Walker 

Air  mail  may  be  rationed 
soon,  according  to  dispatches 
to  New  York  newspapers  from 
Los  Angeles  which  said  that 
Postmaster  General  Frank  C. 
Walker  suggested  it  may  be 
necessary  to  bar  air  mail  com- 
pletely to  the  general  public, 
to  effect  a  priorities  system  or 
to  limit  private  air  mail  to  a 
500-mile  radius.  Walker  said 
mail  planes  are  greatly  over- 
burdened, it  was  reported. 


$10,000  in  Bonds 
For  RKO  'Fairs' Plan 


Approximately  $10,000  in  war  bonds 
and  stamps  will  be  given  by  RKO  the- 
atres throughout  the  country  to  am- 
ateur victory  gardeners.  Edward  L. 
Alperson,  general  manager  of  the  cir- 
cuit, announced  yesterday. 

Sponsored  to  stimulate  interest  in 
gardening,  houses  will  sponsor  "fairs," 
affording  farmers  and  farmerettes  all 
over  the  country  an  opportunity  to  dis- 
play their  prowess. 


Legion  of  Decency 
Approves  6  Films 

The  National  Legion  of  Decency  in 
its  current  listing  has  approved  all 
six  new  features  classified,  including 
three  for  general  patronage  and  three 
for  adults.  The  films  and  their  classi- 
fications follow : 

Class  A-l,  Unobjectionable  for 
General  Patronage :  "Clancy  Street 
Boys,"  "Hoppy  Serves  a  Writ,"  "Law 
of  the  Northwest."  Class  A-2,  Unob- 
jectionable for  Adults:  "Corregidor," 
"The  Falcon  Strikes  Back,"  "Hit  Pa- 
rade of  1943." 


Korda  London  Films 
Close  N.  Y.  Office 

The  New  York  offices  of  Sir  Alex- 
ander Korda  and  his  London  Films 
have  been  closed  following  the  pro- 
ducer's affiliation  with  M-G-M  in 
charge  of  the  latter's  London  produc- 
tion. Dan  Frankel  headed  the  local 
Korda  office  since  the  departure  of 
Stephen  Pallos  for  London  a  month 


British  R.A.F.  Film 
Men  En  Route  Here 

Loxdox,  March  23. — Hugh  Gray 
and  John  Boulting,  associated  with 
the  Royal  Air  Force  film  unit,  are 
en  route  to  New  York  to  discuss  ar- 
rangements for  production  and  dis- 
tribution of  a  documentary  film  on  in- 
ter-Allied training  methods. 


Set  'Ladies  in  Gray' 

Hollywood,  March  23. — "Ladies  in 
Gray"  has  been  added  to  the  M-G-M 
schedule,  it  was  announced.  It  is  the 
story  of  a  women's  organization  aid- 
ing in  hospital  rehabilitation  of  veter- 
ans. The  War  Department  and  the 
Red  Cross  are  collaborating. 


Canadian  Group  to  Meet 

Toronto,  March  23. — The  Canadian 
Fire  Prevention  Association  will  hold 
its  annual  convention  at  the  Seigniory 
Club,  Lucerne,  May  2Q  to  22. 


DO  NOT  REMOVE 


Red  Cross 
War  Fund 

Week 
April  1-7 


j  "7ION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


Red  Cross 
War  Fund 

Week 
April  1-7 


s^L.  53.  NO.  57 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  THURSDAY,  MARCH  25,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Davis  Lauds 
Films,  Radio 
Cooperation 

Answers  House  Charge 
Of  Lack  of  Teamwork 

Washington,  March  24. — Deny- 
ing charges  by  Congressman  Dit- 
ter  of  Pennsylvania  that  the  Of- 
fice of  War  Information  was  fail- 
ing to  cooperate  with  films,  radio 
and  the  press,  Elmer  Davis,  direc- 
tor, declared  today  that  nearly  $90,- 
000,000  worth  of  radio  time  and 
talent  has  been  made  available  for 
war  purposes  "at  but  little  cost  to 
the  Government"  and  that  this 
alone  was  10  times  the  OWI's  do- 
mestic budget  of  $9,000,000. 

The  OWI  Motion  Picture  Bu- 
reau, Davis  explained,  works 
with  the  industry's  War  Activi- 
ties Committee  and  the  various 
producers,  and  the  "generous 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


SWG  'Stands  Pat' 
On  Wage  Demands 


Hollywood,  March  24. — The  bar- 
gaining committee  of  the  Screen  Writ- 
ers Guild  last  night  voted  to  stand  pat 
on  the  Guild's  ultimatum  to  the  inde- 
pendent producers  requiring  a  new 
minimum  price  scale  for  scripts  and 
writer  services. 

The  Independent  Motion  Picture 
Producers  Association  will  meet  to- 
morrow night  to  decide  whether  to 
grant  the  proposed  increase,  which  in- 
dividual members  have  said  would 
work  a  hardship  on  the  producers  in 
the  Western  and  other  minor  budget 
fields. 


United  Nation  Week 
Collection  Expected 
To  Hit  $1,500,000 

When  all  collections  are  in  on 
the  United  Nations  Week  drive, 
held  last  January  in  about  10,000 
theatres  throughout  the  nation, 
the  total  is  expected  to  approxi- 
mate $1,500,000,  officials  indicated 
yesterday.  A  War  Activities 
check  for  the  amount  will  be 
presented  to  President  Roose- 
velt's War  Relief  Control  Board 
m  Washington  next  Tuesday. 

The  presentation  will  be  made  by 
a  group  of  campaign  officials  at  a 
luncheon  to  be  tendered  the  board  and 
specially  invited  Government  officials, 
at  which  Francis  S.  Harmon,  WAC 
coordinator,  will  be  host.  Harmon 
will  leave  for  Washington  Sunday  to 

(Continued  on  page  4) 

Studios  Act  to  Cut 
Fan  Mail  Activities 

Hollywood,  March  24. — The  impact 
of  shortages  struck  Hollywood  in  a 
new  direction  when  the  Industry  Serv- 
ice Bureau,  at  a  meeting  of  its  com- 
ponent studio  advertising  and  publicity 
heads,  moved  to  order  a  curtailment 
of  fan  mail  operations  because  of  the 
drain  on  materials.  A  subcommittee 
was  appointed  to  survey  the  situation 
as  a  means  of  effecting  economies. 

The  ISB  also  resolved  against 
"dollar  publicity"  in  relation  to  talent 
salaries,  which  it  regards  as  injurious 
to  the  industry's  welfare. 


Republic  is  preparing  to  take  its 
place  in  the  international  market  on 
a  broad  scale  after  the  war,  H.  J. 
Yates  revealed  yesterday.  Yates 
visages  the  American  industry  as  as- 
suming a  larger  world  role,  and  said 
that  Republic,  is  already  planning  to 
take  a  large  number  of  men  from 
its  sales  organization  for  training  as 
representatives  in  the  new  markets 
which  will  be  opened. 

Pointing  out  that  Hollywood  will 
have  no  monopoly  on  film  production 
or  entertainment  tastes  after  the  war, 
Yates  said  that  the  public  is  not  great- 
ly concerned  about  the  origin  of  a  pic- 
ture as  long  as  it  is  entertainment. 
He  also  said  that  after  the  war  there 
will  be  wide  reciprocity  between  the 
production  centers  of  the  world,  and 


'We  Must  Keep  Up 
Production':  Walker 

Hollywood,  March  24. — Post- 
master General  Frank  C. 
Walker  at  a  press  conference 
here  said:  "We  must  keep  up 
the  production  of  motion  pic- 
tures. We  would  have  a  pretty 
drab  time  of  it  and  morale 
would  suffer  if  we  did  not." 

Y.  Frank  Freeman,  presi- 
dent of  the  Association  of  Mo- 
tion Picture  Producers,  enter- 
tained Walker  at  the  Para- 
mount studio  today.  He  leaves 
tomorrow  for  San  Diego. 

Federal  Ticket  Tax 
Totals  103  Million 
For  Eight  Months 

Washington,  March  24. — The  Fed- 
eral Government  collected  $11,317,101 
from  admission  taxes  in  February,  a 
slight  seasonal  decline  from  the  $11,- 
728,489  obtained  in  January  but  well 
above  the  $9,769,398  recorded  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1942,  it  was  announced  tonight 
by  the  Internal  Revenue  Bureau. 

With  the  February  collections,  the 
total  for  the  first  eight  months  of  the 
Government's  fiscal  year  rose  to  $103,- 
557,840,  compared  with  $70,297,284 
collected  through  the  same  months  in 
1942. 

A  sharp  increase  in  revenues  from 
the   Third   New   York  (Broadway) 
District  indicated  a  much  greater  drop 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


that  the  exchange  of  ideas  and  enter- 
tainment values  would  serve  to  bring 
peoples  together  "more  than  anything 
you  can  point  to  today." 

He  also  expressed  the  opinion  that 
all  conventions,  sales  policies  and  the 
like  will  be  international  in  viewpoint 
and  background. 

Yates  will  discuss  international  as- 
pects at  the  third  and  final  regional 
sales  meeting  of  the  company's  series 
which  opens  at  the  New  York  Athletic 
Club  here  today.  The  meeting  will 
continue  tomorrow. 

Republic's  four  district  sales  man- 
agers, including  Francis  Bateman, 
Western ;  Merritt  Davis,  Southern ; 
Sam  Seplowin,  Midwestern,  and  Max- 
well Gillis,  Eastern,  will  attend,  head- 

(Continued  on  page  4) 


Expect  F.D.R. 
To  Accept  Pay 
Limit  Repealer 


House  Approves  Proviso 
Adopted  by  Senate 

By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  March  24. — Con- 
gress today  completed  action  on  re- 
peal of  President  Roosevelt's  salary 
limitation  order  with  the  House 
accepting  the  Senate  provision  pro- 
hibiting the  reduction  of  salaries 
below  their  highest  level  between 
Jan.  1  and  Sept.  15,  1942. 

The  bill  now  goes  to  the  White 
House  where  it  is  expected  the  repeal 
provision  will  be  accepted  by  Presi- 
dent Roosevelt  rather  than  face  a  fight 
with  Congress  which  might  delay  the 
major  purpose  of  the  measure,  to  in- 
crease the  debt  limit,  and  interfere 
with  the  Treasury's  bond  selling  pro- 
gram. 

The  Senate  yesterday  passed  the 
debt  limit  bill  of  which  the  salary  ceil- 
ing repealer  was  a  rider  by  a  vote 
of  74  to  3. 


Assembly  Repeals 
16- Year- Actor  Law 


Albany,  March  24. — The  Assem- 
bly today  passed  Assemblyman  Harold 
B.  Ehrlich's  bill  to  repeal  the  present 
blue  laws  relating  to  the  employment 
of  children  under  16  years  for  motion 
picture  production,  stage  and  radio 
appearances,  and  the  like,  either  non- 
professional or  professional. 

Only  six  votes  were  cast  against  the 
measure,  which  is  favored  by  exhibi- 
tors, broadcasters  and  children's  aid 
committees. 

The  bill  empowers  such  work  and 
appearances  if  local  educational  au- 
thorities believe  they  do  not  conflict 
with  the  education,  welfare  and  morals 
of  the  child.  It  provides  that  permits 
for  as  long  as  six  months  may  be 
granted.  The  bill  allows  the  City  of 
New  York  to  handle  the  matter  of 
permits  in  any  way  it  desires. 

Meanwhile,  the  Committee  on  Crim- 
(Continued  on  page  4) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "At  Dawn  We 
Die"  and  "Corregidor,"  Page 
6.  Key  city  box-office  reports, 
Pages  4,  6  and  8.  Hollywood 
production  news,  Page  10. 


Coast  I A  Members 
Ask  Probe  of  Ranks 

Hollywood,  March  24.  —  In- 
dividual members  of  the 
IATSE  have  invited  Governor 
Warren  of  California  to  insti- 
tute a  checkup  of  the  union 
ranks  in  Hollywood  for  the 
purpose  of  establishing  that 
no  gangsterism  or  other  sin- 
ister influences  are  at  work. 
The  move  is  an  endeavor  to 
offset  possible  implications  of 
the  New  York  film  extortion 
indictments. 


Yates  Plans  International 
Role  for  Rep.  After  War 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  March  25,  1943 


Personal  Mention 


Coast  Flashes 


Hollywood,  March  24 

EXECUTIVES  of  the  Screen  Ac- 
tors Guild,  Association  of  Motion 
Picture  Producers  and  the  Hollywood 
Victory  Committee  will  meet  tomor- 
row night  to  implement  the  application 
of  the  SAG  resolution  adopted  Mon- 
day calling  for  the  services  of  2,000 
actors  for  a  minimum  of  six  weeks 
annually  in  HVC  activities.  Y.  Frank 
Freeman,  Paramount  vice-president, 
and  other  studio  heads,  are  expected 
to  establish  a  system  for  advance 
notification  to  the  HVC  of  players' 
availability. 

• 

Abandonment  of  "Sons  of  Japan" 
was  revealed  today  by  Paramount,  fol- 
lowing its  decision  to  make  "The  Hit- 
ler Gang,"  because  other  studios  have 
similar  projects.  "Sons  of  Japan"  was 
originally  planned  as  a  documented 
film  in  entertainment  format  identical 
with  the  contemplated  Hitler  film. 
• 

Labor  leaders  met  tonight  with 
William  Hopkins,  regional  War  Man- 
power Commission  director,  to  submit 
proposals  contemplating  establishment 
of  a  labor-management  committee  for 
the  industry  here.  Following  comple- 
tion of  recommendations,  the  project  is 
to  be  presented  to  the  Association  of 
Motion  Picture  Producers  for  reac- 
tion. 

70  N.Y.  Theatres  to 
Offer  CDVO  Talks 

Seventy  theatres  in  the  New  York 
metropolitan  area  will  offer  lectures 
by  Civilian  Defense  Volunteer  Office 
speakers  on  the  new  system  of  meat 
and  butter  rationing  on  Monday. 

Arrangements  for  the  lectures  were 
completed  at  a  conference  of  exhibi- 
tors and  CDVO  officials  at  City  Hall 
yesterday.  The  lectures  will  be  ad- 
vertised by  other  theatres  throughout 
the  city  and  attention  will  be  called 
to  them  by  Mayor  LaGuardia  in  his 
regular  radio  broadcast  on  Sunday. 

There  is  a  possibility  that  theatres 
will  be  used  in  bringing  similar 
CDVO  messages  to  the  public  in  the 
future,  such  as  Victory  garden  and 
wartime  cooking  lectures,  according 
to  Fred  Schwartz,  WAC  exhibitor 
chairman  for  New  York. 


Bernstein  to  No.  Africa 

London,  March  24. — Sidney  Bern- 
stein, former  British  circuit  operator, 
who  has  been  serving  the  Ministry  of 
Information  on  special  assignments 
here  and  in  the  United  States,  has 
left  for  North  Africa  on  a  films  mis- 
sion. 


Conn.  Tax  Receipts  Drop 

New  Haven,  March  24.  —  State 
amusement  tax  receipts  in  Connecti- 
cut for  February  were  $254  less  than 
in  February  last  year,  Tax  Commis- 
sioner Walter  Walsh  reported. 


PROTECTING  THE  THEATRE 
..OUR  "FIRST LINE  OF  MORALE" 

::3  West  57th  Street  •  New  York  City 


EDWARD  C.  RAFTERY  and 
Arthur  W.  Kelly  of  United 
Artists  are  expected  back  from  the 
Coast  on  Monday. 

• 

Oscar  A.  Doob,  left  for  Florida 
yesterday  to  join  Mrs.  Doob,  who  is 
recovering  from  an  operation. 

• 

Walter  E.  Branson,  RKO  West- 
ern division  manager,  has  left  for  Chi- 
cago. 

• 

Nicholas  Napoli,  president  of  Art- 
kino,  is  expected  from  California  on 
Monday. 

• 

Robert  Gottschall,  auditor  of  the 
Indiana-Illinois  circuit,  Chicago,  is  the 
father  of  twins,  a  boy  named  Bruce 
Alison,  and  a  girl,  named  Susan 
Jane,  born  to  Mrs.  Gottschall  on 
Monday. 

• 

Sgt.  Robert  Gilbert,  formerly  with 
the  Houlton  Theatre,  Houlton,  Me., 
has  been  awarded  the  Silver  Star  for 
gallantry  in  action,  in  the  Army  Air 
Corps. 

• 

Lt.  Joseph  Podoloff,  USN,  for- 
merly manager  of  the  20th  Century- 
Fox  Minneapolis  exchange,  visited  in 
New  Haven  before  entering  his  final 
basic  training  in  Washington. 


LOUIS    B.    MAYER,  Howard 
Strickling  and  Frank  Orsatti 
have  left  for  the  Coast. 

• 

Ed  Fay  of  Providence  was  a  New 
York  visitor. 

Jacob  Wilk  was  in  Boston  yester- 
day. 

• 

Norman  J.  Ayers,  Warner's  New 
England  district  manager  in  Boston, 
is  due  in  New  York  after  visiting 
New  Haven. 

• 

G.  L.  Carrington,  vice-president 
and  general  manager  of  Altec  Ser- 
vice, has  returned  to  New  York  from 
the  Coast. 

Theo  Jung  of  Loew's  construction 
department  was  a  New  Haven  visitor. 
• 

Joseph  Reed,  of  Washington  and 
Bantam,  Conn.,  theatres,  has  recuper- 
ated from  an  illness. 

Pvt.  Donat  Blaine,  former  oper- 
ator of  the  Jodoin  Theatre,  Baltic, 
Conn.,  is  home  on  furlough. 

• 

John  McKeehan,  booker  for  Sterl- 
ing circuit,  Seattle,  leaves  for  the 
Army  this  week. 


Ontario  Theatres 
Observing  Safety 

Toronto,  March  24. — Follow- 
ing receipt  of  word  that  the 
Ontario  Government  have  de- 
cided on  stern  action  against 
theatre  operators  who  violate 
safety  regulations,  circuit 
home  offices  sent  out  circular 
letters  warning  managers  to 
check  their  houses,  while  the 
Motion  Picture  Theatres  As- 
sociation of  Ontario  advised  I 
members  that  the  Govern-  V 
ment  were  launching  a  round- 
up of  offenders. 

As  a  result,  theatres  are 
celling  tickets  only  when  seats 
are  available,  and  aisles  and 
lobbies  in  houses  are  being 
kept  clear. 


Newsreels  Feature 
Rationing  of  Meat 


The  American  housewive's  newest 
problem,  meat  rationing,  is  featured  in 
all  of  the  midweek  newsreels,  in  addi- 
tion to  a  complete  newsreel  coverage 
on  the  Allied  drive  in  Tunisia. 

Movietone,  News  of  the  Day  and 
Pathe  feature  a  visit  to  the  largest 
Army  hospital  in  the  United  States, 
the  Halloran  General  Hospital  in 
Staten  Island,  N.  Y.  Production  of 
the  Army's  new  tank-killers,  rolling 
of  the  assembly  lines  in  mass  quantity, 
is  featured  in  Pathe,  Movietone,  Uni- 
versal and  Paramount  newsreels. 

The  visits  of  two  distinguished 
foreigners,  Mme.  Chiang  Kai-shek 
and  Britain's  Anthony  Eden  are  cov- 
ered in  Universal,  Paramount  and 
News  of  the  Day.  Tests  of  the  new 
heavy  guns  at  Fort  Bragg  are  shown 
in  Paramount,  Movietone,  Pathe  and 
News  of  the  Day. 


Plan  Ohio  Camp  Theatre 

Bucyrus,  O.,  March  24. — A  new 
motion  picture  theatre  will  be  built 
at  nearby  Camp  Millard,  headquar- 
ters of  the  755th  Railway  Engineers 
Battalion,  it  has  been  announced  by 
Maj.  Miles  G.  Stevens,  commanding- 
officer. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor; 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor; 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second"  class  matter,  Sept. '23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  -N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of- March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  eopiei  10c 


Cal.  Paralysis  Fund 
Drive  Nets  $270,000 


Hollywood,  March  24. — California 
theatre  collections  for  the  infantile 
paralysis  drive  exceeded  $270,000,  sur- 
passing the  1942  figure  by  $100,000, 
according  to  David  O.  Selznick,  State 
Chairman. 


Phila.  Over  Top 
In  Theatre  Drives 

Philadelphia,  March  24. — Lewen 
Pizor  and  Jay  Emanuel,  co-chairmen 
of  the  local  March  of  Dimes  drive, 
announced  that  a  total  of  $60,000  was 
collected  by  film  houses  here  as  com- 
pared with  $39,000  last  year.  This 
was  the  first  time  that  there  had  been 
100  per  cent  participation  of  all  thea- 
tres in  the  city. 

Independent  houses  collected  $19,950 
as  compared  with  $10,565  last  year, 
while  the  Warner  circuit  houses  col- 
lected $39,244  as  against  $28,638  in 
1942,  it  was  announced. 

In  the  United  War  Chest  drive,  for 
which  Morris  Wax  served  as  industry 
chairman,  the  theatre  division  went 
over  the  top  in  raising  $36,600,  repre- 
senting 107.8  per  cent  of  its  given 
quota,  and  120  per  cent  more  than 
last  year. 

David  Barrist,  United  Nations  drive 
chairman,  announced  350  Eastern 
Pennsylvania  theatres  raised  $69,000. 

Goodman  to  So.  Am.; 
Names  G.  P.  Morgan 

Morris  Goodman,  Republic  vice- 
president  in  charge  of  foreign  distrib- 
ution, left  yesterday  for  a  trip  through 
Latin  America.  He  is  expected  to  be 
gone  more  than  four  months. 

Prior  to  his  departure  Goodman  an- 
nounced the  appointment  of  G.  P. 
Morgan  as  home  office  representative 
of  the  foreign  department.  Morgan 
formerly  was  with  United  Artists' 
foreign  department  and  served  as  man- 
ager for  the  companv  in  Argentina. 


$60,000  Bail  for  2 
In  Film  Extort  Case 

Chicago,  March  24. — Louis  Cam- 
pagna  and  Paul  DeLucia,  two  of  the 
nine  members  of  the  Al  Capone  syndi- 
cate who  are  accused  in  a  Federal 
indictment  of  extortion  from  motion 
picture  executives  on  threats  of  order- 
ing nationwide  strikes  by  projection- 
ists, surrendered  today  at  the  United 
States'  Marshal's  office  here.  They, 
along  with  four  other  alleged  members 
of  the  Chicago  underworld,  who  are 
still  missing  were  fugitives  from  jus- 
tice until  today. 

On  arraignment  before  a  U.S.  Com- 
missioner, both  were  held  in  $60,000 
bail  each  for  a  hearing  April  5. 


In  New  York  City,  yesterday,  Louis 
Kaufman,  of  the  Newark  Local  of  the 
IATSE,  was  freed  when  he  posted 
$25,000  bail,  for  trial  which  has  been 
set  for  March  29,  although  U.  S.  At- 
torney Mathias  Correa  has  indicated 
he  would  not  be  able  to  start  the  case 
on  that  date. 

John  Rosselli,  another  indicted  mem- 
ber of  the  gang,  held  in  $100,000  bail, 
is  in  the  Federal  House  of  Detention 
in  New  York. 


Ruth  Hussey  in  Prov. 

Providence,  R.  I.,  March  24. — 
Native-born  Ruth  Hussey  will  attend 
the  local  opening  tomorrow  of 
M-G-M's  "Tennessee  Johnson"  at 
Loew's  State,  the  company  announced. 
Miss  Hussey,  co-starred  in  the  film,  is 
on  a  tour  for  the  Red  Cross. 


Putnam  in  Univ.  Film 

George  Putnam,  NBC  news  re- 
porter, will  fly  to  Hollywood  on  March 
29  to  appear  in  Universale  film, 
"We've  Never  Been  Licked,"  it  was 
announced.  He  will  return  April  10 
to  resume  his  broadcasts. 


*9 


COUPONS! 


T 


AIR 


una*  ooOOtt 


force  «  nahm  \  ^anoy 


THE 

WAY 


Jack  L.  Warner 

Executive  Producer 


4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  March  25,  1943 


Nations  Drive 
Netted  About 
$1,500,000 


(Continued  from  payc  1) 

make  arrangements  for  the  presenta- 
tion. 

In  the  industry  group  participating 
will  be  Edward  L.  Alperson,  campaign 
chairman  ;  Leon  Bamberger,  campaign 
director ;  Si  Fabian,  theatres  division 
chairman ;  Harry  Mandel,  advertising 
and  publicity  director ;  Herman  Rob- 
bins,  treasurer,  and  P.  J.  Wood,  secre- 
tary of  the  ITO  of  Ohio,  the  latter 
representing  H.  L.  Tracy,  manager  of 
the  Fayette  Theatre,  Willard,  Ohio. 

Tracy  was  chosen  as  typical  of  the 
exhibitors  who  participated  in  the  cam- 
paign but  because  of  business  com- 
mitments will  be  unable  to  participate 
in  the  presentation  and  asked  Wood  to 
substitute  for  him.  Tracy  was  chosen 
by  Jeanne  Cagney,  who,  blindfolded, 
directed  a  pencil  to  a  map  of  the 
United  States  in  WAC  headquarters 
and  touched  Willard,  O. 

Members  of  the  President's  War 
Relief  Control  Board  are :  Joseph  E. 
Davies,  Charles  P.  Taft  and  Frederick 
P.  Keppel.  They  will  allocate  from 
the  industry  contribution  individual 
amounts  to  members  of  the  United 
Nations.  Others  who  have  been  in- 
vited to  attend  the  presentation  lunch- 
eon are :  Secretary  of  State  Cordell 
Hull ;  Elmer  Davis,  director  of  the 
Office  of  War  Information,  and  Lowell 
Mellett,  head  of  the  film  bureau  of  the 
OWL 

The  total  industry  collection  for 
LTnited  Nations  Week  will  not  be  offi- 
cially tabulated  until  this  weekend  by 
which  time  final  remittances  will  have 
been  received,  the  WAC  said. 


Midnight  Shows  Aid 
Minn.  Club  Clinic 

Minneapolis,  March  24. —  A 
series  of  midnight  shows  in 
all  cities  in  Minnesota  with  a 
population  of  at  least  20,000 
will  be  sponsored  by  the  Min- 
neapolis Tent  of  the  Variety 
Clubs  as  a  part  of  a  project 
to  pay  for  the  training  of 
registered  nurses  at  the  Sister 
Kenny  clinic,  it  was  an- 
nounced. The  War  Activities 
Committee  feature  film,  "At 
the  Front,"  and  a  special  reel 
about  California,  loaned  by 
the  Los  Angeles  tent  and 
sponsored  by  a  large  lumber 
company,  will  make  up  the 
show. 


8-Mos.  Ticket  Tax 
Totals  103  Million 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

in  business  nationally  than  indicated 
by  the  over-all  figures.  The  Broadway 
collections  were  $2,093,948,  compared 
with  $678,382  in  January,  the  bureau 
reported. 

Tax  collections  at  the  box-office  in- 
creased' from  §546,463  to  $1,899,924, 
and  there  were  also  increases  in  col- 
lections from  tickets  sold  by  brokers, 
from  813,388  to  $16,433,  and  on  admis- 
sions to  roof  gardens  and  cabarets, 
from  $117,566  to  $177,524,  but  receipts 
from  tickets  sold  by  proprietors  in 
excess  of  the  established  price  dropped 
from  $484  to  $67,  and  nothing  was 
collected  on  permanent  use  or  lease  of 
boxes  and  seats,  which  returned  $480 
in  January. 


Assembly  Repeals 
16 -Year  Actor  Law 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

inal  Courts  Law  and  Procedure  of 
the  Association  of  the  Bar  of  the  City 
of  New  York  has  gone  on  record  as 
opposed  to  passage  of  the  Ehrlich- 
Halpern  bill  in  connection  with  the 
use  of  revolving  doors.  The  Ehrlich 
bill  passed  the  Assembly  two  weeks 
ago  by  the  top-heavy  vote  of  143-1. 

Assemblyman  John  Downey's  bill  to 
charge  10-cent  admission  to  persons 
.over  14  years  of  age  attending  broad- 
casts in  radio  stations  and  theatres 
has  been  killed  by  the  Taxation  Com- 
mittee. 


M-G-M  Deal  on  Play 
Called  Special  Case 


Purchase  of  film  rights  by  M-G-M 
to  Irwin  Shaw's  new  play,  "Labor 
for  the  Winds,"  prior  to  production, 
does  not  indicate  that  Dramatist  Guild 
approval  will  be  given  to  all  future 
similar  deals,  it  was  said  by  a  Guild 
spokesman. 

Special  circumstances  relating  to 
each  production  would  have  to  be  con- 
sidered in  specific  instances  and  per- 
mission for  the  Shaw  play  does  not 
imply  blanket  Guild  approval,  it  was 
indicated. 

Under  the  provisions  of  the  con- 
tract, which  is  expected  to  be  signed 
within  a  few  days,  M-G-M  will  pay 
$40,000  towards  the  stage  production, 
a  down  payment  of  $60,000  for  screen 
rights,  and  an  amount  equal  to  15  per 
cent  of  the  New  York  gross  and'  10 
per  cent  of  the  out-of-town  gross,  with 
the  cumulative  figure  not  to  exceed 
$200,000  it  was  said  by  William  H. 
Fitelson,  who  appeared  before  the 
Guild  for  the  theatrical  producers. 
In  addition,  M-G-M  agreed  not  to 
release  the  picture  until  after  the  show 
had  closed  in  New  York  and  on  the 
road. 


Yates  Plans  World 
Role  for  Republic 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

ing  a  contingent  of  exchange  men  in- 
cluding :  Arthur  Newman,  Albany ; 
M.  E.  Morey,  Boston;  Jack  Bellman, 
Buffalo ;  Sam  Seletsky,  New  Haven ; 
Morris  Epstein  and  Sidney  Picker, 
New  York;  Joseph  Engel,  Philadel- 
phia, and  franchise  holders  J.  H.  Al- 
exander and  Sam  Fineberg,  Pitts- 
burgh, and  Jake  Flax,  Washington. 

In  addition  to  Yates  the  home  of- 
fice group  includes  J.  R.  Grainger, 
Walter  L.  Titus,  Jr.,  G.  C.  Schaefer, 
Stephen  Dorsey,  Harry  Marcus,  Sey- 
mour Borus  and  Charles  Reed  Jones. 
The  studio  is  represented  by  M.  J. 
Siegel  and  William  Saal. 


Bob  Hope  Plans  Tour 
Of  England,  N.  Africa 

Bob  Hope  will  start  a  tour  of  Army 
camps  April  13,  and  then  go  to  En- 
gland and  North  Africa  to  entertain 
troops.  Paramount  announced.  The 
comedian  will  take  his  radio  troupe 
with  him,  and  is  reportedly  arranging 
for  a  broadcast  to  America  from  Lon- 
don. 


Skouras  Theatres 
To  Inaugurate  U.S. 
Food  Show  Program 


Following  presentation  of  "It's  Up 
to  You,"  sponsored  by  the  War  Food 
Shows  and  Rallies  Program,  in 
Skouras  Theatres  in  the  metropolitan 
area,  the  show,  which  dramatizes  the 
wartime  food  situation  and  how  it 
affects  every  individual  in  this  coun- 
try, will  be  made  available  for  local 
production  in  theatres  throughout  the 
country. 

The  idea  for  a  nation-wide  educa- 
tion program  on  the  wartime  food 
program  was  first  proposed  by  George 
Skouras,  president  of  Skouras  The- 
atres Corp.  . 

"It's  Up  to  You,"  written  by  Arthur 
Arent,  was  staged  and  directed  by 
Elias  Kazan,  director  of  Broadway 
productions.  It  will  have  its  premiere 
at  the  Skouras  Academy  of  Music  on 
14th  St.,  at  8:30  p.m.  March  31,  ad- 
mission being  free. 

The  program  was  discussed  at  a 
press  conference  at  the  Hotel  Astor 
yesterday  by  Ben  James,  representing 
the  Food  Distribution  Administration 
of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture. James  read  a  telegram  from 
Mrs.  Eleanor  Roosevelt  in  which  she 
emphasized  the  necessity  to  prevent 
waste. 

Six  Skouras  theatres  in  the  metro- 
politan area,  in  addition  to  the  Acade- 
my of  Music,  will  present  the  show  at 
evening  performances  for  invited  audi- 
ences, with  no  admission  charged.  The 
remaining  Skouras  theatres  will  spon- 
sor the  program  in  tabloid  form  at 
afternoon  performances,  also  free  to 
the  public. 


Davis  Lauds  Films, 
Radio  Cooperation 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

cooperation"  of  the  industry  has 
been  expressed  in  20  shorts  and 
many  full  length  features  pro- 
duced to  date,  which  bring  im- 
portant war  messages  to  the 
people. 

The  OWI  itself  has  produced  one 
full-length  documentary  on  how  the 
war  came,  "World  at  War,"  and  21 
shorts  dealing  with  such  matters  as 
manpower,  rationing,  war  production 
and  other  subjects,  he  said. 

Davis  said  the  only  production  and 
writing  on  the  part  of  OWI  is  con- 
fined to  one  15-minute  NBC  and  one 
30-minute  Mutual  program  and  a  15- 
minute  recorded  series  produced  large- 
ly at  the  request  of  local  stations  not 
serviced  by  the  networks,  and  16  one- 
minute  spot  announcements  a  week  for 
use  by  stations.  The  major  activi- 
ties of  the  domestic  radio  bureau  are 
concerned  with  furnishing  information 
to  established  programs,  he  declared. 


'Hard  Way' in 
Phila.  Is  Easy 
At  $28,500 


Philadelphia,  March  24.  —  Two 
major  openings  got  off  to  a  big  start, 
and  with  all  the  other  houses  figured 
well  above  average,  the  week  lo<-' 
like  another  big  one  for  the  do( 
town  district.  "The  Hard  Way"  leaus 
the  field  at  the  Mastbaum,  figuring 
on  reaching  $28,500,  while  "The  Crys- 
tal Ball"  is  rolling  up  to  what  looks 
like  $14,800  at  the  Aldine,  plus  $2,900 
already  grossed  at  the  Ear'le  on  the 
twin  Sunday  showing. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  24-26: 

"The  Crystal  Ball"  (U.  A.) 

ALDINE — (900)   (35c-41c-46c-S7c-68c-75c  7 
days.   Gross:   $14,800.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

ARCADIA  —  (600)  (35c-46c-57c-68c)  7 
days,  2nd  run.  Gross:  $4,600.  (Average, 
$2,800) 

"Keeper  of  the  Flame"  (M-G-M) 

BOYD — (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $17,000.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Quiet,  Please,  Murder"  (20th-Fox)  (6  days) 
"The  Crystal  Ball"  (U.  A.)  (1  day) 

EARLE—(3,000)  (46c-57c-75c).  Stage:  6 
days  of  vaudeville  including  Blue  Barron's 
orchestra,  Beatrice  Kay,  Bob  Dupont,  Wal- 
ter Nilsson,  Jane  Fraser  &  the  Roberts 
Sisters,  Clyde  Burke,  Dick  Mack,  Carolyn 
Cromwell,  Mert  Curtis.  Gross:  $25,700. 
(Average,  $18,000) 

"Seven  Miles  from  Alcatraz"  (RKO) 

FAY'S — (2,190)  (23c-35c-46c-57c).  Stage: 
7  days  of  vaudeville  including  Li'l  Green, 
Tiny  Bradshaw's  orchestra,  Joyner  &  Fos- 
ter, Slim  &  Sweet,  Harlem  Highlanders 
and  Simpson's  Humanettes.  Gross:  $9,200 
(Average,  $6,000) 

"The  Immortal  Sergeant"  (ZOth-Fox) 

FOX  —  (3,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $15,200.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 

KARL-TON  —  (1,000)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days,  2nd  run.   Gross:  $3,500.  (Aver- 
-ge,  $3,500) 
They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 
KEITH'S-(2,200)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c-75c) 
days,   2nd   run.  Gross:  $7,200.  (Average, 

The  Hard  Way"  (W.  B.) 

MASTBAUM-(4,700)  (35c-41c-46c-S7c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $28,500. 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

STANLEY  —  (3,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75  c)    7   days,    3rd    week.     Gross:  $16,000.' 
(Average,  $14,000) 
"The  Avengers"  (Para.) 

STANTON  -  (1,700)  (35c-41c-46c-57c-68c- 
75c)  7  days.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Average,  $6,500) 


AM.  'Air  Force*  Openings 

A  series  of  around-the-clock  open- 
ings of  "Air  Force"  in  cities  with 
large  defense  industries  was  begun 
by  the  Warner  circuit  yesterday  with 
showings  in  Bridgeport  and  Hartford 
at  12  :30  a.m.  and  1  :30  a.m.,  respective- 
ly. Similar  openings  are  scheduled 
for  Baltimore,  Erie,  Johnstown,  Cleve- 
land and  Youngstown,.  it  was  an- 
nounced. 


Toronto  Gross  Hurt 
By  Nasty  Weather 


Toronto,  March  24.  —  "Random 
Harvest"  was  maintaining  its  popu- 
larity for  a  second  week  at  Loew's 
Theatre  and  was  expected  to  gross 
$18,000,  hindered  only  by  disagreeable 
weather. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  25 : 

"Unoensored"  (Br.) 

"Seven  Days  Leave"  (RKO) 

EGLINTON  —  (1,086)  (18c-30c-48c-60c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  (Moveover.)  Gross:  $4,000. 
(Average,  $4,500) 

"You  Were  Never  Lovelier"  (Col.) 

IMPERIAL— (3,373)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c) 
6  days.  Gross:  $14,500.  (Average,  $10,500). 
'Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S — (3,074)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-78c)  6 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $18,000.  (Average, 
$10,000) 

"Casablanca"  (W.  B.) 

SHEA'S— (2,480)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $11,500.  (Average, 
$11,000) 

"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"One  Dangerous  Night"  (Col.) 

TIVOLI-(l,434)  (18c-30c-48c)  6  days. 
Movec-ver.)       Gross.     $5fi00  (Average, 

"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 

UPTOWN-(2,761)  (18c-30c-42c-60c-90c)  6 
days.    Gross:  $11,500.    (Average,  $9,500) 


"CABIN  IN  THE  SKY"  ZOOMS! 

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,  always  the  Picture  Pioneer,  has 
done  it  again!  "Cabin  in  the  Sky"  the  screen's  greatest 
musical  novelty  has  topped  record-breaking  "Some- 
where I'll  Find  You"  in  its  first  week  in  Dallas.  Held  over 
— and  on  its  way  to  fame  and  fortune.  Get  your  share 


GREAT  CAST  IN  A 
BIG  M-G-M  SHOW! 

★  ETHEL  WATERS 

★  "ROCHESTER" 

★  LENA  HORNE 

★  Louis  Armstrong 

★  Rex  Ingram 

★  Duke  Ellington 
and  his  Orchestra 

★  Hall  Johnson  Choir 

★  And  many  more! 

Screen  Play  by  Joseph  Schrank 
Directed  by  Vincente  Minnelli 
Produced  by  Arthur  Freed 


Put  your  heart  in  the  Red  Cross  Drive! 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  March  25,  1943 


'San  Francisco' 
$20,500  in  2nd 
'Frisco  Week 


San  Francisco,  March  24.— "Hello, 
'Frisco,  Hello"  is  expected  to  garnei 
a  big  $20,500  at  the  Fox  in  a  sec- 
ond week  here,  after  a  terrific  $28,- 
500  first  week.  There  has  been  great 
ballyhoo  over  use  of  the  word 
"Frisco"  in  the  title.'  Billboard  ad- 
vertising showed  the  word  "San 
Francisco"  pasted  across  "  'Frisco.' 
Theatres  with  stage  shows  are  doing 
big  business,  the  event  of  the  week 
being  the  return  of  vaudeville  to  the 
Warfield,  which  is  expected  to  com- 
plete the  week  at  $21,500  with  "Three 
Hearts  for  Julia"  and  a  stage  show 
headed  by  Veloz  and  Yolanda. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  wee! 
ending  March  22-25 : 

"Something  to  Shout  About"  (Col.) 
"One  Dangerous  Night"  (Col.) 

ORPHEUM— (2,440)  (2Oc-35c-50c-65c)  / 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Aver- 
age, $10,500) 

"Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

GOLDEN  GATE — (2,850)    (44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.     Stage:    vaudeville.     Gross:  $26,500. 
(Average,  $19,500) 
"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

UNITED  ARTISTS-(  1,200)  ( 20c -35c -50c- 
65c)  7  days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $9,500.  (Av- 
erage, $8,000) 

"Three  Hearts  for  Julia"  (M-G-M) 

WARFIELD— (2,680)     (20c-35c-50c-75c)  7 
days.      Stage:   vaudeville.      Gross:  $21,500. 
(Average,  $14,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

ST.  FRANCIS—  (1,400)  (20c-35c-50c-75c)  7 
days,  6th  week.   (Moved  over  from  War- 
field).    Gross:  $10,500.     (Average,  $6,500) 
"Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (20th-Fox) 
"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,740)  (2Oc-35c-50c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $14,500.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"Hello,  'Frisco,  Hello"  (20th-Fox) 
'Time  to  Kill"  (20th-Fox) 

FOX— (5,000)  (2Oc-35c-50c-75c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $20,500.     (Average,  $18,000) 
"En  Enda  Natt"  (Swedish) 

CLAY— (400)  (15c-35c-45c)  7  davs.  Gross: 
$1,700.     (Average,  $1,000) 


'Random'  Harvests 
$12,000  in  Montreal 

Montreal,  March  24. — "Random 
Harvest"  is  reaping  a  harvest  of  coin 
here  at  Loew's  in  its  second  week.  The 
film  is  expected  to  net  about  $12,000 
which  compares  with  an  average 
"take"  of  $7,000  for  this  house.  "Now 
Voyager"  at  the  Palace  will  probably 
gross  about  $11,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  25 : 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

ORPHEUM— (1,100)   (30c-40c-60c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $4,000.    (Average,  $4,000) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S — (2,900)  (35c-53c-67c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.     Gross:  $12,000.     (Average,  $7,000) 
"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 
"My  Heart  Belongs  to  Daddy"  (Para.) 

PRINCESS— (2,200)    (30c-40c-52c)   7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $4,500.    (Average,  $3,500) 
"Pittsburgh"  (Univ.) 
"Hi,  Buddy"  (Univ.) 

CAPITOL— (2,700)    (30c-45c-62c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $7,000.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"Now  Voyager"  (W.  B.) 

PALACE— (2,700)  (30c-45c-62c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $11,000.    (Average,  $7,000) 


Omaha  House  Inspections 

Omaha,  March  24. — The  local  fire 
department  will  continue  theatre  and 
night  club  inspections  every  Saturday 
and  Sunday  until  "all  places  comply 
with  safety  regulations,"  it  was  an- 
nounced. 


Reviews 


"At  Dawn  We  Die" 

(Republic) 

Hollywood ,  March  24 

A   BRITISH-MADE  film  about  the  Free  French  and  the  underground 
movement,  "At  Dawn  We  Die,"  lacks  the  expert  finishing  touche 
of  Hollywood  production  but  has  its  moments  and  they  are  exciting. 

The  attraction,  made  by  British  Lion,  deals  with  occupation  of  a 
French  seaport  town  by  the  usual  Nazi  garrison  and  shows  in  some 
detail  various  of  the  devices  by  which  followers  of  De  Gaulle  are 
smuggled  out  of  the  country  for  England. 

Greta  Gynt,  attractive  and  who  plays  the  mayor's  daughter,  maintains 
friendship  with  the  German  commanding  officer  and  that  gets  her  into 
a  romantic  and  political  jam  with  John  Clements  who  is  solidly  Free 
French.  The  truth,  of  course,  is  that  Miss  Gynt,  while  a  collaborator 
outwardly,  actually  is  a  key  figure  in  the  town's  underground  movement. 

Resistance  to  the  conqueror  shows  in  various  forms.  Every  time  the 
local  Frenchmen  plot  a  move  to  slow  down  the  Germans,  the  invader 
is  informed  in  advance  by  note  and  the  cross  of  Lorraine.  The  peak  is 
reached  when,  despite  all  precautions  assumed  by  the  Nazis,  a  trainload 
of  bombs  designed  to  strafe  England  is  sidetracked  and  blown  up.  In 
turn,  this  leads  to  the  arrest  of  filty  hostages,  including  the  mayor, 
played  by  Godfrey  Tearle.  In  an  effort  to  save  the  group,  Clements 
endeavors  to  have  the  mayor  reveal  him  as  the  saboteur,  but  the 
mayor  refuses.  Faced  by  the  inevitability  of  the  situation,  Miss  Gynt 
and  Clements  strike  out  for  England  as  the  hostages  are  shot.  Inter- 
cepted by  the  Germans,  the  end  looms  into  sight  for  them  as  well. 
British  planes,  however,  descend  on  the  town  and,  in  the  bombing,  the 
pair  slip  away  in  their  small  motor  boat. 

The  cast  also  includes  Judy  Kelly,  Yvonne  Arnaud  and  Hugh  Sin 
clair,  among  others,  and  the  performances  range  from  good  to  acceptable 
by  players  largely  unknown  here.  George  King  directed. 

Running  time,  78  minutes.  "G"*  Red  Kann 


"Corregidor" 

(Producers  Releasing) 

Hollywood ,  March  24 

HT  HIS  melodrama  depicting  the  siege  and  fall  of  Corregidor  is  Pro- 
*■  ducers  Releasing  Corporation's  most  ambitious  production  venture 
to  date  and  looks  it.  Cast  and  production  values  set  it  apart  from  and 
above  the  company's  usual  output.  It  recaptures  in  a  measure  the  mood 
oi  the  period  wften  evacuees  irom  Bataan  resisted  the  Japanese  until 
depletion  of  supplies  forced  surrender. 

Otto  Kruger,  Elissa  Landi  and  Donald  Woods  have  the  top  roles, 
playing  three  doctors  whose  emotions  are  doubly  torn,  professional 
pressures  alternating  with  romantic  equations  complicating  the  lives  of 
the  three.  Wanda  McKay  and  Rick  Vallin  play  out  a  second  and  tragic 
romance,  as  nurse  and  soldier,  and  Frank  Jenks  supplies  comedy  relfef. 

The  script  by  Doris  Malloy  and  Edgar  Ulmer  opens  with  Miss  Landi's 
marriage  to  Kruger  interrupted  by  Jap  bombers  on  December  7th.  They 
make  their  way  to  Bataan  in  time  to  be  evacuated  to  Corregidor,  where 
they  meet  Woods,  former  sweetheart  of  Miss  Landi,  with  whom  she  is 
reunited  when  Kruger  is  killed. 

There  is  a  deal  of  conflict,  most  of  it  realistic,  and  the  menace  of  the 
Zeros  is  registered  solidly  in  spite  of  some  repetitiousness  in  the  use 
of  stock  shots. 

Dixon  R.  Harwin  and  Edward  Finney  produced,  under  production 
charge  of  Leon  Fromkess,  and  William  Nigh  directed. 
Running  time,  74  minutes.  "G''* 

*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Lab.  Union  Names 
War  Effort  Comm. 

A  Civilian  Activities  Committee  has 
been  formed  by  Laboratory  Techni- 
cians Local  702,  officials  announced. 
The  committee,  which  will  be  in 
charge  of  war  bond  sales,  Red  Cross 
blood  donations,  relief  and  other  sim- 
ilar projects,  consists  of  standing 
units  on  publicity,  welfare,  education 
and  the  examining  board. 

At  the  next  meeting  of  the  local, 
April  3,  there  will  be  an  election  for 
a  recording  secretary  to  replace  Amy 
Noll,  resigned.  Viola  LaRose  and 
Charles  Voelpel   are  nominees. 


M.  P.  Associates 
To  Talk  Insurance 

An  insurance  plan  for  members  wili 
be  discussed  at  a  business  meeting  of 
the  Motion  Picture  Associates  at  the 
Hotel  Astor  at  1  p.  m.  today,  it  was 
announced  by  Jack  Ellis,  president. 
The  organization's  continuing  cam- 
paign for  memberships  will  also  be 
discussed,  among  other  matters. 


Short  Subject 

Reviews 


"Don  Winslow  and 
the  Coast  Guard" 

(Serial ) 

(Universal) 

ACTION  dominates  this  serial 
which  is  a  sequel  to  "Don  Win/ 
low  of  the  Navy."  The  first  four  o. 
the  13  chapters  give  an  impression  of 
timeliness  in  that  the  activities  of  the 
hero  are  principally  concerned  with 
routing  enemies  of  the  United  States, 
Germans  as  well  as  Japs. 

The  picture  describes  the  activities 
of  Don  Winslow,  Commander  in  the 
Navy,  and  Lieut.  "Red"  Pennington, 
his  pal,  who  are  assigned  to  the  Coast 
Guard  and  ordered  to  combat  Axis 
agents  on  the  West  Coast.  Germans 
and  Japs  have  established  secret  bases 
there  from  which  U-boats  are  refueled 
and  repaired.  Winslow  and  his  in- 
trepid assistants,  despite  all  the  ob- 
stacles placed  in  their  path  by  the 
villains,  are  enabled  to  vanquish  the 
enemy. 

Don  Terry,  Walter  Sande,  Elyse 
Knox  and  June  Duprez  enact  the  prin- 
cipal roles  in  this  serial  which  was 
adapted  from  the  cartoon  strip  by 
Lieut.  Commdr.  Edward  Martinek 
USN  (ret.).  Ray  Taylor  and  Lewis 
D.  Collins  directed.  Running  time,  first 
chapter,  30  minutes ;  subsequent 
chapters,  20  minutes. 

"Swing  That  Band" 

(Universal) 

Starring  Johnny  Long  and  his  or- 
chestra, this  will  go  over  big  with  jive 
fans  and  has  a  touch  of  the  sentimental 
to  make  it  an  all-around  musical  short. 
"Penny  Arcade,"  a  novelty  tune,  is 
sung  with  pep  by  the  Four  Teens 
Quartette;  the  Doreen  Sisters  dance 
a  jazz  toe  number;  Gene  Williams 
sings  "When  the  Lights  Go  On  Again 
All  Over  the  World,"  and  Helen 
Young  and  the  orchestra  combine  for 
a  rendition  of  "Daddy."  There  are 
two  straight  boogie  woogie  numbers 
by  the  band.  Running  time,  15  mins. 
Release,  April  7. 


K-A-0  Stockholders 
Annual  Meet  May  18 

Annual  meeting  of  stockholders  of 
Keith-Albee-Orpheum  Corp.  will  be 
held  May  18  as  a  result  of  a  recent 
change  in  the  company's  by-laws 
changing  the  date  for  the  annual  meet- 
ing from  the  first  Wednesday  in 
April  to  the  third  Tuesday  in  May 
Virtually  all  of  the  stock  of  K-A-0 
now  is  owned  by  RKO. 


Ina  Claire  in  'Canteen' 

Ina  Claire  will  appear  in  a  se- 
quence of  "Stage  Door  Canteen,"  Sol 
Lesser's  film  which  will  be  distrib- 
uted by  U.  A.,  the  company  announced. 


Dean  Madden  Named 
LoewPersonnel  Head 

Dean  John  Thomas  Madden,  dean 
of  the  New  York  University  School 
pt  Commerce,  Accounts  and  Finance 
has  been  appointed  personnel  director 
of  Loews,  it  was  announced. 

Mass.  Epidemic  Over 

Chicopee,  Mass.,  March  24.— The 
board  of  health  has  lifted  its  ban  on 
children  under  16  years  attending  mo- 
tion pictures  here  as  the  scarlet  fever 
epidemic  waned 


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ft 


LEMENTS  •  TTAm 
SINCLAIR  •  GYNT  ♦  KELLY 

GEORGE  KING 

^  ANATOIE  de  GRUNWAID 
%  ^  KATHERINE  STRUEBY  f  > 


i  REPU 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Thursday,  March  25,  1943 


'Rhythm'  Tops 
Chicago  Films 
In  Third  Week 


Chicago,  March  24. — "Star  Span- 
gled Rhythm"  in  a  third  week  at  the 
State-Lake  continues  the  Loop's 
straight  film  leader,  with  an  estimated 
826,000  seen  for  the  week.  Grosses 
improved  generally  at  first  runs,  and 
weekend  business  was  exceptionally 
strong,  it  was  reported.  "Crystal 
Ball"  with  Jan  Savitt's  orchestra  on 
the  stage  at  the  Chicago  Theatre  is 
doing  the  best  business,  $44,000  being 
estimated  for  the  week.  "Power  of  the 
Press,"  also  with  a  stage  show,  looks 
like  $22,000  at  the  Oriental. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  25 : 

"Journey    for   Margaret"  (M-G-M) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

APOLLO— (1,4G0)     (40c -55c -75c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $10,000.    (Average,  $8,500) 
"The  Crystal  Ball"  (U.A.) 

CHICAGO— (4,000)    (40c-55c-75c)    7  days. 
Stage:  Jan  Savitt  and  Orchestra.  Gross: 
S44.C00.     (Average,  $42,000) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.B.) 

GARRICK— (1,000)  (40c-55c-75c)  7  days, 
2nd  week  in  Loop.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Aver- 
age, $7,000) 

"Power  of  the  Press"  (Col.) 

ORIENTAL — (3,200)     (27c-31c-50c-59c)  7 
days.    Stage:  Major  Bowes  Revue.  Gross: 
$22,000.     (Average,  $22,000) 
"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

PALACE— (2,500)  (45c-55c-75c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $16,C00.  (Average,  $16,- 
000) 

"Star   Spangled   Rhythm"  (Para.) 

STATE-LAKE— (2,700)  (40c-55c-75c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $26,000.  (Average, 
$19,700) 

"In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.A.) 

ROOSEVELT  -  (1,500)  (40c-55c-75c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $19,000.  (Average. 
$16,000) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,700)  (40c-55c-7Sc) 
7  days.  8th  week.  Gross:  $17,000.  (Average, 
$15,500)  B^ 


W.  B.  Circuit  Shifts 
Upstate  Managers 

Albany,  March  24.— Shifts  in  War- 
ner theatres'  management  here  and 
in  Troy  and  Utica  were  announced  by 
C.  J.  Latta,  zone  manager. 

Leo  Rosen  was  transferred  to  the 
Strand  here,  replacing  Mel  Conhaim 
who,  pending  his  induction  into  the 
Army,  April  3,  was  assigned  to  the 
Lincoln,  Troy.  Harry  Goldberg,  for- 
mer division  manager  of  Fox  Thea- 
tres for  the  New  York  State  area, 
was  named  to  replace  Rosen.  Sid 
Sommer  was  transferred  from  the 
Lincoln  to  the  American,  Troy,  re- 
placing George  Laurey,  who  was 
made  manager  of  the  Avon,  Utica,  re- 
placing Arnold  Stoltz,  who  will  join 
the  United  Artists  home  office  exploi- 
tation department  as  manager  on 
Monday. 

Irving  Bunz,  formerly  assistant 
manager  of  the  Strand,  Albany,  was 
named  assistant  manager  at  the  Troy, 
Al  Jaffin  replacing  him  at  the  Strand. 


3  Buttons  Featured 
In  Broadway  Bouses 

Three  Huttons,  two  of  them 
sisters,  are  currently  featured 
at  the  same  number  of  Broad- 
way theatres.  Ina  Ray  Hutton 
is  leading  her  band  in  the 
stage  show  at  the  Strand. 
Marion  Hutton  is  featured  in 
the  Roxy  stage  presentation, 
and  Betty  Hutton,  her  sister, 
is  one  of  the  stars  of  the  film, 
"Happy  Go  Lucky,"  at  the 
Paramount. 


Four  Companies  File 
N.  Y.  Incorporations 

Albany,  March  24. — Five  film  and 
theatre  companies  have  filed  incorpo- 
rations here,  the  Secretary  of  State's 
office  announced.    They  are  : 

Horace  Theatre,  Inc.,  Manhattan, 
$20,000  capital  stock  in  $100  par  value 
shares,  by  Benjamin  Davidson,  Fay 
Aronson  and  Katherine  Haskell,  New 
York  City,  with  Charles  Segal,  as  fil- 
ing attorney. 

Lance  Theatre  Corp.,  Manhattan, 
$10,000  authorized  capital  stock  in 
$100  par  value  shares  by  Matie  Ham- 
merstein,  Gertrude  Lebelson  and  Helen 
Steinberg,  New  York  City,  with  Leo- 
pold Friedman,  of  Loew's,  filing  the 
papers. 

Revelation  Film  Printing  Company, 
Inc.,  to  conduct  a  motion  picture  bus- 
iness and  Circle  Film  Laboratories, 
Inc.,  both  of  New  York  City. 

Directors  of  record  for  Revelation 
Film  Printing  Co.,  Inc.,  are  Harry 
Reese,  Maplewood,  N.  J.,  Sylvia 
Sandler,  Bronx  and  Sylvia  Fluss, 
Brooklyn  ;  while  Victor  Lehman,  Mil- 
dred Rothenberg  and  Joseph  L.  Cahn 
are  directors  for  Circle  Film  Labora- 
tories, Inc. 

Associated  Filmakers,  Inc.,  filed  a 
capital  stock  increase  of  $10,000  and 
also  change  of  directors  and  purposes 
with  the  Secretary  of  State. 


Selznick  Plans  OWI  Film 

The  Office  of  War  Information  con- 
firmed a  report  that  David  O.  Selznick 
has  discussed  with  Lowell  Mellett, 
chief  of  the  Motion  Picture  Bureau 
of  OVVT,  a  project  for  the  production 
of  a  documentary  film  designed  to 
stimulate  the  recruiting  of  nurses  and 
nurses'  aides  who  will  serve  in  the 
armed  forces  as  well  as  the  home 
front. 


N.  Y.  Senate  Adopts 
Agencies  Fee  Bill 

Albany,  March  24.— The  Senate 
has  passed  a  bill  introduced  by  Sen. 
William  T.  Condon  providing  that 
the  gross  fees  charged  applicants  for 
theatrical  engagements  shall  not  ex- 
ceed the  maximum  fees  approved  by 
the  Commissioner  of  Licenses  or 
other  licensing  agency. 

Changes  in  the  schedule  of  fees 
would  become  effective  14  days  after 
filing  unless  disapproved  within  that 
time,  and  a  copy  of  the  schedule  shall 
be  posted  by  the  agency,  it  is  pro- 
vided. The  bill  repeals  the  present 
eross  fee  of  5  per  cent  of  wages. 


'Hitler's  Children' 
Terrific  in  Pittsb'gh 
With  $25,000  Gross 


Pittsburgh,  March  24. — Box-of- 
fices here  have  buzzed  happily  all 
week.  Outstanding  was  "Hitler's 
Children,"  garnering  an  estimated 
$25,000  at  the  Penn,  while  "The  Des- 
peradoes" reaped  $12,000  at  the  Har- 
ris. The  revival  of  "Gone  With  the 
Wind"  collected  $13,000  in  13  days  at 
the  Fulton,  after  three  previous  down- 
town runs  and  general  neighborhood 
engagements. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  23-25 : 

"Gene  With  the  Wind"  (M-G-M) 

FULTON— (1,700)  (30c-40c-55c)  6  days, 
2nd  week  (re-issue  after  three  previous 
downtown  runs).  Gross:  $5,000.  (Average, 
$7,500) 

"The  Desperadoes"  (Col). 

HARRIS — (2,200)     (30c-40c-55c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $12,000.    (Average.  $9,200) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

PENN— (3,400)      (30te-40c-55c)      7  days. 
Gross:  $25,000.     (Average,  $17,000) 
"Rnndcm  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

RITZ— (1,100)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days,  4th 
week  (moveover  after  two  weeks  at  Penn. 
one  at  Warner).  Gross:  $3,000.  (Average. 
>2,600) 

"The  Avengers"  (Para.) 

SENATOR— (1,750)    (30c-40c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:   $2,000.     (Average,  $3,400) 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 

STANLEY  —  (3,800)  (30c-41c-55c-65c). 
Stage:  6  days  of  vaudeville,  including  Duke 
Ellington's  hand.  Gross:  $16,000.  (Average, 
$20,000) 

"St-.r-Sn-.gled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

WARNER— (2,000)  (30c-40c-55c)  7  days. 
3rd  week  (moveover  after  two  weeks  at 
Penn).    Gross:  $8,000.    (Average,  $6,500) 


Exhibitor  in  Newark 
Drops  Run  Complaint 

The  designated  run  complaint  of 
the  Lyric,  Newark,  has  been  with- 
drawn at  the  New  York  arbitration 
tribunal  without  prejudice  to  subse- 
quent renewal,  the  American  Arbitra- 
tion Association  announced  yesterday. 
The  complaint,  naming  all  five  con- 
senting companies,  alleged  that  runs 
of  their  product  which  it  had  sought 
had  been  sold  to  the  Broad,  Essex,  Ri- 
alto  and  Court,  Newark. 


'Rhythm'  in  Tune  in 
K.C.:  Good  $17,000 

Kansas  City,  March  24.— "Star 
Spangled  Rhythm,"  in  its  second  week 
at  the  Newman,  is  expected  to  gross 
approximately  $17,000  and  will  be 
held  over.  "Casablanca"  continues 
strong  at  the  Orpheum,  with  $13,000 
seen  for  the  second  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week- 
ending March  24-25 : 

"It  Ain't  Hay"  (Univ.) 

ESQUIRE— (800)  (35c-50c)  8  days.  Gross: 
$7,000.    (Average.  8  days,  $4,500) 
Powers  Girl"  (U.A.) 

MIDLAND-(3,600)  (35c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:   $12,000.     (Average,  $12,000) 

Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

NEWMAN-(1,900)   (35c-50c)  7  days,  2nd 
H£e    .  ,Gross:  $17.°°°-    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

ORPHEUM-(1,900)  (35c-50c)  9  days,  2nd 
$9?500)  ^   $15'°00-     (Av"age,  9  days, 

"Margin  for  Error"  (20th-Fox) 

TOWER-(2,200)    (35c)    7    days.  Stage 

4°WA-  •?r^S:J7/,^j0-     (Average,  $6,750) 
ItAmt  Hay"  (Univ.) 

Gr^S^P'000'  B5c-50c>  8  days. 
Gross.  $5,700.    (Average,  8  days,  $5,700) 


Omaha  Grosses  Dip 
Because  of  Weather 

Omaha,  March  24.— Grosses  dipped 
this  week,  due  to  adverse  weather  and 
the  opening  of  the  Tri-States  Para- 
mount, which  split  the  business  four 
ways.  A  snowstorm  on  the  Para- 
mount's  opening  day  cut  business. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  24-25: 

"^o  a£t?StJ°  shout  About"  (Col.) 

BRANDEIS-(1.200)     (30c-35c-44c-50c)  7 
«WV  *rr°S-:  r,5.'1C0-    Average,  $4,500) 
Whistling  m  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 

d  ORpf?S&/^  ^-55^ctM)7 
Grot-  St?^He?Iy  Busse  and  orchestra 
'i00-     (Average,  $14,500) 
Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th-Fox) 

PARAMOUNT-(2,9O0)  (3fc?3Sc-50c)  7 
days.     Gross:    $6,300.     (Average,  $5,000) 


'Margin'  and 
'Casablanca' 
Lead  Boston 


Boston,  March  24— The  weather 
and  business  here  have  been  brisk 
Again,  the  RKO  Boston,  /  I 
"Margin  for  Error,"  and  a  stage  sh  I  , 
leads  with  gross  of  $30,000.  The 
M  &  P  Metropolitan  with  a  second 
week  of  "Casablanca"  grossed  a  big 
$30,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  ending 
March  24 : 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

LOEW'S  ORPHEUM— (3,000)  (35c-50c- 
60c)  7  days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $22,000.  (Av- 
erage, $19,500) 

"Three  Hearts  for  Julia"  (M-G-M) 
"Reveille  with  Beverly"  (Col.) 

LOEW'S  STATE— (2,900)   (35c-50c-60c)  ! 
days.    Gross:  $17,500.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

M  &  P  METROPOLITAN— (4,367)  (30c- 
40c -50c -60c)  7  days,  2nd  week.    Gross:  $30,- 
000.    (Average,  $24,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

M  &  P  PARAMOUNT— (1,797)  (33c-44c- 
65c)  7  days.  Gross:  $10,000.  (Average 
$8,000) 

"Margin  for  Error"  (20th-Fox) 

RKO  BOSTON  THEATRE— (2,679)  (55c- 
65c-85c-99c)  7  days.    Stage:  Vaughn  Mon- 
roe  and   orchestra   and   other   RKO  acts 
Gross:  $30,000.    (Average,  $27,000) 
"They  Got  Me  Covered"  (RKO) 

RKO  KEITH  MEMORIAL— (2,907)  (44c 
55c-65c)  5  days,  4th  week.    Gross:  $12,000 
(Average,  $20,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

M  &  P  FENWAY  (Uptown)  -  (1.320 
(33c-44c-65c)  7  days.  Gross:  $8,000.  (Aver 
age,  $6,000) 

"China  Girl"   (20th- Fox) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Paramount) 

M   &   P  SCOLLAY— (2,500)  (33c-44c-65cl 
7  days.    Gross:  $7,400.     (Average,  $6,000) 
"China  Girl"  (20th- Fox) 
"Wrecking    Crew"  (Para.) 

M  &  P  MODERN  THEATRE  —  (7Cf, 

(33c-40c-65c)  7  days.  Gross:  $3,800.  (Aver 
age,  $3,200) 

"Fr.iitkenstein     Meets     the     Wolf  Man' 

(Univ.) 
"Hi,  Buddy"  (Univ.) 

TRANSLUX-(900)  (17c-28c-44c-55c)  \ 
days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $7,500.  (Average 
$5,000) 

"Road  to  Morocco"  (Para.) 
"Citizen  Kane"  (RKO) 

cA1  ,&_,P  ESQUIRE  (Uptown)-(941)  (35c- 
50c)  7  days.    Gross:  $1,800.    (Average,  $2,- 

"The  Siege  of  Leningrad"  (Artkino) 

MAJESTTC-(1,525)  (40c-S5c-65c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $1,500. 


Telenews  in  S.  F. 
Damaged  by  Fire 

San  Francisco,  March  24.— Four 
firemen  were  overcome  fighting  a  fire 
in  the  downtown  Telenews  Theatre 
here.  Damage  was  estimated  at  $25,- 
C00.  The  fire  was  started  in  the  pro- 
jection booth,  according  to  Ellis  Levy, 
district  manager  for  the  circuit.  Frank- 
Woods,  house  manager,  warned  the 
audience  of  the  blaze,  and  the  theatre 
was  cleared  in  an  orderly  manner.  Re- 
pairs to  the  interior  were  started  im- 
mediately. 


Walsh  to  Negotiate 
For  Chicago  Union 

Chicago,  March  24.  —  Richard 
Walsh,  president  of  the  IATSE,  has 
been  authorized  by  Local  B-45,  ex- 
change union  here,  to  conduct  wage 
increase  negotiations  on  its  behalf 
with  the  film  companies.  Authorization 
was  given  at  a  meeting  of  about  150 
members,  it  was  announced.  Sam  La- 
masky,  business  agent  of  the  back- 
room workers'  union,  said  that  the 
original  wage  demands  had  been  com- 
promised in  order  to  facilitate  com- 
pletion of  the  contract. 


JUST  RIGHT 


WITH  the  emphasis  on  getting  the  most 
out  of  every  foot  of  available  film,  it  is  a 
big  help  to  know  that  one  of  the  three 
Eastman  negative  films  is  just  right  for 
every  shot — in  the  studio  or  on  location, 
indoors  or  out.  Eastman  Kodak  Company, 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

J.  E.  BRULATOUR,  INC.,  Distributors 
Fort  Lee  Chicago  Hollywood 


PL1JS-X  SUPER-XX 

for  general  studio  use  when  little  light  is  available 

BACKGROIJXD-X 

for  backgrounds  and  general  exterior  work 

EASTMAN  NEGATIVE  FILMS 


10 


Motion  Picture  daily 


Thursday,  March  25,  1943 


Studios  Have 
35  Shooting, 
Eight  Started 


Hollywood,  March  24. — Thirty-five 
pictures  were  before  the  cameras  this 
week,  as  eight  finished  and  eight 
started.  Twenty-one  are  being  pre- 
pared, and  50  are  being  edited. 

The  tally  by  studio  : 

Columbia 

In  work  :  "Appointment  in  Berlin," 
"Right  Guy,"  "Two  Senoritas  from 
Chicago,"  "Somewhere  in  Sahara," 
"Attack  by  Night." 

Started:  "What's  Buzzin',  Cousin?" 
with  Ann  Miller,  John  Hubbard. 

Goldwyn 

In  work :  "The  North  Star." 

M-G-M 

Finished :  "Right  About  Face," 
"Best  Foot  Forward." 

In  work :  "Girl  Crazy,"  "A  Guy 
named  Joe,"  "Madame  Curie,"  "The 
Man  from  Down  Under,"  "Russia." 

Monogram 

Finished:  "Wild  Horse  Stampede." 
In   iwrk :   "Wings   Over  the  Pa- 
cific." 

Started :  "Cowboy  Commandos," 
with  the  Range  Busters. 

Paramount 

In  'work :  "Hostages,"  "Let's  Face 
It."  "So  Proudly  We  Hail,"  "Lady  in 
the  Dark." 

RKO 

Finished :  "The  Fallen  Sparrow," 
"The  Sky's  the  Limit." 

In  Work :  "A  Lady  Takes  a 
Chance." 

Republic 

Finished:  "False  Faces,"  "Swing 
Your  Partner." 

In  work :  "Prodigal's  Mother," 
"The  Man  from  Thunder  River." 

Started:  "Thumb's  Up,"  with 
Brenda  Joyce,  Richard  Fraser ;  "Song 
of  Texas,"  with  Roy  Rogers,  Sheila 
Ryan ;  "Bad  Man  of  Sonora,"  with 
Don  Barry,  Lynn  Merrick. 

20th  Century-Fox 

In  work :  "Sweet  Rosie  O'Grady," 
"Jitterbugs."  "Heaven  Can  Wait," 
"Jane  Eyre,"  "Bomber's  Moon." 

Started:  "Winter  Time,"  with 
Sonja  Henie,  Robert  Young. 

Universal 

Finished  :  "Never  a  Dull  Moment." 
hi  work  :  "Phantom  of  the  Opera," 
"Corvettes  in  Action." 

Warners 

In  zvork :  "Saratoga  Trunk."  "This 
Is  the  Army." 

Started :  "To  the  Last  Man,"  with 
Frrol  Flynn,  Helmut  Dantine. 


Song  Infringement  Suit 

Infringement  of  their  copyright  was 
charged  by  Al  Hoffman,  Jerry  Liv- 
ingston, Mann  Curtis  and  Cy  Corbin. 
composers  of  "The  Machine  Gun 
Song"  in  a  suit  filed  in  N.  Y.  Fed- 
eral Court  against  Mack  David  and 
Vee  Lawnhurst,  composers  of  "Johnny 
Zero"  and  Santly-Joy,  Inc.,  their  pub- 
lishers. 


Off  the  Antenna 

AT  least  96.2  per  cent  of  all  Massachusetts  homes  have  radios,  according 
to  a  promotional  letter  issued  by  Harold  E.  Fellows,  general  manager 
of  WEEI,  Boston.  He  says  that  this  is  the  highest  percentage  of  any  state 
and  that  in  the  Boston  area  more  families  have  radios  than  they  have  tele- 
phones or  automobiles. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Bruce  Eliot,  IVOR  announcer,  and  Billy  Lipman,  a 
studio  receptionist,  have  announced  their  marriage.  .  .  .  Estelle  Brenner, 
secretary  to  Anne  Nichols,  author  of  "Abie's  Irish  Rose"  on  NBC,  leaves 
in  a'  few  weeks  for  overseas  Red  Cross  service.  .  .  .  C.  L.  Menser,  NBC 
vice-president  in  charge  of  programs,  has  been  cited  by  the  OWI  for  his 
voluntary  services  in  behalf  of  a  government  program  series,  "1942  Victory 
Volunteers.".  .  .  John  Lee  Ashby  of  Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  son  of  A.  L.  Ashby, 
vice-president  and  general  counsel  of  NBC,  is  the  father  of  a  daughter.  .  .  . 
Andrew  Ferri,  supervisor  of  the  Blue's  mail-messenger  division,  announces 
the  birth  of  his  second  daughter,  named  Patricia. 

•  •  • 

Almost  SI, 500,000  in  war  bonds  was  sold  at  the  first  two  "Truth  or 
Consequences"  shows  in  the  program's  cross-country  barn-storming  tour, 
it  was  announced.  The  first  show  was  at  Pawtucket,  R.  I.,  the  second 
at  Buffalo.  The  tour  will  last  four  months,  concluding  in  Hollywood, 
with  a  goal  set  of  $20,000,000  in  war  bond  sales. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  KDKA,  Pittsburgh,  has  inaugurated  a  campaign  to  se- 
cure used  athletic  equipment  and  musical  instruments  for  war  prisoners.  .  .  . 
Jack  Carson,  Warner  Bros,  star,  succeeding  Lanny  Ross  as  m.  c.  of  the 
R.  J.  Reynolds  CBS  program,  will  make  his  initial  appearance  on  the  program 
tomorrow.  .  .  .  The  Standard  Oil  Co.  of  Indiana  will  award  155  $25  war  bonds 
to  farmers  and  4-H  club  members  in  14  central  west  states  for  outstanding 
agricultural  accomplishments.  Winners  will  be  announced  on  broadcasts  over 
100  stations  starting  April  5  and  lasting  six  days  a  week  for  six  months.  .  .  . 
Twentieth  Century-Fox  has  launched  a  campaign  on  CBS  for  "The  Moon  Is 
Down"  opening  tomorrow  at  the  Rivoli.  The  company  also  announced  a  tie- 
up  with  CBS  for  its  "Hello,  Frisco,  Hello,"  songs  from  which  will  occupy 
the  entire  "Gay  Nineties  Revue"  on  Monday  night.  .  .  .  Bristol-Myers  will 
substitute  "The  Parker  Family"  for  "In  Person-Dinah  Shore,"  effective  April 
30  on  the  Blue.  .  .  .  Bourjois,  Inc.,  returns  to  network  radio  after  a  lapse  of 
seven  years  with  a  musical-variety  program  on  the  Blue,  Sundays,  6:05  to 
6:30  p.  m.  weekly,  starting  April  18. 


391BroadcastBoard 
Men  Draft  Deferred 


Washington.  March  24. — Draft  de- 
ferments for  391  employes  have  been 
secured  by  the  Board  of  War  Com- 
munications, Chairman  James  L.  Fly 
revealed  today  before  a  House  Mili- 
tary Affairs  subcommittee  investigat- 
ing deferments. 

Fly  explained  that  most  of  the  de- 
ferred men  were  holding  technical  po- 
sitions in  the  monitoring  of  foreign 
broadcasts.  He  admitted  that  many 
of  them  were  single  and  in  their  early 
twenties,  but  pointed  out  that  older 
men  were  less  suited  to  the  difficult 
task  of  picking  up  the  foreign  broad- 
casts. 

Chairman  Fly  had  previously  called 
the  attention  of  the  War  Manpower 
Commission  Chairman  Paul  McNutt 
to  a  ruling  by  Selective  Service  that 
not  all  broadcasting  stations  or  tech- 
nicians in  a  station  are  essential. 


Mutual  Leases  Guild 
House  for  Air  Shows 

The  Guild  Theatre  has  been  leased 
bv  WOR  and  will  be  known  as  the 
WOR-Mutual  Theatre,  it  was  an- 
nounced. The  station  is  expected  t" 
take  occunancy  some  time  in  Apri' 
and  will,  at  the  same  time,  vacate  the 
New  Amsterdam  Theatre  Roof,  which 
has  housed  the  WOR-Mutual  Radio 
Playhouse  for  the  pact  seven  years. 


WJSV  Will  Be  WTOP 

Washington,  March  24. — Station 
WJSV  here  has  been  authorized  by 
the  FCC  to  change  its  call  letters  to 
WTOP,   effective  April  4. 


A.  G.  Smith  Speaks 
To  SMPE  Tonight 

The  Atlantic  Coast  section  of  the 
Society  of  Motion  Picture  Engineers 
will  meet  at  8  o'clock  tonight  at  the 
Hotel  Pennsylvania  for  one  of  a  series 
of  sessions  on  "Wartime  Conserva- 
tion in  Theatre  Projection."  A.  G. 
Smith,  acting  chief  of  the  Amusement 
Section  of  the  War  Production  Board, 
is  scheduled  to  speak  on  the  Board's 
activities  pertaining  Jo  the  motion 
picture  industry. 


Schine  Files  Report 
On  House  Divestiture 

Buffalo,  March  24. — The  regular 
30-day  divestiture  report  of  Schine 
Chain  Theatres  filed  in  Federal  Court 
here  by  Willard  S.  McKay,  chief 
Schine  counsel,  reads  as  follows : 

"There  have  been  no  developments 
in  connection  with  the  efforts  of  the 
consenting  defendants  to  divest  them- 
selves of  their  interest  in  the  theaties 
specified  in  the  temporary  order  since 
the  report  dated  Feb.  19,  1943." 


Davis  Now  Owns  KM  AC 

San  Antonio,  March  24. — Station 
KMAC  is  now  the  property  of  How- 
ard W.  Davis  following  dissolution  of 
the  partnership  of  Davis  and  W.  M. 
McAllister,  it  was  revealed.  Their 
company  was  known  as  the  Walmac 
Co.  and  will  continue  to  operate  under 
that  name. 

'Boys^SuifPut  Off 

Trial  of  the  copyright  infringement 
suit  involving  the  play,  "Something 
for  the  Boys,"  scheduled  in  Federal 
Court,  was  adjourned  yesterday  until 
April  22,  with  the  consent  of  attor- 
neys for  all  parties  concerned. 


Anthony  Eden  Talks 
On  CBS  Tomorrow 

Anthony  Eden,  British  Sec- 
retary of  State  for  Foreign 
Affairs,  will  broadcast  his 
first  radio  speech  to  the 
American  people  on  his  pres- 
ent trip  over  CBS  tomorrow 
from  9  to  9:30  p.m.  The  net- 
work will  air  his  talk  before 
the  Maryland  Legislature. 


NAB  District  Meet 
Endorses  OWI  Plan 


Philadelphia,  March  24. — The  Of- 
fice of  War  Information's  radio  plan, 
providing  for  the  clearance  through 
OWI  of  all  Government  and  private 
agency  requests  for  radio  time,  was 
endorsed  by  resolution  at  a  meeting 
here  of  the  third  district  of  the  Na- 
tional Association  of  Broadcasters. 

Discussion  of  the  OWI  plan,  led  by 
Howard  Browning,  regional  OWI 
head  here,  and  Dr.  Leon  Levy,  radio 
consulant  for  OWI,  featured  most  of 
the  session,  constituting  the  last  of  the 
regional  NAB  meetings  prior  to  the 
annual  convention  in  Chicago,  April 
27. 

Roy  Thompson,  president  of  WFBG, 
Altoona,  was  unanimously  elected  di- 
rector of  the  third  district  for  a  two- 
year  term.  He  succeeds  I.  D.  Levy, 
vice-president  of  WCAU  here.  Thomp- 
son also  was  elected  president  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Association  of  Broad- 
casters, which  also  met  here. 


Discmen  Meet  Today 
On  Wage  Demand 


A  meeting  of  recording  company 
representatives  is  scheduled  for  this 
morning  at  the  World  Broadcasting 
Co.  in  connection  with  the  expected 
refusal  by  the  American  Federation 
of  Radio  Artists  of  the  companies'  5 
per  cent  cost-of-living  increase  offer. 

AFRA,  which  had  asked  for  a  10 
per  cent  increase,  has  not  sent  a  for- 
mal refusal  to  the  recorders,  but  it  is 
understood  that  the  union  locals  and 
national  board  will  turn  down  the 
proposal. 

The  present  contract  runs  to 
November  and  was  reopened  recently 
under  the  cost-of-living  clause.  Unless 
the  recorders  make  another  proposal, 
it  is  considered  likely  that  there  will 
be  no  further  negotiations  until  time 
for  a  new  contract. 


Crosley  Corp,  '42  Net 
Earnings  $1,931,659 

Cincinnati,  March  24.  —  A  net 
profit  for  1942  of  $1,931,659.48  was 
reported  by  the  Crosley  Corp.,  opera- 
tor of  WLW,  WSAI,  shortwave  sta- 
tion WLWO  and  manufacturer  of 
equipment  for  the  government.  This 
compares  with  a  net  profit  of  $1,493,- 
134.86  for  1941. 

The  1942  sales  increase  was  pri- 
marily in  the  manufacturing  division, 
it  was  pointed  out  by  Powel  Crosley, 
Jr.,  president.  Last  year  the  net  profit 
amounted  to  4.4  per  cent  of  the  billings 
after  taxes,  while  in  1941  it  was  5.5 
per  c«nt  of  billings. 


PUT  THIS 


INTO  THIS 


Thousands  of  motion  picture  theatres  have  pledged  themselves 
to  make  audience  collections  for  the  Red  Cross  from  April  1st 
through  April  7th. 

The  difference  between  half-hearted  effort  and  whole-hearted 
effort  can  mean  millions  of  dollars  in  collections. 

Your  patrons  have  sons,  husbands,  sweethearts  in  the  service. 
You  have  dear  ones  in  it  too.  The  success  of  this  drive  means 
comfort  for  them  in  times  of  trial. 

Put  your  whole  heart  into  this  drive  and  you  will  help  our 
industry  write  a  glowing  page  in  the  war.  There  is  a  local  Red 
Cross  Chapter  ready  and  eager  to  assist  you. 

Good  Luck!  The  eyes  of  the  nation  are  on  you! 


Sponsored  by  the  War  Activities  Committee  of  the  Motion  Picture  Industry,  1501  Broadway,  N.Y.  C. 


-GROSSER1 


ALICE  FAYE  •  john  PAYNE 
JACK  OAKIE  lynn  BAR! 


no  in  o  i   re  cm 


Red  Cross 
War  Fund 

Week 
April  1-7 


ix-.  TION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


Red  Cross 
War  Fund 

Week 
April  1-7 


1 i2 


JL.  53.  NO.  58 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  FRIDAY,  MARCH  26,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


B.  Continue 
Buying  Phila. 
Area  Houses 


Outbid  Goldman  in  Lease 
Of  Capitol  Theatre 

By  M.  H.  ORODENKER 

Philadelphia,  March  25. — The 
Warner  Theatre  Circuit's  current 
real  estate  activity  in  this  area  con- 
tinued today  with  the  signing  of  a 
new  10-year  lease  on  its  Capitol 
Theatre  in  the  Center  Cities  area. 

The  present  lease  on  the  house  does 
not  expire  for  another  18  months.  The 
new  lease  calls  for  an  additional  $3,- 
000  yearly  rental  for  the  house.  War- 
ners, it  is  understood,  outbid  the  Wil- 
liam Goldman  Circuit  in  acquiring  the 
new  lease. 

Meanwhile,  the  local  trade  is  rife 
with  reports  of  another  independent 
operator  moving  into  the  downtown 
theatre  area  by  entering  a  bid  for 
Warners'  Family  Theatre.  A  syndi- 
cate, said  to  be  financed  by  Warners, 
entered  a  successful  bid  of  $675,000  for 
(.Continued  on  page  13) 


London  Setting  Up 
New  Release  System 


London,  March  25. — Despite  a 
lengthy  meeting  today,  representatives 
of  the  Cinematograph  Exhibitors  As- 
sociation and  the  Kinematograph 
Renters  Society  (distributors)  were 
unable  to  reach  an  agreement  on  de- 
tails of  the  latter's  plan  to  set  up  a 
new  London  release  system  to  give 
effect  to  the  reduction  in  prints  re- 
quired by  the  Board  of  Trade's  new 
raw  stock  conservation  order. 

The  meeting  agreed  on  the  principle 
(Continued  on  page  13) 


Brig.  Gen  Harrison 
Army  Photo  Chief 

Brigadier  General  W.  H.  Harrison 
has  been  appointed  chief  of  the  Army 
Pictorial  Service,  formerly  the  Pic- 
torial Division  of  the  Office  of  the 
Chief  Signal  Officer,  the  War  Depart- 
ment announced  yesterday. 

Gen.  Harrison  will  be  charged  with 
responsibility  in  matters  of  policy  de- 
termination and  operating  procedure 
for  the  photographic  services  of  all 
Army  Service  Forces,  the  announce- 
ment stated.  The  performance  of  all 
production  and  procurement  programs 
for  photographic  supplies  and  equip- 
ment will  be  directly  under  his  super- 
vision. 


200  Features  Going 
To  Spain  This  Year; 
U.  S.  Agencies  Aid 


An  estimated  200  American  feature 
films  will  enter  Spain  this  year,  the 
largest  number  in  the  past  eight  years, 
foreign  department  officials  estimated 
yesterday. 

Film  shipments  to  Spain  were  prac- 
tically at  a  standstill  during  the  civil 
war  due  to  the  blocking  of  all  mone- 
tary remittances.  Subsequently,  the 
Spanish  government  adopted  a  quota 
law  which  requires  the  production  of 
one  film  in  Spain  in  return  for  every 
import  license  for  five  pictures.  In 
view  of  the  obstacles,  few  distributors 
have  sent  films  to  Spain  in  the  past 
several  years. 

Recently,  however,  the  demand  for 
films  has  encouraged  a  number  of 
Spanish  distributors  to  buy  American 
films  outright,  either  in  New  York 
or  Lisbon,  paying  dollars  for  them, 
and  bringing  them  into  Spain  under 
licenses  obtained  previously.  Only  a 
(Continued  on  page  13) 


'Tigers'  Will  Gross 
2  Million:  Grainger 


Republic's  anticipated  gross  of 
$2,000,000  on  "Flying  Tigers"  has 
been  realized,  with  two-thirds  of  the 
total  obtained  in  the  picture's  first  17 
weeks  of  release,  James  R.  Grainger, 
president  and  general  sales  manager 
of  Republic  Pictures,  told  the  com- 
pany's regional  sales  conference  which 
opened  yesterday  at  the  New  York 

(Continued  on  page  13) 


Jewish  Appeal  Group 
Holds  Meeting  Today 

Plans  of  the  amusement  di- 
vision of  the  United  Jewish 
Appeal  campaign  will  be  dis- 
cussed at  the  division  com- 
mittee's first  luncheon  meet- 
ing of  the  year  at  12:45  p.  m. 
today  in  the  College  Hall  of 
the  Hotel  Astor.  David  Bern- 
stein and  Major  Albert  War- 
ner are  co-chairmen  of  the 
amusement  division. 


Raw  Stock  Cut 
In  Britain  Hits 
U.  S.  Exports 


By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  March  25. — An  appar- 
ent discrimination  against  United 
States  films  printed  here  for  export 
to  Sweden  and  other  neutral  coun- 
tries has  been  discovered  in  the 
Board  of  Trade's  new  raw  stock 
conservation  orders. 

The  exemptions  granted  to  British 
distributors  on  raw  stock  used  for 
such  export  are  not  extended  to 
American  films. 

Although  the  export  trade  involved 
is  of  no  great  volume,  the  preparation 
here  of  prints  has  been  a  means  by 
which  the  American  companies  were 
able  to  utilize  some  part  of  their  froz- 
en sterling,  which  was  recouped  in 
Sweden  and  to  some  extent  in  Portu- 
gal. 


$200,000  Advance  Sale 
For  N.  Y.  Red  Cross  Show 


Service  Men  to  See 
UA's  'Canteen'  First 

Approximately  100  simultaneous 
showings  of  Sol  Lesser's  "Stage  Dopr 
Canteen"  will  be  given  for  United 
States  service  men  in  every  part  of 
the  world  late  in  May,  possibly  on 
Memorial  Day,  in  advance  of  regular 
openings,  United  Artists,  distributor 
of  the  film,  announced  yesterday. 

The  showings  will  be  held  in  Ice- 
land, North  Africa,  England,  North 
Ireland,  Iran,  Australia,  Hawaii,  the 
Solomons,  Brazil,  Trinidad,  Alaska 
and  other  military  centers,  as  well  as 
on  ships  at  sea.  Radio  coverage  of 
the  showings  by  short  wave  is  being 
arranged. 


An  advance  sale  of  $200,000  for  the 
Red  Cross  show  at  Madison  Square 
Garden  April  5  was  announced  yester- 
day by  Judge  Benjamin  Shalleck,  chair- 
man of  the  event.  The  show,  spon- 
sored by  the  motion  picture  industry, 
is  a  highlight  of  Red  Cross  War 
Fund  Week  in  Theatres,  April  1-7, 
of  which  Barney  Balaban  is  national 
chairman. 

A  caravan  of  stars  from  the  Coast 
has  been  arranged  by  the  Hollywood 
Victory  Committee  and  is  expected  to 
include  Paulette  Goddard,  George 
Raft,  Charles  Boyer,  Marlene  Diet- 
rich, Dick  Powell,  Janet  Blair,  Elea- 
nor Powell,  William  Bendix,  Myrna 
(Continued  on  page  14) 


Protest  Film 
Income  Limit 
In  Australia 


Proposed  Measure  Would 
Impose  '42  Level 


The  industry  has  protested  to 
the  Australian  government  the  pro- 
posed inclusion  of  films  in  price 
freezing  regulations  in  that  coun- 
try. The  subject  was  discussed  by 
foreign  managers  at  a  meeting  at 
MPPDA  headquarters  yesterday. 

The  inclusion  of  films  in  the 
regulations  would  result  in 
holding  distribution  revenue  in 
Australia  to  their  highest  1942 
levels,  foreign  department 
sources  said.  Industry  protests 
contend  that  such  a  procedure 
would  be  unfair  in  view  of  the 
tremendous  increase  in  thea- 
tre patronage  there  in  recent 
months. 

Film  export  officials  contend  that 
attendance  at  Australian  theatres  is  al- 
most double  last  year's  and  that,  while 
distributor  revenue  under'the  regula- 
tions would  be  held  to  the  1942  peak, 
theatre  revenue  would  not  be  affected 
by  the  ceiling. 


Higgins  Appointed 
Prudential  Buyer 


Walter  Higgins  has  been  appointed 
film  buyer  for  the  Prudential  circuit 
(Joseph  Seider  and  Irwin  Wheeler), 
and  took  over  the  newly  created  post 
this  week.  He  formerly  for  about  10 
years  was  film  buyer  for  the  Mullin  & 
Pinanski  circuit  in  New  England  and 
before  that  was  with  Paramount  for 
about  10  years. 

The  Prudential  circuit  comprises 
some  50  theatres  on  Long  Island,  in 
Westchester,  New  Jersey  and  Connec- 
ticut. 

Higgins  has  been  succeeded  as  M 
(Continued  on  page  13) 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Heard  Around,"  by  Sam 
Shain,  Page  2.  Reviews  of 
"Sherlock  Holmes  in  Wash- 
ington" and  "Clancy  Street 
Boys,"  Page  3.  Broadway  and 
key  city  box-office  reports, 
Pages  3  and  14. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  March  26,  1943 


Newspaper  Ad  Rate 
Rise  Affects  Films 

Three  New  York  newspapers  have 
announced  increased  advertising  rates, 
and  the  trend  throughout  the  nation 
appears  to  be  for  a  general  rise  rang- 
ing from  10  to  IS  per  cent  for  all  ad- 
vertisers, including  theatre  and  motion 
picture  display.  Advertising  agencies 
forecast  further  increases  in  amuse- 
ment rates  if  the  WPB  orders  an- 
other cut  in  newsprint  stock,  which 
would  reduce  the  size  of  the  papers. 

In  New  York,  the  Daily  News  has 
raised  its  rates  effective  April  1,  the 
Herald  Tribune  effective  May  16,  and 
the  Times  May  7.  Other  newspapers 
in  the  metropolitan  area  are  expected 
to  follow  suit. 

In  Washington,  the  Post,  Times- 
Herald  and  the  Star  raised  their  rates 
last  January.  The  Baltimore  Sun 
raised  its  amusement  advertising  rate 
five  cents  a  line  last  November.  The 
Houston  Chronicle  and  the  Houston 
Press  increased  rates  late  last  year 
when  a  newsprint  shortage  appeared 
imminent,  as  did  the  News  and  the 
Times-Herald  in  Dallas. 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 

SPENCER  TRACY 
KATHARINE  HEPBURN 
"KEEPER  OF  THE  FLAME" 

A    Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer  Picture 
Gala  Stage  Revue    •  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


Always  Tops  i n  -2 •  f o r-1  Shows 


Alice  FAYE 
^    jack  OAK  IE 


John  PAYNE  rt 
Lynn  BARI 

HeMo,  ¥R\SZO,We4& ' 

A  ?OTH  CtNTUHY.FOX  PICTURt      IN  TECHNICOLOR 

★  PLUS  A  BIG  STAGE  SHOW  * 
buy     n  f\  "y  -yf  7ihAVE. 

BONDS      WK.KJ  JK    I      50th  ST. 


PALACE 


B  WAY  & 

47th  St. 


HUMPHREY  BOGART 
INGRID  BERGMAN 
PAUL  HENREID 

"CASABLANCA" 

—  and  — 

"LADIES  DAY" 

LUPE  VELEZ        •        MAX  BAER 


lw.STRTE 


ON  SCREEN 

'POWERS  GIRL' 

GEO.  MURPHY 
ANNE  SHIRLEY 
CAROLE  LAND  IS 


J 


IN  PERSON 

BIG 
STAGE 
SHOW 


IS  DOWN" 

The  Most  Important  Picture  of  1943 
A  Twentieth   Century   Fox  Picture 


RIVOLI 


-  Heard  Around  - 


RAW  stock  requirements  ...  for  the  second  quarter  having  been  settled 
on  a  basis  likely  to  prove  permanent — -War  Production  Board  officials 
soon  will  delve  into  the  export  situation — because  most  of  the  celluloid  which 
is  used  in  productions  for  export  purposes — is  supplied  through  the  manu 
facture  of  American  companies — and  consequently  a  meeting  is  in  the  offing— 
in  Washington  or  New  York — between  Harold  Hopper  and  the  foreign 
chiefs  of  the  11  principal  film  companies. 

•  •  • 

And  talking  about  raw  stock  .  .  .  that  surprising  increase  of  16,500,000 
feet — by  the  WPB — for  the  second  quarter — resulted  through  discovery  of 
the  fact  that — Technicolor,  in  its  first  quarter  figures — had  failed  to  take 
into  account — millions  of  feet  used  for  internal  factory  consumption. 

•  •  • 

About  the  new  plays  .  .  .  Helen  Eager  of  the  Boston  Traveler  writes — 
that  the  revival  of  "Yes,  My  Darling  Daughter"  at  the  Copley,  may  not 
possess  the  polish  of  the  original — but  it  is  vastly  aided  by  stars- 
and  is  just  about  as  amusing  as  it  was  back  in  1937.  .  .  .  Benny  Rubin 
has  been  booked  for  a  personal  appearance  at  Loew's  State,  on  Broad- 
way for  the  week  beginning  April  22. 

•  •  • 

We  commend  .  .  .  Tom  Murtha  of  the  A.  F.  of  L. — and  Saul  Mills  of 
C.I.O. — for  their  patriotic  attitudes — in  approving  the  Capt.  Eddie  Ricken- 
backer  trailer  for  the  Red  Cross  drive  .  .  .  Murtha  telegraphed  to  Walter 
S.  Gifford  that — "his  organization  considers  the  Red  Cross  drive  of  vital 
importance  to  the  war  effort  and  will  not  permit  any  person  to  hinder  that 
program." 

•  •  • 

Dick  Conners  reports  Henry  Walters  of  RKO— generally  looked 

upon  as  the  industry's  legislative  expert  in  Albany — was  one  of  the  popular 
figures  attending  the  recent  annual  legislative  correspondents'  banquet  .  .  . 
The  tvoin  sons  of  Louis  R.  Golding,  division  manager  for  Fabian  Theatres — 
joined  the  Army  on  the  same  day  last  week — and,  now  are  at  Camp  Upton 
.  .  .  on  the  next  day — Robert  Shure,  son  of  Joe  Shure — Golding's  district 
booker — left  for  Camp  Mills,  Colo. — after  enlisting  in  the  ski  troops. 

•  •  • 

Milton  Miller  writes  .  .  .  that  Warren  Stiely,  gunners  mate,  third  class, 
U.S.N.— formerly  of  the  Colonial  Theatre,  Lebanon,  Pa.— is  home  after 
a  terrifying  experience  at  sea— when  his  ship  was  torpedoed— and  he 
was  cast  adrift  in  an  open  boat  for  eight  days— until  rescued  .  .  .  Sgt. 
John  Coyne — former  maintenance  department  employe  of  the  Comer- 
ford  Circuit— in  Scranton— is  a  member  of  the  385th  Infantry  Regiment 
champion  basketball  team  of  Camp  Meade,  Md.  .  .  .  Pvt.  George  Poddo— 
formerly  of  the  Capitol  Theatre,  Mauch  Chunk,  Pa.— and  the  stork 
crossed  paths  when  he  completed  a  special  course  in  electrical  communi- 
cations—and was  sent  to  Camp  Gruber,  Okla.— on  the  day  that  his 
wife  gave  birth  to  a  baby  girl— so  he  asked  for  a  furlough  and  came 
right  back. 

•  •  • 

These  are  trying  times  indeed  ...  for  theatre  manager— Joseph  Mur- 
dock  of  Warners'  Stanley,  Philadelphia— came  to  his  theatre,  Tuesday  after 
being  off  on  Monday— but  the  doorman  would  not  permit  him  through— 
until  Murdock  was  identified  by  his  assistant— who  had  hired  the  doorman 
only  the  day  previous. 

•  •  • 

All  indications  point  to  ...  a  more  rigid  British  quota  on  production 
after  the  war— one  which  would  required  increased  production  of  features  by 
importers— a  condition  which  some  observers  believe  parti  v  prompted  the 
Metro-Korda  deal— whereby  Sir  Alexander  will  produce  for  M-G-M  in  Eng- 
land—with a  view  to  these  indicated  post  war  conditions. 

•  •  • 

Pvt  John  Ettlinger  . .  .  with  the  Signal  Corps,  at  Astoria-is  the  grand- 
son of  John  D.  Hertz  .  Pvt  Snyros  Skouras.  Jr.,  with  the  same  outfit 
—is  the  son  of  the  president  of  20th  Century-Fox  Corp. 

•  •  • 

T\rlIS,he!  u  •  •  P,rominently  mentioned  in  inner  circles- 
as  the  lad  most  likely  to  be  put  in  charge  of  film  distribution  for  the  Navv- 
he  has  been  associated  with  the  Edison  company  in  Detroit  Paramount 

nnffnnny'ngJhetStr0ngeSt  CaS,h  ?°siti°,n  ,in  its  h^tory-with  more  than  $30.- 
000.000  in  the^^easury— exclusive  of  the  company's  50  percent  interest  in 
about  $26,000,000  cash  held  by  theatre  operating  subsidiaries  Charles 
Koerner  is  convinced  he  should  have  a  contract  ...  if  conditions  permit  RKO' 
owners  would  like  to  grant  stock  options  to  deserving  company  executives 
the  return  of  Darryl  Zanuck  to  Hollywood  production  is  imminent. 
 ,   — Sam  Shain 


Premiere  of  'Heart9 
For  French  Charity 

The  world  premiere  of  "The  Heart 
of  a  Nation,"  Paul  Graetz  production, 
at  the  Abbey  Theatre  here  April  7 
will  be  sponsored  bv  the  Coordinating 
Council  of  French  Relief  Societies  and 
the  Fighting  French  Relief  Commit- 
tee. Proceeds  of  the  event  will  be 
equally  divided  between  the  sponsor- 
ing groups. 


MPPDA  Board  Meet 
Postponed  to  April  15 

The  annual  meeting  of  the  MPPDA 
board  of  directors  which  was  sched- 
uled for  Monday  has  been  postponed 
to  April  15,  due  to  the  absence  from 
the  city  of  several  members  of  the 
board.  All  are  expected  to  be  back  in 
New  York  in  advance  of  the  later 
date. 


Personal 
Mention 


CHARLES    P.    SKOURAS  and 
Charles  Buckley  are  expected 
from  the  Coast  over  the  weekend. 
• 

Arthur  Greenblatt,  Producers 
Releasing  vice-president  in  charge  of 
sales,  has  returned  from  Chicago  anJ 
Pittsburgh. 

E.  K.  O'Shea  leaves  for  Florida 
today. 

Maurice  Bergman  is  on  the  sick 
list. 

• 

John  Quinn,  M-G-M  St.  Louis 
branch  manager,  and  B.  C.  Wing- 
ham,  San  Francisco  manager,  are  in 
town. 

• 

Walter  Gould  is  recovering  from 
a  two-weeks'  illness. 

• 

W.  A.  Scully  will  return  from 
Florida  on  Monday. 

• 

W.  S.  McLaren,  operator  of  the 
Michigan  Theatre,  Jackson,  Mich.,  is 
expected  here  Monday. 

• 

H.  M.  Richey  has  recuperated  from 
an  attack  of  the  flu. 

• 

Moe  Silver,  Pittsburgh  zone  man- 
ager for  Warner  Theatres,  and  Jo- 
seph Feldman,  his  assistant,  are  in 
town. 

• 

Charles  W.  Noodleman,  RKO 
salesman  in  Minneapolis,  has  resigned 
to  enter  the  U.  S.  aviation  service. 


Joseph  M.  Schenck  and  William 
Goetz  will  leave  for  the  Coast  to- 


Charles  Regan  of  Paramount  is 
scheduled  to  return  from  the  Coast 
next  Tuesday. 

• 

H.  M.  Bessey,  secretary-treasurer 
of  Altec  Service,  has  returned  from 
the  Coast. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin  Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor: 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor' 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  »nd  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c 


Friday,  March  26,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


'Air  Force'  Heads 
For  $14,000  Gross 
In  Cincinnati  Week 


Cincinnati,  March  25. — A  combi- 
nation of  Lent,  a  blackout  Friday 
night    and    the    Ohio    River  flood 
caused  a  sag  in  the  box-office  curve, 
although  "Air   Force"   should  reach 
-  an  estimated  $14,000  at  the  RKO  Al- 
=^<>ee,  while  "Happy  Go  Lucky"  will 
^J;/probably  gross  $5,500  on  a  moveover 
week  at  the  RKO  Shubert.   A  $6,000 
v     gross  is  indicated  for  "The  Amazing 
Mrs.  Holliday"  on  its  second  down- 
town week  at  the  RKO  Capitol,  and 
Keith's  should  do  $5,000  with  "Jour- 
ney for  Margaret." 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  24-27 : 

"Air  Force"  (W.  B.) 

RKO  ALBEE— (3,300)  (33c-40c-44c-S5c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $14,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"It  Ain't  Hay"  (Univ.) 

RKO  PALACE — (2,700)  (33c-40c-44c-5Sc) 
7  days.  Gross:  $11,000.  (Average,  $12,000) 
"Happy  Go  Lucky"  (Para.) 

RKO  SHUBERT — (2,500)  (33c-40c-44c-S5c) 
7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $5,500.  (Aver- 
age, $4,500) 

"The  Amazing'  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 

RKO  CAPITOL— (2,000)  (33c-40c-44c-55c) 
7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $6,000.  (Aver- 
age, $5,500) 

"Chetniks,   the  Fighting  Guerillas"  (20th- 
Fox) 

RKO  GRAND— (1,500)  (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $4,500.    (Average,  $5,000) 
"Ice-Capadles"  (Rep.) 

RKO  LYRIC— (1,400)  (30c-33c-44c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $3,800.    (Average,  $4,000) 
"Man  of  Courage"  (PRC) 
"Ridin*  Down  the  Canyon"  (Rep.) 

RKO  FAMILY—  (1,000)  (20c-30c)  4  days. 
Gross:  $1,200.    (Average,  $1,400) 
"The  Other  Woman"  (20th-Fox) 
"Hi,  Buddy"  (Univ.) 

RKO  FAMILY— (1,000)  (20c-30c)  3  days. 
Gross:  $700.    (Average,  $800) 
"Journey  for  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 

KEITH'S—  (1,500)  (33c-40c-44c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  $5,000) 


'Hitler's',  $18,000, 
Tops  Minneapolis 


Minneapolis,  March  25. — "Hitler's 
Children"  appeared  headed  for  a  tre- 
mendous $18,000  week  at  Orpheum 
Theatre,  while  other  situations  held  up 
well  as  the  worst  March  weather  in 
years  finally  cleared. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  27 : 

"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th- Fox) 

STATE  —  (2,300)    (30c-40c-S0c)   7  days. 
Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $10,000) 
"Pride  of  the  Yankees"  (RKO) 

CENTURY— (1,600)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $6,000.  (Average,  $7,000) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

ORPHEUM— (2,800)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $18,000.    (Average,  $8,500) 
"Johnny  Comes  Marching  Home"  (Univ.) 

GOPHER— (998)    (30c)    7  days.  Gross: 
$3,300.  (Average,  $3,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

LYRIC— (1,250)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days,  3rd 
week.    Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  $4,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 

WORLD — (350)    (30c-40c-50c-60c)   7  days, 
5th  week.    Gross:  $2,800.    (Average,  $2,500) 
"Mysterious  Doctor"  (W.B.)  4  days 
"Margin  for  Error"  (20th-Fox)  4  days 

ASTER— (900)  (20c-30c)  7  days,  with  mid- 
week change.  Gross:  $2,600.  (Average, 
$2,250) 


Gus  Schaefer  'V  Week 

RKO's  Northeastern  district  ex- 
changes at  Buffalo,  Albany,  New 
Haven  and  Boston  have  designated  the 
week  of  April  2-8  as  "Gus  Schaefer 
Victory  Week,"  in  honor  of  the 
Northeastern  district  manager,  in  con- 
nection with  the  current  Ned  Depinet 
drive. 


Reviews 


Sherlock  Holmes  in  Washington 

( Universal) 

CIR  ARTHUR  CONAN  DOYLE'S  characters  are  brought  very 
^  much  up-to-date  by  Universal  in  "Sherlock  Holmes  in  Washington," 
as  the  famed  detective  and  Dr.  Watson  visit  the  capital  to  track  down 
Nazi  agents.  Basil  Rathbone  again  is  in  the  title  role  with  Nigel  Bruce 
as  his  congenial  accomplice  in  detecting. 

Roy  Raymond  Neill  directed  this  Howard  Benedict  production  with  a 
fine  feeling  for  suspense  and  rapid  action.  The  screenplay  by  Bertram 
Millhauser  and  Lynn  Riggs,  from  an  original  by  Millhauser,  takes  full  ad- 
vantage of  the  amazing  deductive  powers  of  Sherlock  Holmes  and  there- 
by doesn't  allow  for  incredulity  in  the  pulling  of  clues  from  nowhere 
and  the  hasty  cleanup  of  the  spies.  Although  many  of  the  methods  of 
creating  suspense  are  rather  obvious,  they  are  effective.  Bruce  is  ex- 
cellent and,  at  times,  funny  as  Dr.  Watson,  and  Rathbone  is  a  convincing 
Holmes. 

The  two  are  rushed  from  London  to  Washington  to  find  a  missing 
secret  service  man  entrusted  with  a  vital  war  message.  Holmes  deducts 
that  the  message  was  reduced  to  microfilm  and  hidden  in  a  package  of 
matches.  Sensing  his  impending  doom,  the  secret  service  man  had 
passed  on  the  match  pack  to  unsuspecting  Marjorie  Lord,  who  with  her 
fiancee,  is  thus  drawn  into  the  plot.  Once  in  Washington,  Holmes  gets 
after  the  spies,  saves  the  message,  captures  the  enemies  and  makes  a 
speech  about  the  unity  of  England  and  the  United  States. 

Miss  Lord  and  John  Archer  are  the  attractive  romantic  pair.  George 
Zucco  is  a  slick  villain.  Others  in  the  cast  are  Don  Terry,  Henry 
Daniell  and  Edmund  MacDonald.  The  supporting  roles  are  capably 
handled. 

Running  time,  71  minutes.    "G"*  Lucille  Greenberg 


"Clancy  Street  Boys" 

{Monogram) 

Hollywood,  March  25 

TT's  something  of  a  switch  to  throw  the  East  Side  Kids  on  the  good 
side  of  the  behavioristic  code  at  the  start  of  a  picture,  instead  of 
swinging  them  over  to  it  for  the  finale,  and  that's  the  principal  difference 
between  this  Sam  Katzman-Jack  Dietz-Barney  A.  Sarecky  presentation 
of  the  gang  and  its  predecessors. 

The  screenplay  by  Harvey  Gates  sets  up  Leo  Gorcey  as  leader  of  the 
gang  and  son  of  a  widow  whose  spouse  during  his  life  has  boasted  to 
his  rich  brother  in  the  West  that  he  is  the  father  of  seven  instead  of  one. 
The  brother,  played  broadly  by  Noah  Beery,  arrives  in  New  York  and 
the  kids  in  Gorcey's  gang  pose  as  members  of  his  family  to  make  the 
deceased  parent's  story  stand  up.  Well  down  toward  the  end  of  the 
picture  gangsters  kidnap  Beery  and  the  kids  close  in  for  the  usual  rough- 
house  finale. 

The  cast  includes  Huntz  Hall,  Bobby  Jordan,  Lita  Ward,  Bennie 
Bartlett,  Ric  Vallin,  Billy  Benedict,  J.  Farrell  McDonald,  Jan  Rubini, 
Martha  Wentworth,  Sammy  Morrison,  Dick  Chandler,  Eddie  Mills  and 
George  De  Normand.   William  Beaudine  directed. 

Running  time,  66  minutes.  "G."*  William  R.  Weaver 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Decision  Reserved  in 
Suit  Against  Loew's 

Loew's,  Inc.'s,  motion  to  dismiss  the 
$50,000  damage  action  instituted  by 
Peggy  Calvert,  actress  and  songstress, 
was  argued  by  attorneys  for  both  sides 
yesterday  with  Supreme  Court  Justice 
Benedict  D.  Dineen  reserving  decision. 

The  actress  based  her  complaint  on 
the  allegation  that  Loew's  Inc.,  in  the 
film,  "Keeping  Company,"  used  a  scene 
showing  two  characters  reading  a 
newspaper  in  which  the  headline  pro- 
claims "Mrs.  Jessie  Calvert  Divorced." 
Remarks  made  by  the  players,  the 
complaint  states  are  defamatory  and 
scandalous  and  subject  the  plaintiff  to 
shame  and  ridicule. 

J.  Robert  Rubin  represented  Loew's 
at  the  hearing. 


'Flicka?  Utah  Opening 

"My  Friend  Flicka"  will  have  its 
premiere  at  the  Utah  Theatre,  Salt 
Lake  City,  April  7th,  20th  Century- 
Fox  announced. 


Albany  Suhsequents 
Oppose  Scale  Rises 

Albany,  March  25. — Local  subse- 
quent run  operators  are  not  inclined 
to  increase  admission  scales  despite 
action  to  that  effect  taken  by  first  runs 
recently  in  Troy  and  Schenectady  as 
well  as  here. 

Exhibitors  assert  that  despite  in- 
creased overhead  they  cannot  afford 
to  antagonize,  by  increasing  prices, 
the  neighborhood  patronage  that  con- 
tinued to  attend  their  theatres  during 
the  pleasure  driving  ban  when  many 
others  used  public  transportation  to  go 
to  downtown  theatres. 


Columbus  USO  Center 

Columbus,  O.,  March  25. — A  new 
USO  center  being  built  here  is  ex- 
pected to  open  in  mid-April,  it  was 
reported.  The  WPB  has  released 
priorities  on  necessary  materials,  and 
the  center  is  expected  to  cost  $10,000 
it  was  said. 


Easing  of  Gas 
Rationing  Aids 
Buffalo  Gross 


Buffalo,  March  25. — "Keeper  of 
the  Flame"  and  "Fall  In"  were  doing 
well  in  a  second  week  at  the  Buffalo 
and  were  expected  to  reach  $16,800. 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing," 
double-billed  at  the  Hipp,  probably 
will  gross  $12,000.  "The  Amazing 
Mrs.  Holliday,"  in  a  second  week  at 
the  Lafayette,  appeared  headed  for  a 
good  $11,000.  Lifting  of  the  pleasure- 
driving  ban,  even  though  the  value 
of  A  coupons  were  cut  in  half,  has 
the  downtown  theatre  area  again 
jammed  at  the  curbs  with  parked  cars. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  27: 

"Keeper  of  the  Flame"  (M-G-M) 
"Fall  In"  (U.A.) 

BUFFALO-(3,489)  (35c-55c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.  Gross:  $16,800.  (Average,  $15,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

GREAT  LAKES — (3,000)     (35c-55c)  7 
days,  2nd  week  at  popular  prices.  Gross: 
$12,000.     (Average,  $10,800) 
"One  of  Our  Aircraft  Is  Missing"  (U.A.) 
"Silver  Queen"  (U.A.) 

HIPPODROME— (2,100)  (35c-55c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $12,000.     (Average,  $12,000) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.B.) 
"Mexican  Spitfire's  Elephant"  (RKO) 

TWENTIETH  CENTURY— (3,000)  (35c- 
55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $8,500.  (Average, 
$8,500) 

"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 
"Sherlock  Holmes  and  the  Secret  Weapon" 
(Univ.) 

LAFAYETTE— (3,000)  (35c-50c)  7  days, 
"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday,"  2nd  week. 
Gross:  $11,000.    (Average,  $7,500) 


Most  Seattle  Grosses 
Seen  Below  Average 

Seattle,  March  25. — "The  Meanest 
Man  in  the  World"  and  "Margin  for 
Error"  on  a  dual  bill  at  the  Paramount 
and  Music  Hall  were  slated  for  a 
good  $15,600  total,  although  the  bill 
played  only  five  days  at  the  Music  Hall 
and  was  replaced  by  "Ravaged  Earth" 
for  the  remainder  of  the  run.  Weather 
was  mild  and  clear. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  25 : 

"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

"Life  Begins  at  8:30"  (20th-Fox) 

BLUE  MOUSE— (950)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  2nd  week.    Moved  from  Paramount. 
Gross:  $4,300.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

FIFTH  AVENUE— (2,500)  (40c-50c-65c- 
80c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross:  $8,600.  (Aver- 
age, $9,000) 

"City  Without  Men"  (CoL) 
"No  Place  for  a  Lady"  (Col.) 

LIBERTY  —  (1,800)     (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.     Gross:  $7,250.     (Average,  $7,500) 
"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

MUSIC    BOX— (950)    (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days,  5th  week.    Moved  from  Fifth  Avenue. 
Gross:  $4,700.     (Average,  $4,500) 
"The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (20th- 

Fox) 

"Margin  for  Error"  (20th-Fox) 

MUSIC  HALL— (2,275)  (40c-50c-65c-80c) 
5  days.    Gross:  $7,100.    (Average,  $7,500) 
"Air  Force"  (W.  B.) 

ORPHEUM— (2,450)     (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $12,850.     (Average,  $9,000) 
"Kid  Dynamite"  (Mono.) 

PALOMAR  —  (1,500)  (30c -42c -58c -70c)  7 
days.  Vaudeville.  Gross:  $7,300.  (Average, 
$7,500) 

"The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World''  (20th- 
Fox) 

"Margin  for  Error"  (20th-Fox) 

PARAMOUNT— (3,050)  (40c-50c-65c-80c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $8,500.    (Average,  $9,000) 


Prisoner  of  Italians 

Rochester,  N.  Y.,  March  25. — 
Charles  Simmons,  formerly  of  East- 
man Kodak  Co.,  is  a  prisoner  of  the 
Italians,  friends  have  revealed.  He 
had  been  in  North  Africa. 


TODAY  f*!'*** 


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SOMETHING  TO 
SHOUT  ABOUT 
Jack  Oakie 
Don  Ameche 
Janet  Blair 
M — 91  mins. 

LET'S  HAVE 
FUN 
Margaret  Lindsay 
Bert  Gordon 

C — 55  mins. 

AFTER 
MIDNIGHT 
WITH  BOSTON 
BLACKIE 
Chester  Morris 
D — 64  mins. 

THE 
DESPERADOES 
(Technicolor) 
Randolph  Scott 
Claire  Trevor 
O — 85  mins. 

MURDER  IN 
TIMES  SQUARE 
Edmund  Lowe 
Marguerite 
Chapman 
D — 65  mins. 

SHE  HAS  WHAT 
IT  TAKES 
Jinx  Falkenburg 
Tom  Neal 

M 

SADDLES  AND 
SAGEBRUSH 
Rusell  Hayden 
Ann  Savage 
O 

EDHEAD  FROM 
MANHATTAN 
Lupe  Velez 
M 

&  " 

pX! 

March 
12 

March 
19 

March 
26 

u 
•>-» 
*- 

< 

c±  on 
< 

Ml 

K 

O 

o 


Collier* 


ONLY  YOU  CAN  DO  THIS 
JOB  FOR  THE  NAVY! 


WOMAN S  HOME 


OMPANION 


MARCH 


111  iVi'Jl   '"wnmil 

lull  111  /  > 
■■■■■■  


"The  Japs  would  suspect  a  man  . . .  but 
you,  a  famous  woman  flier,  can  get 
away  with  It.  For  years  the  Japs  have 
fortified  these  islands  to  make  war  on 
us.  We  must  know  the  scope  of  these 
preparations.  That's  where  you  come 
in.  Somewhere  between  New  Guinea 
and  Hawaii—" 


Rosalind  pyssELL  fbedMacMURRA\ 

£1 


HERBERT  MARSHALL  hs.= 

CIANNELU  •  m m  KINGSfORO  j 


3,804^52 


V 


RUSSELL  MacMURRAY 

Fl/6#rF0K  FREEDOM 

HERBERT  MARSHALL 

EDWARD  ClANNfUl    WAUER  KINGSfOflD 
Preferi  br  Ban!)  Htmpslwd  DiredHl  b»  lotlur  Menses 


%'  ***;<* 

PARADE  is 

distributed  weekly  ™ 
with  the  following  ■ 
Sunday  papers:  ,J 

Akron  Beacon  Journal 
Bridgeport  Sunday  Post 
Charleston,  W.  Va.,  Mail 
Chicago  Sun 

Denver  Rocky  Mountain  News 
Detroit  Free  Press 
El  Paso  Times 

Jacksonville  Florida  Times-Union 
Nashville  Tennessean 
Newark  Star-Ledger 
New  Bedford  Standard  Times 
Portland,  Me»,  Sunday  Telegram 
Syracuse  Herald-American 
Toledo  Times 
Washington  Post 
Winston-Salem  Journal-Sentinel 


A  blanket  blast  of  power-house 
advertising  in  most  of  the  nation's 
great  mass  media -to  tell  millions 
upon  millions  about  the  great  new 
show  that's  coming  their  way! 

Full  pages  playing  up  the  picture's 
timeliest  of  all  angles -the  war 
against  the  Japs  among  the  pow- 
der-keg islands  of  the  Pacific! 


e  •  • 


More  of  the  kind  of  RKO  RADIO 
showmanship  that's  paying  off  in 
tremendous  dividends  at  the  box- 
offices  of  the  nation's  theatres! 


Cottiers 


CIRCULATION 

^3  2,938,306 


.NION 


DID  WOMAN  FLIER  Jf 
STRIKE  FIRST  U.S.  j  ■ 
BLOW  AT  JAPS'  f^ZL 


Fred 


RUSSELL- MacMURRAY 


Herbert  MARSHALL 

nam  WORK  •mil  iiuh 


ONLY  YOU  CAN  DO  THIS 
JOB  FOR  THE  NAVY! 


— — 


ROSALIND 


RUSSELL  MacMURRAY 
tt(6MTF0R FREEDOM 

.HERBERT  MARSHALL!' 


CIRCULATION 

7,432,273 


e 


AMERICAN 
WEEKLY 

is  distributed  every 
week  with  the  following 
Sunday  newspapers: 

Albany  Times-Union 
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Baltimore  American 
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Buffalo  Courier-Express 
Chicago  Herald-American 
Cleveland  Plain  Dealer 
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Miami  Herald 
Milwaukee  Sentinel 
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Washington,  D.C.,  Times-Herald 


eo  how  and  why  t 

on  o  i.crvl  fKghl  over 
(orbiddon  island;.  Now 
an  live  tho  flaming  drama 
.Iherodvonluro,  share  the  thrill 
f  the  Iwo  lovos  thai  tore  her 
.earl!. -It's  o  thoutand-bombcr 


^  RUSSELL  MacMURRAY 

__  HERBERT  MARSHALL  m 


ROSALIND  RUSSELL  FRED  M.cMURRAY 


„,SHTfOKf* 


g£DOM 


HERBERT  MARSHALL 


us  Week 


WE  COULD  BLAST 
JE  JAPS  OUT  OF  THE  PACIFIC 

CIRCULATION   f's  gM  risked  EVERYTHING! 

1,841,765  J. 

m  i  S 


SHE  RISKED  EVERYTHING  TO  GIVE 
AMERICA  THE  JUMP  ON  THE  JAPS! 


Btlore  Pearl  Harbor,  officiol- 
id:  "Thai  story  it  dyno- 
Don  )  dare  fell  a  word  o> 


PARADE  is 

distributed  weekly  f 
with  the  following 
Sunday  papers: 

Akron  Beacon  Journal 
Bridgeport  Sunday  Post 
Charleston,  W.  Va.,  Mail 
Chicago  Sun 

Denver  Rocky  Mountain  News 
Detroit  Free  Press 
El  Paso  Times 

Jacksonville  Florida  Times-Union 
Nashville  Tennesseon 
Newark  Star-Ledger 
New  Bedford  Standard  Times 
Portland,  Me.,  Sunday  Telegram 
Syracuse  Herald-American 
Toledo  Times 
Washington  Post 
Winston-Salem  Journal-Sentinel 


•tn.  Now  you  ton  know  the 
Ml  ol  this  girl's  mysterious 
tfion  over  fhe  Jap-mandated 
"»di.  Now  you  cor.  live  the 
m'n9  adventure  drama  of 
f  courage,  and  of  the  two 
«W  tore  al  he,  heartl 


F?  RUSSELL'  MacMURRAY 

HERBERT  MARSHALL  >„s& 


RUSSELL  MacMURRAY 

HERBERT  MARSHALL 


THIS  WEEK  Magazine  is 
distributed  each  Sunday 
with  the  following 
newspapers,  except 
where  noted: 

Atlanta  Constitution 
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'Distributed  with  Saturday  Edition 
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^^OfiETTHfy^ 


OH, 


HERBERT  MARSHALL 


j.'  COMBINED  CIRCULATION 

4,894,756 

R  K  O 


COMBINED  CIRCULATION 


R  K  O 
RADIO 

PICTURES 


CIRCULATION 

A  blanket  blast  of  power-house 
advertising  in  most  of  the  nation's 
great  mass  media -to  tell  millions 
upon  millions  about  the  great  new 
show  that's  coming  their  way! 

Full  pages  playing  up  the  picture's 
timeliest  of  all  angles -the  war 
against  the  Japs  among  the  pow- 
der-keg islands  of  the  Pacific!... 

More  of  the  kind  of  RKO  RADIO 
showmanship  that's  paying  off  in 
tremendous  dividends  at  the  box- 
offices  of  the  nation's  theatres! 


RUSSELL  MacMURRAY 


HERBERT  MARSHALL 

AR0  CIANNELLI  •  WALTER  KINGSFORD 

sen  day  ey  Oliver  H.  P.  Gorrett  and  S.  K.  louren 


LOTHAR  MENDES 


Friday,  March  26,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


13 


London  Setting  Up 
New  Release  System 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

of  dividing  London  into  three  release 
areas  to  be  served  with  a  maximum  of 
41  prints.  A  joint  committee  was 
appointed  and  went  into  session  im- 
mediately to  draw  up  details,  such  as 
setting  the  boundary  lines  of  the  re- 

^oective  areas. 

\  joint  deputation  tomorrow  will 

v/aorm  the  Board  of  Trade  that  the 
distributors  and  exhibitors  are  agreed 
in  principle  and  that  a  final  plan  will 
be  presented  within  a  week. 


'Tiger*  Will  Gross 
2  Million:  Grainger 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
Athletic  Club.    The  meeting  will  be 
concluded  today. 

Grainger  announced  that  the  com- 
pany's current  season  program  would 
be  completed  by  the  first  of  July  and 
that  details  of  the  new  program  would 
be  completed  after  today's  discussions. 

"Hit  Parade  of  1943"  and  "At 
Dawn  We  Die"  will  open  at  the  Cri- 
terion on  Broadway,  Grainger  said, 
with  bookings  following  at  Loew's 
State  and  over  Loew's  metropolitan 
circuit. 

Special  promotion  for  those  two 
films  as  well  as  the  Roy  Rogers' 
films,  "King  of  the  Cowboys"  and 
"Song  of  Texas,"  was  outlined. 


Arbitration  Efficient, 
Continue  It:  Rubin 

Arbitration  has  worked  out 
fairly  and  efficiently  under 
the  administration  of  the 
American  Arbitration  Associ- 
ation, J.  Robert  Rubin,  Loew's 
vice-president  and  general 
counsel,  believes. 

Although  it  is  too  early  to 
plan  possible  changes  in  the 
consent  decree,  Rubin  said,  in 
his  opinion  arbitration  should 
be  continued  after  the  end  of 
the  three-year  decree  trial  pe- 
riod next  Nov.  20.  Arbitration 
has  been  well  worth  its  cost 
and  has  established  a  practi- 
cal outside  forum  to  settle 
industry  disputes. 


200  Features  Going 
To  Spain  This  Year 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

small  percentage  of  the  200  American 
films  which  are  expected  to  enter 
Spain  this  year  will  be  distributed 
there  by  the  American  companies'  own 
distribution  organizations. 

Efforts  to  increase  the  flow  of 
American  films  to  Spain  are  reported 
in  New  York  as  having  been  under- 
taken by  the  American  Embassy  at 
Madrid,  the  Office  of  War  Informa- 
tion, which  has  urged  the  shipment  of 
prints  to  the  Embassy  for  showings 
there,  and  by  the  United  States  Com- 
mercial Corp. 


W.  B.  Continue  Phila. 
Area  Theatre  Buys 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

the  Family,  which  includes  a  large 
building  property,  as  well. 

However,  trustees  for  the  estate 
were  said  to  have  rejected  the  bid 
yesterday  when  an  undisclosed  buyer 
entered  a  bid  of  $700,000. 

Goldman,  who  was  successful  in 
purchasing  Warners'  Karlton  and 
Keith's,  downtown  theatres,  denies  he 
is  interested  in  acquiring  the  Family. 

It  is  also  reported  in  the  local  trade 
that  Warners  is  negotiating  for  the 
purchase  of  three  of  its  neighborhood 
houses,  the  Columbia,  Park  and  York, 
and  is  negotiating  for  an  interest  in 
the  independent  Carmen,  a  neighbor- 
hood vaudeville  house,  at  present  op- 
erated under  a  receivership.  An  anti- 
trust suit  brought  by  the  Carmen 
against  Warners  several  years  ago  is 
still  pending  in  the  local  courts. 


Examine  O'Connor, 
Whitman  in  Suit 

Examination  before  trial  of  John  J. 
O'Connor,  vice-president  of  Universal, 
and  William  F.  Whitman,  secretary 
of  B.  F.  Keith  and  Keith-Albee-Or- 
pheum  Circuit,  in  the  $5,000,000  anti- 
trust suit  of  the  Pickwick  Theatre, 
Greenwich,  Conn.,  against  major  dis- 
tributors will  be  held  in  the  County 
Lawyers  Association  Building  here, 
March  31,  according  to  papers  filed  in 
Federal  court  by  Saul  E.  Rogers,  at- 
torney for  the  plaintiff. 


Higgins  Appointed 
Prudential  Buyer 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

&  P  film  buyer  by  Chester  Stoddard, 
formerly  M  &  P  district  manager. 


Boston  Luncheon  for 
Higgins  Tomorrow 

Boston,  March  25. — Walter  Hig- 
gins, will  be  given  a  farewell  testi- 
monial luncheon  by  the  local  indus- 
try at  the  Hotel  Statler  here  on  Sat- 
urday. Sam  Seider  and  Irwin  Wheel- 
er of  the  Prudential  circuit  in  New 
York  and  others  from  there  are  ex- 
pected. 

A  committee  of  district  and  branch 
managers  is  making  arrangements. 
Thomas  J.  Donaldson  of  M-G-M  is 
general  chairman,  and  others  on  the 
committee  are  Maurice  N.  Wolf, 
M-G-M ;  .  Ross  Cropper  and  Gus 
Schaefer,  RKO ;  Harry  Rogovin, 
Columbia ;  John  Scully,  Universal ; 
M.  E.  Morey,  Republic ;  Albert  Kane 
and  William  Erbb,  Paramount :  Al 
Herman,  Monogram ;  Norman  Ayers, 
and  William  Horan,  Warner  Bros., 
and  Edward  Callahan  and  Moe  Grass- 
green,  20th  Century-Fox. 


Associates  Induct 
55  New  Members 

Induction  of  55  new  members  took 
place  at  a  meeting  of  the  Motion  Pic- 
ture Associates  at  the  Hotel  Astor 
yesterday. 


DESTINED  FOR  BIG  B.  O.  TAKES— Film  Daily 


JOHN  CARROLL  •  SUSAN  HAYWARD  in 


HIT  PARADE  OF  1943 


with  GAIL  PATRICK  *  EVE  ARDEN  •  Melville  COOPER  •  Walter  CATLETT 
Mary  TREEN  and  Jack  WILLIAMS,  The  Harlem  Sandman  •  Dorothy  DANDRIDGE  •  POPS  and  LOUIE  •  The  MUSIC  MAIDS  •  The  THREE  CHEERS  •  CHINITA  •  The 
GOLDEN  GATE  QUARTETTE  and  FREDDY  MARTIN  AND  HIS  ORCHESTRA- COUNT  BASIE  And  His  Orchestra- RAY  MCKINLEY  And  His  Orchestra 

— »  «"«*■■ 


14 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Friday,  March  26,  1943 


4Go  Lucky',  'Frisco' 
Open  Big  on  B'way; 
'Flame',  $105,000 

Among  the  new  films  opening  strong 
on  Broadway  this  week  were  "Happy 
Go  Lucky"  at  the  Paramount,  with 
Les  Brown  and  his  orchestra  on  the 
stage,  and  "Hello,  Frisco,  Hello"  with 
Chico  Marx  heading  the  stage  show 
at  the  Roxy.  Both  started  Wednes- 
day. 

"Keeper  of  the  Flame"  and  a  more 
elaborate  stage  presentation  than  usual 
was  estimated  to  gross  $105,000  for 
the  first  week  at  the  Radio  City  Music 
Hall  and  started  a  second  week  yes- 
terday. The  Capitol's  new  stage  show 
policy  continued  strong  with  an  esti- 
mated $54,000  for  the  second  week  by 
"Stand  By  for  Action"  and  Bob 
Crosby  and  his  band  heading  the  stage 
attraction.  The  bill  entered  a  third 
week  yesterday. 

"Hard  Way,"  $45,500 

For  a  second  week  at  the  Strand 
"The  Hard  Way"  grossed  about  $45,- 
500  and  goes  into  a  third  week  today 
with  Irene  Manning  and  Ina  Ray 
Hutton  "in  person."  For  a  final  week 
at  the  Rivoli,  "Forever  and  a  Day" 
was  estimated  at  $18,000.  "The  Moon 
Is  Down"  opens  at  the  Rivoli  today. 

"Chetniks"  began  its  second  and 
final  week  at  the  Globe  yesterday  with 
about  $13,300  garnered  for  the  first 
seven  days.  "Hitler,  Dead  or  Alive" 
opens  at  the  house  April  1.  "Air 
Force"  at  the  Hollywood  grossed  an 
estimated  $16,300  for  the  seventh 
week  and  will  probably  be  held  for 
another  four  weeks. 

"Frankenstein  Meets  the  Wolf 
Man"  was  estimated  at  $8,000  for  a 
third  week  at  the  Rialto  and  will  be 
followed  April  2  by  "Air  Raid  War- 
dens." 

'Fear;  Show,  $15,300 
Gross  in  Milwaukee 

Milwaukee,  Wis.,  March  25. — The 
Andrews  Sisters  with  Mitchell  Ayers 
and  his  orchestra  on  the  stage  and 
"Journey  Into  Fear"  on  the  screen  of 
the  Riverside  pointed  to  a  strong 
$15,300  take  for  the  week. 

Estimated  takings  for  the  week  end- 
ing Mar.  25-27 : 

"Journey  Into  Fear"  (RKO) 

RIVERSIDE— (2,700)  (SOc-75c)  7  days. 
Stage:  Andrews  Sisters,  Mitchell  Ayers  and 
his  orchestra.  Gross:  $15,300.  (Average, 
$12,000) 

"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

"The  Great  Gildersleeve"  (RKO) 

WARNER— (2,400)   (44c -65c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $8,700.    (Average,  $8,600) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

PALACE— (2,400)  (44c-65c)  7  days.  Gross: 
$6,500.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 
"The  Palm  Beach  story"  (Para.) 

STRAND— (1,400)  (44c-65c)  7  days.  (Con- 
tinued run.)  Gross:  $2,800.  (Average, 
$2,000) 

"Star  Soangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

WISCONSIN— (3,200)  (44c -65c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $8,500.     (Average,  $8,300) 


'E'  Flag  for  DeVry  Corp. 

Chicago,  March  25.  —  Dr  I.  E 
Deer  of  the  MPPDA  will  officiate  at 
the  presentation  of  the  Army-Navy 
"E"  pennant  to  the  DeVry  Corp.  at 
the  Medinah  Club  here  on  April  3,  it 
was  announced.  Governor  Green, 
U.  S.  Senators  Brooks  and  Lucas  and 
other  dignitaries  are  scheduled  to  be 
present. 


Expect  Dewey  Veto 
Of  Chance  Game  Bill 

Albany,  March  25.  —  The 
N.  Y.  Senate  passed  the  Wil- 
son chance  games  bill  today 
and  it  has  been  sent  to  Gov. 
Dewey  for  what  may  be  his 
first  veto  of  the  session.  The 
Governor  has  indicated  that 
he  would  veto  the  measure 
since  it  would  legalize 
gambling.  The  bill  is  a  per- 
missive one — each  locality 
can  legalize  or  outlaw  the 
games  upon  petition  of  five 
per  cent  of  the  voters  in  the 
locality. 


Picture  Firms  Buy 
42  Listed  Broadway 
Shows  for  Screen 


With  the  exception  of  Republic  and 
Universal,  all  major  companies  have 
reported  production  or  plans  for  pro- 
duction of  42  films  based  oh  acquired 
plays  and  musical  shows.  Meanwhile, 
deals  for  purchase  of  screen  rights  to 
current  productions  are  being  con- 
ducted by  the  companies,  with  War- 
ner Bros,  expected  to  acquire  rights 
to  "Dark  Eyes"  and  "Life  with 
Father." 

Listed  for  20th  Century-Fox  pro- 
duction are  "By  Jupiter,"  "Flare 
Path,"  "The  Eve  of  St.  Mark," 
"Claudia,"  "A  Highland  Fling,"  "The 
Russian  People,"  "In  Time  to  Come," 
"A  Bird  of  Paradise,"  "Kiss  the  Boys 
Goodbye,"  "Two  Faced  Quilligan" 
and  "The  Moon  Is  Down,"  which 
opens  today  at  the  Rivoli. 

On  Warner  Schedule 

Warner  Bros,  have  "This  Is  the 
Army"  in  production;  "Watch  on  the 
Rhine,"  "Arsenic  and  Old  Lace,"  both 
completed;  "Animal  Kingdom,"  "Des- 
ert Song,"  "Old  Acquaintance," 
"Brooklyn,  U.  S.  A."  and  "The  Corn 
Is  Green." 

"Cabin  in  the  Sky"  has  been  re- 
leased by  M-G-M.  The  company  has 
the  rights  to  "The  Pirate,"  has  com- 
pleted "Du  Barry  Was  a  Lady"  and 
"Best  Foot  Forward"  and  has  "Girl 
Crazy"  in  production.  Scheduled  for 
M-G-M  production  are  "High  Kick- 
ers," "Without  Love,"  "Cry  Havoc" 
and  "The  Wookey." 

Paramount  has  "Let's  Face  It," 
"Lady  in  the  Dark,"  "China,"  based 
on  a  play,  "Fourth  Brother";  "The 
Good  Fellow,"  "The  Man  in  Half 
Moon  Street"  and  "Tomorrow's  Har- 
vest." 

Rights  to  "Dishonored  Lady"  are 
owned  by  United  Artists,  with  Hunt 
Stromberg  to  produce.  RKO  has 
"Portrait  of  a  Lady"  and  "Higher 
and  Higher"  and  has  "Ladies'  Day 
ready  for  release.  "Leave  It  to  Me" 
and  "The  Land  Is  Bright"  will  be 
made  by  Columbia,  according  to  plans. 


Third  on  'Hit  Parade* 

"As  Time  Goes  By"  is  expected  to 
move  up  to  the  No.  3  position 
in  the  Lucky  Strike  "All  Time  Hit 
Parade"  tonight  over  NBC.  The  song 
will  be  featured  by  Gladys  Swarthout 
on  the  Prudential  Family  Hour  over 
CBS  on  April  4. 


Free  Admissions  for 
Capital  Service  Men 


Washington,  March  25. — A  repre- 
sentative group  of  Washingtonians 
have  pledged  to  support  a  project  by 
local  amusement  enterprises  to  turn 
over  between  7,500  and  10,000  free 
tickets  weekly  to  service  men.  The 
committee,  organized  by  John  J.  Pay- 
ette, zone  manager  for  Warner  Bros. 
Theatres,  and  Carter  T.  Barron,  divi- 
sion manager  of  Loew's,  is  known  as 
the  amusement  division  of  the  War 
Activities  Committee. 

Those  who  have  pledged  tickets  or 
will  serve  on  the  committee  include : 
Goldie  Ahearn,  Floyd  Akers,  Harry 
Anger,  T.  DeWit  Bittenbender,  A. 
Julian  Brylawski,  Jack  Espey,  Ed 
Eynon,  Bernard  Feber,  Gene  Ford, 
Clark  Griffith,  Fred  Hand,  Frank  La 
Fake,  Abe  Lichtman,  S.  G.  Loeffler, 
Harry  Lohmeyer,  Sidney  Lust,  Hardie 
Meakin,  Gardiner  Moore,  D.  V.  Peck, 
Eddie  Plohn,  Shirley  Povich,  Roland 
Robbins,  Leonard  Schloss,  Paul 
Schwarz,  Carlton  Smith,  Dan  Terrell, 
Abe  Tolkins,  Joseph  Turner,  Michael 
Uline,  Samuel  Wheeler,  Paul  Young 
and  the  co-chairmen. 

Sidney  Lust  was  named  chairman 
of  the  Free  Tickets  for  Service  Men 
unit.  Harry  Anger  and  Gene  Ford 
were  appointed  co-chairmen  of  a  Tal- 
ent Request  unit,  which  will  clear  all 
requests  from  local  organizations  for 
talent.  Nat  B.  Browne  was  named 
secretary  to  the  committee  with  offices 
in  the  Earle  Theatre  Building. 


Phila.  Houses  Back 
To  Matinee  Schedule 

Philadelphia,  March  25. — The  ad- 
vent of  warmer  weather  and  the  lifting 
of  the  ban  on  pleasure  driving  is  also 
being  marked  here  by  the  return  of 
weekday  matinees  at  film  houses.  Fuel 
oil  shortages  during  the  cold  months 
resulted  in  the  wholesale  closings  of 
the  neighborhood  theatres  for  the 
weekday  matinees  because  of  inability 
to  convert  to  coal.  William  Gerst, 
manager  of  Hunt's  Rockland  Theatre 
was  the  first  to  return  to  weekday 
matinees  and  all  the  other  houses  are 
expected  to  return  to  their  original 
schedules  within  the  next  fortnight. 


$200,000  Raised 
For  Red  Cross  Show 

(.Continued  from  page  1) 

Loy,  Madeleine  Carroll,  Red  Skelton 
and  the  Ritz  Brothers. 

Others  who  have  volunteered  their 
services  include :  Fred  Allen,  Con- 
stance Bennett,  Gil  Lamb,  Benny 
Fields,  Martha  Raye,  Frank  Sinatra, 
Henry  Youngman,  Jimfmy  Durante, 
and  many  others. 

For  the  event,  the  box  section  of 
the  Garden  has  been  christened 
"Horseshoe  of  Heroes,"  with  each  box 
being  named  after  a  U.  S.  armed 
forces  hero.  Scores  of  leaders  of  the 
industry  have  already  purchased  boxes 
at  prices  ranging  from  $1,000  to  $5,- 
000,  Judge  Shalleck  reported. 


Lord  Asks  End  of  Suit 

Phillips  Lord,  producer  of  "Gang 
Busters"  and  "Counter-Spy,"  in  an 
answer  denying  all  allegations  in  the 
breach  of  contract  suit  filed  by  Isaac 
McAnnally,  in  Federal  Court,  asked 
dismissal  of  the  $32,800  damage  action. 


Big  Baltimore  Week 
Seen  With  'Rhythm' 
Leading  at  $25,000 


Baltimore,  March  25. — Until  a 
heavy  snowfall  started  Sunday  after- 
noon, capacity  audiences  were  attend- 
ing all  the  first-run  films  over  the 
weekend.  However,  grosses  made  off 
to  an  excellent  start  and  the  we<_k^| 
placed  in  the  top  brackets.  Big(jO 
business  will  be  garnered  by  "Sn^ 
Spangled  Rhythm"  with  $25,000  at 
the  Stanley.  "Hitler's  Children"  and 
a  stage  show  heads  for  $19,000  at  the 
Hippodrome. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  25 : 

"The  Powers  Girl"  (U.  A.) 

CENTURY— (3,000)  (40c-50c  and  55c  week- 
ends) 7  days.     Gross:  $12,500.  (Average, 

$12,000) 

"When  Johnny   Comes   Marching  Home" 
(Univ.) 

KEITH'S— (2,406)  (15c-28c-33c-44c  and  55c 
weekends)  7  days.  Gross:  $13,000.  (Aver- 
age, $10,000) 

"Hello,  Frisco,  Hello"  (ZOth-Fox) 

NEW— (1,581)    (15c-28c-35c-55c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

STANLEY — (3,280)    (30c-4Oc-45c-55c  and 
60c    weekends)    7    days.     Gross:  $25,000. 
(Average,  $13,000) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

HIPPODROME— (2,205)  (28c-39c-44c-55c- 
66c)  7  days.  Stage:  Nan  Rae  &  Mrs.  Wa- 
terfall, Richards-Adair,  Val  Irving,  Bobby 
Whaling,  Roy  Davis.  Gross:  $19,000.  (Aver- 
age, $14,000) 

"Power  of  the  Press"  (Col.) 

MARYLAND— (1,300)  (39c-66c)  7  days. 
Stage:  Will  Osborne  and  orchestra,  Murtah 
Sisters.  Neil  Stanley.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Aver- 
age, $7,500) 

"Flying  Fortress"  (W.  B.) 

MAYFAIR—  (1,000)  (20c-40c)  7  days. 
Gross:  $7,000.     (Average,  $6,000) 


'Silver  Skates/  Show 
$20,000  in  Ind'p'lis 

Indianapolis,  March  25. — "Silver 
Skates,"  with  "The  Ink  Spots"  on 
the  stage,  was  expected  to  gross  $20,- 
000  at  the  Circle.  Second  best  gross 
was  anticipated  from  "Powers  Girl" 
and  "At  the  Front"  at  Loew's  where 
a  $9,000  week  was  foreseen.  The  In- 
diana, with  "The  Amazing  Mrs.  Hol- 
liday"  and  "At  the  Front,"  was 
headed  for  $8,800. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week  end- 
ing March  23-25: 

"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

CIRCLE — (2,800)     (30c-40c-50c)    7  days. 

Stage:   "The  Ink  Spots."     Gross,  $20,000. 

(Average,  $15,000  for  films  and  stage  shows) 

"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 
INDIANA— (3,200)    (30c-40c-50c)    7  days. 

Gross  $8,800.    (Average,  $8,000) 

"Powers  Girl"  (U.  A.) 
LOEW'S— (2,800)     (30c-40c-50c)    7  days. 

Gross  $9,000.    (Average,  $7,000) 

"The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World."  (ZOth- 
Fox) 

"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

LYRIC— (2,000)  (30c-40c-50c)  7  days 
(Moved  from  Indiana.)  Gross:  $3,000 
(Average,  $3,500) 

7,012  Donate  Blood 
In  Theatres  Drive 

A  total  of  7,012  patrons  have  donat- 
ed blood  in  the  current  Red  Cross 
blood  donor  drive  in  this  area  by  the- 
tres,  according  to  reports  to  the  WAC 
The  drive,  which  started  Feb.  8,  em- 
braces 36  houses  at  the  present  time 
with  more  expected  to  join  in  ensuing 
weeks,  until  all  theatres  in  New  York 
City  have  had  an  opportunity  to  solicit 
for  donors,  the  WAC  said. 


Willa  Martin  to  AP 

Willa  Gray  Martin  of  the  RKO 
publicity  department  has  resigned  to 
join  the  Associated  Press,  the  com- 
pany announced. 


DO  NOT  RE  MO  VP- 


Red  Cross 
War  Fund 

Week 
April  1-7 


1  motion  PICTURE 

DAILY 


Red  Cross 
War  Fund 

Week 
April  1-7 


VOL.  53.  NO.  59 


NEW  YORK,  U.  S.  A.,  MONDAY,  MARCH  29,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


Industry  Unit 
Organizes  for 
Jewish  Appeal 

Rosenwald  Stresses  Need 
At  Division  Meeting 

The  increased  needs  of  the  United 
Jewish  Appeal  at  this  time  were 
stressed  by  William  Rosenwald,  na- 
tional chairman,  and  president  of 
the  National  Refugee  Service,  at 
the  first  organization  meeting  of  the 
amusement  division  of  this  year's 
Appeal  at  the  Hotel  Astor  on  Fri- 
day. 

David  Bernstein,  Barney  Balaban 
and  Major  Albert  Warner,  co-chair- 
men of  the  amusement  division,  were 
hosts  to  representatives  of  the  entire 
industry  at  the  luncheon.  Bernstein 
presided. 

The  United  Jewish  Appeal,  which 
comprises  the  Joint  Distribution  Com- 
mittee, the  United  Palestine  Appeal 
(Continued  on  page  7) 

Rep.  to  Reveal  New 
Program  this  Week 


Governor  of  Conn. 
To  Present  Quigley 
Award  to  Fitzpatrick 


Republic's  1943-'44  program  will  be 
announced  the  latter  part  of  this  week, 
company  officials  stated  over  the 
weekend  following  the  conclusion  of 
the  regional  sales  meeting  here  Fri- 
day, the  last  of  a  series  of  three. 

H.  J.  Yates,  James  R.  Grainger, 
president  and  general  manager  sales 
manager  of  Republic  Pictures,  and  the 
four  district  sales  managers,  Merritt 
Davis,  Sam  Seplowin,  Francis  Bate- 
man  and  Maxwell  Gillis,  are  remain- 
ing in  session  to  formulate  the  new 
season  program.  Recommendations 
received  from  the  sales  force  at  the 
three  regional  meetings  are  being  con- 
sidered in  shaping  the  new  picture 
schedule,  officials  stated. 


iV  Y.  Publicists  Guild 
Readies  Pay  Demand 

A  policy  for  salary  demands  in 
forthcoming  conferences  with  nine  film 
companies  was  formulated  at  a  special 
meeting  of  Screen  Publicists  Guild  of 
New  York,  CIO,  Thursday  night  at 
the  Hotel  Piccadilly.  Contracts 
signed  last  May  provided  for  reopen- 
ing discussions  on  salary  this  year.  A 
negotiating  committee  was  elected. 

The  Guild  adopted  a  resolution  urg- 
ing the  War  Labor  Board  to  revise 
upward  the  "Little  Steel"  wage  formu- 
la of  IS  per  cent  increases. 


Hartford,  March  28. — Gov.  Ray- 
mond E.  Baldwin  of  Connecticut  will 
present  the  Quigley  Bronze  Grand 
Award  for  theatre  showmanship  to  the 
1942  winner,  Edward  Fitzpatrick,  at 
the  State  House  here  on  Wednesday. 
Fitzpatrick  is  manager  of  the  Poli 
Theatre  in  Waterbury,  Conn. 

The  presentation  will  take  place 
in  the  Governor's  office  at  5 :30  p.m. 
Mayor  John  Monagan  of  Waterbury, 
State  Senators  John'  Tobin  and  Frank 
Sunna  and  State  Representative  Dan 
Mahoney  will  be  among  those  present 
at  the  ceremony. 

To  Be  Given  Dinner 

After  the  presentation  a  dinner  will 
be  given  Fitzpatrick  at  the  Empire 
Restaurant.  Harry  F.  Shaw,  head  of 
Loew's  Poli  theatres ;  Lou  Brown, 
publicity  chief,  and  managers  from  the 
nearby  Poli  theatres  will  attend.  Man- 
agers of  film  exchanges  in  New  Hav- 
en have  been  invited  as  well  as  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Waterbury  and  Hart- 
ford newspapers. 

The  Quigley  Awards  are  given  an- 
nually by  Motion  Picture  Herald 
through  the  Managers'  Round  Table. 
Fitzpatrick  was  voted  the  Bronze 
Award  at  the  annual  judging  luncheon 
held  in  New  York  March  2. 


Actors  Equity  Picks 
Nominating  Groups 

A  nominating  committee  to  select  a 
slate  of  officers  was  chosen  by  the 
membership  of  Actors  Equity  at  a 
special  session  preceding  the  quarterly 
meeting  on  Friday  at  the  Hotel  Astor. 
Those  elected  were  Leo  Carroll,  Nedda 
Harrigan,  Grant  Mills,  Peggy  Wood, 
Beth  Merrill  and  Norman  Lloyd,  with 
the  following  alternates  to  serve  in 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


HVC  Sets  Record 
For  Appearances 

Hollywood,  March  28.  —  The 
Hollywood  Victory  Committee 
set  a  new  six-day  record  with 
133  stars  participating  in  29 
events  for  the  Army,  Navy, 
Government  agencies  and 
charity.  A  total  of  1,664  player 
appearances  have  been  made 
under  the  auspices  of  the 
HVC  since  the  committee's 
formation,  officials  announced. 


See  $5,000,000 
In  Red  Cross  Week 
As  Good  Possibility 


The  $5,000,000  goal  which  Barney 
Balaban,  national  chairman  of  Red 
Cross  Week  in  theatres,  recently  de- 
clared was  possible  with  100  per  cent 
exhibitor  cooperation  now  seems  even 
more  possible,  campaign  headquarters 
stated  Friday. 

This  expectation  was  based  on  tele- 
graphic reports  from  district  chair- 
men late  last  week  bearing  out  fore- 
casts that  some  13,000  theatres  will 
participate  in  the  week's  drive,  April 
to  7,  officials  said. 

"1  cannot  stress  too  strongly,"  Bala- 
ban stated,  "the  satisfaction  with 
which  Red  Cross  officials,  as  well  as 
those  directing  Red  Cross  Week,  note 
this  concrete  exhibition  of  exhibitor 
patriotism." 

Record  Participation 

The  13,000-theatre  total  is  more 
than  has  participated  in  any  previous 
effort,  officials  said.  It  is  expected 
that  the  $5,000,000  goal  may  be 
realized  with  all  theatres  pledged  mak- 
ing audience  collections  at  every  per- 
formance. 

Many    theatres    plan    special  Red 

(Continued  on  page  7) 


St  Louis  Exhibitors  Now 
Divided  on  Singles  Policy 


William  Jaffee  Heads 
Manning  Board  Unit 

William  B.  Jaffe  of  the  law  firm 
of  Rosenblatt  and  Jaffe  has  been 
named  chairman  of  the  Regional  Ac- 
ceptance Committee  of  the  Manning 
Plan  Unit.  The  committee  is  the  final 
review  agency-  on  the  acceptance  or 
rejection  of  the  Manning  tables  sub- 
mitted by  defense  industry  in  New 
York  State. 


By  CHARLES  C.  CLAYTON 

St.  Louis,  March  28.— St.  Louis 
exhibitors  and  managers  are  not  yet 
in  full  accord  on  the  wisdom  of  adopt- 
ing the  single  feature  policy  on  June 
1,  as  proposed  for  this  metropolitan 
area.  Some  of  the  110  theatres  in  St. 
Louis  and  St.  Louis  County,  which 
originally  went  on  record  favoring  the 
plan,  are  now  reported  "reconsider- 
ing." 

The  issue  will  be  threshed  out  fur- 
ther at  a  meeting  of  owners  and  man- 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


Para.  Upheld 
On  Money  Paid 
Browne,  Bioff 

Appellate  Court  Affirms 
Suit  Dismissal 


Dismissal  of  a  minority  stock- 
holders' suit  to  recover  from  Para- 
mount officials  $100,000  paid  under 
duress  to  Willie  Bioff  and  George 
E.  Browne,  former  IATSE  officials, 
was  affirmed  unanimously  on  Fri- 
day by  the  five-judge  Appellate  Di- 
vision. 

The  case  is  the  first  to  be 
tried  of  several  brought  against 
four  companies  involved  in  pay- 
ments to  Browne  and  Bioff,  and 
is  regarded  as  a  test  case.  Other 
minority     stockholders'  suits 
were  filed  against  Loew's,  20th 
Century-Fox  and  Warners. 
Originally,  Judge  Carroll  G.  Walter 
in  N.  Y.  Supreme  Court  held  that  the 
money  paid  by  Paramount  was  the  re- 
sult of  a  criminal  extortion  and-  that, 
under    the    circumstances,  minority 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


Korda  Says  M-G-M 
Deal  is  for  Future 


Indicating  that  his  production  plans 
for  the  immediate  future  still  are  in- 
definite and  may  not  involve  any  im- 
portant undertakings  for  the  duration, 
Sir  Alexander  Korda,  in  a  weekend 
interview  in  Chicago  while  en  route 
here,  said  that  the  recently  completed 
merger  of  his  and  M-G-M's  British 
production  assets  "looks  to  the  future 
more  than  the  present." 

Korda  arrived  in  New  York  on 
Saturday  and  awaits  transportation 
accommodations  to  England.  His 
agreement  with  M-G-M  places  him  in 
charge  of  that  company's  British  pro- 
duction. 

Korda's  disclosure  that  the  M-G-M 
(Continued  on  page  7) 


In  Today's  Issue 

Reviews  of  "One  Dangerous 
Night,"  "The  Lone  Prairie"  and 
"The  Blocked  Trail,"  Page  3. 
London  divided  into  releasing 
areas  to  save  prints,  Page  3. 
James  O'Loghlin  ill,  Page  2. 
Paramount  pays  off  $5,000,000 
loan,  Page  2.  Hollywood  pro- 
duction notes,  Page  6.  Short 
subject  reviews.  Page  3. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  29,  1943 


Coast  Flashes 


Personal  Mention 


Hollywood,  March  28. 
A  Screen  W riters  Guild  board  meet- 
ing will  be  held  tomorrow  night  to 
decide  the  next  step  in  enforcing 
minimum  payment  demands  rejected 
last  night  by  the  IMPPA.  Indepen- 
dents countered  the  SWG  ultimatum, 
which  fixed  higher  scale  for  writers 
and  imposed  closed  shop,  by  offering 
sign  same  SWG  contract  in  effect 
with  major  studios,  which  provides  for 
employment  of  non-Guild  writers  at  a 
ratio  one  to  ten. 

• 

The  infant  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Harry  Cohn  died  at  birth  Thursday 
in  Cedars  of  Lebanon  Hospital. 
• 

Theodore  Dreiser  has  been  signed 
to  write  the  original  for  the  next 
Monogram  film,  "Lady  Let's  Dance." 


Eight  studios  last  night  perfected 
arrangements  with  HVC  whereby 
players  pledging  minimum  six  weeks 
annually  nor  personal  appearance  camp 
tours,  other  voluntary  activities,  will 
be  routed  directly  by  studios  in  con- 
formity to  shooting  schedules  and 
HVC  needs. 

Setting  an  individual  pattern  which 
others  may  follow,  MGM  volunteered 
to  write  and  produce  shows  built 
around  single  stars,  supplying  support 
talent  for  performance  here,  then  send- 
ing star  with  script  wherever  desig- 
nated with  USO  filling  in  support 
available. 

• 

Dudley  Nichols  is  completing  the 
script  of  "Hunky,"  for  RKO  with 
Jean  Renoir  to  direct,  Jean  Gabin 
to  star. 


Lab  Union  Contracts 
Seen  Near  Closing 

Negotiations  on  new  contracts  by 
Laboratory  Technicians,  Local  702, 
with  Warner  Bros.'  Ace  Laboratories 
and  Paramount  News  are  expected  to 
be  concluded  this  week,  John  J.  Fran- 
cavilla,  acting  president  of  the  union, 
said.  Today  the  union  meets  with 
Warners  and  tomorrow  with  Para- 
mount. After  those  negotiations  are 
concluded  Local  702  will  open  talks 
with  the  smaller  laboratories  and  con- 
tinue negotiations  with  Pathe,  Fran- 
cavilla  stated. 

Col.  to  Tradeshow 
'More  the  Merrier' 

Columbia  will  hold  trade  screenings 
of  "The  More  the  Merrier"  in  a  num- 
ber of  key  cities  next  month.  Screen- 
ings are  scheduled  for  Cincinnati,  Des 
Moines,  Buffalo  and  Oklahoma  City, 
April  5 ;  Boston  and  Salt  Lake  City, 
April  6 ;  Denver,  April  7 ;  San  Fran- 
sisco  and  Seattle,  April  8 ;  Pittsburgh, 
April  9;  Albany  and  Minneapolis, 
April  12;  Dallas,  April  13,  and  in 
other  cities  on  dates  to  be  announced 
later. 


Skirball  to  Hollywood 

Jack   H   Skirball   is  scheduled  to 
leave  for   Hollywood  today  after  a 
visit  of  several  weeks  here.    He  plans 
'o  start  preparations  for  his  next  film, 
'-■\  to  go  before  the  cameras 


NATE  J.  BLUMBERG  will  arrive 
from  the  Coast  tomorrow. 
• 

Arthur  W.  Kelly  returned  from 
the  Coast  late  last  week. 

• 

Dixon  R.  Harwin,  Producers  Re- 
leasing producer,  will  be  inducted  into 
the  Army  here  tomorrow. 

• 

Max  Roth,  Buffalo  branch  man- 
ager for  Warner  Bros.,  was  a  New 
York  visitor. 

• 

George  Tucker,  RKO  salesman  in 
Albany,  will  undergo  an  operation  at 
the  Champlain  Valley  Hospital  short- 
ly- 

• 

Georgianna  A.  Kitchen,  booker  at 
the  Hollywood  Exchange,  Philadel- 
phia, and  C.  L.  Nicholson  have  an- 
nounced they  will  be  married  on  April 
10. 

Canadian  MPDA  to 
Have  16mm.  Branch 

Toronto,  March  28. — A  new  or- 
ganization, called  the  16mm.  Motion 
Picture  Distributors  Association,  is 
being  formed  here  as  a  subsidiary  of 
the  Canadian  Motion  Picture  Distrib- 
utors Association. 

The  purpose  of  the  new  association 
is  to  facilitate  the  rental  system  and 
zone  arrangements  for  the  release  of 
16mm.  films,  particularly  in  connec- 
tion with  military  camp  theatres.  To 
date  the  Canadian  MPDA  has  been  a 
cooperative  organization  for  major 
film  companies  dealing  with  35mm. 
films  but  the  policy  is  being  broadened 
to  incorporate  the  16mm.  industry. 

The  three  principal  Canadian  dis- 
tributors of  16mm.  product,  Sovereign 
Film  Distributors,  General  Films  and 
Regina  &  Hanson,  are  included  in  the 
prospective  membership  of  the  16mm. 
organization. 

Col.  John  A.  Cooper,  chairman  of 
the  Canadian  MPDA,  will  also  be 
chairman  of  the  16mm.  subsidiary. 
The  annual  meeting  of  the  MPDA 
will  be  held  at  the  King  Edward 
Hotel  here  March  31. 

New  Haven  Lawyers 
Protest  Benny  Film 

New  Haven,  March  28. — Decision 
was  reserved  on  Saturday  by  Superior 
Court  Judge  Patrick  B.  O'Sullivan  on 
an  action  brought  by  five  local  lawyers 
to  obtain  a  temporary  injunction 
against  showing  of  the  Jack  Benny 
film,  "The  Meanest  Man  in  the 
World." 

The  Loew-Poli  New  England  The- 
atres, Inc.,  and  two  of  their  executives 
were  ordered  to  show  cause  why  the 
picture's  run  at  the  College  Theatre 
here  should  not  be  halted.  The  attor- 
neys charged  that  the  film  "debases, 
disgraces  and  ridicules"  lawyers. 


Einfeld  Expected  Friday 

Charles  Einfeld,  director  of  adver- 
tising and  publicity  for  Warner  Bros., 
is  expected  here  Friday  from  Cali- 
fornia. He  will  work  on  plans  for  the 
premiere  of  "Mission  to  Moscow"  at 
the  Hollywood  on  Broadway  April 
21,  and  will  remain  here  until  after 
the  opening. 


tOSEPH  M.  SCHENCK  and  Wil- 
•J  liam  Goetz  have  left  for  the  Coast. 
• 

Phil  Engel,  Warner  Bros.  New 
England  publicity  representative,  was 
in  Buffalo  last  week. 

• 

Harry  Turberg,  co-manager  of  the 
Northio  Paramount,  Hamilton,  O.,  is 
in  Christ  Hospital  in  Cincinnati  for 
treatment. 

• 

Joseph  Nevison,  manager  of  War- 
ner's Bromley  Theatre,  Philadelphia, 
was  elected  president  of  the  Broad 
and  Olney  Merchants'  Association, 
neighborhood  businessmen's  group. 
• 

Sam  Katz  left  for  California  over 
the  weekend. 

• 

B.  B.  Kreisler,  Universal  short 
subjects  manager,  returns  today  from 
Cincinnati  and  Indianapolis. 

James  O'Loghlin  III; 
Given  Leave  to  Rest 

Toronto,  March  28. — James  P. 
O'Loghlin,  general  manager  of  20th 
Century-Fox  Corp.  of  Canada,  Ltd., 
has  been  granted  an  extended  leave 
of  absence  by  the  company.  His  phy- 
sician has  ordered  him  to  take  an  ex- 
tended rest  because  of  his  physical 
condition. 

No  successor  to  O'Loghlin  has  been 
named  by  the  company  yet.  W.  C. 
Gehring,  20th  Century-Fox  Western 
division  sales  manager,  visited  the  lo- 
cal office  during  the  past  week  to  ar- 
range details. 

In  addition  to  his  20th-Fox  post, 
O'Loghlin  was  president  of  the  Cana- 
dian Motion  Picture  Distributors  As- 
sociation during  the  past  year,  and 
has  been  active  in  Canadian  Picture 
Pioneers  affairs  and  on  industry  war 
and  charity  committees  in  the  Do- 
minion. 


Kilroe  New  President 
Of  Catholic  Writers 

Edwin  P.  Kilroe,  20th  Century-Fox 
copyright  attorney,  has  been  elected 
president  of  the  Catholic  Writers 
Guild  of  America.  Kilroe  has  been 
associated  with  20th-Fox  since  1929 
and  is  chairman  of  the  copyright  com- 
mittee of  the  MPPDA.  He  repre- 
sented the  industry  at  the  1936  and 
1939  Berne  Convention  on  Interna- 
tional Copyright  Regulations. 

Columbia  Cooperates 
In  Labor  Chest  Drive 

The  Columbia  home  office  will  co- 
operate in  the  New  York  Labor  War 
Chest  Drive  by  authorizing  union 
representatives  among  its  employes  to 
conduct  group  meetings  and  rallies, 
distribute  literature  and  pledge  forms 
and  make  solicitations  during  busi- 
ness hours,  the  company  announced 
Charlotte  Peterson  of  SOPEG  and 
Henry  Spiegel  of  SPG  head  the  home 
office  campaign  committee. 


Spivak  in  'Pin-Up  Girl' 

Charlie  Spivak  and  -his  orchestra 
will  appear  in  "Pin-Up  Girl,"  20th 
Century-Fox  production,  the  company 
announced. 


Paramount  Pays  Off 
$5,000,000  Debt 

All  bank  loans  of  Paramount  ag- 
gregating $5,000,000,  borrowed  from 
banks  in  January,  will  be  paid  off 
within  the  next  few  days,  it  has  been 
revealed  by  the  company.  Payment 
of  these  loans  will  eliminate  all  fixed 
debt  of  the  firm,  except  for  $19,634,000 
of  4  per  cent  debentures  due  1945. 

The  fixed  debt  of  consolidated  sub- 
sidiaries, additionally,  aggregates  about 
$10,000,000,  of  which  amount,  $7,000,000 
is  owed  by  Paramount's  British  and 
Canadian  subsidiaries  and  payable  in 
foreign  currencies. 

All  of  the  preferred  stock  callable 
as  of  April  1  was  converted  into  com- 
mon stock  with  the  exception  of  2,236 
shares  and  it  is  expected  that  sub- 
stantially all  of  the  remaining  pre- 
ferred stock  called  for  redemption  on 
May  10,  will  likewise  be  converted 
into  common  shares. 


Two  Clearance  Suits 
Filed  in  Chicago 


Chicago,  March  28. — Adolph  W. 
Szold,  owner  and  operator  of  the  Avon 
Theatre,  and  George  Kerasotes,  owner 
and  operator  of  the  Varsity  and  Bev- 
erly Theatres,  all  of  Peoria,  Saturday 
filed  identical  arbitration  cases  against 
the  clearance  granted  to  the  Madison, 
Palace,  Apollo,  Princess  and  Columbia 
Theatres  of  that  city  by  Loew,  Fox, 
RKO,  Vitagraph,  and  Paramount. 

Complainants'  theatres  are  now  play- 
ing third  run,  which  is  74  days  behind 
the  first  run  Palace  and  Madison  and 
14  days  behind  the  others,  who  have 
second  run. 

Others  named  as  being  affected  are 
the  Warner,  Cress  and  Luxe  Theatres, 
also  in  Peoria. 


Equipment  Man  Dies 

Columbus,  March  28. — Richard  J. 
Gardiner,  80,  founder  and  owner  of 
the  American  Theatre  Equipment  Co., 
died  here  unexpectedly  of  a  heart  at- 
tack Thursday  night.  His  widow  and 
two  daughters  survive. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY  1 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief  1 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sara  Shain,  Editor: 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor- 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c 


Monday,  March  29,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


3 


Short  Subject 

Reviews 


Reviews 


'One  Dangerous  Night' 


(Columbia) 

A  NOTHER  of  the  "Lone  Wolf"  series,  "One  Dangerous  Night" 
levels  its  appeal  to  mystery  fans  and  justifies  its  attraction  by  fast 
moving  incidents  and  suspense  as  to  the  identity  of  the  criminal.  Warren 
William  provides  marquee  power. 

The  screenplay  by  Donald  Davis  allows  for  no  lags  and  keeps  sus- 
picion from  the  murderer,  whose  identity  is  undisclosed  until  the  final 
reel.  The  story  is  by  Arnold  Phillips  and  Max  Nosseck.  Michael  Gor- 
don directed  this  David  Chatkin  production  with  a  sure  feeling  for  the 
mystery  plot.  In  addition  to  William  as  a  suave  ex-crook  gone  straight, 
Eric  Blore,  Marquerite  Chapman,  Mona  Barrie  and  Tala  Birell  are 
other  name  players  in  the  cast.  They  all  acquit  themselves  well. 

William  as  the  Lone  Wolf  is  traveling  with  Blore,  his  valet 
picks  up  Miss  Chapman,  who  explains  her  car  has  been  wrecked 
takes  her  to  his  destination  and  returns  to  look  for  her  when  he  dis- 
covers Blore  has  returned  to  his  old  habits  and  lifted  her  purse.  When 
he  gets  back  to  the  house,  he  finds  the  host's  dead  body.  When  the  police 
arrive,  he  is  nabbed  because  his  past  as  a  jewel  thief  ties  in  with  the 
absence  of  gems  from  the  dead  man's  safe.  He  and  Blore  escape  and 
from  then  on  attempt  to  discover  the  murderer.  After  a  series  of  close 
shaves,  they  evade  capture  and  pin  the  crime  on  the  real  culprit. 

Running  time,  77  minutes.  "G"* 


and 
He 


"Lone  Rider  in  Wild  Horse  Rustlers" 

(Producers  Releasing) 

A  NAZI  saboteur  brings  this  western  right  up  to  date  and  is  an  addi- 
■f*-  tion  to  the  "Lone  Rider"  adventure  series  which  should  find  ap- 
proval from  western  fans.  Bob  Livingston  and  Al  St.  John  are  starred. 
The  timely  theme  doesn't  permit  any  lessening  of  the  shooting,  riding 
and  fighting  expected  in  a  traditional  story  of  the  plains. 

Livingston  is  the  Lone  Rider,  a  government  agent,  and  St.  John  is  his 
pal.  The  pair  are  after  some  horses  for  government  use,  but  before 
tbey  can  get  the  animals  they  tangle  with  a  Nazi  agent  who  attempts  to 
feed  poisoned  hay  to  the  horses.  The  agent,  recently  returned  from 
Germany,  is  the  twin  brother  of  an  honest  foreman.  He  kidnaps  his 
brother  and  gets  the  Lone  Rider  and  pal  into  jail  on  a  false  accusation 
of  murder.  Of  course,  the  pair  escape,  rounds  up  the  traitors  and  rescues 
the  foreman. 

Linda  Johnson  and  Lane  Chandler  are  also  in  the  cast.  Sam  New- 
field  directed  and  Sigmund  Neufeld  produced. 
Running  time,  55  minutes.  "G"* 


"The  Blocked  Trail" 

(Republic) 

"HT  HE  BLOCKED  TRAIL"  is  one  of  the  better  westerns  featuring 
*  the  Three  Mesquiteers.  In  this  film  Bob  Steele,  Tom  Tyler  and 
Jimmie  Dodd  meet  up  with  a  mine  mystery.  After  a  blind  miner  is 
murdered,  a  town  lawyer  has  his  gang  of  bandits  get  on  the  trail  for 
a  dwarfed  horse,  who  apparently  carries  the  clue  to  the  location  of  the 
gold  mine.  The  miner  has  left  no  clues  concerning  the  mine's  where- 
abouts. 

The  heroes  are  blamed  for  crimes  committed  by  the  lawyer's  bandits. 
The  lawyer,  of  course,  is  respected  in  the  town.  There's  plenty  of  rid- 
ing and  shooting  before  the  Mesquiteers  round  up  the  bandits  and  there 
is  peace  again  after  the  horse  leads  the  way  to  the  rich  gold  mine. 

"Brilliant,"  the  dwarfed  horse,  is  one  of  the  top  members  of  the  cast. 

Elmer  Clifton  was  the  director.  Screenplay  is  by  John  K.  Butler  and 
Jacquin  Francis.  Louis  Gray  was  associate  producer. 

Running  time,  55  minutes.  "G"* 


"Plan  for  Destruction" 

"  (M-G-M) 

LEWIS    STONE   is   narrator  for 
this    matter-of-fact  presentation 
|  of  the  rise  of  Hitlerism  in  Germany. 
It  is  a  convincing  and  educational 
film  on  the  motives  of  Germany's  rul- 
'   ers,  motives  described  as  beginning  in 
1    the     disillusionment     following  the 
|l*  Kaiser's   defeat  in  the  first  World 
War.    The  geopolitical  theory  of  Dr 
Haushoffer  is  explained  by  a  picture 
of  the  destructive  thinker  before  his 
'•_  his  students,  one  of  whom  was  Ru- 
dolph Hess,  and  his  historical  meeting 
with  Adolph  Hitler.     It  was  Hau- 
shoffer's  theory  combined  with  Hit- 
ler's which  America's  lend-lease  aid 
1    and  Russia's  resistance  broke  down, 
'    Lewis  explains  in  his  narration.  Run- 
ning time,  22  mins.     Release  April 
22. 


"Hold  Your  Temper" 

( Edgar  Kennedy  Comedies  No.  4 ) 

(RKO) 

Followers  of  Edgar  Kennedy  com- 
edies will  enjoy  watching  the  man 
with  the  temper  work  to  control  it 
through  a  series  of  aggravating  situa- 
tions. In  order  to  keep  his  wife  from 
leaving  him  because  of  his  bad  tem- 
per, Kennedy  promises  to  be  calm  no 
matter  what.  The  effort  is  difficult 
because  of  his  in-laws,  who  want  his 
wife  to  leave  him.  Kennedy  keeps 
his  peace  through  all  sorts  of  abuse. 
Finally,  his  wife  relents  and  lets  him 
lose  his  temper.  Running  time,  17 
mins.    Release,  Feb.  5. 


'Pluto  and  the  Armadillo' 

(RKO) 

Lively  Latin  American  music  adds 
rhythm  to  the  general  entertainment 
value  of  this  Walt  Disney  technicolor 
short.  A  cunning  armadillo  mystifies 
Pluto  by  using  his  protective  device 
of  rolling  himself  into  a  ball,  which 
coincidentally  looks  just  like  the  rub- 
ber ball  Pluto  is  playing  with  while 
he  and  Mickey  Mouse  wait  for  their 
plane  to  refuel  at  a  desert  South 
American  spot.  The  game  develops 
into  a  friendship  and  the  little  ani- 
mal joins  the  pair  as  they  depart. 
Running  time,  7  mins.  Release,  Feb.  19. 


"Swing  Time  Blues" 

(  Universal) 

Bob  Chester  and  band  are  starred 
in  "Swing  Time  Blues,"  with  the 
added  attraction  of  Gertrude  Niessen, 
tap  dancer  Louis  Da  Pron  and  the 
dance  team  of  Francis  and  Grey.  Miss 
Niessen  sings  a  blues  number  and 
vocals  for  the  patriotic  finale.  The 
varied  features  of  swing,  the  sultry 
singing  and  interpretive  dancing  make 
this  pleasing  entertainment,  although 
the  dancing  is  rather  arty  in  spots. 
Running  time,  15  mins.  Release, 
March  3. 


Joining  USO-Camp  Units 

USO-Camp  Shows  announced  that 
Mary  Brian  and  Walter  Abel  would 
join  an  entertainment  unit  now  tour- 
ing East  and  Midwest  Army  Camps 
and  would  stay  with  the  group  until 
April  10.  Joan  Blondell  will  enter- 
tain service  men  at  three  West  Coast 
camps  April  10-15. 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 

Ohio  ITO  Schedules 
Convention  in  May 

Columbus,  March  28. — The  Inde- 
pendent Theatre  Owners  of  Ohio  will 
hold  its  annual  convention  May  3  to 
5  at  the  Deshler-Wallick  Hotel  here, 
P.  J.  Wood,  secretary,  announced. 


'Never  Die' in  Washington 

Washington,  March  28. — The 
memorial  and  pageant,  "We  Will 
Never  Die,"  produced  by  Billy  Rose 
and  Ben  Hecht  and  first  presented  in 
New  York  recently,  will  be  staged  in 
Constitution  Hall  here  tomorrow  by 
the  same  cast  headed  by  Paul  Muni 
and  Edward  G.  Robinson. 


Divide  London 
In  Three  Areas 
To  Save  Prints 


London,  March  28. — Trade  cir- 
cles report  an  agreement  has  been 
reached  to  divide  the  London  re- 
lease system  into  three  consecutive 
areas  to  effect  print  savings.  The 
new  system  will  effect  a  minimum 
savings  of  20  prints  per  release, 
authorities  said. 

The  three  release  areas  would  con- 
sist of  central  London,  the  inner  sub- 
urbs and  the  outer  suburbs.  Former- 
ly, the  release  system  was  north  and 
south,  consecutively.  The  new  plan 
is  believed  scheduled  for  presentation 
to  the  Board  of  Trade  this  week.  It 
was  set  up  to  effect  savings  necessitat- 
ed by  the  Board's  recent  order  for  a 
25  per  cent  reduction  in  raw  stock 
consumption. 

The  agreement  is  reported  by  officials 
to  have  been  agreed  upon  at  the  week- 
end conference  between  a  Kinemato- 
graph  Renters  Society  (distributors) 
committee  and  a  committee  of  the 
Cinematograph  Exhibitors  Association 
representing  London  and  home  coun- 
ties and  circuits. 


Report  B.  E.  Laxer 
In  Astor  of  Canada 

Toronto,  March  28. — Barnett  E. 
Laxer  of  Biltmore  Theatres,  Ltd.,  of 
Toronto  is  reported  in  trade  circles  as 
identified  with  the  reorganization  of 
Superior  Films,  Ltd.,  now  Astor  Pic- 
tures of  Canada,  Ltd.,  distributing 
branch  of  the  independent  American 
firm. 

The  Canadian  company  is  continu- 
ing under  the  direction  of  Harry 
Price  of  Toronto  in  association  with 
Robert  M.  Savini,  who  was  recently 
here  from  New  York  to  effect  the 
change. 

Laxer  formerly  was  president  of 
the  Ontario  council  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Motion  Picture  Exhibitors. 


Coast  Office  Union 
Asks  Wage  Talks 

Hollywood,  March  28.  —  The 
Screen  Office  Employes  Guild,  with  a 
membership  of  1,800,  is  petitioning  the 
Association  of  Motion  Picture  Pro- 
ducers to  reopen  negotiations  for  a 
seven  per  cent  wage  scale  increase 
which  was  denied  the  guild  in  a  letter 
received  last  week. 

The  letter  stated  that  the  producers 
would  adhere  to  their  contract  with 
the  guild,  which  provides  for  no  re- 
discussion  of  terms  until  next  Janu- 
ary. 

SOEG,  which  received  an  eight  per 
cent  adjustment  last  year,  quoted  the 
"Little  Steel"  formula  providing  for 
a  15  per  cent  increase  and  the  22  per 
cent  increase  in  living  costs  as  basis 
for  their  demands  in  reopening  nego- 
tiations. 


Curfew  in  Chester,  Pa. 

Chester,  Pa.,  March  28.  —  Local 
theatres  have  been  hit  by  a  7  p.m. 
curfew  imposed  for  children  under  16 
years,  unless  accompanied  by  adults. 


IT  ALL  ADDS  UP 


„,,t**'i'  fl**"***  „.se<t(l* 


,-fo* 


art  * 


6 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  29,  1943 


Coast  Meet  to  Weigh 
Manpower  Problem 

Hollywood,  March  28. — William 
Hopkins,  regional  War  Manpower 
Commission  director,  will  present  the 
plan  for  cooperation  of  labor  and 
management  in  the  handling  of  pro- 
duction manpower  problems  to  a 
meeting  of  the  Association  of  Motion 
Picture  Producers  on  Tuesday.  The 
plan,  approved  by  representatives  of 
all  guilds  and  unions  here,  attempts  to 
effect  the  orderly  withdrawal  of 
workers  into  the  armed  services. 

Lieut.  Col.  Ben  Howell,  regional 
Selective  Service  officer,  will  also  at- 
tend the  session.  Executive  heads  of 
the  Society  of  Independent  Motion 
Picture  Producers  and  the  Indepen- 
dent Motion  Picture  Producers  Asso- 
ciation will  be  present. 

A  guild-union  committee  to  repre- 
sent workers  in  the  administration  of 
the  plan  includes  Herbert  Sorrell  of 
the  Conference  of  Studio  Unions ; 
Frank  Carothers,  representing  studio 
unions  within  the  basic  agreement; 
Carl  Cooper,  IATSE  ;  Kenneth  Thom- 
son, Screen  Actors  Guild,  and  Mary 
McCall,  Screen  Writers  Guild. 

The  producers  will  appoint  a  similar 
committee  which  will  meet  jointly 
thereafter  with  the  guild-union  com- 
mittee to  adopt  working  machinery. 


O.D.T.  to  Approve 
Circus  Itineraries 

Washington,  March  28. — Circuses 
and  carnivals  will  be  permitted  to 
travel  this  year,  but  their  itineraries 
will  have  to  be  approved  by  the  Office 
of  Defense  Transportation  and  pre- 
sumably will  be  cut  from  last  year, 
under  an  order  isued  by  the  ODT. 

The  order  provided  that  the  shows 
may  be  moved  by  the  railroads,  sub- 
ject to  delays  necessitated  by  the 
movement  of  other  traffic,  provided  the 
show  owners  lease  the  cars  they  use. 
Circus  equipment  ordinarily  is  not 
suitable  for  other  railroad  service,  it 
was  said. 

First  show  to  move  will  be  Ring 
ling  Brothers,  which  will  leave  Sara 
sota,  Fla.,  tomorrow  to  open  in  New 
York  April  9.  The  circus  this  year 
will  cut  its  travel  to  about  7,000  miles 
from  11,500  miles  in  1942. 


H 


By  WILLIAM  R.  WEAVER 

Hollywood,  March  28 

ARRY  SHERMAN,  so  fondly  regarded  in  these  parts  by  profession 
and  press  that  the  members  of  each  call  him  "Pop"  and  mean  it, 
waited  a  long  time  to  exercise  the  option  in  his  distribution  contracts, 
both  Paramount  and  United  Artists,  permitting  him  to  produce  an  out- 
side picture  a  year.  He  had  his  am- 
bition to  make  a  genuinely  super-spe- 
cial Western  from  the  beginning,  but 
it  never  diverted  him  from  the  job  in 
hand,  which  ran  on  to  include  the  pro- 
duction of  45  features  in  the  Hopalong 
Cassidy  series  plus  a  number  of  spe- 
cials which  reflected  a  rising  scale  of 
investment  and  screen  quality.  His 
commitment  to  produce  "Buffalo  Bill" 
in  Technicolor  for  20th  Century-Fox 
with  Joel  McCrea  in  the  title  role  and 
on  a  costly  scale,  represents  a  fulfill- 
ment of  an  ambition  shared  by  just 
about  all  of  Hollywood.  You  can  get 
a  lot  better  than  8  to  5  around  here 
for  all  the  funds  you  may  venture  to 
wager  that  the  picture  will  establish 
a  new  high  in  the  screen  literature  of 
the  Old  West  to  which  "Pop"  has  con- 
tributed more  than  the  next  half  dozen 
producers  you  can  name  in  a  reflective 
hour. 


Legislature  Weighs 
Mobile  Theatre  Tax 

Montgomery,  Ala.,  March  28. — 
Mayor  Ernest  M.  Megginson  of  Mo- 
bile recently  told  the  Legislature's  in- 
terim finance  and  taxation  committee 
that  the  city  of  Mobile  would  be 
forced  to  levy  some  new  tax  if  re- 
stricted by  legslative  act  from  con- 
tinued collection  of  the  amusement 
tax. 

Mobile  theatres  are  profiting  from 
the  amusement  tax  because  they  have 
increased  their  admission  prices 
above  the  tax  amounts,  the  mayor 
said. 

His  appearance  was  in  answer  to 
that  of  a  delegation  of  exhibitors  who 
asked  that  the  Legislature  limit  spe- 
cial taxes  to  one  per  cent,  or  one- 
half  the  two  per  cent  sales  tax  lev- 
ied by  the  state. 


Joins  Margolies'  Office 

Ruth  Morrow,  member  of  the  Uni- 
versal home  office  publicity  depart- 
ment for  the  past  several  years,  will 
join  the  publicity  offices  of  Albert 
Margolies  today. 


Somebody's  always  saying  the  stu- 
dios are  cutting  down  the  number  of 
war  pictures,  even  citing  reasons,  but 
the  studios  don't  seem  to  pay  much 
attention.  Maybe  the  error  flows  from 
careless  reporting  of  the  OWl's  as- 
sertion that  fewer  and  better  war  pic- 
tures would  serve  the  cause  of  the 
United  Nations  better  than  so  many 
and  not  so  good.  Anyway,  two  major 
studios  have  announced  two  new  war 
pictures,  both  of  them  outright  as  to 
identification  with  the  conflict  and 
both  related  in  some  degree  to  experi- 
ences had  with  war  pictures  preceding 
them. 

Warner  Bros,  is  putting  the  cast  of 
"Casablanca,"  with  a  couple  of  excep- 
tions, into  "Passage  to  Marseilles," 
which  Hal  B.  Wallis  will  produce  and 
Michael  Curtiz  direct.  It  is  described 
at  this  point  as  an  idea  by  Jack  L. 
Warner,  with  writers  to  be  assigned 
to  write  story  and  script. 

• 

Twentieth  Century-Fox  announced 
"A  Thousand  Shall  Fall"  as  a  story 
of  the  fall  of  France,  in  which  Pierre 
Aumont,  who  drove  a  tank  in  that 
struggle,  will  be  starred  (after 
when  he's  to  return  to  Europe  for 
more  fighting  in  the  forces  of  the 
Free  French). 

Report  to  the  contrary  notwith- 
standing, no  rationing  of  war  pic- 
tures is  in  evidence  as  of  now. 
• 

The  House  of  Paramount,  which 
has  sent  its  share  of  leading  men  to 
the  service  of  their  country,  is  leaving 
no  steps  untaken  in  the  direction  of 
protecting  itself  against  leading  man- 
power shortage  in  the  sweet  by-and- 
by  when  the  war  is  won  and  Johnny 
comes  marching  home.  Army  Air 
Force  Lieutenant  Ivan  Bruce  dropped 
into  the  studio  the  other  day  for  a 
visit  and  walked  out  with  a  player 
contract  calling  for  his  services  as 
an  actor  thirty  days  after  he  receives 
his  discharge  from  the  service.  This 
is  not  to  suggest  that  every  soldier 
who  visits  a  picture  plant  should  look 
forward  to  a  career  in  the  movies  as 
a  natural  consequence,  but  the  incident 
does  establish  a  Hollywood  precedent 
likely  to  blossom  in  duplication. 


To  Hollyivood  come,  in  time,  all  the 
show  people  from  all  the  branches  of 
show  business,  to  holiday  or  to  toil, 
and  to  all  of  them  come — as  they  roam 
Hollyivood  Boulevard — the  spectacle 
of  the  Hawaii  Theatre,  last  word  in 
modernity,  with  its  box-office  hidden 
behind  a  horrendous  effigy  of  a  leering 
cat,  just  about  the  first  word  in  the 
ancient  and  honorable  science  of  bal- 
lyhoo. It's  an  anachronism  that  pays 
off.  Ticket  buyers  bend  double  to 
breathe  their  purchasing  desires  to  a 
cashier  ensconced  in  the  shadowy  re- 
cesses of  the  papier-mache  construc- 
tion. Their  tickets  and  their  change 
slip  down  the  inner  curvature  of  the 
cat's  crimson  tongue  into  ready  if 
startled  reach.  The  reason  for  it  all  is 
"The  Cat  People,"  and  the  result  of  it 
is,  at  this  point,  the  third  month  for 
the  picture. 

• 

Adding  to  the  rising  stream  of 
pictures  with  war  backgrounds, 
Paramount  has  acquired  "Tomor- 
row's Harvest,"  an  unproduced  play 
by  Alfred  Maury,  for  production  by 
David  Lewis.  The  studio  has  added 
Cornelia  Otis  Skinner  to  the  cast  of 
"The  Uninvited."  .  .  .  James  Craig 
and  Marsha  Hunt,  the  telegrapher 
and  the  rich  girl  in  "The  Human 
Comedy,"  are  to  be  paired  again  in 
M-G-M's  "Four  Angels."  . .  .  Claudia 
Drake  has  been  signed  by  Harry 
Sherman  for  the  feminine  lead  in 
"False  Colors,"  49th  in  his  series  of 
Hopalong  Cassidy  Westerns  star- 
ring William  Boyd,  in  which  Jimmy 
Rogers  plays  his  first  romantic  lead. 


At  this  point  in  the  conversations 
about  "Nine  Marines"  the  House  of 
Leo  the  Lion  appears  determined  to 
outdo  those  predecessors  which  have 
ventured  again  of  late  into  the  field  of 
truncated  motion  pictures.  It  is  early 
for  the  naming  of  names,  but  the  as- 
sertions that  the  entire  roster  of  rank- 
ing talent  will  appear  in  one  or  an- 
other of  the  nine  sections  in  which 
the  over-all  story  is  to  be  told.  The 
nine  Marines  will  be  presented  as  as- 
signed to  hold  a  mountain  pass  at 
cost  of  their  lives,  the  nine  stories — 
by  nine  writers,  directed  by  nine  di- 
rectors— representing  the  reveries, 
reminiscences  or  cherished  and  now 
abandoned  dreams  of  the  individuals 
awaiting  death. 

Immediate  precedents  for  the  ven- 
ture are  "Tales  of  Manhattan,"  "For- 
ever and  a  Day"  and  the  still  film- 
ing "For  All  We  Know,"  which  used 
the  multiple-cast  plan,  while  the  prece- 
dents for  the  all-star  casting  are  "Star 
Spangled  Rhythm"  and  the  still  film- 
ing "Thank  Your  Lucky  Stars."  Back 
in  the  yesteryears  there  were  "If  I 
Had  a  Million,"  "Bits  of  Life"  and 
M-G-M's  own  "Grand  Hotel"  and 
"Dinner  at  Eight."  Of  these  last,  and 
of  "Tales  of  Manhattan"  and  "Star 
Spangled  Rhythm,"  it  may  be  said 
that  the  returns  are  in.  It  follows  that 
the  statisticians  of  M-G-M  have 
studied  them  and  found  them  good. 


Warner  Studio  Sets 
Talent  Building  Plan 


Hollywood,  March  28.  —  Warner 
Bros,  plans  to  intensify  its  search  for 
new  talent  and  the  development  of 
promising  newcomers,  the  studio  an- 
nounced following  two  weeks  of  meet- 
ings on  the  subject  conducted  by  Jack 
L.  Warner,  executive  producer,  with 
Steve  Trilling,  his  assistant ;  Phil 
Friedman,  studio  casting  chief,  and 
Alartin  Jurow,  Eastern  talent  head. 

A  studio  announcement  described 
the  program  as  a  "long-range"  one, 
with  a  systematic  combing  planned 
of  the  principal  sources  of  new  ma- 
terial. 

In  addition  to  starring  status  re- 
cently given  several  young  players, 
others  are  being  groomed,  including 
Dolores  Moran,  Lynne  Baggett, 
Eleanor  Parker  and  Dorothy  Day, 
officials  said. 

Warner  Bros,  recently  set  up  an 
Eastern  talent  bureau,  with  Jurow  in 
charge.  He  left  for  New  York  over 
the  weekend. 


20th-Fox  Training 
Plan  in  Abeyance 

The  possibility  that  20th  Century- 
Fox  might  sponsor  stock  companies 
to  train  actors  is  being  held  in  abey- 
ance, according  to  Bertram  Bloch  of 
the  company.  Alfred  Harding  of 
Actors  Equity  made  several  tours 
through  the  East  to  investigate  pos- 
sibilities of  such  a  project  for  the 
company. 

M-G-M  has  also  discussed  actor 
training  but  has  taken  no  action,  a 
company  official  said. 


Premiere  Held  for 
'Hangmen  Also  Die' 

Prague,  Okla.,  March  28. — Resi- 
dents of  this  community,  namesake  of 
the  Czech  city  now  held  by  the  Nazis, 
turned  out  in  force  for  the  premiere 
of  Arnold  Pressburger's  "Hangmen 
Also  Die"  at  the  Savoy  Theatre  here 
last  night. 

Following  a  parade  in  which  local 
Czechs  dressed  in  native  costume  ap- 
peared, Hitler,  Hirohito  and  Musso- 
lini were  hanged  in  effigy  on  Main 
St.  in  front  of  the  theatre.  Mayor  C. 
E.  Tope  was  host  to  the  mayors  of 
Washington,  Kan.,  and  London  and 
Moscow,  Tex. 


"Hangmen  Also  Die"  has  been 
booked  for  April  engagements  in  20 
key  city  Loew  theatres  throughout  the 
country,  Carl  Leserman,  sales  man- 
ager for  United  Artists,  distributor 
of  the  film,  announced. 


Bernstein  Is  Taking 
Films  to  No.  Africa 

London,  March  28. — Sidney  Bern- 
stein, former  circuit  operator  who  has 
fulfilled  assignments  for  the  Office  of 
War  Information  here  and  in  the 
United  States,  is  understood  in  Brit- 
ish film  trade  circles  to  have  taken 
several  outstanding  British  films  with 
superimposed  French  titles  with  him 
on  his  current  visit  to  North  Africa. 


Yorke  in  New  Post 

Hollywood,  March  28  —  Gabe 
Yorke  has  been  placed  in  charge  of 
20th  Century-Fox  trailers  and  local 
theatre  advertising  in  conjunction 
with  Fox  West  Coast  Theatres.  He 
succeeds  Walter  Temple,  resigned. 


Monday,  March  29,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


7 


St.  Louis  Exhibitors  Now 
Divided  on  Singles  Policy 


$5,000,000  Seen  in 
Red  Cross  Drive 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
Cross  presentations  on  their  stages  on 
the  opening  night  of  the  campaign,  ac- 
I  cording  to  reports  received  by  Claude 
Lee,  campaign  director. 
Representatives  of  New  York  City's 
v    foreign  language  newspapers  will  at- 
f    tend  a  meeting  at  Paramount  today 
to  discuss  ways  in  which  they  can  co- 
operate with  the  industry  drive.  Bala- 
ban  and  Lee,  as  well  as  Fred  Schwartz 
v    and  Samuel  Rinzler,  co-chairmen  for 
the  New  York  metropolitan  area,  and 
Sigmund  Gottlober,  representing  the 
newspapers,  will  address  the  session. 

Actors  Equity  Picks 
Nominating  Groups 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
the  order  named :  Ben  Kranz,  Hester 
Sondergaard,    Eddie    Phillips,  Ethel 
Intropidi,  Robert  Harrison,  Gertrude 
Macy  and  Grace  Coppin. 

The  members'  group  will  serve  with 
Patricia  Collinge,  chairman,  Phillip 
Loeb  and  Ruth  Hammond,  chosen  by 
the  Equity  Council.  These  representa- 
tives v/ill  meet  on  Thursday  to  choose 
a  slate  which  will  be  voted  on  at  the 
annual  meeting  in  late  May  or  early 
June. 

Reports  were  made  at  the  regular 
meeting,  with  Bert  Lytell  presiding, 
by  Paul  Dullzell,  executive  secretary ; 
Sam  Jaffe  and  Edward  Raquello  of 
the  War  Production  Training  Com- 
mittee. 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

agers  to  be  called  soon.  The  con- 
sensus of  opinion  now  seems  to  be 
that  the  neighborhood  theatres  will 
agree  to  a  single  feature  policy  for 
pictures  which  are  booked  as  single 
features  in  the  first-run  houses,  but 
will  insist  on  continuing  double  fea- 
tures for  all  other  films. 

Loew's  circuit  has  not  yet  com- 
mitted itself  on  the  policy.  Loew's 
in  the  past  has  sometimes  featured 
single  pictures. 

Opinion  on  the  wisdom  of  making 
a  sudden  change  in  policy  rather  than 
gradually  introducing  single  feature 
programs  is  divided.  Some  individual 
owners  point  out  that  business  is  good 
in  this  area  and  it  would  be  unwise 
to  "upset"  it  by  a  drastic  change  in 
policy. 

At  a  meeting  attended  by  about  90 
theatre  owners  and  managers  at  the 
20th  Century-Fox  screening  room  re- 
cently, tentative  plans  were  proposed 
to  sponsor  a  publicity  program  to 
educate  the  theatre-going  public  to  the 
desirability  of  the  change.  The  pro- 
gram would  stress  that  the  quality 
of  the  entertainment  will  not  be  af- 
fected and  emphasize  that  with  elimi- 
nation of  double  bills  additional  time 
would  be  available  for  the  showing  of 
Government  films,  short  subjects  and 
newsreels. 


The  projected  program  calls  for 
newspaper  advertisements,  trailers, 
heralds,  lobby  displays  and  radio  spot 
announcements,  to  be  supplemented 
by  personal  addresses  before  civic 
groups,  parent-teacher  organizations, 
and  similar  group's. 


Korda  Says  M-G-M 
Deal  Is  for  Future 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

deal  is  based  primarily  on  post-war 
planning  substantiates  the  observation 
made  in  "Heard  Around"  by  Sam 
Shain,  in  Motion  Picture  Daily  last 
Friday.  It  was  pointed  out  there  that 
with  all  indications  pointing  to  more 
stringent  post-war  quota  regulations  in 
Britain,  trade  observers  are  interpret- 
ing the  Korda-M-G-M  deal  as  an  in- 
dication of  planning  for  such  an  even- 
tuality. 

During  the  interview,  Korda  denied 
any  possibility  existed  of  his  making 
pictures  here  for  United  Artists  re- 
lease. His  interest  in  the  latter  com- 
pany, he  reiterated,  is  simply  that  of 
a  stockholder.  While  negotiations 
have  been  initiated  for  the  purchase 
of  his  United  Artists  stock,  nothing 
has  materialized  up  to  this  point,  he 
said. 


Industry  Unit 
Organizes  for 
Jewish  Appeal 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

and  the  National  Refugee  Service, 
will  launch  its  annual  drive  early  in 
April.  Announcement  was  made  that 
the  annual  luncheon  of  the  amusement 
division  of  the  Appeal  will  be  held 
May  11  at  the  Astor.  Dr.  Abba  Hillel 
Silver  will  be  guest  of  honor,  as  he 
has  been  in  previous  years. 

Rosenwald    paid    tribute    to  the 
amusement  division  for  its  past  ac- 
complishments for  the  Appeal. 
Those  Attending 

The  following  were  present  at  Fri- 
day's luncheon :  Barney  Balaban,  Da- 
vid Bernstein,  Max  Blackman,  Jack 
Bloom,  Leo  Brecher,  Ben  Boyar,  Jules 
Brulatour,  Harry  Buxbaum,  Samuel 
Cohen,  Harold  Danson,  Louis  Frisch, 
Leon  Goldberg,  Irving  Greenfield,  Toby 
Gruen,  Arthur  Israel,  Jr.,  Jesse  Kaye, 
Malcolm  Kingsberg,  William  Klein, 
Joeseph  J.  Lee,  Samuel  Machnovitch, 
William  Melniker,  Dan  Michalove, 
Louis  Nizer. 

Also :  Abe  Olman,  Louis  Phillips, 
Ralph  I.  Poucher,  Martin  Ouigley. 
Samuel  Rosen,  Hyman  Rachmil,  Har- 
old Rodner,  Max  Seligman,  Joseph 
H.  Seidelman,  Adolph  Schimel, 
Charles  Sonin,  William  Sussman,  A. 
P.  Waxman,  Major  Albert  Warner 
and  J.  B.  Zabin. 


EXCELLENT.. RIGHT  FOR  ALL  KINDS  OF  PLACES,  PEOPLE  AND  PURPOSES-Motion  Picture  Herald 


D 


ARADE  OF  1943 


JOHN  CARROLL  •  SUSAN  HAYWARD  in 

with  GAIL  PATRICK  •  EVE  ARDEN  •  Melville  COOPER  •  Walter  CATLETT 
Mary  TREEN  and  Jack  WILLIAMS,  The  Harlem  Sandman .  Dorothy  DANDRIDGE  •  POPS  and  LOUIE- The  MUSIC  MAIDS -The  THREE  CHEERS  •  CHINITA- The 
GOLDEN  GATE  QUARTETTE  and  FREDDY  MARTIN  AND  HIS  ORCHESTRA- COUNT  BASIE  And  His  Orchestra- RAY McKINLEY  And  His  Orchestra 

ALBERT  S.  ROGELL — Director  •  Original  Screen  Play  by  Frank  Gill.  Jr.  •  Additional  Dialogue  by  Frances  Hyland    •    ^     REPUBLIC     P  I  C  T  U  R 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Monday,  March  29,  1943 


Ont.  Censors  Collect 
$190,000  for  Year 

Toronto,  March  28. — Revenue 
of  the  Motion  Picture  Censor- 
ship and  Theatres  Inspection 
Branch  of  the  Ontario  Gov- 
ernment during  the  past  fiscal 
year  totaled  $190,000,  the  bulk 
of  the  receipts  being  reel  fees 
for  the  examination  of  pic- 
tures. Total  expenses  of  the 
censor  board  and  inspectors 
for  the  12  months,  including 
salaries,  were  $39,000. 

Estimated  revenue  for  the 
Branch  during  the  1943-'44 
year  was  placed  at  $185,000 
and  expected  expenditures  re- 
mained at  $39,000,  according 
to  figures  tabled  in  the  Legis- 
lature by  A.  St.  Clair  Gor- 
don, Provincial  treasurer.  An- 
nouncement was  made  by  the 
Minister  that  no  new  taxes  or 
tax  increases  were  in  prospect. 


'Hard  Way'  Strong 
On  New  Haven  Dual 

New  Haven,  March  28. — "The 
Hard  Way"  and  "Secret  Enemies" 
grossed  an  estimated  $11,250  in  an  11- 
day  engagement  at  the  Roger  Sher- 
man. At  the  College,  "Reveille  with 
Beverly"  with  "Pierre  of  the  Plains" 
garnered  an  estimated  $5,000,  over  av- 
erage by  $2,000.  The  Sunday  stage 
show  at  the  Shubert,  headlining  Bob 
Chester  and  his  band,  grossed  an  esti- 
mated $2,200. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  25 : 

"Reveille  with  Beverly"  (Col.) 
"Pierre  of  the  Plains"  (M-G-M) 

COLLEGE— (1,627)      (40c-50c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $5,000.    (Average,  $3,000) 
"Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  (20th-Fox) 
"Chetniks"  (20th-Fox) 

LOEW-POLI— (3,005)    (40c-50c)    7  days. 
Gross:  $9,000.    (Average,  $9,000) 
"Lucky  Jordan"  (Para.) 
"Mrs.  Wiggs  of  the  Cabbage  Patch" 

(Para.) 

PARAMOUNT— (2,373)    (40c -55c)   6  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $5,500) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.B.) 
"Secret  Enemies"  (W.B.) 

ROGER  SHERMAN — (2,067)  (40c-50c)  11 
days.  Gross:  $11,250.  (Average,  7  days, 
$6,000) 


Bausch  &  Lomb  Co. 
Elects  Four  to  Board 

Rochester,  March  28.— Directors 
of  the  Bausch  &  Lomb  Optical  Co. 
have  elected  four  new  members  to 
the  board  and  re-elected  nine.  New 
directors  are  Edmond  S.  LaRose, 
Ivan  L.  Nixon,  Benjamin  Ramaker 
and  William  W.  McQuilkin,  secre- 
tary and  head  of  the  legal  depart- 
ment. 

Directors  reelected  include  Ray- 
mond Ball,  John  C.  Kurtz,  Carl  S. 
Hallauer,  Edward  Bausch,  William 
Bausch,  M.  Herbert  Eisenhart,  Jo- 
seph F.  Taylor,  Carl  L.  Bausch  and 
Theodore  B.  Drescher. 

The  directors  voted  the  regular 
quartcrly  dividend  of  $1.50  per  share 
on  the  preferred  stock  and  25  cents 
per  share  on  the  common  stock. 


Drop  Translation 
Rule  for  Air  Talks 

Washington,  March  28.— The  Of- 
fice of  Censorship  has  deleted  a  re- 
quirement from  the  Broadcasters' 
Code  that  stations  broadcasting  in  for- 
eign languages  secure  English  transla- 
tions of  such  programs,  J.  H.  Ryan, 
assistant  director  in  charge  of  the 
Broadcasting  Division,  announced. 


Off  the  Antenna 

STARTING  today  a  "Blue  News  Desk"  will  function  at  the  Blue  Network's 
New  York  headquarters.  Instituted  by  the  web's  news  and  special  features 
division,  the  desk  will  be  manned  from  7  a.  m.  to  1  p.  m.  daily  and  will  review 
all  news  and  commentaries  originating  at  Blue-New  York,  handle  special  news 
bulletins,  assist  commentators  in  material  preparation  and  take  care  of  other 
supervisory  and  editorial  duties. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Jack  Desch  of  the  KHJ-Don  Lee  "News-Faces-Places" 
program  is  the  father  of  a  boy.  .  .  .  Irving  T.  McDonald,  WEEI,  Boston,  news 
analyst,  will  address  the  New  York  Radio  Executives  Club  on  Wednesday 
.  .  .  The  engagement  of  Lucille  Manners  to  Sergeant  Williami  Walker  of  the 
Army  Air  Forces  has  been  announced.  .  .  .  Dinah  Shore  has  cancelled  her 
plans  for  a  New  York  visit  and  will  remain  on  the  Coast.  .  .  .  Mildred  Carlson, 
director  of  the  WBZ,  Boston,  Home  Forum,  has  been  given  honorary  mem- 
bership in  the  Massachusetts  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals. 
.  .  .  Les  Tremayne,  co-star  of  Mutual' s  "First  Nighter"  program,  left  the  show 
after  lost  night's  broadcast  to  go  to  Hollywood. 

9       •  • 

WSAI,  Cincinnati,  has  inaugurated  "Time  Clock  News"  with  each 
bulletin  preceded  by  a  simulated  time-clock  signal  and  an  announcement 
of  the  exact  time  the  news  was  received  at  the  studio. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  "The  Amusement  Industry's  Dedication  to  a  Cause," 
a  salute  to  performers  entertaining  servicemen  here  and  overseas,  will  be 
heard  over  Mutual  on  Sunday  from  3  :30  to  4  p.  m.  with  Bert  Lytell  as  master 
of  ceremonies.  .  .  .  Major  network  programs  are  being  set  by  Paramount  as 
a  part  of  the  exploitation  campaign  on  "China,"  the  company  announced.  .  .  . 
The  BBC  presents  news  bulletins  in  English  every  morning  from  7  to  7:15 
a.  m.  over  Mexico  City  stations  XERQ  and  XFRQ.  .  .  .  Effective  April  15, 
Richard  Harkness,  NBC  news  commentator  heard  Monday  through  Friday 
from  11:15  to  11 :30  p.  m.,  will  be  available  for  local  sponsorship  in  the  East- 
ern and  Central  time  zones.  .  .  .  Manhattan  Soap  Co.  has  contracted  for 
six  NBC  outlets  on  the  Pacific  Coast  to  promote  Sweetheart  Soap.  The 
program  will  be  an  audience  participation  show,  "Scramby  Amby,"  on  Wed- 
nesdays from  9:30  to  10  p.  m.  starting  April  21. 


Affiliates  of  CBS 
Meet  on  Policies 


Problems  of  policy  and  procedure 
affecting  CBS  and  its  affiliates  were 
discussed  here  at  a  two-day  meeting 
late  last  week  of  the  new  Columbia 
Affiliates  Advisory  Board  and  net- 
work officials.  This  was  the  group's 
initial  meeting  and,  by  general  agree- 
ment, no  chairman  was  named. 

Principal  subjects  discussed  were 
present  and  future  trends  of  the  CBS 
full  network  plan,  the  pending  Su- 
preme Court  decision,  long  range  CBS 
program  plans  and  the  new  CBS  net- 
work listening  area  study.  The  group 
will  meet  again  in  the  near  future, 
CBS  announced. 

Station  Men  Present 

Attending  were  Franklin  Doolittle, 
WDRC,  Hartford;  I.  H.  Lounsberry, 
WKBW,  Buffalo  ;  C.  T.  Lucy,  WRVA, 
Richmond;  John  M.  Rivers,  WCSC, 
Charleston  ;  Hoyt  B.  Wooten,  WRFC, 
Memphis;  Leo  Fitzpatrick,  WJR,  De- 
troit; Clyde  W.  Rembert,  KRLD, 
Dallas,  and  C.  W.  Myers,  KOIN, 
Portland. 

CBS  officials  at  the  meeting  were 
William  S.  Paley,  president;  Paul  W. 
Kestan,  vice-president  and  general 
manager ;  Joseph  H.  Ream,  vice-presi- 
dent and  secretary;  Frank  Stanton, 
vice-president ;  Frank  K.  White,  vice- 
president  and  treasurer ;  Herbert 
Akerberg,  vice-president  in  charge  of 
station  relations,  and  J.  G.  Gude,  Wil- 
liam S.  Schudt,  Jr.,  and  Howard 
Lane  of  station  relations. 


Third  Chicago  Paper 
Ties  in  with  WMAQ 

Chicago,  March  28. — Signing  of  a 
contract  by  the  Chicago  Daily  News 
to  sponsor  a  news  program  six  times 
weekly  for  52  weeks  establishes  an  all- 
time  record  of  81  commercial  news 
broadcasts  per  week  on  station 
WMAQ,  William  B.  Ray,  manager 
of  the  NBC  Central  Division  news  and 
special  events  department,  announced. 
Ray  said  that  all  news  progcams  broad- 
cast between  6:15  a.m.  and  11 :15  p.m., 
excepting  one  Saturday  broadcast,  will 
be  commercially  sponsored  after 
are  March  22. 

The  Daily  News  contract  is  the 
third  reciprocal  trade  agreement  be- 
tween WMAQ  and  Chicago  newspa- 
pers whereby  advertising  space  has 
been  exchanged  for  radio  time.  Other 
contracts  are  in  effect  with  the  Chi- 
cago Sun  and  the  Chicago  Herald- 
American. 


Para.  Upheld 
On  Money  Paid 
Browne,  Bioff 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

stockholders  would  not  be  permitted  to 
.ecover  against  directors  who  had 
yielded  to  economic  force.  Browne 
and  Bioff  have  been  indicted  for  ex- 
tortion, convicted  and  sentenced. 

Judge  Walter  found  that  if  Bioff 
carried  out  his  threat  to  order  pro- 
jectionists from  the  theatres  unless 
the  money  was  paid,  Paramount  stood 
to  lose  $2,910,000  a  week  and  would 
be  thrown  into  bankruptcy.  Testimony 
at  the  trial  also  showed  that  the  de- 
fendant director  of  Paramount  had 
served  during  a  period  in  which  the 
company  had  paid  off  more  than  $32,- 
000,000  in  liabilities  and  had  paid 
$13,400,000  in  dividends  to  stockhold- 
ers. 

Without  rendering  a  formal 
decision,  the  Appellate  Division 
on  Friday  ruled  that  the  direc- 
tors were  acting  for  the  benefit 
of  all  Paramount  stockholders 
when  they  made  the  involuntary 
payments  to  the  two  convicted 
union  leaders. 

Counsel  for  defendants  in  the  case 
included  Louis  Nizer  of  Phillips,  Niz- 
er,  Benjamin  &  Krim ;  Louis  Con- 
nick  of  Simpson,  Thacher  &  Bartlett, 
and  Stephen  Callaghan. 


Gets  NBC  Capital  Post 

Eugene  Juster,  a  member  of  NBC's 
continuity  acceptance  department,  will 
head  the  network's  new  continuity  ac- 
ceptance department  in  Washington, 
Frank  E.  Mullen,  vice-president  and 
general  manager,  announced. 


Stromberg -Carlson 
Shows  $534,053  Net 

Rochester,  N.  Y.,  March  28.— Con- 
solidated net  profit  of  $534,053  for 
1942  has  been  announced  by  Strom- 
berg-Carlson  Telephone  Manufactur- 
ing Co.,  owner  and  operator  of  sta- 
tion WHAM,  Rochester,  among  other 
enterprises.  This  was  after  deduc- 
tions of  $1,950,000  for  estimated  in- 
come and  excess  profits  taxes  and 
$200,000  provision  for  contingencies. 
In  1941  the  company  earned  a  net 
profit  of  $470,073. 


San  Antonio  Fire  Damage 

San  Antonio,  March  28.— Fire  of 
undetermined  origin  destroyed  the 
roof  of  the  Sam  Houston  Theatre 
here,  causing  estimated  damage  of 
$5,000.  This  is  a  Texas  Consolida- 
ted house. 


Company  Directors 
Expected  to  Testify 

Directors  of  Paramount,  20th  Cen- 
tury-Fox, Warners  and  Loew's,  com- 
panies which  were  victims  of  extortion 
by  threats  of  George  Browne  and  Wil- 
lie Bioff.  are  expected  to  be  called  as 
Government  witnesses  at  the  forth- 
coming trial  of  Louis  Kaufman,  busi- 
ness agent  of  Local  244,  Newark  op- 
erators' union,  and  seven  Chicago 
gangsters  recently  indicted  here  as 
"the  boys  from  Chicago,"  who  were 
behind  Browne  and  Bioff. 

The  indictments  are  substantially 
the  same  as  the  one  under  which 
Browne  and  Bioff  were  convicted  and 
for  which  they  are  now  serving  eight 
and  ten  years,  respectively. 

The  housecleaning  of  "rackets" 
within  the  film  industry  unions 
is  continuing,  U.  S.  Attorney 
Mathias  F.  Correa  said,  adding 
that  "we  shall  not  rest  until 
threats  of  intimidation,  graft 
and  other  crimes  on  the  -part 
of  shakedown  artists  in  or  out 
of  unions  is  a  thing  of  the  past." 
Although  Kaufman's  trial  is  sched- 
uled for  today,  it  is  known  that  an  ad- 
journment will  be  granted.    Some  of 
the  Chicago  defendants,  free  in  heavy 
bail,  will  have  a  hearing  on  April  7  in 
Chicago  in  removal  proceedings  insti- 
tuted by  Correa.    It  is  probable  that 
Correa  or  an  assistant  will  be  sent  to 
Chicago  to  demand  that  the  defendants 
be  removed  to  New  York  forthwith. 


Postpone  U.  S.-AFM 
Trust  Suit  to  April  19 

Chicago,  March  26. — A  three  week 
extension,  agreed  to  by  a  stipulation 
of  the  parties,  was  granted  in  Federal 
Court  here  today  in  the  Government's 
amended  anti-trust  suit  against  the 
Petrillo-A.F.M.  recording  ban. 

This  is  the  second  such  extension 
that  has  been  granted  and  the  trial 
originally  set  for  March  9th  is  now 
scheduled  to  be  heard  April  19, 


Alert, 


tion 


Picture 
Industry 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 


First  In 


and 

Impartial 


VOL.  53.  NO.  60 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  TUESDAY,  MARCH  30,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


WMC  to  Study 
IATSE  Appeal 
for  Deferments 


Walsh,  Krouse  to  Appear 
For  Union  at  Hearing 


By  BERTRAM  F.  LINZ 

Washington,  March  29. — The 
classification  committee  of  the  War 
Manpower  Commission  on  Wednes- 
day will  depart  from  its  policy  of 
not  considering  draft  deferments  for 
persons  engaged  in  the  distribution 
trades,  in  which  theatres  heretofore 
have  been  considered  a  part,  and 
will  study  the  appeal  of  IATSE 
for  classification  of  theatre  projec- 
tionists as  essential  workers. 

Richard  Walsh,  IATSE  president, 
and  Louis  Krouse,  secretary,  are 
scheduled  to  appear  before  the  com- 
mittee to  make  a  personal  argument 
showing  the  important  work  the  thea- 
tres are  doing  to  further  the  war  pro- 
gram and  the  need  for  deferment  of 
projectionists  if  theatres  are  not  to  be 
forced  to  close. 

The  hearing,  one  of  a  series  to  be 
held  during  the  week,  was  granted 
after  the  board  had  rejected  a  petition 
of  the  union  on  the  ground  that  ex- 
hibition was  a  form  of  distribution 
and  WMC  policy  did  not  contemplate 
consideration  of  jobs  in  wholesale  or 
retail  trades  as  essential. 

Meanwhile,  the  committee  is  expect- 
ed to  reach  a  decision  this  week  as  to 
the  classification   of  film  laboratory 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


No.-So.  Carolina  T.O. 
Reelect  Roy  Ross 

Charlotte,  March  29.  —  Theatre 
Owners  of  North  and  South  Carolina 
decided  here  today  to  go  along  100 
per  cent  with  the  war  effort  and  re- 
elected President  Roy  Ross  for  an- 
other year. 

Other  officers  elected  were :  A.  F. 
Adams,  Jr.,  of  Statesville,  vice  presi- 
dent;  Mrs.  Walter  Griffith  of  Char- 
lotte, Secretary-Treasurer. 


Tram  Strike  Cuts 
Montreal  Grosses 

Montreal,  March  29. — A  street  car 
strike  which  paralyzed  transportation 
in  this  city  today  cut  into  grosses  at 
neighborhood  and  downtown  theatres, 
managers  reported.  A  sharp  decline 
in  receipts  was  reported  by  many 
house  managers  tonight,  although 
matinee  grosses  were  fairly  good. 


Exhibitors  Disagree 
Over  New  Releasing 
System  for  London 


By  AUBREY  FLANAGAN 

London,  March  29. — Some  exhibi- 
tor disagreement  with  regard  to  the 
proposed  new  London  release  system 
designed  to  effect  print  economies  is 
reported  in  trade  circles  as  preventing 
materialization  of  the  plan. 

Efforts  are  being  made  in  some  ex- 
hibitor quarters  to  maintain  the  re- 
lease setup  on  the  present  basis  of 
north  and  south  areas,  plus  a  third 
of  the  outlying  situations.  The  cir- 
cuit's attitude  will  provide  the  key  to 
the  situation,  and  their  decision  is  ex- 
pected on  Wednesday. 

The  new  plan  proposes  the  division 
of  the  London  release  territory  into 
city,  inner  suburban  and  outer  sub- 
urban areas,  instead  of  the  present 
north  and  south  release  districts. 


Frank  Gillmore,  of 
Actors  Equity,  Dies 

Frank  Gillmore,  president  of  the 
Associated  Actors  and  Artistes  of 
America  since  1929  and  president  em- 
eritus of  Actors  Equity  Association, 
died  early  yesterday  at  Roosevelt  Hos- 
pital. He  had  been  ill  of  a  kidney 
ailment  for  about  a  month.  His  age 
was  75. 

One  of  the  founders  of  Equity,  Gill- 
more gave  up  a  successful  acting  ca- 
reer in  Britain  and  America  to  work 
for  the  actors'  union.    In  1918  he  be- 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


United  Nations  Fund 
Presentation  Today 

Washington,  March  29.— A 
War  Activities  Committee 
check  for  $1,625,000  realized 
from  the  United  Nations  fund 
drive  in  theatres  will  be  pre- 
sented to  Joseph  E.  Davies, 
chairman  of  the  President's 
War  Relief  Control  Board,  at 
a  luncheon  given  by  Francis 
S.  Harmon,  WAC  coordinator, 
here  tomorrow.  In  the  indus- 
try group  at  the  presentation 
will  be  Edward  L.  Alperson, 
Leon  Bamberger,  Harry  Man- 
del,  Si  Fabian,  Herman  Rob- 
bins  and  P.  J.  Wood. 


'Moon',  'Frisco'  Lead 
Broadway  Houses 
To  Sensational  Gross 


Broadway  theatres  continued  to 
garner  sensational  grosses  over  the 
weekend  as  "The  Moon  Is  Down" 
was  estimated  to  have  grossed  $23,- 
000  for  its  first  three  days  starting 
Friday  at  the  Rivoli.  Stage  shows 
helped  at  other  houses. 

With  Chico  Marx  and  his  band 
heading  the  stage  show,  "Hello, 
Frisco,  Hello"  is  expected  to  gross 
about  $88,000  in  a  first  week  ending 
tonight  at  the  Roxy  and  will  be  held. 
For  the  same  period,  "Happy  Go 
Lucky"  at  the  Paramount,  with  a 
stage  show  headed  by  Les  Brown  and 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


New  York  City  Theatres  Enroll  100% 
For  Red  Cross  Collection  Campaign 

New  York  City  theatres  have  enrolled  100  per  cent  for  Red  Cross 
Week  which  will  be  held  in  theatres  throughout  the  country  start- 
ing Thursday,  the  War  Activities  Committee  announced  yesterday. 
A  total  of  579  houses  are  enrolled  in  the  five  boroughs.  Barney 
Balaban,  national  chairman  of  the  drive,  estimates  that  $5,000,000 
will  be  realized  from  the  campaign,  which  will  be  participated  in 
by  13,000  or  more  theatres  throughout  the  nation. 

The  original  order  of  11,000  prints  for  the  appeal  trailer  featur- 
ing a  talk  by  Capt.  Eddie  Rickenbacker  has  been  increased  to 
handle  an  influx  of  new  pledges,  campaign  headquarters  said.  Na- 
tional Screen  Service  exchanges  are  distributing  the  film.  The 
WAC  stated  that  every  theatre  participating  would  receive  a 
trailer. 

At  10:30  a.m.  today,  a  group  of  Broadway  theatre  managers  will 
donate  their  blood  to  the  Red  Cross  blood  bank,  signalizing  the 
"opening  gun"  of  the  New  York  City  campaign. 

The  Coordinating  Council  of  French  Relief  Societies  and  the 
Fighting  French  Relief  Committee,  which  are  sponsoring  the 
premiere  of  the  Paul  Graetz  production,  "The  Heart  of  a  Nation" 
at  the  Abbey  Theatre  April  7,  announced  that  proceeds  of  the  open- 
ing would  be  donated  to  the  Red  Cross. 


Trade  Escapes 
Harmful  Bills 
In  Legislature 

Senate  Defeats  Measure 
On  Child  Actors 


By  RICHARD  J.  CONNERS 

Albany,  March  29. — New  York 
State's  first  Republican  controlled 
Lesiglature  in  more  than  20  years 
adjourned  Friday  without  having 
passed  a  bill  inimical  to  the  motion 
picture  industry. 

On  the  day  of  adjournment,  the 
Ehrlich  bill  to  repeal  "blue  laws"  re- 
lating to  child  actors  under  16  years 
of  age,  which  had  passed  the  legis- 
lature last  year  and  the  year  before 
only  to  be  vetoed  by  Gov.  Herbert 
Lehman,  was  defeated  in  the  Senate 
after  being  passed  by  the  Assembly. 

Assemblyman  Wilson's  bill  to  legal- 
ize chance  games  if  five  per  cent  of 
the  voters  in  individual  localities  peti- 
tioned for  them  was  approved  by  both 
houses  and  sent  to  the  Governor  for 
his  signature  or  veto.  It  is  believed 
that  Gov.  Thomas  E.  Dewey  may  hold 
a  public  hearing  before  acting  upon 

(Continued  on  page  8) 


7 -Day  Wilmington 
Clearance  Upheld 


The  seven-day  clearance  of  Wil- 
mington, Del.,  first  runs  over  theatres 
in  towns  as  distant  as  70  miles  from 
Wilmington,  which  was  established  in 
an  arbitration  award  at  the  Philadel- 
phia tribunal  last  year,  was  upheld  by 
the  appeal  board  in  a  decision  made 
public  yesterday. 

The  case  was  that  of  the  Sidney 
Theatre  Corp.,  operator  of  the  Plaza 
at  Milford,  Del.,  against  Loew's, 
Paramount,  RKO  and  20th  Century- 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


Joseph  Engel,  Film 
Pioneer,  Is  III  Here 

Joseph  W.  Engel,  one  of  the  found- 
ers of  Paramount  (Famous  Players), 
Metro  and  Universal  and  for  many 
years  a  prominent  factor  in  the  indus- 
try, is  ill  at  Lenox  Hill  Hospital  here 
after  a  physical  collapse  in  Holly- 
wood. His  brother,  Dr.  William  En- 
gel, reports  that  his  condition  is  hope- 
ful but  that  because  of  the  necessity 
for  complete  quiet  he  has  directed 
that  visitors  omit  calls  upon  the  pa- 
tient. In  recent  years  Engel  has  been 
in  production  in  Hollywood. 


jss  Week 
l  lst—Hh 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  March  30,  1943 


Films  Greatest  Army 
Morale  Aid:  Clark 

Motion  pictures  comprise 
the  greatest  means  of  relaxa- 
tion available  to  members  of 
the  nation's  armed  forces, 
Major  Henry  W.  Clark  of  the 
Army  special  services  branch, 
stated  yesterday  following  his 
return  from  a  tour  of  the 
Hawaiian  Islands,  according 
to  the  War  Department.  He 
visited  numerous  outputs  and 
reported  on  the  excellent  ef- 
fect on  morale  that  films  are 
playing  in  the  Army. 


Extend  Dimout  Deadline 

San  Francisco,  March  29. — Ap- 
proach of  spring,  with  its  longer  day- 
light hours,  has  brought  announce- 
ment from  Edward  D.  Keil,  coordina- 
tor of  theatre  defense  activities,  ex- 
tending the  hour  at  which  daytime 
marquee  and  vertical  illumination 
must  be  doused  from  6:30  p.m.  to 
7  p.m.  " 


NEW  YORK  THEATRES 


RADIO  CITY  MUSIC  HALL 

ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 

SPENCER  TRACY 
KATHARINE  HEPBURN 
"KEEPER  OF  THE  FLAME" 

A    Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer  Picture 
Gala  Stage  Revue    .  Symphony  Orchestra 
First  Mezzanine  Seats  Reserved.  Circle  6-4600 


Always  Tops  in-2-for-1  Shows  1 


Alice  FAYE  .  John  PAYNE  & 
lack  OAR!  E  •  Lynn  BAR  I 

M  FRISCO,**^ ' 

A  20TH  CENTURY- FOX  PICTURE      IN  TECHNICOLOR 

★  PLUS  A  BIG  STAGE  SHOW  * 

buy     n  ^\  y  y  7,hAVE- 

BONDS      K.  \t#  JK.    I      50th  ST. 


PALACE 


Et'WAY  & 
47th  St. 


HUMPHREY  BOGART 
INGRID  BERGMAN 
PAUL  HENREID 

"CASABLANCA" 

—  and  — 

"LADIES  DAY" 

LUPE  VELEZ        •        MAX  BAER 


Loew?sSTRTE 


T 


ON  SCREEN 

'POWERS  GIRL' 

GEO.  MURPHY 
ANNE  SHIRLEY  SHOW 
CAROLE  LAND  IS  1 


IN  PERSON 

BIG 
STAGE 


Personal  Mention 


EDWARD  C.  RAFTERY,  Grad- 
well  L.  Sears  and  Paul  Laz- 
arus, Jr.,  are  expected  from  the  Coast 
at  the  end  of  the  week. 

• 

Abe  Montague,  vice-president_  and 
general  sales  manager  of  Columbia,  is 
vacationing  at  Palm  Springs. 

• 

Charles  Reagan,  right  hand 
bower  to  Neil  F.  Agnew  at  Para- 
mount, did  not  return  to  New  York 
as  anticipated,  but  is  vacationing  at 
Phoenix. 

• 

Pvt.  Louis  Weiner,  formerly  New 
England  publicity  representative  for 
United  Artists,  is  recuperating  from 
an  operation  at  the  Army  Air  Forces 
Hospital  at  San  Farcos,  Tex. 
• 

Allen  Benn,  manager  of  the  Bel- 
mont Theatre,  Philadelphia,  and  Mrs. 
Benn  celebrated  their  21st  wedding 
anniversary  last  week. 

• 

Norman  H.  Moray,  Warner  Bros, 
short  subject  sales  manager,  is  on  the 
Coast. 


JOHN  JOSEPH,  Universal  adver- 
tising and  publicity  director,  is 
due  from  the  Coast  next  Monday. 
• 

Robert  M.  Savini  is  in  Detroit. 

I.  M.  Rappaport,  owner  of  the  Hip- 
podrome Theatre  in  Baltimore,  is  in 
New  York. 

• 

Hal  Hode  is  in  Washington. 

O.  Henry  Briggs  has  arrived  in 
Hollywood. 

• 

John  Fitzgerald  of  the  Warner 
publicity  staff  is  back  from  Indi- 
anapolis. 

S.  Sylvan  Simon  is  is  town. 

Tim  Whelan  is  here  from  Cali- 
fornia. 

• 

James  E.  Coston,  Warner  zone 
manager  in  Chicago,  with  Alex  Hal- 
perin,  film  buyer,  and  L.  F.  Gran 
of  Milwaukee,  arrived  in  New  York 
yesterday. 


Hawks,  Feldman  to 
Make  Warner  Film 

Hollywood,  March  29. — "Battle 
Cry,"  a  story  of  war  and  post  war 
times  which  has  been  in  preparation 
by  Howard  Hawks  and  Charles  K. 
Feldman,  has  been  acquired  by  War- 
ner Bros.,  and  will  be  produced  with 
22  topflight  stars,  the  studio  an- 
nounced. Hawks  will  produce  and 
direct  the  picture,  with  Feldman  as 
associate  producer. 


Albany  Variety  Club 
Finances  USO  Unit 

Albany,  March  29. — The  local 
Variety  Tent  has  financed  the  fur- 
nishing, decorations  and  equipment  of 
the  Knights  of  Columbus  home  here 
which  was  opened  last  Saturday  night 
as  a  USO  servicemen's  center.  C.  J. 
Latta,  Warner  zone  manager ;  Mayor 
Erastus  Corning  and  E.  N.  Scheiber- 
ling,  local  USO  president,  participated 
in  the  ceremony. 


Tom  Clark  Sworn 
As  Anti-Trust  Chief 

Washington,  March  29. — Tom  C. 
Clark  of  Dallas  was  sworn  in  today 
as  Assistant  Attorney  General  in 
charge  of  anti-trust  matters,  succeed- 
ing Thurman  Arnold,  now  a  Justice 
of  the  District  of  Columbia  Federal 
Court  of  Appeals. 

No  marked  changes  in  policies  of 
the  anti-trust  division  were  anticipat- 
ed. 


Alstock  to  Washington 

Hollywood,  March  29. — Francis 
Alstock,  director  of  the  motion  pic- 
ture division  for  the  Co-ordinator  of 
Inter- American  Affairs  left  for  Wash- 
ington last  night.  He  is  expected  to 
return  in  two  weeks  to  continue  con- 
ferences with  producers. 


Judell  Discussing  Deal 

Ben  Judell,  producer  of  "Hitler, 
Dead  or  Alive,"  which  will  have  its 
New  York  premiere  at  the  Globe  to- 
day, has  arrived  from  Chicago  to  dis- 
cuss a  national  distribution  deal  for 
the  film. 


New  Haven  Lawyers 
Lose  'Meanest'  Fight 

New  Haven,  March  29. — The  peti- 
tion of  five  local  lawyers  for  a  tem- 
porary injunction  to  restrain  Loew- 
Poli  Theatres,  from  further  showing 
"The  Meanest  Man  in  the  World"  was 
denied  today  by  Judge  Patrick  B. 
O'Sullivan,  who  held  that  the  film  did 
not  reflect  on  lawyers  in  general. 

The  court  commended  the  attorneys 
for  their  zeal  in  safeguarding  the 
reputation  of  their  profession  from  un 
warranted  slurs  and  expressed  hope 
that  producers  would  limit  ridicule  to 
such  members  of  any  class  as  were 
deserving  of  it. 


Kaufman,  Rosselli 
Trials  Off  to  April  12 

Federal  Judge  Samuel  Mandelbaum 
yesterday  postponed  until  April  12  the 
trial  of  Louis  Kaufman,  business  agent 
of  Operators'  Local  244  of  Newark, 
under  an  indictment  alleging  violation 
of  the  Federal  Anti-Racketeering  Act. 
The  Court  adjourned  until  the  same 
date  the  trial  of  John  Rosselli. 

Col.  Briskin  Recovering 

Hollywood,  March  29. — The  War 
Department  reported  today  that  Lieut. 
Col.  Sam  Briskin  is  recovering  satis- 
factorily from  a  heart  attack  suffered 
Saturday. 


RKO  to  Release  'Spitfire' 

"Spitfire,"  a  British-made  Samuel 
Goldwyn  production  starring  David 
N  iven  and  Leslie  Howard,  will  be  re- 
leased in  the  United  States  by  RKO. 

Steinbeck  Weds  in  N.  O. 

New  Orleans,  March  29. — John 
Steinbeck,  author  of  "The  Grapes  of 
Wrath,"  and  "The  Moon  Is  Down," 
and  Miss  Gwyn  Conger  of  Los 
Angeles  were  married  here  today. 

Show  'Victory'  Today 

"Desert  Victory,"  film  record  of 
the  British  Eighth  Army's  North 
African  campaign,  will  be  tradeshown 
today  by  20th  Century-Fox  at  the 
home  office. 


Blumenstock  Sees 
Wider  Film  Tieups 


Many  of  the  phases  of  wartime  film 
merchandising,  particularly  tieups  with 
other  industries  having  large  numbers 
of  employes,  will  become  a  permanent 
part  of  the  industry's  shownman'ship, 
Mort  Blumenstock,  Warners  Eastern 
advertising  and  publicity  head,  said 
yesterday. 

Recognition  of  the  screen  as  a 
morale  builder,  he  believes,  has  be- 
come so  widespread  among  large  in- 
dustrial plants  and  big  business  firms 
that  the  heads  of  these  enterprises  will 
continue  to  avail  themselves  of  its  ad- 
vantages after  peace  comes. 

He  said  that  despite  the  increased 
theatre  patronage  today,  a  thorough 
promotional  campaign  still  can  make 
a  difference  of  from  50  to  ISO  per  cent 
in  the  results  of  film  engagements. 


L.  A.  Variety  Club 
Plans  Hospital  Wing 

Los  Angeles,  March  29. — Early 
construction  of  a  $40,000  special  wing 
to  the  Cedars  of  Lebanon  Hospital, 
Hollywood,  to  house  its  birth  clinic 
and  training  school,  has  been  an- 
nounced by  Variety  Club  Tent  25  here. 
Members  of  the  ITO  of  Southern 
California  and  the  personnel  of  Fox 
West  Coast  Theatres  have  pledged 
their  support  to  the  new  clinic.  On 
his  return  from  the  East,  Chief  Bark- 
er Charles  P.  Skouras  will  present 
architectural  drawings,  operating  bud- 
gets and  a  complete  service  program 
of  the  club  to  its  members. 


Will  Appoint  Ealing 
Representative  Here 

H.  William  Fitelson,  local  industry 
attorney,  has  been  authorized  by 
Michael  Balcon,  executive  producer  of 
Ealing  Studios,  England,  to  appoint 
a  new  distribution  representative  for 
the  company  here.  The  late  Arthur  A. 
Lee  formerly  represented  Ealing  in 
this  country. 

Balcon  has  shipped  prints  of  "Nine 
Men"  and  "Went  the  Day  Well"  to 
this  country  for  early  release  and  is 
planning  increased  distribution  activity 
here,  it  was  said. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 
SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor: 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager; 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl, 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Quigley  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copies  10c 


Stepping  out 
on  Broadway 
ahead  of 
"The  Fleet's  In" 
at  the  New  York 
Paramount 


Opens  in  a  blaze 
of  glory  at  the 
Met.,  Boston— 
20%  over  "The 
Forest  Rangers" 
figures 


Opening  day 
topped  "The  Major 
and  the  Minor" 
at  New  Haven's 
Paramount 
Theatre 


Leading  "Fleet's  In 
by  25  per  cent  at 
Cleveland  State— 
50%  over  "The 
Forest  Rangers" 
in  Cincinnati 


ft 


Out  in  front 
of  "Forest 
Rangers"  in  first 
five  days  at  the 
Springfield 
Paramount 


starring 


Mary  MARTIN 
Dick  POWELL 
Betty  HUTTON 
Eddie  BRACKEN 
Rudy  VALLEE 

Directed  by  CURTIS  BERNHARDT 

Screen  Play  by  Walter  DeLeon 
Norman  Panama  and  Melvin  Frank 

In  Technicolor  ! 


Red  Cross  Wee\, 
Aoril  I  si — 7lh 


NO  THE 


Big  grosses 
at  the 

Fox,  St.  Louis 
prove 
that  this 
is  the  best 
of  them  all! 


E  TOO  BIG-NO  THEATRE  TOO  GOOD- 
TO  PLAY  THE  BIGGEST  BOX-OFFICE 
HORROR  PICTURE  OF  ALL  TIME! 


ace 


theatres  have  already  booked 

FRANKENSTEIN  MEETS  THE  WOLF  MAN! 


FOX,  ST.  LOUIS 
ORPHEUM,  SAN  FRANCISCO 
FOX,  DETROIT 
HARRIS,  PITTSBURGH 
RIALTO,  NEW  YORK 
WOODS,  CHICAGO 
LAFAYETTE,  BUFFALO 
CENTURY,  ROCHESTER 
STRAND,  ALTOONA,  PA. 
STATE,  WATERBURY,  CONN. 
TRANS  LUX,  BOSTON 
OHIO,  CANTON,  OHIO 


i 


PARAMOUNT,  YOUNGSTOWN 
E.  M.  LOEW,  HARTFORD 
KEITH'S,  BALTIMORE 
PARAMOUNT,  ATLANTA 
STATE,  RICHMOND,  VA. 
PARAMOUNT,  DENVER 
STRAND,  LOUISVILLE 
CIVIC,  PORTLAND,  ME. 
CAPITOL,  SALT  LAKE  CITY 
EARLE,  ALLENTOWN,  PA. 
SENATE,  HARRISBURG,  PA. 
COLONIAL,  ERIE 
PARAMOUNT,  NEW  HAVEN 
COLLEGE,  BETHLEHEM 
HOLLYWOOD,  ATLANTIC  CITY 
LINCOLN,  MIAMI  AND 

CAPITOL  (Day  and  Date),  MIAMI 


U0NA  IMSSEY  TW1U 

MARIA  oui"  ,,,,  ,„«,"«'  , 

i  ON  CHANEY  -  « ■* 


Dlrected  by  ROY 


RED  CROSS 


WEEK— APrii  Vl 


ROY  ROGERS 

KING  Of  THE  COWBOYS 


an 


d  SMILEY  BURNETTE 


in 


with 


BOB  NOLAN  AND  THE 
SONS  OF  THE  PIONEERS 
VIRGINIA  GREY 

HARRY  J.  SHANNON  •  ONA  MUNSON 
I       DICK  PURCELL  •  AND  THE 
MITCHELL  BOY  CHOIR 

JOSEPH  KANE  —  Director 

Original  Screen  Play  by 
Ray  Chanslor  and  Olive  Cooper 

A  REPUBUC  PICTURE 

★ 

v  u.  s.  uirr  snuincs  Bonos 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Tuesday,  March  30,  1943 


WMC  to  Study 
IATSE  Appeal 
for  Deferments 


{Continued  from  page  1) 

workers,  and  within  a  few  days  will 
submit  its  recommendation  to  Chair- 
man Paul  V.  McNutt. 


Operators  Urged  to 
Keeps  Jobs  by  WMC 

Washington,  March  29. — Motion 
picture  projectionists  are  urged  to  re- 
main on  their  present  jobs  until  a  spe- 
cific need  for  a  change  has  been 
indicated  by  the  War  Manpower 
Commission,  Collis  Stocking,  associate 
director  of  the  WMC's  bureau  of  pro- 
gram planning  and  review,  asserts  in 
a  message  to  Abram  F.  Myers,  chair- 
man and  general  counsel  of  Allied 
States,  made  public  today. 

The  message  points  out  that  the 
WMC's  committee  on  essential  activi- 
ties has  not  classified  projectionists 
either  as  essential  or  non-essential,  and 
until  further  action  is  taken  they 
should  remain  on  their  present  jobs. 

Myers  explained  that  the  WMC 
statement  was  made  following  in- 
quiries by  his  office  concerning  a  re- 
ported earlier  decision  by  Stocking 
regarding  the  status  of  operators. 
Myers  said  the  misinterpretation  of 
that  decision  "resulted  in  some  sec- 
tions in  a  stampede  of  theatre  em- 
ployes to  essential  occupations."  He 
added  that  Allied  is  not  pleading  for 
deferment  of  projectionists  but  is, 
rather  submitting  to  WMC  "concrete 
facts  and  excerpts  from  state  laws 
demonstrating  that  they  are  virtually 
irreplaceable." 


Frank  Gillmore,  of 
Actors  Equity,  Dies 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

came  the  union's  first  executive  secre- 
tary and  retained  the  post  until  elected 
to  the  presidency  in  1928,  from  which 
he  resigned  in  1937. 

In  addition  to  his  leadership  of  the 
actors'  1919  strike  for  collective  bar- 
gaining, Gillmore  was  a  guiding 
spirit  in  the  1924  drive  which  estab- 
lished the  closed  shop  in  the  legiti- 
mate stage  and  in  the  fight  against 
Sunday  shows.  He  also  attempted  in 
1929  to  establish  a  closed  shop  in 
Hollywood. 

He  is  survived  by  his  widow,  the 
former  Laura  MacGillivray,  and  two 
daughters,  Mrs.  Max  Sonino  and 
Mrs.  Robert  Ross.  Mrs.  Ross  is  Mar- 
galo  Gillmore. 

The  funeral  will  be  tomorrow  noon 
at  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
of  the  Transfiguration  with  Dr.  J.  H. 
Randolph  Ray  officiating. 


Army  Revue  to  Tour 

Cincinnati,  March  29. — Based  on 
permission  just  received  from  Gov- 
ernment officials  to  take  the  show  on 
tour,  a  contract  is  being  arranged  by 
Nelson  Trowbridge,  manager  of  the 
Cox,  to  bring  the  Bowman  Field, 
Louisville,  Ky.,  musical  revue,  "All 
Clear.,"  to  the  Cox  for  week  of  April 
2.  The  cast  includes  100  soldiers  and 
an  orchestra  of  28  pieces.  The  pro- 
ceeds go  to  the  Army  and  Navy  Re- 
lief Fund. 


Robert  Paul  Dies; 
Made  Film  Device 

London,  March  29.— Robert  W. 
Paul,  74,  British  pioneer  of  the  motion 
picture  and  inventor  of  the  theatro- 
graph,  projection  device,  died  here 
yesterday. 

Paul  was  one  of  the  earliest  experi- 
menters in  moving  photographs  and 
projection  in  Great  Britain  and  be- 
came a  manufacturing  rival  of  Thomas 
E.  Edison,  who  had  secured  no  foreign 
patents  for  his  Kinetoscope.  In  1894, 
attention  was  attracted  to  a  fiction  tale 
by  H.  G.  Wells  called  "The  Time  Ma- 
chine." That  imaginative  story  gave 
Paul  the  idea  for  the  use  of  the  spe- 
cial properties  of  the  motion  picture 
to  develop  a  new  and  effective  narra- 
tive form. 

He  conferred  with  Wells  and  out 
of  the  collaborations  came  the  screen 
project  to  "materialize  the  human  wish 
to  live  in  the  past,  present  and  future 
all  at  once."  Paul's  patent  was  granted 
in  England  in  1895,  but  the  machine 
was  never  built  because  no  money  was 
available  to  carry  his  ideas. 

5am  Shurman  Dies; 
Milwaukee  Veteran 

Milwaukee,  March  29.  —  Sam 
Shurman,  52,  M-G-M  representative 
here  for  the  past  20  years,  died  sud- 
denly today.  He  had  been  associated 
with  the  company  and  its  predecessors 
for  25  years.  He  is  survived  by  his 
wife,  a  son  and  a  daughter. 


Reinhardt  Associate  Succumbs 

Rudolph  K.  Kommer,  65,  business 
associate  of  Max  Reinhardt  and  trans- 
lator of  many  English  and  American 
plays  produced  in  Germany,  died  here 
yesterday  following  a  heart  attack. 
Surviving  is  a  brother,  Emil,  who  re- 
sides in  London. 


Mrs.  Pressburger  Rites  Held 

Hollywood,  March  29. — Funeral 
services  were  held  here  yesterday  for 
Mrs.  Stephanie  Pressburger,  wife  of 
Arthur  Pressburger,  United  Artists 
producer.    She  died  here  Thursday. 


New  Haven  Theatreman  Dies 

New  Haven,  March  29. — Nicholas 
Villano,  55,  with  the  Roger  Sherman 
Theatre  here  since  the  house  was 
opened  in  1924,  died  suddenly  at  his 
home  recently. 

7-Day  Wilmington 
Clearance  Upheld 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

Fox.  The  complainant  contended  that 
the  clearance  was  unreasonable  due 
to  the  distance  between  the  towns  in- 
volved, which  rendered  them  non- 
competitive. The  arbitrator  held  that 
patronage  from  all  over  Delaware 
was  drawn  to  Wilmington  and  that 
competition  did  exist  between  the 
towns  involved.  However,  he  reduced 
the  original  10  days  clearance  of  Wil- 
mington to  seven  days. 

Appealing,  the  Sidney  Theatre 
Corp.  asked  that  all  clearance  be  elim- 
inated. The  appeal  board  affirmed  the 
arbitrator,  holding  that  seven  days 
clearance  was  warranted.  Loew's  was 
dismissed  from  the  proceedings  by 
consent  of  the  plaintiff. 


Emanuel  Drive  Chairman 

Philadelphia,  March  29. — Jay 
Emanuel,  local  exhibitor,  has  been  ap- 
pointed film  industry  chairman  for  the 
Allied  Jewish  Appeal  campaign  here. 


CBC  Plans  Second 
Canadian  Network 


Toronto,  March  29. — A  second  ra- 
dio network  is  to  be  established  in 
Canada  patterned  after  the  NBC  Blue 
and  Red  Networks,  J.  S.  Thomson, 
general  manager  of  Canadian  Broad- 
casting Corp.,  announced. 

Thomson  asserted  that  listeners  have 
complained  that  CBC  programs  lack 
desired  variety  and  the  second  network 
would  be  designed  to  meet  this  audi- 
ence requirement.  Present  wire  serv- 
ices for  CBC  cost  $800,000  annually, 
and  the  cost  of  additional  service  is 
regarded  as  the  principal  obstacle  to 
be  overcome  in  launching  the  new 
network. 


'MoonVFrisco'  Lead 
Broadway  Grosses 


(Continued  from  page  1) 

his  band,  is  expected  to  earn  an  esti- 
mated $61,000.  The  bill  will  con- 
tinue. 

"Keeper  of  the  Flame"  with  the 
stage  presentation  garnered  an  esti- 
mated $65,000  for  four  days  of  the 
second  week  at  the  Radio  City  Music 
Hall  and  will  start  a  third  week 
Thursday.  For  four  days  of  a  third 
week  at  the  Capitol,  "Stand  By  for 
Action"  with  Bob  Crosby  and  his 
band  on  the  stage  grossed  in  the 
neighborhood  of  $30,000.  "Slightly 
Dangerous"  with  Charlie  Barnet  and 
his  orchestra  on  the  stage,  will  open 
at  the  theatre  Thursday. 

"The  Human  Comedy"  was  esti- 
mated to  have  grossed  $20,700,  which 
is  very  good,  for  six  days  of  a  fourth 
week  at  the  Astor  and  enters  a  fifth 
week  tomorrow.  "The  Hard  Way" 
grossed  about  $22,200  for  three  days 
of  a  third  week  at  the  Strand  and  will 
hold  for  four  weeks  with  Ina  Ray 
Hutton  and  band  on  the  stage.  For 
five  days  of  an  eighth  week  at  the 
Hollywood,  "Air  Force"  was  esti- 
mated at  $11,500  and  enters  a  ninth 
week  tomorrow. 

"Hitler,  Dead  or  Alive"  opens  at 
the  Globe  tomorrow  following  "Chet- 
niks,"  which  grossed  about  $5,200  in 
four  days  of  a  second  week. 

Industry  Escapes 
Harmful  Legislation 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
the  measure,  but  original  public  hear- 
ings held  when  the  bill  was  being 
considered  by  both  houses  were  great- 
ly in  favor  of  legalizing  chance  games 
on  an  optional  basis. 

The  chance  games  bill  allows  only 
religious,  charitable,  civic,  fraternal  or 
veterans'  groups  to  operate  the  games. 

Following  the  Cocoanut  Grove  dis- 
aster, Assemblywoman  Jane  Todd  in- 
troduced a  bill  which  defined  anew 
places  of  amusement,  a  provision  of 
which  gives  the  Industrial  Commis- 
sioner the  right  to  enforce  public  safe- 
ty codes  in  amusement  places  outside 
cities.  Both  houses  passed  the 
measure. 


Brandts  Operate  Carlton 

The  Carlton  Theatre  in  Brooklyn, 
formerly  under  Randforce  circuit 
operation,  is  now  operated  by  Lawbin 
Theatre  Co.,  Inc.,  of  which  William 
Brandt  is  president  and  Harry  Brandt 
treasurer. 


Coast  Activity 
Eases  Off;  33 
Films  Shooting 

Hollywood,  March  29. — The  pro- 
duction level  sagged  slightly,  touching 
33  as  eight  pictures  taken  to  cutting 
rooms  were  supplanted  on  shooting 
stages  by  five.  The  week  closed  with 
26  pictures  in  preparation  and  53  edit- 
ing. 

The  data : 

Columbia 

Finished:  "Two  Senoritas  From 
Chicago." 

In  work :  "Appointment  in  Berlin," 
"Right  Guy,"  "Somewhere  in  Sa- 
hara," "Attack  by  Night,"  "What's 
Buzzin'  Cousin?" 

Goldwyn 
In  work :  "North  Star." 

M-G-M 

In   work :    "Russia,"    "Man  from 
Down    Under,"     "Madame  Curie," 
"Guy  Named  Joe,"  "Girl  Crazy." 
Monogram 

Finished :  "Cowboy  Commandos," 
"Wings  Over  Pacific." 

Started:  "Stranger  from  Pecos," 
with  Johnny  Mack  Brown  and  Ray- 
mond Hatton. 

Paramount 

Finished:  "So  Proudly  We  Hail," 
"Lady  In  the  Dark." 

In  work :  "Hostages,"  "Let's  Face 
It." 

Producers  Releasing 

Started:  "Death  Rides  the  Range," 
with  Robert  Livingstone,  Al  St.  John 
and  Nica  Doret ;  "West  of  Texas," 
with  Dave  O'Brien,  Jim  Newell,  Guy 
Wilkinson  and  Frances  Gladwin. 
RKO-Radio 

In  work :  "A  Lady  Takes  a 
Chance." 

Started  :     "Mexican  Spitfire's 
Blessed    Event,"   with   Lupe  Velez, 
Leon  Errol  and  Walter  Reed. 
Republic 

Finished:  "Man  from  Thunder 
River,"  "Prodigal's  Brother." 

In  work :  "Thumbs  Up,"  "Song  of 
Texas,"  "Bad  Man  of  Sonora." 
20th-Fox 

Finished :  "Jitterbugs." 

In  work :  "Sweet  Rosie  O'Grady," 
"Heaven   Can  Wait,"   "Jane  Eyre," 
"Bomber's  Moon,"  "Winter  Time." 
Universal 

In  work :  "Phantom  of  the  Opera," 
"Corvettes  in  Action,"  "Hers  to 
Hold." 

Started:  "Get  Going,"  with  Grace 
McDonald,    Robert    Paige,  Jenifer 
Holt,  Vera  Vague,  Walter  Catlett. 
Warner  Bros. 

In  work :  "This  Is  the  Army," 
"Saratoga  Trunk,"  "To  the  Last 
Man." 

BBC,  OWI  Expand 
Europe  Broadcasts 

The  British  Broadcasting  System 
has  expanded  its  facilities  to  include 
a  total  of  116  programs  in  14  lang- 
uages for  re-broadcast  to  the  Eu- 
ropean continent.  The  expanded  air 
"offensive"  originates  with  the  Office 
of  War  Information  in  New  York. 

The  program  began  modestly  on 
Tan.  28,  1942,  with  seven  broadcasts 
a  week.  The  present  schedule  calls 
for  programs  throughout  the  day  with 
the  largest  number  in  German,  French, 
Finnish,  English,  Polish  and  Italian. 


+ 

Red  Cross 
War  Fund 

Week 
April  1-7 


MOTION  PICTURrSSW 

DAILY 


Red  Cross 

War  Fund 
Week 
,pril  1-7 


53.  NO.  61 


NEW  YORK,  U.S.A.,  WEDNESDAY,  MARCH  31,  1943 


TEN  CENTS 


6IP  Completing 
Films  Without 
Major  Change 

Blumberg  Reveals  Plans 
On  Arrival  Here 


By  SHERWIN  A.  KANE 

Universal  will  complete  its  current 
season's  schedule  without  any  major 
revision,  Nate  J.  Blumberg,  president, 
stated  yesterday 
■  following  his  ar- 
il rival     from  the 
If  Coast. 
HB  ,     The  company's 
JHBBT  i  new  season  pro- 
j  dvxtion  plans,  he 
f'fcjp  'ftttKu  I  'a'c''  will  be  pre- 
oared  on  a  basis 
vvhich  will  allow 
for    changes  if 
vartime  develop- 
ments, particu- 
larly   in  the 
spheres   of  man- 
power   and  raw 
.  t  o  c  k,  require 
Nate  J.  Blumberg  them. 

Thus,  the  com- 
pany may  project  a  schedule  for  the 
new  season  numerically  comparable  to 
this  season's  but  the  productions  com- 

(Continued  on  page  5) 


Quigley  Award  to 
Fitzpatrick  Today 

Hartford,  March  30. — Gov.  Ray- 
mond E.  Baldwin  of  Connecticut  will 
present  the  Quigley  Bronze  Award  to 
the  1942  winner,  Edward  Fitzpatrick, 
manager  of  Loew's  Poli  Theatre, 
Waterbury,  Conn.,  at  the  executive 
offices  in  the  State  Capitol  here  to- 
morrow. 

State     legislators,     Mayor  John 
{Continued  on  page  5) 


Republic  Plans  Film 
On  Navy's  Seabees 

Republic  yesterday  announc- 
ed it  has  completed  arrange- 
ments with  the  Navy  to  pro- 
duce a  film  on  the  activities  of 
the  Seabees,  engineer  corps. 
The  picture  will  be  titled  "The 
Fighting  Seabees."  Herbert 
Yates  and  M.  J.  Siegel  of  Re- 
public arranged  for  filming 
scenes  at  Seabee  bases  with 
Rear  Admiral  Ben  Morrell. 
Action  shots  of  the  fighting 
fronts   are   to   be  included. 


Extras  Will  Have 
Own  Organization; 
SAG  to  Cooperate 


Hollywood,  March  30. — Establish- 
ment of  a  separate,  self-governing  or- 
ganization for  extras  was  approved 
last  night  by  the  board  of  directors  of 
the  Screen  Actors  Guild,  which  of- 
fered its  full  cooperation  in  working 
out  the  details  of  the  new  organiza- 
tion. 

Heretofore,  approximately  4,500  ex- 
tras have  held  Class  B  membership 
cards  in  SAG.  Their  new  organiza- 
tion would  be  an  autonomous  local, 
having  its  own  officers,  administration, 
financing  and  the  authority  to  conduct 
its  own  collective  bargaining  on 
wages,  hours  and  working  conditions. 

The  extras'  affairs  have  been  con- 
ducted by  SAG  for  the  past  10  years, 
with  recurrent  expressions  of  dissatis- 
faction. SAG  officials  assert,  how- 
ever, that  in  the  past  the  extras  have 
rejected  frequent  offers  submitted  to 
them  for  forming  a  separate  organi- 
zation along  the  lines  of  that  approved. 


Korda  Undecided  on 
Sale  of  U.  A.  Stock 


Hollywood,  March  30. — Sir  Alex- 
ander Korda  has  not  decided  whether 
or  not  to  offer  his  United  Artists 
stock  for  sale  to  any  purchaser,  Men- 
del Silberberg,  Hollywood  attorney 
whom  the  producer  designated  as  his 
proxy  here,  told  a  meeting  of  the 
United  Artists  board  of  directors  yes- 
terday. 

His    statement   contradicts  reports 
(Continued  on  page  5) 


Britain  Halts  16mm. 
Commercial  Printing 

London,  March  30.  —  All 
16mm.  raw  stock  has  been 
placed  under  the  control  of 
the  Ministry  of  Supply  here, 
which  has  advised  all  proc- 
essing laboratories  that  com- 
mercial printing  in  that  film 
width  is  to  be  discontinued 
immediately.  Laboratories 
may  make  16mm.  prints  only 
for  government  departments 
hereafter.  Provision  has  been 
made  for  the  requirements  of 
the  U.  S.  Army  and  the  Enter- 
tainment National  Service  As- 
sociation. 


Skouras  Food  Play 
Opens  Tonight  with 
Wickard  Attending 


"It's  Up  to  You,"  a  play  dramatiz- 
ing food  conservation,  will  have  its 
premiere  at  the  Skouras  Academy  of 
Music  at  8:30  tonight.  Secretary  of 
Agriculture  Claude  Wickard  and  other 
government  officials  will  attend  the 
opening,  at  which  4,000  persons  are 
expected  to  be  present. 

A  short  film  on  food  will  be  includ- 
ed in  the  story  of  food  rationing  to  be 
presented.  The  play,  which  will  be 
shown  nationally,  is  being  presented 
by  Skouras  Theatres,  the  American 
Theatre  Wing  and  the  food  industries, 
in  cooperation  with  the  U.  S.  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture  and  the  Food 
Distribution  Administration. 

Following  its  premiere,  the  play  will 
be  shown  at  evening  performances  at 
(Continued  on  page  5) 


3-Point  Collection  Pattern 
Set  for  Red  Cross  Drive 


Gillmore  Services 
To  Be  Held  Today 

Thirty-five  honorary  pallbearers 
have  been  chosen  for  funeral  services 
at  noon  today  for  Frank  Gillmore, 
president  of  the  Associated  Actors 
and  Artistes  of  America  and  president 
emeritus  of  Actors  Equity  Associa- 
tion, who  died  Monday.  The  rites 
will  be  at  the  Little  Church  Around 
the  Corner. 

The  pallbearers  are :  Hassard 
Short,  Paul  Turner,  Lyster  Cham- 
bers, Walter  Vincent,  Ralph  Town- 
ley,  Regan  Hughston,  Marcus  Hei- 
man,  Lawrence  Langner,  Percy 
(Continued  on  page  8) 


Barney  Balaban,  chairman  of  Red 
Cross  Week  in  theatres  which  starts 
tomorrow  and  runs  through  April  7, 
yesterday  advocated  a  "three-point 
pattern"  for  collections  in  theatres 
during  the  drive,  based  on  exhibitor 
experience  in  similar  endeavors. 

The  three  points  are:  (1)  Collect 
every  performance  each  day  of  the 
week;  (2)  have  enough  collectors  to 
blanket  the  house,  and  work  both  ends 
toward  the  middle;  and  (3)  maintain 
the  mood  while  collections  are  in 
progress  bv  having  proper  music 
lighting  and  Red  Cross  personnel  in 
uniform. 

"It   is   my   opinion,"   Balaban  de- 
(Continued  on  page  5) 


Trolley  Strike 
Cuts  Montreal 
Gross  15-20% 

Worse  Drop  Seen  Should 
Impasse  Continue 

By  PAT  DONOVAN 

Montreal,  March  30. — Grosses 
at  city  theatres  today  were  off  be- 
tween 15  and  20  per  cent  and  at 
suburban  houses  an  average  of  20 
per  cent  as  the  street  car  strike 
which  has  paralyzed  the  metropoli- 
tan area  entered  its  second  day.  No 
settlement  of  the  strike  is  in  view. 

Theatre  business  actually  was 
not  off  as  much  as  film  row 
here  had  anticipated.  Many  lo- 
cal film  men  had  forecast  that 
attendance  would  be  halved. 
The  consensus  of  trade  opinion, 
however,  is  that  the  decrease  in 
patronage  will  become  pro- 
gressively worse  as  the  strike 
continues. 

Downtown  matinee  attendance  has 
been  better  than  expected,  due,  proba- 

(Continued  on  page  5) 


United  Nation  Week 
Check  Given  to  Gov't 


Washington,  March  30. — A  check 
for  $1,625,000  collected  in  motion  pic- 
ture theatres  in  January  was  handed 
to  Charles  P.  Taft,  acting  chairman 
of  the  President's  War  Relief  Con- 
trol Board,  today  by  Edward  L.  Al- 
person,  campaign  chairman. 

At  the  presentation,  which  was 
preceded  by  a  luncheon  to  Taft,  Dr. 
Frederick  P.  Keppel,  member,  and 
H.  S.  Fox,  secretary  of  the  control 
board,  were  Francis  S.  Harmon, 
WAC  coordinator,  as  host,  and  Leon 
Bamberger,  Harry  Mandel,  and  Her- 
man Robbins,  who  headed  the  cam- 
paign ;  H.  L.  Tracy,  representing  in- 
(Continued  on  page  5) 


In  Today's  Issue 

"Insider's  Outlook",  by  Red 
Kann,  Page  2.  Reviews  of 
"Desert  Victory",  "Alibi", 
"Power  of  the  Press",  "The 
Lone  Prairie",  "Tahiti  Honey" 
and  "Sagebrush  Law",  Pages  4 
and  6.  Key  city  box-office  re- 
ports, Pages  4,  6  and  7.  Short 
subject  reviews,  Page  8. 
"Hollywood",  by  William  R. 
Weaver,  Page  7. 


2 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  March  31,  1943 


Insider's  Outlook 

By  RED  KANN 


Personal 
Mention 

HARRY  SMITH,  general  manager 
of  Western  Massachusetts  The- 
atres, Inc.,  Springfield,  Mass.,  cele- 
brated his  55th  birthday  last  week,  as 
well  as  his  35th  anniversary  with  the 
organization. 

• 

James  W.  Wood,  yeoman  second 
class,  U.S.N.,  formerly  manager  of 
the  Galley-Mervis  circuit  in  Cincin- 
nati, was  home  on  leave  from  Moffett 
Field,  Calif.,  last  week. 

• 

Norman  Ayers  of  Boston  and  F. 
D.  Moore  of  Pittsburgh,  Warner  dis- 
trict managers,  are  visiting  here. 
• 

Ed  Hinchy  is  in  Cleveland  and 
will  be  in  Cincinnati  tomorrow. 
• 

Ted  Schlanger,  Warner  circuit 
zone  manager  in  Philadelphia,  and  A. 
J.  Vanni,  his  assistant,  were  in  town 
yesterday. 

• 

Walter  E.  Branson,  western  sales 
manager  for  RKO  is  back  after  a 
week's  stay  in  Chicago. 

• 

Bernard  Goodman  of  Warner 
Bros,  is  in  Chicago. 

• 

Frank   Morin,    manager    of  the 
Warner  Regal  in  Hartford,  has  re- 
covered from  a  recent  illness. 
• 

Kenneth  Ryan,  son  of  Charles 
Ryan,  Warner  Bros.'  assistant  zone 
manager  in  Chicago,  has  passed  the 
examination  for  officer's  training. 
• 

Lt.  Bolivar  F.  Hyde,  Jr.,  former- 
ly district  manager  of  the  Florida 
State  Theatres,  was  in  New  York 
yesterday. 

• 

Miss  Jerry  Werner  of  Chicago  and 
George  Danek,  assistant  manager  of 
Warner's  Stratford  Theatre,  Chicago, 
were  married  last  week. 

• 

Charles  R.  Lindau,  Chicago  ex- 
hibitor, has  left  for  a  vacation  in  Mex- 
ico with  Mrs.  Lindau  and  son,  Rob- 
ert. 

• 

Terry  Turner  left  Hollywood 
yesterday  for  New  York. 


Edward  A.  Golden 
Productions  Formed 


Formation  of  Edward  A.  Golden 
Productions,  Inc.,  was  announced  yes- 
terday by  Edward  A.  Golden  who  is 
associated  with  Robert  S.  Golden  in 
the  company.  Robert  S.  Golden  is 
producer  for  the  firm. 

Edward  Golden  plans  to  leave  for 
the  Coast  about  the  middle  of  April 
to  plan  for  the  production  of  "The 
Master  Race,"  the  company's  next  pic- 
ture, which  is  expected  to  be  ready 
for  release  early  next  year.  The  com- 
pany plans  to  make  one  picture  a 
year. 

Robert  Golden  is  now  conferring 
with  writers  in  Hollywood  on  adapta- 
tion of  Louis  P.  Lochner's  book, 
"What  About  Germany?"  for  "The 
Master  Race."  Lochner,  former  Ber- 
lin bureau  chief  for  the  Associated 
Press,  will  be'  technical  advisor  on  the 
film. 


Hollywood,  March  '30 

A MONTH  ago,  precisely  by 
the  calendar,  an  exhaustive 
breakdown  was  made  of  the  status 
of  production.  The  plot  motif: 
What  was  finished,  shooting  or 
about  to  roll,  for  the  realization 
clearly  was  that  production  in 
March  foretells  the  releases  of  the 
summer  and,  not  uncommonly,  of 
the  early  fall  as  well. 

The  result,  published  in  Motion 
Picture  Herald  on  March  6,  sur- 
prised no  one  in  that: 

Of  the  162  features  then  com- 
pleted and  unreleased  and  of  the 
35  then  in  progress,  42,  or  22  per 
cent,  dealt  with  war,  background 
to  war  and  morale;  40  more,  or 
20  per  cent,  were  musicals  or 
comedies  with  music;  38  addi- 
tionally, or  19  per  cent,  were  com- 
edies. And  so  proportionately 
down  the  line  to  include  dramas, 
horrors  and  westerns. 

Thus,  while  the  war  dominated, 
it  did  not  dominate  by  much.  Mu- 
sicals and  comedies  in  cahoots 
easily  led  the  field  and  that  went 
for  any  other  combination  the 
mathematically-inclined  cared  to 
indulge.  The  conclusion  thereafter 
was  that  fun  was  beginning  to 
move  into  top  position. 

■ 

Since  then,  something  has  hap- 
pened. Perhaps  it  is  because  Hol- 
lywood now  feels  it  knows  how  to 
make  war  and  morale  pictures, 
as  witness  "Casablanca,"  "Air 
Force,"  "Edge  of  Darkness," 
"The  Moon  Is  Down,"  "Hangmen 
Also  Die"  and  "China."  More 
probable,  however,  is  the  tally 
sheet  which  shows  the  war  is  not 
merely  topical,  but  also  is  box- 
office  cut  in  the  traditional  all- 
wool-and-yard-wide  dimension. 

Regardless  of  reason,  and  the 
choice  is  yours,  the  last  two  weeks 
have  brought  into  the  clearing  a 
greater  aggregation  of  war  and 
morale  themes  than  the  studios 
have  sunk  teeth  into  since  the  in- 
itial tidal  wave  rolled  over  Holly- 
wood on  December  8,  1941. 

E 

Most  of  them  are  designed  for 
"A"  budgets  and  several  are  dis- 
cussed as  super-dupers.  Because 
there's  news  in  them  and  because 
there's  a  decided  reappraisal  of 
the  future  indicated  by  them,  too, 
the  bunching  process  which  fol- 
lows ought  to  command  interest 
and  attention. 

A  day — any  day — after  a  list  of 
this  kind  is  compiled,  you  can  fig- 
ure in  safety  the  total  either  is  up 
or  down,  with  current  accent  on 
the  up.  But  as  of  this  day,  five 
studios  and  two  unattached  pro- 
ducers are  in  the  ring  with  de- 
clared and  solemn  intention  of 
collectively  turning  out  18  more 
about  The  Big  Show. 


Metro  leads  off  with  no  less 
than  seven: 

"Ladies  in  Gray."  About  women's 
organizations  working  in  hospitals 
during  and  since  World  War  No.  1 
and  rehabilitating  the  wounded.  War 
Department  and  Red  Cross  will  col- 
laborate. 

"Susy-Q."  About  that  Flying 
Fortress  which  got  itself  decorated 
half  a  dozen  times  for  valor  in  ac- 
tion. 

"Memo  to  a  Firing  Squad."  About 
the  portents  and  horrors  of  war. 
Story  by  Frederick  Hazlitt  Brennan. 

"White  Cliffs  of  Dover"  by  Alice 
Duer  Miller,  starring  Irene  Dunne. 
How  Metro  views  it  is  self-evident 
in  that  Sidney  A.  Franklin,  who  pro- 
duced "Mrs.  Miniver"  and  "Random 
Harvest,"  will  guide  it  and  Clarence 
Brown,  who  directed  "The  Human 
Comedy,"  will  make  it. 

"A  Thousand  Shall  Fall."  About 
the  capitulation  of  France.  Last  pic- 
ture with  Pierre  Aumont  ("Assign- 
ment in  Brittany")  before  he  joins 
the  Free  French. 

"Anchors  Away."  Musical  about 
the  navy. 

"You  Can't  Fool  a  Marine,"  star- 
ring Eleanor  Powell,  show  girl  car- 
ing for  a  boy  whose  father  is  fight- 
ing in  the  Pacific  and  whose  mother 
is  a  defense  worker.  Jack  Jenkins, 
the  marvel  kid  of  "The  Human 
Comedy,"  will  be  the  boy. 


Twentieth  Century-Fox  is  sched- 
uled for  three  of  these  18,  the  trio 
bearing  earmarks  of  genuine  im- 
portance. To  wit: 

One  based  on  "Through  Embassy 
Eyes,"  by  Martha  Dodd,  daughter 
of  William  E.  Dodd,  late  ambassa- 
dor to  Germany  whose  best-selling 
own  diary  will  provide  additional 
source  material.  Designed  to  trace 
the  rise  of  Nazi  bigwigs  under  a 
formula  which  indicates  affinity  with 
Warner's  "Mission  to  Moscow." 

A  biography  of  Woodrow  Wilson. 
No  title  and,  in  fact,  not  even  for- 
mally divulged,  this  has  been  in 
quiet  preparation  for  some  time. 
OWI  is  known  to  consider  it  among 
the  "useful"  pictures  coming  up.  In 
OWI's  dictionary,  "useful"  means 
films  which  this  government  bureau 
views  as  promoting  the  war  effort. 

"Paris,  Tenn."  About  a  small 
town  which  becomes  a  boom  town 
through  establishment  of  an  army 
camp  nearby.  Will  treat  of  officers' 
wives  who  come  to  live  near  their 
husbands  and  what  happens  under 
such  circumstances. 

■ 

Paramount  and  Columbia  say 
they  will  make  two  each.  One  of 
the  former's  is  avowedly  being 
whipped  up  as  a  whopper: 

This  will  be  "The  Hitler  Gang." 
About  the  leaders  of  the  Nazi  move- 
ment— Hitler,  Goebbels,  Goering, 
Himmler,  et  al.  The  State  Depart- 
ment and  OWI  will  cooperate  and 
collaborate.  Actual  quotations  from 
Nazi  speeches  will  be  used  and  doc- 
umented in  subtitles.  Nevertheless, 
not  a  documentary,  but  a  straight 
entertainment  job  employing  current 
history  as  background. 

"Tomorrow's  Harvest."  From  an 
unproduced  play  about  the  war  and 


its  aftermath.  David  Lewis  is  the 
assigned  producer. 

For  Columbia,  Harold  Lloyd  will 
make  "Mr.  Winkle  Goes  to  War"  as 
his  first  as  a  producer.  About  the 
war,  its  effects  on  a  Lloyd-type  citi- 
zen and  his  reactions. 

"Men  of  the  Coast  Guard,"  the 
second  from  Columbia,  at  the  mo- 
ment is  only  a  title. 

■ 

Warner  states  "Battle  Cry"  is 
to  be  made  as  quickly  as  possible. 
This  is  a  package  deal  tying 
gether  Howard  Hawks  g0*1®? 
Charles  K.  Feldman,  the  former 
to  direct  and  the  latter  to  produce 
under  the  direct  watch  of  Jack  L. 
Warner.  Reputedly  under  discus- 
sion for  nine  months,  the  venture 
is  declared  to  deal  with  the  "war 
and  the  post-war  world"  and  calls 
for  a  blue-ribbon  cast  of  22  prin- 
cipals. 

The  second  in  that  direction  will 
be  "Passage  to  Marseilles,"  de- 
scribed as  an  "idea"  attributed  to 
Warner— Jack  L.  Hal  B.  Wallis 
will  produce,  Michael  Curtiz  will 
direct  and  the  "Casablanca"  cast, 
virtually  intact,  will  play  it.  This 
indicates  its  potential  importance. 
■ 

On  their  own  as  to  release  thus 
far  are  the  final  two.  One  will  be 
"U.S.S.,  The  Sullivans,"  the  story, 
of  course,  of  the  five  Sullivan 
boys  from  Waterloo,  la.,  who  lost 
their  lives  in  action  in  the  South 
Pacific.  Tripartite  members  of  the 
producing  combination  are  Sam 
Jaffe,  Lloyd  Bacon  and  Jules 
Schermer. 

The  other  is  "Dr.  Joseph  Goeb- 
bels" which  is  to  be  based  "on 
the  recollections  of  a  man  who 
knew  him."  W.  R.  Frank,  North- 
west exhibitor,  will  produce.  Al- 
ready he  is  hinting  at  a  follow 
dealing  with  Heinrich  Himmler, 
Adolf's  trigger  man  and  head  of 
the  Nazi  secret  police. 

■ 

If  this  proves  nothing  else,  it 
proves  Hollywood  is  in  the  war 
with  producers,  actors,  camera 
and  raw  stock.  And,  evidently,  to 
stay. 


MOTION  PICTURE 

DAILY 

MARTIN  QUIGLEY 
President  and  Editor-in-Chief 
COLVIN  BROWN,  Publisher 

SAM  SHAIN,  Editor 

Published  daily  except  Saturday,  Sunday  and 
holidays  by  Quigley  Publishing  Company, 
Inc.,  1270  Sixth  Avenue,  Rockefeller  Center, 
New  York  City.  Telephone,  Circle  7-3100. 
Cable  address,  "Quigpubco,  New  York."  Mar- 
tin Quigley,  President;  Colvin  Brown,  Vice- 
President;  Red  Kann,  Vice-President;  T.  J. 
Sullivan,  Secretary;  Sam  Shain,  Editor: 
Alfred  L.  Finestone,  Managing  Editor 
James  A.  Cron,  Advertising  Manager: 
Chicago  Bureau,  624  South  Michigan 
Avenue,  Oscar  Lundy,  Correspondent; 
Hollywood  Bureau,  Postal  Union  Life 
Building,  William  R.  Weaver,  Editor;  Lon- 
don Bureau,  4  Golden  Square,  London  Wl. 
Hope  Burnup,  Manager,  Aubrey  Flanagan, 
Editor;  cable  address  "Quigpubco,  Lon- 
don." All  contents  copyrighted  1943  by 
Quigley  Publishing  Company,  Inc.  Other 
Ouiglcy  Publications:  Motion  Picture  Her- 
ald, Better  Theatres,  International  Motion 
Picture  Almanac  and  Fame.  Entered  as 
second  class  matter,  Sept.  23,  1938,  at  the 
post  office  at  New  York,  N.  Y.,  under  the 
act  of  March  3,  1879.  Subscription  rates 
per  year  $6  in  the  Americas  and  $12  for- 
eign; single  copiei  10c 


Cabin  in  the  Sky- 
has  hit  a  new  high 

(3rd  big  Dallas  Week!  And  sky-high  everywhere  J) 

Keeper  of  the  Flame 
has  done  the  very  same 

(3rd  week  as  Radio  City  Music  Hall  goes  M-G-M  again!) 

Human  Comedy  is  the  master 
of  Broadway's  famous  Astor 

(5th  week!  You'll  soon  be  enjoyin'  Saroyan) 

film  row's  steady  payer 
is  Me  tro-G-oldwyn -Mayer 

(held  over  for  the  igth  year  by  its  friendly  customers) 


And  be  alive  for  the  Red  Cross  Drive ! 


4 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  March  31,  1943 


'Dixie',  Show, 
Neat  $45,000 

Gross,  Chicago 


Chicago,  March  30.  —  Turnstiles 
are  clicking  merrily  in  the  Loop  with 
holdovers  making  excellent  records. 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm,"  in  its  fourth 
week,  with  an  estimated  $24,000  and 
"Random  Harvest,"  in  a  ninth  week, 
expecting  $16,000,  are  the  leaders. 
"Whistling  in  Dixie"  with  Charlie 
Spivak  and  his  orchestra  on  stage  and 
"Purple  V"  with  the  stage  production 
"Diamond  Horseshoe  Revue"  should 
reach  $45,000  and  $25,000,  respec- 
tively. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  ending 
April  1 : 

"Jcurney  fcr  Margaret"  (M-G-M) 
"Wrecking  Crew"  (Para.) 

APOLLO— (1,400)  (40c-55c-75c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $9,500.  (Average, 
$8,500) 

" Whistling  in  Dixie"  (M-G-M) 

CHICAGO — (4,000)    (40c-55c-/5c)    7  days. 
Stage:     Charlie     Spivak     and  orchestra. 
Gross:   $45,C00.      (Average,  $42,000. 
"The  Crystal  Ball"   (U.  A.) 
"The   Mysterious   Doctor"    (W.  B.) 

GARRICK— (1,000)  (40c-55c-75c)  2nd  week 
in  Loop.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Average,  $7,000) 
"The  Purple  V"  (Rep.) 

ORIENTAL— (3,200)     (27c-31c-50c-59c)  7 
davs.       Stage:    "Diamond   Horseshoe  Re- 
vue."    Gross:  $25,000.     (Average,  $22,000) 
"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 
"When    Johnny    Comes    Marching  Home" 

(Uiuv.) 

PALACE— (2,500)     (45c-55c-5c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $20,C00.     (Average,  $16,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

STATE-LAKE—  (2,700)  (40c-S5c-75c)  7 
days,  4th  week.  Gross:  $24,000.  (Average, 
$19,700) 

'  In  Which  We  Serve"  (U.  A.) 

ROOSEVELT— (1,500)  (40c-55c-75c)  7 
days.  3rd  week.  Gross:  $15,000.  (Average, 
$16,000) 

"Random  Harvest"  (M-G-M) 

UNITED  ARTISTS— (1,700)  (40c-55c-75c) 
7  days,  9th  week.  Gross:  $16,000.  (Aver- 
age, $15,500) 


Diamond  Surrenders 
In  Film  Extort  Case 

Chicago,  March  30. — Frankie  Dia- 
mond surrendered  at  the  U.  S.  mar- 
shal's office  here  today  leaving  Phil 
D'Andrea  the  only  fugitive  at  large 
out  of  the  nine  who  were  indicted  in 
the  motion  picture  executive  shake- 
down case.  Attorney  Francis  J.  Ken- 
nedy said  that  he  would  file  a  writ 
of  liabeus  corpus  in  an  attempt  to 
free  Diamond.  Extradition  proceed- 
ings for  the  accused  will  be  heard 
April  7  before  Commissioner  Walker. 


Isadore  Zevin  Trial 
Again  Is  Adjourned 

Federal  Judge  Samuel  Mandelbaum 
yesterday  adjourned  until  April  13  the 
trial  of  Isadore  Zevin,  former  book- 
keeper for  George  E.  Browne,  ex- 
president  of  the  IATSE,  under  an  in- 
dictment alleging  perjury  before  a 
Federal  Grand  Jury. 

The  trial  of  Zevin,  it  is  believed, 
will  not  be  held  until  after  the  trial 
of  seven  Chicago  gangsters  and  Louis 
Kaufman,  Newark  IATSE  official, 
all  of  whom  were  indicted  recently  on 
charges  of  conspiracy  to  extort  large 
sums  from  major  film  companies  in 
violation  of  the  Federal  Anti-Racket- 
eering Act. 

Cadoret  Estate  $11,482 

Scranton,  Pa.,  March  30.  —  The 
estate  of  William  H.  Cadoret,  one- 
time Comerford  Circuit  official  who 
died  Dec.  20,  1941,  was  awarded  to 
his  widow,  officials  revealed.  The 
estate  was  valued  at  §11,482. 


Reviews 


"Desert  Victory" 

{20th  Centurv-Fox) 

DHOTOGRAPHED  by  the  British  Army  and  R.A.F.  film  units, 
"Desert  Victory"  is  the  graphic,  highly  impressive  story  of  General 
Montgomerys'  Eighth  Army's  victory  over  Rommel's  German  and  Ital- 
ian forces  in  North  Africa. 

Its  attention  to  detail  throughout  the  full  hour  of  its  running  time,  the 
skill  with  which  it  has  been  photographed  and  edited,  giving  it  narrative 
and  dramatic  continuity  as  the  Eighth  Army  races  westward  1,400  miles 
in  80  days  to  a  victorious  entry  into  Tripoli,  make  "Desert  Victory" 
the  most  complete  and  gripping  factual  war  film  to  appear  thus  far.  An 
excellent  commentary  describes  conditions  under  which  major  engage- 
ments were  fought,  explains  the  strategy  of  the  commanders,  the  place- 
ment and  identity  of  the  opposing  forces,  and  makes  clear  battle  objec- 
tives and  the  parts  played  by  the  individual  army  forces. 

Preparations  for  the  battle,  heavy  barrages  preceding  attacks  by  night 
and  day,  infantry  advances,  motorized  assaults,  air  coverage,  the  func- 
tions of  engineers  and  communications  services,  in  short,  a  complete 
Army  in  action,  is  presented  without  confusion.  American  audiences 
should  find  it  both  a  stirring  account  of  an  important  Allied  victory  and 
reassuring  evidence  of  the  power  and  ability  of  Allied  arms.  A  British 
viewpoint  of  the  film  was  reported  in  Motion  Picture  Daily  on  March 
4  on  the  occasion  of  its  London  preview  by  the  Ministry  of  Information. 

Lt.  Col.  David  Macdonald  deserves  commendation  for  fine  production 
results,  as  does  Captain  Roy  Boulting  for  his  work  as  director  and  super- 
vising editor.  Lt.  Patrick  M.  Jenkins  served  as  assistant  director;  Ser- 
geant Dickie  Best  as  editor,  and  J.  L.  Hodson  wrote  the  commentary. 

Running  time,  60  minutes.  "G"*  Sherwin  A.  Kane 


"Power  of  the  Press" 

(Columbia) 

O  OLUMBIA  has  turned  out  a  picture  of  newspapermen  that  is  above 
^  the  average.  Lee  Tracy  fans  will  enjoy  his  role  in  ''Power  of  the 
Press"  as  a  fast-talking,  fast-stepping  managing  editor.  The  film  is  aided 
by  a  murder  and  mystery  plot  that  is  filled  with  suspense. 

Victor  Jory,  New  York  tabloid  publisher,  is  shot  and  killed  after 
having  a  made  a  public  promise  to  return  to  honest  journalism.  Guy 
Kibbee,  old  friend,  and  publisher  of  a  small  weekly  newspaper,  is  willed 
the  controlling  interest  in  the  New  York  paper. 

Kibbee  is  aided  by  secretary  Gloria  Dickson  in  efforts  to  fight  editor 
Otto  Kruger,  who  is  trying  to  disunite  the  nation  and  also  seize  per- 
sonal power  through  much  criticism.  Kruger  is  helped  by  Lee  Tracy, 
managing  editor,  although  Tracy  doesn't  at  first  realize  what  Kruger 
is  attempting  to  do.  When  a  big  hoarding  "scandal"  breaks,  however, 
Kibbee,  Dickson  and  Tracy  unite  to  help  a  former  tabloid  reporter,  who 
has  been  framed  for  Jory's  murder.  In  a  rapid-moving  finish,  Kruger 
is  made  to  confess  that  he  arranged  Jory's  death  in  order  to  get  con- 
trol of  the  tabloid. 

Leon  Barsha  produced  and  Lew  Landers  directed. 

Running:  time,  64  minutes.  "G"* 


"The  Lone  Prairie" 

( Columbia) 

LT  ERE  is  an  average  western  that  should  draw  well  in  theatres  featur- 
*■  *  ing  western  product.  Russell  Hayden  has  the  starring  role. 

Hayden  and  his  partner,  Bob  Wills,  are  on  their  way  to  purchase 
a  herd  of  cattle  from  Jack  Kirk  when  they  see  bandits  chasing  a  coach 
in  which  Kirk's  daughter,  Lucille  Lambert,  and  Dub  Taylor,  are  passen- 
gers. In  the  fight  that  follows,  John  Merton,  the  bandits'  leader,  is 
wounded  and  his  brother  is  shot.  Merton,  however,  escapes. 

When  Hayden  arrives  in  the  town,  he  discovers  that  John  Maxwell, 
the  banker,  is  just  about  to  foreclose  on  Kirk's  ranch,  due  to  the  fact 
that  he  has  just  learned  that  a  railroad  line  will  purchase  the  right 
of  way  through  the  ranch. 

From  then  on,  it's  a  story  of  efforts  by  Hayden  to  round  up  evidence 
against  Merton  and  Maxwell.  In  the  end,  he  not  only  brings  the  bandits 
to  book  but  also  gets  the  girl. 

William  Berke  was  director  and  Leon  Barsha  producer. 

Running-  time,  58  minutes.  "G"* 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


Goldwyn  Signs  Baker 

Samuel  Goldwyn  has  signed  Benny 
Baker  for  a  comedy  role  in  "Up  in 
Arms,"  which  will  star  Danny  Kaye, 
the  producer's  New  York  office  re- 
vealed. 


Socas  to  Cuba  on  Deal 

Robert  D.  Socas,  Producers  Re- 
leasing export  manager,  has  left  for 
Havana  to  conclude  negotiations  for 
the  distribution  of  the  company's 
product  in  Cuba,  PRC  announced. 


Baltimore  Grosses 
Keep  at  Good  Pace; 
'Keeper,'  $19,500 

Baltimore,  March  30.  —  Capacity 
audiences  over  the  weekend  gave  a 
strong  start  to  business  at  the  down- 
town theatres.  Considering  that  most 
of  the  attractions  are  holdovers, 
grosses  bid  fair  to  be  substant**"'" 
among  the  upper  brackets.  "K?ot1.^ 
of  the  Flame"  is  tops  among  the  new- 
comers, with  $19,500  expected  at  the 
Century. 

Estimated   receipts    for   the  week 
ending  April  1  : 
"Keeper  of  the  Flame"  (M-G-M) 

CENTURY  —  (3,000)  (40c-50c  and  55c 
weekends)  7  days.  Gross:  $19,500.  (Aver- 
age, $12,000) 

"Happy  Go  Lucky"  (Para.) 

KEITH'S — (2,406)  (15c-28c-33c-44c  and  55c 
weekends)  7  days.  Gross:  $15,000.  (Aver- 
age, $10;000) 

"Hello,  Frisco,  Hello"  (20th-Fox) 

NEW— (1,581)  (15c-28c-35c-55c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.  Gross:  $10,000.  (Average,  $8,000) 
"Star  Spangled  Rhythm"  (Para.) 

STANLEY-(3,280)     (3Oc-40c-45c-55c  and 
60c  weekends)   7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$21,000.    (Average,  $13,000) 
"Hitler's  Children"  (RKO) 

HIPPODROME-(2,205)  (28c -39c- 44c -S5c) 
66c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Stage:  Nan  Rae 
and  Mrs.  Waterfall,  Roy  Davis,  Val  Irv- 
ing, Bobby  Whaling,  Richards-Adair 
Dancers.  Gross:  $17,000.  (Average,  $14,000) 
"Two  Weeks  To  Live"  (RKO) 

MARYLAND — (1,300)  (39c-66c)  7  days 
Stage:  Judy  Canova,  Ben  Yost's  Mimic 
Men,  Six  Marvelettes,  Three  Hearts,  Bud 
Sweeney.  Gross:  $9,500.  (Average,  $7,500) 
"Flying;  Fortress"  (W.B.) 

MAYFAIR-(1,000)  (20c-40c)  7  days,  2nd 
week.    Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 

Entertainers  Dead 
In  Crash  Identified 

The  bodies  of  three  USO-Camp 
Shows  entertainers  killed  in  the  crash 
of  a  Royal  Canadian  Air  Force  plane 
in  the  Canadian  Northwest  on  Sat- 
urday have  been  identified,  the  Camp 
Shows  New  York  office  announced. 

They  are  Maxine  March,  22,  tap 
dancer  of  University  City,  Mo. ; 
Christine  Street,  32,  accordionist  and 
singer,  of  Barbeton,  O.,  and  Ade- 
laide Joy,  31,  singer  comedienne  of 
Glendale,  L.  I.  The  trio  had  enter- 
tained at  an  off-shore  base  and  were 
en  route  to  another  spot. 


Lefton  Takes  Over 
2  PRC  Franchises 

Nat  L.  Lefton  has  acquired  the 
Producers  Releasing  franchise  in  Cin- 
cinnati and  Cleveland,  it  was  an- 
nounced yesterday  by  Arthur  Green- 
blatt,  vice-president  in  charge  of  sales. 
Lefton  formerly  held  the  Republic 
franchise  for  both  territories. 

Lee  L.  Goldberg,  who  formerly 
owned  those  PRC  franchises,  will  de- 
vote his  time  to  his  theatre  enter- 
prises, the  announcement  stated. 


Braden  to  Northwest 

Hollywood,  March  30. — J.  Noble 
Braden,  executive  director  of  the 
American  Arbitration  Association, 
who  was  visiting  here,  left  for  San 
Francisco  tonight.  He  will  visit  in  the 
Northwest  before  returning  to  New 
York. 


PRC  Buys  'Waterfront' 

"Waterfront,"  an  original  story  by 
Arthur  Croxton,  has  been  acquired  by 
Producers  Releasing  for  its  1943-'44 
program,  the  company  announced. 


Wednesday,  March  31,  1943 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


5 


Quigley  Award  to 
Fitzpatrick  Today 

(.Continued  from  page  1) 

Monagan  of  Waterbury,  Mayor 
Thomas  Spellacy  of  Hartford,  news- 
papermen from  Waterbury  and  Hart- 
ford and  others  will  attend  the  cere- 
mony in  the  Governor's  office. 

Afterward  a  dinner  will  be  given 
at  which  Fitzpatrick  will  be  guest  of 
honor.  Exchange  managers  from  New 
Haven  and  the  Poli  theatre  circuit 
:  gers  from  Connecticut  will  at- 
i.  .  Edward  Dowden  of  Loew's 
Theatres  advertising  department  and 
Joel  Levy,  head  of  the  booking  office 
s  of  Loew's  Theatres,  will  also  attend. 
Bob  Wile,  editor,  and  Gertrude  Mer- 
riam,  associate  editor  of  Managers' 
Round  Table  of  Motion  Pictiwe  Her- 
ald will  be  present. 

Korda  Undecided  on 
Sale  of  U.  A.  Stock 

(.Continued  from  page  1) 

that  Korda  had  opened  negotiations 
with  David  O.  Selznick,  Arnold 
Pressburger  and  others  for  sale  of  the 
stock. 

The  board  meeting  was  devoted 
chiefly  to  preparation  for  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  board  to  be  held  in 
about  10  days,  at  which  an  election 
of  United  Artists  officers  will  take 
place.  A  second  preparatory  session 
will  be  held  later  this  week.  Edward 
C.  Raftery,  Selznick,  George  Bag- 
nail  and  attorneys  for  Mary  Pickford 
and  Charles  Chaplin  attended  yester- 
day's meeting. 


3 -Point  Collections 
Red  Cross  Pattern 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

clared,  "that  rigid  adherence  to  the 
pattern  will  yield  a  national  total  of 
$5,000,000.  Tomorrow,  Red  Cross 
week  begins.  The  work  of  prepara- 
tion has  been  completed.  The  real 
work  of  the  drive  is  now  in  the  hands 
of  theatre  managers  from  Coast  to 
Coast." 

Charles  B.  Taylor,  War  Activities 
Committee  chairman  for  the  Buffalo 
exchange  area,  reported  to  New  York 
headquarters  yesterday  that  24-sheets 
publicizing  the  theatres'  Red  Cross 
week  have  been  posted  in  25  locations 
throughout  that  city  with  no  cost  to 
the  campaign  committee. 

Will  Honor  Workers 

Red  Cross  War  Fund  volunteers 
will  be  honored  at  the  world  premiere 
of  the  Republic  feature,  "Corregidor," 
at  the  Century  Theatre  in  Rochester, 
N.  Y.,  tonight.  A  parade  will  precede 
the  opening  with  Army,  WAVE, 
WAAC  and  Legion  units  participat- 
ing. 

From  the  Coast  came  word  that  the 
Hollywood  caravan  of  stars  will  leave 
tomorrow  for  an  appearance  at  the 
benefit  Red  Cross  show  sponsored  by 
the  industry  at  Madison  Square  Gar- 
den April  5. 


Trolley  Strike  Cuts 
Gross  in  Montreal 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

bly,  to  the  fact  that  many  footsore 
shoppers  and  office  workers  have 
stopped  in  at  theatres  to  rest.  All 
downtown  theatres  suffered  severely  at 
night  performances  last  night,  with 
the  exception  of  the  Princess,  where 
"Tarzan  Triumphs"  drew  record 
crowds,  possibly  indicating  a  hardier 
fan  following  than  that  of  routine 
film  fare. 

Yesterday's  excellent  weather, 
coupled  with  the  presence  of  strike- 
bound workers  at  their  homes,  aided 
suburban  matinee  business.  Cold  and 
snow  today,  however,  discouraged  even 
those  suburbanites  unable  to  get  to 
work  from  attending  theatres. 

Skouras  Food  Show 
Opening  Tonight 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

six  other  Skouras  theatres,  donated 
for  the  purpose  by  George  P.  Skou- 
ras, president  of  the  Skouras  Thea- 
tres Corp.  and  originator  of  the  idea 
for  the  war  food  show  program.  Ex- 
penses for  the  staging  and  producing 
of  the  shows  have  been  borne  by  the 
Skouras  Theatres  Corp.  and  the  food 
industries. 

Scenery  for  the  play  is  designed  by 
Howard  Bey.  Ella  Kazan  staged  and 
directed  with  songs  by  Earl  Robin- 
son. There  are  40  in  the  cast  of  this 
27-scene  pageant  written  by  Arthur 
Arent. 


Univ.  Will  Complete 
Year '  s  Film  s  Without 
Revision:  Blumberg 


(Continued  from  page  1) 
prising  it  will,  in  effect,  have  a  pri- 
ority position.  If  conditions  permit, 
the  full  schedule  would  be  completed. 
If  not,  the  "must"  productions  would 
be  completed  and  as  many  of  those 
of  lower  priority  position  as  circum- 
stances dictated  would  be  postponed. 

Blumberg  plans  to  remain  in  the 
East  for  an  indefinite  period.  His 
current  visit  is  in  line  with  his  cus- 
tomary alternation  between  the  studio 
and  home  office,  and  also  is  for  the 
purpose  of  attending  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Universal  board  of  direc- 
tors, which  will  be  held  at  the  home 
office  tomorrow.  All  company  offi- 
cers are  scheduled  to  be  reelected  at 
the  meeting. 

United  Nation  Week 
Check  Given  to  Gov't 

(Continued  from  page  1) 

dependent  exhibitors ;  John  Payette, 
Carter  Barron,  A.  Julian  Brylaw- 
ski  and  Frank  LaFalce,  heading 
District  of  Columbia  activities,  and 
M.  J.  McDermott,  chief  of  the  Divi- 
sion of  Current  Information  of  the 
State  Department,  and  Monroe  Green- 
thai  of  the  War  Production  Board. 


BOXOFFICE  MAGIC  EXUDES  FROM  EVERY  PORE-Boxoffke 


T  PARADE  OF  1943 


JOHN  CARROLL  •  SUSAN  HAYWARD  in 

with  GAIL  PATRICK  *  EVE  ARDEN  •  Melville  COOPER  •  Walter  CATLETT 
Mary  TREEN  and  Jack  WILLIAMS,  The  Harlem  Sandman .  Dorothy  DANDRIDGE  •  POPS  and  LOUIE  •  The  MUSIC  MAIDS  •  The  THREE  CHEERS  •  CHINITA  •  The 
GOLDEN  GATE  QUARTETTE  and  FREDDY  MARTIN  AND  HIS  ORCHESTRA- COUNT BASIE  And  His Orehestra- RAY McKINLEY  And  His  Orchestra 

ALBERT  S.  ROGELL    Director  »  Original  Screen  Ploy  by  Frank  GUI,  Jr.  •  Additional  Dialogue  by  Frances  Hylond    •    £^     REPUBLIC  PICTURE 


6 


MOTION  PICTURE  DAILY 


Wednesday,  March  31,  1943 


Heavy  Schedule  of 
Stage  Shows  Is  in 
Prospect  for  Hub 

Boston,  March  30. — With  the  latest 
Vinton  Freedley-Mary  Martin  musi- 
cal show  drawing  poor  notices  from 
the  press,  the  Hub  rialto  has  an  im- 
posing array  of  plays  coming  to  its 
leading  legitimate  theatres,  within  the 
next  few  weeks. 

Meanwhile,  "Tomorrow  the  World" 
opened  at  the  Wilbur  Theatre  last 
night,  Theron  Bamberger  presenting 
Ralph  Bellamy  and  Shirley  Booth  in 
a  new  drama  by  James  Gow  and  Ar- 
naud  D'Ussau.  This  is  the  fifth  in  a 
series  of  six  subscription  plays  spon- 
sored by  the  Theatre  Guild  and  the 
American  Theatre  Society. 

"The  Three  Sisters,"  at  the  Shubert 
Theatre,  April  5,  with  Katharine  Cor- 
nell will  begin  a  fortnight's  engage- 
ment in  her  revival  of  Anton  Chek- 
hov's play.  "Claudia"  will  open  at  the 
Colonial  Theatre  on  the  same  date, 
in  a  limited  return  engagement  at 
popular  prices.  The  cast  includes 
Phyllis  Thaxter,  Donald  Cook,  Olga 
Baclanova  and  Frances  Starr. 

"Priorities  of  1942"  comes  to  the 
Boston  Opera  House,  April  5,  play- 
ing a  return  engagement  starring  Lou 
Holtz,  Willie  Howard,  Carmen 
Amaya,  Barton  and  Mann,  Luba 
Malina  and  other  vaudeville  acts. 

Cornelia  Otis  Skinner  comes  to  the 
Copley  Plaza  Ballroom,  April  18,  giv- 
ing a  program  of  original  character 
sketches. 

At  the  Shubert  Theatre,  April  25, 
"Show  Time,"  Fred  F.  Finklehoffe's 
variety  revue,  starring  George  Jessel, 
Jack  Haley  and  Ella  Logan  will  open 
a  two-week  engagement,  11  per- 
formances a  week,  three  on  Sundays, 
and  two  on  Wednesdays  and  Satur- 
days. 


Kunkis  to  Coast  for 
M-G-M  Shorts  Deal 

S.  R.  Kunkis,  attorney,  yesterday 
announced  that  he  was  leaving  for 
the  Coast  to  sign  a  contract  with 
M-G-M  for  the  production  of  "This 
Is  My  War,"  a  series  of  short  sub- 
jects, the  idea  for  which  originated 
with  Kunkis.  He  said  that  in  his  ne- 
gotiations with  M-G-M  he  had  the 
cooperation  of  Nelson  Poynter,  head 
of  the  Hollywood  office  of  the  OWI 
Bureau  of  Motion  Pictures,  and  that 
John  Erskine  collaborated  in  the  ini- 
tial subject  of  the  series,  which  will 
be  titled  "Who  Is  My  Brother?" 


Awarded  Air  Medal 

Springfield,  Mass.,  March  30. — 
Donald  Bevan,  nephew  of  Harry 
Smith,  general  manager  of  the  West- 
ern Massachusetts  Theatres,  Inc., 
here,  a  member  of  a  Flying  Fortress 
crew  that  recently  bombed  Rouen, 
has  been  awarded  the  Air  Medal  and 
been  promoted  to  staff  sergeant. 


'All  Clear*  in  Cincinnati 

Cincinnati,  March  30. — A  last- 
minute  change  brings  "All  Clear," 
all-soldier  musical  revue  from  Bow- 
man Field,  Ky.,  to  the  Taft  Theatre 
here  for  four  days,  starting  April  5. 
Proceeds  go  to  Army  Emergency  Re- 
lief. 


Reviews 


"Alibi" 

(Republic) 

Hollywood,  March  30 

TT  HIS  is  a  British  production  of  a  murder  melodrama  set  in  pre-war 
*■  Paris  with  an  all-British  cast  portraying  the  all-French  characters.  It 
presents  Paris  as  the  gay  and  adventurous  place  it  used  to  be,  according 
to  the  fiction  of  screen  and  page,  and  there  is  no  hint  of  conflict-to-come 
or  other  connection  with  the  world  of  today.  For  this  reason  the  film 
comes  along  in  the  flow  of  releases  as  something  out  of  yesteryear,  af 
fording  a  change  of  diet  without  notice,  so  to  speak. 

The  principal  character,  played  by  Raymond  Lovell,  is  a  phony  seer 
who  commits  a  murder  and  pays  a  girl  in  need  to  testify  that  he  spent 
the  night  of  the  crime  in  her  apartment.  The  police,  disbelieving  her 
story,  assign  a  detective  to  make  love  to  her  for  the  purpose  of  obtain- 
ing an  admission  that  her  testimony  is  false.  Although  she  and  the  opera- 
tive fall  in  love,  she  remains  steadfast  in  her  false  story  until  a  second 
murder  is  committed  and  subsequent  events  impel  her  to  confess.  The 
murderer  escapes  justice  by  killing  himself. 

The  British  cast  includes  Margaret  Lockwood,  Hugh  Sinclair,  James 
Mason,  Enid  Stamp-Taylor,  Hartley  Power,  Jane  Carr,  Elizabeth  Welch 
and  others. 

Production  is  by  Josef  Somlo  and  direction  by  Brian  Desmond  Hurst, 
from  a  screenplay  based  on  Marcel  Achard's  French  story,  "U Alibi". 
Running  time,  66  minutes.   "A."*  William  R.  Weaver 


*"A"  denotes  adult  classification. 


"Tahiti  Honey" 

(Republic) 

A  LIGHT  musical,  Republic's  "Tahiti  Honey''  has  the  name  of  Si- 
■  mone  Simon  to  help  at  the  box-office.  There  is  a  variety  of  songs 
adding  to  entertainment  value  in  this  story  of  a  girl  singer  in  a  band  to 
whom  feminine  vocalists  had  always  proved  a  jinx. 

Dennis  O'Keefe  is  co-starred  with  Miss  Simon,  who  sings  pleasantly 
in  several  numbers.  Lionel  Stander  brings  his  brand  of  cynicism  to  his 
role  as  the  band  member  most  avidly  against  a  girl  member.  Michael 
Whalen  plays  "the  other  man."    The  performances  are  capable. 

O'Keefe  is  the  leader  of  the  Brooklyn  Bombshells,  a  band  stranded 
in  Tahiti  at  the  time  of  the  fall  of  France.  Miss  Simone  is  in  the  same 
boat  except  that  she  is  proving  popular  in  a  competition  night  club. 
Although  the  boys  had  resolved  to  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  girl 
singers  after  sad  experiences  in  the  past,  they  get  her  to  join  up  and  are 
successful.  When  they  can  return  to  the  States,  O'Keefe,  against  the 
boys'  wishes,  smuggles  Miss  Simone  aboard  saying  she  she  wants  to 
get  back  to  her  fiancee  in  the  Navy.  They  keep  up  the  hoax  until  one 
of  the  band  members  labels  Whalen  as  the  fiancee.  Meanwhile,  O'Keefe 
and  Miss  Simone  have  fallen  in  love.  The  difficulties  are  ironed  out, 
and  with  the  advent  of  Pearl  Harbor,  the  band  joins  the  Navy. 

Taken  from  an  original  story  by  Frederick  Kohner,  the  screenplay  is 
by  Lawrence  Kimble,  Kohner  and  H.  W.  Hanemann.  John  R.  Auer 
was  associate  producer-director.  Morton  Scott  was  musical  director 
with  original  songs  by  Charles  Newman  and  Lew  Pollack. 

Running  time,  69  minutes.   "G"*  Lucille  Greenberg 


Sagebrush  Law 

(RKO) 

(i  C  AGEBRUSH  LAW"  is  above  average  in  the  Tim  Holt  Western 
^  series.  Holt,  in  answer  to  his  father's  wire  for  help,  goes  quickly 
to  Pinto  Basin.  Upon  arriving,  however,  he  finds  that  his  father  has  ap- 
parently committed  suicide.  Holt  decides  to  keep  his  identity  secret,  as 
he  has  noted  that  the  dead  man  held  the  gun  in  his  right  hand,  although 
he  was  lefthanded. 

From  then  on,  it's  a  story  of  Holt's  efforts  to  round  up  evidence 
against  the  murderer.  Aiding  him  on  the  trail  for  justice  are  Cliff  Ed- 
wards and  Joan  Barclay. 

It  develops  that  Roy  Barcroft,  the  dead  banker's  partner,  is  a  crooked 
man.  He  tells  the  townspeople  that  their  money  is  safe.  But  John  Mer- 
ton,  a  member  of  the  gang,  goes  on  record  as  predicting  that  their  money 
is  lost.  Merton,  it  seems,  knows  that  Barcroft  hasn't  handled  the  money 
honestly  and  will  blame  the  swindle  on  the  dead  man.  After  plenty  of 
riding  and  shooting,  Holt  rounds  up  the  gang,  and  there's  peace  again 
in  the  town. 

Cliff  Edwards  comes  through  with  his  familiar  brand  of  comedy.  Bert 
Gilroy  produced  and  Sam  Nelson  directed  the  picture. 
Running  time,  56  minutes.   "G"*  '  • 


*"G"  denotes  general  classification. 


'Air  Force'  Wows 
Cleveland;  Special 
Defense  Shows  Help 


Cleveland,  March  30.  —  Starting 
with  three  SRO  "early  bird"  mati- 
nees for  defense  workers,  "Air  Force" 
maintained  a  steady  boom  level  at 
the  Hippodrome,  promising  to  ach.if.ve 
a  gross  of  about  $28,500,  one  ^otinje 
best  for  the  house.  It  will 
holdover.  "It  Comes  Up  Love"  with 
a  stage  show  also  showed  power,  and  > 
is  expected  to  garner  an  excellent 
$27,500  for  the  Palace.  "Keeper  of 
the  Flame"  at  the  State  was  in  line 
for  a  substantial  $21,000. 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  31-April  1 : 

"Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

RKO  ALLEN— (3,000)  (35c-40c-45c-50c- 
55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $9,000.  (Average, 
$5,000) 

"Air  Force"  (W.  B.) 

WARNER'S  HIPPODROME  —  (3,700) 
(35c-4Oc-45c-50c-55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $28,500. 
(Average,  $13,000) 

"Commandos  Strike  at  Dawn"  (Col.) 

WARNER'S    LAKE — (800)  (35c-40c-45c- 
50c-55c)  7  days,  3rd  week.     Gross:  $3,000. 
(Average,  $2,000) 
"It  Comes  Up  Love"  (Univ.) 

RKO  PALACE— (3,700)  (45c-50c-55c-65c- 
75c-85c)  Stage:  Count  Basie's  orchestra. 
7  days.  Gross:  $27,500.  (Average,  $17,000) 
"Keeper  of  the  Flame"  (M-G-M) 

LOEWS  STATE— (3,450)  (35c-40c-45c- 
50c-55c)  7  days.  Gross:  $21,000.  (Average, 
$14,000) 

"Happy  Go  Lucky"  (Para.) 

LOEWS  STILLMAN— (2,700)  (35c-40c- 
45c-50c-55c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$8,000.     (Average,  $6,500) 


One  Official  Nominee 
For  Each  Equity  Post 

The  council  of  Actors  Equity  yes- 
terday ruled  that  its  nominating  com- 
mittee need  not  name  more  than  one 
person  for  each  office  included  in  the 
slate  of  officers  to  be  presented  for 
election  and  that  nominees  by  peti- 
tion should  be  cited  as  independent 
candidates  on  the  ballots. 

These  decisions  discarded  two  ex- 
periments which  required  more  than 
one  candidate  for  each  post  and  alpha- 
betical listing  of  candidates. 

The  Council  endorsed  a  tribute  to 
Frank  Gillmore,  president  emeritus, 
who  died  Monday. 


SWG,  Independents 
Still  at  Impasse 

Hollywood,  March  30. — Independ- 
ent Motion  Picture  Producers  Asso- 
ciation officials  said  today  that  no  re- 
sponse had  been  received  from  the 
Screen  Writers  Guild  to  a  counter- 
proposal that  independents  sign  a  con- 
tract with  the  guild  paralleling  that  in 
force  between  the  guild  and  major 
studios.  The  guild  board  of  directors 
met  yesterday  on  the  producer  ultima- 
tum but  failed  to  reveal  results  of  the 


Queens  House  Files 
Clearance  Complaint 

A  clearance  complaint  was  filed  at 
the  New  York  arbitration  tribunal 
yesterday  by  B.  K.  R.  Holding  Corp., 
operator  of  the  Trylon,  Rego  Park, 
Queens,  L.  I.,  against  all  five  con- 
senting companies.  The  complaint  asks 
complete  elimination  or  reduction  of 
the  seven  days'  clearance  granted  the 
Drake  Theatre,  which  is  booked  by 
the  Brandt  Circuit,  over  the  Trylon. 


Wednesday,  March  31,  1943 


Motion  Picture  daily 


7 


'Sergeant'  on 
Dual  Leading 
Boston  Films 


Boston,  March  30.— Spring  arrived 
in  Boston  and  with  it  a  comparative 
de"''-|e  in  grosses,  although  week- 
ei  with  an  influx  of  servicemen 
ana  others,  are  still  SRO.  In  a  nine- 
day  run,  the  combination  of  "Im- 
,  mortal  Sergeant"  and  "How's  About 
It?"  appears  headed  for  $33,000.  The 
RKO  Boston,  with  "A  Night  to  Re- 
member" and  a  strong  stage  show,  is 
expected  to  gross  an  estimated  $2/,- 
000  for  the  week. 

Estimated  receipts  for  week  end- 
ing March  31 : 
"The  Crystal  Ball"  (U.A.) 
"Dr  Gillespie's  New  Assistant"  (M-G.-M) 
LOEWS  ORPHEUM-(3,000)  (35c-50c- 
60c)  7  days.  Gross:  $20,000.  (Average, 
$19,500) 

"The  Crystal  Ball"  (U.A.) 

"Dr    Gillespie's  New  Assistant"  (M-li-M) 

LOEWS     STATE— (2,900)  (35c-50c-6Oc) 
7  days.    Gross:  $12,000.    (Average,  $14,000) 
"Happy  Go  Lucky"  (Para.) 
"Henry  Aldrich  Gets  Glamour"  (Para.) 

M&P     METROPOLITAN— (4,367)  (30c- 
40c-55c-60c)  7  days.    Gross:  $26,000.  (Aver- 
age, $24,000. 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 
"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

M&P  PARAMOUNT — (1,797)  (33c-44c-6Sc) 
7  days.    Gross:  $10,000.    (Average,  $8,000) 
"A  Night  to  Remember"  (ZOth-Fox) 

RKO    BOSTON— (2,679)  (55c-65c-85c-99c) 
7  days.    Stage:  John  Boles,  Dixie  Dunbar, 
Bob  Chester  and  orchestra,  Jack  Durant. 
Gross:  $27,000.     (Average,  $27,000) 
"Immortal  Sergeant"  (20th-Fox) 
"How's  About  It?"  (Univ.) 

RKO  KEITH  MEMORIAL— (2,907)  (44c- 
5Sc-65c)  9  days.    Gross:  $33,000.  (Average, 
7  days,  $20,000) 
"Casablanca"  (W.B.) 
"Silver  Skates"  (Mono.) 

M&P   FENWAY— (1,320)    (33c-44c-65c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $7,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

M&P     SCOLLAY— (2,500)  (33c-44c-65c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $6,000.    (Average,  $6,000) 
"Yankee  Doodle  Dandy"  (W.B.) 

M&P  MODERN— (705)  (33c-40c-65c) 
days.  Gross:  $3,800.  (Average,  $3,200) 
"Frankenstein   Meets  the   Wolf  Man" 

(Univ.) 
"Hi  Buddy"  (Univ.) 

TRANSLUX — (900)  (17c-28c-44c-55c)  7 
days,  3rd  week.  Gross:  $4,000.  (Average, 
$5,000) 

"Star  Spangled!  Rhythm"  (Para,) 
"Army  Surgeon"  (RKO) 

M&P  ESQUIRE  (Uptown)— (941)  (35c- 
50c)  7  days.  Gross:  $3,000.  (Average,  $2,- 
500) 

"Siege  of  Leningrad"  (Artkino) 

MAJESTIC— (1,525)  (40c-55c-65c)  7  days, 
2nd  week.    Gross:  $1,000. 


Hollywood 


By  WILLIAM  R.  WEAVER 

Hollywood,  March  30 

«TI7  ARS  are  alike  in  what  they  do  to  the  audience  attitude  toward 
VV  comedies,"  according  to  Jules  White,  Columbia  short  subjects 
production  chief  who  has  produced  comedies  during  both  world  wars. 
"The  fact  of  war  increases  the  demand  for  comedies,  particularly  of  the 
vigorous  type,  and  the  public  is  laugh- 


Baltimore  Theatres 
Discuss  Scale  Rises 

Baltimore,  March  30. — Managers 
of  local  first  'run  theatres  have  been 
discussing  the  advisability  of  increas- 
ing admission  prices.  The  Stanley 
has  already  increased  its  weekend 
scale  from  55  cents  to  60  cents.  The 
Hippodrome  is  also  considering  the 
possibility  of  increasing  its  scale,  but 
the  others  have  decided  to  continue 
their  present  admissions. 


Increase  in  New  Haven 

New  Haven,  March  30— The  M  & 
P  Paramount  has  raised  its  top  eve- 
ning admission  to  55  cents,  the  highest 
in  the  city  and  state. 


Give  Seeds  for  Victory 

Omaha,  March  30. — Six  theatres  of 
the  Ralph  Goldberg  circuit  are  giving 
patrons  packages  of  seeds  certain  eve- 
nings of  the  week  to  encourage  plant- 
ing of  victory  gardens. 


ing  today  at  the  same  comedy  patterns, 
even  the  same  gags  and  situations,  they 
laughed  at  during  World  War  I. 
That's  because  the  fundamentals  of 
life  are  constant,  although  the  settings 
and  incidents  change,  and  the  line  be- 
tween tragedy  and  comedy  is  perhaps 
even  narrower  in  wartime  than  in 
peacetime." 

But  White's  short  subjects  policy 
for  the  year  is  by  no  means  geared 
to  giving  the  public  a  duplication  of 
World  War  I's  comedy  menu.  On  the 
contrary,  the  Columbia  shorts  policy 
this  year  pivots  on  a  switch  to  accen- 
tuation of  name  talent,  with  Hugh  Her- 
bert, El  Brendel,  Billy  Gilbert,  Una 
Merkel,  Andy  Clyde  and  the  Three 
Stooges  among  the  players  to  be 
featured.  Production  of  the  1942-43 
schedule  has  been  completed  and  the 
1943-44  schedule  is  under  way. 
• 

"Win  the  war  with  Warners"  was 
a  while  back,  a  pseudo-wisecrack  heard 
on  the  fringes  of  the  trade  in  this 
center  of  production.  It  isn't  any  more. 
"Casablanca,"  "Air  Force,"  "Yankee 
Doodle  Dandy"  and  now  "Edge  of 
Darkness"  have  shamed  the  wise- 
crackers  into  respectful  and  abashed 
silence.  At  which  point  the  studio 
conifs  up  with  announcement  of 
"Battle  Cry"  as  a  Howard  Haivks- 
Charles  K.  Fcldtnan  picture  concern- 
ing the  "war  and  post-war  world" 
and  requiring  the  talents  of  22  ranking 
stars.  This  procession  of  major  proj- 
ects sends  good  memories  back  to  the 
pre-war  years  zvhen  Jack  L.  Warner 
Was*  spending  A -feature  money  on 
technicolor  shorts  extolling  American- 
ism which,  as  was  not  conspicuously 
heralded,  he  personally  pressured  di- 
latory exhibitors-  to  screen  for  their 
customers  or  explain  to  him — if  they 
could — zuhy  not.  Nobody's  dilatory, 
nor  zwsecracking,  about  the  Warner 
war  pictures  now. 

• 

America  is  a  place  where  a  man 
can  defend  a  principle  and  conform 
to  the  practice  it  pertains  to  at  one 
and  the  same  time  without  sacrific- 
ing prestige  on  either  front.  The 
House  of  Paramount  has  spear- 
headed the  studios'  opposition  to 
the  OWI's  proposal  for  submission 
of  scripts  and  still  does.  The  same 
House  of  Paramount  is  to  collabo 
rate  with  the  OWI  beyond  its  most 
far-reaching  suggestion  in  the  pro 
duction  of  "The  Hitler  Gang,"  an 
entertainment  film  answering  in 
magnitude,  subject  and  detail  the 
description  of  a  super-documentary. 
These  statements  do  not  contradict 
each  other.  The  first  relates  to  prin 
ciple,  the  second  to  practice.  Amer- 
ica is  a  place  where  this  state  of 
affairs  can  prevail.  Americans  call 
it  independence. 

• 

It's  getting  so  Hollywood  counts 
that  day  lost  which  sees  less  than  two 
or  more  new  pictures  announced  by 
as  many  studios.  A  mathematician 
with  a  good  memory  could  sit  in  on 
the  production  news  a  fortnight  or 
so  and  come  up  with  the  documented 


observation  that  the  industry  is  to 
turn  out  at  least  twice  as  many  pic- 
tures this  year  as  it  ever  did  before. 
But  the  story  wouldn't  be  found  true 
when  the  year  had  run  its  course, 
firstly  because  there  isn't  that  much 
raw  stock  and  secondly  because  the 
death  rate  of  films  between  announce- 
ment and  production  is  something  to 
compare  with  the  vital  statistics  about 
Japs  in  New  Guinea. 

The  foregoing  observation  relates  in 
no  way  to  the  next  three  items : 

'Anchors  Aweigh"  is  an  addition  to 
the  M-G-M  production  schedule.  It's 
to  be  an  Arthur  Freed  musical,  prob- 
ably offering  Judy  Garland  and  other 
M-G-M  disciples  of  song  and  dance. 

"Timber  Man"  is  an  addition  to  the 
Pine-Thomas  schedule,  a  number  hav- 
ing to  do  with  lumber  in  its  relation- 
ship to  warplans,  and  Richard  Arlen 
is  to  be  starred. 

'Paris,  Tenn."  is  an  addition  to  the 
20th  Century-Fox  agenda,  a  story 
about  a  village  which  becomes  a  boom 
town  by  reason  of  an  Army  encamp- 
ment being  installed  nearby,  and  Otto 
Preminger  is  to  produce  it. 

• 

Universal  has  elevated  director 
Jean  Yarborough,  now  directing 
Get  Going,"  to  a  producer-direc- 
torship. That  studio  has  just  issued 
Milton  Krasner,  cinematographer  15 
years  in  its  service,  a  new  contract. 

.  The  Motion  Picture  Relief  Fund, 
about  which  the  nation  at  large 
knows  little  save  what  it  hears  on 
that  Lady  Esther  radio  program, 
handled  1,042  relief  cases  in  January 
and  February  .  .  .  Jack  Jenkins,  the 
five-year-old  find  of  "The  Human 
Comedy,"  has  been  signed  to  a  term 
contract  by  M-G-M.  He's  a  grand- 
son of  New  York's  Bide  Dudley. 
• 

Alex  Gottlieb,  whose  name  is  vir- 
tually hise parable  from  those  of  Ab- 
bott and  Costello,  most  of  whose  pic- 
tures he  has  written  or  produced  or 
both,  is  to  produce  "Fired  Wife"  for 
Universal  with  Robert  Cummings  in 
the  male  lead  opposite  Diana  Barry- 
more.  .  .  .  Paramount  has  issued 
Agnes  Christine  Johnston  a  writing 
contract.  .  .  .  Frances  Longford  is  to 
sing  a  song  in  Warner's  "This  Is  the 
Army"  and  Dinah  Shore  will  portray 
Nora  Bayes  in  the  same  studio's 
"Shine  on  Harvest  Moon."  .  .  .  Ripley 
Monter  Productions  has  signed  Fran- 
cis Lederer  to  star  in  "Strange  Music' 
for  release  by  PRC.  .  .  .  Columbia's 
next  serial  is  to  be  called  "The  Bat 
Man"  and  is  described  by  the  studio 
as  a  super-shocker. 

• 

Val  Paul  has  been  signed  by  Scott 
R.  Dunlap  as  production  manager  for 
"Lady,  Let's  Dance,"  the  next  picture 
to  star  Belita.  That  company's  next 
Bela  Lugosi  film  is  to  be  called  "The 
Tiger  Man."  .  .  .  Columbia  has  issued 
a  term  contract  to  director  William 
Berke,  who  is  completing  a  commit- 
ment to  Pine-Thomas.. .  .John  Craven 
who  played  the  orphan  soldier  in  "The 
Human  Comedy,"  has  been  given 
term  contract  by  M-G-M. 


'Mrs.  Holliday; 
'Hello,  Frisco' 
Tops  in  L.  A. 


Los  Angles,  March  30. —  "The 
Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  turned  in  a 
substantial  $18,800  at  the  Hillstreet 
and  $16,500  at  the  Pantages.  "Hello, 
Frisco,  Hello"  garnered  a  solid  $53,- 
500  at  three  houses.  Warner  Bros, 
stopped  "The  Hard  Way"  after  five 
days  of  its  second  week  in  the  three 
Warner  first  runs  to  make  way  for 
"Air  Force." 

Estimated  receipts  for  the  week 
ending  March  24: 


(ZOth-Fox) 

(35c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
(Average,  $13,500) 


"Hello,  Frisco,  Hello" 

CHINESE— (2,500) 
days.    Gross:  $16,000. 
"Cat  People"  (RKO) 
"Gorilla  Man"  (W.B.) 

HAWAII— (1,000)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days, 
10th  week.  Gross:  $4,500.  (Average,  $3,300) 
"The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 

HILLSTREET— (2,700)  (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 
days.    Gross:  $18,800.    (Average,  $15,000) 

Hello,  Frisco,  Hello"  (ZOth-Fox) 

LOEWS  STATE— (2,500)  (33c -44c -55c -75c) 
7  days.    Gross:  $26,500.    (Average,  $19,500) 

The  Amazing  Mrs.  Holliday"  (Univ.) 

PANTAGES  (3,000)   (33c-44c-55c-75c)  7 

days.    Gross:  $16,500.    (Average.  $13,000) 

Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

PARAMOUNT  (HOLLYWOOD1)— (1,407) 
C33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross: 
$10,000.     (Average,  $10,100) 

Shadow  of  a  Doubt"  (Univ.) 

PARAMOUNT     (DOWNTOWN)— (3,595) 
(33c-44c-55c-75c)  7  days,  2nd  week.  Gross: 
S14,50O.    (Average,  $16,780) 
'Hello,  Frisco,  Hello"  (ZOth-Fox) 

R1TZ— (1,376)     (33c-44c-55c-85c)     7  days. 
Gross:  $11,000.    (Average,  $9,400) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.B.) 

WARNER    BROS.    (HOLLYWOOD)  — 
(3,400)    (33c-44c-55c-85c)   5  days,  3rd  week. 
Gross:  $7,800.    (Average,  $13,300) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.B.) 

WARNER     BROS.     (DOWNTOWN)  — 
(3,400)    (33c-44c-65c-85c)   5  days,  3rd  week. 
Gross:  $10,100.    (Average,  $14,400) 
"The  Hard  Way"  (W.B.) 

WARNER  BROS.  (WILTERN)-(2,200) 
(33c-44c-55c-65c-85c)  5  days,  3rd  week. 
Gross:  $7,300.    (Average,  $10,000) 

Legion  of  Decency 
Approves  8  Films 

Eight  new  features  were  approved 
by  the  National  Legion  of  Decency  in 
its  current  listing,  including  six  for 
general  patronage  and  two  for  adults. 
The  films  and  their  classifications  fol- 
low : 

Class  A-l,  Unobjectionable  for  Gen- 
eral Patronage — "Always  a  Brides- 
maid," "Assignment  in  Brittany,"  "At 
Dawn  We  Die,"  "Harrigan's  Kid," 
"The  Purple  V,"  "The  Youngest 
Profession."  Class  A-2,  Unobjection- 
able for  Adults — "Good  Morning, 
Judge,"  "The  Moon  Is  Down." 

"Captive  Wild  Woman"  was  classi- 
fied Class  B — Objectionable  in  Part. 


Milwaukee  Company 
Buying  for  Theatres 

Milwaukee,  March  30. — Accord- 
ing to  J.  J.  McMahon,  general  man- 
ager of  the  Motion  Picture  Service 
Co.,  film  buying  and  booking  firm  re- 
cently organized  here,  the  company 
represents  the  following  Michigan 
theatres :  Delft  Theatres,  Inc.,  em- 
bracing the  Delft  and  Nordic  theatres 
in  Marquette,  the  Delft  and  Michigan 
in  Escanaba,  the  Delft,  Iron  River, 
and  the  Delft  and  Michigan  in  Munis- 
ing.  Also  represented  are  the  Soo 
Amusement  Co.  houses,  comprising  the 
Soo,  Temple  and  Colonial  in  Sault 
Ste.  Marie,  McMahon  said. 


8 


Motion  Picture  Daily 


Wednesday,  March  31,  1943 


Off  the  Antenna 


A PRO  GRAM  to  train  selected  students  for  radio  work  will  be  under- 
taken by  the  Stanford-KPO  Radio  Institute  opening  June  17  to 
take  place  at  Stanford  University  and  KPO,  NBC  San  Francisco  station. 
Because  of  the  need  for  "combination  men,"  100  students  will  be  trained 
in  announcing,  production  and  control  room  operation,  NBC  announced. 
Similar  courses  to  prepare  personnel  will  be  held  by  NBC  in  Chicago  in 
cooperation  with  Northwestern  University  and  in  Hollywood  with  the 
University  of  California. 

•  •  • 

Purely  Personal:  Ralph  Edzvards,  in  Cincinnati  for  the  "Truth  or  Conse- 
quences" zvar  bond  drive,  will  address  the  Advertisers  Club  there  today.  .  .  . 
Grayle  Howlett,  WGN ,  Chicago,  sports  editor,  and  Mrs.  Howlctt  are  the 
parents  of  a  daughter,  Katherine  Lee.  .  .  .  James  Leonard,  WSAI,  Cincinnati, 
program  director,  is  in  Deaconess  Hospital  recovering  from  a  throat  infec- 
tion. .  .  .  Douglas  Hawkins  of  the  WOR  recording  department  is  the  father 
of  a  son,  named  Philip.  .  .  .  The  Association  of  Radio  News  Analysts  will  give 
a  dinner  to  H.  V.  Kaltenborn  on  Sunday  in  honor  of  his  2\st  year  of  news- 
casting.    He  is  retiring  president  of  the  group. 

•  •  • 

British-made  films  on  the  enemy's  newest  explosive  types  of  incendiary 
bombs  and  means  of  extinguishing  them  are  being  used  in  NBC's  revised 
Air  Raid  Warden's  course,  televised  each  Monday  at  4  and  7:30  p.  m.  on 
WNBT,  the  network  announced. 

•  •  • 

Program  Notes:  Mickey  Rooney  and  Frank  Morgan  will  guest  on  four 
Camel  Caravan  shows  starting  Friday,  with  Morgan  on  the  first  two.  .  .  . 
Secretary  of  War  Henry  L.  Stimson  praised  three  "Church  of  the  Air" 
programs  in  a  letter  to  William  S.  Paley,  CBS  president.  .  .  .  "School  of 
the  Air  of  the  Americas"  ends  its  season  on  April  21  on  CBS  and  will 
resume  Oct.  4,  the  network  announced.  .  .  .  Henry  T.  Murdock,  formerly 
for  16  years  motion  picture  editor  of  the  defunct  Philadelphia  Ledger  is 
conducting  a  nightly  program  on  films  over  WCAU,  Philadelphia. 

•  •  • 

To  the  Service:  Nelson  Smith,  supervisor  of  CBS  studio  technicians,  will 
report  to  Washington  as  a  captain  in  the  Army.  .  .  .  Ira  Avery,  assistant  to 
Julius  F.  Seebach,  WOR's  vice-president  in  charge  of  programs,  has  entered 
military  service.  .  .  .  George  Hayward,  W ABC  apprentice  technician,  has 
joined  the  Army. 

•  •  • 

Effective  April  1,  WLBC,  Muncie,  Ind.,  will  become  affiliated  with  Co- 
lumbia as  a  special  supplementary  station  available  with  the  basic  net- 
work. The  station  operates  full  time  with  250  watts  on  a  frequency  of 
1340  kilocycles. 


Drama,  2  Musicals 
Open  on  Broadway 
Stage  This  Week 

After  a  quiet  month  on  the  Broad- 
way stage,  three  new  plays  are  listed 
this  week.  "The  Family,"  Oscar  Ser- 
lin's  new  production  based  on  a  novel 
by  Nina  Fedorova  and  starring  Lu- 
cile  Watson,  Carol  Goodner,  Evelyn 
Varden,  Nicholas  Conte,  Arnold 
Korff  and  Elizabeth  Fraser,  opened 
last  night  at  the  Windsor  Theatre. 

"Oklahoma,"  the  Theatre  Guild's 
version  of  "Green  Grow  the  Lilacs," 
opens  tonight  at  the  St.  James  Thea- 
tre. The  score  has  been  written  by 
Richard  Rodgers  with  the  book  and 
lyrics  by  Oscar  Hammerstein  II.  A 
cast  of  more  than  60  singers  and  danc- 
ers is  headed  by  Betty  Garde,  Alfred 
Drake,  Celeste  Holm,  Joseph  Buloff, 
Joan  Roberts,  Lee  Dixon  and  Howard 
da  Silva. 

"The  Ziegfeld  Follies,"  starring 
Milton  Berle,  Uona  Massey,  Arthur 
Treacher  and  Dean  Murphy,  opens 
Thursday  evening  at  the  Winter  Gar- 
den, recently  vacated  by  "Sons  of 
Fun."  "Oklahoma"  and  "Follies'* 
have  had  successful  pre-Broadway  en- 
gagements in  New  England  and  Phila- 
delphia. 

'Show  Time,'  'Sisters'  Close 

"Show  Time,"  the  vaudeville  pro- 
duction starring  George  Jessel,  Ella 
Logan  and  Jack  Haley,  and  Guthrie 
McClintic's  production  of  "The  Three 
Sisters"  with  Katherine  Cornell,  Ju- 
dith Anderson  and  Ruth  Gordon,  close 
Saturday  after  respective  runs  of  28 
and  15  weeks.  Both  productions  are 
scheduled  to  tour,  with  "Show  Time" 
listed  for  engagements  in  Philadelphia 
and  Boston,  while  "Three  Sisters"  will 
be  seen  in  Boston,  Buffalo,  Toronto, 
Detroit,  Cleveland,  Pittsburgh  and 
Chicago. 


Gehring  Club  President 

W.  C.  Gehring,  Western  sales  man- 
ager of  20th  Century-Fox,  has  been 
elected  president  of  the  Home  Office 
Family  Club,  the  company  announced. 
Other  officers  named  were :  Lew 
Lehr,  first  vice  president ;  William  J. 
Clark,  second  vice  president ;  Frank 
X.  Carroll,  third  vice  president ;  Read 
B.  Simonson,  treasurer,  and  Mrs. 
Elsie  Boland  Collins,  secretary. 


/.  M.  Davis  Appointed 
Bar  Ass'n  Radio  Aide 

Washington,  March  30. — Appoint- 
ment of  John  M.  Davis,  Philadelphia 
attorney,  as  national  radio  director 
of  the  public  information  program  of 
the  American  Bar  Association  was 
announced  today.  The  appointment 
was  made  by  George  Maurice  Morris, 
president  of  the  Association,  upon  the 
recommendation  of  Robert  E.  Freer, 
a  Federal  Trade  Commissioner  and 
Director  of  the  Program. 

Davis  has  been  actively  connected 
with  radio  broadcasting  for  many 
years  and  is  vice-president  and  gen- 
eral counsel  of  station  WIBG,  Phila- 
delphia. 


Gillmore  Services 
To  Be  Held  Today 

(Continued  from  page  1) 
Moore,  John  Golden,  Lee  Shubert, 
Guthrie  McClintic,  Sam  Forrest, 
Walter  Hampden,  Dr.  Edmund  Dovel, 
Channing  Pollock,  Bert  Lytell,  Law- 
rence Tibbett,  Brock  Pemberton, 
James  O'Neill,  Alfred  Lunt,  J.  Car- 
rington  Yates,  William  A.  Brady, 
Augustin  Duncan,  Gene  Buck,  Eddie 
Dowling,  Howard  Lindsay,  Dudley 
Digges,  James  F.  Reilly,  Henry  Her- 
ing,  Jean  Greenfield,  A.  O.  Brown, 
Rollin  Kirby,  Solly  Pernick  and 
Frank  Wilson. 


Skelton  and  the  Dodgers 

Red  Skelton  and  other  members  of 
M-G-M's  "Whistling  in  Brooklyn" 
unit  will  film  scenes  shortly  with  the 
Brooklyn  Dodgers  at  Ebbets  Field. 


NLRB  Dismisses 
IATSE  Vote  Protest 

The  New  York  regional  board  of 
the  NLRB  yesterday  announced  that 
it  had  recommended  dismissal  of  ob- 
jections filed  by  the  IATSE  on  elec- 
tions at  Loew's,  United  Artists  and 
20th  Century-Fox  exchanges,  which 
were  won  by  the  Screen  Office  and 
Professional  Employes  Guild,  Local 
109. 

Final  ruling  on  the  three  objections, 
alleging  electioneering,  admission  of 
an  unqualified  person  to  one  of  the 
elections  and  allowance  of  insufficient 
time  in  setting  two  of  the  election 
dates,  will  come  from  Washington. 

Cinema  Lodge  Names 
Schimel  President 

Adolph  Schimel,  Universal  attor- 
ney, is  the  new  president  of  Cinema 
Lodge  of  B'Nai  B'Rith,  succeeding 
Irving  Greenfield  of  M-G-M,  the 
Lodge  revealed  yesterday. 

Vice  presidents  for  the  ensuing 
year  are :  Leon  Goldberg,  RKO ;  Leo 
Jaffee,  Columbia ;  Col.  A.  Ralph 
Steinberg;  Robert  M.  Weitman, 
Paramount ;  Norman  Steinberg,  20th 
Century-Fox ;  Samuel  Lefkowitz, 
United  Artists,  William  Melniker, 
Loew's ;  Alvin  T.  Sapinsley  and  S. 
Arthur  Glixon. 

Max  Blackman  of  Warner  Bros.,  is 
treasurer ;  Julius  M.  Collins,  Ascap, 
recording  secretary ;  Jerome  Hyman, 
corresponding  secretary,  and  Dr. 
Charles  Goodman,  monitor. 


Short  Subject 

Reviews 

"Dumb  Hounded" 

(Cartoon  ) 

(M-G-M) 

There  are  plenty  of  laughs  in  this 
technicolor  cartoon  on  the  adventures 
of  Droopy,  a  dead  pan  dog  deteiuV? 
hot  on  the  trail  of  an  escaped  iotin^ 
The  chase  goes  around  a  good  por:v.';i 
of  the  globe  in  lickety  split  time  with 
Droopy  nonchalantly  appearing  at 
each  refuge  the  criminal  attempts  to 
find.  Very  funny.  Running  time,  8 
mins.  Release,  March  20. 


"Mexican  Police 
on  Parade" 

( Fitzpatrick  Traveltalk ) 

(M-G-M) 

A  colorful  police  department  replete 
with  entertainers  of  many  varieties  is 
the  subject  for  this  James  Fitzpatrick 
Traveltalk.  Rodeo  performers,  sing- 
ers, and  dancers  are  among  the  per- 
sonnel of  the  Mexican  police  and  their 
talents  make  good  entertainment  in 
this  technicolor  short.  Running  time, 
9  mins.  Release,  February  27. 


"Food  for  Fighters" 

(OWI) 

(United  Artist s-W AC) 

AMERICA'S  pride  in  having  its 
soldiers  the  best  fed  in  the  world 
is  shown  to  be  justified  in  this  OWI 
reel  on  the  scientific  approach  of  the 
Army  Quartermasters  Corps  to  buying 
and  preparing  food  for  the  fighting 
man.  The  myth  of  beans  as  the 
Army's  main  dish  is  disposed  of  and 
the  present  system  of  giving  the  men 
the  food  they  like,  the  way  they  like 
it,  is  thoroughly  and  interestingly  ex- 
plained. Dehydration  of  foods  to  ease 
the  supply  problem  is  shown  as  well 
as  the  K  ration,  a  streamlined  meal  in 
a  special  package.  Running  time,  9 
min.    Release,  April  1. 


"Right  of  Way" 

(OWI) 

( United  A  rtists-  WA  C) 

THE  giant  task  of  the  United 
States'  transportaton  industries  in 
bringing  men  and  materials  to  the  bat- 
tlefronts  is  skillfully  presented  in  this 
OWI  short.  Joseph  Eastman,  direc- 
tor of  the  Office  of  Defense  Trans- 
portation, explains  why  civilian  needs 
must  be  secondary  to  the  great  war 
job  of  carrying  soldiers  and  supplies. 
The  film  traces  a  freight  train,  a  troop 
train,  a  truck  and  plane,  racing  their 
cargo  to  a  convoy,  loading  at  Ho- 
boken,  N.  J.  The  destination  is 
reached  on  time,  and  audiences  will 
enjoy  this  confident  story  of  a  phase 
of  America's  war  effort.  Running 
time,  9  min.    Release,  April  IS. 


"Flying  Jalopy" 

(RKO) 

A  business  deal  between  Donald 
Duck  and  Ben  Buzzard  has  its  usual 
difficulties  for  both  parties  in  this 
amusing-  Walt  Disney  technicolor  car- 
toon. Donald  buys  a  jalopy  airplane 
from  Ben  and  unknowingly  signs  an 
insurance  policy,  making  the  latter 
beneficiary.  When  the  plane  doesn't 
fall  apart  enough  to  end  Donald,  Ben 
takes  up  pursuit.  Ben  doesn't  win 
and  soon  is  acting  as  bird  plane  for 
Donald.  Running  time,  7  mins.  Re- 
lease, March  12. 


Work-Fight  Order 
Ready  for  Ushers 

Washington,  March  30.— Re- 
classification of  registrants  in 
occupations  recently  classified 
by  the  War  Manpower  Com- 
mission as  non-essential  will 
be  started  immediately  when 
the  order  becomes  effective 
April  1,  it  was  announced  by 
the  WMC  tonight. 

Men  of  draft  age  in  these 
jobs  are  held  to  be  "non-de- 
ferrable" regardless  of  de- 
pendents, but  will  be  given  30 
days  in  which  to  transfer  to 
war  work. 

Covered  by  the  order  are 
employes  of  theatrical  schools, 
and  night  clubs,  and,  regard- 
less of  the  activity  in  which 
they  may  be  found,  ushers, 
doormen  and  starters,  eleva- 
tor operators,  errand  boys 
and  messengers. 


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